latenightsleuth

[latenightsleuth]

John Ingram Brandenburg, Jr - FOUND

Highway Killer's Victim Identified After 40 Years

Description On October 18, 1983 mushroom hunters discovered four human bodies buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area in an abandoned barn lot off US-41, a half mile north of SR-10 in Newton County, Indiana. Two of the bodies were identified. All four were victims of serial killer Larry Eyler. Forensic investigators determined Brad Doe to be a White/Caucasian male, aged 17 – 23 years old, and approximately 5’5” tall. He had two non-professional appearing tattoos on his right forearm. The young man had severely fractured his nose earlier in life and also fractured his left ankle. Evidence revealed he had been drugged, bound, and stabbed to death sometime between 1981 and 1983.

NamUs ID: UP6105 NCMEC ID: 1202842 Date Body Found: October 18, 1983 Race: White/Caucasian Gender: Male Estimated Age: 17-23 Estimated PMI: Months Location: Lake Village, IN

Agency of Jurisdiction Newton County Coroner’s and Prosecuting Attorney’s Offices Scott McCord, Coroner 219-285-2515 smccord@newtoncounty.in.gov

Link to More Information https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6105 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_County_John_Does http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1384umin.html https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMU/1202842/1/screen

Status: Identified

On April 24, 2021, almost forty years after the remains of four human bodies were discovered buried in a shallow grave off US-41 in Newton County, Indiana, the Newton County Indiana Coroner’s Office and the DNA Doe Project confirmed the identity of one of the men as John Ingram Brandenburg, Jr. of Chicago. He was previously known only as “Brad Doe”. All four were victims of serial killer Larry Eyler. One of the victims still remains unidentified.

John Ingram Brandenburg, Jr. Courtesy of the family.

In late 2019, after exhausting all leads, the Newton County Indiana Coroner’s Office, in a combined effort with the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, reached out to the DNA Doe Project for assistance with the case. DNA extract was obtained from UNT Center for Human Identification. The process took additional time while UNT ran a Family Reference Sample (FRS) comparison. In January of 2021, the DNA was sent to HudsonAlpha Discovery for whole genome sequencing. In March of 2021, bioinformatics work was performed by Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations in Belton, Texas. This process produced a file suitable for upload to genealogical databases. On April 2, 2021, the file was uploaded to GEDmatch. The top match was a close relative which led to the identification.Upon confirmation of Brandenburg’s identity, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rebecca Goddard remarked, “While my heart breaks for this family, I’m thankful that they finally have some of the answers they’ve waited so long for, and I hope this brings them peace. The DNA Doe Project has been amazing to work with. Every person I’ve encountered in the organization has been extremely professional, compassionate, and highly skilled. Newton County is very fortunate to have been able to partner with such a dedicated and knowledgeable group of volunteers.”Team Leader L. Elias Chan stated, “We greatly benefited from their participation and involvement in our research process, and thank them for entrusting us with Brad Doe’s case. Our hearts are with the family and communities affected by John’s loss. It’s for them that we commit ourselves to assisting law enforcement with these difficult identifications.”The DNA Doe Project wishes to acknowledge the contributions of those groups and individuals who helped solve this case: Scott McCord and the Newton County Indiana Coroner’s Office; Rebecca Goddard, Chief Deputy Prosecutor for Newton County, Indiana; Indiana State Police; HudsonAlpha Discovery for sequencing; Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations for bioinformatics; GEDmatch/Verogen for providing their databases; our donors and the DNA Doe Project volunteers who tirelessly work to bring victims home.For more information on the search for the identity of Brad Doe: Newton Co. Coroner Facebook postImage Credit: NCMEC

Posted onMarch 12, 2021

Full Article: https://dnadoeproject.org/case/brad-doe-newton-co-1983/?fbclid=IwAR0px3uGBLlUo7flxfKIPy10Tki7OJ0dowZ8WvU6_lJ8CvTbz_CpnUsYvMM

[latenightsleuth]

Pics from The Charley Project: https://charleyproject.org/case/april-beth-pitzer

From the Kristen Foundation:

April Beth Pitzer was last seen in the vicinity of the 30000 block of Caspian Way in Newberry Springs, CA. She told her roommate that she was leaving on a bus to visit her mother in Arkansas, but never arrived. Pitzer had also been a model for a variety of clothing stores in Arkansas and Texas. She left behind two young daughters, whom she reportedly doted upon.

