Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The Disappearance of Amanda DeGuio

 


Amanda DeGuio was last seen by her loved ones in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania on June 3rd, 2014. Her family is still searching for her to this day. 

Amanda was only 24 years-old at the time she vanished. In the years leading up to her disappearance, Amanda struggled with drug addiction. According to her family, she grew addicted to painkillers after the birth of her first child.

Eventually, she began using heroin and working as a prostitute as well. However, Amanda remained close to her family and frequently checked in on her two children. In fact, shortly before her disappearance, Amanda and her family members had taken a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It appeared that she was sober during the trip. Amanda vanished just days after they returned to Drexel Hill.

On the afternoon of June 3rd, 2014, Amanda's mother Joanna DeGuio returned home from work only to find an empty house. Amanda was not there as expected, but her cell phone, credit cards, and other personal belongings were still inside the house.

After days passed without any sign of her, Amanda's loved ones began to fear she had fallen back into her drug habits. Some reports state that Amanda allegedly picked up someone else's Oxycontin prescription at a local pharmacy about a week after she was last seen at her family's house. As a result, police issued a warrant for Amanda's arrest for identity theft and receiving stolen property. 

Amanda's family members did not report her missing until August 27th, 2014. Amanda had disappeared for days at a time in the past, and after the warrant for her arrest was issued, many thought she was hiding out from police. After nearly 3 months passed without any contact, Amanda's loved ones began to fear she had come to harm. Once police began to investigate, they announced that they also believed that Amanda met with foul play. Eventually, the FBI became involved in the search for Amanda as well. 

Over the years, investigators have received numerous tips, but unfortunately none of them have panned out. In 2022, it was reported that a property was searched/dug up for clues related to Amanda's case. It appears that investigators left without any new information. 

Amanda remains missing today, and her case remains open. If you have any information that could lead to Amanda's whereabouts, please call 610-734-3439 to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

List Series: Unsolved Mysteries with Haunting Social Media Posts

As explained in the 'Cases with a Social Media Trail' list, it is not terribly uncommon for both victims and criminals involved in serious crimes to have social media accounts. Many victims who were active on social media made posts right up until the time of their disappearance or murder. Below is a list of 7 such unsolved cases involving victims who posted on social media right before their disappearance or death. These posts have become talking points in these cases, as they all provide insight into the victim's state of mind and actions prior to their disappearance or murder. All of these cases remain unsolved today.


The Disappearance of Cory Schroeder


Cory Schroeder vanished in Benton, Arkansas on May 21st, 2019. He disappeared just one day before his 45th birthday. Before Cory vanished, he posted "Going to be leaving Facebook in a few days.. Going on a new adventure," on his Facebook page. It's unclear what he was referencing in this post, and he has not been active on Facebook again.  Cory went missing the following day. 

News reports state that Cory vanished after a friend dropped him off at the Avilla grocery store in Benton. He was reportedly wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and carrying a red and black backpack at the time. Most news reports about Cory's disappearance say that he was never seen or heard from again after that, and very few other details are provided. Cory is described as 6'8" tall and approximately 235 pounds. Many have questioned how someone of his size can simply vanish without a trace. Cory's loved ones believe that someone in Benton community knows what happened, and they are hoping someone will come forward soon. [read more]


 The Disappearance of Lelia Faulkner
(click to enlarge text)

Lelia Faulkner vanished at the age of 29 on July 4th, 2016Two days before her disappearance, Lelia broke up with her live-in boyfriend Blane Gralheer and then moved back in with her parents at their Troy, Alabama home. On the day Lelia vanished, she made a shocking allegation against Blane. She posted an update on her Facebook page stating that Blane is gay and left her for a man. Shortly after making this post, Lelia left her young daughter with her parents so she could attend a 4th of July party. Lelia never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Once police began investigating Lelia's disappearance, they inevitably questioned Blane. Blane denied involvement in her disappearance, and also denied the allegations made in her Facebook post. Investigators asked Blane to take a polygraph exam, which he reportedly failed. He also refused to take a subsequent polygraph exam. Despite all of this, Blane has not been formally labeled as a suspect--though he is considered a person of interest.

Lelia remains missing today. [read more]


The Murder of Gabrielle Bledsoe

Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Bledsoe was only 16 years-old when she was brutally murdered inside her family’s home in Tulsa, Oklahoma in March 2013. Gabby’s mother Lacrecia Bledsoe last saw Gabby alive on March 1st, 2013. It was a Friday evening, and Lacrecia decided to spend the night at a friend’s house. Gabby was left home alone. Gabby tweeted about this around 7:45 PM that evening, stating "Have the house to myself everybody gone." At some point later that evening, At some point throughout that night, a person entered Gabby’s home and violently stabbed her to death. Gabby’s mother Lacrecia found her body the following morning. 

Gabby's Twitter page is public, so it's possible that whoever killed her saw her tweet about being home alone that night. Since her death, there has only been one named person of interest in the case: a man named James Barber. Barber also happens to be an ex-boyfriend of Gabby's mother. He was arrested a few weeks after Gabby's murder on unrelated charges, but continues to deny involvement in Gabby's case. To this day, no arrests have been made for Gabby's murder, and the case remains unsolved today. [read more]


The Disappearance of Melissa Bohm

Melissa Bohm has reportedly been missing since February 2018. The 38 year-old woman last spoke to her family members on November 24th, 2017--but she continued to be active on Facebook up until February 9th, 2018. Melissa's final Facebook post occurred at 7:11pm that evening. The post included a picture of her dog, Lola, and an announcement that she had been approved for an apartment. After this post, Melissa seemingly vanished and has never been seen or heard from again.

