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March 2009

New Search Date Announced in Corrie Anderson Case

March 31, 2009

Vickie Acquisto and Tim Miller Texas EquuSearch and the family of Corrie Anderson, a missing mother of three from Ashville, N.Y., held a joint press conference in Jamestown, N.Y. today to update the media on the case and to announce new search dates.

Corrie's mother, Vickie Acquisto, said that she initially had been discouraged when the search, which was originally scheduled to begin this weekend, was canceled, but that she has since realized that the decision was for the best.

"There is a reason for everything. Everything happens for a reason," Vickie said. "To see how it's all coming together now -- I'm really very thankful. Our hopes are that we will find Corrie. I would like to say I want to find her alive, but we have to have closure."

According to Tim Miller, founder and director of Texas EquuSearch, the search will now be held on April 18 and 19. The command center will be located at the Ashville Firemen's Training Grounds.

"We have cooperation from law enforcement," Miller said. "They have done a wonderful job. I went all over the areas that they searched yesterday and I had a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with them myself. We're going to go ahead and spread the search out a little bit farther. We've got some resources that we can bring to the table if needed. We've looked at some areas where we might possibly use sonar. We know law enforcement used sonar and divers also. We've got a small drone airplane that we might also be using on this search."

Miller said that his trip to New York was essential because he was able to drive around and familiarize himself with the area.

"We're doing a lot of mapping," Miller said. "We're going to do more mapping today. The snow kind of hurt us in some areas that we wanted to look at, but we are going to have another look at those today."

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Kelly Currin Morris Child Custody Hearing Set for Today

March 30, 2009

KellyA court hearing today will determine custody of Kelly Currin Morris's 5-year-old daughter.

Kelly, a 28-year-old mother of two, went missing from her Stem, N.C., home on Sept. 3, 2008.

In January, a judge granted Kelly's husband, William "Scott" Morris, temporary custody of the child. The following month, Morris's attorney placed a legal notice in a local newspaper, which stated Kelly had 40 days to respond to the custody complaint. That time limit has since expired.

Morris has been named a "person of interest" in his wife's disappearance and the arson fire that destroyed their home; however police have not yet charged him in connection with the case. As a result, if Kelly does not show up in court today he could be granted full custody of their child.

Kelly's other daughter, who is not Morris's biological child, is currently in the custody of Kelly's parents and is not subject to today's ruling.

An update on the judge's ruling will be posted upon its release.

Meanwhile, the search for Kelly continues every weekend. Anyone interested in getting involved can receive more information by contacting the Kelly Currin Morris Command Center at 919-812-2310 or via e-mail, at: helpfindkelly@gmail.com. The command center is located at 2816 Old Weaver Trail in Creedmoor, North Carolina.

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Who Killed Terressa Vanegas?

March 26, 2009

Terressa Vanegas The family of Terressa Vanegas, a 16-year-old girl from Bayview, Texas, has been living a horrific nightmare for the last two-and-a-half years. Teresa's mother, Jeanette Vanegas, wakes up every morning to the realization that her daughter's killer is still living his life without paying the consequence for stealing the teen's precious life.

The mystery of this case began on Nov. 3, 2006, when a man riding a dirt bike stumbled upon Terressa's body some 200 yards behind a high school in Dickinson, Texas. According to a source close to the investigation, Terressa was found lying in a shallow drainage ditch. Her shirt had been ripped off, and her pants were pulled down to her knees. A belt had allegedly been wrapped tightly around her neck. Terressa's shoes were missing, and to date they have not been found.

Jeanette was not allowed to view the body for positive identification; however, when presented with a photo taken by the medical examiner's office, she was able to confirm her daughter's identity. When viewing the photo, she also made a mental note of her daughter's face, which she says appeared to be bruised and swollen.

An autopsy conducted by the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Terressa's death was a homicide; however, officials would not comment on a cause of death.

During Terressa's funeral, her casket was kept closed, but prior to burial her father requested to view her body. When the casket was opened, he too observed the bruising to her face and also made note of cuts on her hands.

Terressa Vanegas Following the funeral, Terressa's family, accompanied by officials from Texas EquuSearch, went to the area where Terressa's body had been found. During a search of the area, they found Terressa's glasses and hair clip in a nearby area. The location was noted, and investigators were called in to bag the items as evidence.

According to Jeanette, Terressa was last seen on Halloween night, Oct. 31, 2006. Earlier that day, Terressa had gone to school and then hung out with one of her friends for a few hours before going to meet another friend who lived at the Fiesta trailer park in Dickinson.

