The Murder of Ashley Okland

Source: CBS News

Ashley Okland was only 27 years-old when she was shot to death during the broad daylight on April 8th, 2011. 

The day of Ashley's murder began as a regular day for the young woman. She was an employee of Iowa Realty Co., and she went to work that day on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines. Around 2:00 PM, another realty employee heard a loud commotion coming from one of the model townhomes. The employee went to investigate and found Ashley on the floor, suffering from gunshot wounds. 

Police were called to the scene, and when they arrived, they determined that Ashley had been shot twice. Ashley was subsequently transported to the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. She unfortunately succumbed to her injuries while at the hospital.

Ashley's murder has baffled her loved ones. Ashley's brother, with whom she was very close, stated that there was no indication that Ashley was afraid of anyone or that she had any fears for her safety. A motive for her murder remains unknown; she did not have any known enemies, nor was she known to be involved in any dangerous or criminal activity. 

Several years passed without any arrests in Ashley's case. For nearly 15 years, no suspects were ever been publicly named. A search warrant was executed during the early stages of the murder investigation, but it was sealed and remains at that status today. After years ticked by without an arrest, Ashley's case was eventually passed to a cold case unit.

Family and friends remember Ashley as a kind, caring, and hardworking young woman. During her free time, she volunteered for Young Variety and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Ashley was reportedly passionate about helping young children. In 2014, the Ashley Okland Star Playground - a playground adapted for children with special needs - was opened in Ashley's honor at Ewing Park. 

Over the years, a large amount of money has been raised as a monetary incentive for anyone with information about Ashley's murder to come forward. In 2021, it was reported that "investigators assigned to the case are confident that someone has crucial knowledge about the time leading up to her death and the identities of those involved." However, the years continued to tick by without any updates.

That all changed in March 2026, when the West Des Moines Police announced that an arrest had finally been made in Ashley's case. On March 18th, 2026, a woman named Kristin Ramsey was arrested and charged with in connection with the killing of Ashley Okland. 

Ramsey is currently 53 years old. At this time, a connection between Ashley and Ramsey has not been revealed. The case is currently ongoing, and updates will be provided if/when they become available.

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Sources:
CBS News
Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa
The Des Moines Register
KCCI Des Moines
People

The Murder of Shelley Dorsey

 

During the early-morning hours of March 24th, 2015, police in Colorado Springs, CO responded to a call about a shooting in 100 block of South Academy Boulevard. When the officers arrived, they found a young woman suffering from a gunshot wound by a vehicle. The woman was soon identified as 26-year-old Shelley Dorsey. 

Shelley unfortunately succumbed to her injuries a short time after first responders arrived. Her death was quickly ruled a murder. It was determined that Shelley had been sitting her car in front of the Mountain Country Estates apartment complex around 1:00 AM when she was shot by an unknown suspect. To this day, no arrests have been made in Shelley's case; nor have any suspects been publicly announced. 

Very few details are available about Shelley's case and the events leading up to her murder. What is known is that she has a son, loving parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews who have been left without answers or justice. Shelley's murder has been labeled as a cold case by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. 

Both the CBI and the Colorado Springs Police Department have investigative agency over this case. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Shelley Dorsey, please contact authorities at (719) 444-7000 or (303)-239-4201.

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Sources:
Colorado Cold Case Files
Fox 21 News Colorado
KKTV

The Disappearance and Murder of Latania Janell Carwell

Latania Janell Carwell (pictured left) was last seen alive on the evening of April 17th, 2017—the day before her 16th birthday. The teen, who went by her middle name Janell, was last seen around 1:30 AM at her family’s home in Augusta, Georgia. According to Janell’s mother, Tanya Tripp (pictured top right), Janell left with her stepfather Leon Tripp (pictured bottom right) en route to Clarks Hill, South Carolina. 

Tanya reported that Leon apparently got a call from a friend in Clarks Hill who got his car stuck, and Leon and Janell went to help him. Per Tanya's narrative, the two the two did not return as planned. She reported them missing the next day.

On April 26th, 2017, police found Leon’s car abandoned just a mile away from their home. The car was processed, and it apparently yielded no DNA evidence or additional clues about the whereabouts of Janell and/or Leon. However, the police also investigated their cell phone data—which indicated that they never went to Clarks Hill. 

As the news about Leon and Janell’s disappearance began to spread, police began to receive tips that Leon had been seen more than a hundred miles away in Atlanta—without Janell. In fact, Leon had been spotted for the first time in Atlanta on April 21st—just a few days after he was last seen with Janell. Police discovered that Leon had ties to Atlanta and had been staying with friends in that area. 

According to Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree, Leon actually made two or three trips back and forth while authorities were actively looking for him and Janell. The numerous tips that police received about Leon indicated that Leon was alive and unharmed—but there were still no news or sightings of Janell. As a result, authorities issued kidnapping warrants for Leon on May 1st, 2017.

