Pat LaLama Reports: A Portrait Of Jealousy, Rage and Revenge

February 07, 2012

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's daily coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

 

 Read Pat LaLama's Past Reports On This Case

 

Stephanie Lazarus Murder Trial
Day 2

Watching bloody crime scene photos never gets any easier. Images of 29 year old Sherri Rasmussen’s beaten body, gunned down in the living room of her Los Angeles townhome flashed across a giant courtroom screen…three bullet holes in her chest…her statuesque frame lying lifeless on the ground. Her arms were positioned upward as if she were desperately trying to ward off a spray of bullets. I can see the anguish on Nels and Loretta Rasmussen’s faces. They are seated just inches away in the row behind me. Losing their daughter back in 1986, at the hands of a vicious murderer, seems to hurt as much today as ever.

 

On Tuesday, the prosecution in the murder trial of former LAPD detective Stehpanie Lazarus used crime scene photographs to try and paint a murderous portrait of jealousy, rage and revenge. The key motivation behind Lazarus’ ruthless vendetta, they say.

Prosecutors contend that while Lazarus was a young patrol officer 26 years ago, she murdered Rasmussen, the new bride of Lazarus’ ex-boyfriend, John Ruetten. Back then homicide investigators concluded the murder was the result of a botched burglary attempt. They based their decision on among other things, stereo equipment left at the bottom of a staircase and the drawer of a living room table that had been flung open. Other robberies in the same neighborhood solidified the burglary theory. Cops believed the suspects were two males.

Prosecutors on Tuesday, through a series of photographs tried to paint an entirely different picture. One of personal revenge. A photograph depicted speaker wires and a white blood stained rope that prosecutors believe Lazarus used to tie up Rasmussen. Another shows broken fingernails lying on the ground near the front door. Shelves on an entertainment center were collapsed. A lamp was knocked over. A ceramic vase crashed on the floor. It was a violent struggle. Prosecutors believe Sherri Rasmussen, who stood 5’10” tried desperately to defend herself from Lazarus whom she knew. Family members contend that Lazarus had harassed Rasmussen on many occasions while she was still alive.

The next photograph showed evidence that was essentially ignored by the lead detective in the case back in 1986.  It was a distinct bite mark on Sherri’s left inner forearm. A swab of saliva was taken and the evidence was stored away in the Coroner’s office.

Back then a second detective on the case opined that a bite mark is more symbolic of the work of a female accomplice. The lead detective dismissed the theory, insisting it was a burglary. (The jury hasn’t yet heard this part.) Twenty years after the fact new DNA analysis revealed the bite bark was in fact that of a woman. Prosecutors told the jury there is a 1 in 1.7 sextillion chance that the DNA belongs to someone besides Lazarus. “That’s 17 followed by 20 zeros”, says Prosecutor Shannon Presby.

Lazarus defense attorney Mark Overland is trying to prove that faulty memories on the part of witnesses, shoddy police work and compromised physical evidence will create all the reasonable doubt a jury needs.

 

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Photo Credit: Former Los Angeles Police Officer Stephanie Lazarus with her attorney Mark Overland at Los Angeles Superior hearing Wednesday, July 29, (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

The Powell Family Tragedy: Will There Ever Be Answers?

[ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University. Here's his take on the recent horrific crime making headline news this week. Read his Bio >> ] 

A little past noon on Sunday, February 5, 2012, Joshua Powell murdered his children, Braden, 5, and Charlie, 7,and took his own life in a deliberately set gas explosion.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the explosion that destroyed Powell’s Puyallup, Washington home was the result of a murder-suicide.  Moments before the explosion took the lives of Powell and his children he sent emails to his attorney, family and friends saying, “I’m sorry, goodbye.”  In voicemails left to relatives Powell said, I am not able to live without my sons.”

Autopsy results of the children later revealed that they perished of smoke inhalation; however, both boys had been attacked with a hatchet.  Charles suffered a hatchet wound to the neck and younger brother Braden had been struck in the neck and head by Powell.  According to autopsies, hatchet wounds were not the cause of death of either child.  It is speculated by authorities that after failing to kill the children with his hatchet, Powell ignited a five gallon can of gasoline at their feet and the explosion that followed caused their deaths.

 

Powell lost custody of his children following the disappearance of his wife Susan in December 2009 when the investigation led to the discovery of child pornography in the family home.  Powell’s father Steven was charged in the crime and was in custody at the time of the blast.

A custody battle raged between Powell and his missing wife’s parents Charles and Judith Cox who were given custody of the children following the grandfather’s arrest.  A petition to regain custody filed in a Washington State Superior Court was dismissed and Powell was ordered to be examined for psycho-sexual disorders. 

Early Sunday afternoon a contract worker for the state delivered the two little boys to the Powell home for a scheduled, supervised visit.  Apparently the children ran ahead of the case worker and Powell, who had been waiting outside, brought the boys into the house and locked the door behind them.  The case worker knocked on the door and smelled gas, but Powell never answered.  Apparently Powell attacked the children with his hatchet as soon as they entered the residence.  As the case worker was notifying her supervisor that Powell was alone with the children, the house exploded in a fireball, killing everyone inside.  The bodies of the children were found in a central room with their father.

 

According to CBS News, the children recently had begun to relate additional details regarding the disappearance of their mother Susan, 28.  Powell always maintained that his wife had walked away from the marriage when he and the children went on an impromptu camping excursion on a snowy, frozen Utah night in late 2009.  However, in published reports the boys told investigators that on the night of their mother’s disappearance, she had accompanied them “in the trunk” and later she walked into the desert with Powell.  When he returned alone, he is alleged to have told the children that “mommy got lost.”

With these revelations and presuming their veracity, it is easy to speculate that the single-most important witnesses in the disappearance of Susan Powell have been silenced.  The murders of these children are inexplicable, except that perhaps their father did not want them to testify against him in a criminal court.  Consider that Powell has been described as a narcissist and recently had been ordered to undergo a court-ordered psycho-sexual evaluation.  Given the recent revelations of the children, Powell surely was threatened with being charged as a murder suspect.  He may have seen no other way out than to murder the children and himself.  The witnesses against him are now forever silenced and he will never be tried for killing his wife as the children’s statements clearly infer.

West Valley, Utah police have issued a statement that they are not yet sure how these developments will impact the investigation into the disappearance of Susan Powell.  Josh Powell had always been a point of interest in the disappearance of his wife and all roads lead directly to him, according to investigators.  And now, but to find Susan Powell, there is little left to do but bury the children.

 

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Powell explosion credit:
Pierce County Sheriff's deputies and Graham Firefighters work around the smoldering remains of a house near Fredrickson, Wash., Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, where, according to a sheriff's spokesman, three bodies were were found. The bodies are believed to be Josh Powell and his two sons. The explosion occurred moments after a Child Protective Services worker brought the two boys to the home for a supervised visit. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Susan Powell credit:
A flier seeking information on the whereabouts of Susan Powell, who was reported missing Dec. 7, 2009, in Utah, is shown, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009, at a press conference in Puyallup, Wash. Powell's family said Thursday they are saddened but not surprised that her husband Josh Powell has been named a person of interest in the investigation. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Josh Powell credit:
In this Aug. 23, 2011 file photo, Josh Powell, husband of missing Utah woman Susan Cox Powell, walks to a court hearing in Tacoma, Wash. An explosion at a Washington state home has killed Josh Powell and the couple's two young sons, officials said Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Why Casey Anthony Remains Silent and Won’t Testify

December 18, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

With two civil suits looming over Casey Anthony’s horizon, speculation grows about the acquitted probationer’s testimony: about what she will and will not say.  During a Nov. 1 deposition for the Zenaida Gonzales defamation suit, Anthony, 25, invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 60 times and avoided answering specific questions about the disappearance of her child in 2008.

Nevertheless, it’s a mystery that anyone would expect the consummate liar to come clean about what really happened to her daughter, Caylee.  Freed two weeks after a jury acquitted her of the capital murder of her child and knowing she could not be retried for the same crime,  would the “most hated woman in America” make a clean breast of her role in the tragedy?

No.  Truthfulness is not within the scope of Casey Anthony’s abilities. 

But in a post-Casey Anthony trial world, lying, or her attorneys’ spins may not be enough to keep Casey Anthony out of more trouble. 

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

 

What, though, happened to Caylee?  The only person who can say is her mother, Casey, who never will divulge those facts.

Here’s why:
1.    As Casey Anthony’s Svengali, her lead attorney, Jose Baez, has been creating cover stories — lawyers term them “theory of defense” — since his client first called him from jail.  It’s the perfect set-up for Casey, because now, she doesn’t have to confabulate or invent people.  All Anthony needs to do is sit back and let her lawyers talk.  In Casey’s mind, there is no need for truth.  The acquittal — a profound miscarriage of justice in many people’s eyes — is Casey Anthony’s license to lie.  More than anything, although lawful, the jury’s decision reinforced Anthony’s behavior and that behavior is unlikely to change.

2.    What little the public does know about Casey Anthony has enraged the majority.  Hollywood Reporter writes that Los Angeles-based TV producer Scott Sternberg has been discreetly pitching a Casey Anthony, no holds barred TV interview show.  For between $500,000 and $750,000, says Marisa Guthrie, the licensing media outlet can choose its own interviewer to have first crack at Casey Anthony.  But to their respective credits, no networks or cable venues have said yes to the “quietly shopped” pitch.  Citing fear of backlash from the public, so far, the Dec. 14 report states a presentation of whatever Casey Anthony might dish is not attractive, and rightfully so. “[A Casey Anthony interview] will get very good ratings,” one cable source told the web site. “But who would want to put their ads in that kind of show?”

3.    Count on Casey’s protracted silence in her two upcoming civil suits, i.e., the Zenaida Gonzales defamation suit and Texas Equusearch’s suit to recover $15,000 spent in the search for a “missing” Caylee.  Not only would Anthony be subject to perjury charges if her sworn testimony contained untruths but whatever she does reveal will be in book form -- or possibly come out during a big-ticket interview by Barbara Walters, for instance.
 
To land a lucrative deal, Anthony must hold back details.  Her cadre of lawyers -- who so far may not have been paid for years of legal work -- will see to that. 

“Imperfect Justice”

In a talk to promote his book, Imperfect Justice, Prosecuting Casey Anthony (HarperCollins, 2011), former prosecutor Jeff Ashton recently told a packed house in Sarasota that, “The only thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that [Casey Anthony] will continue to lie ... “Someday she may lie to someone who doesn’t resort to the law for their justice,” Ashton added, “but who knows what will happen with that?”

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

 

Pat LaLama: Everyone Loves A Tinsel Town Mystery

November 21, 2011

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Here's her take on the just reopened Natalie Wood case.    Read her Bio >> ]

We Los Angeles based journalists love a great Tinsel Town mystery. News that the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is reopening the case involving Hollywood darling Natalie Wood—after 30 years—has shaken this “industry” town like a good old fashioned West Coast earthquake.

Having covered nearly every big celebrity case of the last 25 years, I too am salivating like Pavlov’s dog at the prospect of a compelling new chapter in the great enigma surrounding the great film star’s drowning.

Read All About Natalie Wood's Death

One might believe there’s something substantial for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department to investigate. It’s the largest, busiest Sheriff’s department in the world—not known for wasting time, energy or resources on frivolous bits of salacious innuendo, rumor or conjecture. Lt. John Corina said the new credible information is coming from “several sources”, not just flip-flopping yacht captain Dennis Davern. He’s got a credibility problem. Was he lying then or is he lying now?

Even though the very capable Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca is sometimes accused by the media of being star struck, I’m certain he isn’t the slightest bit motivated by the fact that it’s the thirty year anniversary of the tragedy off Catalina Island. Nor is he interested in playing off the CBS/Vanity Fair collaboration airing this weekend which examines the mystery. I don’t think he cares much about helping Davern sell a few books, either. If the Sheriff has credible info, then it’s a duty to look at the case with fresh eyes. And that’s exactly what they’re doing.

However, let’s cut through the fog of excitement and look at what we have. What’s really changed? We’ve got a boat skipper who claims now that he lied three decades ago. But he hasn’t really told us what exactly he’s lied about. Nor has he told us what the truth is (or his version of it.) When asked specific questions, his answers are coy and vague...as if he’s toying with us. Have we the media and the police taken the bait? Are we unwitting accomplices in his efforts to make waves? And more to the point is this a desperate attempt on Davern’s part to reinvigorate sales of his book?

The talk is that state of the art DNA technology could help solve the mystery. I doubt it. Investigators say they plan to examine the yacht, “Splendour” which is now in Hawaii. While it’s true such technology has advanced light years since Wood’s death, how would DNA be relevant in this particular case? There’s no issue as to who was on the boat and who died. We know there was arguing among all the parties. There doesn’t seem to be any disputed facts that DNA testing would solve. Does anyone really believe there’s a blood-stained fishing knife lying around on the deck thirty years later?

It’s one thing to look for new evidence and hear possible new witness accounts of the circumstances on that horrible night, but we’re a long way away from seeing concrete evidence that would lead to a winnable case. So I wouldn’t hold my breath for another “trial of the century”-- this time starring Robert Wagner or Christopher Walken.

At this point all we have is yet another alcohol fueled, celebrity party gone wrong. Unfortunately in this case, the party ended with the loss of a true Hollywood legend.

 

Photo Credits: Wireimage/Getty Images - Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood during AFI Salute to Fred Astaire at Beverly Hilton Hotel, 1981

Natalie Wood Death Investigation Reopened: Witness Changes Story - Why Now?

November 18, 2011

 [ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University.  Read his Bio >> ]

On the approach of the thirtieth anniversary of the death of actress Natalie Wood, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office has announced that it is reopening its investigation.  The official record is that Wood drowned accidentally at Catalina Island off the California Coast.  She, husband Robert Wagner and co-star Christopher Walken boarded Walken’s yacht Splendor after dining on the island.  Wagner and Walken had been arguing, and so, Wood left them to go to bed.  However, apparently the yacht’s dinghy tied off at the side was improperly secured and was banging against the hull.  It is believed that Wood tried to secure the dingy but fell into the harbor.  According to Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Naguchi, Wood was unable to get help and so attempted to climb into the dingy.  Failing in that attempt, she tried to hang on to the dingy for floatation and kick to shore, but was unable to make it in time to save herself.  Wood’s blood alcohol content suggested that she was very intoxicated, which Naguchi reported contributed to her accidental death.

However, now the LASO Homicide Division is reopening the case based on “additional information,” believed to originate from the yacht’s captain Dennis Davern.  Davern recently approached law enforcement about reopening the case, saying that he had lied to investigators at the time of the original investigation.  Davern, who also was on the yacht the night Wood perished, has told NBC that he lied about what Walken and Wagner were arguing about and that it played directly into whether or not Wood’s death was an accident.

One of the issues that surfaces when a witness changes his or her story many years after the fact (and in this case, three decades later), is motive.  Why did the witness lie in the first place and why are they coming forth with the truth now, or is it a matter of the witness telling the truth in the first place but having a reason to lie now?  In other words, what Davern has to say has value and that’s why the investigation is being reopened; but there will always be uncertainty about his motives, and that means no one can be certain what is the truth. 

