Sunday, January 31, 2021

The Disappearance & Presumed Murder of Tyler Marie Thomas


Tyler Marie Thomas vanished at the age of 19 on December 3rd, 2010. 

At the time of her disappearance, Tyler was a student at Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska. She vanished while walking back to campus after attending an off-campus party. Tyler was reportedly intoxicated at the party, and she was asked to leave after getting into a fight with a friend. 

Tyler sent a text shortly before 1:30 AM to say that she was lost - despite the fact that someone had spotted her just a few hundred feet away from her dorm building around the same time. Tyler never made it back into the building. Her friends were immediately concerned when she did not return - not only because she was intoxicated, but also because it was frigidly cold outside, and Tyler was not wearing a coat. She was reported missing by 3am--just an hour and a half after she was last seen. 

Searches for Tyler along the route where she was last seen ended unsuccessfully. Investigators began to question her friends/dorm mates, and it did not take long before the name Joshua Keadle appeared on their radar. 

Joshua was also a student at Peru State. He had taken Tyler on a date at some point before her disappearance, but afterwards Tyler said that she was not interested in him. In fact, she had told many of her friends that she was trying to avoid him. Joshua was questioned about Tyler's disappearance, but he denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. Just days later, though, Joshua was arrested for providing false information to the police. 

After his arrest, another student came forward and said that Joshua had sexually assaulted her three times on Halloween--which was roughly a month before Tyler disappeared. Joshua was then additionally charged with false imprisonment and felony rape. Then, yet another young girl came forward and said that Joshua had sexually assaulted her in 2008--when she was just 15 years old. He was charged with rape for that case as well

Meanwhile, Joshua continued to deny involvement in Tyler's disappearance. However, his story had dramatically changed. Joshua initially told investigators that he saw Tyler walking on campus before her disappearance, but he did not talk with her at that time. He later admitted that Tyler actually got into his car with him, and he drove them to the Peru boat dock.

By Joshua's account, the two smoked marijuana at the dock before Tyler offered to perform a sexual act on him in exchange for a ride to Omaha. Joshua explained to investigators that, after the sexual act, Tyler accused him of rape and the two got into an argument that turned physical. He then claimed that he left Tyler at the dock around 2am before returning to his dorm to shower.

The dock where Joshua claimed to have left Tyler happens to be the same place where the other Peru student said that Joshua raped her on Halloween. Based on this information, and all of the other accusations against Joshua, it became clear that many people did not believe his version of events regarding Tyler's disappearance. In fact, many believed that Joshua killed Tyler and dumped her body in the Missouri River.  Joshua continuously denied this, and the search for Tyler seemingly went stagnant. It would take years before Tyler's family would receive justice. 

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The other charges for Keadle.

In March 2012, Joshua pleaded guilty to the 2008 rape charges. He was sentenced to 15-20 years in prison but would be eligible for parole after serving 8 years.

Joshua Keadle

The wrongful death suit.

That same year, Tyler's mother filed a wrongful death suit against both Joshua and Peru State College. After Joshua's initial arrest, Tyler's family learned that Joshua had been in trouble with the school before Tyler disappeared. The week prior, the school's director of campus security recommended expulsion for Joshua. He had caused property damage after kicking the door of his dorm room, he was failing his classes, and he had been accused by two other students of sexual harassment.

Despite all of this, the school administration opted to allowed Joshua to finish the semester before expulsion. The lawsuit filed by Tyler's mother claimed that Joshua should have been expelled before Tyler's disappearance--but because the school allowed him to stay, Tyler became the next victim of Joshua's predatory behavior. 

Although Tyler remained missing, a judge officially declared Tyler dead in 2013.  In 2015, the judge dismissed the lawsuit against the school, citing that "there was no way the institution could have foreseen that he was a risk for violent behavior." The judge did, however, rule in favor of Tyler's family in the suit against Joshua. The family was awarded $2.64 billion in damages--but since Joshua is incarcerated without any solid income, it is unlikely that Tyler's family will ever receive any pay out. 

The 2017 arrest.

By this point, it was widely believed that Joshua murdered Tyler before dumping her body in the river. Still, investigators did not have a body and enough evidence or witnesses to prosecute. Joshua remained behind bars on his other conviction, but his 2020 parole eligibility was quickly approaching. 

Finally, in October 2017, Joshua was charged with the first-degree murder of Tyler Thomas. After news of his arrest circulated, a man named Cory Pfeifer came forward and said that he had been housed in the same jail as Joshua during 2011. While behind bars together, Joshua reportedly told Cory that he killed Tyler and disposed of her body. He also reportedly told Cory that "they would never convict him because they would never find her body."

The conviction.