Meanwhile, suspicions were growing against Tanya as well. Tanya continued to express concern for her daughter in the media, however she also adamantly expressed that she did not believe Leon had harmed Janell. The day after the warrants were issued, reporters from local NewsChannel 6 asked Tanya if it was possible that Leon and Janell had secretly been in a relationship. Tanya responded, “He married to all this prettiness and he gon’ run away with our daughter? Come on now. That’s stupid!” 

That statement seemed odd and wildly inappropriate for a mother with a missing daughter to say—but the odd behavior did not end there. The events that followed revealed a harrowing amount of evidence that both Leon and Tanya had a hand in Janell's disappearance.

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Leon and Tanya are apprehended.

Once it was discovered that Leon had travelled from Atlanta to Augusta several times while there was an active search for him, many believed that Tanya knew of Leon’s whereabouts the entire time; he was never truly “missing” at all. These beliefs were only strengthened on May 23rd, 2017, when police were finally able to track Leon down. 

On that day, US marshals in Atlanta were searching for him when he was finally spotted at a local U-Haul facility. When officers cornered him there, he was not alone. Right by his side was his wife, Tanya Tripp. Both were arrested on the spot. Leon was charged with kidnapping, and Tanya was charged with hindering the apprehension of a criminal.

A changed story; upgraded charges.

After the arrests, Leon denied harming Janell. He said that he and Janell were actually heading to Atlanta the night of April 17th, instead of Clarks Hill. At some point during the trip, Leon said that he gave Janell money to take the bus back to Augusta and has not seen her since. Tanya continued to deny any involvement as well. 

Almost a year later, in March 2018, Janell’s remains were found behind a vacant lot in Richmond County, Georgia—not far from her home in Augusta. Shortly thereafter, Leon had first-degree murder added to his charges, and Tanya had second-degree murder added to hers. 

Additional evidence of premeditation.

In June 2020, it was revealed that prosecutors filed a motion to introduce evidence of additional crimes allegedly committed by Leon Tripp and Tanya Tripp. The evidence states that Leon and Tanya reportedly solicited someone to kill Latania Janell Carwell on three separate occasions prior to her disappearance in April 2017. According to documents, the couple attempted to do this in both September and December 2015, and then one other time in October 2016. 

Those solicitation attempts were obviously unsuccessful/never completed, as Janell was still alive until April 2017. However, the fact that they had attempted to solicit a hitman to kill Janell numerous times before her disappearance indicated that her disappearance and death were, in fact, premeditated by her mother and stepfather.

A slow journey to justice.

Many believed that Leon and Tanya were responsible for Janell's disappearance since the onset of the investigation. Janell's loved ones and Augusta locals alike were glad to see that the couple was facing charges related to her kidnapping and murder. However, it would take many years for the cases to move forward.

Leon and Tanya were tried together, and their trial finally began in late February 2026. During the trial, the prosecution laid out their case that the couple had conspired together to end Janell's life. Meanwhile, Leon and Tanya had their own respective defense teams who pointed the finger at one another as being responsible for Janell's death.

Guilty verdicts.

After the evidence was presented from all sides, the jury began their deliberations. They ultimately found both Leon and Tanya guilty on all counts. Leon received the following sentences for each charge:

• Count 1, malice murder - life without parole.
• Count 2, felony murder - life without parole.
• Count 3, aggravated assault-family violence - 20 years consecutive sentence.
• Count 4, concealing the death of another - 10 years (runs concurrent with the Count 3 sentence).

Tanya received the following sentences for each charge:

• Count 1, malice murder - life without parole.
• Count 2, felony murder - life without parole.
• Count 3, aggravated assault-family violence - 20 years.
• Count 4, concealing the death of another - 10 years.

The couple are likely to remain behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Rest in peace, Janell.

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Sources:
Atlanta Black Star
WJBF
WRDW

The Murder of Sandra Robinson

 

Sandra Robinson was tragically killed at her workplace on March 17th, 2010. The 32-year-old woman worked at Prepaid Superstore in Douglas, Georgia at the time of her murder. It’s believed that she was stabbed to death between 6:00 and 7:00 PM, during the store’s business hours.

Sandra is remembered as a kind person, a reliable worker, and a dedicated mother to her four children. Those children have had to grow up without their mother. Sandra’s entire circle of loved ones remains left without answers or justice. Over 15 years passed with seemingly no updates on the case.

The Prepaid Superstore where Sandra was killed is located in a decently busy area of Douglas. The store is in close proximity to PCC Probation, Walgreens, Flash Food and Rountree Park. Despite this potential for witnesses, there did not appear to be any immediate substantial tips from witnesses that lead to an arrest. There were reportedly no surveillance cameras at the store during the time of the murder. 

Reports state that Sandra was found deceased by her boyfriend, who had come to pick her up from work that evening. The boyfriend subsequently called the police. It was soon determined that Sandra had been killed by multiple stab wounds. 

Sandra’s boyfriend has never been publicly named. Investigators declined to publicly label him - or anyone else - as a person of interest for over 15 years. Family members always believed that the investigators knew more about the case than they publicly shared.