Looking at the options, assume for a moment that Davern’s motives are foul and that he had been blackmailing Wagner and perhaps Walken for years.  Recall that Davern’s presence on the yacht was surely known to all who were aboard the Splendor.  Recall also that at the time Wagner and Walken had just argued and surely were not on the best of terms.  If extortion was what Davern had in mind, it would have been an uncomfortable arrangement.  If there was controversy surrounding the argument between Wagner and Walken, likely either of the combatants would have thrown the other under a bus by now.  On the other hand, consider that Davern may have kept silent about the conversation in order to protect Wood in some way.  This theory has its problems too because there has been much speculation about the argument between Wagner and Walken, and most of the speculation is lurid.  The best Davern could do is confirm what long has been speculated, with little if any affect on the evidence.

Davern has gone public claiming that he overheard not only the argument between Wagner and Walken, but that he also overheard an argument between Wood and Wagner that night and that soon thereafter Wood disappeared.  Why, exactly, he didn’t tell investigators at the time remains unclear.  But the reasons why he is talking to LASO and the media now appears to be coincidental with the release of his new book.  Nevertheless, LASO homicide investigators are going to give the case a second look, thirty years after the fact.

 

More on InvestigationDiscovery.com

The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood
Crimes of the Century
Crime Countdown: Top 10 Lists
Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of the Notorious

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Judge Unseals Casey Anthony Secret Jailhouse Video

October 02, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

ORLANDO, Fla. --  Chief Judge Bevin Perry unsealed on Sept. 30 a telling video that documents the Caylee Anthony murder defendant’s reaction to what the mother, 22, was told that “a small child’s” remains were discovered near the family’s Orlando home on Dec. 8, 2008.

At the time of the taped video, Anthony was in jail and awaiting her capital murder trial.  The recording depicts Anthony’s reaction to the television-broadcast news.
Staging a situation and setting where her reactions could be monitored and as part of detectives’ efforts to solve the murder case, Anthony had been taken from her cell to a medical space of the Orlando Women’s Correctional facility, where she was told to sit in a room to watch the 15-minute broadcast.

Although the surveillance video’s quality is largely unfocused and grainy, Anthony can be seen bent over in a chair and appearing to be nauseated.  The Orlando Sentinel quoted Anthony’s lead attorney, Jose Baez, who said, “I find [the video of his client] to be torture.  I guess it’s Orange County’s version of water boarding."

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

Judge Perry, who noted in his Sept. 30 Order Granting Motion to Unseal Videotape, the video is a public record “subject to disclosure." 

“The reason for sealing — Ms. Anthony’s right to a fair trial — is no longer applicable,” Perry explained in the three-page order. 

On July 7, 2011, counsel for Orlando television station WKMG-TV, Channel 6, had filed the motion, which Perry agreed to suppress.  The judge concurred with Jose Baez, that when weighed against the young woman’s first-degree murder charge, the video’s contents were “inflammatory.”

In the recording, Casey Anthony appears to watch news that could relate to the two-year-old daughter she reported as missing in the summer of 2008.  Looking up at a wall-mounted TV screen, Anthony bends at the waist while huddling in a chair. 

Word came from an inmate supervisor that seconds after learning a small child’s remains had been discovered 15 houses from the residence Anthony and daughter Caylee shared with the child’s grandparents George and Cindy, Anthony hyperventilated, her hands sweated noticeably and the skin on her neck reddened.

Anthony requested and was given a sedative after watching the grim news.

Baez, who now represents another high-profile criminal figure — Aruban murder suspect, Gary Giordano — litigated to have the video sealed.

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

 

The Amanda Knox Appeal: Battle Lines Form Along International Borders

September 29, 2011

[ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University.  Read his Bio >> ]

Ivory Coast native Rudy Guede pleaded guilty to the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy; however, Italian Raffaele Sollecito and American Amanda Knox were also convicted of the crime.  And so, with what in any major U.S. city might be described as a garden-variety sexual assault and murder, battle lines following national borders formed regarding the guilt or innocence of respective hometown heroes.  Predictably, the first casualty in this drama was justice.

Rolling Stone magazine waxed rhapsodically about “ingénue” Amanda Knox, who didn‘t know that she was beautiful and reads Sartre in her spare time.  BBC groused that the beautiful murder victim Meredith Kercher had been overshadowed by the beautiful murderer Amanda Knox.  Even Sollecito was compared favorably to Harry Potter.  Since her arrest, Americans have figuratively surrounded Knox.  Legal arguments have challenged Italian competence and charged conspiracy and complicity in the case against “foxy Knoxy.”  Even Congress has gotten in the act, with one representative publicly questioning the entire Italian criminal justice system.  Conversely, the British have lined up against Knox in revenge for the death of beautiful Meredith Kercher.  The London Times headline following her conviction read, “Amanda Knox snared by her lust and her lies.”

For the most part articulating the American position, Rolling Stone conceded, “Whoever murdered Meredith Kercher didn't know how to use a knife ... An experienced killer would have known better.”  Although Rolling Stone magazine is likely not the first place that one might go for expertise in forensic pathology and no one on either side of the Atlantic officially has suggested Kercher’s murder was a professional hit, they make an interesting point nevertheless.  In an article that is otherwise favorable to Knox, they point out that evidence shows that Kercher’s murderers (yes, likely more than one, they say), tried to stem the bleeding once she had been stabbed.  Later, the murderers would cover Kercher’s body.  However, these actions are not the typical acts of a garden-variety sexual murderer nor would they be the typical acts of a stranger-attacker, such as a burglar.  Instead these are the kind of things that an acquaintance of the victim might do.  Knox and Sollecito knew Kercher, and so did Guede, who was a neighbor to the victim.  None of the accused is believed to be an experienced killer.

To further polarize the international debate, the BBC has reported that Italian prosecutors railed against those in America that are obsessed with freeing Knox.  Carlo Pacelli is the Italian lawyer for Congolese Patrick Lumumba who American Amanda Knox falsely accused of the murder.  The BBC reports that Pacelli described Knox as “diabolical,” and a “witch of deception,” appearing saintly but being "Lucifer-like, demonic, satanic, diabolic," and "longs to live out borderline extreme behavior."  Other European reports relate that Knox’ hair is falling out and that she appears too thin; she is not as beautiful as the victim anymore.

As the appeal comes to a close, there seems to be little quest for the truth any longer and instead the international players appear to be rooting for their respective teams regardless of guilt or innocence.  If pro-Knox Americans were shown concrete proof their heroine was guilty, little would change in their position.  Additionally, if the British and the Italians were shown conclusively that Knox had no part in the murder, they would charge a political cover-up.  Anthropologists have a name for this phenomenon: they call it tribalism. 

There is a longstanding observation in American courtrooms that attractive people are convicted less frequently than those less fortunate.  However, beautiful does not mean not guilty and neither does no-longer-beautiful mean guilty.  Rolling Stone can mull over the relative merits of who is prettier, the prisoner Knox or the murder victim Kercher, but it is all for nothing.  The BBC can report vitriol and ad hominem remarks made about Knox, but this too is for nothing.  The appellate jury is expected to return its final decision in October.

 

More on InvestigationDiscovery.com

Crimes of the Century
Fearbook: Most Gruesome Killers
Crime Countdown: Top 10 Lists
Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of the Notorious

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Judge Rules Casey Anthony Must Pay $97K for Investigation

September 19, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Judge Belvin Perry has ruled that Casey Anthony owes more than $97,000 toward the expense of looking for her “missing” daughter, Caylee.

The ruling, which is less than one-fifth of the amount prosecutors asked for, came on Sept. 15. 

Cost breakdown:
* $61,505.12 to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (State Crime Lab)
* $10,283.90 to Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation
* $25,837.96 to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office
* $50.00 to the State Attorney’s Office

Expenses were incurred while authorities searched for Caylee Anthony, between July 15 and Sept. 29, 2008.

 In handing down his decision, Judge Perry noted allowable amounts “are reasonably related to the investigative work provided as a result of Defendant providing false information as to the location of her daughter Caylee Anthony and making other misrepresentations to law enforcement.”

 

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

State Attorneys had asked for more than $500,000 in pre-trial and trial expenses arising from the Casey Anthony capital murder case.

Noting that some costs “were not adequately broken down” by date, Judge Perry said the Sheriff’s Office has until 4 p.m. on Sept. 19 to submit a revised report.

In what likely will be an appeal, Casey Anthony attorneys will remind Judge Perry that their client was declared indigent in 2008 and that currently, she is unemployed.

Casey Anthony is serving a year’s supervised probation under the watchful eyes of the Florida Department of Corrections.

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

 

Serial Buttocks Slasher May Have Fled Virginia

September 13, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

Psychiatrist: Perp may harbor multiple “paraphilias”

Fairfax, Va. - The serial slasher allegedly responsible for at least one of nine reported stabbing incidents involving young women in northern Virginia has been identified as Johnny D. Guillen Pimentel, 40, and may have fled Virginia, Fairfax County (VA) Police said on Sept. 7.  

A telephone tip helped authorities to identify the suspect, caught numerous times by store security cameras.  Guillen Pimentel’s attacks have brought an anxiety-provoking, new perspective to “cutting in line” to the Washington, D.C., suburb.

Police: Slasher May Have Fled Northern VA

In their update naming Guillen Pimentel as the suspect, police advised that the retail serial assault suspect could have left northern Virginia and possibly could be driving a blue 2003 Honda Civic with license plate number KLX2689.

“We believe he may have fled the area,” police spokesperson Tawny Wright said.

The most recent slashing was on July 25 at Forever XXI in Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, Va.

A Ruse, Then Pain

Feigning a mishap, according to victims’ recounts, the slasher creates a ruse or distraction involving falling merchandise and clothes hangers, quickly cutting young women shoppers from behind with a box cutter or razor and then darting away. 

One 18-year-old victim told police she noticed several items of clothing falling from a rack behind her as she shopped in the Forever XXI store at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax.

The woman stated she saw a man pick up the clothes, then felt a “sharp pain” in her lower hip area, according to authorities.   Assault victims’ ages range from 15 to 25, none of whom  sustained serious physical injury.  

Initially, the victim thought a coat hanger had hit her backside, but she soon noticed that the rear of her denim shorts had been sliced, FCP spokesperson Lucy Caldwell said.

On further inspection, police said, the victim discovered that her buttocks was cut and bleeding.  She immediately informed store employees about the wound, which was approximately an inch and a half long.  Police were notified.

"Paraphilia," Abberant Sexual Behavior

What deep-seated behavior drives the attacker’s bizarre assaults?  Experts say the slasher may manifest a paraphilia, or aberrant sexual behavior; his cutting or stabbing paraphilia is termed picquerism.

Criminal profiler Dr. Robert D. Keppel also has commented on the slasher, whose cutting attacks ” ... involve picquerism, or obtaining pleasure from manipulating sharp objects; in the case of the slasher, stabbing young women and concealing the crime by creating a ruse or disturbance.”

According to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Stephen J. Hucker, a professor of Law & Mental Health Programs at the University of Toronto, paraphilia (i.e. necrophilia, pedophilia, etc.) is “a medical or behavioral science term for what is also referred to as sexual deviation, sexual anomaly, sexual perversion or a disorder of sexual preference.”

Paraphilias -- Hucker names dozens, such as exhibitionism, fetishism, even rare paraphilias such as autoassassinophilia (staging one’s own murder) and hypephilia (fabrics) — are found almost exclusively in males, beginning in early puberty and reaching full development by age 20.   In brief:

·    Often, there is an overlap of paraphilias, the most common being two to four concurrently present, although cases of up to 10 [abnormal thoughts or practices] have been reported in about 5% of paraphiliacs.
·    The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, states that a paraphilia is considered as a psychiatric disorder when it “… causes distress to the individual or harm to others.”
It’s important to note that in citing the DSM-IV, Dr. Hucker distinguishes paraphilia as a psychiatric disorder when the behavior goes from harmless to harmful to the self or others. 

To learn more about paraphilia prognoses, treatments, and forensic psychiatry, click here.

More on InvestigationDiscovery.com

Crimes of the Century
Fearbook: Most Gruesome Killers
Crime Countdown: Top 10 Lists
Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of the Notorious

 

Photo: Pictured, Johnny D. Guillen Pimentel, the suspect wanted for attacks on women in the Fairfax, Va., region. Credit: Fairfax County Police Department

Conrad Murray Trial Begins with Jury Selection

September 09, 2011

[ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University.  Read his Bio >> ]

Voir dire has begun in the Conrad Murray trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.  Murray is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in the 2009 death of entertainer Michael Jackson.  The prosecution alleges that Murray administered a fatal dose of drugs to Jackson; however, Murray charges that Jackson administered the fatal overdose himself and outside of Dr. Murray’s presence.

To better understand why Dr. Murray is being charged criminally, as opposed to this matter being resolved in a civil court, a few distinctions should be made.  To begin with, and paraphrasing California law, the State must believe that the defendant committed an unlawful act (but not a felony) or a lawful act with a risk of great bodily harm committed carelessly.  The prosecution alleges that Dr. Murray used the drug propofol to sedate Jackson as part of a regimen to put him to sleep.  Propofol is commonly used to sedate surgical patients in a controlled environment and has no common uses as a sleep aid.  And this, alleges the prosecution, is where there is risk of great bodily harm to the victim: the drug was used outside the norms and protocols of medicine.

The defense has not argued much differently than the prosecution in this case so far and there appears to be very few issues to be debated.  At this writing it appears that the defense is prepared to concede that propofol was the proximate cause of death, that Conrad Murray was the physician who prescribed the propofol and that Conrad Murray had administered propofol to Jackson in the past as a sleep aid.  However, the defense is preparing to argue that, for some reason or other, on the final day of his life, Michael Jackson self-administered propofol by injection and in so doing, administered a fatal overdose.  How or why there was a deviation on that particular day remains unclear.

Meanwhile, the defense team is already preparing for appeals, complaining to the press that because of the Casey Anthony trial they will not be able to get a fair trial for Murray. Both Casey Anthony (an unemployed party girl) and Conrad Murray (a physician to a celebrity) are famous, argue Murray’s defense.  Neglecting the rather substantial fact that Antony was acquitted, Murray defense counsel agonized that those standing in line for the Anthony trial fought with each other to see the courtroom proceedings.  Although apparently pressing for a trial closed to the public, it’s an uphill battle in which the defense likely won’t prevail.

Without addressing the likelihood that Jackson did in fact administer the lethal dose of propofol to himself (we surely can’t discount the possibility at this point), one must wonder aloud if Conrad Murray would be culpable to a “careless” standard if he merely provided the drug to Jackson.  More pointedly, as a physician, how would Murray expect that Jackson could competently dose himself with an injected surgical anesthetic; and if he couldn’t, how did Jackson come into possession of the drug and hypodermic?  It’s another uphill battle for the defense, to be sure.

 

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Pictured: Dr. Conrad Murray, defendant on trial for Involuntary Manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. Credit: IRFAN KHAN/POOL/epa/Corbis

 

Casey Anthony to Plead Fifth in 'Nanny' Defamation Case

September 04, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Casey Anthony’s keeping mum during an Oct. 8 deposition in the Zenaida Gonzalez defamation case, her civil attorney says. 