Joshua pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and went to trial in early 2020. A jury deliberated for nine hours before convicting him of the lesser offense of second-degree murder. He was due to be sentenced in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his sentencing until July 2020. Then, Joshua was sentenced to 71 years in prison. 

The Disappearance of Lorenzia Tucker

 


Lorenzia Tucker has been missing since February 1st, 2011. The 31-year-old had just moved from Chicago, Illinois to East Chicago, Indiana before she vanished. On the day of her disappearance, Lorenzia went back to Chicago to pick up her tax return. She reportedly picked it up around 2pm. Lorenzia intended to return home to her three children after that, but she never made it there. She reportedly called someone to pick her up and drive her home, but at this time the identity of the person she called is not known to the public. Lorenzia has never been seen or heard from again. 

Lorenzia is described as a dedicated mother who would not abandon her children. She was having issues with an ex-boyfriend before her disappearance; however, she had just moved to East Chicago to get away from him. Although Lorenzia traveled back to Chicago, Illinois on the day of her disappearance, her ex-boyfriend is not considered a person of interest in her case. 

Years have passed, and unfortunately there have been very few updates in Lorenzia's case. As previously noted, it is unclear who, exactly, Lorenzia called to pick her up on the day of her disappearance. It is also unclear if said person--or if anyone--actually did pick her up that afternoon. 

Lorenzia remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please call 219-391-8500 to submit an anonymous tip. 

Saturday, January 30, 2021

The Disappearance of Graciela Garcia


Graciela Garcia has been missing since November 2019. The 49-year-old woman was last seen in Hermiston, Oregon. On the evening of November 8th, 2019, Graciela had dinner plans with her 14-year-old son, who was staying at his father's home. Graciela's son was surprised when his stepfather - Graciela's husband - showed up with food instead. Graciela's husband explained that she had already gone to bed. Graciela was never seen or heard from again.

It is uncharacteristic of Graciela to be out of touch for this long. She is described as a loving mother who would not abandon her children. By 2019, both of Graciela's daughters were grown and living on their own, but Graciela still spoke to them daily. She was splitting custody of her son with her ex-husband, but also still spoke with her son regularly while he was with his father.

Prior to her disappearance, Graciela was a well-known hairstylist who was very close with her clients. It was also unlike her to just walk away from her business without any warning. Due to all these circumstances, it became immediately clear to friends and family that something was wrong when Graciela fell out-of-touch.

On November 9th, 2019, Graciela's husband told one of her daughters that Graciela was not home, and he did not know where she was. After two more days passed without any sign of her, Graciela's other daughter filed a missing person's report on November 11th, 2019. 

Once detectives began investigating, it was discovered that Graciela's passport, personal identification, and cell phone disappeared with her. However, her phone was turned off. It was later determined that the phone pinged one final time off of a tower near Washington Bridge before it was shut off. 

Investigators have described Graciela's disappearance as suspicious. Around four months after she vanished, Hermiston Police told Dateline that they had "no confirmed details available about exactly where or when [Graciela] was last seen." Graciela's husband has inevitably been questioned, and many found it suspicious that he did not report Graciela missing to police. 

However, he has reportedly cooperated with the investigation. This is noted on a Facebook post from the Hermiston Police that was published in July 2020. The post reads, "[Graciela's husband] has consented to a search of his home and other property under his control, been interviewed on more than one occasion, provided DNA samples, etc. He was under no legal obligation to do any of those things, and his cooperation was not compelled in any manner."

It is unclear if anything was seized during the searches of the home or property. Graciela remains missing without a trace. Her children are desperately searching for answers. If you have any information that could help locate Graciela, please call Hermiston's anonymous tip line at 541-667-5148.

List Series: Killers Who Confessed

A list of ten murder cases in which the killer ultimately confessed to their crime. Some confessed immediately, while others took years to confess--but all ultimately ended up admitting that they committed murder. 


Brian Cooper

image source: vice.com

Alisha Bromfield
was only 21 years old when she was savagely murdered by Brian Cooper on August 18th, 2012. Brian, who was 36 at the time of the murder, was Alisha's boss at Home Depot in Plainfield, Illinois. Alisha and Brian struck up a casual friendship while working together, but Brian reportedly wanted more out of the relationship. Unbeknownst to Alisha, who was pregnant with another man's baby, Brian was spying on her. He 
had secretly installed cameras in one of his bathrooms when Alisha was dog-sitting for him.  If Alisha had known about this, it's unlikely that she would have accepted Brian's invitation to his sister's wedding in Door County, Wisconsin. 

