Saturday, January 18, 2025

The Murder of Crystal 'Jersey' Baker

Source: Durham Crimestoppers

On January 22nd, 2010, authorities in Durham, North Carolina received a call about a burglary near Chandler Road and Ross Road. Officers arrived on the scene and went on pursuit of the suspected burglar into the nearby woods. While searching for the suspect, the officers stumbled upon something unexpected: the body of a young woman. 

The deceased was later identified as 24-year-old Crystal 'Jersey' Baker. Her death was quickly declared a homicide, as she had been brutally beaten and stabbed. The autopsy report states that Crystal had not only suffered blunt force trauma to the head, but she also was "stabbed 21 times in the face, eight times in the back, three times in the abdomen and once each in the neck, in each thigh and above the right buttock."

There has been very little reporting on Crystal's life and/or the events leading up to her death. Some reports state that Crystal was last seen at Budget Inn on Holloway Street before she found deceased, but further details are unknown. Said Budget Inn is approximately 2 miles away from the area where her body was found. 

According to court records, Crystal had a criminal record and had faced charges for drug paraphernalia possession and breaking and entering. She was sentenced to community service and probation for possession/use of drug paraphernalia in December 2009 - a month before she was killed. Authorities have not commented on whether or not they believe drugs played a role in Crystal's murder.

The violent nature of Crystal's death suggests that her killer(s) acted with extreme hatefulness. In addition to the blunt force trauma and the stabbings, Crystal also was found with lacerations around her genital area - though there was no further evidence of sexual assault. It was also noted that she was not wearing shoes and was only wearing one sock when she was found.

Several years have passed, and Crystal's homicide still remains unsolved. News about the investigation has been minimal, but the case is still classified as open. If you have any information that could lead to Crystal's murder being solved, please contact Durham authorities at 919-560-4118​ or submit a tip online. 

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Sources:
Durham Crimestoppers
Durham NC Gov
North Carolina DOC
WRAL, (2) (3)
 

Saturday, January 11, 2025

The Murder of Tracy Pulido

Source: Bay News 9

Tracy Pulido was murdered inside her own apartment on August 18th, 2013. The 42-year-old single mother lived in St. Petersburg, Florida at the time of her death. On the day of the murder, Tracy was supposed to pick up her son from a friend's house but never arrived. A worried friend contacted both police and a neighbor, who had a key to Tracy's residence, and asked them to go check on her.

It was the neighbor who entered the apartment first and made the grim discovery: Tracy was deceased, and it was obvious that her death was a murder. She was found on her bedroom floor with a rag shoved in her mouth and blood around her head. There were signs of a violent struggle in the living room; Tracy had fought for her life.

Over a decade has passed since Tracy's murder, and it still remains unsolved. There has been very little news on her case, and no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly announced. In 2019, it was reported that DNA was found on the scene that may help find the killer. Still, years have passed since that report, and no arrests have been made.

There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest/conviction of Tracy's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact St. Petersburg authorities at 727-893-7780.
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Sources:
10 Tampa Bay
Bay News 9
My News 13
WFLA

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

The Disappearance of Sa'Wade Birdinground

Sa'Wade Birdinground has been missing since October 7th, 2024. The young teen was last seen around 11:00 PM the previous night at her family's house in Garryowen, Montana. When Sa'Wade's family went to wake her up the following morning, she was not in her bedroom; nor was she anywhere in or around the residence. Sa'Wade was subsequently reported missing.

Garryowen is a privately-owned town in Big Horn County, Montana. The specific area from which Sa'Wade vanished is a very rural area within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation. Sa'Wade grew up on the reservation; she turned 13 years-old just a little over two weeks before her disappearance. Her family members describe her as a quiet girl with no history of running away. Reports state that Sa'Wade has autism, and that her disappearance is completely out of character.

Widespread searches were conducted for Sa'Wade, by both volunteers and professionals, but no sign of her was found. By October 20th, it was announced that the FBI had joined the search for Sa'Wade. At that time, it was also reported that Sa'Wade's phone, which she left behind, had been "handed off to the FBI for agents to recover recently cleared text messages and phone calls. Investigators are also looking at one additional phone call that may be the last person Sa’wade spoke with before vanishing."

It's unclear what other evidence the phone might have produced. Sa'Wade still remains missing. Authorities have kept quiet about their investigation due to its ongoing status. However, they are still appealing to the public for anyone with information about Sa'Wade's whereabouts to come forward. 

If you have any information that could help solve Sa'Wade's disappearance, please contact the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office at (406) 665-9798 or submit a tip to the FBI.