In December 2005, clothing was found in a mine shaft in Ludlow, California. In January 2006, April’s mother positively identified the clothing as belonging to her daughter. There was no other sign of April at the scene. April has a medical condition and requires medication.

Classification:  Endangered Missing Adult Alias / Nickname:  Coggins or Campbell Date of Birth:  February 19, 1974 Date Missing:  June 28, 2004 From City/State:  Newberry Springs, CA Missing From (Country):  USA Age at Time of Disappearance:  30 Gender:  Female Race:  White Height:  69 inches Weight:  125 pounds Hair Color:  Brown Eye Color:  Hazel Complexion:  Medium Identifying Characteristics:  Small round scar on left side of chest, scar on elbow, scar on lip. No upper teeth. Clothing:  Wears size 6 athletic shoes or sandals. Jewelry:  Gold hoop earrings.  

Investigative Agency:  San Bernardino Sheriff’s Dept. Phone:  (760) 256-4838 Investigative Case #:  DR 080401661 NCIC #:  M-314239727

[latenightsleuth]

Roxane Easland - STILL MISSING

(Image: https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Roxane_Easland )

Roxane Easland, also known by the aliases of Karen Baunsgard, Robin Lee Easland and Karen Lee Baunsgard .

Details of Disappearance

Easland was last seen on June 28, 1980. She had been staying for the past two weeks with her boyfriend at the Budget Motel on Spenard Road in Anchorage, Alaska, and was supposed to meet an unidentified male on 4th Avenue downtown that day. She has never been heard from again. Investigators believe the serial killer Robert Hansen may have been involved in Easland's case, as well as in the disappearances of Megan Emerick, Mary Thill and Andrea Altiery. In 1984, he confessed to 17 murders and 30 rapes over the previous twelve years, and acknowledged Easland was one of his victims. He lead authorities to the grave sites, but only twelve bodies were recovered. A map in Hansen's home had marks on it matching the locations of his victims' bodies, but there were more than 17 marks on it, suggesting he had more victims then he admitted to. Most of the women he is known to have killed were prostitutes or exotic dancers. He died in 2014, while serving 461 years to life in prison for his crimes. A photo of him is posted with this case summary. Foul play is suspected in Easland's case due to the circumstances involved.

Missing Since06/28/1980

Missing FromAnchorage, Alaska

ClassificationEndangered Missing

SexFemale

RaceWhite

Age24 years old

Height and Weight5'3, 90 - 105 pounds

Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA short brown leather coat with a fur collar, pants or blue jeans and black high-heeled boots. Possibly carrying a purse.

Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Some agencies spell Easland's first name "Roxanne" and her last name "Easlund." She may use the alias names Karen Lee Baunsgard and/or Robin Lee Easland. She has a birthmark on the top of her shoulder and a birthmark on the top of her right thigh. She may wear wire-framed eyeglasses.

(Case file: https://charleyproject.org/case/roxane-easland )

[latenightsleuth]

Column: Tyesha Bell is finally found, but not the way loved ones had prayed for

(Image from Tyisha's Twitter page.)

--------------------------------------------

“Until I get a knock at my door and police tell me they have found my daughter’s remains, I will continue to think of her as alive.”

I ended a column written eight years ago with that quote from Lorna Smith, whose 22-year-old daughter Tyesha Bell went missing in May of 2003.

I begin today’s with that same haunting statement because the hopes of that grieving mom were dashed forever this week when police identified the remains of Tyesha, a young mom of two small children who mysteriously walked out of her Aurora apartment one day, leaving behind her money, her purse and the two small children she adored.

Tyesha Bell’s disappearance did not get the high profile treatment as another missing Aurora person, Timmothy Pitzen, who was last seen in May of 2011. We covered her case locally over the years. But on a grander scale it did not get near the exhaustive coverage as other white young women who suddenly vanished, including Plainfield mom Lisa Stebic, or Laci Peterson or Natalee Holloway.

The only real national news Tyesha’s story got was when ABC featured it on a show about how the cases of non-white people who are missing get slighted by the media.

But over the years, Lorna Smith made it a point of contacting our newsroom on every anniversary of her daughter’s disappearance because she knew it was up to her to keep Tyesha’s name in the public eye.

