The Disappearance & Murder of Kayleah Wilson

Image source: Dignity Memorial

Kayleah Wilson was only 12 years-old when she was tragically murdered during the spring of 2010. The young girl was last seen alive by her family on March 28th, 2010. That day, Kayleah left her Greeley, Colorado home to walk to the local mall. She planned to meet a friend at the mall so the two of them could go to a birthday party together. Kayleah was expected to return home by 7:00 PM, but she never arrived. She was reported missing by her mother around 10:00 PM that same night. 

At first, police thought that Kayleah might be a runaway. Then, after speaking with people in Kayleah's circle, investigators learned that she had never met up with her friend as planned, nor had she shown up for the birthday party. By March 31st, the Greeley Police announced that they no longer believed Kayleah had run away. Several different investigators were assigned to the case, including members of the FBI. 

Kayleah's mother April Wilson revealed to detectives that Kayleah had a relationship with an 18-year-old named Robert Montoya. Robert was interviewed shortly thereafter, during which he admitted to having a sexual relationship with Kayleah between the months of October 2009 and February 2010. Robert also admitted that he was aware that Kayleah was only 12 years-old. However, he reportedly did not provide police with any information about Kayleah's whereabouts. 

Widespread searches for Kayleah turned up empty. Then, on the morning of May 19th, 2010, a ditch rider turned on the water in an irrigation ditch in west Greeley. The rider noticed a body rolling in the water at the base of a 10-foot waterfall. Police were called, and investigators rushed to the scene. It was almost immediately believed that the body was Kayleah - but due to decomposition, an identification could not be made on the spot. 

That same day, Robert Montoya was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a child as a pattern of abuse. The charges stemmed from Robert's admission that he had several sexual encounters with Kayleah. At that time, -police reportedly did not have enough evidence to charge Robert with anything related to Kayleah's disappearance - but they did have enough evidence to bring about the sexual assault charges.

Two days later, on May 21st, 2010, it was confirmed that the body found in the irrigation ditch did, in fact, belong to Kayleah Wilson. From that point forward, the case shifted to a murder investigation. 
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Police have never revealed Kayleah's exact cause of death - only that she was murdered. Robert Montoya seemed like an obvious suspect, but he had only been charged with sexual assault - not murder. 

Image source: Denver Post

It's known that Robert Montoya admitted to having sex with Kayleah when was she was just 12 years-old. But did he also kill her? And if he didn't, then who did?

The timeline of events in this case may lead to a few viable theories. 

October 2009.

In October 2009, Kayleah's mother April Wilson allowed Robert to move into her residence after his own mother had asked him to move out. According to Robert's arrest affidavit, Roxanne Montoya wanted her children out of the house so she could continue having a relationship with her boyfriend, Jonas Garcia. Garcia is a registered sex offender and was therefore banned from going into homes where children were living. 

Over time, April noticed that Kayleah and Robert had grown close, but she thought they were just friends.  She initially did not notice a physical relationship between her daughter and Robert. 

December 2009 - January 2010.

According to the affidavit, April began to suspect that Kayleah and Robert were in a physical relationship during December 2009. April told police that she noticed that they had been spending time alone together in Kayleah's bedroom. She never saw them engaged in any sexual activity, but her suspicions about Robert and Kayleah's relationship continued to build.

The affidavit further explains that April confronted both Kayleah and Robert about their relationship during the first week of January 2010. During their conversation, both Kayleah and Robert admitted that they had been having sex. They also told April that they considered themselves to be a couple. April explained to detectives that, upon hearing this, she immediately kicked Robert out of her home and ordered him to stop having any interaction with her daughter. 

Early February 2010.

April explained that Kayleah was initially angry with her after she kicked Robert out. However, as time passed, Kayleah stopped talking about her relationship with Robert - leading April to believe that she had moved on. 

The affidavit states that April caught Robert with Kayleah one final time during early February. She spotted the two of them together at an abandoned car dealership on 28th St. April said she confronted them and once again ordered Robert to stay away from Kayleah.

On February 19th, 2010, Greeley police were dispatched to Brentwood Middle School, where Kayleah was a student. The officers were sent to the school after receiving reports of a young man looking into the classroom windows from outside the building. Once there, police made contact with Robert Montoya. It's unclear what was said during this encounter, but no arrests were made. 

At the time of this incident, police were unaware that Robert had an inappropriate relationship with one of the students at the middle school. It seems likely that the police ordered him to leave the property after they approached him, and Robert complied - giving no further reason for action to be taken. 

Robert himself would later admit to police that he went to the middle school that day because he wanted to see Kayleah. More about this will be addressed below.

March 1st-27th, 2010.

There are no documented interactions between Kayleah and Robert during this time period. It is possible that they did interact without anyone finding out, but there is no evidence to suggest this happened. Police were still unaware of their relationship at this point. 