At about 10:00 p.m., Terressa phoned a 19-year-old man from Abilene, Texas, whom she had met three months earlier via the Web site dopehouserecords.com. The two had made plans to meet that night; however, Terressa was having difficulty finding a ride to his house. During their conversation, she said that she was going to go to a local convenience store to pick up a map.

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Search for Corrie Anderson Postponed

Press Release
From: Texas EquuSearch
March 27, 2009

Texas EquuSearch and the family of Corrie Anderson announced today that they have postponed the search for Corrie due to forecasted weather conditions. With the prediction of rain lasting late into next week and beyond, search conditions will be hampered during the weekend of April 3-5. 

A family spokesperson had this to say:

"As a family, we are tremendously grateful for the support of the community and TES in our search for Corrie. We are truly inspired by your kindness, and by the number of volunteers that want to help.
 
"Earlier today, as the number of volunteers continued to increase and we realized next weekend would bring more harsh weather to the region, we came to a decision with Texas EquuSearch to delay the search. This was an extremely tough decision, as we’ve waited and prepared for five months to do this. 

"Thank you for providing such a great foundation for this search. We graciously ask that you remain with us as we work with Texas EquuSearch to determine a new search date, to better accommodate the community and make for a more successful search."

Texas EquuSearch Founder and Director Tim Miller will still be in Jamestown on Monday to meet with the family and law enforcement regarding the search effort. An announcement will be made on Monday afternoon regarding the new search dates. Mr. Miller and Texas EquuSearch would like to thank the community for the overwhelming response regarding the search for Corrie. Inquiries regarding the search can be directed to Tim Miller at tim.miller@texasequusearch.org or Carolyn Todd at Carolyn.todd@texasequusearch.org . Information regarding the search can also be found on the organization’s website at www.texasequusearch.org.

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Casey Anthony Questioned About Lawyer's Retainer

March 25, 2009

Casey Anthony Casey Anthony, mother of murdered two-year-old Caylee Anthony, appeared in court today in response to a prosecution motion that had been filed in regard to a possible conflict of interest involving Anthony and her lead attorney, Jose Baez.

In the motion, the state attorney's office stated it had concerns about how Anthony--someone who had little money prior to her arrest--had managed to secure a team of high-profile attorneys and expert witnesses. Of central concern was whether Anthony had sold the rights to her story to the media, something that could later be used as basis for appeal.

"The way to diffuse this issue right now is to make sure that the record is clear on exactly what the situation is, exactly what the financial arrangements are," Prosecutor Jeff Ashton said at the start of the 40-minute hearing.

In response, Baez questioned Ashton's reasoning behind the motion and said that he hoped it was not an excuse to uncover what avenue the defense would be taking and how much money they could afford to spend.

"They [prosecutors] need to be worried more about their convictions, more so than their post convictions," Baez said. "What they are doing in their motion is basically stating hypothetically, maybe possibly there is a conflict that exists, and we're telling you there's not."

Orange Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland questioned Baez about his financial arrangement with Anthony, specifically regarding any book or movie deals, to which Baez responded by telling the court that he did not have a literary agreement with Anthony.

After questioning Baez, Strickland had Anthony sworn in and questioned her about an affidavit she had signed on March 10 regarding a retainer agreement with Baez. In questioning Anthony, Strickland was able to confirm that she had not entered into any other agreements with Baez or given him permission to sell her story.

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John Coopes Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Neighbor's Animals

March 24, 2009

JohnCoppes_20090320144842_640_480 While perusing news reports today, I came across a very bizarre case out of Mena, Ark., in which a man went to trial today on charges that he sexually assaulted two animals late last year.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office says it received a distressing 911 call on Dec. 13, 2008, from a 13-year-old girl who said that she had just witnessed her neighbor, 26-year-old John R. Coopes, engage in sexual activity with her Anatolian Shepherd. The girl said that the incident occurred in her yard.

Following the alleged assault, Coopes went into a horse pen on the property, where the girl's small Palomino horse was housed.

When deputies arrived on the scene, Coopes was still inside the pen, allegedly attempting to have sexual intercourse with the horse. In his possession they found a bottle of Astroglide water-based lubricant.

Coopes was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of bestiality, public sexual indecency and trespassing. During his arraignment, prosecutors had to drop the public sexual indecency charge, as Arkansas law has a requirement stating that both participants must be human.

At his arraignment, Coopes was freed on bond. Per the release order, he was instructed to stay away from his neighbor and her animals. The case continued until today, when Coopes appeared in court to enter his plea.

Following today's hearing, I had an opportunity to speak with Sheriff Mike Oglesby, who shared with me his version of the events and the outcome of the case.