And in all those interviews, Smith never lost hope.

That was especially true on the 10th anniversary of Tyesha’s disappearance in May of 2013 when national headlines that same month declared three women in Cleveland had been found alive after being held for nearly a decade in the home of a monster who eventually killed himself in prison.

A year later, Smith talked to me again about how she hangs on to optimism after receiving a series of strange hang-up calls, from Ohio of all places.

She was so hopeful those calls – at times the other person would stay on the line until she said her daughter’s name – that she even attached Tyesha’s name to the number.

Likely it was a prank, the cruelest kind of “joke” as it raised false hopes for this family that not only included Smith but Tyesha’s two daughters she was raising.

They were just 2 and 5 when their mom went missing, which means both are young women now. But throughout their childhoods they made scrapbooks and wrote beautiful poems about their mother who they knew would never have left them of her own free will.

Police always suspected foul play because of the way Tyesha vanished. Her sister, also her roommate in their apartment in the 800 block of North Randall Road, had heard her talking on the phone early the morning of May 10 and later heard her leave the apartment, never to be heard from again.

An exhaustive police investigation, including airplane and dog searches, as well as drilling holes in the floor of the home of a person of interest, had not produced any clues. Nor did a $10,000 reward Smith raised.

She’d long suspected a man who had last talked to Tyesha on the day she disappeared. But over the years, Smith told me in 2014, she let that anger and suspicions go as she relied heavily on her Christian faith to come to a place of peace.

Peace with hope.

Until now.

When I heard on Tuesday morning that there would be a press conference regarding a high-profile missing person’s case in Aurora, the first name that came to mind was Pitzen, the 6-year-old boy who has been missing since May of 2011 when his mother took him from his kindergarten class and then killed herself, leaving behind a note saying her son was safe and with people who loved him but would never be found.

Had Tuesday’s press conference been about his case, which has been featured on countless national TV shows and will again be featured on HBO, likely around the 10th anniversary, the national media would have descended on the Aurora Police Station like ants on a PB&J. There was hardly that level of attention on Tuesday, and some journalists seemed to know little about Tyesha or had files on her disappearance.

But if this past year has been a national lesson about Black Lives Matter, that certainly must include young Black women who go missing. And hopefully the press that comes with this APD announcement will bring in those tips desperately needed to make an arrest in a very old case that is now a full-fledged murder investigation.

Because the family – there were about 20 who attended Tuesday’s press conference – only recently learned Tyesha’s remains had been found in a shallow grave in a wooded area of Kane County in December, asked for privacy as they came to terms with this news. So I can’t close with a statement from Smith, but I can tell you one thing for sure.

This mother may have lost the hope she’s been holding onto these past 18 years that her daughter was still alive. But she still needs some sort of closure.

And so I will end this column not with a new quote from Lorna Smith but the phone number of the dedicated tip line for the case, 630-256-5517, and with the words of the head of the Aurora Police Department’s Bureau of Investigative Services.

“Our detectives continue to have working theories in Tyesha’s case, but we need more information before criminal charges can be authorized,” said Aurora Police Cmdr. Jack Fichtel. “We implore anyone who may have information to please come forward.”

dcrosby@tribpub.com

By DENISE CROSBY

AURORA BEACON-NEWS | MAR 16, 2021 AT 6:11 PM

[latenightsleuth]

What happened to Maura Murray?

At 21 years old, Maura Murray disappeared on February 9th 2004, and to this day her whereabouts remain unknown. At the time of her disappearance, Maura was a nursing student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. 

On the afternoon of February 9th, Maura contacted her university supervisor and professors to inform them that she would be taking some time off due to a family emergency. However, her relatives were later unable to confirm this claim. Later that evening, a car accident was reported to the authorities by a member of the public, and the vehicle involved was traced back to Maura. The passing motorist who reported the collision asked Maura at the scene if she needed any help, but she declined and then vanished before the police arrived.

Based on these strange circumstances, and also the lack of evidence to suggest that somebody else was involved, it has since been determined that Maura Murray wanted to disappear voluntarily. It was found that Murray had packed a variety of items to suggest she was going on a trip: clothing, toiletries, textbooks, and contraceptive pills. Upon later inspection of her dorm room, the police discovered that Maura had packed up most of her belongings into boxes, further indicating that she did not intend to stay. Located amongst her possessions was an email printed out to Maura’s boyfriend, which highlighted that she was experiencing some relationship troubles. 