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Sources:
FBI
KTVQ, (2)
KULR 8

Monday, January 6, 2025

The Disappearance of Brenda Murdock

 

Brenda Murdock has been missing since November 2015. The then-48-year-old woman was last seen in Williston, North Dakota. According to reports, Brenda was known to wander and live a somewhat transient lifestyle. She worked various jobs in the Williston area, including at a local hotel, grocery store, and gas station. 

Despite Brenda's wandering lifestyle, she still kept in regular contact with her family. In February 2016, Brenda's mother determined that no one in the family had seen or heard from her since November 2015. A missing persons' report was filed on February 21st, 2016. By this point, Brenda had already been missing for three months. 

On the evening of February 24th, 2016, two women picked up a female hitchhiker matching Brenda's description in Rapid City, South Dakota. The hitchhiker requested a ride to North Dakota; as she told the women she was headed there to get a job. The women ended up driving the hitchhiker to the other end of Rapid City before they parted ways.

Afterwards, the two women learned that a woman from North Dakota named Brenda Murdock, who resembled the hitchhiker, had been reported missing. Confident that they had picked up the same person, the women contacted police to report their encounter.

The sighting was never able to be confirmed. Investigators obtained surveillance footage of the hitchhiker, but the images were not clear enough to determine whether or not it was Brenda.  A 2023 article about Brenda's disappearance states, "the potential sighting was a dead end — and the last credible lead received by the Williston Police Department." 

Since then, Brenda's case has gone cold. She remains missing, and her family continues to search for answers. At the time of her disappearance, Brenda had blonde hair. She is described as approximately 5'6" with brown eyes. Brenda may also use the last names "Rodriguez" or "Romero".

If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Brenda Murdock, please contact the Williston Police Department at 701-577-1212.


Saturday, January 4, 2025

The Disappearance of Tabitha Stevens

Source: Facebook

Tabitha Stevens has been missing since October 2016. The then-20-year-old was last seen in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to vanishing, Tabitha was staying with her boyfriend, William Solt, at the Mercury Court Apartments in the metro Nashville area. 

Tabitha with William Solt. (Source: Facebook)

Tabitha's Facebook posts from the summer/fall 2016 indicate that she was smitten with Solt. She posted several pictures of the two of them together, along with captions expressing her admiration for the young man. In September 2016, she posted a picture of her wrist tattooed with the initials "SLM" - standing for Serberus L Morter - Solt's pseudo-name/nickname. 

Tabitha's last activity on Facebook occurred in mid-October 2016. She vanished just days thereafter. The events leading up to Tabitha's disappearance remain unknown to the public at this time. What is known is that she was last seen in Nashville on October 21st, 2016. Specifics about that day are unclear, and very little additional information has been provided by police and/or news outlets.

William Solt later moved to Oklahoma with Tabitha's Social Security benefits card in his possession. In August 2017, Solt was arrested for using her card to withdraw her Social Security payments. He was charged with one count of receiving money, goods and/or services through a forged credit/debit card and another charge of possession of a stolen credit/debit card. 

Court records indicate that the offense occurred on April 30th, 2017 - over 6 months after Tabitha was last seen. It seems likely that the investigation into Tabitha's disappearance is what led to the discovery of Solt using her card illegally. Solt later pleaded guilty to these charges and was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Tabitha remains missing today. At this time, Solt has not been charged with anything else related to Tabitha's disappearance. Coverage on Tabitha's case has been scarce, so details about the investigation are unknown. 

If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts of Tabitha Stevens, please contact the Metro Nashville Police at 615-862-8600.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Crime Solvers Central
Missing People in America
Oklahoma arrest records
Oklahoma court records
Tabitha's Facebook

Friday, January 3, 2025

The Murder of Jennifer Janelle Jesse

Source: Oklahoma.gov

Jennifer Janelle Jesse was found murdered in Union City, Oklahoma on March 11th, 2020. The 29-year-old woman's body was spotted by a passerby on SW 44th Street near Gregory Road. Police were called to the scene, and it was determined that the deceased woman had died from multiple gunshot wounds. Her death was quickly labeled as a murder.

Two days later, investigators officially identified the murder victim as Jennifer Jesse. The young woman was one of five siblings and a mother to three young children. Jennifer's death has left her family and friends with both grief and unanswered questions. 

Local news ran a few reports/articles about Jennifer's case during the early weeks of the investigation. On March 30th, 2020, the OSBI released pictures of a man believed to have information about Jennifer's case. The images were pulled from surveillance cameras at the Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store on S. Western Avenue in Oklahoma City. 

Source: Oklahoma Cold Cases.

The footage was reportedly captured on March 2nd, 2020 - over a week before Jennifer was found murdered. It is unclear how, exactly, investigators connected this man to Jennifer's case. In 2021, it was being reported that authorities still wanted to speak to this man. A public appeal was made for anyone who recognized this man to come forward.