Robert himself later claimed that he did not see Kayleah beyond February 2010. 

March 28th, 2010.

As previously stated, Kayleah vanished on March 28th. She left her home around 3:40 PM en route to Greeley Mall. Surveillance footage captured her walking near the mall shortly thereafter. At the time she was captured, she was walking alone. She was never seen or heard from again. 

Kayleah never meets up with her friend, nor does she make it to the birthday party. Her mother April begins to worry when she does not return by 7:00 PM. After waiting for Kayleah to return, April finally contacted police around 10:00 PM. 

March 28th - March 30th, 2010. 

Detectives spent the next two days interviewing various people in Kayleah's life. While speaking with Kayleah's mother April, police learned about the inappropriate relationship between Kayleah and Robert Montoya. Kayleah's friends also corroborate her relationship with Robert. In fact, some of Kayleah's friends told police that she had made comments about possibly being pregnant with Robert's child. 

March 31st, 2010.

Police questioned Robert Montoya on March 31st, 2010. During this interview that Robert admitted to having a sexual relationship with Kayleah up until mid February 2010. His arrest affidavit describes this interview, stating in part, "[Robert Montoya] did admit that he knew [Kayleah] was only twelve years of age and he was an adult."

Robert told police that his relationship with Kayleah ended in mid-February 2010 after Kayleah's mother learned that they were speaking again. He admitted that he continued to try and contact Kayleah. On some occasions, he hid in the bushes near her residence. Robert also admitted to waiting for her outside of her middle school. He referenced the February 19th incident, and he also said that Kayleah had called him a "stalker freak" after he tried to encounter her at the school. 

Even after these admissions, police did not immediately arrest Robert. Meanwhile, the search for Kayleah continued.

May 19th, 2010.

During the early morning hours of May 19th, the body of a young female was spotted in the water in an irrigation ditch. The irrigation ditch is located less than half a mile away from the home of Kayleah Wilson - leading many to believe that it is her. However, as previously stated, the body was too decomposed to make an immediate identification.

Image source: CBS News

That same day, Robert Montoya was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a child in connection to his relationship with Kayleah.

May 21st, 2010.

On May 21st, 2010, it was confirmed that the body found in the irrigation ditch was, in fact, Kayleah Wilson. Her death was classified as a murder. Many expected Robert Montoya to be charged with murder in addition to sexual assault - but those charges never came forth. 

March 2011 - June 2011.

Almost a year after Kayleah's disappearance, Robert Montoya went to trial for the child sexual assault charges. According to reports, the defense's main argument was whether or not Robert and Kayleah had any sexual encounters after January 18th, 2010 - Robert's 18th birthday. When he moved into April Wilson's home during October 2009, Robert was still 17 years-old, therefore still considered a minor in the state of Colorado. 

When Robert was questioned by police in relation to Kayleah's disappearance, he said that his relationship with her continued up until mid-February 2010, which would have been after his 18th birthday. 

After a three-day trial, the jury found Robert Montoya guilty of the child sexual assault charges. Months later, in June 2011, a judge sentenced him to eight years in prison. 

July 2011-December 2014.

The investigation into Kayleah's murder still continued after Robert Montoya was sent to prison. Some hoped that police would pursue murder charges against him, but once again, no additional charges were filed. 

Meanwhile, Robert began working on appealing his sentence. On December 31st, 2014, a judge granted Robert a retrial. Robert's defense attorneys cited the original argument in the first trial - whether or not Robert had a sexual encounter with Kayleah after his 18th birthday. At this point, Robert claimed that he actually did not have sex with Kayleah after being kicked out of the Wilson's home. His defense attorneys argued that his confession back in March 2010 was coerced by police. 

April 2016.

Two years later, the Weld County District Attorney ended up dropping the charges against Robert Montoya - making him a free man. He no longer faces any charges related to Kayleah Wilson. 

May 2017.

Seven years after Kayleah's body was found, police announced that they know who killed her. Greeley Police Chief Jerry Garner is quoted saying "We don’t have any doubts. But there are standards of proof we have to meet.” It was not explicitly stated that the person police referred to is, in fact, Robert Montoya - but many speculate this to be the case.

Where the case stands today.

Tragically, the murder of Kayleah Wilson is still classified as unsolved. Police hope to eventually receive the evidence they need to move forward with charges. 

If you have any information that could finally help crack the case, please contact Greeley Police at (970) 350-9600.
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Sources:
CBS News, 2
Greeley Tribune
Robert Montoya's arrest affidavit
Summit Daily
Westword

The Disappearance & Murder of Catrina Hinton

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Catrina Hinton was due to embark on a new chapter in her life during early 2006. Like many 18-year-olds, Catrina had recently graduated from high school and was about to begin attending college. She moved from her hometown in Norfolk, Virginia to Jersey City, New Jersey so she could attend Jersey City State University. Unfortunately, before Catrina could begin attending classes, her life was tragically taken. 