After driving away from her university campus, CCTV footage has also identified that Maura stopped to withdraw hundreds of dollars in cash from an ATM machine, and also purchase a wide range of alcoholic drinks from a convenience store. When her vehicle was found crashed, traces of the alcohol were found on the seats and it had been left behind with the rest of her belongings.

Although a voluntary disappearance has been suggested, it cannot be ruled out that something more sinister may have happened. Maura’s father saw her only the day before, and he reported that Maura seemed perfectly normal; she certainly had no known incentive to willingly leave her family, studies and life behind. Maura may have intended to disappear only temporarily, but it is now almost 15 years since and there has been no trace of her. 

It was dark and cold that February night, and a snowstorm was incoming- it can’t be entirely ruled out that she potentially became lost and fell victim to a serious crime, or an accidental death occurred as a result of dangerous weather conditions. Alternatively, Maura may still be hiding away and is opting to not be located.

[latenightsleuth]

[latenightsleuth]

From the Desk of Michelle McNamara True Crime Diary Blog Entry #169

The Man with the Hammer

Date Published 05.08.06

Attacks in broad daylight are rare. Attacks in broad daylight with hammers, rarer still. Attacks in broad daylight with hammers by tall, slightly built black men? Hell of a coincidence. People assumed Peter D'Agostino's murder was racially motivated. But the victim in the second hammer attack was a black girl. If it is the same attacker, his crimes reveal a far more troubling drive than initially thought. However henious, racial attacks provide a motive for violence. As do robbery, and sexual assaults. Without motive, we're left with the most frightening kind of killer: the one who has no type or target or plan, just need -- the need to unburden his rage by inflicting pain on someone, anyone, else. If you know anything about these crimes please call Oak Park Police at 708-386-3800 or Wentworth area detectives at 312-747-8380.Imagine, for a moment, you are a man coming home from work. The elevated train hurdles to your stop outside the city. You exit. It is an unusually hot June day, just one day after the official start of summer and already in the mid-90’s. This is Chicago. By August the heat will seem oppressive. For now, it feels new. Sprinklers shoot water across front yards. Lifeguards whistle at the mob of kids jumping into the pool at Rehm park. It’s 5:30 p.m., and the smell of barbeque fills the air. You walk a few blocks south on Harvey Avenue. It is a habit, this route home, but you are not a boring man. In fact, you are described as an independent thinker, entertaining, charismatic. You are an esteemed history professor who has hit his stride. You have recently published an award-winning book. A long-time bachelor, you are, at 42, now married and the father of a baby girl. Life is more than good. You are two blocks from home. A car pulls up to the curb beside you and a stranger gets out. The stranger burns with rage. At what in particular it is not known, but one suspects he feels none of the good luck you do. He does not know that you are considered kind, giving and compassionate. All he sees is a man with a briefcase going home to a loving family on a summer day. He does not have a briefcase or a loving family, and this day is just another steaming afternoon in a long blur of uncomfortable days. The stranger wants to unleash his rage. Words won’t do. No one listens to him anyway. He comes at you. He raises a hammer and brings it down on your head. In just seconds, the happy life you built for yourself is gone. This is the story of Peter D’Agostino, who was murdered on June 22, 2005 in Oak Park, Illinois. His murder remains unsolved. What is known for sure? Peter D’Agostino was walking home from work. Neighbors inside their homes reported hearing a car door slam, a scuffle, startled shouting, and a car screeching away. D’Agostino was found moments later lying on a front lawn with a massive wound to the head. Witnesses came forward with information about a suspicious man seen in the neighborhood. He could be placed around the same time on the block where D’Agostino was murdered. The man had caused multiple people alarm in the hours before D’Agostino was killed. One woman tried to write down his car’s license plate number. Another ran from him. Why? He was walking quickly. He seemed to be on a mission. And he was carrying a sledgehammer. Police released a composite sketch of the “person of interest.” They released a detailed description of his car. Nothing sparked. Leads dried up. The media dropped the story. In Oak Park, rumors flew about “the sledgehammer killer.” It was a racial thing, people said. D’Agostino was white. The person of interest was black. But Oak Park is a progressive, open-minded place, and no one wanted to stir up racial acrimony. There were no ugly protests, no retaliations. The conjecture was simply an attempt to make sense of what seemed like a random, motiveless crime. But sometimes things don’t make sense. Almost a year later, on April 27, 2006, the following small story ran in the Chicago Sun-Times: Girl, 14, attacked by man with hammer April 27, 2006 BY LISA DONOVAN Staff