At first glance, nothing appears to be suspicious about Melissa's Facebook post. It is believed that she was referencing an apartment that she applied for in Seattle, Washington. However, there does not appear to be any record of Melissa moving into any apartment after that post was made. A few weeks later, a man claiming to be Melissa's ex-boyfriend commented. The man wrote, "I miss you biskets please hit me up I live in tacoma off 66th and ferdinand I would love to see you." Just minutes later, he wrote another comment, stating, "I hope everything is going good for you and you found yourself again. I've never stopped loving you and am here for you if you need me. I opened my tile business again and things are lookin up. Give Lola a hug and kiss from her dad and please get a hold of me i miss love you two very much." 

When a person replied to question if the ex was still seeing Melissa, he replied, "No she yold (sic) everyone we broke up when I was in jail and she lost everything I owned including my car and I just came to realize she didnt love me at all. She just used me." Months later, Melissa's sister commented on the post as well, asking the ex-boyfriend to get in touch with her. It's unclear if Melissa's family members ever got ahold of him, and Melissa remains missing today. No persons of interest or suspects have been named in the case. [read more]


The Disappearance of Shacaiah 'Blue' Harding

Shacaiah 'Blue' Harding was last seen on the afternoon of July 23rd, 2018. The 19 year-old was walking along Buena Vista Road in Billings, Montana at the time. The following day, Blue posted a series of Facebook posts expressing that she was upset about a failed relationship, amongst other things in her life. She posted her final post shortly before midnight, which reads, "All depressing but I'm typing it like it's everything but.. relying on feelings suck." All of Blue's social media activity ceased after that, and she has never been seen or heard from again.

In the months leading up to Blue's disappearance, she was reportedly living on the streets of Billings. Her loved ones state that she was behaving 'erratically' in the months and weeks before she vanished, however she always kept in touch with her family. Finally, on August 20th, 2018, Blue's mother reported her missing after not being able to contact her for almost a month. 

Unfortunately, it appears that Blue's case has gone cold as there has been very little information about the investigation into disappearance. It's unclear what happened to Blue after she made that final Facebook post--but the posts indicate that she was in distress before she vanished. She remains missing today. 


The Murder of Jonah Golden
(source: news4jax.com)

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. Just hours before he went to the party, Jonah posted an ominous message on Facebook, stating: "If today my last day Jus Make Sure I Come Home to You Lord." While it's not believed that Jonah knew that violence would erupt at the party that night, the Facebook post suggests he had a premonition that something bad was going to happen.

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]


The Murder of Hannah Truelove

Sixteen year-old Hannah Truelove tweeted "I need to move out of these dang apartments.."  on the evening of August 22nd, 2012. Mere days later, Hannah was found murdered in the woods of the apartment complex she was referencing in her tweet. 

Said apartments are called the Lake Lanier Club Apartments—a gated complex located in Gainesville, Georgia. During August 2012, Hannah lived in the complex with her mother. The day after Hannah posted that tweet, she was seen hanging out with some of her fellow teenage friends who lived in the same complex. Hannah was last seen sitting at the neighborhood picnic tables with her friends around 7:30pm. She never returned home as planned. By 10pm, after her mother was unable to locate or contact her, Hannah was reported missing.

Around 24 hours later, a man taking a walk through the woods near the apartment complex spotted Hannah’s body buried under leaves. She had been brutally stabbed multiple times. The case was immediately shifted to a homicide investigation. The case appeared to be very active in the first few years following her death, however years have passed without any updates. No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly announced.

The tweet that Hannah posted on August 22nd, 2012 is now seen as a chilling message. Due to the fact that her body was found in close proximity to the apartment complex, it leads to speculation that Hannah was killed by another resident there. This has never been confirmed, but it has lead many to question: would Hannah still be alive if she had, in fact, moved out of the apartment complex before August 23rd, 2012? [read more]

Monday, March 29, 2021

The Disappearance of Caitlin Potts

 



Caitlin Potts has been missing since February 22nd, 2016. The young mother was 27 years-old at the time of her disappearance. Caitlin was last seen in Enderby, British Columbia on the day she vanished. She has never been seen or heard from again. Caitlin's family members reported her missing on March 1st, 2016. 

Caitlin's sister Codi Potts said that she last heard from Caitlin on the morning of her disappearance. She reportedly sent a Facebook message to Codi saying that she had gotten a ride to Calgary and would be "coming back tonight for sure." Caitlin's family members inevitably began to worry when she never returned as planned. Those worries intensified once investigators announced that they believed Caitlin's disappearance was likely the result of a crime. 

Eventually, investigators released surveillance footage of Caitlin entering Orchard Park Mall on February 21st, 2016--the day before she vanished. They released the footage in hopes that somebody who might have seen her that day or the following day would come forward. 

source:cbc.ca

Caitlin was living with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Jason Hnatiuk at the time of her disappearance. Jason was reportedly abusive towards Caitlin throughout their relationship. In fact, he was facing charges for assaulting Caitlin during an altercation on August 24th, 2014. Surveillance cameras actually captured Jason assaulting her at the Forum Hotel in Edmonton. Although Caitlin pursued the charges against Jason, she ultimately decided to resume her relationship with him as well. 