On the day of the murder, Brian drove both himself and Alisha on the 6-hour trip to Door County. During the ride there, the two reportedly fought and Alisha decided to end their friendship. She agreed to stay cordial during the wedding, but made it clear that their friendship was over by time they returned to Plainfield. 

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.

Despite this confession, Brian pleaded not guilty to murder charges. His first trial ended in mistrial. However, during his second trial, it took the jury less than one hour to find him guilty. Brian was ultimately sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. [read more]


Franklin Lee Burress

Tayler Harsch was only 23 years-old when she was murdered by her husband, Franklin Lee Burress, on September 4th, 2015.  The couple had actually begun their relationship years earlier, when Tayler was only 14 and Burress 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. The two lived together in Lake Monticello, Virginia. 

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 Burress again until 3am, when Burress called his parents hysterically crying, saying that he “snapped” and killed Tayler.  His parents called the police. When they arrived at the couple’s home, police found Tayler’s body in their hot tub, and Burress covered in her blood. He was arrested and charged with murder.

Burress confessed to the crime not long after it happened. In July 2016, he ultimately ended up pleading guilty to second degree murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. [read more]


Samantha Stansifer

Jim ‘Anthony’ Hall (23) was brutally murdered by his on-again, off-again girlfriend Samantha Stansifer (20) on June 14th, 2015. The couple lived together at Anthony's home in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Anthony and Samantha had been together on-and-off for about 3 years at the time of the murder. Those closest to the couple described their relationship as toxic.

On the night of the murder, Anthony and Samantha got into an argument after Samantha reportedly saw texts from another woman on Anthony's phone. Their argument eventually settled down and then two decided to go to bed. Then, as they were about to fall asleep, Samantha reportedly  Samantha noticed more text messages from the same girl on Anthony’s phone. Samantha then told Anthony she was going to the kitchen to get a drink of water, but instead she grabbed two knives. She then returned and began to stab and mutilate Anthony’s body until he died. Afterwards, Samantha seemingly confessed on Facebook, posting, “I did it. He deserved it.” Then, Samantha called the police and told them, “I killed my boyfriend and now I can’t kill myself.” Officers quickly showed up on the scene and Samantha was arrested shortly thereafter. 

Much like Franklin Lee Burress, Samantha confessed to the crime shortly after it occurred. In April 2016, Samantha pleaded guilty to murdering Anthony. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole. [read more]

Cathleen Boyer

Kayla VanWert (pictured left) was murdered by her former friend/romantic rival Cathleen Boyer on May 29th, 2016. Kayla was only 18 years old at the time of her death--and Cathleen, her assailant, was only 16. Both teens lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Kayla and Cathleen had been in an ongoing fight over a 19 year-old named Jorge DeJesus. Kayla and Jorge had a one year-old child together, but Kayla also suspected that Cathleen and Jorge had been sleeping together as well.

On the day Kayla was killed, she confronted Cathleen on Facebook. The two sent angry messages back and forth to one another before Cathleen initiated a fist fight. They then met up at the 800 block of McKenna Court in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where a physical brawl ensued. Witnesses state that Kayla appeared to be “overpowering” Cathleen during the fight, when all of a sudden she began screaming “she’s stabbing me!” repeatedly. Once the witnesses realized that Cathleen had pulled a knife out on Kayla, they began to scatter from the scene. The police were called, and Cathleen herself able to flee before they arrived. Once they did arrive, Kayla was found laying on the ground with stab wounds to both her neck and chest. She was transferred to a nearby hospital where she later died.

Much like Samantha Stansifer, Cathleen also posted about her crime on Facebook. Cathleen wrote, “I’m wrong, I’ll admit it and I’m gonna turn myself in … but it is what it is at the end of the day, got to face the consequences … no remorse.” Cathleen was arrested shortly after this confession charged as an adult with criminal homicide.On July 3rd, 2017, Cathleen pleaded guilty to murder in the third degree. She was later sentenced to 7-20 years in prison. [read more]


Ethan Reid

Ethan Reid murdered his ex-girlfriend/mother of his child, Kaylah Hodges (20), on October 3rd, 2016. Ethan joins the list of the previously mentioned killers who confessed to their crimes on Facebook. However, unlike Samantha Stansifer and Cathleen Boyer, Ethan posted his confession on Facebook before the murder even occurred. The timing of his post indicates that Kaylah's murder was very much premeditated.

Kaylah and Ethan shared a 7 month old daughter together. They broke up some time after their daughter’s birth. Ethan had allegedly been abusive towards Kaylah, however Kaylah still maintained a good relationship with his mother, April Riley. Kaylah and her daughter lived with April at her residence in Scottsville, Kentucky. 