Reporter A 14-year-old girl was attacked Tuesday morning by a man with a hammer as she walked to school on the Southwest Side, Chicago Police said. Police on Wednesday released a sketch of the man they say went after Deeyana Williams as she walked to school in the 6900 block of South Campbell. Just before 9 a.m., the eighth-grader was on her way to McKay Elementary when a man walked toward her, the girl told Fox News. The two passed, then she felt him approach from behind, she said. "I felt him, like, getting close behind me, so that's what made me turn my head ... and that's when he hit me," the girl said. She reportedly ran to a friend's home, where she discovered she had been injured. The girl's mother was notified, and she met her daughter at the hospital, where the girl's head injuries were closed. Police described her attacker as black, with a dark complexion, 5 feet 11 to 6 feet 1, weighing 150 to 160 pounds. He has an afro and a scraggly beard. He wore a light blue jacket with white patches, blue pants and dark shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call Wentworth Area detectives at (312) 747-8380. Officially, Oak Park Police report that they don't believe there is a link between the two crimes. The hammers are different sizes, they say. Maybe so, but the suspect descriptions contain indisputable similarities. In the most recent attack on the girl, the suspect is 5'11 to 6'1, 150 to 160 pounds. In the D'Agostino murder, the person of interest is 5'10 to 6'2, with a thin build. Take a look at the composite sketches, the first of the D'Agostino person of interest, the second of the man who attacked the girl.📷 📷

Full Article: http://truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=cases&id=11

[latenightsleuth]

VICTIM   RECAP

CRIME 360

Crime 360 was a short lived A&E tv reality series detailing actual crime investigations from the detective’s perspective, focusing on forensics. Very respectful to the victims and their families.

Season 1

.S1E1 Welcome to Homicide,  Victim:  Dean Davis Jr. 06-02-2006

S1E2 Fatal Feud,  Victim:   Vaughn Cecil McDuffie 10-22-2007

S1E3 Deadly Secrets,  Victim:   Brandon Griffin 11-08-2007

S1E4 Final Call,  Victim:   Samuel Mckinsey Big Sam Coleman Jr. 06-06-2007

S1E5 Trial By Fire,  Victim:   Michael Brown Jr. 08-10-2007

S1E6 Killing Field,  Victim:   Hugh Fat Daddy Hickson 07-05-2007

S1E7 Blood on the Tracks,  Victim:   Gabriel Gordo Feliciano 09-22-2007

S1E8 Deadly Alibis,  Victim:   Junita Nita Renea Burnley 11-03-2007

S1E9 Bad Blood,  Victim:   Raymond Gibson 11-26-2007

S1E10 Gilpen Court Shooting,  Victim:   Mario Buffy Kearney 06-18-2007

S1E11 Shots in the Dark,  Victim:   Johnny Davis Jr. 10-09-2007

All information has been compiled from Crime 360 and various sources on the internet such as Find A Grave, Ancestry, and Legacy.

#brandonjamalgriffin #samuelmckinseycolemanjr #samuelmckinseybigsamcolemanjr #michaelbrownjr #hughantwanfatdaddyhickson #gabrielgordofeciciano #juanitanitareneaburnley  #mariobuffykearney 

[latenightsleuth]

Stevan Haugen & Jeanette Bauman 2005 Hiking Murders - UNSOLVED

Steven Haugen, 54, and Jeanette Bauman, 56, were shot to death on a camping trip, along with their Lab, Caesar.

From: CNN.com

Couple, loyal dog shot to death on camping trip

By Rupa Mikkilineni Nancy Grace Producer

updated 4:54 p.m. EDT, Tue June 23, 2009

(CNN) -- Campers Steven Haugen and Jeanette Bauman headed out with their Labrador retriever, Caesar, for an overnight camping trip in the Willamette National Forest on June 30, 2005.

The Oregon day was bright and sunny, perfect for hiking and camping.

Haugen, 54, Bauman, 56, and Caesar were found shot to death at the couple's campsite the following day. Four years later, the killer continues to elude sheriff's detectives.