Many believe there is a strong possibility that Jason was involved in Caitlin's disappearance. Jason has since spoken to local media outlets, claiming that he was never actually Caitlin's boyfriend, and that they were just friends who had sometimes been intimate. He also claimed that Caitlin never actually lived with him but would stay with him from time to time. Jason said that he does not remember the last time he saw or spoke to Caitlin. It's unclear if investigators believe Jason's claims, but he has not been charged with anything related to her disappearance. 

Jason Hnatiuk

On May 16th, 2017 - over a year after Caitlin went missing - Jason was convicted for assaulting her during the August 2014 altercation. He still denies any involvement in her disappearance. Still, investigators maintain that Caitlin likely met with foul play. She remains missing today.

If you have any information that could lead to Caitlin's whereabouts, please call 1-800-222-8477 or email findcaitlinpotts@gmail.com to submit an anonymous tip. 
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Friday, March 26, 2021

Fundraiser Friday: March 26, 2021

 The week's Fundraiser Friday features cases of two women who have vanished in Arizona. Please share their stories and consider donating!


Elizabeth Breck


Elizabeth Breck vanished from the Sierra Tucson rehabilitation center in Tucson, Arizona on January 13th, 2019. The 46 year-old checked into the facility on January 10th to complete a 30-day treatment for trauma. After being evaluated by the staff, it was determined that Elizabeth was not a threat to herself or others. As a result, she was admitted to the general living quarters–an area in the facility that is not locked down. Just hours later, Elizabeth vanished. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Elizabeth’s family members hired private investigators to help search for Elizabeth. A five-mile radius around the facility was thoroughly searched, but unfortunately nothing was found. The private investigators also received a few tips about reported sightings, but none of them have panned out. Since then, very few clues have turned up. Elizabeth's family members have since set up a GoFundMe page to allow them to continue to pay their private investigator. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]

Emily Hieber

Emily Hieber was last seen by her family members on February 3rd, 2013. That day, 19 year-old Emily brought her Miniature Pinscher named Bruiser over to her grandparents house in Yuma, Arizona. Emily and her dog visited with her grandparents for a while that afternoon, and according to Emily’s grandmother, nothing seemed amiss with the young girl. In fact, it appeared that Emily was trying to put her life back together after being hooked on drugs for the past few years. Unfortunately, Emily’s grandparents never heard from her again after she left that afternoon, and she was reported missing months later on August 16th, 2013, after it was revealed that her friends and family members had not seen her since February as well.

Investigators have now classified Emily's case as a cold case. Her loved ones have set up a GoFundMe page to help support her family and pay for ongoing investigative fees. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]

Monday, March 22, 2021

The Disappearance of Emily Hieber


Emily Hieber was last seen by her family members on February 3rd, 2013. That day, 19 year-old Emily brought her Miniature Pinscher named Bruiser over to her grandparents house in Yuma, Arizona. Emily and her dog visited with her grandparents for a while that afternoon, and according to Emily’s grandmother, nothing seemed amiss with the young girl. In fact, it appeared that Emily was trying to put her life back together after being hooked on drugs for the past few years. Unfortunately, Emily’s grandparents never heard from her again after she left that afternoon, and she was reported missing months later on August 16th, 2013, after it was revealed that her friends and family members had not seen her since February as well.

Emily reportedly began abusing drugs during the summer of 2012, before her senior year of high school. She moved out of her mother’s home after she turned 18 and her drug problems appeared to worsen after that. Emily’s social circle was filled with people who had been in and out of jail for various violence and drug charges. Emily’s last Facebook post was a status update that read: “So yesterday I found out that my soon to be ex fiance Carlos is getting out of jail in 2 weeks.. the day before our 1 year anniversary.” In the comments, Emily stated that she was going to break up with him as soon as he was released. Her Facebook page has not been updated since then.

Over the years, there have been many rumors about what might have happened to Emily. Her dog vanished with her, so many believed that she simply ran away to live off-the-grid. A private investigator hired by Emily’s family stated that he has received tips that Emily was taken against her will to Mexico. He has also received tips stating that Emily was spotted in various other places throughout the United States. None of these sightings have been confirmed, and Emily remains missing today.

There is currently a $15000 reward in place for any information that could lead to Emily’s whereabouts. If you have any information that could help, please contact the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4686.

Sunday, March 21, 2021

The Disappearance of Lisa Marie Knight

Lisa Marie Knight vanished at the age of 29 on June 8th, 2012. She remains missing today.

Lisa was last seen at the residence of her ex-husband, Lloyd Frey, in Ossineke, Michigan. Lloyd is the father of two of Lisa's four children. Lisa's loved ones described her as a loving mother. However, Lisa also struggled with addiction. Her children did not live with her at the time of her disappearance, but she visited with them regularly. On the evening of June 8th, 2012, Lloyd picked Lisa up with the intention of going to visit their youngest daughter. Instead, the two ended up at Lloyd's residence. 