Oglesby: "I don't even want to talk about this."

Lohr: "What exactly happened?"

Oglesby: "A juvenile girl looked out her window and seen this guy out there trying to mount a dog. When that didn’t work too well he found him a horse and mounted it."

Lohr: "Did the girl approach him during the incident?"

Oglesby: "Heck no. She seen this crap and it freaked her out, so she called 911. My deputy went out there and caught him and arrested him for bestiality and criminal trespassing. I mean he wasn't even at anybody's house he belonged at, he just found him a dog and a horse and moved right in."

Lohr: "What did he say when the deputies walked in on him?"

Oglesby: "He didn't say much of anything. He was quite embarrassed. He just moved here from somewhere else. I mean we might be rednecks here in Arkansas, but we are not that bad."

Lohr: "What happened in court today?"

Oglesby: "He pled guilty. He told the judge he was embarrassed and swore he would never do it again. He got 15 months probation and a $600 fine. The main thing the judge harped on was getting him psychiatric help."

Lohr: "Anything else you would like to add?"

Oglesby: "Well, I been doing this for over 20 years and this is the damndest interview I ever gave buddy. It ain't really funny, but it is funny."

The case certainly is bizarre.

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Sex Offender Charged in Death of Donna Jou

March 19, 2009

Donna Jou Prosecutors in Los Angeles have charged 36-year-old John Steven Burgess, aka Sinjin Stevens, with multiple criminal counts in connection with the disappearance of Donna Jou, a 19-year-old resident of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, who went missing nearly two years ago.

On Tuesday, Burgess, a convicted sex offender, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, concealment of an accidental death and one count each of sale or transportation of heroin and sale or transportation of cocaine.

At the time of his arrest, Burgess was already serving a three-year prison term for failing to register as a sex offender. Those charges stem from a 2002 case, in which Burgess was convicted of performing a lewd act against a child. 

"I believe [Donna] was at this party in the Palms area and she was inducing narcotics, and the cause of her death is most likely going be overdose," Detective Ron Ito, the lead investigator, said at a news conference.

The party in question occurred on June 23, 2007. On that afternoon, Donna was with her parents at their Rancho Santa Margarita home, when a man on a motorcycle picked her up and drove her to a residence in West Los Angeles. Later that night, Donna called a friend in San Diego and said that she was calling from a bathroom inside the house where the man had taken her.

"She said her friend was not there and that the guy who had picked her up was really freaking her out," Donna's father, Reza Jou, said in a July 2008, telephone interview with Investigation Discovery. "She said he was acting odd and would not get the hint that she was not interested in him. She did not ask for help, so I think she thought that the man would take her back home."

No one heard from Donna again until sometime after midnight, when her mother, Nili Jou, received a text message that read, "I WILL BE HOME SOON.  LOVE YOU MOMMY." Nili found the message odd because it was written in all caps, and "Mommy" was not a term her daughter would typically use. The next day, at about 6:08 p.m., Nili received a second text message from her daughter, which read, "I am in San Diego. I love you Mommy. I am coming home." That would prove to be the last contact ever made from Donna's phone. The following day, her parents called the police and reported their daughter missing.

When the police examined Donna's laptop, they discovered that she had been corresponding with Burgess, a man she had met on Craigslist - an Internet community for posting classified advertisements.

When police went to question Burgess, they were unable to locate him. He had moved out of his house and his roommates claimed to have no knowledge of his whereabouts. They did, however, say that Donna had been there on the night of June 23, but none of them had seen her since.  

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What Happened to Kellisue Ackernecht?

March 18, 2009

Kellisue Ackernecht It has been nearly six months since police in Johnstown, N.Y., opened a case into the disappearance of a local mother, and they are still no closer to determining what happened to her.

By all accounts, Sept. 30, 2008, began just as any other work day for 35-year-old Kellisue Ackernecht, a shift supervisor at the Rite Aid pharmacy in Amsterdam, N.Y. Kellisue attended to her duties; and at about 9:40 p.m., she locked up the store and presumably left for her Main Street home in nearby Johnstown. Unfortunately, Kellisue never made it home.

About four hours later, investigators found Kellisue's 1998 Saturn sedan engulfed in flames at West Montgomery and Chestnut Streets, an area that local residents refer to as "Frog Hollow"—and only a few blocks away from the home Kellisue shared with her husband, Jayson Ackernecht, 35, and her 10-year-old daughter. No human remains were found either inside the vehicle or in the immediate area.