The case is similar to the double slaying of a mother and daughter a year later in neighboring Washington state. Both sets of victims were slain in rural settings on public lands, and in both cases the victims' vehicles were left at the scene, the Lane County Sheriff's Office said.

There is no apparent motive in either case. Haugen was a school counselor and track coach, and Bauman taught business. Neither had any known enemies.

According to police, the killer took some camping items and the license plate from their 1997 GMC Jimmy SUV.

"It's not clear what the reasoning is. Is it a robbery? We have a profile of the killer or killers with the help of FBI resources. One theory is that it could be a crime of territory," said Lt. Randy Smith of the Lane County Sheriff's Office.

This week marks the fourth anniversary of the slayings, and police wonder whether the killer could strike again, particularly if the killings were territorial.

Police believe that Bauman and Haugen were randomly selected, possibly by someone angry the campers were in "his woods." It's also possible that someone spotted them and saw them as prey.

Smith said authorities are seeing more territorial disputes in the woods, although they are still rare.

"Whoever did this to my mom and Steven knew these woods well," said Gary Bauman, Jeanette Bauman's son. "Obviously, there are people in the woods with guns, maybe hunters, but I believe my mom and Steven were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

He is not certain whether Bauman and Haugen were armed but said his mother does not own a gun.

"It's possible Steven may have a handgun, as often campers do for protection from bears," he noted.

Police say they are not naming any suspects at this time but are watching a group of individuals who fit the profile developed by investigators and who may have been in the area at the time of the slayings.

Police are asking for help from the public. Anyone with more information leading to the arrest or conviction of the person or persons responsible for the deaths of Jeanette Bauman and Steven Haugen is asked to call the Lane County Sheriff's Office tip line at 541-682-4167. A $5,000 reward is offered.

Full Article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/01/grace.coldcase.campers/index.html

Photos from OregonLive.com

[latenightsleuth]

What happened to Maura Murray?

At 21 years old, Maura Murray disappeared on February 9th 2004, and to this day her whereabouts remain unknown. At the time of her disappearance, Maura was a nursing student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. 

On the afternoon of February 9th, Maura contacted her university supervisor and professors to inform them that she would be taking some time off due to a family emergency. However, her relatives were later unable to confirm this claim. Later that evening, a car accident was reported to the authorities by a member of the public, and the vehicle involved was traced back to Maura. The passing motorist who reported the collision asked Maura at the scene if she needed any help, but she declined and then vanished before the police arrived.

Based on these strange circumstances, and also the lack of evidence to suggest that somebody else was involved, it has since been determined that Maura Murray wanted to disappear voluntarily. It was found that Murray had packed a variety of items to suggest she was going on a trip: clothing, toiletries, textbooks, and contraceptive pills. Upon later inspection of her dorm room, the police discovered that Maura had packed up most of her belongings into boxes, further indicating that she did not intend to stay. Located amongst her possessions was an email printed out to Maura’s boyfriend, which highlighted that she was experiencing some relationship troubles. 

After driving away from her university campus, CCTV footage has also identified that Maura stopped to withdraw hundreds of dollars in cash from an ATM machine, and also purchase a wide range of alcoholic drinks from a convenience store. When her vehicle was found crashed, traces of the alcohol were found on the seats and it had been left behind with the rest of her belongings.

Although a voluntary disappearance has been suggested, it cannot be ruled out that something more sinister may have happened. Maura’s father saw her only the day before, and he reported that Maura seemed perfectly normal; she certainly had no known incentive to willingly leave her family, studies and life behind. Maura may have intended to disappear only temporarily, but it is now almost 15 years since and there has been no trace of her. 

It was dark and cold that February night, and a snowstorm was incoming- it can’t be entirely ruled out that she potentially became lost and fell victim to a serious crime, or an accidental death occurred as a result of dangerous weather conditions. Alternatively, Maura may still be hiding away and is opting to not be located.

[latenightsleuth]

Florida Deputy Denied Role in Man's Disappearance After Roadside Encounter

(Terrance Williams Missing Person Case)

The deputy argued he'd merely provided transportation to a service station for a man who later went missing.

By Melissa Siegel | February 21, 2021 at 04:29 PM

The case revolved around a man who disappeared shortly after being pulled over by police. Photo: Susan Chiang.