Catrina was a resilient young woman who had already survived hardships in her short life. According to reports, she was born with a tumor that was potentially life-threatening. Doctors were able to remove the tumor, but her eye had to be replaced with a glass eye. By all accounts, it appears that Catrina did not let this stop her from living a happy life. Still, Catrina’s family always feared that another tumor or sickness would cut her life short. They never imagined that violence would be the reason for Catrina’s untimely death.

The last known sighting of Catrina occurred on January 14th, 2006. That day, she went to work at a clothing store called Mandee’s in Bayonne. Catrina was last seen leaving the store after her shift ended. She usually took the bus back to her residence on Ocean Avenue, but on this evening, she never made it back home. Catrina’s family members later reported her missing. Police labeled her disappearance as “suspicious” – as she did not have a history of falling out of touch with her family or close friends. Catrina also never picked up her most recent paycheck, which was unusual. 

Weeks later, on February 6th, 2006, an employee at the New York Bay Cemetery spotted a human hand sticking out from a pile of rocks beside a cut-down tree. Police were called, and as they dug through the rocks, they uncovered the body of a young deceased female. It was soon determined that the body belonged to Catrina Hinton. 

An autopsy revealed that Catrina had been brutally beaten and possibly strangled to death. It was determined that robbery was not a motive for her murder, as jewelry and other items of value were found on her body. There was evidence that Catrina had been both undressed and redressed by her attacker, leading investigators to believe that she was possibly sexually assaulted. 

Catrina was dating two different men at the time of her disappearance. According to reports, both men were questioned by police – along with several other people as well. It is unclear if any person has been ruled out at this point. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly announced. 

Catrina’s murder remains unsolved. If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of her killer(s), please contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad at 201-915-1345.

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Sources:
News 12
NJ.com, 2

The Disappearance and Death of Danielle Griffith

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The morning of May 17th, 2019 began as a fairly typical day in the town Tumwater, Washington. It was a partly cloudy day, and the temperatures ranged from the high fifties to the lower 60s. It seemed like as good of a day as any for the property owners on Sapp Rd. SW to do clearing on their land. An excavator was used, and at some point, the machinery unearthed something unexpected: a human skeleton. Police were called, and investigators began working to identify the remains.

Forensic examination of both the remains and the area where they were found revealed a few things early on; namely that the remains belonged to a female ranging from the ages of 13-19, and whoever buried her did so with the intention of hiding her body. DNA from the body was sent to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification to undergo testing. It took months, but in February of 2020, the remains were identified as Danielle J. Griffith of Olympia, Washington. 

Danielle was one of several missing young girls in the surrounding area. She was reportedly last seen alive by her family members in August of 2014, when she was just 17 years old. Danielle was classified as a runaway, and her disappearance did not receive a lot of attention from the public. The discovery of her remains has left both her loved ones and the community with more questions than answers. Namely, the main questions that remain are: What happened to Danielle? How did she die? Who buried her on the property in Tumwater?

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Danielle's disappearance.

Source: Justice for Danielle Griffith Facebook page.

As previously stated, Danielle went missing in August 2014. Reports state that she left her home with "nothing but a cell phone" and never returned. Danielle was subsequently reported missing as a runaway. 

Both Danielle's cell phone and Facebook page became inactive after she vanished. Her case continued to be classified as a runaway case, despite the fact that her family had not heard from her or seen any sign of her. Then, in early 2016, it was reported that Danielle had "possibly been seen at a medical facility". Though it appears this was never confirmed, the police closed her case after this reported sighting. 

Later that year, Danielle's family members filed another missing person's report. Then, the case seemingly went cold. Years passed without any updates in the case. The news never reported about her disappearance.

Finding and identifying Danielle.

After it was determined that the remains found buried on the property in Tumwater belonged to a female aged 13-19, detectives were tasked with identifying the person. They opted not to report about the discovery of the body in the news at first. Tumwater Police Public Information Officer Laura Wohl explained that they did not appeal to the public when they found the remains because they wanted to "to confirm an identity and inform the family."

Still, the case was posted on the website for the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) and the listing could be viewed publicly. A forum for the unidentified remains was created on Websleuths, and the users began to discuss the potential identity. In the months that followed, users posted about the various missing girls in the area that could possibly be the deceased person. Danielle's name was not mentioned until February 2020 - just a day or two before it was confirmed that the remains did, in fact, belong to her.