On the night of the murder, Ethan went to his mother's house armed with a rifle. Minutes before opening fire, he posted his confession: “Sorry guys. I’m truly not this bad of a person. I’ve been pushed to this point over of time. I’m dissapointed in myself too. I could have been so much more. It’s so sad. I’m a terrible person overall. Learn from my mistakes. Just know this was never my intentions. I love all of you. I’m just not meant to be happy. Ever. I’m sorry. I love you all. Xoxo.” Ethan then ambushed the house, pushing his mother out of the way as he pursued Kaylah. Kaylah ran out of the house in attempt to flee, but Ethan followed suit and shot Kaylah in the back. She collapsed. 

Police were called and Ethan was arrested and charged with first degree murder on the spot. Kaylah was taken the hospital, where she unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. On September 13th, 2017, Ethan plead guilty to murdering Kaylah. He was later sentenced to 35 years in prison. [read more]


Matthew Pernosky

Rachel Pernosky was only 18 years old when she was murdered by her half-brother, Matthew Pernosky, on March 16th, 2013.  Rachel and Matthew share a father, and the two had known each other for most of their lives. Unfortunately, the half-siblings had a very rocky past. In fact, when Rachel was a young child, Matthew molested her. He was around 15 years old at the time of the sexual assault, and he was sentenced to probation at the age of 19. 

By 2013, Rachel had a 1 year-old son and loved being a mother. However, Matthew was not completely absent from her life. On March 16th, 2013, Matthew went to Rachel’s home in Mission and told her that he wanted to apologize for molesting her as a child. A conversation ensued, and at a certain point, one of Rachel’s friends texted her to ask her how the discussion with Matthew was going. Rachel reportedly told the friend that the conversation was “good, but emotional” and that she was tired and hoped Matthew would leave soon. This is the last time anyone ever heard from Rachel, and she was later reported missing after she did not pick-up her son. Unfortunately, just three days later, Rachel’s body was found hidden in steep terrain near Old Orchard Road in Chilliwack. 

Matthew was a suspect very early on into the investigation, however it would take years before he admitted to any involvement in Rachel's death. Finally, in 2016, investigators had an officer disguise himself as the head of a criminal organization in order to infiltrate Matthew. The disguised officer, who used the alias “Mr. Big”, was able to get a full confession out of him. Matthew confessed to “Mr. Big” that he hit Rachel on the head and pinning her down before suffocating her by holding his hand over her nose and mouth. Afterwards, Matthew took Rachel’s body to his home in Abbotsford and sexually molested her post-mortem before dumping her Chilliwack. All of the information that Matthew provided to “Mr. Big” during his confession supported all the evidence that investigators had gathered over the years. Matthew was subsequently arrested and charged with both Rachel’s murder and two other counts of indignity to the human body.

On May 28th, 2018, Matthew pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges. He was given an automatic life sentence, but will be eligible for parole after 13 years.  [read more]


Aaron Trejo


17 year-old Breana Rouhselang was murdered by 16 year-old Aaron Trejo on December 9th, 2018. The two teens are from Mishawaka, Indiana–where Aaron played football at the local high school, and Breana competed as a cheerleader. Breana and Aaron first met when they were in elementary school, but they reportedly only began to have a romantic relationship during 2018. 

At some point during their relationship, Breana learned that she was pregnant. She reportedly waited until she was about 20 weeks along to tell Aaron that he had fathered her child. By then, it was too late to get an abortion. This infuriated Aaron, and he spent a week formulating a plan to solve his problem. On the evening of December 8th, Aaron asked Breana to meet up and discuss the pregnancy. Around 11pm, they met up in an alley behind her family’s home. Unbeknownst to Breana, Aaron had a knife and a garbage bag in his possession when they met. He allegedly confronted Breana over the fact that she told him about her pregnancy after it was too late to get an abortion. According to Aaron, an argument ensued and he ended up strangling Breana with her scarf before stabbing her to death. He then placed the garbage bag over her head and then placed her body in a restaurant dumpster located a block away.

After Breana’s body was found, her family members told police that she had left their home around 11pm to talk to Aaron. When police located and questioned Aaron, he initially denied meeting up with Breana that night. However, after being confronted with physical evidence, he admitted that Breana was pregnant with his child, and he was upset about it being too late for an abortion. When the detectives asked what he did about it, Aaron replied “I took action… I took her life.”