Anthony “will assert the Fifth Amendment” at the deposition, for which Judge Lisa Munyon also established certain security related conditions arising from death threats to the former murder defendant and even to one of her lawyers. 

Sideshow or Truth-Seeking?

Having learned how far and to what degree sensationalism grew from the criminal trial, others are attempting to shape Anthony related litigation before the fact.  Anthony civil attorney, Charles Green said, “I don’t want it to turn into a sideshow where people are playing for the cameras for it to be broadcast ... instead of searching for the truth.”

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

 

Also related, in what appears to have been a long-range legal assist for Anthony to skirt any pre-trial depositions, the former cell phone and texting habitué may have the right to assert the Fifth Amendment during questioning.  How is that possible? 

Funny you should ask.  After the murder trial, Casey Anthony’s lawyers announced that she is appealing the four guilty verdicts for lying to police during their investigation into Caylee’s disappearance.

To non-lawyers, only now does the criminal appeal acquire meaning.  While appealing the conviction, Casey Anthony reportedly does not have to answer any questions that could come back to haunt her during the forthcoming Zenaida Gonzalez defamation suit, now in pre-trial hearings and meetings.

“There Will Be Many Battles.”

Referring to the civil action’s beginning in April or May 2012, Greene told reporters after the Sept. 1 case management conference that “There will be many battles and I’ll just say there’s a lot that’s going to happen before this case goes to trial, if it ever goes to trial.”

“Why Not Just Answer?”

Gonzalez’s counsel John Dill observed, “I think the answers themselves may speak volumes what [sic] she wants to answer.  If all she wants to do is plead the Fifth, why not just answer my questions?  How hard is that?  If she wants to just be honest and tell us what really happened why not just answer?  How hard is it?”

Gonzalez initiated the suit because she says she has had difficulty finding a job or place to live.
In structuring the deposition, imposing a two-hour time limit and allowing a video link-up from an undisclosed location; during the Sept. 1 conference, Judge Munyon seemed to take cues from both Judge Perry, who presided over the murder case, and from the Orange County Department of Corrections, which not only saw that Anthony remained in protective custody status during her incarceration, but is providing confidential supervision during Anthony’s year-long probation. 
Judge Munyon also ruled that Anthony’s deposition will remain sealed for one month.

Even if Casey Anthony speaks not a word at the deposition, Jose Baez said his client “pretended she had a nanny” during opening remarks in the murder trial.  In effect, the civil case could draw on what was established in the criminal trial.

But “draw on” does not always mean draw on what a lawyer said.  Likely, however, statements lawyers make during opening remarks are not intended necessarily to be truthful, only possible, and therefore do not always answer to actual “truth-seeking.”

Two Versions of the Truth

An oft-repeated legal precept is that in a trial, two versions of the truth are presented.  It is this abstract concept that the general public struggles to grasp.

Continuing Legal Saga

Next up in the continuing legal saga that has branded Casey Anthony is a lawsuit brought by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which is asking a judge to rule that Anthony must reimburse the OCSO for thousands of dollars spent in the search for Caylee.  

Casey Anthony likely will remain in hiding -- not only will she be deposed at a remote location, she also is not expected at the Sept. 2 hearing to recover investigation costs.

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

 

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

The Susan Powell Disappearance: A Murder Motive Surfaces

August 29, 2011

 [ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University.  Read his Bio >> ]

Josh Powell of West Valley, Utah, has told police that one night in early December 2009, in the middle of a blinding snowstorm, he went camping in the desert with his two toddler sons.  When he returned from his tent in the frozen wilderness, he learned that his wife Susan had vanished.  The reason she disappeared, it is alleged, is that she was pretty and flirty, promiscuous and unstable.  Doubtless she had run away with someone else.  Indeed, it makes perfect sense that the wife of a man who disappeared in the middle of the night, in the middle of a blizzard, to go to the middle of nowhere with her small children, may consider leaving her husband.  But would she leave without her kids, without ever contacting anyone in her circle of friends, without ever again contacting her own family?  It stretches the imagination.

However, it is not outside the grasp of reality that Powell is telling the truth, so far at least.  Consider that the couple had an argument, she was acting irrationally or perhaps even dangerously; there would be no resolution to the fight on that December night.  And so, Powell abandoned ship and took his little ones to a safer and quieter place, meaning to a tent in a blizzard in the middle of the desert.  It was a domestic spat and nothing more; perhaps not the first.  When the family returned, mom was gone.  It makes some sense, right up until Steve Powell, Josh’s father, kicked in with a motive for murder.  The senior Powell, described by Susan to her friends as “creepy,” recently announced to the press that he had enjoyed a protracted sexual affair with his son’s wife.  And, that could be a motive for murder.

In a general sense, once a motive for murder is established, homicide investigators often have a clear path to a suspect’s identity.  Greed, jealousy, insanity, rage -- all are frequent motives for murder.  Until recently, police had little evidence of a motive for Susan Powell’s murder or even strong evidence that she was murdered at all.  Whether it’s true or not, Steve Powell’s fascinating revelation has provided police with a tidy motive.  Consider for a moment that it is true.  Would Josh Powell be jealous enough to murder his wife?  Or, consider that it is not true.  But, Steve Powell told his son that he had sexual relations with Susan nevertheless.  The scenarios are virtually endless and there seems to be a motive for murder at any turn.  Now it is up to the police to sort this neurotic mess: the husband who camps in the snow in the middle of the night; the father-in-law who claims that he had sex with his son’s wife; and the pretty, flirty mom who never came home.  Thanks, Dad.

Photo Credit: Image Source/Corbis

 

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Aphrodite Jones Reports: A Bittersweet Victory for the West Memphis Three

August 23, 2011

[ Aphrodite Jones gives her perspective on the release of the West Memphis Three.  Check in for her regular reports.   Read her Bio >> ]

As I see it, the power of media, and of social media, had a direct hand in changing the fate of the West Memphis Three. When the landmark deal was signed in the Arkansas judicial system last week, somehow, thousands of us played a role in helping three falsely accused teens find a form of justice.  The notorious WM3 ended up making an unusual plea deal, pleading guilty to triple homicide in exchange for their freedom. It's perhaps a sour victory for the three boys, now men -- but now, after years and years of fighting, they are no longer behind bars. Who knows what the three young men, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr., will do with their new-found freedom? It must seem surreal for them to be on the outside, having spent so many years in prison, falsely accused ... Their new-found freedom will be difficult, no doubt. 

Still, if it weren't for the two HBO documentaries that chronicled their case, which ultimately caught the eye of Hollywood and the likes of Johnny Depp and Natalie Maines (of the Dixie Chicks), I'm not sure this injustice would have ever been corrected. I truly believe that the media -- the highlighting of the case on CNN and other news sources -- along with the push from so many voices in social media, helped land this case under review in the State of Arkansas Supreme Court.

How far away we are now from 1993, when Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr., were charged with a mysterious slaying of three 8-year-old boys who were slaughtered, hog-tied and buried in the back waters of Arkansas. In the early 1990s, when the boys' bodies were discovered, people in the small town of West Memphis believed that the three teens were "acting out" a satanic cult killing by sacrificing three 8-year-olds. Fueled by local news sensationalism, a "satanic panic" set in and West Memphis investigators built a triple homicide case around bogus claims of black magic and a flimsy "coerced" confession from Jesse Misskelley Jr.  Two separate trials resulted a death penalty conviction for Damien Echols and lifetime prison sentences for Misskelley and Baldwin.

Yes, the plea deal struck last week was shocking -- especially since the three men accused were asked to plead guilty to murders that they did not commit. Let us never forget that the real killer of these three little Cub Scouts still walks free -- and that three victims' families may never get any real answers or any form of closure.

But for the WM3, this was a compromise that allowed a most unusual form of justice to be served. For those who fought to free the West Memphis Three, this victory may taste slightly bitter but for me, it tastes very bittersweet.

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Casey Anthony Returns to Florida

August 22, 2011

 [This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

‘I’m certain she’ll do what’s asked of her, if necessary.’ — Jose Baez

 

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Casey Anthony is back in Florida, according to her lead attorney Jose Baez, on Aug. 21, five days before Chief Judge Belvin Perry has ordered her to report in Orlando for her probation intake.

Baez appeared on Geraldo at Large, telling his friend, Geraldo Rivera that Anthony, who has been “concentrating on therapy,” spent time with “close friends who are somewhat her spiritual advisors.”

Baez, Anthony in “Holding Pattern”

“We’re kind of in a holding pattern, hoping the court will overturn [her] probation,” Baez also said.  “We have been in touch with the Department of Probation, and [Anthony] fully intends on cooperating.”

Meanwhile, underscoring what he considers as the main points of an appeal filed by defense counsel Cheney Mason and Lisabeth Frye, Baez noted, “Right now, [issues named in the appeal are] separation of power and double jeopardy."

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

 

The decision on whether or not Casey Anthony must serve a year’s probation now is before Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal, Daytona Beach.  A panel of three judges will consider the appeal.

The defense maintains Anthony served her year’s probation for the check fraud case while in jail and awaiting her murder trial.  The freed 25-year-old woman pled guilty in Jan. 2010 for using her friend Amy Huizinga’s checkbook to finance shopping trips during the 31 days her daughter Caylee’s 2008 disappearance was not reported to police.

Legal issues notwithstanding, Casey Anthony’s family situation largely is one of estrangement — she has not contacted her brother Lee — but she has spoken with her parents Cindy and George Anthony, according to Baez.

Caylee Anthony Would Have Been Six

Anthony’s lawyer went on to say that “Caylee’s sixth birthday on Aug. 9 [had the little girl lived] was difficult for her.”

Noting that his client “has very few friends in her life,” Baez added, “People who have gotten to know [Casey Anthony] have grown to care about her.”

Twelve members of a sequestered jury brought in to Orlando from Pinellas County acquitted Casey Anthony on July 5 of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee and dumping her body in woods near the Anthony home. 

“Most Hated Person in America”

The overwhelmingly unpopular verdict has made Anthony’s attorneys fear for her safety; on Aug. 10, Casey Anthony was acclaimed as “the most hated person in America” in a weekly poll that tracks public perceptions of celebrities.

“Casey is trying to concentrate on getting counseling and therapy,” Baez said, adding, “She is trying to get a grasp on what all has happened to her.”

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

'West Memphis 3' Convicted Child Killers Freed After 18 Years

August 19, 2011

[From the Investigation Discovery Editors]

Three men convicted of beating, mutilating and murdering three 8-year-old boys in 1993 were freed from prison today, after submitting new pleas in their case.  They served 18 years.

Using the Alford plea, a rare legal maneuver, Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley Jr., dubbed the 'West Memphis 3', changed their original plea from not guilty to guilty -- with this tactic, they maintained their innocence but acknowledged the prosecution had enough evidence to convict them.

Craighead County Circuit Judge David Laser changed their sentence to the served 18 years and a 10-year suspended sentence, which means they could return to jail with any future violation of the law.

According to CNN, Baldwin did not want to accept the deal but finally agreed to change their plea to guilty to help release Echols from death row.  "This was not justice," he told CNN.  "He had it so much worse than I had it ... It's just insufferable to put a person through that."

Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley were found guilty of murdering three Cub Scouts in a satanic worship ritual. Police discovered the bodies of the children in a ditch in West Memphis, Ark., on May 6, 1993. Steven Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore had been bound and one of the boys appeared to have been castrated.

An HBO documentary, Paradise Lost, which aired in 1996, elevated the case and drew national attention, including support for the three from a number of celebrities. 

In 2007, attorneys for the men submitted new evidence that identified DNA present at the scene but did not match any of the convicted threesome.

Watch Aphrodite Jones' original report on the case:

 

Eighteen years after the bodies of his son and two young friends were found, John Mark Beyers shares the moment that he realized something was terribly wrong:

 

More on InvestigationDiscovery.com

West Memphis Three: Case Profile
Crimes of the Century
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Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of the Notorious

 

Photo Credit: West Memphis Police Department |

German Ex-Pat Albrecht Gero Muth: A Black Widower?

August 18, 2011

 

[ By Dr. Kenneth J. Ryan, a criminologist at California State University.  Read his Bio >> ]

German expatriate Albrecht Gero Muth, a.k.a. Sheik Ali Al-Muthaba, was arrested on Aug. 16 for allegedly beating and strangling his wife to death.  The murder of former German journalist Viola Drath, 91, occurred at the couple’s Georgetown home and was the tragic end of a long history of violence against Drath dating to 1992.  Muth, who has listed his occupation as “secret agent,” related to an acquaintance that he stood to acquire “tens of thousands of dollars” following the death of his wife.  And so, was Muth a black widower, plotting to murder his wife for her money?

Our own Investigation Discovery is laden with stories of young, beautiful women who attach themselves to unsuspecting, elderly gentlemen of wealth, who plot and scheme to marry their prey, only to murder them and collect the inheritance.  A phenomenon that occurs with some alarming regularity, the term black widow refers to the spider of the same name that mates and then devours her ersatz husband.  And so, is Muth a “black widower?”

It would appear that the answer is no, even in light of some rather hefty evidence to the contrary.  The first evidence of Muth as a black widower is that he is about half the age of his wife, a trait not uncommon among black widows.  Drath was reasonably wealthy, having been involved in high-level German political affairs for much of her adult life and the couple shared a seven-figure mansion in Georgetown.  His means likely were more modest; publicly advertised secret agents aren’t terribly well paid as these things go and neither are Brigadier Generals in the Iraqi Army, his other listed occupation.  The Iraqis have never heard of him and doubtless that could affect his salary.  And so, indeed there are factors in place that might suggest a motive for murder.

But I don’t think so.  Muth and Drath had been married 20 years.  Comparing this to counterpart black widows, who kill then quickly move on to their next victim, Muth would have been a laggard by comparison.  There are no insurance policies for millions of dollars from which Muth could benefit (that we know of) and standing to gain mere “tens of thousands of dollars” is not much of a motive for murder.  The argument just isn’t there.  So what happened?

To begin with, Muth has been arrested and charged and we have a trial yet to see, so his guilt is not assured.  A trial will doubtless reveal a man that has beaten his wife in the past, who had a fondness for head injury.  The trial will reveal a man who lives in a fantasy world of pretend spies and foreign honors, perhaps to compete with his wife’s real accolades.  And in the end, I imagine that we will not see a man of grandiose accomplishment but instead a pathetic man, a delusional man, a wife-beater.  Muth has been charged with Second-degree Murder, suggesting that the D.C. police are well aware of Muth, his violent past with his wife and the vapor that is Muth’s professional past.  He isn’t even a black widower.

 

More on the Web

Viola Drath’s husband, Muth, charged with second-degree murder in her killing
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Casey Anthony Lawyers to Fight ‘Unappealing’ Probation

August 15, 2011

 

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Casey Anthony evidently finds the terms of her year’s probation — or even its concepts that may thwart her formerly “fluid” addresses and vagabond lifestyle — to be unappealing and reportedly will fight Judge Belvin Perry’s decision to uphold Judge Stan Strickland’s sentence.  When Strickland presided over Anthony's 2008 check fraud case, he ordered probation as a keystone of his 2009 adjudication.