Around 10:30 PM, Lisa called her friend Laurel Schultz from Lloyd's house. According to Laurel, Lisa was upset and wanted to be picked up. In a 2017 report about Lisa's disappearance, Laurel explained, "I says what’s going on and she couldn’t talk, [Lloyd] must have been on the other phone or something. She was really having a rough night." Still, Laurel did not end up picking Lisa up. After that, Lisa was never seen or heard from again. She was reported missing four days later.

Investigators initially thought Lisa might have left on her own accord, but her loved ones have never believed this. In fact, Laurel directly asked Lloyd if he killed her the morning after she received that disturbing phone call from Lisa. Lloyd denied harming Lisa and said that she left his house before he woke up that morning. Eventually, investigators began to believe that Lisa had met with foul play. Shortly thereafter, the FBI joined the case.

Investigators conducted a search at Lloyd Frey's house, but it is unclear if any evidence was found. Many are still suspicious of Lloyd, but a few other theories about what happened to Lisa have surfaced as well. One theory is that Lisa was killed during a drug deal gone bad. Another is that she overdosed, and her body was disposed of. None of these theories have been confirmed, and no arrests in the case have been made. Still, investigators believe that there are people in the Ossineke community who know what happened to Lisa, and they are hoping that someone comes forward.

If you have any information that could lead to Lisa's whereabouts, please go here to submit a tip. 
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Sources: [one, two, three]

Friday, March 19, 2021

Fundraiser Friday: March 19, 2021

This week's Fundraiser Friday features cases of two missing women. There are many similarities between the two cases: both women seemingly vanished without a trace, leaving behind children that they were dedicated to raising. Additionally, many people suspect that the respective husbands of the women are responsible for their disappearances. Still, no arrests have been made in either case. The families of both women are desperately hoping to receive answers. Please share their stories and consider donating. 


Stacy Peterson


Stacy Peterson has been missing since October 28th, 2007. Her husband Drew Peterson claims he last saw Stacy leaving their Bolingbrook, Illinois home between 10 and 11 AM. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Suspicions fell upon Drew Peterson pretty quickly after Stacy was reported missing. The couple married in 2003, when Stacy was only 19 years old, while Drew was 49. Stacy was Drew's fourth wife, and he married her just 8 days after his marriage to his third wife, Kathleen Savio, was finalized. Just a few months later, in March 2004, Kathleen’s body was found facedown in a waterless bath tub at her home. Her death was initially ruled an accidental drowning. 

After Stacy vanished, and Drew was named a person of interest, investigators decided to take a second look at Kathleen's death. Upon their re-examination, investigators ultimately ruled Kathleen's death as a murder. Drew was arrested and charged with her murder shortly thereafter. He was ultimately convicted in 2012. Meanwhile, Stacy has remained missing and Drew has not faced any charges in her case. Stacy's sister Cassandra has dedicated her money and free time to searching for her. She is hoping to raise money to continue to search while also paying her bills and other expenses. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]

Suzanne Morphew

Suzanne Morphew has been missing since May 10th, 2020. The mother-of-two disappeared on Mother’s Day, after she left her Maysville, Colorado home to go for a bike ride. Suzanne never returned home, and a neighbor reported her missing later that evening.

Many suspect that Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew, is involved in her disappearance. He denies involvement. It was originally reported that Barry was in the Denver area on the day Suzanne vanished. It is believed that he left the family’s Maysville home during the early morning hours of May 10th, and then returned later that afternoon after learning of his wife’s disappearance. Barry went to the Denver area to work on a landscaping job. He was hired by the president of the landscaping company, who also happens to be his close friend. However, Barry’s name is reportedly not on any documentation related to this specific job. Additionally, the job was reportedly scheduled for Monday, May 11th–not Sunday, May 10th. In fact, the city did not issue a special permit for the work to be completed on a weekend, which would have been required for this particular job.

While this does not necessarily prove Barry's guilt, Suzanne's family members still believe he knows more about her disappearance than he is disclosing. Suzanne's nephew has created a GoFundMe page to help finance searches, housing accommodations for volunteers/family members, and other expenses related to the investigation. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]

Sunday, March 14, 2021

The Disappearance and Murder of Anastasia Hill

 

Anastasia Hill was just one day away from turning 15 years old when she vanished on March 6th, 2010. At the time of her disappearance, Anastasia lived with her grandmother and her siblings in Ellenwood, Georgia.  According to her grandmother, Anastasia was looking forward to things many teens look forward to: learning to drive, getting a first job, etc. Unfortunately, before any of those things could happen, Anastasia vanished.

Anastasia spent March 5th, 2010, with her family. Her grandmother had taken her and her siblings to a skating rink in Mt. Zion. Afterwards, the family ate at Steak 'n' Shake. Anastasia reportedly enjoyed the day with her family, and it did not appear that anything was unusual with her behavior. Her grandmother said that she last saw Anastasia that evening before she went to bed. The following morning, Anastasia's grandmother went to wake her up-only to find that Anastasia was not there. Her bedroom window was left open. After contacting friends and learning that none of them knew of Anastasia's whereabouts, Anastasia's family reported her missing. 