At about 2:30 a.m. the police awakened Jayson to inform him of the fire. When questioned, he alleged that he had not seen his wife since she had left for work the previous day.

When police interviewed neighbors in the area where the car was found, several reported having heard loud noises like gunshots around midnight.

"I heard the gunshot; I jumped out of bed, looked out my window, and I looked up and down," local resident Doris Stewart said in an interview with WTEN.com.

Investigators made note of the sounds; however, they remain skeptical that the noises were gunshots, speculating instead that what the neighbors heard might have been the tires popping on the burning vehicle.

In an effort to locate Kellisue, Johnstown police conducted a foot search of the Frog Hollow area, while a state police helicopter scanned the ground from above. The St. Johnsville Dive Team was also brought in to assist, and the group spent several hours searching the banks of Cayadutta Creek. Despite the massive amount of manpower put into the initial search, police found nothing of interest.

In order to get a better understanding of the vehicle fire, investigators recreated it, using a similar car. The test indicated that the fire had started in the engine compartment, but it remains unclear whether the fire was caused by mechanical error or human intervention.

Police say they have no suspects in the case and no information to support the idea that Kellisue was the victim of a crime. The relationship between Kellisue and her husband, a salesman for Wilde Fire Equipment Co. in Mayfield, was reportedly strained; however, officials say he is not considered a person of interest in the case.

"Jayson's been very cooperative," City Police Chief Gregory Horning said in a December interview with Leaderherald.com. "She'll turn up. All our hopes and prayers are with the Ackernecht family. We hope we'll find her alive someplace."

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Community Shows Support for Missing NY Woman

March 16, 2009

DSCN2158 Family and friends of Corrie Anderson, a missing mother of three from Ashville, N.Y., organized a spaghetti dinner and Chinese auction to raise money for the family's reward fund and an upcoming search that is being planned by volunteers from the search and recovery group Texas EquuSearch.

Approximately 500 people showed up at the event, which was held at the Ashville Fireman's Training Grounds on Cedar Avenue.

"We are really appreciative of the support we have received from everyone," Corrie's cousin, Laurie Keefe, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "We've had a lot of people come forward and offer to help in any way that they can. We are so grateful. We wouldn't be able to get through this without them."

Texas EquuSearch volunteers were also present at the spaghetti dinner to sign up individuals who were interested in joining in the search effort.

DSCN2157 "It's been a long winter for all the families of missing people and it has been even longer to endure for the family and friends of Corrie Anderson," Texas EquuSearch spokesperson Gary Peterson told Investigation Discovery.

Texas EquuSearch will begin searching for Corrie on April 3 and will continue the search until April 5. According to Peterson, the group is in need of searchers on foot, ATV’s and horseback; in addition to volunteers to work in the command center.

Peterson said they are also in need of volunteers with prior law enforcement, fire department and military backgrounds to work as team leaders during the search.  A training class for team leaders and command center volunteers will be held on April 2.

"Dozens of our volunteers from all over the country will converge on Jamestown to help search for Corrie," Peterson said, adding, "We pray that we are successful in bringing Corrie home and putting her disappearance to rest. We express our heartfelt "Thanks" to all of you that we know and the friends we have yet to meet."

The command post for the search will be at the Busti Fire Department, which is located at 886 Mill Rd. Jamestown, NY 14701. Search teams will start getting dispatched at 8:00 am and the search will continue each day until dusk.

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The Missing - A Weekly Exposé of Lost Souls - Issue #33

March 13, 2009

The Mysterious Disappearance of April Beth Pitzer

April Beth Pitzer In this week's edition of "The Missing," we revisit the mysterious disappearance of April Beth Pitzer, a 30-year-old mother of two who disappeared from Newberry Springs, CA, in June 2004.

In the months leading up to her disappearance, April and Chase, her husband of eight years, divorced and April took a job at a local convenience store in Fort Worth, Texas. While working at the store, April was befriended by a group of transients who convinced her to travel to California with them.

"April had been out there a couple of months when she called me and told me that she had actually been dumped by these people and that she was living on the street and in shelters," April's mother, Gloria Denton, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "She said that she had literally been eating whatever she could, wherever she could."

After having a heart-to-heart with her mom, April was determined to get back on her feet, so she began working as a caregiver near Newberry Springs. Unfortunately, she soon found herself again befriended by the same group of transients with whom she had traveled to California.

"She called me and told me about them, and I told her they were crazy," Gloria said. "I told her she needed to come home because she could end up dead. My husband and I were in the process of moving to Arkansas, so I asked her to either come with us or go back to Texas. She agreed and said that she would find someone to take her to the bus station."