In October 2019, Aaron pleaded guilty to both murder and feticide charges. In January 2020, he was sentenced to 65 years in prison. The judge sentenced Aaron to 55 years for the murder of Breana, plus an additional ten years for the murder of their unborn child. [read more]


Melanie Eam

James Barry (21) was stabbed to death inside his mother’s Loxahatchee, Florida home during the early morning hours of November 17th, 2016.  Shortly before his death, James had broken up with his girlfriend Melanie Eam via text message. This angered her, and she went to James' mother's house to confront him about it. An argument ensued, and Melanie ended up stabbing James during a fit of rage. The boyfriend of James' mother, Guy Hand, heard their argument and subsequent screams. Guy ran into James’ bedroom and found him fatally wounded on his bed. It was clear that James had been stabbed, and the assailant had already fled the scene. Guy attempted to CPR to no avail; James died before the paramedics were able to get to him.

While investigating James' murder, detectives learned that James had recently broken up with Melanie via text. Melanie was tracked down in Silver Spring, Maryland just 3 days after James' death. After being taken into custody, Melanie admitted to stabbing James in a fit of rage. The confession was recorded, and in the recording a detective is heard asking Melanie how many times she stabbed James. Melanie replied, “I don’t know, it’s not like I counted.” When the detective asked her why she stabbed him, she explained that “he set me off” when he decided to end the relationship through text instead of in person.

Despite confessing to the crime, Melanie still pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. Her defense team pointed the finger at Guy Hand--the only other person who was present in the home on the night of James' death. Melanie’s defense likely created reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors, as a mistrial was declared in September 2018. However, Melanie was retried in early January 2019, and this time around she was found guilty. She was sentenced to 50 years in prison. [read more]


Connor Scott
image source: 9News

Kaylyn Whitaker (20) was shot to death inside her boyfriend’s Martinsville, Illinois home on October 31st, 2014. Her boyfriend Connor Scott told police that Kaylyn had shot herself in the head. When police arrived on the scene, they found Kaylyn’s body with a gun in her hand. Her death was ruled a suicide. However, after analyzing her wound, forensic experts doubted that Kaylyn could have shot herself based on spot the bullet entered her skull. Ten months after she was killed, Kaylyn’s death was reclassified as a homicide. Still, there were no arrests made in the case. Connor was an obvious suspect, but police did not charge him with anything at that time.

Years passed without any movement in Kaylyn's case. Then, on February 23rd, 2019, Connor walked into a Danville, Indiana police department and confessed to murdering Kaylyn back in 2014. It is unclear what drove him to confess, but authorities in Martinsville were contacted. They subsequently went to Danville to interview Connor. Afterwards, Connor was sent to Hendricks County Jail to await extradition back to Illinois. Once he was extradited, he was formally charged with Kaylyn's murder.

In October 2019, Connor pleaded guilty to her murder. As part of his plea deal, he was sentenced to 37 years in prison. [read more]


Liam McAtasney & Preston Taylor


Sarah Stern was only 19 years-old when she was murdered on December 3rd, 2016.  Sarah grew up in Neptune City, New Jersey, and was living there at the time of her death. Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor were close friends of Sarah's while in high school. However, in December 2016, Liam committed the ultimately betrayal when he strangled Sarah to death inside her father's home. Preston later helped Liam dispose of Sarah's body into Shark River. They left Sarah's car the Belmar Bridge to make it appear as if Sarah had jumped. 

Liam reportedly killed Sarah after she had inherited money from her grandfather. After Sarah was reported missing, it did not take long for investigators to determine that Liam and Sarah had been in contact on the day of her disappearance. When questioned by police, Liam denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. However, Liam ended up confessing in detail to a friend of his. Unbeknownst to Liam, said friend was already working with police. The friend was able to record Liam's confession.In the recording, Liam is heard saying “it took me half an hour to kill her. The worst part of it is I thought I was walking out with $50,000 to $100,000 in my pocket. [But] she had one safe that she took money out of and it only had $10,000.” Liam also admitted to studying Sarah’s mannerisms–particularly her movements while driving–in the months leading up to her death. That way, when Liam left Sarah’s home in her car, the neighbor’s surveillance camera would capture movements identical to Sarah’s typical movements while driving and make it appear that Sarah was the one who voluntarily left her home in the car.  Liam also implicated Preston in the crime. 

By February 2017, both Liam and Preston had been taken into custody. While in custody, Preston also confessed to police. He admitted to helping Liam dispose of Sarah's body. Preston ended up pleading guilty to murder charges. Liam maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty. However, he was found guilty by a jury in 2019. Liam was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [read more]

Friday, January 29, 2021

Fundraiser Friday Jan. 29, 2021

This week's Fundraiser Friday features cases of two young men who are missing under suspicious circumstances. Please share the stores and consider donating.


Logan Schiendelman



Logan Schiendelman vanished at the age of 19 on May 19th, 2016. He lived at his grandmother's home in Tumwater, Washington at the time of his disappearance. Logan's grandmother last saw him in the morning, as both of them prepared to go to work at their respective jobs. After leaving the house, Logan never returned home. 