Anastasia's grandmother stated that two days after Anastasia vanished, two teen brothers showed up at her house with a braid that looked like it belonged to Anastasia. One of the boys reportedly told Anastasia's mother that Anastasia was at their house on the evening of March 5th. The identities of the two brothers have not been publicly revealed, and it's unclear if they were ever considered persons of interest. 

Months later, on November 19th, 2010, human remains were found in a wooded area off of Georgia Highway 138 in Stockbridge. It took over a year, but in January 2012, dental records confirmed that the remains belonged to Anastasia Hill. She had been murdered. An autopsy confirmed that Anastasia died of blunt force trauma to the head. 

Years have passed, and no arrests have been made in Anastasia's case. According to Anastasia's family members, detectives have questioned "certain individuals of interest about her case, but there hasn't been enough information for a conviction." Her family is now hoping to raise reward money to provide incentive for those with information about Anastasia's case to come forward. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here. If you have any information that could lead to an arrest of Anastasia's killer(s), please call (770) 288-8200.
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Sources:
AJC
Henry Herald

Saturday, March 13, 2021

List Series: No Body Convictions Vol. II

As explained in the original 'No Body Convictions' list, many missing persons cases have prime suspects that do not get charged for many different reasons. One of the most common reasons that suspects do not get charged in missing persons cases is because the potential victim is classified as 'missing'--rather than 'deceased'--therefore it is difficult to prove that the person is not alive. When investigators do decide to pursue charges without a body, they have to go the extra mile to prove that their suspect is guilty. Below is a list of 5 more such cases.


Joshua Keadle: Convicted for the Murder of Tyler 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 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. 

Throughout the investigation, another Peru student named Joshua Keadle was identified as a person of interest. Joshua and Tyler had gone on a date at some point before her disappearance, but afterwards Tyler told her friends that she was not interested in him. Just days after Tyler's disappearance, Joshua was arrested for providing false information to police. After his arrest, two other young girls came forward and said that Joshua had sexually assaulted them. He was charged with rape for those cases and was sentenced to 15-20 years in prison during March 2012--with a parole eligibility after 8 years.

Meanwhile, Tyler remained missing--and many believed that Joshua had murdered her. 
 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 first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and went to trial in early 2020. The jury ultimately convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder and he was sentenced to 71 years in prison. To this day, Joshua maintains his innocence and has not revealed the location of Tyler's body. [read more]

Jeremy Thornburg & Lajuana Long: Convicted for the Murder of Candice Shields

Candice Shields was last seen by her loved ones on the evening of December 10th, 2011. At the time, the 20 year-old woman was at her grandparents' home in Graham, Texas. The following morning, Candice's personal belongings were still at the house--but Candice herself was nowhere to be found. She left behind a one year-old son, which was uncharacteristic of her--and she was also pregnant with her second child. Candice's family finally reported her missing on December 15th, 2011.

Candice's boyfriend/father of her unborn child, Jeremy Thornburg (pictured left) quickly became a person of interest in her disappearance. The two had a rocky relationship--Jeremy reportedly believed that Candice was seeing other men--and Jeremy himself was seeing another woman named Lajuana Long (pictured right). Lajuana was reportedly jealous of Candice and threatened her in the past. 

In February 2013--over a year after Candice's disappearance--Jeremy was finally arrested and charged with Candice's murder. Just days later, Lajuana was arrested and charged with murder as well. Lajuana eventually pleaded guilty to the murder charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. As part of her plea deal, Lajuana agreed to testify against Jeremy at his trial. During her testimony, she stated that Jeremy had asked Candice to meet up with him on the evening of her disappearance. The two then went to a field located between Graham and Breckenridge, where Jeremy shot Candice to death. Lajuana then testified that she had helped Jeremy pour bleach over Candice's body to destroy evidence. 

A jury convicted Jeremy of murder in October 2014. He was subsequently sent to life in prison. Though there have been several searches, Candice's body has still not been found. [read more]

Christopher Revill: Convicted for the Kidnapping of Typhenie Johnson

Typhenie Johnson has been missing since October 10th, 2016. She was last seen at her apartment complex in Fort Worth, Texas, with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Christopher Revill. The two were in an argument, and Typhenie was apparently heard telling Christopher that “it was over” around 9pm. After a few minutes of silence, Typhenie’s brother Asher Johnson went outside to look for his sister. Asher couldn’t find Typhenie, but he did witness Christopher slamming the trunk of his car shut and then driving off. On the ground where Christopher was parked, Asher found Typhenie’s sock and cellphone. He immediately called the police.

The following day, police arrested Christopher and charged him with aggravated kidnapping with intent to terrorize in Typhenie’s case. The charge was later upgraded to kidnapping with intent to kill. Christopher denied involvement in Typhenie's disappearance. He told police that he and Typhenie got into an argument and she got into a vehicle driven by someone he didn’t know and rode away. As it turns out, Christopher told a very similar story over 10 years earlier, when his previous girlfriend/mother of his child Taalibah Islam vanished in January 2006. Taalibah also remains missing today, and Christopher remains the only person of interest.