Chuck, an elderly man who April was staying with, agreed to give her a ride. That day, the 22 or 23 of June 2004, April called her mom and relayed the good news.

"She was so excited that she was leaving," Gloria said. "She told me that she loved me and said that she couldn't wait to see her children again. She and her ex-husband were speaking again and they were trying to work things out. The separation and the distance had made them have a change of heart."

When April failed to contact her mother the following week, Gloria tried to get in touch with her again.

"I knew from the minute I couldn't get her on that cell phone that something was wrong," Gloria said. "When I finally got a hold of Chuck, he said that he had been in Oregon helping a friend move and that he did not realize there was anything wrong. He told me that when he went to work on the morning of June 28, 2004, April was asleep in her bedroom, but that when he returned later that day, she was gone. He said it was his understanding that she had gone to see her transient friends. He also said that all of her belongings, minus a few changes of clothes, were still there."

In the weeks that followed, rumors began to surface that April had been murdered and thrown into a mine shaft. As a result, police searched some 25 mines, but were unable to locate any evidence.

HowStuffWorks: What happens to abandoned mines?

Approximately eight months later, investigators learned that someone had attempted to get a cell phone in April's name in Albuquerque, NM. The individual had attempted to open the account over the phone. As a result, it remains unclear who placed the call.

Gloria Denton April's mother, Gloria, was unwilling to give up. She traveled to California on several occasions and went into many of the mines herself, sometimes descending as much as 400 feet into the earth. Eventually, her hard work paid off; roughly one year later, an intriguing discovery was made.

HowStuffWorks: Gold Rushes

"I found clothing of hers in a few different mining areas, located about 30 miles from where she had been living," Gloria said. "They are very remote areas that have been deserted since the California gold rush. One item, her nightgown, was in a horribly decrepit mine shack. There were pieces of duct tape in there and her gown had been tied in a hangman's noose. All the clothes were scattered across a 3-mile area, from one mine to another."

Unfortunately, the items of clothing had been exposed to the weather for some time and contained little evidentiary value.

Bathroom Message The next break in the case came when a deputy in Roseberg, OR, found a cryptic message that someone had written in a truck stop restroom. "Want to find missing girl from Arkansas? I-15 3 miles east of Barstow," the message read.

Investigators checked the restroom for prints and investigators in California followed up on the lead, but nothing was found. Interestingly, though, the compound where the transients lived is located roughly 3.5 miles from I-15. It is also located near where Chuck and another man, nicknamed "Dan Dan," were known to mine. It is also of interest that the message was found in Oregon.

Gloria says she has always believed that Chuck knew more than he told her or investigators, but she also believes him to be innocent of any involvement in her daughter's disappearance.

"Chuck gave investigators a couple of different stories about the date my daughter went missing," Gloria said. "I've always felt that he was too afraid to talk, but would try to insert bits of the truth into his statements so that he could point us in the right direction."

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Texas EquuSearch Plans Search for Corrie Anderson

March 12, 2009

Corrie Anderson Texas EquuSearch will be in Jamestown, NY, to search for Corrie Anderson on April 3-5, 2009.

Corrie, a 36-year-old mother of three, was last seen on Oct. 28, 2008, when she went to visit a friend at an automotive dealership in Jamestown.  Her car was found by a hunter on Oct. 30, 2008, in a field near Busti.

Due to extreme winter weather conditions, a large scale search effort by Texas EquuSearch was delayed until now; however advance teams have been in the area several times over the last few months doing advance planning and reconnaissance to identify areas of interest.

Texas EquuSearch is in need of searchers on foot, ATV’s and horseback; in addition to volunteers to work in the command center. They are also in need of volunteers with prior law enforcement, fire department and military backgrounds to work as team leaders during the search.  A training class for team leaders and command center volunteers will be held on April 2.

All volunteers are welcome. You must be 18-years-old and present a valid photo ID. Plan to wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, good walking shoes or boots, and dress appropriately for the weather. Searchers should also carry a walking stick.

Those interested in participating as a horse searcher must bring an up-to-date Coggins Report with them on the day of the search.

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Kelly Currin Morris Search Update

Kelly Currin Morris Due to weather predictions, the search for Kelly Currin Morris that had been planned for March 14 and 15 has been postponed.

Anyone interested in getting involved in the next search can receive more information by contacting the Kelly Currin Morris Command Center at 919-812-2310 or via e-mail, at: helpfindkelly@gmail.com. The command center is located at 2816 Old Weaver Trail in Creedmoor, North Carolina.

