Monday, February 17, 2025

The Disappearance of Benita Woody

Source: Facebook

Benita Woody has been missing since August 5th, 2020. The then-42-year-old woman lived in McKinney, Texas at the time of her disappearance. Benita was last seen near her residence on the morning she vanished. She was driving her gray GMC Yukon. Benita never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Hours after that last sighting, police in a rural area of Candian County, Oklahoma found said GMC Yukon abandoned on Westbound Interstate 40. It was determined that the car was registered to Benita Woody - but at that time, she was not a missing person. As a result, police tagged the car and just left it where it was found. After five days passed, and the vehicle still remained, police had it towed. 

At the time the car was towed - on August 10th, 2020 - Benita still had not been reported missing. She lived alone at the time of her disappearance, as her children were grown and lived out of state. Due to this, it took over a week for family members and friends to piece together that Benita had seemingly vanished without a trace. She was finally reported missing to the McKinney Police on August 14th, 2020.

Throughout the investigation, detectives in McKinney learned that Benita's GMC Yukon had been found abandoned, and was towed, in Canadian County, Oklahoma. It was eventually determined that her cell phone pinged off a tower in Canadian County on August 5th. This is the last known sign of Benita on any electronic trail. 

It's worth noting that the area where Benita's car was found is an approximate three-and-a-half-hour drive away from McKinney. It's unknown why Benita would travel there, or if she even drove the vehicle there herself. Her family noted that a half-eaten burrito was found in the car - which they insist did not belong to Benita, as she did not eat burritos. There was also no further sign of Benita in or around the vehicle.

Years have passed, and Benita still remains missing. Her family is still searching for answers in her case. Authorities in both Texas and Oklahoma are investigating Benita's disappearance. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the McKinney Police Department at 972-547-2700 or the Canadian County Sheriff's Office at 405-295-6763.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Medium
NamUs
Our Black Girls

Sunday, February 16, 2025

The Murder of Trayvel Aites

 

Trayvel Aites was found murdered outside his family's house on March 14th, 2014. The 19-year-old had been living with his father and stepmother at their home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the time of his death. It was Trayvel's father who found his body in their backyard that tragic afternoon. He had been shot twice in the back. 

Reports state that Trayvel had been missing for about a week prior to being found shot to death. His family held out hope that he'd return safely, but those hopes were crushed on the afternoon of March 14th. Trayvel's father returned home from work that day and felt compelled to check his backyard. It was then that he discovered his son's lifeless body just below the home's master bedroom window. 

Various rumors indicate that Trayvel was seen and/or heard talking to someone on the corner near his home on the day of his murder. Two or three minutes later, that person began shooting, and Trayvel began to run. Trayvel was struck twice in the back but was still able to make it back to his family's backyard. Once there, he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

In June 2015, it was reported that investigators believe that Trayvel knew the shooter, and that others in the neighborhood witnessed the shooter as well. A public appeal was made for anyone with information to come forward. Still, over a decade has passed since Trayvel's murder, and the case remains unsolved.

Trayvel's family lived in their Baton Rouge residence for 15 years before his murder; Trayvel basically grew up in the home. The family's once-happy memories of the home have been tarnished by Trayvel's killing, and they have since relocated. However, justice for Trayvel is still being sought.

If you have any information that could lead to the arrest and/or conviction of Trayvel's killer(s), please contact the Baton Rouge Homicide Division at 225-389-4869.

Saturday, February 15, 2025

The Disappearance of Charles Jay Makey Jr.

Source: Facebook

Charles Jay Makey Jr. has been missing since June 2014. The then 21-year-old was last seen in Banning, California. Reports state that the last confirmed sighting of Charles occurred on June 12th, 2014 - but he was last heard from via phone on June 20th. After that, Charles has been seen or heard from again.

Charles was reported missing on July 16th, 2014. Other than that, very few details about his case are available. There is not any publicly reported information about the events leading up to Charles' disappearance. In fact, there has been very minimal reporting about his disappearance in general.

Per Charles' Facebook page, he was active online throughout 2013 and for the first few months of 2014. He last updated his profile picture in March 2014. Charles' Facebook also indicates that he was in a relationship at the time. Certain posts reference a young woman, while other posts reference a brother and other friends. However, there are not any publicly posted comments on his page after his disappearance. 

Over a decade has passed, and Charles still remains missing. He is described as a black man with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, Charles was 5'10" and approximately 150 pounds and went by his middle name, Jay. If you have any information that could help solve Charles' disappearance, please contact the Banning Police Department at 951-922-3170.

 
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Sources:
California Department of Justice
Charley Project
CUE Center for Missing Persons
Facebook

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

The Disappearance of Angela Burris

Source: Shelby Star

Angela Burris has been missing since April 19th, 2021. The then-36-year-old woman left her residence in Kings Mountain, North Carolina during the early evening. Shortly after, Angela was seen getting into a black sedan driven by an unidentified male. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

At the time of her disappearance, Angela lived on Lake Montonia Road with family members. Angela's aunt was the last person to see her at the residence before she vanished. Her aunt recalls seeing her sitting outside the home with a duffel bag and a teddy bear, as if she was waiting for someone to come pick her up.