Christopher was convicted of kidnapping Typhenie Johnson in 2019. During his trial, it was revealed that his footprints were found in his parent's backyard next to a a shirt, a torn bra, and a broken fitness tracker that all belonged to Typhenie. Christopher was sentenced to life in prison. Both Typhenie and Taalibah still remain missing. [more about Typhenie's case] [more about Taalibah's case]

Patrick Frazee: Convicted for the Murder of Kelsey Berreth

29 year-old Kelsey Berreth vanished on November 22nd, 2018. It was Thanksgiving on the day the young mother disappeared, and early on she was seen at a Safeway grocery store near her home in Woodland Park, Colorado. Surveillance footage captured Kelsey at the store with her one year-old daughter. At some point later that day, Kelsey met with her fiancé/father of her child, Patrick Frazee, so he could pick up their daughter. Kelsey was seen never seen again by her family and friends.

After Kelsey's family members reported her missing, it did not take long for Patrick Frazee to be identified as a person of interest. Investigators searched Patrick's home and workplace on numerous occasions but did not initially disclose what was found. Then, just a few months after Kelsey's disappearance, Patrick was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and solicitation for first-degree murder in connection with the death of Kelsey Berreth. By February 2019, it was publicly revealed that Patrick's mistress, Krystal Lee Kenney, was also involved in Kelsey's disappearance. In fact, on February 5th, 2019, Krystal was charged with one felony count of tampering with physical evidence in the case. Just three days later, Krystal pleaded guilty to the charge and also agreed to testify against Patrick Frazee at his trial.

By Krystal's account, on the day of Kelsey's disappearance, Patrick blindfolded Kelsey to have her smell different scented candles and guess their scent. When she was distracted, Patrick smashed Kelsey in the face with a baseball bat and subsequently beat her to death. Krystal told investigators that she later helped Patrick burn Kelsey’s body and other evidence taken from the apartment. Patrick then asked Krystal to dispose of Kelsey’s remains, but she refused. She reportedly does not know where Patrick ended up disposing of them. 

Patrick was found guilty of Kelsey's murder in November 2019. He was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 156 years. [read more]


Donthe Lucas: Convicted for the Murder of Kelsie Schelling

21 year-old Kelsie Schelling had just recently learned she was pregnant when she disappeared from Pueblo, Colorado on February 5th, 2013. On the previous day, Kelsie went to a doctor’s appointment near her home in Denver where she got her first ultrasound. After the appointment, she sent a picture of the ultrasound to her boyfriend/father of her child, Donthe Lucas. Donthe urged Kelsie to go visit him in Pueblo, which is two hours from where Kelsie was living. Kelsie left around 8:30pm that night to make the drive to see Donthe and arrived at a Wal-Mart that they agreed to meet at around 11pm. Kelsie never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Surveillance cameras from various places around Pueblo captured Donthe driving Kelsie's car to several different locations between the dates of February 5th and February 7th. He was also captured using Kelsie's ATM card. Donthe would later tell investigators that he was accompanied by Kelsie and had permission to use her ATM card, however the surveillance footage does not show Kelsie in the car with him at any location.

Donthe was finally charged with Kelsie's murder in 2017.  He pleaded not guilty and went to trial during February 2021. At the trial, it was revealed that Donthe's phone pinged near a landfill the night after Kelsie's disappearance. He also reportedly sent texts from Kelsie's phone, impersonating her, stating that she had a miscarriage. A jury found Donthe guilty of murder during March 2021. He still denies involvement and has not revealed the location of Kelsie's body. [read more]

Friday, March 12, 2021

Fundraiser Friday: March 12, 2021

This week's Fundraiser Friday features cases of two young people who have gone missing in Colorado. Please share these stories and consider donating to help these families find their missing loved one.


Rashell Hammond

Rashell Hammond has been missing since August 15th, 2019. The 30 year-old woman was living with her mother in Mosca, Colorado at the time of her disappearance. Rashell left her home on foot the day she vanished and never returned home. She left without her cell phone, medication, or any form of identification. Rashell has never been seen or heard from again.  Her sister has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for a private investigator. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]


Nathaniel Holmes

Nathaniel Holmes has been missing since December 19th, 2017. The 17-year old was last seen at his high school in Westminster, Colorado. Nathaniel had only been attending the high school for five weeks at the time, but according to his father Ben Holmes, he had already gotten into trouble quite a bit. Ben stated that Nathaniel appeared to be "on something" when he returned from school the day before his disappearance. Since Ben had to work, Nathaniel was sent to his mother's house so he could be monitored. His mother dropped him off at school the following morning, but he never attended his classes. Nathaniel instead went to the principal's office and asked to speak with a friend. The principal denied his request to call the friend out of class, and Nathaniel left the building after that. He called his mother and told her that he was going to a friend of his father's house and did not need to be picked up. Nathaniel has never been seen or heard from again. 

Nathaniel's father is also hoping to raise money for a private investigator. [fundraiser link] [more info on this case]

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

The Suspicious Death of Kendrick Johnson


On the morning of January 11th, 2013, the body of 17 year-old Kendrick Johnson was found inside the gymnasium at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. The teen was last seen alive at school the previous day. Surveillance cameras captured him walking into the gym shortly after 1pm. Kendrick did not attend any of his classes for the rest of the day, nor did he return home that afternoon. His parents reported him missing on the evening of January 10th.