A Collier County sheriff’s deputy prevailed in litigation filed by the family of a man who vanished 17 years ago, shortly after a roadside interaction with the deputy.

On Jan. 12, 2004, plaintiff’s decedent Terrance Williams, 27, a Black man and a pizzeria’s employee, was driving near Naples Memorial Gardens cemetery in North Naples.

An interaction ensued between Williams and Collier County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Calkins, a white man. Williams was frisked and placed in Calkins’ patrol vehicle, but the interaction was not reported to Calkins’ dispatcher and Williams was not handcuffed or charged with a crime.

Williams was declared missing a short while later and has not been located. He was declared legally dead in 2009.

Williams’ mother, Marcia Williams, acting as the representative of her son’s estate, sued Calkins. The lawsuit alleged that Calkins was involved in Terrance Williams’ disappearance and presumed death.

The matter proceeded to court-ordered arbitration.

The estate’s counsel claimed that Calkins was the last person to see Terrance Williams alive. The estate’s counsel claimed that Calkins returned to the cemetery without Williams, moved Williams’ vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway, then radioed dispatch and reported that he had found an abandoned vehicle.

Calkins did not tell dispatch about his prior encounter with Williams. Calkins also described the vehicle as a “homie” car and made racially insensitive remarks about the type of person who would own such a vehicle.

The estate’s counsel further claimed that Calkins called a towing company to remove Williams’ vehicle before reporting the vehicle to dispatch. The estate’s counsel noted that, when the towing company retrieved the vehicle, Calkins had the towing records sent to him personally, rather than to his police-department computer.

The estate’s counsel also claimed that, in October 2003, a Mexican immigrant vanished after having been the subject of a traffic stop effected by Calkins. The estate’s counsel claimed that the immigrant was not arrested but was placed in Calkins’ police cruiser.

The defense claimed that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Calkins. The defense claimed that Williams was experiencing vehicular problems and that Calkins merely provided transportation to a gas station. The defense also presented witnesses who claimed to have seen Williams five to 11 days after the incident involving Calkins. One witness claimed that he knew Williams by sight and saw Williams a week after the incident involving Calkins.

Calkins claimed that he did not feel threatened by Williams and therefore did not feel the need to inform dispatch regarding the encounter. The defense also claimed that the October 2003 incident was a response to a traffic accident.

Williams was survived by his mother and four minor children. Williams’ estate sought recovery of wrongful-death damages that included damages for his family’s loss of services, loss of support and emotional suffering.

Court-appointed arbitrator Robert Doyle Jr. found for the defense. Doyle ruled that the estate’s counsel did not demonstrate ”with the more persuasive and convincing force and effect of the evidence” that Calkins was responsible for Williams’ disappearance and presumed death.

The sealed arbitration ruling was filed on Nov. 24, 2020. Neither party moved for a new trial during the ensuing 20 says, so the ruling was unsealed on Dec. 21, 2020. The estate’s counsel moved for relief from judgment and for a trial, but the motions were denied. Judgment was entered on Feb. 2, 2021.

Ben Crump, Michael P. Gagliardi and Christopher M. O’Neal of Ben Crump Law in Tallahassee teamed with Devon M. Jacob of Jacob Litigation Inc., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania to represent the plaintiff.

The defense attorney was John F. Hooley of the Law Offices of John F. Hooley in Naples.

Case no.: 11-2018-CA-002611-0001-XX.

Read more at: https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2021/02/21/florida-deputy-denied-role-in-mans-disappearance-after-roadside-encounter/?slreturn=20210327220436

(Image from: https://disappearedblog.com/terrance-williams/)

[latenightsleuth]