It appears nobody in the family actually saw Angela leaving the residence. However, a family friend reported seeing her getting into the black sedan near the residence around 5:00 PM. The driver of the vehicle is described as a black man with black hair and a goatee. It appears that nobody in Angela's family knew this man, and he has still never been identified.

Angela's family reported her missing on April 28th, 2021. It was noted that she had disappeared for short periods before in the past, but it was unusual for her to stay out of touch with family, especially her daughter. Detectives followed leads when the case was first opened but were unable to find anything substantial. Months turned into years without any sign of Angela as her disappearance became a cold case. 

Over three years after Angela disappearance, in August 2024, it was reported that new leads had prompted a large-scale search for her in a wooded area of Gaston County. Investigators stated that the leads were brought on by advances in technology that allowed them to narrow down a "more fine point of a last known contact area for [Angela]", which is what lead the investigators to that area.

The search was conducted by over 60 people from several different law enforcement agencies. Over 20 acres of land was scoured, but nothing was found. Despite this, investigators stated that they have not given up on their search for Angela and are now seeking more leads in the case.

Angela's family members have also not given up hope that they will find answers. If you have any information that could lead to Angela's whereabouts, please contact the Kings Mountain Police Department at 704-734-0444.

Monday, February 10, 2025

The Murder of Ahmad 'Nuru' Hempstead

Source: ABC10

Ahmad Hempstead was brutally murdered in broad daylight on November 20th, 2020. The 48-year-old man was working as a handyman in Sacramento, California at the time he was killed. Ahmad was attacked while on a remodeling job at an apartment unit at La Pera Court. He died after being stabbed in the back with a "large machete-type knife."

Before Ahmad began working as a handyman, he was a professional boxer known as 'Nuru'. Although he was trained to fight, Ahmad's family notes that he was a gentle and kind man who did not have any known enemies. A motive for his brutal killing remains unknown.

 (Source: sherdog.com)

Ahmad's family continues to fight for answers and justice to this day. Both his sisters and son have spoken to local media, appealing to the public for anyone with information to come forward. Unfortunately, at this time no arrests have been made, nor have any suspects or persons of interest been publicly identified.

A monetary reward is being offered in exchange for information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of Ahmad's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Sacramento Police Department at 916-808-5471 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
ABC 10, (2)
Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers

Sunday, February 9, 2025

The Murder of Nishan Huff

Nishan Huff was only 23 years old when she was murdered inside her Greenville County, South Carolina residence on June 7th, 2006. 

At the time of her death, the young woman lived with her boyfriend in the Boulder Creek Apartments on Furman Hall Road. Reports state that Nishan's boyfriend left their home between 3:30-4:00 PM on the day of the murder. When he later returned, he found Nishan's body. She had been shot to death.

Early into the investigation, it was reported that several leads were being followed. After that, though, the case seemingly went cold. Years passed without any updates, until finally, in June 2022, a break in the case was announced. Frank Rozier (53) and Brittany Nicole Goldsmith (38) had both been arrested and charged in connection to Nishan's murder. 

At the time of their arrests, it was announced that Rozier faced charges for murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Goldsmith faced charges for accessory after the fact. Investigators stated that they "re-interviewed existing witnesses and newly developed witnesses, which resulted in new information leading to the probable cause needed to charge Rozier and Goldsmith with murder."

While it's believed that Nishan and Rozier knew each other, a motive for the killing has not been disclosed. Detectives stated the motive was still being investigated at the time the charges were filed. However, months later, in March 2023, it was announced that the charges against Rozier and Goldsmith were dropped. It was noted that there was not enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was then handed back to law enforcement; there is a chance that Rozier and Goldsmith could be charged again in the future if more evidence is discovered. 

Since then, no further updates or information has been provided about Nishan's case. As of today, it is considered unsolved - and there is still a monetary reward available for any information that could lead to the prosecution of Nishan's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
WIS 10
WYFF 4, (2)

Saturday, February 8, 2025

The Murder of Kellie Owens

 

Kellie Owens was murdered inside her Charlotte, North Carolina residence on December 27th, 2007. The 30-year-old woman was shot to death in her apartment's bathroom. Kellie's boyfriend reportedly found her suffering from a gunshot wound and called 9-1-1. Medics announced her dead on the scene. 

Kellie's daughter, who was only 2 years old at the time, was found unharmed in her crib in a separate bedroom. Detectives believe the toddler was placed there by someone other than Kellie, as it was uncommon for the child to be left in the crib. It was also noted that there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, which suggests that the killer might have been someone known to Kellie.

The death of Kellie was a devastating loss for not only her family, but also the community. Kellie worked with at-risk youth and was loved by the children she interacted with. She was also a loving mother, but she unfortunately never got to see her daughter grow up.

Several years have passed, and the murder remains unsolved. In 2024, a detective working the case told reporters that "the physical evidence in this case does not help us get any closer to making an arrest." Though it appears several interviews have been conducted, and several people have been investigated, police have not been able to gather needed evidence to move forward in the case.

Both detectives and Kellie's family loved ones have appealed to the public for someone with information to come forward. If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of Kellie's killer(s), please contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg Violent Crimes Division at 704-336-2358.