The family of Kelly Currin Morris is offering a $30,000 reward for information on her whereabouts. Anyone with information is asked to call 919-812-2310.

Discuss The Kelly Currin Morris Case

Related Links:
Full Coverage: Kelly Currin Morris Case

Photo Credits: Currin Family

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Convicted Necrophiliac Charged in Two Additional Cases

March 10, 2009

Morgue In August 2008, I brought you the story of a former morgue employee from Hamilton County, Ohio, who was arrested on charges stemming from an incident that occurred over two decades ago, when he had sex with a corpse. There have been several new developments in the case since that time, including a conviction and the filing of two more counts of gross abuse of a corpse.

The pieces of this bizarre puzzle began to fall into place last year, when DNA evidence exonerated convicted killer David Steffen, 49, of raping 18-year-old Karen Range, a young woman whose dead body was found nearly beheaded in August 1982. Steffen had admitted to murdering Range, but always denied the rape allegations. Nonetheless, a jury of his peers found him guilty of both charges, and he was sentenced to death.

With the revelation that Steffen was innocent of the rape, officials were left stumped as to who the perpetrator of the rape was and how the incident had occurred.

The mystery continued until July 2008, when authorities matched the rapists DNA to 55-year-old Kenneth Douglas, a convicted drug trafficker who had to submit his DNA after he violated terms of his probation. When authorities looked into Douglas's background, they discovered that he had worked as an attendant at the Hamilton County morgue from 1976 to 1992.

When questioned by police, Douglas allegedly admitted to having had sex with Range’s corpse. In addition, he also admitted to committing other "sex acts," but claimed he could not remember the names of any of his victims.

Douglas made his first court appearance on July 29, 2008, on a single fifth-degree felony charge of gross abuse of a corpse. During the proceeding, the prosecution alleged that Douglas, who had been in charge of checking Range's body into the morgue, had sex with her corpse prior to autopsy.

Kenneth Douglas After listening to testimony from both sides, Judge William Mallory set Douglas's bond at $700,000 cash and continued the hearing until August 2008.

Following the hearing, investigators re-examined 29 rape kits that were taken while Douglas worked at the morgue so that they could rule out the possibility of other wrongful convictions. They also spoke with the directors of a funeral home where Douglas once worked.

"Dealing with a guy like this, you're tempted to call him some type of animal, but that's really not fair to animals because animals don't do things like this," prosecutor Mark Piepmeier told WTOL.com, adding, "This is just one sick dude."

During a subsequent hearing last fall, Douglas pled guilty to abusing Karen Range's corpse. As a result, he was sentenced to 18 months for gross abuse of a corpse, and another 18 months for the parole violation. To date, Douglas has served about six months of that sentence.

Continue reading >

Renee Pernice Case Update

March 09, 2009

Renee Pernice Investigation Discovery recently brought you the story of Renee Pernice, a 35-year-old woman from Kansas City, Missouri, who went missing in January. Since that time, there have been some interesting develops in the case, including the recent arrest of Renee's husband, 37-year-old Shon Pernice, on an unrelated charge.

On Feb. 25, police arrested Pernice on one count of stealing a firearm. According to court records, Pernice was visiting neighbors on Jan. 30, when he entered their basement and stole a .22 caliber handgun. The theft was noticed the following day, at which time the neighbors confronted Pernice.  Two days later, Pernice allegedly returned the gun and apologized for taking it.

Pernice remained in jail overnight, and was released on Feb. 26, after he posted a $25,000 bond. According to the Clay County Prosecutor’s office, Pernice entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment. The charge is listed as a Class C felony. Pernice is expected to appear in court again on March 31.

Read the Probable Cause Affidavit

It remains unclear if Pernice will be able to keep his medic job with the Independence Fire Department. A spokesperson for the department said they are currently reviewing the case.

In related news, Pernice reportedly had a profile on the dating Web site Plentyoffish.com, which was allegedly posted after his wife went missing. According to a Kansas media outlet, Pernice's profile said he was divorced and looking for a life partner.

"I think any concept of Shon being on a single's Web site, and particularly announcing himself as being divorced, is just disgusting and appalling," Renee's father, Rick Pretz, said in an interview with Kmbc.com.

During an interview with the same Web site, Kansas City Police Capt. Rich Lockhart said he was surprised that Pernice was already seeking another woman.

"I would say, given the short time frame that has passed since his wife's disappearance, the fact that her body hasn't been found or anything like that, I think it's somewhat unusual for someone to be out there so soon," Lockhart said.

The dating profile has since been removed from the Internet.