As mentioned before, the remains were finally identified after DNA was tested at University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. According to Officer Wohl, it took a long time due to a "specific type of DNA testing" that needed to be done. After it was confirmed that the remains belonged to Danielle, investigators finally spoke about it publicly.

Seeking help from the locals.

In February 2020, it was reported that the Tumwater Police were seeking help from the public to solve Danielle's case. Investigators were reportedly unable to determine how Danielle died or whether or not foul play was involved. They labeled Danielle's death as "suspicious" - especially because it was clear that she had been purposely buried. 

Police stated that they also were not sure when Danielle died. The 2020 report said that investigators were "attempting to piece together a timeline that led to the girl’s death and contact people who may have known Griffith between 2014 and 2018."

It appears that investigators believe that Danielle might have been alive for a few years after her initial disappearance in 2014. If that is the case, there are many unanswered questions about what Danielle might have been doing or where she stayed during those years. 

Where the case stands today.

Danielle's case still remains unsolved. Her sister runs a Facebook page dedicated to the case called Justice for Danielle Griffith. Meanwhile, investigators are still seeking information that could help determine what happened to Danielle. 

If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip. 

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Sources:
The Chronicle 
King 5 News
Kiro 7 News

Websleuths

Fundraiser Friday: September 23, 2022

Fundraiser Friday is back! This Friday's fundraisers have been set up to aid in the search for three different missing people. All 3 were minors at the time of their respective disappearances. The loved ones of these three girls deserve answers. Please consider donating and/or spreading the word!

Elyssa Vasquez: Missing since 2003.

Elyssa Vasquez was only 12-years-old when she vanished in Doraville, Georgia. The young girl was last seen on January 28th, 2003, at the local middle school. Elyssa vanished at some point during the school day. She has never been seen or heard from again.

There are very few details available about Elyssa's disappearance, but she was initially classified as a runaway. However, after years passed, Elyssa was reclassified as an endangered missing person. Nearly two decades have passed, and her disappearance remains unsolved. Elyssa's loved ones have now set up a GoFundMe to help aid in paying a private investigator. Any amount helps, and could help Elyssa's family find get the answers they are seeking.

[fundraiser link] [full write-up on this case]

Sophie Reeder: Missing since 2017.

Sophie Reeder vanished at the age of 15 on May 19th, 2017. She left her family's residence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that evening and never returned home. Sophie's family members have never seen or heard from her again.

It is feared that Sophie fell victim to sex trafficking and/or an online predator. There have been various sightings of her over the years, but unfortunately none of the sightings have been confirmed. Sophie's loved ones are frustrated with the progress of the investigation and they hope to hire a private investigator to help locate her. Please consider donating or spreading the word.

[fundraiser link] [full write-up on the case]

List Series: Staged Crime Scenes

Many murderers/kidnappers/other criminals go through great lengths to cover up their crimes. One of many tactics a killer may use is to stage a crime scene in hopes of deflecting suspicion away from them. Some have staged a scene to make it appear that the victim's death was an accident or a suicide. Others may stage a scene to point responsibility at another person altogether. 

The following list contains seven cases in which the scene was staged in attempt to deflect suspicion away from the killer, kidnapper, and/or real perpetrator. Some of these cases have been solved, while others remain open - but all are confirmed to have been staged.

image source

Kathleen Savio was found dead inside her Bolingbrook, Illinois home on March 1st, 2004. The 40-year-old woman was discovered face down in her waterless bathtub. A medical examiner initially ruled that Kathleen's death was an accidental drowning - despite the fact that there was not any water in the tub at the time she was found.

Kathleen's death occurred just months after her divorce with ex-husband Drew Peterson was finalized. Kathleen had confided to many people that her relationship with Drew was toxic. The police had been called to their house several times between the years of 2002 and 2004 due to various domestic disputes. However, Drew himself worked for the local police department and was highly respected by many in the community. 

Drew married his next wife, Stacy, just days after his divorce to Kathleen was finalized. Stacy ended up adopting Kathleen's children after Kathleen's death. Then, in 2007, Stacy vanished under suspicious circumstances. Drew quickly became the prime suspect in her disappearance. At that point, investigators decided they needed to revisit Kathleen's death as well. Her body was exhumed, and upon a second examination, it was determined that Kathleen had been murdered, but the scene had been staged to make it appear like an accident. 

Drew was arrested and charged with Kathleen's murder in 2009. In 2012, he went to trial and was ultimately found guilty. To this day, Drew continues to deny killing Kathleen. His other wife, Stacy Peterson, remains missing.

[read the full case write-up]

It was shortly after 11:00 PM on August 18th, 2007 when Saline County police responded to a call about a shooting in at a home in Carrier Mills, Illinois. When officers arrived at the home, they found 18-year-old Jade Winston in a pool of blood with a single gunshot wound to the head. A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was found under her left leg. The clip from the gun was found in her left hand. It appeared that someone had placed the clip in Jade's hand after she was already dead - in an attempt to make her death appear to be a suicide. 