Angelina Sicola (20) was found murdered in her Colorado Springs, Colorado apartment on May 2nd, 2013. The young woman was a student at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and she also worked as a martial arts instructor. Angelina was experienced in taekwondo and was preparing to take the test for her second-degree black belt. Unfortunately, before she had the opportunity, her life was cut short. One of Angelina’s professors first noticed something was off on May 1st–the day before her body was found. Angelina did not show up for class that day, which was very uncharacteristic of her. Angelina also had plans to meet up with her father at a doctor’s appointment on May 2nd. When she did not show up as planned, her father went to her apartment to check on her. Once inside, Angelina’s father discovered a horrific scene: Angelina was dead. She had been strangled to death. There was no sign of forced entry in Angelina’s apartment, which indicates that Angelina was likely killed by somebody she knew. As an experienced martial artist, Angelina knew how to defend herself–so it is possible that Angelina left bruises and/or other defensive wounds on her attacker. Though years have passed since her murder, investigators are hoping that someone will recall seeing a person with unusual bruisings or markings on their body around the time of Angelina’s death. Detectives have otherwise kept quiet about the details of their investigation into Angelina’s murder. At this time, nobody has been arrested or charged with anything related to her case. No suspects or persons have been publicly identified. Angelina’s case remains unsolved today. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Colorado Bureau of Investigations at (303) 239-4201.

[latenightsleuth]

Where are they? Who are they? . 100k active missing persons cases 609k total missing persons cases 40k unidentified bodies 11k unclaimed bodies . Sources: NamUs FBI . . #missging #themissing #missingpersons #disappeared #vanished #unidentified #unclaimed #truecrime #truecrimeaddict #truecrimejunkies #rememberthevictim #latenightsleuth

(at Chicago, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9Qfa6s48C/?utm_medium=tumblr

[latenightsleuth]

This is a great read about the three lighthouse keepers who disappeared just after Christmas 1899. (Donald MacArthur, James Ducat, Thomas Marshall)

[latenightsleuth]

Amy Nicole Hambrick - STILL MISSING

Addiction and the Endangered Missing

(Image: https://philosophyofcrime.com/missing-where-is-amy-hambrick/)

On November 11, 2017, 29-year-old Amy Nicole Hambrick left Youngstown, Ohio to go to a friend’s house in nearby North Jackson. She never arrived and was never seen or heard from again.

Amy’s mother, Debra Dolin, told WKBN 27 News that Amy was not perfect. She was a heroin addict. She was also a loving mother to her daughter Jayden, now 12 years old, who lives with her grandparents.

Debra believes there are people who know what happened to Amy. Her family is offering a $50,000 reward. If you have any information, call the Youngstown Police Detective Bureau at 330-742-8911 or CrimeStoppers Youngstown at 330-746-CLUE.

From The Charley Project:

Case file: https://charleyproject.org/case/amy-nicole-hambrick

[latenightsleuth]

Dorothy Arnold

On the morning of December 12, 1910, Arnold informed her mother that she intended to go shopping for a dress to wear for her younger sister Marjorie’s upcoming debutante party. Mary Francis offered to go with her daughter, but Dorothy declined the offer, telling her mother she would call her if she found a suitable dress. She then left the family home at around 11 a.m. According to the Arnold family, Dorothy had approximately $25–30 cash in her possession (approximately $686 to $823 today). She walked from her home on 79th Street to the Park & Tilford store at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 27th Street.

Arnold charged a half pound box of chocolates to her account, placed it in her muff and then walked to nearby Brentano’s bookstore. While at Brentano’s, Arnold purchased Engaged Girl Sketches, a book of humorous essays by Emily Calvin Blake. The clerks who waited on Arnold in both stores later said that she was courteous and did not exhibit any unusual behavior. Outside the bookstore, Arnold ran into a female friend named Gladys King. King recalled that the two spoke briefly about Marjorie’s upcoming debutante party and that Arnold seemed to be in good spirits. King then excused herself to meet her mother for lunch. She recalled that Arnold told her she was going to walk home through Central Park. King last saw Arnold on 27th Street shortly before 2 p.m. when she turned to wave goodbye for a second time. 

By the early evening, Arnold had failed to return home for dinner. As she never missed meals without informing her family, the Arnolds became worried. They began calling Arnold’s friends to find her whereabouts but no one had seen her. Shortly after midnight on December 13, Elsie Henry, one of Arnold’s friends, phoned the family home to see if Dorothy had returned. Henry later said Arnold’s mother Mary answered the telephone and told her that Dorothy had returned home. When Henry asked to speak to Arnold, Mary hesitated and told Henry that Dorothy had gone to bed with a headache. Fearing that their daughter’s disappearance would draw unwanted media attention and could become socially embarrassing, the Arnold family didn’t report Dorothy’s disappearance to the police for weeks.

It was later found that she was secretly engaged with plans to marry in Europe, but inquiries at European wedding chapels produced nothing.