The following morning, students at Lowndes discovered Kendrick's body inside a vertical rolled-up gym mat. He was positioned headfirst and he was not wearing any shoes. One arm was outstretched above his head, while his other arm was down by his waist. Within 24 hours of his body being found, Kendrick's death was ruled an accident caused by "positional asphyxiation." It was theorized that Kendrick fell headfirst into the mat while looking for one of his shoes, and was unable to get out. The shoe he was presumably reaching for was found on the ground inside the rolled-up mat. A few of Kendrick's classmates told investigators that Kendrick, along with a few other students, would sometimes store their items in the gym mats instead of paying for a gym locker. The Lowndes Sheriff's Office insisted that the autopsy did not reveal any evidence of trauma to Kendrick's body.

Kendrick's parents felt that their son's death was not investigated thoroughly enough to be so quickly labeled as an accident. Their feelings on the matter were not unfounded--as there were numerous details surrounding Kendrick's death that were seemingly ignored or overlooked by investigators. Kendrick's body was found in headfirst in the vertical position. If he fell headfirst inside the rolled-up mat, blood would have eventually rushed to his head, causing him to bleed from his facial orifices.  While there was blood found in Kendrick's hair and on his face, there was no blood on the white sneaker found beneath him. There was, however, blood underneath the shoe. Additionally, another orange and black sneaker was found a few feet away from the mat that held Kendrick's body. The sneaker appeared to have blood spatters on it, but it was never submitted as evidence. Additionally, a hoodie found on the scene was never submitted either. There was also blood splatter on a nearby wall, which officials initially denied was blood at all. However, forensic testing later revealed that the splatter was, in fact, blood--but the blood did not belong to Kendrick.

These findings led Kendrick's parents to believe that Kendrick's body might have possibly been moved into the mat after his death. Georgia law requires that a coroner be contacted within an hour of a body being found--but after Kendrick's body was found, the coroner was not contacted until six hours later. Kendrick's parents felt that this, along with all the other seemingly ignored evidence, was a sign that the local authorities had not taken their son's case seriously. As a result, they hired a private pathologist to conduct a second autopsy. In May 2013, a judge allowed Kendrick's body to be exhumed so the autopsy could take place. During this autopsy, it was revealed that Kendrick had suffered from hemorrhaging on the right side of his neck, which indicates that he likely died from blunt force trauma. The pathologist who conducted the autopsy concluded that Kendrick's death was likely not an accident. 

After all these findings, Kendrick's loved ones began to believe that Kendrick's death was not just quickly dismissed as an accident--it also might have been a murder that was covered-up by officials. Over the following months, more and more details were revealed that supported this theory.

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When Kendrick's body was exhumed for the second autopsy, it was noted that some of his organs were missing and newspaper had been put inside his body in their place. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) insisted that Kendrick's organs had been placed back inside his body after the first autopsy, before his body was sent to the funeral home. The coroner who conducted the first autopsy refutes this, though--as he stated certain organs were too decomposed to be sent to the funeral home and were disposed of beforehand. The funeral home explained that it is common for organs to be replaced with sawdust or paper, which explains why the newspaper was found inside Kendrick's body. Still, the fact that these organs were disposed of before a second autopsy could be conducted only further solidified the belief that this was part of a cover-up.

Surveillance footage from the day of Kendrick's death was eventually released. The footage showed Kendrick walking towards the gym and then jogging inside the gym. Footage from cameras pointed towards the gym mats was blurry and seemed to skip around. Furthermore, a whole hour's worth of footage from around the time Kendrick reportedly died was suspiciously missing. This provided additional evidence of a cover-up. 

As rumors began to swirl about Kendrick possibly being murdered, two names were mentioned consistently: brothers named Brian Bell and Branden Bell. Brian and Branden were two white classmates of Kendrick's--and they had a contentious history with him. Over a year before his death, Kendrick was accused of fooling around with Brian's girlfriend. Brian, Branden, and Kendrick allegedly got into a physical altercation as a result, but no serious injuries were reported at that time. Additionally, Brian and Branden's father is an FBI agent and Kendrick's parents believe that he used his connections within law enforcement to cover-up their son's involvement in Kendrick's death. 

In 2015, the Johnsons filed a civil lawsuit against 38 people, which stated that Brian and Branden killed Kendrick and various officials connected to their father helped them cover it up. The suit was eventually dropped after Kendrick's father stated they did not have enough physical evidence. In return, the Johnsons were sued for defamation charges. Eventually, in June 2016, Kendrick's case was closed and no criminal charges were filed.

Still, the Johnsons were not ready to give up yet. In June 2018, Kendrick's body was exhumed for a second time, and a third autopsy was conducted. The findings from this autopsy revealed that Kendrick's death was not an accident and was likely due to blunt force trauma caused by being struck by a 45lb dumbbell. Even with these findings, though, law enforcement has not reopened Kendrick's case. 

The May 2020 murder of George Floyd has reignited a call for justice in Kendrick's case. A petition has been started in an effort to reopen the case. If you'd like to sign the petition, please go here. 
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UPDATE (March 2021): The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office has reopened Kendrick's case.

The sheriff reportedly made a request to reopen the case back in April 2020, but the request was denied by a federal judge. The May 2020 murder of George Floyd continued to reignite a call for justice in Kendrick's case, and a petition was created to reopen the case. It took months, but a federal judge has finally granted the sheriff's request to re-investigate Kendrick's death.  #justiceforkendrick!