Fortunately, investigators were not fooled by this attempt to stage the scene. Jade's death was ultimately labeled as a homicide. Unfortunately, her case remains unsolved to this day. There has been a lot of speculation about the person(s) responsible for Jade's murder, and about the case in general. Still, no arrests have ever been made in her case.

[submit a tip] [read the full case write-up]

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Diane Fields vanished under suspicious circumstances during November 2014. On the afternoon of November 6th, Diane's live-in fiancé reported a break-in at their home in East Dublin, Georgia. He told police that the back door to their house was kicked in, one of the bedrooms was in disarray, and a knife was laying on the floor of their hallway. Diane was nowhere to be found. 

Diane's fiancé said that he had last seen Diane at the house early that morning before he left for work. According to the fiancé, Diane herself decided to stay home from work because she was not feeling well. He told police that when he returned home, his house was in disarray and Diane was gone. 

When investigators arrived to search the home, they noticed that the scene appeared to be staged. One of the detectives told reporters that the back door was broken, but it appeared to be broken out - as if someone had kicked it from inside the home. Additionally, there was no blood or no other signs of a struggle found inside the house. This inevitably casts suspicion on Diane's fiancé, who is the last person known to have seen her. Investigators have labeled him as a person of interest, but he has not been charged with anything related to Diane's case at this time.

Diane remains missing today.

[submit a tip] [read the full case write-up] 

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On October 31st, 2014, police in Martinsville, Illinois received a call from a man named Connor Scott, who reported that his girlfriend, Kaylyn Whitaker, had shot herself.  When police arrived at Scott's residence, they found Kaylyn’s body with a gun in her hand. Her death was ruled a suicide.

As the investigation into Kaylyn's death continued, forensic experts questioned the suicide ruling. After analyzing Kaylyn's gunshot wounds, the 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 Scott was an obvious suspect, but police did not charge him with anything at that time.

Years later, on February 23rd, 2019, Connor walked into a Danville, Indiana police department and confessed to murdering Kaylyn back in 2014. It's unclear what drove him to confess, but Scott also admitted to staging the scene to making Kaylyn's death appear to be a suicide. He was subsequently arrested and extradited back to Illinois to face murder charges.

Despite confessing to the crime, Scott initially pleaded not guilty. Then, in October 2019, he accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced 37 years in prison.

[read the full case write-up]

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Michele Neurauter was murdered inside her own home on August 28th, 2017. The New York mother was killed by her ex-husband, Lloyd Neurauter. Lloyd was assisted by his oldest daughter with Michele, Karrie Neurauter. Karrie was only 19 years-old at the time.

Lloyd approached Karrie weeks earlier to enlist her help in killing Michele. He reportedly manipulated his daughter into believing he would kill himself if she did not assist him. Karrie acquiesced, and she listened as her father came up with a plan to murder Michele but make it appear that she had killed herself.

On August 28th, 2017, Karrie and Lloyd executed their plan. The two entered Michele’s home and unplugged all electronic devices to hide their presence in the house. Then, Karrie distracted her 14-year-old sister while Lloyd entered Michele’s bedroom and strangled her to death. Karrie then helped Lloyd stage the scene to make it look like Michele had hung herself.

Police immediately did not believe that Michele's death was a suicide. Over the following months, police gathered evidence before finally arresting both Lloyd and Karrie during January 2018. Lloyd was charged with first-degree murder, and he also initially pleaded not guilty. Just two weeks before his trial, though, he changed his plea to guilty and admitted to killing Michele. He also admitted to coercing Karrie into helping him by threatening suicide. Due to this admission, Karrie was able to plead to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

On December 4th, 2018, Lloyd was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Days later, Karrie was sentenced to 1-3 years.

[read the full case write-up]

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Sherri Papini’s case is by far the most bizarre case of a staged scene on this list. The mother-of-three vanished from her family’s home in Redding, California on November 2nd, 2016. Then then-34-year-old’s husband, Keith Papini, noticed that Sherri was missing when he returned home from work and she was nowhere to be found. Keith then used the Find My iPhone app to track Sherri’s phone. The app indicated that that the phone was less than a mile away from the residence.

When Keith went to that location, he found Sherri’s phone on the ground. Her headphones were also found on the ground, with pieces of her blonde hair tangled into the wires. Keith immediately called police to report his wife missing. Once Sherri’s disappearance hit the news, people began to speculate that she was kidnapped while jogging. However, many people questioned this as well. It appeared that her phone had been placed on the ground, rather than dropped or thrown – which immediately made some people wonder if the scene had been staged by either Sherri, Keith, or both.

