True Case Files
shedding light on missing/unsolved/true crime stuff. insta: @truecrimecrystals
Saturday, September 7, 2024
The Disappearance of Michael McClain
Sunday, August 18, 2024
The Disappearance & Presumed Murder of Aranda Briones
Source: Facebook |
A 2024 report cites an incident that occurred all the way back in November 2017 that might have been a motivating factor in Aranda's murder. As previously noted, Aranda and Owen were friends who met in high school. In 2017, the two teens attended Moreno Valley High School together.
The Shover brothers. (ABC News) |
At first, police remained quiet about the evidence they had against the two young men. Eventually, it was revealed that Owen Shover was charged with both conspiring to commit murder and first-degree murder. Gary Shover was charged with first-degree murder and a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
Sources:
ABC 7
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
The Murder of Courtney Phillips
Isaac Estrada |
It was soon believed that Estrada was hiding from police. He was put on a wanted list, but years passed without any updates in the case. However, in 2022, more details about the case were revealed.
Saturday, August 3, 2024
List Series: Southeast Mysteries Vol. II
The following is the second installment of a new posting series: Southeast Mysteries. This list contains an unsolved murder or disappearance from the remaining six states in the Southeast region of the United States: Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Links to more detailed write-ups and tip submissions for each case are provided.
SOUTHEAST MYSTERIES: VOLUME TWO.
GEORGIA:
Name: Blake Chappell
Case type: Disappearance and murder.
Age: 17
Dates: Vanished on October 16th, 2011, remains found in December 2011.
Blake Chappell was only 17 years-old when he vanished during the early morning hours of October 16th, 2011. He was last seen alive in Newnan, Georgia. Blake was at his friend Austin's house on the evening of October 15th, where he planned to spend the night. However, at some point between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM, he snuck out of Austin's house and walked approximately three miles to his girlfriend's house.
Blake reportedly snuck in through his girlfriend's bedroom window around 4:30 AM. About half an hour later, one of his girlfriend's relatives caught Blake in the bedroom. Knowing he was not supposed to be there, Blake quickly left the residence and began walking back toward Austin's house.
During his walk, Blake texted with his girlfriend several times. Around 5:30 AM, he sent her a message saying he was stopped by a police officer who asked where he was going. He sent one final text a few minutes later before ceasing all communication. Blake never arrived back at Austin's house and was never heard from again. His mother reported him missing by 11:00 AM that morning.
Extensive searches for Blake came up empty. Then, over two months later, passersby in Summer Grove spotted human remains in a local creek near East Newnan. Police were called, and the human remains were later identified as that of Blake Chappell. An autopsy revealed that he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Several years have passed since Blake was found murdered, and the case still remains unsolved. There has been speculation about various potential persons of interest, but at this time, no one has been publicly named as a suspect. In 2024, new search warrants were executed in the case. Said evidence is currently still being analyzed.
If you have any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of Blake's killer(s), please contact investigators at unsolvedhomicide@cityofnewnan.org.
FLORIDA:
Name: Tyvon Whitford
Age: 25
Case type: Murder
Date: June 9th, 2007
Tyvon Whitford was shot to death inside her Hawthorn, Florida home on June 9th, 2007. The 25-year-old woman had moved into the Hawthorn residence just about a month before her life was tragically taken. She was raising a 5-year-old son and was also approximately 6 months pregnant at the time of her death.
On the evening of the murder, Tyvon called 9-1-1 just minutes before she was killed. Unfortunately, the dispatcher was unable to gather any pertinent information before the call was disconnected. A few minutes later, another 9-1-1 call came through - this time from Tyvon's boyfriend. He told dispatchers that he found Tyvon covered in blood. First responders rushed to the scene and found Tyvon suffering from gunshot wounds. Both her and her unborn child would eventually succumb to their injuries.
Tyvon's boyfriend told police that he went to her residence that evening to bring her Tylenol. He has inevitably been looked into as a suspect, but at this time, he has never been called a suspect. In fact, investigators specifically stated that they were unable to put Tyvon's boyfriend "unable to put him or anybody else at the house at the time of the shooting." The only other person at the residence was Tyvon's 5-year-old son, who was asleep when the shooting occurred.
Tyvon's case is considered to be a cold case. Her family is still fighting for answers.
If you have any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of Tyvon's killer(s), please contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 386-329-0801.
Read more about Tyvon's case.
MISSISSIPPI:
Name: Sarah Rozniewski (Cooper)
Case type: Missing person
Age at disappearance: 31
Dates: Last seen May 31st, 2021; reported missing March 21st, 2022.
Sarah Rozniewski has been missing since May of 2021. The then-31-year-old was living in St. Martin, Mississippi at the time of her disappearance. Sarah was not reported missing until March 21st, 2022 - after a friend reported to Biloxi Police that she had not seen or heard from Sarah in several months. In fact, none of Sarah's loved ones had heard from her since the previous spring. Family members had already attempted to report her missing months earlier; police reportedly brushed off their concerns, citing that Sarah is an adult and is free to come and go.
Once investigators finally did begin to investigate Sarah's disappearance, it was determined that her last bank activity occurred on May 10th, 2021 - nearly ten months before she was reported missing. According to MissingSippi.org, the last known sighting of Sarah occurred weeks later, on May 31st, 2021, at her apartment in St. Martin. Details about that last sighting have not been disclosed. Sarah has never been seen or heard from again.
Years have passed since Sarah's disappearance, and no trace of her has been found. It's unclear if police have any suspects or persons of interest. Details about the investigation have been kept under wraps, but the case remains open.