Meanwhile, Renee's family has turned to the Internet, in hopes that a profile they have created on MySpace might bring in some new leads. The page contains a wealth of information about the case and includes links to her missing person flyer and all of the court documents that have been released.

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Candlelight Vigil Planned for Kelly Currin Morris

March 06, 2009

Kelly morris Friends and family of Kelly Currin Morris, a 28-year-old mother of two, who went missing from her Stem, N.C., home on Sept. 3, 2008, will be holding a candlelight vigil on March. 7, at  7:00 pm.

The vigil, which is open to the public, will be held at Butner Park, which is located on Central Avenue in Butner, N.C.

Meanwhile, the search for Kelly continues every weekend. Anyone interested in getting involved can receive more information by contacting the Kelly Currin Morris Command Center at 919-812-2310 or via e-mail, at: helpfindkelly@gmail.com. The command center is located at 2816 Old Weaver Trail in Creedmoor, North Carolina.

On the morning of Sept. 4, 2008, firefighters with the Stem and Providence fire departments were dispatched to a fire at the Morris's house, located at 3220 Tump Wilkins Road. The house and much of its contents were destroyed; however no one was home when the fire broke out. Kelly's husband, 34-year-old William "Scott" Morris, was allegedly at his towing business in Creedmoor and the couple's two young children, ages 8 and 5, were in school at the time of the incident. It was initially believed that Kelly was in Raleigh, where she worked for Nationwide Insurance; however, investigators soon learned that she never showed up for work that morning.

Kelly's car, a burgundy 2005 Honda Accord, North Carolina license plate TXP-5917, was later found abandoned in an undeveloped subdivision, less than a mile from her home. Inside the locked car, investigators found Kelly's keys, purse, and cell phone.

When questioned by police, Scott Morris allegedly told them that he had not seen his wife since the previous night.

On Sept. 12, 2008, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the State Bureau of Investigation conducted forensic tests at the scene of the fire which, according to Smith, have revealed that the fire was the work of an arsonist.

The family of Kelly Currin Morris is offering a $30,000 reward for information on her whereabouts. Anyone with information is asked to call 919-812-2310.

Discuss The Kelly Morris Case

Related Links:
Full Coverage: Kelly Currin Morris Case

Photo Credits: Kelly: Currin Family

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The Missing - A Weekly Exposé of Lost Souls - Issue #32

March 05, 2009

The Mysterious Disappearance of Jeffrey Scott Howard

Jeffrey Howard In this week's edition of "The Missing," we revisit the mysterious disappearance of Jeffrey Scott Howard, a 42-year-old resident of Thousand Oaks, CA, who went missing in Dec. 2006.

"He had been very quiet in the weeks leading up to his disappearance," Jeffrey's mother, Thaya Howard, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "He was not himself."

Thaya said the family had initially chalked the behavior up to stress. In addition to his wife having just given birth to a baby girl, Jeffrey was waiting to find out if he had passed a real estate exam that he had been studying hard for.

"He was totally distracted," Thaya said. "On one occasion, he hid in the bathroom for hours on end reading the bible. He is a very religious person and it was not unusual to find him to read the bible every day; however not to that extreme." 

On Dec. 21, 2006, Jeffrey's wife, Thuc Howard, awoke sometime after midnight to tend to their infant child. When she went to bed at 2:30 am, she found Jeffrey sleeping on the couch. She awoke him and asked him to come to bed, at which time he complained of a severe headache. Thuc suggested he take some aspirin and a glass of milk. Jeffrey followed her instructions and returned to bed with her; however when she awoke again at 5:00 am, he was gone. His 2003 Hyundai Elantra sedan was also missing.

"Other than his car, all he had was the clothes on his back and his wallet, which contained about $80 in cash," Thaya said. "The police first thought he got into an accident, but they searched the entire area and found no sign of his car. Later, they began to speculate about suicide, but he wasn’t the type. He is a very responsible person. It is not something that he would logically believe in at all. He also has a deep sense of responsibility for his wife and daughter. He loves his little daughter, so it is inconceivable to me that he would pack up and leave. I believe that is what they now think, but why if that were the case why didn’t he plan ahead? I mean nothing has been used - not any of his bank cards, his identification or his social security card."

When police gave up the physical search, Thaya and her husband, Stan Howard, drove up from their home in Arizona to begin their own search. To date, they have covered a total of 20,000 miles. Unfortunately, they have been unable to find any sign of their son.

Jeffery's unusual behavior in the weeks leading up to his disappearance, the severe headache he suffered the night he disappeared, and some other incidents that had occurred in his past, have led his family to speculate that he might suffer from dissociative amnesia.