Still, investigators maintained that their goal was to find Sherri safe. Then, about three weeks after she was reported missing, Sherri re-appeared in Yolo County. During the early morning hours of November 24th, several people called 911 to report a female who appeared to be bound running down the interstate. Police went to the scene, where they found a woman who identified herself as Sherri Papini. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was reunited with her husband.

Sherri told police that she was kidnapped by two Hispanic women who held her hostage in a room. She claimed they had cut her hair and branded her. The speculation about Sherri possibly faking her kidnapping was amplified by what many perceived as a bizarre and unrealistic story. Still, the police maintained that they believed Sherri and they wanted to find her abductors.

Finally, in 2022, police were able to confirm that Sherri had, in fact, made up the story about being kidnapped. She had been staying with her ex-boyfriend in Costa Mesa during the time she claimed to be held hostage. After years of suspicion, her ex-boyfriend finally confirmed the popular belief that Sherri faked her own abduction. Sherri was subsequently charged with making false statements to police and with mail fraud. She ultimately pleaded guilty and was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison.

[read the full case write-up]

Pamela Hargan and her daughter Helen Hargan were murdered inside their McLean, Virginia home on July 14th, 2017. When their bodies were first discovered by police, it was believed that their deaths were caused by a murder-suicide. More specifically, it was originally reported that 23-year-old Helen had shot her mother before turning the gun on herself. However, as police continued to investigate, they found evidence that suggested otherwise.

Through phone records and other digital evidence, investigators were able to prove that Helen was in a different room when Pamela was shot – making it impossible for her to have been the one to pull the trigger. After Helen herself was shot, her body was posed in such a way to make it appear that she had shot herself. Police eventually revealed that both Pamela and Helen had been murdered – and their case was not a murder-suicide.

Over a year later, Pamela’s older daughter/Helen’s older sister Megan Hargan was arrested and charged with their murders. It is believed that their deaths were motivated by jealousy and for financial reasons. Megan went to trial during 2022 and was ultimately found guilty. She was given two life sentences.

[read the full case write-up]

image source

Jeannie Quinn was reported missing in Levelland, Texas on April 15th, 2018. Two days later, the 20-year-old’s body was found hanging in a wooded area in Abilene. Jeannie’s body had white bags tied around her hands and a hard wire around her neck. It appears that Jeannie’s killer intended to make it appear that she had died by suicide. However, investigators were not fooled – and her death was labeled as a homicide and staged hanging.

A man named Ricky Don Henderson is a suspect in Jeannie’s murder. Henderson, who was 37 years older than Jeannie at the time they were dating, was the last known person to have seen her alive. He is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges, and he remains the prime suspect in Jeannie’s murder – but he has yet to be charged with anything related to her case. Henderson’s ex-wife also vanished back in 1993 and has never been seen or heard from again. He remains the prime suspect in that case, too.

It’s unclear why investigators have been unable to charge Henderson, but it appears that most people close to the case are certain that he killed Jeannie and then staged her body to make it appear that she had taken her own life. Investigators are still hoping to receive a final tip or piece of evidence that can finally help the case move forward.

[read the full case write up] [submit a tip]

The Murder of Denita Smith

Denita Smith (top), Shannon Crawley (bottom left), and Jermeir Stroud (bottom right)

Denita Smith was only 25 years-old when she was savagely murdered by her fiancé’s lover, Shannon Crawley, on January 4th, 2007. Prior to her murder, Denita appeared to be in a great place in life. She was a graduate student at North Carolina Central University in Durham; aspiring to be a photojournalist. Denita was also happily engaged to a man named Jermeir Stroud, who worked as a police officer in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Denita was completely unaware that Jermeir was also involved in a sexual relationship with Shannon. Jermeir and Shannon met after Shannon began working as a 911 operator in Greensboro County. Jermeir hid his affair from Denita, however Shannon was aware of Jermeir’s engagement to Denita.

Over time, Shannon grew jealous of Jermeir’s relationship with Denita. That jealousy was deepened when Shannon saw Jermeir and Denita together for the first time, holding hands as they walked into church. It is believed that at that moment, Shannon decided she wanted her romantic rival gone. 

Shannon decided to put her plan in motion on January 4th, 2007. During that afternoon, she brought a gun and hid outside of Denita’s apartment, waiting for her to leave. When Denita finally emerged, Shannon fired two shots into the back of Denita’s head before fleeing the scene. 

Denita’s body was later found by a maintenance employee. Police were called, who initially thought that Denita had suffered a fatal fall. However, upon closer inspection, it was clear that Denita had been brutally executed. 

The maintenance man who found Denita’s body told police that he saw a woman crying and running away from the apartment complex shortly after he heard gunfire. That woman was seen driving away in a Ford Explorer. Investigators also learned that Denita’s fiancé Jermeir was having “issues” with a woman named Shannon Crawley. 