Monday, March 8, 2021

The Disappearance & Presumed Murder of Kelsie Schelling

Image result for kelsie schelling

Kelsie Schelling (21) had just recently learned she was pregnant when she disappeared from Pueblo, Colorado on February 5th, 2013. The previous day, Kelsie went to a doctor’s appointment near her home in Denver where she got her first ultrasound. After the appointment, she sent a picture of the ultrasound to her boyfriend/father of her child, Donthe Lucas.

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Donthe urged Kelsie to go visit him in Pueblo, which is two hours from where Kelsie's home. Kelsie left around 8:30 PM that night to make the drive to see Donthe and arrived at a Wal-Mart that they agreed to meet at around 11:00 PM. Kelsie texted Donthe to let him know that she had arrived. 

An hour later, Donthe had still not arrived, so she sent him another text saying she was tired of waiting and was going to head home if he did not show up soon. Minutes later, Donthe responded and requested that she meet him at a different location. Kelsie complied and drove to said location.

About half an hour later, Kelsie sent her final text message to Donthe: “Where are you? I’ve been here for over an hour just waiting”. She was never seen or heard from again after that. Her mother reported her missing after she was unable to get in contact with her the next day.

Once the Pueblo police began investigating, they came upon CCTV footage of Donthe driving Kelsie’s car at several different locations between February 5th and February 7th. Footage from a bank reveals that Donthe used Kelsie’s ATM card to withdraw $400 on the morning of February 5th.

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Footage from St. Mary Crown Hospital in Pueblo shows Donthe parking Kelsie’s car in the hospital’s parking lot on February 7th. He then entered another vehicle, abandoning Kelsie’s car there. The police found the car on February 14th.

Detectives interviewed Donthe on February 15th, but he denied any knowledge of Kelsie’s whereabouts. He admitted to meeting up with Kelsie during the late evening on the 4th. He told police that he got into the driver’s seat of Kelsie’s car and drove them to several different locations. 

Donthe claimed that Kelsie was in the car with him when he drove to the ATM and that he had permission to withdraw money from her card. However, the footage does not show Kelsie inside the car. At the conclusion of the police interview, Donthe was charged with three counts of identity theft and theft of less than $500. Those charges were later dropped.

Donthe remained a person of interest in Kelsie’s disappearance, however the police did not bring any charges against him, and he continued to deny any involvement. Years passed without any movement in Kelsie’s case. Donthe remained a free man. That finally changed on November 15th, 2017, when Donthe was arrested for involvement in a robbery that had occurred two months earlier. Two weeks after that, on December 1st, police announced that Donthe had once again been arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of Kelsie.

In March 2021, was found guilty of the murder of Kelsie Schelling. In addition to the previously mentioned evidence, it was revealed during trial that Donthe's phone pinged near a landfill the night after Kelsie's disappearance. He also reportedly sent texts from Kelsie's phone, impersonating her, stating that she had a miscarriage. 

The jury only deliberated for a few hours before returning a guilty verdict. He was later sentenced to life in prison. Kelsie's body has still not been recovered. 

The Disappearance of Giang Phan

 


Giang Phan has been missing since April 8th, 2011.  He was 33 years old at the time of his disappearance, and he lived in Dallas, Texas. However, at the time of his disappearance, Giang was in Louisiana on a business trip. He was working for a company that sold herbal supplements to fitness centers.

Giang was last seen in New Orleans around 1:30 PM. He had met an old friend for lunch at a Mexican restaurant about an hour earlier and was last seen as he was leaving the restaurant. Giang planned to meet his business partner in Golden Meadow around 3:30 PM, but he never showed up. Around 4 PM, Giang's parent sent him a text message to ask where he was. Giang replied that he was running late but would be in Golden Meadow after he finished doing business in New Orleans. This was the last time anyone had contact with Giang, and he has never been seen or heard from again.

The car that Giang was driving disappeared with him, along with many of his personal belongings.  The vehicle is described as a 2009 silver Chevy Malibu. Giang's wallet, iPhone, and laptop were in his possession. The car and all of the items remain missing as well. 

Detectives in Golden Meadow are investigating Giang's case. If you have any information that could lead to his whereabouts, please call 985-475-5213.
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Sources: [one, two]

The Murder of Chandler Innarelli


Chandler Innarelli was only 22 years-old when he was murdered on February 19th, 2020. He lived in Manchester, New Hampshire, and he was a new father at the time of his death. 

On the evening of his murder, Chandler was sitting in his car in front of an apartment between Grove and Bell Street. He was waiting for his girlfriend and newborn son to come out of the building and meet him. As Chandler sat waiting, an unknown assailant fired shots in his direction. Witnesses recall hearing four or five gunshots. The police were called, and Chandler was transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Although there were a few witnesses who heard the gunfire, it appears that none of the witnesses actually saw the shooter(s). Due to this, investigators were unable to put together a description of any potential suspects. It is unclear if investigators believe Chandler was targeted, or if they believe his killing was random. His case remains unsolved today.

Chandler's family members have set up a Facebook page dedicated to spreading awareness on Chandler's case. His mother has also set up a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising the reward money for anyone with information that could help solve Chandler's case. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here.  If you have any information that could lead to Chandler's killer(s), please use this link to submit an anonymous tip.

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Sources:
AP News
Union Leader
WMUR