Investigators later learned that there had been various sightings of both Logan and his car along Interstate 5 on May 20th, 2016—a day after he was last seen by his family. A woman reported seeing Logan standing with two caucasian men by his car, which was parked on the shoulder of the southbound Interstate near exit 95. When she later drove home, she saw that the car was still parked there with the hood up. Then, around 2pm that same day, three people called 911 to report a car drifting across the lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 92. It did not appear that anybody was driving the car. A truck driver reported seeing a caucasian man with red/brown hair jump out of the passenger side of the car shortly before it crashed. After exiting the vehicle, the man ran into the woods on the side of the Interstate. The description of this man does not match Logan’s description, yet it was later confirmed that the car in question was his. Logan’s cell phone, wallet, personal identification, cash, and other personal items were found inside the vehicle. An extensive search in the wooded area near the car’s location yielded no signs of him.

Logan remains missing today. His family is hoping to raise reward money in his case. [fundraiser link] [full case write-up]


Terrence Woods Jr.

Terrence Woods Jr. vanished at the age of 26 on October 5th, 2018. Terrence is originally from Maryland, however at the time of his disappearance he was in Orogrande, Idaho. Terrence worked as a production assistant for British docu-series Gold Rush: White Water. They were filming this particular season around Pinman Mine. 

Terrence's co-workers said that he was acting 'strangely' before his disappearance. As the film crew was wrapping up for the day, Terrence reportedly took off running towards a nearby cliff. When his co-workers went over to the cliff to see if he had fallen, they noticed he was already 15 feet down the cliff, running towards the woods. Some of the crew members waited by a nearby main road to see if Terrence would emerge from the woods. He never did, and he was reported missing by 5:30pm that evening. 

A widespread search of the surrounding areas did not turn up any signs of Terrence. He has never been seen or heard from again. The case remains unsolved and his family is hoping to raise money to for a private investigator. [fundraiser link] [full case write-up]

Sunday, January 24, 2021

The Disappearance of Jenna Verhille


Jenna Verhille has been missing since August 17th, 2017. The 26 year-old lived at her parent's home in South Rockwood, Michigan at the time of her disappearance. After years of struggling with heroin addiction and having several run-ins with police, Jenna was finally beginning to turn her life around. She had been released from jail a few weeks before she vanished, but she had already found a new waitressing job. Jenna also reportedly told her family members that she was planning to go back to school as well. Unfortunately, she disappeared before she ever had the chance.

On the day Jenna vanished, her father overheard her giving directions to her parent's house over the phone. Shortly thereafter, a man in a mid-sized tan Ford pulled up to the house. Jenna's father watched as she got into the car and drove off. Later that evening, Jenna's mother sent her a text to ask if she would be coming home soon. Jenna's mother then received a reply saying that she would not. After that interaction, Jenna stopped replying to texts, and all phone calls went straight to voicemail. She has never been seen or heard from again.

After Jenna was reported missing, South Rockwood PD stated that they did not find any evidence of foul play. In fact, during February 2018--months after Jenna vanished--the police chief said that Jenna's case is "inactive since Jenna is an adult and there is no evidence that a crime has been committed." Still, Jenna's family members believe that she was taken against her will, and was possibly forced into trafficking. 

Jenna remains missing today. There is a cash reward available for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts. If you have any information, please text CRIMES (274637) to submit an anonymous tip. 

Friday, January 22, 2021

Fundraiser Friday Jan. 22, 2021

This week's Fundraiser Friday features cases of two missing young women. Both women are suspected to be victims of sex trafficking. The families of both young women hope to raise money for private investigators and increased reward money in their cases. Please share their stories and consider donating!


Alexis Scott


Alexis Scott vanished at the age of 20 on September 22nd, 2017. The young mother lived in Peoria, Illinois at the time of her disappearance, and she was last seen at a house party on Richmond Avenue. Unbeknownst to Alexis, the man who owned the house on Richmond Ave was affiliated with sex traffickers that Alexis had escaped from already. Just weeks earlier, Alexis had reportedly been kidnapped in Las Vegas and transported to a sex trafficking ring in California. She was reportedly able to escape and eventually made her way back to Peoria. Then, Alexis later attended the party on Richmond Ave--and there is no evidence that she ever left the house. She has never been seen or heard from again. [link to fundraiser] [full case write-up]


Melissa Garcia


Melissa Garcia vanished at the age of 22 on April 23rd, 2019. She was reportedly last seen in Columbus, Ohio. Melissa's case has gotten very little attention in the media, however the GoFundMe page states that she was kidnapped and possibly forced into trafficking. Her loved ones are hoping that the money raised in the GoFundMe will provide incentive for those who might have information on her disappearance to speak up. [link to fundraiser] [full case write-up]

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

List Series: Unsolved Party Mysteries Vol. II

 A second list of unsolved mysteries that began with a party. Whether it's a disappearance with a missing person last seen or a party, or a murder than occurred at a party--each of these unsolved mysteries occurred around a large gathering of people. 