Anthony’s intent to fight the Aug. 11 ruling — that yes, the acquitted murder defendant must report to Probation and Parole in Orlando for an intake interview by high noon on Aug. 26 — reportedly was confirmed on Aug. 15 by CNN, the cable news network says, after speaking with lead attorney Jose Baez. 

 

“Casey is America’s Most Hated Person”

Baez indicates counsel will frame their appeal in terms of Casey Anthony’s safety, citing in their original motion an Orlando Sentinel article that ran on Thursday, Aug. 11 titled, “Poll: Casey is America’s most hated person,” by Jeff Weiner.  

In his Aug. 11 ruling, Perry acknowledges public sentiment surrounding Anthony. 

“This Court is very mindful,” Perry admits, “that it is a high probability that there are many that would like to see physical harm visited upon the defendant.”

 

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

 

In the document’s next sentence, however, the judge denies Anthony’s Emergency Motion to Quash, Vacate, and Set Aside Court’s Order.

Perry’s decision — overwhelmingly heralded — reads as a deft rendering of jurisprudence and the underlying message regarding her safety — if any — could be that Anthony, who got herself into this “mess” by certain behavior, can get herself out. 

Secondary logic applying, Judge Perry sincerely believes a year’s probation will benefit Anthony and that the process will enhance her successful reentry into society.
 
No Doc to Date

Follow-up searches of Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeals website yield no new filings by Aug. 15 involving Casey Anthony; the most recently filed pleading bears a July 20, 2011 date.    

This is an evolving story.  When court documents become available, they will be posted here.

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
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Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
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Casey Anthony, "America's Most Hated Person," to Serve Probation in Florida

August 12, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Casey Anthony’s planning to move — again.  This time, Chief Judge Belvin Perry is ordering the recently acquitted woman to report to the Orange County (Florida) Department of Corrections no later than 12 p.m. on Aug. 26. 

Anthony will serve a year’s supervised probation in Orlando for several check fraud convictions connected to former friend Amy Huezinga’s bank account.  Judge Perry's most recent decisions affecting the case are related to clerical errors.

And, yes, you correctly read the “Orlando” part.

Prefacing a ”standard  list” of 13 do’s and don’ts that will set the parameters of Anthony’s probation, Judge Perry spoke to each of the defense’s arguments against probation, including the double jeopardy recognizes Anthony’s “most hated” status by instructing the Florida Department of Corrections to exercise “its discretion to keep confidential her residential information.”

Judge Perry has a duty to protect the former murder defendant, whose unofficial title is “America’s Most-Hated Person.”  Moreover, Judge Perry is authorizing the Florida Department of Corrections to shield her — since “public rage [over her July 5 acquittal] has not subsided.” Judge Perry will withhold the address of the reviled mother of Caylee, age two; this is one of few exceptions to the customary instructions for any rank and file probationer.

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

Other key points of the ruling:

1.   “No later than the fifth day of each month,” Anthony must make a “full and truthful report” to her probation officer.
2.   She will pay the state of Florida $20 per month “toward the cost of supervision, plus a 4% surcharge.”
3.   No moves or job changes without notifying her probation supervisor.
4.   Anthony would need permission from her probation officer to “possess, carry or own any weapons or firearms.”
5.   She will “live and remain at liberty” without violating the law.
6.   The former inmate will not visit places where alcohol, drugs or “dangerous substances” are unlawfully sold, dispensed or used, available or in use, nor will she use intoxicants.
7.   Casey Anthony must find a “lawful occupation” and “work diligently.”
8.   Any inquiries from the Court or from her probation officer, including home visits, at a job site or “elsewhere,”
9.   Marijuana or other controlled substances are not allowed, with the exception of properly prescribed medication.  She can not possess drug paraphernalia or “forged or blank prescription forms.”
10. Unless prescribed for another reason, Anthony cannot consume alcohol, etc.; she also must submit to “chemical tests” (breath, urine and blood) upon request.
11. During her probation, Casey Anthony must submit to unannounced searches for alcoholic beverages, controlled substances and firearms.
12. A probation officer could “place” Anthony in a halfway house, without providing a reason.
13. Casey Anthony must not “knowingly associate” with known criminals.

The 13 “standard” rules concerning probation no doubt will challenge Casey Anthony — and her legal team — in ways she never has known before and she will exercise morality sinews that she never knew she possessed.

The word “probation” has several language “relatives,” including apprenticeship, examination, novitiate, test, authentication, et al.  To successfully navigate through probation, Casey Anthony must be part apprentice, a novitiate with a good attitude and could be subjected to or arrested again. 

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

Casey Anthony Linked to Caylee’s ‘Untimely Death,’ State Agency Reports

August 11, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

ORLANDO, Fla. – A state agency investigating Caylee Anthony’s ‘untimely death’ says Casey Anthony failed to protect her child from harm or possibly that the acquitted murder defendant harmed her daughter in some manner.  Could this official document affect Casey Anthony’s expressed wishes to adopt another child?

Casey Anthony “Failed to Protect Her Child ...”

Three years in the making, the Orange County, Fla., child welfare agency’s report states: 

“It is the conclusion of the Department of Children and Families that [Casey Anthony] failed to protect her child from harm either through her actions or lack of actions, which tragically resulted in the child’s untimely death,” notes the report released on Aug. 11, 2011.

 

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

The findings, however, reflect information gathered during a three-year investigation launched by the DCF after the Florida Abuse Hotline received a report on Dec. 29, 2008.

The DCF states the agency has closed the “Comprehensive Death Review – Final Report” after verifying three “maltreatments.”  A brief summary of what appears to be an exhaustive and painstaking disclosure follows.

“Maltreatments” identified:

“Death:  Verified.  This investigation is closed with ‘Verified’ findings of the death maltreatment.  The DCF concludes that the actions or lack of actions by the alleged perpetrator ultimately resulted or contributed in the death of the child/[victim].

“Failure to Protect: Verified.  ... It is concluded that the mother’s failure to act during those 31 days [of Caylee’s ‘missing’ status, according to Casey Anthony], ultimately resulted in her inability to protect the child from harm.

“Threatened Harm: Verified.  Based on the mother’s statements ... [Casey Anthony] acknowledged that she knew the child was missing for 31 days and believed the child was kidnapped  ... The mother was uncooperative with law enforcement’s efforts to locate the child and provided statements which were found to be disingenuous.”

Will Report Follow Casey Anthony?

Although Casey Anthony has been acquitted of her daughter Caylee’s murder, the report is one of many conclusions in which the State of Florida appears to be rendering final — and lasting — remarks.

The reproachful report will surface again, sources say, should Casey Anthony subsequently try to adopt another child.

In a jail house letter to her friend Robyn Adams, Anthony muses, "I always wanted to adopt a baby or child from another country — is it selfish to want one from Ireland?  Accent and all?”

Click here to read the complete Department of Children and Families Review of Child Death.

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

Casey Anthony Probation Hearing Set for August 5

August 05, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

Déjà vu: State of Florida v. Casey Anthony, Judge Belvin Perry presiding

ORLANDO, Fla. – A hearing to sort out Casey Anthony’s tangle of probation issues is scheduled for Aug. 5 in Chief Judge Belvin Perry’s court.  Originally set for Aug. 4, Judge Perry rescheduled the hearing because he needs time to determine if the Florida Department of Corrections should figure in the troubled woman’s life for a year, and if so, whether the DOC would allow Anthony serve probation from another state.

The latest controversy in the ongoing legal tumult is defining Casey Anthony’s life.  Judge Stan Strickland, who presided over Anthony’s check fraud case in 2010, issued an order on Aug. 1 that clarified his ruling that Anthony serve probation for a year.  Strickland’s order directed Anthony, 25, to report to the DOC within 72 hours for the standard initial intake process.

On Aug. 2, Anthony’s lawyers filed an Emergency Motion for Hearing to Quash, Vacate, and Set Aside [Judge Strickland’s] Order.  That document vs. Judge Strickland’s order formed the basis for the previously scheduled hearing to have taken place on Aug. 4.

 Follow the Timeline of Events in the Casey Anthony Case >>

 
Although the hearing went forward, at that time, Judge Perry temporarily stayed his colleague’s order for Anthony’s probation but the jurist moved the hearing to Aug. 5, where he will hear arguments on the entire matter: should she stay or should she go.

At the Aug. 5 hearing, Anthony’s lawyers will argue that their client’s life would be in grave danger if the state of Florida compels her to serve a year’s probation as part of the check fraud case adjudication.  Her lawyers also will point out that probation would call for state-funded security services, which would add even more costs to the $700,000 that taxpayers spent on the murder investigation and capital murder trial.

Diabolical Threats

Among exhibits attached to the emergency motion filed on Aug. 2 in Circuit Court are diabolical and graphic threats on Anthony’s life.   One exhibit is a close-up photograph of Anthony with a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead and a caption underneath that reads, “Keep smiling, bitch.  With a forehead that big, the headshot will be easier.”

“Tic Toc, KC: Timer 180”

Another ominous graphic (see court documents obtained by InvestigationDiscovery.com) appears to be a skull shot through with numerous bullet holes and the words “Tic Toc KC” and “Timer 180.”  Both phrases are veiled references to Anthony’s numerous fabrications concerning the non-existent nanny the former defendant blamed for kidnapping her daughter, Caylee, 2.

Additional exhibits attached to the motion supporting the defense’s position that Casey Anthony served her parole while behind bars — probation officers visited Anthony in jail and obtained her signature verifying her location multiple times — and that ordering her to return and serve a year’s probation would amount to double jeopardy. 

In addition, the motion also notes that Florida law stipulates a judge may not amend his sentence more than 60 days after he signed it, which Judge Stan Strickland did in January 2010.

More Circus-like Atmosphere

What’s more, the emergency request for a hearing reminds the court that if Casey Anthony must return to Orlando, the “circus-like atmosphere” surrounding her case only would increase.

The pleas of Anthony's legal team insist that Judge Strickland, who heard the check fraud case but not the murder trial, has shown “prejudice” against Anthony in television interviews he gave following her acquittal last month. 

Stating that Strickland is no longer qualified to issue the amended probation order because he recused himself from Anthony’s criminal case — which, in reality, was initiated by the defense — additionally, the amended order was illegally filed because there was no court proceeding where either Anthony or her lawyers were present.

 

Related Links:

How Much Do You Know About the Casey Anthony Case? Take a Quiz.
Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case
Casey Anthony: Mom or Murderer
Dr G. Medical Examiner - Watch Other Cases on Discovery Fit & Health

Celina Cass Autopsy Inconclusive; Toxicology Tests Pending

August 03, 2011

[This article is by contributing writer Ivy Bigbee. She is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.]

West Stewartstown, N.H. – A post mortem examination of the body of Celina Cass has yielded no clues as to cause and manner of death, authorities said during an Aug. 2 press conference held at the small community located at the northern tip of the state.

Victim Last Seen on Evening of July 25

Eleven-year-old Cass, who lived with her older sister, mother and stepfather a mile from the Canadian border, was last seen using her home computer around 9 p.m. on July 25 and was missing the next morning, according to her stepfather, Wendell Noyes.  

Body Discovered

On Aug. 2, a New Hampshire Fish and Game diver discovered the fifth grader’s body in water at a dam on the Connecticut River, within a quarter-mile of the family’s residence.  That Celina Cass’ remains were located so near her house is a factor that could be significant to investigators. 

Numerous law enforcement agencies had helped to search for her, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont state police, the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol.

After Cass’ body was recovered, for the second time, police returned to investigate the girl’s residence, where authorities found no signs of a struggle, no indication she ran away or that someone kidnapped her.

“We have made no determination on where her body was initially put in the river,' said Jane E. Young, New Hampshire’s Assistant Attorney General.
 
Young also would not say whether there were any suspects in the girl's death, nor would she divulge how long the 11-year-old girl’s body had been in the river.  Authorities do provide that Celina Cass’ death appears to be “suspicious,” prior to her body undergoing postmortem examination.

A final ruling on the cause and manner of death cannot be determined until medical examiners review toxicology tests, which are pending.  Additional investigations are proceeding as well.

More Information to Come

More details should arise from the screens routinely ordered following sudden or suspicious deaths; there are in fact nine different toxicology tests available to medical examiners.

In what tragically came to be her final year of life, Celina Cass, who reportedly was very shy, was a well-liked fifth grader at a small community school in her northern New Hampshire hamlet, whose population according to the 2010 Census was 386.

Victim’s Stepfather Has Mental Illness History

Among West Stewartstown’s few inhabitants is Celina Cass’ stepfather, Wendell Noyes, who was rushed by ambulance to a hospital on Aug. 1, after he lay on the ground and with outstretched arms in front of a house where he was staying after Cass went missing.  Noyes’ odd behavior occurred on the same day but before the discovery of his stepdaughter’s body was announced.

According to an ABC News report, Noyes has a history of mental illness and had been medically discharged from the Air Force for that issue.  Reportedly "uncooperative" when the police questioned him, the network also reported that the man previously had been committed involuntarily; during his hospital admission, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.  Noyes’ 2003 committal followed an incident concerning threats of violence he expressed against a former girlfriend.

ABC’s “Nightline” reported on July 28 that due to his mental diagnosis, Noyes was ruled incompetent to face charges brought by his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of breaking into her house as she and her children slept.

Biological Father: Celina ‘Very Kind in Spirit’

Meanwhile, the biological father of Celina Cass expressed confusion over his daughter’s death.  Interviewed on CNN, Adam Laro said, “That’s the thing that puzzles me.  I can’t see why someone would want to do that to my daughter.  She was very kind in spirit.”

Laro has said that during a recent visit to his daughters' house, Celina’s mother told both girls to share their good report cards with their father.  He told CNN that Celina was happy living with her mother and stepfather.

Growing Number of Facebook Memorials

Since her body was discovered, numerous Celina Cass memorial accounts on Facebook have appeared; however, the original account — which Cass maintained but was removed on Aug. 3 — listed friends, numerous personal details and the observation that “You can’t stand to live with your family but you can’t stand to live without them.”

 

More on InvestigationDiscovery.com

Crimes of the Century
Fearbook: Most Gruesome Killers
Crime Countdown: Top 10 Lists
Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of the Notorious

 

Photo: Celina Cass, pictured, from Facebook

Did New York Serial Killer Prey on New Jersey Hookers?

April 11, 2011

The investigation into a series of unsolved serial killings in Long Island, N.Y., has raised speculation that the same killer could be responsible for a similar series of unsolved killings that occurred in New Jersey more than four years ago.

"The prosecutor has been in contact with Suffolk County Police since they found the [first four] bodies," Madelaine Vitale, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor's office told Investigation Discovery.

The New Jersey cases came to light on November 20, 2006, when two women walking behind the Golden Key Motel in Egg Harbor Township, a few hundred yards from the Atlantic City limits, discovered the body of a woman in a ditch. When officers responded to the scene, they discovered the bodies of three more women within a few hundred feet of each other.

The victims were later identified as Molly Jean Dilts, 20; Tracy Ann Roberts, 23; Kim Raffo, 35; and Barbara V. Breidor, 42. Dilts was the only one of the four who did not have a criminal record for prostitution, but friends later told police they knew she was working the streets.