Eventually, investigators learned about Jermeir and Shannon’s affair. After that, police were able to link that Ford Explorer to Shannon. Five days after Denita’s death, on January 9th, 2007, Shannon was arrested and charged with murder. 

Shannon pleaded not guilty and went to trial in 2010, during which the prosecution stated that Denita did not know Jermeir and Shannon were having an affair and she had absolutely no clue that she was in danger the day she was shot. Shannon’s defense tried to pin the murder on Jermeir, but the jury ultimately did not buy their story. 

Shannon was found guilty of first-degree murder on February 22nd, 2010. The judge immediately sentenced her to life in prison without parole. She remains behind bars today. 

The Bizarre Case of Sherri Papini

Sherri Papini vanished from her family's Redding, California home on November 2nd, 2016. The then-34-year-old last spoke to her husband, Keith Papini, earlier that day. When Keith returned from work, he noticed that Sherri was not home. He was also notified that Sherri had not picked up their two children from daycare, which was quite unusual. 

Keith then used the Find My iPhone app to track Sherri's phone. The app indicated that Sherri's phone was on Sunrise Drive, located less than a mile away from the Papini's home. Keith went to the location and found Sherri's phone on the ground on a trail. Her headphones were also found, and strands of Sherri's hair were tangled into the wires. Keith called police to report his wife missing shortly after this discovery.

The Shasta County Sheriff's Office sent search teams to Sunset Drive and Old Oregon Trail, but they were unable to find any trace of Sherri. Due to her phone being found on the ground, many began to speculate that Sherri had been abducted while jogging. On the other hand, there was also speculation that the scene might have been staged. The neighborhood that Sherri disappeared from is considered a quiet and safe area where crime is rarely reported. Additionally, it was reported that Sherri's phone appeared to be placed, rather than tossed or dropped, on the ground. 

Inevitably, people began to wonder if Keith had harmed Sherri and then staged her abduction. However, Keith cooperated with the investigation and police were able to confirm that he was at work during the time Sherri vanished. Still, the speculation about the abduction being staged remained. The rumors about what happened to Sherri seemed to be evenly divided--with some believing that Sherri truly was abducted, while others believed that disappearance was a hoax orchestrated by Sherri and possibly Keith as well. 

Three weeks after Sherri's disappearance, on November 24th, 2016, Sherri re-emerged. Around 4:30 that morning, the California Highway Patrol received several 911 reporting that a disheveled woman was seen running alongside Interstate 5 in Yolo County--located approximately 145 miles away from the Papini home in Redding. An officer located the woman with a truck driver who had stopped to help her. The woman identified herself as Sherri Papini. She had bindings around both her ankles and one of her arms. Additionally, Sherri was covered in cuts and bruises, a large amount of her hair had been cut, and had lost a considerable amount of weight. 

Sherri was transported to the nearby Woodland Hospital, where she was reunited with Keith. While at the hospital, Sherri explained that she was abducted by two Hispanic women and held captive in a bedroom in an unknown location. She said that the women physically abused her and at one point, they held her down to a coffee table and branded her. Police were able to confirm that Sherri did, in fact, have a brand on her body that was not there before she vanished. The brand had an indistinguishable symbol. 

Police then began to search for Sherri's kidnappers. Meanwhile, many continued to believe that her abduction was a hoax. There were many details of the story that seemed to not add up--and a motive for her kidnapping remained unclear. However, in the early stages of the investigation, police continued to maintain that they had "no reason" to not believe Sherri. Sherri later pursued compensation from California Victim’s Compensation Board and received around $30,000 from the state between the years of 2017 and 2021. 

Years passed without any updates in the case. Then, in March 2022, Sherri was arrested and charged with of making false statements to federal law enforcement officers and for mail fraud. Upon her arrest, it was revealed that Sherri had actually been with an ex-boyfriend in Costa Mesa during the time she claimed to be abducted. 

The news of Sherri's arrest also revealed many more bizarre details about her past and the events surrounding her disappearance.

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As previously noted, many people speculated that Sherri's abduction was a hoax from the start. This speculation partially was fueled by statements from people who knew Sherri personally. Once Sherri's case garnered national attention, rumors began to spread that Sherri had a history of lying about being abused by family members and ex-boyfriends.  Sherri's arrest affidavit states that police actually interviewed one of her exes while she was missing, and he seemingly confirmed these rumors.

Papini Aff. ¶ 4.

Sherri was also accused of writing a blog post containing statements of white supremacy against Hispanic people. The post was published to MySpace in 2007 with an author listed as a 'Sherri Graeffe' from Shasta County, California. According to the arrest affidavit, the post read, in part, "I used to come home in tears, because I was getting suspended from school all the time for defending myself against the Latinos. The chief problem was that I was drug-fee [sic], white and proud of my blood and heritage. This really irked a group of Latino girls, which would constantly rag and attack me."