Read the original list.


The Disappearance of Ashley Summers


Ashley Summers was only 14 years-old when she vanished on July 6th, 2007. She was last seen at a pool party at her great uncle's residence on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio. Ashley had been staying with her other uncle, Kevin, before her disappearance. On the day of the pool party, she walked two miles from Kevin's house to her great uncle's house. According to relatives who saw her there, Ashley stayed at the party for about 3 or 4 hours before she left to walk to her aunt Christina’s house, who lived just a few blocks away. She never arrived and has not been seen since leaving that party.

Throughout the years, there have been numerous theories about what might have happened to Ashley. She was reportedly at odds with her mother and other family members prior to her disappearance--so it was originally theorized that she ran away. Ashley vanished very close to West Lorain Avenue–the same street from where Amanda Berry disappeared in 2003, and Gina DeJesus in 2004. When those two girls, along with Michelle Knight, were eventually rescued from Ariel Castro’s home on Seymour Avenue in 2013, there was speculation that Castro may have been involved in Ashley’s disappearance as well. However, while investigating Castro’s case, investigators were ultimately unable to find evidence of any other victims. 

Ashley's case has since gone cold, and her disappearance remains unsolved today. [read more]


The Disappearance & Death of Ethan Kazmerzak


Ethan Kazmerzak was only 22 years old when he vanished during the early morning hours of September 15th, 2013. He was last seen in Hampton, Iowa. Before vanishing, Ethan was at a party at a gravel pit pond located behind a house on 190th Street. Around 12:15am, Ethan called his mother and told her that he was on his way home. He never made it there, and was never seen or heard from again. Ethan's vehicle vanished with him, which lead to theories that Ethan might have driven his car into a body of water located in the rural area near the party. A pond near Olive Avenue was searched numerous times, but nothing was found. By 2019, investigators had separated from the theory that Ethan had driven into water. 

A little over a year later, scuba diver and YouTuber Jason Leisek went diving into the pond near Olive Avenue--where searches for Ethan had previously taken place. During his dive, Leisek spotted a vehicle. The car was located about 90 feet from the edge of the water, and only approximately 8 feet from the pond's surface. Once the car was removed from the water, investigators discovered human remains inside. Police later announced that those remains were that of Ethan Kazmerzak.

It's unclear why the vehicle was not spotted during the professional investigative searches that occurred years earlier. The car was found relatively close to the pond's surface and was reportedly very easy for Leisek to spot. Due to this, some have theorized that the vehicle somehow entered the pond at some point after those 2013 searches were conducted. This has not been confirmed and the investigation is still ongoing. [read more]


The Disappearance of Alexis Scott

Alexis Scott vanished after going to a party during the early morning hours of September 22nd, 2017. The 20 year-old woman lived in Peoria, Illinois at the time of her disappearance. Alexis spent the evening of September 21st out with her friends. As the evening poured into the following morning, Alexis was invited to an afterparty on Richmond Avenue. A cab driver dropped Alexis off at the house shortly after 5am.The cab driver later told police that a man greeted Alexis at the cab’s door and paid her fare. This is apparently the last official confirmed sighting of her. According to her missing poster, “there is no conclusive evidence that she ever left the residence, but [she] hasn’t been seen since.” 

After the news of Alexis’ disappearance began to circulate, it was revealed that Alexis had survived a kidnapping just three weeks earlier after a trip to Las Vegas. Alexis, along with two males and one other female, had taken the trip to Vegas in late August with hopes of making some extra money working as go-go dancers after the Floyd Mayweather fight. According to Alexis’ mother,  from there Alexis was kidnapped, drugged, then transported to Sacramento, California and entered into a sex trafficking ring. She managed to escape, partially naked and beaten, by running into the street and flagging down a woman who let Alexis borrow her phone. Alexis then called her mother, who sent her a bus ticket back to Illinois.