Since then, there has been very little news about Jennifer's case. As of today, it is still classified as an unsolved murder. A monetary reward is available in exchange for information that could help solve the case.

If you have any information that could lead to the person(s) responsible for Jennifer's murder, please contact the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation at (800) 522-8017.

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Sources:
Jennifer Jesse Murder
KFOR
Oklahoma Cold Cases
Oklahoma.gov
 

Saturday, December 28, 2024

The Disappearance of Kendra Battelo

 

Kendra Battelo has been missing since July 2022. The then-24-year-old was last seen in Enid, Oklahoma. Kendra was last heard from during the early-morning hours of July 7th. Reports state she left the home where she was staying on West Randolph and never returned. Since then, Kendra's loved ones have been searching from answers.

Kendra was in a tumultuous relationship with a man named Colby Sheppard at the time of her disappearance. The couple had been off-and-on for several years, during which there were several reported instances of domestic violence. Both had accused the other of being physically abusive. In fact, Sheppard was facing domestic assault charges in which Kendra was the victim prior to her disappearance. The charges were dropped after Kendra vanished, as she was unable to testify against him. 

Family members and loved ones of Kendra have long believed that Sheppard is responsible for Kendra's disappearance. He has never been publicly named as a suspect in the case, as police claim they not been able to find any concrete evidence pointing to his involvement. However, this has not stopped the local speculation about Sheppard, especially amongst Kendra's family. 

Nearly a year and a half after Kendra's disappearance, Sheppard himself vanished. The last confirmed sighting of him occurred on December 27th, 2023, at a Pizza Hut in Enid. Sheppard's family members reported him missing on January 4th, 2024. Months later, in August 2024, Sheppard's remains were found in a storm cellar of a local home. An autopsy confirmed that he had been beaten to death.

Shortly after Sheppard's body was found, four people were arrested in connection to his murder. Amongst those four people is Victor Battelo - Kendra's uncle. Authorities believe that Sheppard was lured to his death in retaliation for Kendra's disappearance. Court documents state that "authorities believe Victor may be the mastermind behind the incident and that he told a witness he had to kill Sheppard because of what he did to Kendra."

The charges against Victor Battelo and the others are currently pending. Several questions about Kendra's disappearance remain unanswered, and Sheppard's death has led to even more questions. If Sheppard was, in fact, responsible for Kendra's disappearance, did he take information about her whereabouts to the grave? If not, is the person responsible still out there? Perhaps the simplest but heart wrenching question that remains unanswered is: Where is Kendra Battelo?

The evening of July 6th - the early morning hours of July 7th.

At the time of her disappearance, Kendra and Sheppard were renting a room from a woman named Tanya Dixon Glasco at a house on West Randolph. Kendra was last seen at said house, and Sheppard and Glasco were amongst the last two people to have seen Kendra before she vanished.

As previously noted, Kendra's loved ones last heard from her during the early-morning hours of July 7th, 2022. Kendra's grandmother Lillian Reyes told reporters that she received text messages from Kendra's phone around that time stating that Glasco had accused her of stealing her dog and that she had to move out.

Glasco reportedly later told Reyes that, on the evening of July 6th, Kendra and Sheppard got into an argument. At some point, Kendra left the house, and Sheppard went after her. Glasco said she was told that Kendra was going to Reyes' house, but she never arrived. Reyes, on the other hand, believed the arguments had resolved, as she did not hear anything further from Kendra.

Kendra is reported missing.

Days later, Reyes told reporters that Glasco reached out to her to inquire about Kendra's whereabouts. As mentioned above, Glasco said she thought Kendra had gone to Reyes' house after an alleged fight with Sheppard. However, Kendra was not with Reyes, nor had she ever shown up at her house. It was then that Kendra's family members realized that Kendra had vanished as nobody had seen or heard her from since the early morning hours of July 7th. She was subsequently reported missing on July 12th, 2022.

Source: Facebook

The search for Kendra, a reported sighting, and local speculation.

Reports state that Colby Sheppard was questioned by police several times. He repeatedly denied involvement in Kendra's disappearance. Investigators reportedly executed search warrants on both Sheppard's home and vehicle, and several items were taken in for forensic testing. Despite this, police hesitated to publicly label Sheppard as a person of interest.

Police received a tip about a potential sighting of Kendra that occurred on July 20th, 2022. A resident in Pawnee, Oklahoma contacted police and said that a woman matching Kendra's description had knocked on her door and asked for a glass of water. The resident learned of Kendra's disappearance shortly thereafter, and subsequently contacted police to report the incident.