Continue reading >

New Details Surface in Search for Missing Football Players

March 04, 2009

Nick Schuyler Ocean Rescue The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three football players who went missing after the boat they were on capsized in choppy waters last weekend.

Corey Smith, a Detroit Lions defensive end; Marquis Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker; and Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, both former University of South Florida players, were on board the 21-foot fishing vessel when it overturned about 38 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

The vessel was spotted floating upside down in the water early Monday morning, at which time rescuers observed Nick Schuyler clinging to the side of the vessel. Suffering from dehydration and exhaustion, Schuyler was immediately picked up and airlifted to a Tampa hospital.

According to U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Timothy Close, officials decided to terminate the search because they are confident the men are no longer alive. Close said over 50 missions had been launched since early Sunday morning, covering over 24,000 square miles of water.

"We're extremely confident that if there were any survivors, we would have found them by now," Close said at a Tuesday evening media briefing.

Following the media briefing, Will Bleakley's father, Bob Bleakley, relayed a bizarre story to Tampabay.com, in which he said Schuyler had allegedly told investigators that Cooper and Smith had given up hope just four hours into the incident.

"We were told that Nick said the two NFL players took their life jackets off and drifted out to sea," Bleakley said.

HowStuffWorks: What if you were stranded several miles offshore in cold weather?

Schuyler said that Will Bleakley remained with him until early Monday, when he took off his lifejacket so he could swim toward a distant light.

"I think he was delusional to think he could swim someplace," Bob Bleakley said.

Continue reading >

Judge Says Yes to Provocative Photos of Casey Anthony

March 03, 2009

Casey Anthony There have been several new developments in the Caylee Anthony murder case, along with a new revelation by prosecutors that they will not be seeking the death penalty against her mother, Casey Anthony.

On Monday, Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland heard arguments from the defense and the prosecution, regarding motions that Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, had filed to block the release of videos and photos relating to his client.

The video in question was filmed on Dec. 11, 2008, when Anthony was notified that her daughter's body had been found. The video allegedly shows Anthony hyperventilating. Baez said that the video was planned and part of a "game" that law enforcement was playing with his client.

"Thanks to another one of our reliable leaks at the Orange County Sheriff's Office, it has come to our attention that there is a video that exists of my client being taken to a medical office at the jail, for the purpose of recording her reaction to the finding of remains, which ultimately ended up being her daughter," Baez said at the hearing.

Baez further argued that the video was filmed in the medical clinic, which violated Anthony's medical privacy rights.

Prosecutors denied allegations that Anthony had been led to the room for the purpose of taping her and said that all public areas inside the jail are subject to recording.

After listening to the arguments, Judge Strickland decided to delay the release of the tape so that the defense could review it.

Continue reading >

Search for Missing Football Players Continues

March 02, 2009

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, Corey Smith, a Detroit Lions defensive end; Marquis Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker; and Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, both former University of South Florida players, were all on board Cooper's 21-foot fishing vessel when it overturned in choppy waters Saturday evening.

The vessel reportedly left Clearwater Pass early Saturday morning for an all day fishing trip alongside Florida’s west coast. When the boat first left port, seas were only about 2 feet high; however by mid afternoon they had increased to 5 feet and then again to 7 feet Saturday night.

Regardless of a captain's experience, seas of that rough are considered highly dangerous for a vessel as small as Coopers.

The boat was first reported missing at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, some 20 hours after it left port. Upon receiving the report, the Coast Guard dispatched a 47-foot motor-life boat crew from Station Sand Key, an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and C-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, and an 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter to the area; however 45 mph. wind gusts and 10 foot seas made for a difficult first day of searching.

By Monday, the coast guard had covered about 16,000 square miles of ocean with no sign of the men or the boat. Nevertheless, the daunting search continued and early Monday morning the U.S. Coast Guard spotted the capsized vessel floating in the Gulf of Mexico. Upon closer inspection, rescuers observed Nick Schuyler clinging to the side of the vessel. He was immediately picked up by the rescue chopper and airlifted to the hospital.

Unfortunately, Close, Cooper and Smith were not found on or near the overturned vessel.

According to Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close, Schuyler said that the boat was anchored when it overturned Saturday afternoon. He said the men were together up until about 2:00 a.m., Monday, when they were somehow separated. Schuyler also said that he believed the three men were all wearing life jackets.

Schuyler has been admitted to Tampa General Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition.

Continue reading >

ABOUT THIS BLOG

Keep up with the latest in all things crime and criminals right here. Get the details on the Casey Anthony Trial and other daily reports as they unfold.
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