It was later revealed that the man who owns the house where Alexis attended the party on Richmond Avenue is affiliated with the men behind Alexis’ kidnapping in Vegas. This was obviously unknown to Alexis. The details of this affiliation have not been publicly revealed, and Alexis remains missing today. [read more]


The Disappearance & Death of Todd Geib

Todd Geib vanished in the midst of a keg party and bonfire in Casnovia, Michigan during the early morning hours of June 12th, 2005. The 22 year-old was amongst approximately 100 partygoers that evening.  Todd called a friend at 12:47am and said that he “had enough” of the party and was going to walk home. At 12:51, he called his sister but only said “I’m in a field”  before the phone call cut off. Todd’s sister called him back, but only heard what she thought was the sound of wind or heavy breathing before the call cut off again. Todd’s phone was used twice over the next few minutes in attempt to call his sister back. The last attempt was at 12:57am. Todd was never heard from again after that.

Three weeks later, on July 2nd, 2005, Todd’s body was found in Ovidhall Lake, a remote area near the party site. The couple that found him stated that they found his body standing upright in the water; they distinctly remember it because “his head and shoulders were sticking out of the water.” An autopsy determined that Todd had a .12 blood alcohol content at the time of his death. His cause of death was determined to be drowning, however the manner of death was undetermined. After these findings were made public, the Michigan State Police closed Todd’s case.

Four years later, in 2009, the CEO of Forensic Identification and Profiling Laboratory, Dr. Michael Sikirica, reviewed Todd’s autopsy report and recovery photos. Based on his findings, Dr. Sikirica concluded that Todd, who was missing for three weeks, had only been dead for 2-5 days before he was found. It was also concluded that Todd did not have any water in his lungs—which means he did not die by drowning. These findings were shared with a plethora of investigate professionals from across the world, and all of the professionals agreed with Dr. Sikirica’s conclusion. Despite this, the Michigan State Police have still refused to re-open Todd’s case. His parents firmly believe he was murdered and hope to one day receive justice. [read more]


The Murder of Jonah Golden

Jonah Golden was only 19 years-old when he was shot to death during the early morning hours of April 23rd, 2016. Jonah lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and on the evening of April 22nd, he attended a party at a home in Ortega Farms. The men throwing the party stated that the event got out-of-hand when the crowd got too large.  They eventually tried to break up the party themselves but were unable to gain control of the situation. Fights began to break out, and around 2:30am, shots began firing. Jonah ended up being shot and killed in the front yard. Another 18 year-old male was shot as well, but survived the injuries. The police were called again, but the shooter(s) fled the scene before the officers arrived.

Despite the numerous witnesses, the shooter remains unidentified. Jonah's murder remains unsolved. [read more]

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Disappearance of Kierra Stubbs


Kierra Stubbs has been missing since April 24th, 2014. The 23 year-old was last seen getting into a man's car on 3rd Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Surveillance cameras captured Kierra getting into the vehicle shortly after 9am. She has never been seen or heard from again.


The man Kierra met up with that morning was reportedly just an acquaintance whom she had met at her job. The man had offered to help Kierra fix the brakes on her car in exchange for Kierra braiding his children's hair. Kierra agreed, and her brother drove her to meet up with the man on the morning of her disappearance. 

After Kierra was reported missing, police identified this man - but his identity has not been revealed to the public. He is considered a person of interest in Kierra's case, but so far, he has not been charged with anything related to her disappearance. Her case has since grown cold. Investigators are hoping that other potential witnesses from the day of Kierra's disappearance will come forward with information.

Kierra remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please go here to submit and anonymous tip. 
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Sources:
CBS 42

Sunday, January 17, 2021

The Disappearance of William Hummelsund

source: Help Find William Hummelsund Facebook page

William Hummelsund vanished during the early morning hours of January 26th, 2017. The 20-year-old was last seen leaving a family friend's home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. William never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

William's case is unfortunately one of many missing persons cases with very little coverage by the media. However, there has been a decent amount of discussion about his disappearance on social media. Over a week after his disappearance, a friend posted the following the William's Facebook page: "Don't know what's going on with you but I hope you come home safe and sound...Praying for you will." Over the next few months, various other people posted to William's page inquiring about his whereabouts. On his birthday that year, family members sent him well wishes and posted messages such as "I hope you are ok" and "praying for you". 

On October 7th, 2017, a friend wrote: "Come out of hiding you went missing on purpose I know this is you on Twitter." The same person also claimed to have found his Twitter account--though his has never been confirmed. 




In July 2018, the same person wrote: "I still can’t believe this shit cuz it’s been almost two years... where the fuck did he go ?!? 🙁." Another friend responded, stating, "Nobody knows except for the ones who was with him that’s why it’s not making any sense." This information has not been confirmed, as none of the media reports about William's disappearance mention that he was seen with anyone else on the morning of his disappearance. Still, these messages theorize that someone out there has information about William's disappearance but is not talking.


William remains missing today, and there have been very few updates in his case. Minneapolis authorities are investigating. If you have any information that could lead to William's whereabouts, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.