If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts of Sarah Rozniewski, please contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Police Department at (228)769-3024 or submit a tip online.
Read more about Sarah's case.
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ALABAMA:
Name: Sherri Smith
Case type: Murder
Age: 32
Date: November 21st, 2011
During the early morning hours of November 21st, 2011, police in Fairfield, Alabama responded to a local residence after a burglar alarm was triggered. When police arrived on the scene, they found a young woman - eventually identified as Sherri Terese Smith - deceased in the master bedroom. She had been shot and stabbed to death. Her death was immediately classified as a murder.
Although officers responded to Sherri's home after a burglar alarm went off, police were otherwise unable to find any signs of forced entry. Additionally, no other items were missing from the home. As such, investigators ruled out a robbery as a motive.
In fact, police believe that Sherri's murder was personal, and that she knew her killer(s). Investigators reportedly have found DNA on the scene that could lead to the case being solved. However, years have passed, and no persons of interest or suspects have ever been publicly announced.
If you have any information that could lead to the arrest/conviction of Sherri's killer(s), please call the Alabama Attorney General’s Office Cold Case Tip Line at (866) 419-1236, or email coldcasetips@ago.state.al.us.
Read more about Sherri's case.
LOUISIANA:
Case type: Kidnapping and murder
Age: 17
Shamia Little was only 17 years-old when her life was tragically taken in July 2021. She was, reportedly kidnapped from Douglas William Park in Shreveport, Louisiana on July 6th. Shamia went to the park that evening with a male friend.
ARKANSAS:
Other installments of this list:
- Mideast Mysteries
- Midwest Mysteries Vol. I
- Midwest Mysteries Vol. II
- New England Mysteries
- Rocky Mountain Mysteries
Friday, July 26, 2024
The Murder of Blaze Bernstein
The prosecution's case.
Source: Orange County Register |
Samuel Woodward's defense attorneys did not deny that Woodward was responsible for Blaze's death. However, they argued that the murder was not premeditated, nor was it the result of the hate crime. Woodward's attorney stated that he "was conflicted by his own sexuality and acted in a fit of rage."
Saturday, July 20, 2024
The Disappearance of Rosalyn Velazquez
Source: Facebook |
Rosalyn Velazquez was only 15 years old when she vanished during the early-morning hours of August 24th, 2020. She was last seen leaving her residence in the Azalea Park area of Radcliff, Kentucky. Shortly thereafter, Rosalyn reportedly told a friend on Instagram Live "that she had taken some pills and was walking in nearby woods." She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.
According to Rosalyn's mother, it was not unusual for Rosalyn to take walks late at night. She often traveled with her Chapstick and AirPods, but both items were left at home on the morning of her disappearance. Rosalyn also did not take her phone charger, extra clothes, or any other items that indicated she had run away. The only item that she did seemingly take with her was her prescribed medication.
Rosalyn was a student at North Hardin High School at the time of her disappearance. She was attending school online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The apartment complex where she was last seen is located within walking distance of the high school. Searches were reportedly conducted "in and around" the apartment complex and in the areas near her school. Detectives reportedly found no sign of Rosalyn.
Certain reports state that Rosalyn's phone "pinged in several different locations in the Radcliff area" after her disappearance. However, it's unclear where, exactly, the last ping occurred. It appears that the phone has since been disconnected.
There is very little information about the investigation into Rosalyn's disappearance. A 2023 report on her case states that there are "dozens and dozens of pages of information Radcliff detectives have looked at countless times over the years since Rosalyn Velazquez has gone missing." At this time, it's unknown if detectives have any primary theories or persons of interest in the case.
There is a monetary reward available for information that could lead to Rosalyn's whereabouts. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Radcliff Police Department at 270-351-4470.
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Sources:
Bring Rosalyn Home
Charley Project
K105
The News-Enterprise
WLKY, (2)
Sunday, July 14, 2024
List Series: Southeast Mysteries Vol. I
The following is the first installment of a new posting series: Southeast Mysteries. This list contains unsolved murder or disappearance from six states in the Southeast region of the United States: West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Links to more detailed write-ups and tip submissions for each case are provided.
WEST VIRGINIA:
The Disappearance and Murder of Leah Hickman (2007)
Source: Herald-Dispatch
Leah Hickman was only 21 years old when her life was tragically taken during December 2007. The young woman was last seen alive on December 14th, 2007, at the apartment she shared with her sister in Huntington, West Virginia. She was reported missing two days later, after her family was notified that she had not shown up for her shift at a local Dress Barn.
About a week later, Leah's body was found in a crawl space in the basement of her apartment building. Her body was covered in plastic wrap. An autopsy later determined that she had been strangled to death.
Several years have passed since Leah's tragic murder, but no arrests have ever been made. There has been plenty of speculation about a few different people possibly being involved in Leah's murder - from Leah's sister's ex-boyfriend to Leah's sister herself. As of today, though, these rumors have never been confirmed.
Leah's murder is considered a cold case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Huntington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Bureau at (304) 696-4420.
Source: Herald-Dispatch |
KENTUCKY:
The Murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland (2014)
Kathy (top), Samantha (bottom) |
VIRGINIA:
The Disappearance of Joan Cook (2010)
Source: Charley Project |
TENNESSEE:
The Murder of Chandra Powell (2010)
NORTH CAROLINA:
The Disappearance of Brandee Hope Canipe(2006)
Source: Facebook |
SOUTH CAROLINA:
The Murder of Silene Eaddy(2004)
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Other area-based mystery lists: