The Murder of Irasema Chavez

33 year old Irasema Chavez was found brutally murdered inside her Arlington, Texas apartment on January 20th, 2012. Irasema was fairly new to that area, and to the United States in general. She had grown up in Mexico, but had recently relocated to Texas after she was inspired to move by her sister and brother-in-law, who already lived there. According to Irasema’s brother-in-law, Irasema had made a ton of new friends since she moved to the Arlington area, and she loved to go to dance clubs with them. Irasema had also recently come out to her family and friends as a lesbian shortly before her death.

On the night of January 19th, 2012, Irasema called her sister and asked her and her niece, who was visiting from Mexico, to come over. They declined, as Irasema’s sister did not want to drive over to her apartment that late at night. However, Irasema’s sister planned to drop her niece off at Irasema’s apartment the following day so the two could spend the day together. When that time came the next morning, Irasema’s sister dropped her niece off at Irasema’s apartment complex and waited until she got inside safely before she left. However, just a minute after Irasema’s niece entered her apartment, she came running back out, screaming for somebody to call the police. According to her, Irasema was dead. She had been murdered—stabbed over 100 times.

Surveillance footage from the previous night shows an unidentified person wearing a hood approaching Irasema’s door and knocking. The person is seen standing there for about a minute before the door opens and he is let in. Investigators consider this person to be a suspect, and are hoping to identify him. None of Irasema’s friends or family members recognize the suspect, however they believe that he was known to Irasema, since she let him into her apartment. A clip of the surveillance footage can be viewed here.

Any person with information on the identity of Irasema’s killer may be eligible for a reward up to $1000. If you have any information that may help, please contact Arlington Crime Stoppers at  (817) 469-TIPS (8477). 

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[Unsolved Home Invasions] [Victims Found By Loved Ones] [Unsolved Mysteries with Surveillance Footage Vol. II]

The Brutal Murder of Heather Stamper

Heather Stamper (31) was brutally murdered by her boyfriend Steven Pierce (45) inside her own home on July 9th, 2016. The couple lived in Delaware City, Delaware at the time. On the evening of the murder, Steven was sent into a jealous rage after he thought he saw Heather texting her ex-boyfriend. Heather and Steven got into a heated argument that resulted in Heather ending the relationship. The two were reportedly seen arguing in the street that night before Heather returned home. 

Steven Pierce

Still fueled by his jealous rage, Steven went to a friend's house and asked to borrow a gun. His request was declined. Said friend then observed Steven angrily ripping up his car seat covers. He also reportedly told his friend he wanted to kill Heather. The friend refused to provide Steven with a weapon, so he then went to another friend's house. There, Steven asked for a gun and a rosary. He was then heard saying, "This is my last night of freedom. I am going to be a lifer come tomorrow." 

Later that evening, Steven went to Heather's house. Her roommate let him inside, and later reported hearing loud noises coming from Heather's basement bedroom. Around 15 minutes later, Steven emerged from Heather's room crying, saying that his relationship with Heather was over. Before leaving, he said "We broke up. I'll never see that bitch again." Unbeknownst to Heather's roommate, Heather was dead. Steven had bludgeoned her to death. 

Steven returned to Heather's home the following day and called 911, stating that he had found his girlfriend dead in her bedroom. Police arrived on the scene, and it was immediately clear to them that Heather had been murdered. Her cause of death was eventually ruled as blunt force trauma. However, no arrests were made at the time. Finally, though, in October 2016, Steven was arrested and charged with Heather's murder.

Steven went to trial in April 2019. He was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder. In July 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 25 years. 

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[Cases of Break-Up Violence Vol. II]

The Murders of Domonique Brown & Ramell Campbell

26 year-old Domonique Brown (pictured left) and 27 year-old Ramell Campbell (pictured right) were brutally murdered during the early morning hours of July 30th, 2017. The two were both aspiring rappers from Southfield, Michigan, and were working together on new music. On the night of their deaths, Domonique and Ramell were seen together at a recording studio and then at a nightclub on Michigan Avenue. They left the nightclub together in Domonique’s car.  Around 2:45am, as Domonique’s car travelled eastbound I-94 at Livernois, an unknown assailant shot at Domonique and Ramell multiple times, killing them both. Their killer(s) still remain unknown to this day.

Investigators have said that they are working multiple leads in the case, but have not announced any suspects or persons of interest. Families of both Domonique and Ramell do not know of any people who might’ve wanted to harm them, however Domonique’s family believes their career paths might’ve played a role in their death. There is currently a $3000 reward for information leading to an arrest. If you have any information that could help, please submit a tip with Crime Stoppers Michigan here.

The Murder of Ally Brueger

Alexandra ‘Ally’ Brueger (31) was shot and murdered while jogging in her parent’s neighborhood on July 30th, 2016. Ally was working as a nurse at the time, and she had also recently moved back in with her parents at their home in Holly, Michigan after breaking up with her ex-boyfriend Wes Sutherland. Ally and Wes had previously lived together for 2 years.

Ally had a passion for running. According to her parents, she would run 10 miles each day without any exceptions. On the day she was murdered, Ally was shot multiple times in the back while running on one of her regular routes. She ran to the house of a local homeowner in the area while trying to flee her attacker. The local homeowner called 911, and told dispatchers, “there’s a girl laying in my yard that just got shot a couple of times. Laying face down, she’s bleeding all over the place. I gotta get out there and see if I can help her.” The homeowner attempted to plug Ally’s wounds until paramedics showed up, but unfortunately she was pronounced dead by time she arrived at the hospital. 

Ally’s murder still remains unsolved today. However, many leads have been chased. Investigators initially stated that everyone in Ally’s life was a suspect–including her ex-boyfriend Wes, and her parents, Nikki and Franz Brueger. Wes himself pointed fingers at Ally’s parents as well. In fact, Wes made accounts on both Websleuths and Reddit, where he continued to state negative things about Nikki and Franz. Eventually, though, Nikki and Franz were ruled out as suspects, while Wes still remains on the potential suspect list. He continues to deny involvement in Ally’s murder.

Ally’s murder is still actively being investigated. If you have any information that could help, please report it by calling 1-855 MICH TIP.

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UPDATE (July 2021):

Five years have passed since Ally's murder. Although the tragic case still remains unsolved, new details about the investigation have to come to light. Early into the investigation, authorities announced that they believed Ally knew her killer. Now, Ally's parents have revealed that investigators no longer believe this to be the case. 

In an interview with local reporters, Ally's mother explained, "The lead detective for the case, as well as the First Lt. in that division both told me the wrong information is out there. Ally did not know her killer." Ally's ex-boyfriend was considered a suspect by many in the years that followed Ally's murder. Ally's parents now fear that public perception that Ally knew her killer has skewed the investigation. They are hoping that this new information will allow witnesses to recall details that they might have previously discounted in the early stages of the investigation.

Authorities are asking anyone who might have seen either Ally or  "a vehicle speeding or driving erratically in the area of Fish Lake Road, S. Fenton Road or anywhere nearby on July 30, 2016" to please come forward.

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[List Series: Broad Daylight Mysteries Vol. II]

The Suspicious Death of Annie McCann

Annie McCann was only 16 years-old when she was found deceased under suspicious circumstances on November 2nd, 2008. The teen lived in Fairfax, Virginia at the time, and she was last seen by her family on either the evening of October 30th, 2008, or on the morning of October 31st, 2008. The 31st was a Friday, and according to Annie's father Daniel McCann, it began as a typical day. Before he left for work that morning, he peeked into Annie's room and saw what he thought was the shape of her body under the covers. Thinking that Annie would wake up shortly thereafter and get herself to school, Annie's father left for work. 

Annie's mother Mary Jane McCann was out of town that day, however she still expected a phone call from Annie once Annie returned home from school. When that phone call never came, she called her husband to ask if he had heard from their daughter. Daniel immediately left work to see if Annie had made it home from school. When he arrived, he learned that Annie had never gone to school at all that day--as her school had left a voicemail notifying her family of her absence. Later, Annie's parents found a note from Annie that she had left behind--it stated that she was depressed and had been contemplating suicide, but instead she decided to just run away and start fresh. After finding the note, Annie's parents realized that Annie took $1000 in cash, clothing, some snacks, and their family's white Volvo that she usually drove to school. Upon this discovery, Annie's parents immediately reported her missing.

Just days later, on November 2nd, 2008, police in Baltimore, Maryland were notified about a body that was found behind a dumpster near the Perkins Homes Housing Project--located an approximate hour drive away from the McCann home. It did not take authorities very long to identify the body as that of Annie McCann. Her backpack was found near her body, which contained her driver's license and school identification. The white Volvo she was driving was found abandoned at a nearby gas station. The car was checked for fingerprints, and a print matching a local Baltimore teen named Darnell Kinlaw was found. 

Darnell Kinlaw

Police questioned Darnell, who told them that he and a group of friends happened to come across Annie's unlocked car in Baltimore. Darnell stated that they noticed Annie in the backseat--presumably dead--so they dumped her body behind the dumpster near the Perkins Home before taking the car for a "joyride." While this story seemed suspicious, police did not charge Darnell or his friends with anything related to Annie's case. In fact, authorities were quick to announce that they did not believe foul play was involved in Annie's death. An autopsy determined that Annie had a significant amount of lidocaine in her system at the time of her death. A bottle of bactine was found in the backseat of Annie's car, and her DNA was found at the lip of the bottle. A medical examiner determined that Annie died of lidocaine poisoning. The cause of death was a ruled a suicide. 

Annie's parents were not satisfied with the investigation's findings. They did not believe that Annie took her own life, nor did they believe she voluntarily ingested bactine. The McCanns decided to launch an investigation of their own, during which evidence was discovered that suggested Annie's death might have not been a suicide after all.

-Continued from Tumblr:

After looking at autopsy photographs, Annie's parents noticed that Annie had a large bruise on her forehead that the police officers seemingly dismissed. Additionally, they believe they saw a cigarette burn on Annie's face and signs of sexual assault on her body. Annie's parents also questioned the company that makes the bactine found in Annie's car--and they were told that the amount of lidocaine found in that product is not enough to be lethal. 

The McCanns eventually hired a private investigator, who was able to track down a woman who claimed to have seen Annie in Baltimore prior to her death. The woman was an employee at a coffee shop, and she said that she saw Annie at the shop with an "older, disheveled looking" woman. Police have never been able to locate said woman. 

It is unclear if the McCanns believe the coffee shop sighting of Annie to be credible, as they have always had their suspicions about Darnell Kinshaw. Those suspicions only intensified three years after Annie's death, when Darnell was arrested for shooting his girlfriend to death and stealing her car. There were obvious similarities between this case and Annie's case, however police still insisted that Darnell was not involved in Annie's death.

Despite all of these findings, Baltimore police have still maintained that Annie's death was a suicide. The McCanns are still adamantly working to prove otherwise. The case is closed, but her loved ones consider it unsolved. 

The Disappearance of Latrice Armstead

Latrice Armstead has been missing since July 28th, 2012. The 38 year-old woman was last seen that day around 11am, in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Latrice never returned home to her children and has never been seen or heard from again. Just three days after her disappearance, Latrice’s car was found abandoned over an hour away in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The car had been completely burned out and there was no sign of Latrice anywhere. After this discovery, Latrice’s loved ones feared something sinister had happened to her.

Shortly before her disappearance, Latrice was in the process of moving from Memphis to St. Louis, Missouri. She was relocating to get away from her estranged ex-husband, Tony Bledsoe. Latrice and Tony were going through a divorce before her disappearance, as Tony had been physically abusive to Latrice throughout their marriage and Latrice finally had enough. After an incident that resulted in Tony breaking Latrice’s jaw, she took out an order of protection against him. Once Latrice was reported missing, Tony was arrested for violating the order of protection, as he was seen with Latrice on two occasions the day she disappeared. Other than this, though, Tony has never been charged with anything related to Latrice’s disappearance

Due to her car being found in Mississippi, the Coahoma County police are investigating Latrice’s disappearance. If you have any information about her case, please contact investigators at (662)-624-3085.

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[List Series: Cases with Evidence Found in Unexpected Places]

List Series: Cases with Divided Theories

Many unsolved murders and disappearances have prevailing theories about what might have happened to the victim. These theories are usually put forth by family members and/or investigators, and it is not uncommon for both to have similar theories. However, there are also cases where theories about what happened to the victim are completely divided. Below is a list of seven such cases. Some of these cases involve divided theories amongst the public, while others involve divided theories amongst family members and detectives. All of the cases remain unsolved today.

7. The Disappearance of Tamala Wells

Tamala Niecole Wells has been missing since August 6th, 2012. On that night, the 33 year-old mother was last seen leaving her home in Detroit, Michigan around 9:30pm. It is unclear where Tamala was headed, but she did speak with her mother, Donna Wells-Davis, on the phone later that night, and nothing of concern came up in their conversation. Unfortunately, Tamala never returned home after that and has not been seen or heard from since that phone conversation with Donna.

Once Tamala was reported missing, police inevitably looked into her live-in boyfriend Rickey Tennant. Rickey did not report Tamala missing and he reportedly refused to speak with Tamala's parents about her disappearance. He also told reporters that Tamala gave him a "headache", which many felt was an insensitive and inappropriate thing to say about a missing loved one. 

Tamala's parents believe that Rickey was responsible for Tamala's disappearance, however at this time he has not been named a suspect. In fact, investigators state that he was cooperated with the investigation. It does not appear that Rickey is being investigated in her disappearance at this time. Tamala's case remains unsolved. [read more]

6. The Disappearance of Monica Carrasco

Monica Carrasco vanished at the age of 16 on October 2nd, 2003. At the time of her disappearance, the teen lived at her aunt and uncle's house in Balmorhea, Texas. She was last seen by her cousins during the early morning hours of October 2nd. Said cousins saw her go to bed around 11pm the previous evening and they checked on her around 1:30am. However, by 7:30am the following morning, Monica was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again. 

There are quite a few differing theories about what might have happened to Monica. It was initially believed by both police and family members that Monica left on her own accord, due to the fact that her Bible vanished with her. Her aunt and uncle believe Monica became disoriented from a medication she was taking, and as a result, she left the house and accepted a ride from a passing motorist. Police, on the other hand,  stated that they believe it is possible that Monica left the house to meet up with a person she met online. Monica's mother believes something entirely different--she does not believe that her daughter ran away at all. Monica had opted to live with her aunt and uncle rather than her mother due to issues the two were having, however Monica's mother stated that the issues were not that serious and she does not believe Monica would voluntarily stay out-of-touch. Additionally, it is important to note that Monica's uncle failed a polygraph exam in relation to her disappearance. However, he has not been charged with anything related to Monica's disappearance. 

None of these theories have been confirmed and there have not been any publicly named suspects or persons of interest in her case. Monica remains missing today. [read more]

5. The Disappearance of Madeline Edman

Madeline Edman was 15 years-old when she vanished from La Crosse, Wisconsin on July 29th, 2005. She was last seen at a laundromat on St. James and Caledonia Street, where she and her mother had gone to do laundry. At some point, though, Madeline decided to walk home while her mother stayed back to finish the laundry. When her mother returned home, Madeline was gone. When she still did not return by evening, Madeline’s mother reported her missing.

Madeline’s family members believe that she ran away. In fact, certain agencies classify her as a runaway as well. Madeline’s mother unfortunately passed away in 2010, and her obituary listed Madeline as a surviving daughter. In 2013, Madeline’s grandmother announced that she believes Madeline is still alive and is just simply living estranged from her family. She stated that numerous people have told her that they have seen Madeline around town. However, the police believe otherwise. Authorities have stated that they have not gotten any tips about Madeline’s whereabouts in years and they believe she might have been murdered or forced into human trafficking. 

It is unclear if Madeline's family has any concrete evidence that she ran away. It is also unclear how police came to the murder/sex trafficking theory--however both theories remain prominent in Madeline's case. [read more] 

4. The Murder of Stacy Dillon

Stacy Dillon was found murdered inside the Cleveland, Tennessee home he shared with his mother  Judy Dillon on March 17th, 1991. On the weekend of the 22 year-old Stacy's murder, Judy stayed with a friend, leaving Stacy with the home all to himself. When Judy and said friend returned to the home at the end of the weekend, they found Stacy dead on the hallway floor. He had suffered a single bullet wound to the cheek. The family's landline phone was found just inches away from Stacy's body. 

Police were immediately called, and it did not take long for Stacy's death to be ruled a homicide. In the early stages of the investigation, detectives theorized that Stacy was in a relationship with a male, but was keeping it a secret from the members of his conservative town. Detectives believe it is possible that Stacy was killed by said man, as there was no sign of forced entry at the Dillon home. This suggests that Stacy was killed by a person he knew. Judy Dillion rejected this theory and continuously denied that her son was gay. The case appeared to go cold after that and it was eventually closed.

Finally, in 2011, the case was reopened with a new team of detectives. They re-visited the earlier theory that Stacy's hidden sexuality might have played a role in his murder. In fact, detectives were  also able to identify a person of interest...he happened to be the same person of interest who had been questioned by police 20 years earlier. Said person has never been publicly identified. When this information was presented to Judy, she once again denied that her son was gay and does not believe a romantic relationship played a role in Stacy's murder. His case remains unsolved today. [read more]

3. The Disappearance of Keiosha Felix

Keiosha Felix was only 15 years-old when she vanished on April 30th, 2012. Keiosha had a one year-old daughter at the time, and prior to her disappearance, the two of them were living in a group home for teenage girls who are pregnant or have young children. The weekend before she vanished, Keiosha got a weekend pass to visit her paternal aunt Patricia Andrus. She was last seen leaving Patricia’s Duson, Louisiana home and she has never been seen or heard from again.

Keiosha was initially classified as a runaway. Patricia’s daughter/Keiosha’s cousin Portia Felix claimed to have heard from Keiosha after April 30th, and that Keiosha said she was “just fine”. However, as the investigation continued, the Duson Police Department learned more information about Keiosha’s relationship with her aunt Patricia’s boyfriend, Leon Wilkerson Jr. Before vanishing, Keiosha allegedly told Patricia that Leon had sexually assaulted her. Patricia never reported this to the authorities, nor did she tell investigators about it after Keiosha went missing. In July 2012, Leon was arrested and charged with rape and second-degree kidnapping in connection with Keiosha’s disappearance. Patricia was arrested and charged with improper supervision of a minor and accessory to rape. Keiosha’s cousin Portia, who told investigators that she heard from Keiosha after her disappearance, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. In August 2012, Leon’s brother Ronald Wilkerson was also arrested and charged with kidnapping in connection with Keiosha’s case.

Although Keiosha remained missing, it appeared that investigators were building a pretty solid case against the arrested suspects. Then, in September 2012, it was revealed that Duson PD's Lt. Gerald Credeur had mishandled the investigation. The Board of Alderman determined that Credeur made illegal searches and arrests without probable cause. He was fired the following month. The charges against Leon and Ronald Wilkerson were dropped. In April 2013, it was announced that the charges against Patricia and Portia had been dropped as well. Many still believe that Leon, Patricia, Portia, and Ronald are involved in Keiosha's disappearance, however investigators have since turned their attention to a different person. They are now focusing on an unidentified man who was spotted in an AT&T store in Lafayette, Louisiana shortly after Keiosha’s disappearance. The man purchased a SIM card at the store, and said card was later used with Keiosha’s password. Investigators stated that this man is currently not a suspect, but they believe he may have information about Keiosha’s disappearance. Her case remains unsolved. [read more]

2. The Disappearance of Calandra Stallworth

Calandra Stallworth (29) was last seen by her family members on March 27th, 2017. On that morning, Calandra dropped her two daughters off at her grandmother’s home in Crestview, Florida so she could go to her housekeeping job at Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort. This was something Calandra did often; as her grandmother lived next door to her. When she finished work that evening, Calandra called her grandmother to let her know she was on her way home. Unfortunately, she never showed up. This was quite out of character for Calandra, so her concerned family members reported her missing that same night.

Calandra's family members believe that Calandra's boyfriend Antwon Smith (34) is involved in her disappearance. Just two days after her initial disappearance, Calandra went to the Crestview Police Department and asked them to cancel her missing persons report. She told investigators she had been in Alabama with Antwon, and she hadn’t been in touch with her family because her phone did not have a signal. This is the last known sighting of Calandra--she was never seen or heard from again after visiting the police. However, due to her visit to the police department, police have classified her second subsequent disappearance as a missing persons investigation rather than a crime.

Calandra's loved ones disagree with the classification and believe that a crime has been committed. Suspicions against Antwon still remain, especially since police pulled him over while he was driving Calandra's car in early April 2017. Calandra was not with him, however another young woman, Taleah Durm (18) was next to him in the passenger’s seat. Oddly, Taleah had also been reported missing a few days earlier. It is unclear what her connection is to Antwon, but her missing persons report was cancelled when she was located with him. Police officers also found Calandra’s purse and phone inside the car, but Calandra herself was still nowhere to be found.

Due to these suspicious circumstances, Calandra's family members believe that Antwon is involved in Calandra's disappearance. However, her case is still not being treated as a criminal investigation. Calandra remains missing today. [read more]

1. The Murder of Egypt Covington

Egypt Covington was found murdered inside her Van Buren Township, Michigan home on June 22nd, 2017. The 27 year-old woman was found by her boyfriend Curtis Meadows--she was facedown on the floor and she had been shot to death. Her arms were bound behind her back with Christmas lights.

Police inevitably looked into Egypt's boyfriend Curtis as a suspect, but he was eventually cleared of suspicion. Then, police started looking at her ex-boyfriend Kenny Michalak as a suspect. Curtis and Egypt had been dating off-and-on for about 10 years, and Egypt dated kenny during a time she was "off" with Curtis. Kenny was reportedly very controlling and verbally abusive towards Egypt. He was also quite angry when he learned that Egypt had reconciled with Curtis. Police have publicly named Kenny as a person of interest in Egypt's murder. 

However, Egypt's mother Tina Covington does not believe that Kenny is responsible for Egypt's death. While she acknowledges that Egypt and Kenny had a toxic relationship, she believes that police named him as a person of interest due to pressure to blame somebody for the crime. Tina believes that there is another suspect out there who has gone unnoticed. There have still not been any arrests in Egypt's case, which remains unsolved. [read more]

Previously on the list:

The Disappearance and Murder of Megan Nichols

The Murder of Vanessa 'Honey' Malone

The Disappearance of Madeline Edman

Madeline Edman was 15 years-old when she vanished from La Crosse, Wisconsin on July 29th, 2005. She was last seen at a laundromat on St. James and Caledonia Street, where she and her mother had gone to do laundry. At some point, though, Madeline decided to walk home while her mother stayed back to finish the laundry. When her mother returned home, Madeline was gone. When she still did not return by evening, Madeline’s mother reported her missing.

Madeline’s family members believe that she ran away. In fact, certain agencies classify her as a runaway as well. Madeline’s mother unfortunately passed away in 2010, and her obituary listed Madeline as a surviving daughter. In 2013, Madeline’s grandmother announced that she believes Madeline is still alive and is just simply living estranged from her family. She stated that numerous people have told her that they have seen Madeline around town. However, the police believe otherwise. Authorities have stated that they have not gotten any tips about Madeline’s whereabouts in years and they believe she might have been murdered or forced into human trafficking. 

Madeline’s case remains unsolved. The La Crosse Police Department is investigating. If you have any information that could lead to Madeline’s whereabouts, please contact 608-785-5962.

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[Cases with Divided Theories]

The Tragic Death of Bobbi Kristina Brown

Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon (2014)

Bobbi Kristina passed away in hospice care on July 26th, 2015--just a few years after her late mother Whitney Houston passed away on February 11th, 2012. The mother and daughter met eerily similar fates—as many people know, Whitney was found floating facedown in the bathtub of her Los Angeles hotel room on that fateful February night. It was later revealed that the iconic singer died of heart failure linked to drowning and cocaine use. Almost 3 years later, Bobbi Kristina was also found facedown in the bathtub at the Atlanta home she shared with Nick Gordon on January 31st, 2015. She was rushed to the hospital where she was reportedly stabilized and breathing. Bobbi Kristina was then placed into a medically induced coma.

While Bobbi Kristina remained in the coma over the following months, her family grew increasingly suspicious of Gordon. It was believed that Gordon had been physically abusive to Bobbi Kristina in the past, and many also believed that Gordon was responsible for her being found unconscious in that bathtub. Much like Whitney’s death, there were many rumors that drugs were involved. On June 24th, 2015, Bobbi Kristina’s court-appointed conservator, Bedelia Hargrove, filed a lawsuit accusing Nick Gordon of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and transferring money from Bobbi Kristina’s account into his own without authorization. That same day, Bobbi Kristina was moved to a hospice care facility. A little over a month later, she passed away.

In August 2015, Hargrove filed a wrongful death civil suit against Gordon. In September 2016, Gordon was found liable for the wrongful death of Bobbi Kristina Brown. The lawsuit alleged that Gordon gave Bobbi Kristina a “toxic cocktail, rendering her unconscious and then put her face down in a tub of cold water causing her to suffer brain damage.” A judge ordered Gordon to pay $36 million to Bobbi Kristina’s estate. No criminal charges were ever filed against Gordon in Bobbi Kristina’s case.

However, beliefs about Gordon’s violent tendencies were confirmed once again in July 2017 when he was arrested for allegedly beating his new girlfriend, Laura Leal. Leal told police that Gordon refused to let her leave when she tried to during an argument, and that he punched her and grabbed her each time she tried. Leal later refused to cooperate with the police, and those charges were dropped. Months later, Gordon was arrested for assault and battery on March 10th, 2018; for yet again beating Leal. The charges were later dropped, as Leal told the judge that she was to blame for the entire ordeal due to her mental illness.

On January 1st, 2020, Nick Gordon was found dead in a hotel room in Maitland, Florida. His death was ruled an accidental heroin overdose.

List Series: 8 Moments Captured Right Before a Kidnapping/Murder

A list that provides eight photographs taken hours, or even minutes, before a kidnapping or murder occurred. 

8. The Murder of Alisha Bromfield

21 year-old Alisha Bromfield (pictured right) with Brian Cooper (36)

Alisha Bromfield and her boss/sometime friend Brian Cooper are all smiles in the above picture, which was taken at Brian's sister's wedding on August 18th, 2012. Despite their smiles, though, a lot of drama was happening between the pair behind the scenes. Alisha and Brian were not a couple--in fact, Brian was Alisha's boss at Home Depot and Alisha was six months pregnant with another man's baby. However, those closest to Alisha stated that Brian had an odd obsession with her, and Alisha often was kind to him in hopes of staying in good graces at her job. For this reason, Alisha agreed to be Brian's date to his sister's wedding--despite the fact that she did not want to go. However, while en route to their hotel in Door County, Wisconsin, Alisha and Brian got into an argument that resulted in Alisha deciding to end her friendship with him. She agreed to act as his date for the evening at his sister’s wedding, but insisted that their friendship would be over once they returned home.

Brian was enraged by the thought of not being in her life anymore, and that rage continued to build as he grew gradually more intoxicated at the wedding. Once Brian and Alisha were back at their hotel room, they were laying in their respective beds when Brian attempted to make plans with Alisha that coming Sunday. Alisha reminded Brian that they would no longer be friends once they returned home. Brian then snapped and attacked Alisha on her bed. A struggle ensued, and Brian strangled Alisha—killing both her and her unborn baby. Hours later, Brian stumbled into a gas station and used the clerk’s phone to call 911 and turn himself in. He is currently serving two life sentences. [read more]

7. The Murder of Tayler Harsch

Tayler Harsch (23) took this selfie and posted it to her Facebook page around 9:30pm on September 4th, 2015. Just a few hours later, she was stabbed to death by her husband, Franklin Lee Burress.

Tayler and Franklin apparently began their relationship years earlier, when Tayler was only 14 and Franklin was 25. According to family and friends, they had a rocky on-again, off-again relationship that often turned physically violent. Still, Tayler and Franklin married in 2014. Their relationship continued to have issues throughout their marriage. In fact, Franklin apparently moved in and out of their Lake Monticello, Virginia home several times in the days leading up to Tayler’s murder. On the evening of September 4th, Tayler left work around 9pm with plans to go out with a group of friends later that night. When she arrived home, she posted the above picture to Facebook and texted with her friends about what she was going to wear that night. However, around 10pm, Tayler was texting her friends and telling them that she wasn’t feeling well enough to go out. Nobody heard from Tayler or Franklin again until 3am, when Franklin called his parents hysterically crying, saying that he “snapped” and killed Tayler. Franklin’s parents called the police. When they arrived at the couple’s home, police found Tayler’s body in their hot tub, and Franklin covered in her blood. He was arrested and charged with murder.

On July 7th, 2016, Franklin accepted a plea deal and plead guilty to second degree murder. He was sentenced to 40 years—the maximum sentence for murder in the second degree. [also on: Deadly Age Gaps]

6. The Kidnapping of Heather Elvis

20 year-old Heather Elvis disappeared after going on a first date with an old acquaintance from high school on the evening of December 17th, 2013. During the date, Heather sent the above to her father, Terry Elvis, of her driving her date’s stick shift car. According to Heather's friends, she was feeling optimistic about her date with this young man, and she was finally getting over the affair she was having with a 38 year-old man named Sidney Moorer. However, just hours after the above photograph was taken, Heather was allegedly abducted by Sidney and his wife, 42 year-old Tammy Moorer.  It is believed that after Heather returned to her Myrtle Beach, South Carolina apartment following her date, she received numerous phone calls from Sidney Moorer. At some point, Sidney got Heather to agree to meeting up with him at Peachtree Landing. It is believed that once Heather arrived at the landing, she was kidnapped. She has never been seen or heard from again. 

In February of 2014, both Sidney and Tammy were arrested for kidnapping and murdering Heather. They were also booked on charges of obstruction of justice in the case. However, by March 2016, the murder charges against the two were dropped. They were both still charged with Heather’s kidnapping. The obstruction of justice charges were dropped for Tammy, but remained for Sidney. Sidney finally went to trial for Heather’s kidnapping in June 2016, but the jury was hung and a mistrial was declared. In August of 2017, Sidney went to trial for the obstruction of justice charges in this case and was found guilty.

Tammy went to trial for kidnapping during the fall of 2018. She was ultimately found guilty. Tammy was sentenced to 30 years for both kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Sidney was sentenced to 10 years for obstruction of justice. The prosecution plans to re-try him for kidnapping in the future. Heather has never been found. [read more] [also on: Love Triangles with Tragic Endings]

5. The Murder of Lisa-Marie Naegle

Lisa-Marie Naegle (36) attended a party with 34 year-old Jackie Jerome Rogers (pictured above on the right) in Torrance, California on the evening of December 18th, 2016. Lisa-Marie was married to another man at the time, but she had been having an affair with Rogers for quite some time. The two posed together for a photograph at the party and then returned to Rogers' home afterwards. While there, Lisa-Marie reportedly told Rogers that she wanted to resume a monogamous relationship with her husband. This caused Rogers to snap, and he then attacked Lisa-Marie inside his home and struck her in the head with a hammer numerous times. Then, he buried her body on his property.

After Lisa-Marie failed to return home or show up for work during the following days, she was reported missing. Lisa-Marie's sister knew about the affair with Rogers, so she immediately questioned him about Lisa-Marie's whereabouts. Rogers reportedly told Lisa-Marie's family members that they attended the party together that evening, but that he ended up leaving the party alone. Surveillance footage from the bar revealed that this was untrue, though--as Rogers and Lisa-Marie were captured leaving the bar together that evening. Once police confronted Rogers with this information, he cracked and led investigators to her remains.

Rogers pleaded not guilty to murdering Lisa-Marie. He went to trial in September 2018, and was ultimately found guilty. In April 2019, he was sentenced to 26 years in prison. He remains behind bars today. [read more] [also on: Love Triangles With Tragic Endings]

4. The Murder of Brittney Gargol

Cheyenne Antoine (left), Brittney Gargol (right)

Brittney Gargol and Cheyenne Antoine were both 18 years old when Cheyenne strangled Brittney to death on March 24th, 2015. The two girls snapped the above selfie together that evening before going out to a few bars in Saskatoon, Canada. The following morning, police found Brittney's body on the side of the road in the outskirts of town. She had been strangled to death. Cheyenne denied involvement in Brittney's death, and claimed that the two of them separated that night after Brittney left the bar with an unidentified man. 

Two years into the investigation, detectives came across the above image that both Brittney and Cheyenne posted in Facebook on March 24th, 2015. At this post, the detectives noticed that Cheyenne was wearing the same belt that found near Brittney's body--and was ultimately used to strangle Brittney to death. Cheyenne was arrested and charged with Brittney's murder at that point, though she maintained that she had no memory of the event. However, a friend of Cheyenne's told police that Cheyenne admitted that she snapped at hit/strangled Brittney just days after it occurred. She accepted a plea deal, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Cheyenne is currently serving a seven-year sentence. [read more] [also on: Friendships Turned Fatal]

3. The Kidnapping & Presumed Murder of Sierra Lamar

On the morning of March 16th, 2012, 15 year-old Sierra Lamar snapped the above selfie on her laptop'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, and nobody has seen or heard from her since she sent her final text to a friend at 7:11am 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.

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. He was sentenced to life in prison. Garcia-Torres still maintains his innocence and has not revealed the location of Sierra’s body. [read more]

2. The Murder of Sarah Goode

Sarah Goode (pictured above in a purple sweatshirt and sweatpants) with friends at a party

On the evening of June 6th, 2014, Sarah Goode (21) left her 4 year-old daughter with her mother so she could attend a party in Medford, New York. While there, she posted a picture (seen above) of her smiling and enjoying the party with her friends. Shortly after this picture was taken, Sarah was brutally attacked and murdered by 19 year-old Dante Taylor. 

It is believed that Sarah’s untimely death was the result of a sexually-motivated attack. At Taylor's trial, the prosecution said that Taylor was angry that night because Sarah had rejected his sexual advances. As a result, Taylor dragged Sarah out the the woods, raped her, beat her so hard that a piece of metal was found lodged in her skull, and stabbed her to death. The jury found Taylor guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In October 2017, he was found dead in his jail cell. His cause of death has not been released. [read more]

1. The Kidnapping (and presumed murder) of Christina Morris

23 year-old Christina Morris smiled in the above photo, which was taken at the apartment of her friend Paulina Petrosky in Plano, Texas. A few hours after this picture was taken, Christina and 24 year-old Enrique Arochi left Paulina’s apartment at the same time to walk to their respective cars that were parked in a nearby garage. The two were caught by surveillance cameras walking together towards the parking garage. A couple minutes later, surveillance cameras captured Enrique’s car exiting the garage, but Christina’s remained inside. Christina never made it home after that and has not been seen or heard from since. She was reported missing by her father a few days later on September 2nd, 2014.

When questioned by police, Enrique said that he and Christina walked into separate garages after leaving Paulina’s apartment. However, the surveillance footage proved that was not true. The police interviewed Enrique several times over the next few months, and they brought his vehicle in for forensic testing. Finally, on December 9th, 2014, the test results on his car came back, and it was determined that a significant amount of Christina’s DNA was present on the edge of the vehicle’s trunk opening. Enrique was subsequently arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping. Prosecutors would later reveal that they believed Enrique had murdered Christina as well, however they decided not to pursue murder charges without a body. 

Enrique went to trial in September 2016. He was ultimately found guilty of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison. After his sentencing, Enrique continued to maintain his innocence and even proclaimed that he hoped Christina was still alive. Then, in March 2018, Christina's remains were found in a field in Anna, Texas--an area close to her final cell phone ping. It was also revealed that Enrique's cell phone pinged in that area around the same time as Christina's. 

At this point, Enrique was already sentenced to life in prison before the body was even found, however he was never charged with Christina's murder. At this point, it is unclear if prosecutors will pursue murder charges. Enrique remains incarcerated on the kidnapping charges. [read more] [also on: No Body Convictions]

The Murder of Alisha Bromfield

Brian Cooper (36) and Alisha Bromfield (21) at Brian’s sister’s wedding on August 18th, 2012. Just hours after this photograph was taken, Brian savagely murdered Alisha inside the hotel room they shared in Door County, Wisconsin.

Despite their closeness in the above image, Brian and Alisha were not a couple. In fact, Alisha was six months pregnant with another man’s baby. Brian was actually Alisha’s boss at Home Depot, where they worked in Plainfield, Illinois. According to Alisha’s mother, Brian immediately took a liking to Alisha when she began to work for him, and the two struck up a casual friendship. Brian, however, was seeking more than friendship. He told others at work that they two were dating, but Alisha’s friends stated that the two never once went out on a date. 

Alisha’s mother stated that Alisha was not romantically interested in Brian and only spent time with him to preserve her position at work. This is how Alisha ended up being Brian’s date to his sister’s wedding in Door County, located around six hours away from Plainfield. Alisha expressed to her friends that she did not want to go—so when they asked her why she agreed to be his date, she replied “I need to keep this job.” The father of her child was not planning on being involved, so Alisha was terrified of losing her only source of income.

At some point after Brian and Alisha arrived in Door County, the two got into an argument. Alisha ultimately decided to end her friendship with Brian. She agreed to act as his date for the evening at his sister’s wedding, but insisted that their friendship would be over once they returned home. Brian was enraged by the thought of not being in her life anymore, and that rage continued to build as he grew gradually more intoxicated at the wedding. 

Once Brian and Alisha were back at their hotel room, they were laying in their respective beds when Brian attempted to make plans with Alisha that coming Sunday. Alisha reminded Brian that they would no longer be friends once they returned home. Brian then snapped and attacked Alisha on her bed. A struggle ensued, and Brian strangled Alisha—killing both her and her unborn baby. Hours later, Brian stumbled into a gas station and used the clerk’s phone to call 911 and turn himself in.

After his arrest, Brian confessed even more disturbing details. In addition to killing Alisha, Brian told investigators that he raped her postmortem. He said he took her clothes off just because he “wanted to see what she looked like naked,” but investigators soon learned that Brian had already been spying on Alisha for months. While building their case against Brian, investigators found that Brian had secretly installed cameras in one of his bathrooms when Alisha was dog-sitting for him. He also installed a camera in the bathroom of the hotel room they shared in Door County.

At trial, prosecutors stated that it was clear Brian had a sick obsession with Alisha. Brian’s defense attorneys did not deny this; however they claimed that Brian was intoxicated while he killed Alisha and therefore was too drunk to form intent when the act occurred. That apparently caught the attention of some jurors, as the jury ended up being deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial. 

However, the prosecution tried him again and this time, they succeeded. It took the jury less than an hour to declare Brian guilty of all charges. He was ultimately sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

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[Moments Captured Right Before a Kidnapping/Murder]

[Killers Who Confessed]

The Disappearance of Zachary Porter

Zachary ‘Zack’ Porter had just recently turned 25 years-old when he went missing on July 23rd, 2013. Prior to his disappearance, Zack lived in McMinnville, Oregon with his parents and his five-year-old son. On the day he was last seen, Zack told his family that he was going to North Bend, Oregon to sell a motorcycle to a buyer he’d met over the Internet. It has been confirmed that he did, in fact, make to North Bend and he completed the sale. However, at some point while Zack was still in the North Bend area, his family received text messages from his phone that they do not believe came from Zack himself. Zack also told his parents that he was going to get a ride home from the motorcycle buyer, but he never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Investigators were able to track down the buyer, who told them that he actually did not give Zack a ride home. He told investigators that Zack arranged to meet with a friend at the nearby Myrtlewood Factory who would give him a ride home instead. Investigators obviously questioned this, since Zack never returned home and there does not appear to be any record of him at Myrtlewood Factory. Zack’s parents have confirmed that Zack did reach out to several friends to ask for a ride home, but was unable to find someone willing to make the 3-hour drive.

Zack’s loved ones do not believe he is missing on his own accord. He was a single father to his son, and he was also the primary caretaker of his disabled mother. It would be very uncharacteristic for him to leave them behind. At this time, the police have not identified any suspects in Zack’s disappearance, but they have stated that the motorcycle buyer is a person of interest. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the case. If you have any information that could help, please report it by calling 541-396-3121.

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[List Series: Missing Far From Home Vol. II]

Timeline: The Murder of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind & the Fetal Abduction of her Daughter

The murder of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind is a harrowing case of fetal abduction and deception led by a woman named Brooke Crews.  Savanna's family lived in the same North Dakota apartment building as Brooke and her boyfriend William Hoehn, which made a pregnant Savanna the perfect target for Brooke's scheme. Below is an extensive timeline of the case.

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January 2017: Brooke Crews (38) tells her boyfriend William Hoehn (32) that she is pregnant with his child. Unbeknownst to William, Brooke is telling a lie in an attempt to keep him in the relationship.

Brooke Crews (left), William Hoehn (right)

August 19th, 2017 1:24pm: Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind (22) sends a text message to her mother to let her know that she ordered pizza for the family to eat for lunch. Then, she says she is going upstairs to Apt. 5 to help their neighbor Brooke with a sewing project. Savanna is about 8 months pregnant at the time. 

The apartment building where Savanna & her family + Brooke Crews lived

August 19th, 2017 2:30pm: Savanna's mother sends Savanna's 16-year-old brother up to Apt. 5 to remind Savanna that she was supposed to drive him to work. Nobody answers the door. He tells his mother that he heard what he thought was the sound of a sewing machine inside the apartment. 

August 19th, 2017 2:33pm: Savanna's mother sends her a text asking about her whereabouts. Savanna does not respond. 

August 19th, 2017 2:33pm-2:39pm:Savanna's mother observes William Hoehn walking into the apartment building and walking towards the apartment he shared with Brooke.

August 19th, 2017 2:40pm-4pm:William enters the apartment he shares with Brooke and finds Brooke in the bathroom with a newborn baby and with Savanna bleeding on the floor. Brooke tells William that she and Savanna got into a fight after Brooke accused Savanna of harassing her cat. 

Brooke claims Savanna fell, hit her head on the bathroom sink, and went unconscious. Brooke tells William that after Savanna went unconscious, she cut the baby from her womb. Together, Brooke and William clean up the bathroom and hide Savanna's body in a closet.

August 19th, 2017 4-4:30pm: Savanna's mother knocks on the door of Apt. 5 to ask about Savanna's whereabouts. William answers the door and tells her that Savanna left hours ago.

August 19th, 2017 4:30pm: Savanna's mother calls the Fargo Police Department to report Savanna missing.

August 19th, 2017 5pm: The Fargo PD conducts a consensual search of Brooke and William's apartment. Nothing of significance is found, as the police did not have warrants to thoroughly search the home at that time. Brooke and William reportedly hid the baby under bed covers during said search.

August 19th, 2017 10:30pm: Police return to Apt. 5 to conduct another search, but once again nothing is found. Brooke and William once again hide the baby under bed covers.

August 20th, 2017: Brooke and William hide the baby yet again as police return for another search. Police once again are unable to uncover any significant evidence.

August 21st, 2017: Brooke and William place Savanna's body into a hollowed-out dresser. The dresser holding her is removed from the building and is disposed of in the Red River. 

August 22nd, 2017: As Brooke, William, and the baby are returning home from a shopping trip to buy diapers, police arrive and arrest William for an outstanding warrant in an unrelated case. Panicking that they've been caught, Brooke hides the baby in a shopping bag and carries her back up to the apartment. The baby goes unnoticed. William is later released on bail. 

August 24th, 2017: Other tenants in the apartment building tell Savanna's mother that they heard sounds of a crying baby coming from Apt. 5. Savanna's mother, who is already very suspicious of Brooke and William, alerts the police. 

Coincidentally, earlier that day, police learned that Brooke and William had purchased diapers just two days earlier. Additionally, police interviewed some of William’s friends who claimed that William had recently spoken about having a new baby in his home. That information, combined with this phone call from Savanna’s mother, was enough for police to finally obtain a warrant. 

Brooke and William are subsequently arrested, and the baby is taken into police custody. 

August 27th, 2017: Kayakers in the Red River find a body stuffed in garbage bags on a fallen log. The body is later confirmed to belong to Savanna.

Red River, where Savanna's body was found

August 28th, 2017: Brooke and William are arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and giving false information to law enforcement. 

August 31st, 2017: It is reported that both William and Brooke told investigators that the baby found at their apartment belonged to Savanna. Additionally, court documents reveal that Brooke confessed to taking advantage of Savanna in order to take keep the baby as her own. Still, though, DNA tests have not yet confirmed the child's identity.

September 11th, 2017: Savanna's boyfriend/father of her child Ashton Matheny reveals that DNA tests have confirmed that the baby is his and Savanna's. The little girl, who the couple had planned to name Haisley Jo, is placed into Ashton's custody.

December 11th, 2017: Brooke Crews pleads guilty to all charges.

Brooke Crews in court (Dec. '17)

February 2nd, 2018: Brooke is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Savanna's family members, including Ashton and Haisley Jo, are in the courtroom during sentencing.

Ashton with Haisley Jo in court

September 4th, 2018: William Hoehn pleads guilty to the lesser charges of kidnapping and providing false information to authorities. He maintains his not guilty plea on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

September 18th, 2018: William's trial for conspiracy to commit murder begins.

September 18th-27th, 2018: Brooke testifies at his trial. While on the stand, she admits that she did not “explicitly” tell William about her plans to kidnap Savanna’s baby. She tells the jury that William arrived at their apartment after Brooke had finished the c-section, and neither of them were sure if Savanna was dead or not. Brooke states that William put a rope around Savanna’s neck to ensure she was dead before the two began to clean up the apartment.

cont.: William also testifies. He states that Brooke was lying about him tying a rope around Savanna's neck. He admits to coming home that day and finding Brooke sitting next to a cut-open and bleeding Savanna, and to helping Brooke cover up the murder and kidnapping. His defense attorneys also maintain that Savanna was likely dead by the time he arrived at their apartment.

September 28th, 2018: The jury acquits William Hoehn for the charges of conspiracy to commit murder. 

October 30th, 2018: Having still plead guilty for the kidnapping charges, William Hoehn is sentenced to life in prison.

May 29th, 2019: It is reported that William is appealing his sentence with the Supreme Court. 

PRESENTLY:

Ashton is continuing to raise Haisley Jo. She is reportedly happy and healthy. Savanna's family members and friends are continuing to honor her memory.