Finally, in 2026 - 16 years after Sandra's murder - a substantial update was provided. On March 4th, 2026, the GBI announced that a man named Willie James Jr. has been arrested and charged with the murder of Sandra Robinson. Investigators noted that James, now 58 years old, "was an associate of [Sandra] and could often be found at the store." Advancements in forensic testing are what finally led to his arrest.

The case against Willie James Jr. is currently pending. Updates on the case will be provided if/when they become available.

Sources:
Atlanta News First
Georgia Bureau of Investigation,
Pining Podcast
WALB, (2)

The Disappearance (and presumed murder) of Sierra Lamar

The last image of Sierra Lamar, taken on the morning of March 16th, 2012

On the morning of March 16th, 2012, 15-year-old Sierra Lamar snapped this selfie on her computer’s webcam before leaving her house in Morgan Hill, CA, to head to her bus stop. Unfortunately, Sierra never made it to the bus stop or to school that day. Nobody has seen or heard from her since she sent her final text to a friend at 7:11 AM that morning. Days later, her cell phone was found in a nearby field. Her school bag, with the clothes she had worn that morning folded neatly inside, were found behind a shed in separate nearby location.

In May 2012, two months after Sierra disappeared, authorities arrested Antolin Garcia-Torres for Sierra’s kidnap and murder. Garcia-Torres was 21 years old at the time. Authorities were able to link him to Sierra after finding her fingerprints inside Garcia-Torres’ car, and her hair on a rope found in Garcia-Torres’ trunk.

Antolin Garcia-Torres (2012)

After years of delays, Garcia-Torres finally went to trial in February 2017. Despite Sierra’s body never being found, the jury still found him guilty on all counts of kidnapping and murder. Garcia-Torres was also found guilty of an attempted kidnapping from a local Safeway parking lot that happened in 2009. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Throughout the years, Garcia-Torres has maintained his innocence. In February 2026, nine years after his conviction, the state of California's Sixth District Court of Appeals overturned Garcia-Torres' conviction. According to reports, the court made this decision because " it was an error to try the murder case alongside the attempted kidnappings from a previous, unrelated case. The court said the error was prejudicial, requiring the reversal of all of Garcia-Torres' convictions."

The reports also note that this overturned conviction has "opened the door for [Garcia-Torres] to receive a new trial." However, at this time, no new trial has been scheduled.

The news of the overturned conviction has inevitably been upsetting to both Sierra's loved ones and the Santa Clara investigators who worked hard to find justice for Sierra. It does not appear that any evidence has been found that points to another suspect in Sierra's case. 

More updates will be provided if/when they become available.

The Murder of Jamar Campbell

 

Jamar Campbell was beginning a new chapter in his life during October 2020. The young man lived in Chester, Pennsylvania and had recently turned 21 years old. Jamar also was a new father; his daughter was born during mid-October. According to family members, Jamar was dedicated to his new role in fatherhood. 

Unfortunately, just two weeks after his daughter was born, Jamar was found murdered in Chester. Reports state that police were called to McIlvain Street around 12:30 AM on October 28th, 2020. Once they arrived, they found a Toyota Camry that was still running. Inside the car was a young man who had been shot multiple times. That man - later identified as Jamar - was pronounced dead on the scene.

Jamar’s murder has been both devastating and baffling to his loved ones. In addition to caring for his newborn daughter, Jamar also spent a lot of time helping his other family members as well. He reportedly always took the trash out for his grandmother and assisted his family with other day-to-day needs such as mowing the lawn or shoveling snow if the need arose. It’s unclear why anyone would want to harm Jamar. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been announced in his case.

Years have passed, and Jamar’s murder still remains unsolved. His daughter never got the chance to get to know her father. Jamar’s entire family has been left without answers or justice. 

The Chester Police Department is the investigating agency for Jamar’s murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at (610) 447-8402.

Sources:
Delco Times
Gone Without a Trace
Project: Cold Case

The Disappearance of Tyshareen Budale

 

Tyshareen Budale has been missing since December 26th, 2020. The then-27-year-old woman was in Newark, New Jersey at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen near the 400 block of South 15th Street. 

Tyshareen reportedly made plans to spend New Year’s Eve with her father, but she never showed up. After a few weeks passed, it was determined that nobody had seen or heard from her since December 26th. Additionally, Tyshareen usually made daily posts on social media - but her online activity abruptly stopped around the time she went missing.

A missing persons’ report for Tyshareen was filed on January 23rd, 2021. By that time, it was revealed that her vehicle had been left behind. Despite all of these suspicious circumstances, Tyshareen’s case has received very little attention from the media. Details about her life and the events leading up to her disappearance are unknown. 

Tyshareen is described as a black woman who stands approximately 5’4” tall. At the time of her disappearance, she was approximately 170 to 180 lbs. Tyshareen also has a tattoo of a heart on her chest. 

If you have any information that could lead to Tyshareen’s whereabouts, please contact the Newark Police Department Special Victims Unit at (973) 733-6277 or submit a tip online.

Sources:
Daily Voice
NamUs
Our Black Girls
RLS Media