The similarities in the cases were inescapable.

The victims' bodies were all found facedown in a drainage ditch, in several inches of water. Their heads were turned east and they were wearing clothes but were barefoot.

Due to the varying decomposition of the bodies, authorities suspect the women were killed anywhere from two days to up to a month before they were discovered. At least one of the victims died of strangulation. Authorities suspect another died by asphyxia, but the condition of the bodies made an exact cause of death difficult to determine.

Despite an intensive investigative effort by local, state and federal authorities, the case went unsolved. Aside from media articles that would pop up on the one-year anniversary of the discovery of the victims' remains, they were all but forgotten about until late last year, when police in nearby Long Island began stumbling upon bodies.

The first was found on December 11 between Cedar Beach and Gilgo Beach. Two days later, investigators discovered the remains of three more women whose bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.

All four of the victims were found wrapped in burlap sacks. Police say they were not "clustered together" and appear to have been dumped individually. Investigators say there are substantial similarities in how the women died, although they declined to elaborate.

All the victims are allegedly prostitutes who advertised their services on Craigslist, police said. They have since been identified as Megan Waterman, 22; Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Melissa Barthelemy, 24; and Amber Lynn Costello, 27.

Brainard-Barnes had been missing the longest, and was last seen alive on July 9, 2007, about seven months after the women in Egg Harbor Township were found in the drainage ditch. The most recent victim to go missing was Costello, who vanished in September 2010, police said.

Since that initial discovery in Long Island, the remains of four additional unidentified people were found in the same area between Oak Beach and Gilgo Beach. Police have yet to identify any of them and have not revealed if the bodies had been wrapped in burlap or if they have been linked the deaths of the first four victims.

Authorities are also awaiting the results of tests on two sets of bones believed to be human that were found on the beach earlier today. No word has been given yet on how long it will take experts to draw a conclusion.

As the search for additional bodies continues today, many are wondering if the Long Island serial killer is responsible for the four unsolved homicides in New Jersey. Has an unknown serial killer been preying on women since 2006?

Contacted by Investigation Discovery, a spokeswoman for the Suffolk County Police Department would only say the case is "still under investigation."

Vitale also declined to elaborate on a possible like between the New York and New Jersey cases. "We are not commenting," she said.

For now, there are more questions than answers. Perhaps some of them will become clearer tomorrow, when a well-known expert on serial killers weighs in. So, be sure to come back to read his thoughts on it and feel free to share your own in the comment section below!

Check Out: Body Count Continues to Climb in Long Island Serial Killer Case

Related Links:
Investigation Discovery: Most Infamous Murderers
Investigation Discovery: Quiz Central: Serial Killers

Photo Credits: Police File Photos

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

Can You Help the FBI Crack a Murder Victim's Encrypted Message?

March 31, 2011

The FBI is asking for the public's help in deciphering two encrypted notes that were found in a murder victim's pocket more than a decade ago. The bureau's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit (CRRU) has been unsuccessful in breaking the code, and officials say this is one of their top unsolved cases.

"We are really good at what we do," CRRU chief Dan Olson said, "but we could use some help with this one."

On June 30, 1999, police in St. Louis, Mo., discovered the body of 41-year-old Ricky McCormick. He had been murdered and dumped in a field. The only clues were two encrypted notes found in the victim's pants pockets.

"Breaking the code," said Olson, "could reveal the victim's whereabouts before his death and could lead to the solution of a homicide."

There's only one problem: neither the CRRU nor the American Cryptogram Association, two agencies who specialize in doing the impossible, have been able to decipher the notes. As a result, Ricky McCormick's murderer has yet to face justice.

Now, the FBI is hoping someone in the general public might be able to step up and assist them. Otherwise, to move the case forward, examiners will need another sample of McCormick's code—or a similar system—that might offer context to the mystery notes or allow the experts to make comparisons.

Want to Try An Easier Detective Puzzle? Play our Homespun Superhero Game.

Investigators believe the notes in McCormick's pockets were written up to three days before his death.

 

 

The more than 30 lines contain a maddening variety of letters, numbers, dashes, and parentheses. McCormick was a high school dropout, but he was able to read and write and was said to be "street smart."

According to members of McCormick's family, he began writing encrypted notes since when he was a boy, but no one in his family knows how to decipher the codes, and no one knows whether anyone besides McCormick could translate his secret language.

According to Olson, breaking any code involves four basic steps:

1. determining the language used;

2. determining the system used;

3. reconstructing the key; and

4. reconstructing the plain text.

For example, consider the following cipher: Nffu nf bu uif qbsl bu oppo.

Now apply the four steps:

1. Determining the language allows you to compare the cipher text to the suspected language. FBI cryptanalysts usually start with English.

2. Determining the system: Is this cipher using rearranged words, replaced words, or perhaps letter substitution? In this case, it's letter substitution.

3. Reconstructing the key: This step reveals how the code maker changed the letters. In Olson's example, every character shifted one letter to the right in the alphabet.

4. Reconstructing the plain text: By applying the key from the previous step, you now have the solution: "Meet me at the park at noon."

Try Another Detective Puzzle. Play Trace Evidence and Bust a Killer.

Over the years, a number of CRRU's examiners have puzzled over the McCormick notes, but "standard routes of cryptanalysis seem to have hit brick walls," Olson said.

 

 

Short of new evidence, Olson said the bureau is hoping that "someone with a fresh set of eyes might come up with a brilliant new idea" to solve the code.

Can you aid the investigation?

Take a look at McCormick's two notes. If you have an idea how to break the code, have seen similar codes, or have any information about the McCormick case, write to CRRU at:

FBI Laboratory
Attn: Ricky McCormick Case
Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit
2501 Investigation Parkway
Quantico, VA 22135

Olson said the bureau is offering no reward, just a challenge and the satisfaction of knowing that your brain power might help bring a killer to justice.

"Even if we found out that he was writing a grocery list or a love letter," Olson said, "we would still want to see how the code is solved. This is a cipher system we know nothing about."

For more information, click here to visit the FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit website.

Related Links:
Game: Fight Crime By Solving Detective Puzzles and Become a Hometown Superhero
Investigation Discovery: FBI: Criminal Pursuit

Photo Credit: FBI

 

What Happened to Michael Jefferson Adams?

February 27, 2010

Kind, witty, funny, generous and smart are all words that have been used to describe Michael Jefferson Adams. Unfortunately, the word "missing" is also synonymous with his name.

On the night of June 8, 1987, Michael, then 18, finished his shift at M-System Food Store on 12th and Mockingbird Street in Abilene, Texas, and drove to his home on Peach St. When Michael arrived home, at about 11:30 p.m., his sister, Beverly Adams, awoke and looked out the window. She saw Michael leaning into a car that was parked idling on the street, having a discussion with the occupant(s). Thinking nothing of the incident, Beverly went back to sleep.

The following morning, Michael's parents noticed that his car was parked in the driveway, blocking the family car. It was Michael's usual custom to switch the vehicles around, but, for reasons unknown, he had not done so. When Michael's parents went into his room, they discovered that his wallet and other personal items were in their usual spots, but Michael was nowhere to be found.

"Michael had everything going for him. He was a talented artist, and dreamed of being an architect. He wanted nothing more than to move on from Abilene, and take his first steps into the world as his own man. He was just three weeks away from leaving for college," Michael's friend, Danny Johns, told Investigation Discovery. "Michael knew exactly where he was going and how important his education was in getting him there. He was well liked, funny and charming. He had a big, bright smile that was contagious, and [he] was incredibly easy going."

 When all attempts to locate Michael failed, his parents filed a missing person report with police. The only clue as to his unexplained disappearance was the sighting of the vehicle that his sister had observed him leaning into the previous night. Beverly described the vehicle as a dark, two door model – possibly a 1973-1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo or Oldsmobile Cutlass or Toronado. 

According to Johns, two of Michael's known associates owned vehicles that matched the descriptions given by Beverly, so authorities questioned them about his whereabouts and gave them lie-detector tests. One of his associates reportedly passed the test, whereas results for the other were inconclusive. As a result, the case quickly went cold.

In the years that followed, authorities received numerous tips suggesting Michael had been assaulted and murdered. One particular tipster indicated that his body had been dumped in the Fort Phantom Hill Dam area, a location roughly 30 miles from Michael’s home, but authorities have been unable to substantiate that claim.

With no new information or leads on which to follow up, in 1994, Michael's family petitioned the court and had him declared legally dead. Despite this action, his family and friends still want answers to the question of his sudden and unexplained disappearance.

"No one deserves to have their life taken from them in this way, but especially [not] someone like Michael," Johns said. "He would have never seen this coming, nor would he have been aware that this element existed around him. He was truly a victim, 100%. Michael needed someone to stand up for him, and that’s what we’re trying to do now. We’re working very hard to try to get Michael some well-deserved justice and for some closure for his father, who is now nearing 80 years old and is worried he will never get the answers about what happened to his young son."

Michael Jefferson Adams is described as a white male, 6’ tall, 150 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a white, long sleeved oxford, black pants and black shoes. Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact the Abilene Police Department, at 800-868-8477 or 325-676-6643.

Related Links:
Investigation Discovery: Disappeared
Investigation Discovery: Missing Persons
Find Michael Jefferson Adams

Photo Credits: Contributed

Have You Seen Thomas Joel Zinza?

February 17, 2010

Exactly two years ago today, 43-year-old Thomas Joel Zinza, a U.S. Marine and disabled vet from Alaska, disappeared from a motel in Emlenton, PA. Since that time, Tom's older brother, John Zinza, has been on a desperate search for answers in the case.

According to John, his brother suffered from mental health issues and there were signs that something terrible was going on in his brother's life in the days leading up to his disappearance.

"On February 14, 2008, I got a stressful call from my father, who said that Tom believed someone was trying to kill him and Tom was concerned about his safety," John told Investigation Discovery. "My father filled me in on what was going on and intended to update me as soon as he knew more."

Later that same day, Tom placed a similar call to his brother.

"I asked Tom if he was having problems with his medication and he expressed frustration at me for asking," John said. "He expressed thoughts about leaving Alaska as soon as possible to see some former Marines and his ex-wife.  I requested that he see his mental health care providers. Tom ended the conversation, saying that he would do so. This is the last I heard from Tom."

On Feb. 16, Tom purchased a plane ticket and flew from Fairbanks to Seattle, WA.  While in Seattle, he purchased additional plane tickets from Seattle to Cleveland, OH, and from Cleveland to Boston, MA. The flight to Boston was not scheduled to depart until Feb. 19, so Tom checked into a hotel room near the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport for several hours, before driving away in a rental car. The rental car agreement Tom signed indicated that he would return the car in two days.

"On February 17, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office recovered Tom's luggage along a highway, east of Wooster, Ohio," John said. "The luggage was described as not typical. One contained his laptop computer and another bag contained his writing journals and his Palm Pilot."

Later that day, credit card statements show that Tom made purchases at a gas station in East Liverpool, OH and at a market in New Galilee, PA. He then drove to Emlenton, PA, where he checked into the Emlenton Motor Inn. The hotel owner later told police he remembered checking Tom in at about 11:00 pm.

"The next morning the cleaning lady discovered the room was unused," John said. "The day after that she notified the Pennsylvania State Police that he had still not used his room and the rental car was still in the parking lot."

Pennsylvania State Police notified authorities throughout the state about Tom's disappearance. Searches of the Alleghany River and an island on the river were later conducted, but nothing was found. The following month, an aerial search was conducted in the area around the motel, but again nothing was found.

"In the spring of 2009, a search and recovery group conducted another search at my request," John said. "A pair of boots was found in a wooded area near the motel, but it is inconclusive if they were Tom's."

Since that time, the search for Tom has gone cold. It remains unclear if Tom went missing of his own accord or if he met with foul play. Regardless of the circumstances, John and his family would like to know what happened to their missing loved one.

"Not knowing is utterly tortuous," John said. "If he is alive, I want to help him. If he is deceased, I would like to see my parents get closure. Tom would give his shirt off his back to help someone. People loved him and still do."

Thomas Joel Zinza is described as a white male. When he was last seen, he was 5' 10" tall, 200 pounds, with balding brownish-gray hair and hazel eyes. He had a small trout tattoo on his upper torso. Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 814-676-6596 or the Wayne County Sheriff's Office at 330-287-5758

Related Links:
Investigation Discovery: Disappeared
Investigation Discovery: Missing Persons
Project Jason: Thomas Joel Zinza

Photo Credit: Contributed

California Family Seeks Help in 33-Year-Old Missing Person Case

February 11, 2010

For over three decades, the family of Frederick Donald Leach, aka William Donald Leach, has been agonizing over his disappearance. What happened to Fredrick and where is he today? Those questions still remain, but as far as his daughter is concerned, the search is far from over.

"I would like people to know this story. Maybe they know something. Maybe they can help keep some other family from going through all of the pain we have had to endure," Fredrick's daughter, Kathy Leach-Warmington, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery.

According to Fredrick's daughter, he was a mechanic by trade and enjoyed tinkering with his vast collection of vehicles and motorcycles. Fredrick's property in Laytonville, California was nearly paid off and, at 49 years old, he was looking forward to enjoying his eventual retirement. Unfortunately, that was not to be, as some tragic event appears to have stolen that dream from him.

"My dad was last seen by my brother David on March 17, 1976," Kathy said. "Later that day, my dad's best friend called my sister and said that dad's house was vandalized, lots of stuff was stolen and he was missing. Things just didn't look right."

Kathy said that among the items missing were several vehicles – a 1960s Ford Falcon, two Willy's PU jeeps and two motorcycles – a Harley Davidson and a Suzuki.

"I was later told that two big trucks were seen loading everything up," she said.

According to the best friend, the last time he saw Frederick, he was limping. When he inquired as to the reason, Frederick allegedly told him he had been beaten up.

"Dad was involved in a dispute with some people," Kathy said. "My dad would not sell them some things they wanted, and one of the guys was furious."

Authorities have found no evidence suggesting the alleged dispute was related to Frederick's disappearance; however, Kathy says they did find evidence that something tragic had occurred on her father's property.

"There was blood splatters on the wall and in a bus parked on the property we found a big overstuffed chair with white sheet draped on it which was totally saturated with blood. It hadn't been there long. It was fresh blood."

Kathy said she was also troubled by an item they found inside a second house that sat on her father's property.

"There was a satanic picture on the wall," she said. "It was a picture of a goat’s head with a cross on a grave and words with dad's name."

It remains unclear whether the picture is in anyway related to Frederick's disappearance.

According to Kathy, in the years following her father's disappearance she was contacted by police and informed that they had received a possible lead in the case from a person who was incarcerated in prison.

"We were never given a name," Kathy said. "Apparently, he had called the authorities and offered to tell them some things he allegedly knew about dad's disappearance. It was a weekend, so the detective decided to wait until Monday. Unfortunately, the guy died of a morphine overdose before the detective could get there."

With the alleged informant's death, any information he may have had went to the grave with him. As a result, he left behind more questions than answers.

"We just want to know what happened," Kathy said. "We need help to give our father a proper burial."