Papini Aff. ¶ 18 and 19

 The end of the post reads, "Being white is more than just being aware of my skin, but of standing behind Skinheads – who are always around, in spirit, as well – and having pride for my country."

Papini Aff. ¶ 19

Sherri denied that she was the author to this blog post, but it was noted that she had hired an attorney to have the post removed from the web before her disappearance. This blog post fueled the rumors about Sherri faking her abduction, since she told police that her abductors were Hispanic women.

The rumors about Sherri faking her abduction continued, but investigators maintained that they were still searching for her kidnappers. Investigators eventually had a break in the case when they discovered the presence of unknown male DNA on a pair of underwear that Sherri had worn while she was missing. In 2019, investigators requested a familial DNA search for the unknown contributor. Their request was approved, and in March 2020, investigators were notified of a potential relative of the unknown male. The relative turned out to be the father of one of Sherri Papini's ex-boyfriends. 

From this point forward, investigators began to unravel the truth about Sherri's disappearance. On August 10th, 2020, investigators interviewed the ex-boyfriend for the first time. He told investigators that he did not want to contact them but had always planned to be forthcoming if they were to contact him. The ex-boyfriend then explained that he helped Sherri "run away." According to the arrest affidavit, the ex-boyfriend believed that Sherri was being abused, and he wanted to help her.

Papini Aff. ¶ 30

The ex-boyfriend continued to explain that he picked Sherri up on the day of her disappearance, then drove her back to his home in Costa Mesa. Sherri did not leave the home the entire time she was there. 

The ex also said that Sherri seemed to purposely try and lose weight by eating very little. She also cut her own hair and asked him to brand her. He complied with Sherri's request, and eventually placed the brand on her right shoulder using a wood burning tool from Hobby Lobby.

When asked if he and Sherri had been intimate, the ex-boyfriend explained that "nothing romantic" had happened between them while she stayed with him. He explained that they communicated through burner phones for almost a year before Sherri's disappearance. He initially thought that something romantic might happen when Sherri asked him to pick her up, but she did not seem interested. 

Papini Aff. ¶ 37

The arrest affidavits later state that Sherri told the ex-boyfriend that she was ready to go home shortly before Thanksgiving 2016. She told her ex that she missed her children and wanted to return to them. Her ex began to drive her back towards Redding on the evening of November 23rd, and he dropped her off on a rural road off Interstate 5.

Investigators were eventually able to corroborate the ex-boyfriend's recollection of events. Just days after speaking with him, investigators confronted Sherri with this evidence. Sherri continued to maintain that she was abducted by two Hispanic women. 

Over the next year and a half, investigators continued to build their case before finally arresting Sherri in March of 2022. While many are not surprised by her arrest, there are also some people who are devastated by Sherri's arrest and feel betrayed by her. A private investigator hired by the Papini family to find Sherri's kidnappers told People that Sherri had been the first person to hoax him throughout his 30-year-old career. Many others are angry about all the resources and dollars that were wasted on the kidnapping investigation.

Keith Papini and her other family members continue to support Sherri after her arrest. A day after she was taken into custody, the family released the following statement: “We love Sherri and are appalled by the way in which law enforcement ambushed her this afternoon in a dramatic and unnecessary manner in front of her children. If requested, Sherri would have fully complied and come to the police station, as she has done multiple times before, where this could have been handled in a more appropriate way. Sherri and Keith have cooperated with law enforcement’s requests despite repeated attempts to unnecessarily pit them against each other, empty threats to publicly embarrass them and other conduct that was less than professional. We are confused by several aspects of the charges and hope to get clarification in the coming days.”

Sherri remains in jail as her case is pending. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.

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UPDATE (April 12, 2022): 

Sherri Papini has agreed to plead guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. The Sacramento Bee reports that Sherri has made a statement through her attorney, saying, "I am deeply ashamed of myself for my behavior and so sorry for the pain I’ve caused my family, my friends, all the good people who needlessly suffered because of my story and those who worked so hard to try to help me. I will work the rest of my life to make amends for what I have done.”

Sherri is expected to appear before a magistrate judge at some point this week. According to Crime Online, Sherri will first plead not guilty, but then she will later appear before a district court judge to change her plea to guilty. The judge will then determine her sentence. 

Updates will be provided when available.

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UPDATE (April 19, 2022):

Sherri Papini has official pleaded guilty to her charges and has admitted that her kidnapping was a hoax. She is due to be sentenced in July 2022.

UPDATE (September 2022):

After months of delays, Sherri has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Her husband, Keith, has filed for divorce.