It does not appear that police were ever able to confirm this sighting. However, investigators also claimed they were unable to find any evidence that Kendra met with foul play at the hands of Colby Sheppard. In September 2022, a detective with the Enid Police Department told reporters, "we’ve conducted several interviews, executed multiple search warrants on several vehicles, residences and devices, conducted several field searches, employed our department’s drone and followed up on each and every tip we’ve received."

This did not stop the online and local speculation about both Sheppard and Glasco from growing, especially as the weeks ticked on without any sign of Kendra. As those weeks turned into months, it appeared that the speculation about Sheppard and Glasco amongst Kendra's family, friends, and other Enid locals differed from opinion of Enid police. 

For example, a flyer was distributed about Kendra's disappearance - both locally and on Facebook - that lists Sheppard and Glasco as the last known people to have seen Kendra. However, in August 2024, it was reported by KOCO 5 that "Enid police said in interviews with Sheppard that he mentioned he hadn’t seen [Kendra] for a while before she vanished. Officials said they don’t know who the last person was to see [Kendra.]"

Source: Facebook

It's worth noting that this flyer, along with the local and online speculation about Sheppard and Glasco being the last two people to see Kendra, came long before the above-mentioned August 2024 report. However, besides the unconfirmed July sighting shortly after she was reported missing, there have not been any other publicly reported sightings of Kendra. No evidence that she was with any other people around the time she vanished. 

Additionally, Kendra's grandmother Lillian Reyes spoke to different reporters in October 2024 and said that Glasco herself said that she and Sheppard saw Kendra before she vanished. Despite this, and despite the search warrants and questioning of the two, Sheppard and Glasco have still not publicly been named as persons of interest in the case. 

December 27th, 2023: Colby Sheppard is killed.

Nearly a year and a half after Kendra went missing, her loved ones were still no closer to answers. Still, their belief that Colby Sheppard was responsible for Kendra's disappearance remained strong. Investigators believe that the determination that Sheppard had killed Kendra is what ultimately led to Victor Battelo planning and executing Sheppard's murder on December 27th, 2023.

Court documents state that Sheppard was "lured to a party" by a woman named Heaven Jordan. Once there, Sheppard was confronted by Charles Jordan, then 55, and Victor Battelo, then 45. The two men reportedly beat Sheppard to death while another man, Devin Harris, stood outside during the incident, acting as a guard. 

Afterwards, the suspects reportedly wrapped Sheppard's body in a tarp and hid it in a storm cellar of a nearby home. Sheppard's family reported him missing on January 4th, 2024, after they were unable to get in contact with him.

August 2024: Sheppard is found; murder charges filed.

At some point after Sheppard was reported missing, Victor Battelo and Charles Jordan were arrested on unrelated charges. Eventually, another inmate tipped police off about both men's involvement in Sheppard's murder. The tipster also provided police with information about where Sheppard's body was hidden. 

In August 2024, said tipster's information was proven to be accurate: investigators found Colby Sheppard's body tied in rope and wrapped by a tarp in a storm cellar just a few blocks away from the home of Charles Jordan. On August 27th, 2024, it was announced that Victor Battelo, Charles Jordan, and Devin Harris were charged with first-degree murder. Days later, Heaven Jordan was charged as well.

Left to right: Charles Jordan, Heaven Jordan, Devin Harris, Victor Battelo.

Kendra's fate still unknown; theories.

The charges against Battelo, Harris, and the Jordan's are still pending. Meanwhile, Kendra remains missing, and her loved ones remain without answers. There are some theories about what might have happened to Kendra, but none of them have been confirmed.

The most common theory is that Colby Sheppard is responsible for Kendra's disappearance in some way - whether he killed her himself or disposed of her body after an overdose or some other accident. Since Sheppard is now deceased, he is unable to provide any answers. 

There has also been a lot of online speculation that Tanya Dixon Glasco - who lived with Sheppard and Kendra at the time of Kendra's disappearance - might have more information about Kendra's case than she has disclosed. However, Glasco has not been publicly named as a person of interest or suspect. Most news articles about the case have declined to even use Glasco's name in their reports. Still, many believe that Sheppard and Glasco may have acted together; or that Glasco has information that she has covered up.

Another theory is that Kendra's disappearance is unrelated to Sheppard and Glasco altogether. If that July 20th sighting was, in fact, Kendra, then more weight is added to this theory. Police still maintain that they have not found any evidence that ties Sheppard to Kendra's disappearance. While this does not necessarily mean Sheppard is not guilty, it does open up the possibility of another person or circumstance being responsible for Kendra's disappearance.

The search for answers continues.

Kendra remains missing today. Her case is still open and being investigated by the Enid Police Department. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, or any other information that could help the investigation, please contact Enid authorities at 580-242-7000.