Calls to Eric Riboli, the lead detective on the case, were directed to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office public information officer. Calls to the information officer were not immediately returned.

Frederick Donald Leach is described as a white male. When he was last seen, he was 5’ 8” tall, 165 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. He had a scar on the right side of his face from an animal bite. Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office at 707-463-4086.

Related Links:
Investigation Discovery: Disappeared
Investigation Discovery: Missing Persons
Project Jason: Frederick Donald Leach

Photo Credit: Contributed

The Mysterious Disappearance of Bonnie Schultz

January 12, 2010

The Missing – A Weekly Exposé of Lost Souls – Issue #38

In this edition of "The Missing," we revisit the disappearance of Bonnie L. Schultz, a 47-year-old mother of two who went missing from Indianapolis, Indiana in 1997.

It was approximately 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 4, 1997, when Richard Schultz contacted the Marion County Sheriff's Department and reported his wife missing. According to Richard, Bonnie had gone out with coworkers the previous evening and never returned home. He said he initially thought she might have had too much to drink and stayed with a co-worker, but when she failed to return home by the following afternoon he felt something was wrong.

"At the time, Bonnie and Richard had been married for over 20 years and had 2 children, Gretchen and Joshua, ages 10 and 15," said Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Missing Persons' Detective Dan Kistner. "Richard was employed as a bank executive with National City Bank and Bonnie was a part-time inventory clerk who had recently re-entered the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom."

Richard provided police with a description of his wife and her personal effects. He also described the car she had been driving as a blue, 1990 four-door Mercury Sable station wagon with Indiana license plate number 99G9645.

Upon further inquiry, Richard also told investigators that his relationship with his wife was rocky and that they had recently had "discussions" regarding divorce.

"On July 7, 1997, Richard reiterated his initial statement and provided a more detailed clothing/personal property description to the lead detective via telephone," Det. Kistner said. "Afterwards, the detective spoke with Bonnie's co-worker and best friend, both of whom were with her on the evening of July 3, 1997."

According to her friends, Bonnie was last seen leaving the Time Out Lounge at 62nd Street and Allisonville Road on July 4, 1997, at approximately 4:00 a.m. Bonnie was purportedly heading home at the time.

"During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Bonnie had been having an affair with a male co-worker who was also with her that evening," Det. Kistner said. "A female friend stated that when Bonnie arrived at the gathering on July 3, she was crying and emotionally upset. Bonnie informed her friend that she and Richard had had a huge fight, that Richard refused to give her a divorce, and she did not know what he might do. Bonnie had also advised the man she was having an affair with of the same circumstances that evening before she departed for home."

Bonnie's boyfriend cooperated with police and submitted to a polygraph examination, in which no evidence of deception was indicated. Police then questioned Richard about the alleged argument. He denied an argument had occurred and stated they had had a "discussion."

"Richard later submitted to a polygraph, in which deception was indicated," Det. Kistner said.

Roughly one week after Bonnie went missing, authorities went to the residence where Bonnie and Richard resided to ask some follow-up questions.

"Richard was at work but the children were home," Det. Kistner said. "After a short discussion, Gretchen mentioned items that her mother had with her when she left the residence on July 3. One of those items was a gift that Gretchen and Joshua had given to her – a gift she was always known to have in her possession."

Det. Kistner won't reveal what the "gift" was but he did say that Gretchen was able to confirm it was still inside the residence.

"The information received from the children conflicted with Richard's own statement to police, in which he had listed the gift as property his wife had in her possession at the time she went missing," Det. Kistner said. "This led us to further question Richard’s account that Bonnie had never returned home."

When asked about the item in question, Richard told police that he must have been confused about it. Further attempts to verify whether Bonnie had it with her were also unsuccessful. As a result, what initially felt like a break in the case, turned into a he said-she said between father and daughter.

"Attempts to locate Bonnie and her vehicle over the years have also been unsuccessful," Det. Kistner said. "There was an initial belief that Bonnie had left of her own accord. Too much time passed before detectives realized that things were indicating otherwise and charges were never filed. Close friends and Bonnie’s family all state Bonnie would have never left her children and believe she met with foul play."

In 2000, Richard and his children moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. On the ten-year anniversary of Bonnie's disappearance, Richard spoke with WTHR.com about the case.

"The husband is the first person who comes to mind when a spouse is missing," Richard Schultz said. "I had nothing to do with causing any of her physical harm … If she left us and is happy, as difficult as that is for us, that's better for her. If something else has happened, obviously it's a bad thing for everybody."

In 2008, Detective Kistner traveled to Kalamazoo in an attempt to get new leads in the case.

"I wanted to speak with Richard and Bonnie's children, who are now grown," Det. Kistner said. "Richard maintained that he knew nothing. He has made no attempts to locate his wife since her reported disappearance. Joshua still lives with Richard, who provides complete monetary support for his children. They have very limited association with any other family members. Both children refused to talk to me regarding their mother's disappearance. Gretchen stated that it would not change anything."

Unfortunately, Detective Kistner's trip to Michigan has yet to yield all of the information or results needed in the case and, as of today, neither Bonnie nor her blue station wagon have ever been located. Nevertheless, Kistner’s investigation is far from over.

"It is a very frustrating cold case," Det. Kistner said. "I have taken it very personally and have endured many sleepless nights thinking about it. It is my belief that Joshua and Gretchen would want to do anything and everything possible to locate their missing mother. I believe their failure to cooperate is because they know their mother is deceased and, quite possibly, who is responsible. Regardless, the perpetrator of this crime can rest assured that we will not give up."

Bonnie Schultz is described as a white female, 5' 7" tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Dan Kistner at 317-327-6539 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS. Click here to download her missing person flyer.

Related Link:
The Shift

Photo Credits: IMPD

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Authorities Believe They Have Found Kelly Currin Morris

November 17, 2009

Details remain sketchy; however authorities in North Carolina have reportedly found human skeletal remains that they believe belong to Kelly Currin Morris, a 28-year-old mother of two, who vanished on Sept 3, 2008.

According to a source close to the investigation, the remains were found earlier today at a fox hunting club on Sam Moss Hayes Road in Creedmoor. No further details are available at this time.

Meanwhile, Kelly's husband, 35-year-old William "Scott" Morris, was taken into police custody late tonight and booked at the Oxford magistrate's office. Officials refuse to comment on the reason for his arrest.

Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins said that more details will be released during a press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Discuss The Kelly Morris Case

Related Links:
Full Coverage: Kelly Currin Morris Case

Photo Credit: Scott and Kelly Morris: Currin Family

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Leah Freeman's Mother Asks for Cold Case Team

October 29, 2009

In the past, Cory Courtright celebrated her daughter Leah Freeman's birthday on October 29. Unfortunately, there have been no parties in recent years. Instead of celebrating Leah's 25th birthday, Cory is busy seeking justice in her daughter's murder.

Leah was just 15 years old when, on June 29, 2000, she went for a walk near her home in Coquille, Ore. What happened to her during that walk remains unclear; however, on Aug. 3, 2000, her fate became all too clear when her body was found in a wooded area roughly eight miles from Coquille. An autopsy revealed that Leah had died as a result of "homicidal violence."

Fast forward nearly a decade, and Leah's murder remains unsolved. Waiting such a long time for an answer would discourage most people, but Cory Courtright is determined to see justice prevail and is asking local officials for help.

"I am simply asking Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier to dedicate a cold case team to re-investigate Leah's murder," Cory said. "I don't feel like the agencies handling the case have ever been in sync, and with all of the personnel changes at the Coquille Police Department, I fear that crucial details of the investigation could very well have fallen through the cracks."

Cory says that the police were initially conducting a very active investigation into her daughter's case, but it seemed to cool down quickly, and she has received very few updates on the case in recent years.

According to the Coos County District Attorney's Office, the case is considered "cold," but investigators remain active, following up on all tips that they receive.

"They need to do more than follow-up on tips," Cory said. "They need to have a dedicated team go back and look through all of the files again, re-interview everyone involved, and re-examine all of the evidence."

There is no word yet on whether the Coquille Police Department will consider forming a cold case squad to reinvestigate Leah's murder.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Coquille Police Department at (541) 396-2114 or Coos Stop Crime at (541) 267-6666. Leah Freeman's family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those responsible for her murder.

For more information, please visit: www.leahfreeman.com.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Corrie Anderson's Family Remembers Missing Mom on Anniversary of Disappearance

October 28, 2009

Think of the person who means the most to you in your life. Now, think of what your life would be like if he or she suddenly vanished without a trace. That pain – the type of heart wrenching pain you can't truly know unless you have been in a similar situation - is all too real for the family of Corrie Anderson, a mother of three from Chautauqua County, NY, who went missing exactly one year ago today.

"It's been a very difficult year," Corrie's mother, Vickie Acquisto, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "We're a close knit family, and we really miss her every day.

Corrie was last seen at about 1:00 p.m. on October 28, 2008, when she visited her boyfriend at the Lake County Dodge dealership in Jamestown. Family members reported her missing at about 3:45 p.m. that day, when she failed to show up at her son's school for a meeting. Items found at Corrie's house suggest that she made it home some time prior to her disappearance; however, whatever happened to her after that remains a mystery.

Two days later, on October 30, 2008, a hunter discovered Corrie's minivan abandoned at a gas well off Kortwright Road in the town of Busti. The location is approximately two miles from Corrie's house.

"There's a hole in our lives and in our hearts," Corrie's cousin, Laurie Keefe, said. "Not knowing where she is or what happened to her is horrible. We cannot move forward with our lives, and yet life continues to move on around us."

The pain of not knowing has had not only a negative effect on Corrie's family, but also on the traditions that they once shared together.

"We can't do any more family gatherings in the dining room because it's too difficult without her," Vickie said.

While local authorities have conducted several searches for Corrie, her family has also taken it upon themselves to do everything in their power to locate her. In addition to hiring a private investigator in the weeks following her disappearance, they also enlisted the help of Texas EquuSearch, a nonprofit search and recovery organization headquartered in Dickinson, Texas. The group initially promised to lead a community search for Corrie in April 2009; however, just three days before the search was set to take place, they pulled out, leaving the family scrambling to find a replacement group to lead the hundreds of volunteers who had preregistered for the search. Luckily, 3 View Search Services, a new search and recovery group from Indiana, was able to step in and take over. Ultimately, they found no sign of Corrie, but it was certainly not for lack of effort.

"Corrie's case was the first one we worked together as a team after forming our organization," said Mandy Albritton, co-founder of 3 View. "We were disappointed when, despite the efforts of over 400 community volunteers, the search effort failed to turn up any sign of Corrie, but we remain committed to Corrie and her family."

According to Albritton, her organization is already planning a second search for Corrie, scheduled to take place in the spring.

"Corrie's children need to know where their mother is and that she would never have left them on her own," Albritton said.

Local and state officials have released very few details in Corrie's case and have declined to comment on the status of the investigation, other than to say that it remains a top priority. Despite the lack of comments from police, Corrie's family has no illusions as to the reason she is missing.

"It is a criminal investigation," Laurie said, adding, "We seek justice toward the person(s) responsible for taking her away from her family."

In the meantime, Corrie's family must continue to move on with their lives. They must also ensure that her children are cared for and that her youngest son, 7-year-old Zachery, never forgets his mother.

"Zachary saw her picture in the local paper this morning," Vickie said. "He looked up and said, "I remember that day -- we played in the leaves."

The investigation continues…

Corrie Anderson is 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, with green eyes and blonde hair. She was last seen wearing black corduroy pants, a black leather jacket, and small wire-rimmed glasses. Corrie's family is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Corrie's whereabouts. For more information, please visit: www.findcorrie.com.

Anyone with information regarding Corrie's disappearance or whereabouts is asked to call the New York State Police at (716) 665-3113.

Click here to read an article on the one year anniversary that was written by my friend and collegue, Robert Rizzuto.

Related Link:
Investigation Discovery: Full Coverage: Corrie Anderson

Photo Credits: Contributed

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Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office Seeks Information on Skeletal Remains

October 27, 2009

Somewhere there's a person who holds the key to unlocking the mystery surrounding human skeletal remains that were recently found along the edge of the Allegheny Reservoir in upstate New York. Authorities have used dental records to rule out a connection to at least two local missing person cases; however, they are still no closer to determining the identity of the individual. As a result, they recently released new information on an important piece of evidence in the case, hoping that someone might be able to put a face on Jane Doe.

According to acting Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb, authorities found a boot with the remains, which they believe belonged to the individual.

"We feel very confident it was attached to the remains because some of the remains were in the boot," Whitcomb told WGRZ.com. "The boot had been there as long as the body. It was muddy; it was dirty."

A sheriff's office press release describes the boot as a "left winter type boot, made of tan suede. [It] is mid-calf in length and size 6. The boot is fleece-lined and made in China under the brand name of Hotcakes. The front of the boot is embroidered with red, white and blue flowers and a green leaf."

Additionally, the press release stated that the forensic examination revealed that one of the skeleton's ribs showed evidence of a healed fracture. A fractured left tibia was also noted.

"Jane" is believed to be between the ages of 25 to 45 (likely 30-40), 5'1"-5' 8", 105-125 pounds, with a small build. Authorities surmise the body was in the water for a period of one to five years.

According to Whitcomb, his office is awaiting DNA test results, which it plans to enter into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) so that it can be compared to a national database of DNA profiles.

Anyone who believes he or she has any information regarding the identity of Jane Doe is asked to contact the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office at (716) 938-9191.

Related Link:
New Information Released on Human Skeletal Remains Found in Upstate NY

Photo Credits: Crime Scene: David Lohr; Boot: Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office

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The Missing – A Weekly Exposé of Lost Souls – Issue #37

October 13, 2009

The mysterious disappearance of Jesse Warren Ross

In this edition of "The Missing," we revisit the mysterious disappearance of Jesse Warren Ross, a 19-year-old University of Missouri sophomore who went missing in 2006.

The story of Jesse's disappearance began in Chicago, Ill., during the early morning hours of Nov. 21, 2006. Jesse was attending a mock United Nations conference at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Chicago, and at about 2:00 a.m. he was at a dance that was part of that event. Jesse was last seen a half-hour later when friends say he left to go back to his hotel, the Four Points Sheraton, which was located about ten minutes away. What happened to Jesse next remains a mystery. He never made it to his room, and he has not been seen since.

According to his friends, Jesse, or "Opie" as they liked to call him, is a likeable guy with no known enemies.

"We are really tight friends," an unidentified coworker of Jesse's said in a 2006 interview with Crime Library. "His internship put him in my [radio station] on day one, just to give him some insight on radio. From there he went from intern to promotions, to being on the air for our morning show as a side kick, stunt boy, kinda fun guy. He is hilarious and his humor and his intelligence put him exactly where he wanted to be."

There was initial speculation that Jesse might have been drinking prior to his disappearance and that it might have somehow played a role in what occurred; however, surveillance footage from the Sheraton Chicago Hotel gave no indication that he was intoxicated.

Police say they have interviewed more than 100 people and have invested countless man hours in the case to no avail. Lack of evidence in the case led police to suspect Jesse might have fallen into the Chicago River, as it runs right next to the hotel where he stayed; however, both police and private search groups have searched the lakefront and river several times and found nothing to indicate Jesse had fallen in.

Click here to continue reading this story >

Kansas Students Warned about Serial Rapist

October 06, 2009

Kansas Attorney General Steve Six, along with the Riley County and Lawrence police departments, are asking college students to be vigilant during collegiate fall breaks because of a serial rapist who is suspected of committing multiple rapes in Lawrence and Manhattan.

According to police, more than a dozen attacks that have occurred in the two areas since 2000 share significant similarities. The victims' characteristics as well as the manner of the attacks and the times when they occurred all suggest that a single serial rapist is responsible.

The rapist is believed to stalk his victims prior to the attack. He targets female students who live off-campus in homes or apartments and breaks in at night while they are asleep. In some instances, no sign of forced entry was found, suggesting the rapist had gained entry through an unlocked door or window.

Descriptions of the rapist's height and weight have varied in the victims' reports; however, police believe he is a slender, white male of medium height in his mid-20s. Police say the suspect is usually armed and wears something over his face to disguise his identity.

Students are asked to limit their travel during fall break and to pay close attention to activities in their neighborhoods.

"Take extra safety precautions and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement immediately," Six said.

Six said that law enforcement agencies are working diligently not only to identify the rapist but also to educate the public about how they can avoid being victimized.

Click here to continue reading this story >

New Information Released on Human Skeletal Remains Found in Upstate NY

October 05, 2009

Two weeks ago a fisherman in Cattaraugus County, NY, found human skeletal remains along the edge of the Allegheny Reservoir. According to a source close to the investigation, a skull and miscellaneous bones were recovered at the scene.

Last week, authorities announced that medical examiners had ruled out missing Chautauqua County mom Corrie Anderson using dental records. Authorities are now saying that dental records have also excluded Lori Ceci-Bova, a 26-year-old woman who disappeared in June 1997.

The remains are currently in the hands of Doctor Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. According to local authorities, they have provided pertinent medical information regarding several other missing person cases to Dirkmaat and his team.

A preliminary forensic examination by Dr. Dirkmaat has revealed that the remains are most likely those of a woman between the ages of 25 and 45. The estimated height is 5'1" to 5'8". The victim's race is not yet known.

Dr. Dirkmaat is now trying to determine how long the remains were at the site and how the victim died. No word yet on how long that will take.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department at 716-983-9191.

Related Link:
Human Skeletal Remains Found in NY Not Corrie Anderson
Unsolved: The Missing and Murdered Women of Chautauqua County

Photo Credits: David Lohr

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

Human Skeletal Remains Found in NY Not Corrie Anderson

October 01, 2009

Last weekend a fisherman in Cattaraugus County, NY, found human skeletal remains along the edge of the Allegheny Reservoir. According to a source close to the investigation, a skull and miscellaneous bones were recovered from the scene. For the past several days family members of Corrie Anderson, a mother of three from Ashville who went missing in October 2008, have been waiting and wondering if their search was finally over. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the family received word this afternoon that Corrie's dental records did not match the remains. A source within the NY State Police has also confirmed that they do not belong to Corrie.

The remains are currently in the hands of Doctor Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. According to local authorities, they have provided pertinent medical information regarding several other missing person cases to Dirkmaat and his team. Among those cases are Lori Ceci-Bova and Damien Sharp.

Click here to continue reading this story >

Human Skeletal Remains Found in Upstate NY

September 28, 2009

A fisherman in Cattaraugus County, NY, made a gruesome discovery Saturday afternoon when he stumbled upon human skeletal remains along the edge of the Allegheny Reservoir.

According to a source close to the investigation, a skull and miscellaneous bones were recovered from the scene. No word yet on who they belong to; however investigators have said that they appear to have been there for "quite some time."

No missing persons have been reported in Cattaraugus County, but the remains are located roughly 20 miles from the home of Corrie Anderson, a mother of three from Ashville who went missing in October 2008.

Authorities say it could take several days for an identification to be made. Forensic specialists from Erie, Pennsylvania are expected to assist in that process.

Related Link:
Investigation Discovery: Full Coverage: Corrie Anderson

Photo Credit: Getty

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Kelly Currin Morris – One Year Later

September 03, 2009

One year ago today, Kelly Currin Morris, a 28-year-old mother of two, vanished from her Stem, N.C., home. Despite an ongoing police investigation and multiple large-scale searches, Kelly has yet to be found. The reality of the situation is all too familiar for her friends and family members. Time, in this case, does not heal all wounds. Instead, it eats away at one's very soul, overshadowing all hope and replacing it with a sorrow that, no matter how hard one may try to ignore, simply won't go away.

"It has been a terribly frustrating year," Kelly's step-mother, Juanita Currin, said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "Not only with Kelly's disappearance, but also in doing what is right for our family and children. I think that, while a lot of our focus has been on the search effort and continuing to keep the story out there, our efforts have also been to make sure her children are ok.  The balance is difficult. I don't think any of us thought when this happened that it would go on this long. Initially, I was thinking no more than a week or two. Never in our wildest dreams did we think it would be a year."

Not only is the passage of time difficult, but, add to that the multitude of promising tips and discoveries that turn out to be nothing – such as the case with a recent discovery of human remains in a nearby county that turned out to be those of another missing person.

"Every time that happens, it all resurfaces – everything we have been through the last year," Juanita said. "We get our hopes up and then we are left disappointed. It's very sad when the best you can hope for is to find her remains. It is very emotionally draining to have close calls or potential finds."

In an effort to make sure the community does not forget Kelly, her family has scheduled a vigil for 7 p.m. tonight in the daycare lot of Creedmoor Baptist Church at 119 South Main St.

"We are going to have music, speakers, the reading of a poem and a dove release," Juanita said. "We are determined to keep the story out there and we are determined to follow up on anything we need to follow up on in our ongoing search. I understand from law enforcement there are still things that they are following up on, so that brings us a relief that the investigation is still fairly active."

Officials with the Granville County Sheriff's Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will not comment on the case, other than to say that it is an "ongoing investigation." The most recent developments occurred last month, when Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood authorized the search of a Road Runner e-mail address that belonged to Kelly. What, if anything, was found in it remains unknown.

In regard to the ongoing search effort, search coordinator Al Mignacci says that, despite having searched every area within a 15 mile radius of Kelly's home, he is not yet ready to give up.

"We continue to revisit areas that have already been searched, while, at the same time, expanding into new, unexplored areas," Mignacci said in an interview with Investigation Discovery. "In addition to wilderness areas, we have also searched lakes and streams, and over 100 wells. We sonar the waterways, whereas, with the wells, we drop a camera down inside and check if there is any loose stuff down in there. We also have a probe we can use if they are not too deep."

Click here to continue reading this story >

Kelly Currin Morris vigil planned to mark 1 year anniversary

August 26, 2009

Sept. 3 will mark the one year anniversary of the disappearance of Kelly Currin Morris.

Kelly, a 28-year-old mother of two, went missing from her Stem, N.C., home on Sept. 3, 2008. The following morning, an arson fire destroyed her home. She has not been seen since, and her husband has been named a "person of interest" in the case.

Meanwhile, the search for Kelly continues every weekend. Anyone interested in becoming 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.

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 Credit: Currin Family

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

What Happened to Leigh Marine Occhi?

July 16, 2009

I will be in Mississippi this coming week to research the mysterious disappearance of Leigh Marine Occhi, a 13-year-old girl who went missing from her Tupelo home in August 1992.

According to police, foul play is suspected. Please contact me if you have any information on the case. Otherwise, be sure to check back here late next week to read about it.

Click here to view Leigh's missing child flyer

Remains Positively Identified as Travis Lee Baker

June 25, 2009

According to authorities in North Carolina, remains found in a Catawba hay field yesterday have been positively identified as Travis Lee Baker, a 19-year-old man who went missing on April 14, 2007.

As was previously reported, 46-year-old John Mitchell Jr., a resident of Orange County, Florida, was booked late last night and placed into a county jail after a tipster provided police with information that implicated Mitchell and led to the discovery of Travis's remains.

According to Lt. Joel Fish, of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office, Mitchell got into an argument with Travis and shot him. A motive in the shooting has not yet been released; however investigators believe at least two other people were present during the incident. Charges against those individuals could be forthcoming, as well as charges against the owner of the property where the remains were found.

During an afternoon press conference, Chief Deputy Coy Reid said that Mitchell is also a suspect in another unsolved Catawba County murder, but he declined to provide further details.

Mitchell is expected to be extradited sometime tomorrow.

Related Links:
Man Charged in Murder of Missing NC Teen, Travis Lee Baker
A Thanksgiving Wish for the Missing
Travis Lee Baker: Teen's Sudden Disappearance Baffles Police

Photo Credit: Contributed

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NY State Police Renew Search for Corrie Anderson

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. Press release - The  New York State Police in conjunction with the New York State Forest Rangers, Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department, Town of Lakewood/Busti Police Department and the City of Salamanca Police Department are conducting a ground search of an area in the Town of Busti, Chautauqua County, NY. in relation to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Corrie Anderson. 

Ms. Anderson was last seen on October 28th, 2008.  After Ms. Anderson did not pick up her children from school that day family members of Ms. Anderson contacted the New York State Police who have, along with other law enforcement agencies, been actively investigating the circumstances of her disappearance. 

The New York State Police are requesting anyone who may have information they feel would be helpful in locating Ms. Anderson to contact SP Jamestown at 716-665-3113.

Related Link:
Investigation Discovery: Full Coverage: Corrie Anderson

Photo Credit: Contributed

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Shooting Deaths of Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker – One Year Later

June 08, 2009

One year ago today, the lives of 11-year-old Skyla Jade Whitaker and 13-year-old Taylor Dawn Paschal-Placker were snuffed out along a rural road in Weleetka, Okla. The brutal killings, which sent shockwaves across the nation, have been the subject of an intense criminal investigation that has involved over 7,500 man hours and 450 interviews; however, to date, not a single suspect has been identified.

"This coward has not come forward, but we do believe that there are other people who have information as to who this person or these people are," Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation [OSBI] spokesperson Jessica Brown said during a press conference this afternoon. "I don't know why they haven't come forward, but they need to. We are one piece of information away from making an arrest. These people who have the information can help us with that, and we plead for them to come forward. We have $36,000 as a reward in this case and they are eligible for that reward if they come forward and we can use their information to help prosecute this case. That is a lot of money and we hope that will get somebody to come forward."

In addition to the thousands of man hours and the hundreds of interviews that have been conducted, Brown said that investigators have submitted over 600 items to the state crime lab for analysis and that over 700 tests have been conducted on those items.

"We are doing a great deal to help solve this case," Brown said. "We do have evidence not new evidence but we do have good evidence. If we could get that one piece of information to help solve this case - that's what we need."

Brown said that her department still does not have a motive in the killings and that they probably won't until they make an arrest.

"It could be any number of things," Brown said. "If we knew the motive, I think it would be easier for us to solve it, but we don't know at this point in time." 

While a suspect has not yet been identified, Brown said that the OSBI believes that whoever committed the crime is from the Weleetka area.

"It is quite a remote area," she said. "If you been there, it is hard to find your way in and out, so a person would have to know the area pretty well to do that."

In addition to Brown, Skyla's father, William Whitaker, also spoke at the press conference.

"This is my first time speaking out in front of a group this large," Whitaker said. "I don't really know anything about the case [but] I do know about the girls. They were both really great kids. They were both active in their schools [and] they were both really smart. This is a horrible thing to happen to them … It is a day to day thing getting through the last year. Some days are a little easier than others, some of them you just don't even want to go forward, but if you have other children to take care of it makes it kind of difficult you know you have to stand up and be there for them and be there for your loved ones.  It might be your good day but it might be somebody else's bad day it hits everybody different ways at different times."

In regard to the person or persons responsible, Whitaker had this to say:

"I want them to turn themselves in. I want them to bring this whole thing to an end. It has gone on long enough. The family is hurt, the community is hurt [and] I just want it to be brought to an end.

Taylor's father, Peter Placker, echoed that statement/

"I want this to come to an end more than anybody else does," Placker said. "I mean I can't find a reason anymore to smile … I know no other way to explain it but pure hell. That girl meant everything to me.  The past year I spend most of the time by myself. I am afraid to show affection to my other family members because I am scared somebody else is goanna be next … the person's still out there. If they are crazy enough to do it once they are going to do it again."

According to Brown, investigators are continuing their search for a "person of interest" who may have information about the slayings. The person of interest is described as an American Indian male, approximately 35-years-old and about 6-feet-tall, with dark hair and a ponytail. Witnesses said the man was standing near the crime scene, next to a white single cab pickup with an Oklahoma license tag.

"This is not a cold case," Brown said. "The reason being is because we are still getting leads. I don't want anyone to think this is a cold case. It is still being worked by a number of agents. Every day that number differs every day, depending on what information we have to run on. We will continue doing that until it is solved or we have no more leads to run."

The OSBI is offering a reward in excess of $35,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murders. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OSBI hotline at 800-522-8017 or the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office at 918-623-1122.

Related Links:
Ominous Warning Found at Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker Crime Scene
Oklahoma Investigators Continue to Track Leads Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker Case
Investigators Release New Details in Shooting Deaths of Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker
Investigators Search for "Person of Interest" in Murders of Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker
False Reports Provide False Hope in Skyla Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker Case

Photo Credits: Contributed

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

Human Remains NOT Stacy Peterson or Lisa Stebic

May 28, 2009

According to Illinois State Police, a forensic crime lab has determined human remains found in the Des Plaines River last week are not those of Stacy Peterson or Lisa Stebic. DNA testing has revealed that the headless, armless skeleton is that of an unidentified male.

Authorities have yet to comment on the man's race; however they have said that shreds of blue jeans and a small amount of money have been recovered in the area where the remains were found. In addition, two additional bones have since been found in the same area.

"I think we left ourselves open to this possibility. We're disappointed," Pam Bosco, a spokeswoman for Peterson's family, told chicagotribune.com. "But we're still moving forward, doing the searches, doing the investigation. We're continuing. We're still hopeful that eventually we'll find Stacy."

In an interview with the same Web site, Melanie Greenberg, a spokeswoman for Stebic's family, expressed similar sentiments.

"It's disappointing," Greenberg said. "There's no grave to visit. Even if we hadn't had all of her, it would have made all the difference in the world to put her to rest with dignity."

So while the remains are not those of a missing female, they have now prompted speculation that they could belong to one of a number of missing men from the Chicago area. One of those men, John "Chicago Johnny" Spira, a popular Chicago musician who went missing in February 2007, was recently covered in this blog. John's sister, Stephanie McNeil, is used to the roller coaster ride of false hope, so she is hesitant to get her hopes up.

"I’m not thinking or hoping that it’s John. I am hoping they are able to positively identify the remains soon so some family can get a little closure," Stephanie wrote in a post she made today at johnspira.com. "I have contacted the Will County Coroner’s office so that they are aware of John’s case. It would be nice if the national media would put the spotlight on John’s case based on this recent revelation but they just don’t do missing men."

An investigation to identify the remains is still under way. No word yet on how long that will take.

Update: According to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, DNA test results show the remains are not John Spira.

Related Link:
Stacy Peterson Found? Get all the Latest Details
Drew Peterson Charged with Murder of Kathleen Savio
The Mysterious Disappearance of John "Chicago Johnny" Spira

Photo Credits: Des Plaines River: David Lohr; John Spira: Contributed

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

Into Thin Air...

Some have vanished without a trace while others left a string of mysteries in their wake. Learn more about some unsolved cases and see what you can do to help.

Visit Investigation Discovery's new Missing Person information and resource page at:
http://investigation.discovery.com/investigation/missing-persons/missing-persons.html

Unsolved: The Missing and Murdered Women of Chautauqua County

May 13, 2009

Situated in the southwestern corner of New York State, Chautauqua County is the westernmost of New York's counties. The Web site of the visitors' bureau describes the area as a "gateway to the west," where visitors can enjoy "grapes, wineries, cultural, culinary, and resort centers." What you won't find on that Web site is information about the county's unsolved abductions and murders of women - some of which date to the 1980s.

Jane Doe: On Dec. 6, 1983, utility company employees discovered the partially clad body of a woman in a ditch along Route 17 in Ellery. The victim, who has never been identified, had been shot once in the back, twice in the chest, and once inside the mouth. Based upon the victim's characteristics, investigators believe she was a European; however, all attempts to identify her have been unsuccessful. She is described as a white female, 33-37 years of age, 5'4" and 128 lbs., with grayish brown hair and brown eyes. She had a wart above her left eye and a mole behind her left ear. The autopsy revealed that the victim had given birth to at least one child, some 15 years prior to her death.  The victim had bridge work on the right side of her mouth, which is believed to have been done in Europe. A handwritten note found with the victim was from the Blue Boy Motor Lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia; however, investigators have been unable to decipher the abbreviations and numbers written on it.

Kathy Wilson: Last seen on May 18, 1988, Kathy disappeared after an afternoon trip to Quality Markets in Falconer. Her vehicle was later found at another grocery store on the opposite side of town. On Sept. 24, 1989, Kathy's remains were found in a wooded area along Lindell Road in Warren County, Pennsylvania.  Her case remains unsolved.

Judith Lynn McElheney: The body of 27-year-old Judith McElheney was found on Oct. 8, 1990, at a rest stop on Route 5 in Sheridan. According to police, she had sustained a single gunshot to her head close to her left ear. Investigators have been unable to determine a motive in the case, and no suspects have ever been identified.

Rebecca Nicholson: On Dec. 13, 1990, Rebecca's body was discovered inside her Westfield home. According to police, she had been shot. To date, no one has been arrested in the case.

Melinda Juul: An on-duty police officer discovered the body of 32-year-old Melinda Juul on the morning of Jan. 20, 1993, along Marion Street in Jamestown. The victim had been shot, and a .40-caliber shell casing was found at the scene. Neighborhood residents reported being suspicious of a black car that had driven through the area, but it remains unclear if the vehicle was connected to the crime. Melinda's body was approximately two blocks from a resource center, where she had helped care for the developmentally disabled. Melinda was last seen when she left work to go on break. According to police, she used her bank debit card at a plaza shortly before her murder. She also purchased a magazine at the Foote Avenue Quality Markets. Melinda's husband and four children were at home during the incident. The motive behind the murder remains unknown, and police have yet to name a suspect in the case.

Lori Ceci Bova: On the evening of June 7, 1997, 26-year-old Lori Bova, her husband Tyrone Bova, and her sister went to dinner at Red Lobster in Lakewood. Lori and her husband left the restaurant at about 10:30 p.m. and returned home together. According to the initial statements Tyrone gave to police, he last saw his wife shortly after their return home, when they got into an argument and she went outside to smoke a cigarette. What happened to her after that remains a mystery. Lori is described as a white female, 5'4" tall, 106 pounds, with long curly brown hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing gray sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt printed with the words "Freeport Bahamas."

Yolanda Bindics: Twenty-five-year-old Yolanda was last seen on the night of Aug. 10, 2004, when she left her job at the Family Dollar store in Jamestown. The following day, police found Yolanda's car in the parking lot of an Arby's restaurant on Fluvanna Ave., about half a mile from the Family Dollar store.  On Sept. 8, 2004, police found Yolanda's purse, keys, and other personal items in two separate storm drains in Jamestown. The search for Yolanda continued until Sep. 10, 2006, when hunters discovered her remains in a state forest in the Town of Charlotte. Yolanda's death has been ruled a homicide, and at least two persons of interest - both of whom maintain their innocence - have been named in the case; however, no one has been arrested, and the case remains unsolved.

Corrie Anderson: On Oct. 28, 2008, 36-year-old Corrie L. Anderson, a mother of three from Ashville, disappeared after visiting her boyfriend at the Lake County Dodge dealership on Washington Street in Jamestown. Items found at Corrie's house suggest she made it home before her disappearance. On Oct. 30, a hunter discovered Corrie's car abandoned at a gas well off Kortwright Road in the town of Busti, approximately two miles from Corrie's house. Multiple agencies have participated in a search effort. Authorities and members of the search and recovery group 3 View have used ATVs, helicopters, and dogs to inspect areas of interest; however, no sign of her has been found. Corrie Anderson is 5'11", 170 pounds, with green eyes and blond hair. She was last seen wearing black corduroy pants, a black leather jacket, and small wire-rimmed glasses. Her keys and black, 8" x 8" square purse, with a G.H. Bass & Company logo, are also missing.

Though investigators do not believe any of the cases mentioned here are connected, they have acknowledged that some of them have similar characteristics. Unfortunately, County Legislatures have repeatedly turned down funding requests for a cold case squad. As a result, it is unclear if any of these cases will ever be solved.

Anyone with information on any of the cases listed here should contact the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office at 716-753-2131 or the New York State Police at 716-665-3113.

Related Links:
Missing Mother of Three, Corrie Anderson, Needs Your Help
Who Killed Yolanda Bindics?

Photo Credits: Contributed

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

Drew Peterson Charged with Murder of Kathleen Savio

May 08, 2009

Drew Peterson, 55, was arrested during a traffic stop at a busy Bolingbrook, Ill., intersection yesterday evening and charged with murdering his third wife, 40-year-old Kathleen Savio.

According to Will County State Attorney James Glasgow, Peterson was arrested on a warrant based on an indictment by a Will County special grand jury.

"The grand jury that was impaneled to meet on Thursdays to investigate the death of Kathleen Savio and the disappearance of Stacy Peterson returned a two-count bill of indictment today, charging two counts of first-degree murder: one on the theory of intentionally killing, the second on knowingly doing an act to cause great bodily harm," Glasgow said at an impromptu press conference yesterday evening. "I appeared before Judge Daniel Rosak this afternoon and requested a bond in the amount of $20 million, which Judge Rosak granted without question."

The Herald-News of Joliet, Ill., reports that Peterson was calm during his arrest, saying, "I guess I should have returned those library books."

Read Drew Peterson's Indictment

Following Peterson's arrest, authorities issued a new search warrant for his home. What, if anything, was found remains unknown. During the search of the home, authorities took Peterson's children to the Bolingbrook Police Station. They were later transferred into the custody of Peterson's oldest son, Stephen Peterson. Drew Peterson was initially placed in the Lockport Detention Center last night and then transferred to the Joliet Detention Center, where he remains pending his first court appearance.

"We've anticipated that this charge would be coming," Peterson's attorney, Andrew Abood, said in an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren last night. "As you know, there have been numerous times since November of 2007 that charges would be coming down. And we've researched the types of bonds that have been issued out of this court. We believe that the records and the facts do not substantiate a bond of this magnitude, and we'll be moving to reduce the bond."

Peterson was supposed to be arraigned this afternoon; however neither of his attorneys showed up in court. As a result, the hearing was continued until May 18. Peterson didn't say much inside the courtroom, but outside he cracked several jokes with reporters, saying that he was getting "three squares a day." He also joked about his "spiffy outfit" and his handcuffs, which he referred to as "bling."

Meanwhile, the grand jury looking into the disappearance of Stacy Peterson has two more sessions remaining; hence a decision in that case remains to be seen.

Despite the new developments, Drew Peterson continues to deny any involvement in either case.

Related Links:
Most "Fascinating" Sociopaths of 2008

Photo Credits: Associated Press

Please note: Persons appearing in mug shots may not have not been convicted of the charges for which they are accused and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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

Haleigh Who? The forgotten Missing Florida Tot

April 23, 2009

I have received multiple emails in the last few days from readers who are anxious to receive updates on Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings, a 5-year-old girl from Putnam County, Florida, who disappeared in February 2009. It was not my intention to allow this case to fall by the wayside; this has been the case due to the many other missing person cases I have been working on in recent weeks. Nonetheless, it is my intention today to update you on the latest happenings - as slim and far between as they may be.

Before we get into the newest details, I feel that a brief recap is in order for those of you who are not completely familiar with the case.

Haleigh Cummings was last seen in the early-morning hours of Feb. 10, allegedly sleeping in her father's mobile home.

According to John Merchant, a detective with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, police were first notified of the case at about 3:45 a.m., when they received a call from 17-year-old Misty Croslin, the then girlfriend (now wife) of Haleigh's father, 24-year-old Ronald Cummings.

In the call, Croslin said that when she woke up, she discovered that Haleigh was missing and that the back door to the mobile home had been propped open.

"Like, there was a brick on the floor," Croslin said. "Like, when I went to sleep, the door was not like that."

When police arrived at the mobile home in the Hermit's Cove area of Satsuma, they were greeted by a frantic Ronald Cummings. When deputies were finally able to calm him down, he explained that he had last seen his daughter at about 10:00 p.m. that night before he left for work. When he returned home, at about 3:45 a.m., his girlfriend had told him that his daughter was missing.

According to Misty, she had been alone in the house with Haleigh and the child's 3-year-old brother. She said that Haleigh was next to her in the bed when she had fallen asleep; however, when she later woke up to go to the bathroom - minutes before Cummings arrived home from work - she discovered that Haleigh was missing. Her original story has since varied.

Upon receiving the report, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded by activating its Child Abduction Regional Team and, within an hour, over 130 officers from at least 10 county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies were searching for Haleigh.

Who Killed Terressa Vanegas?

March 26, 2009

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.

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.

Nazi War Criminal Aribert Heim Presumed Dead

February 05, 2009

Newly discovered evidence suggests that Aribert Heim, a former SS member known as "Dr. Death," died in Egypt more than 16 years ago. Heim is accused of torturing and murdering hundreds of Jewish prisoners at the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria.

Investigation Discovery first brought you Heim's story in July 2008. At that time, the Simon Wiesenthal Center announced that they had strong evidence suggesting that Heim, who would now be 94 years of age, was alive and residing in either southern Chile or Argentina. Dr. Efraim Zuroff, Nazi hunter and director of the center, refused to comment about the information he received regarding Heim's living in Chile. However, he did say that he expected Heim to be in custody within a "couple of weeks."

Heim never was taken into custody and the investigation appeared to stall until yesterday, when the German television channel ZDF and The New York Times reported that they had uncovered new evidence that Heim had spent much of his time on the run living in Egypt under a false identity.

Heim's son, Rüdiger Heim, has confirmed that he knew his father was living in Egypt and now claims to have been at his side when he died.

Evidence pointing to Heim's life in Egypt was recently found in a briefcase that had been in storage for nearly 20 years. Inside the briefcase, reporters found letters written by Heim, financial records, medical reports and other supporting documents. Some were in Heim's name, while others were in the name of his alleged alias, Tarek Farid Hussein.

ZDF and The New York Times have since obtained a certified copy of Tarek Farid Hussein's death certificate, which states he died of rectal cancer on August 10, 1992. Following his death, Hussein was interred, without identification, in a common grave.

According to public records, Aribert Heim was born on June 28, 1914, in Bad Radkersburg, Austria-Hungary. His father was a policeman and his mother was a housewife. Little is known about his early years; however, Heim later became a professional hockey player.

At the age of 21, Heim joined the local Nazi party in 1935. During that time, Heim also began to study medicine in Vienna. He continued his studies until 1940, when he joined the Waffen-SS, a group of select soldiers who committed themselves to Nazi ideology and the decimation of the Jewish people.

Heim's ruthlessness reportedly peaked in October 1940, when he was sent to Mauthausen concentration camp to perform medical experiments on Nazi captives. It was there that Heim received the nickname "Dr. Death" because of the manner in which he tortured and murdered hundreds of Jewish prisoners.

According to an account later related by Karl Lotter, a political prisoner who survived the concentration camp, Heim murdered an 18-year-old Jewish man who was being treated at the clinic for foot inflammation. Lotter reported that Heim was more interested in the teenager's fit physical condition. After questioning the man about his life, Heim allegedly anesthetized him and cut him open. He then removed the man's kidneys and castrated him before removing his head, which Heim then de-fleshed and used as a paper weight.

"He needed the head because of its perfect teeth," Lotter stated during a 1950 court proceeding. "Of all the camp doctors in Mauthausen, Dr. Heim was the most horrible."

Another witness allegedly reported that Heim once removed the tattooed skin of one of his victims and fashioned it into a seat cover.

Who Killed Yolanda Bindics?

November 04, 2008

Earlier this week I was in Jamestown, N.Y., looking into the case of 36-year-old Corrie Anderson, a southern-tier mother of three who went missing on Oct. 28. Since that time, I have received several e-mails from readers alerting me to similar cases in the area. While there does not appear to be a connection to Corrie's case, I did find one involving a missing mother of four that I found particularly interesting.

Aug. 10, 2004, started out as a typical day for 25-year-old Yolanda Bindics. She left her kids in the care of her brother and went to her job at the Family Dollar store in Jamestown. Later that night, at about 8:20 p.m., Yolanda called her brother and told him that she was on her way to the store to pick up a few groceries and would be home soon. Yolanda's brother called her back roughly 15 minutes later, but she never picked up the phone.

The following day, police found Yolanda's car in the parking lot of an Arby's restaurant on Fluvanna Ave. The location is about a half a mile from the Family Dollar store. In the days that followed, dozens of volunteers began searching wooded areas around the region for any sign of Yolanda. During this time, it was revealed that Yolanda had been involved in a relationship with Michael Watson, a Jamestown police officer. As a result, the officer was placed on paid leave to avoid a conflict of interest.

On Sept. 8, 2004, police found Yolanda's purse, keys, and other personal items in two separate storm drains in Jamestown—one at the intersection of 8th and Monroe and the other near the intersection of 6th and Jefferson. All of the items were sent to a forensics lab so that they could be examined for fingerprints and DNA evidence.

Roughly one month later, police arrested Michael Watson on unrelated stalking charges, which included one count of official misconduct, two counts of stalking, two counts of harassment, and four counts of aggravated harassment.

"It's certainly disturbing to find out that something has gone on and that it's been going on over a period of time," Capt. Lee Davies of the Jamestown Police told WKBW.com. "It's certainly problematic, and we want to make sure that we take steps to ensure that in the future any of that type of information would come forward much more quickly."

Watson was released after posting a $10,000 bond. Investigators said the charges were not related to Yolanda's case; however, they did say that he was considered a "person of interest."