Saturday, April 29, 2023

The Disappearance of Kristen Galvan


Kristen Galvan was only 15 years old when she vanished on January 2nd, 2020. She was last seen at her grandmother's home in Spring, Texas. Kristen left the home on the day of her disappearance and never returned. Her loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

Despite the fact that Kristen left on her own accord, her loved ones immediately began to worry for her safety. Kristen's family members began to suspect that she had been sold into trafficking by an older boy whom she had been hanging out with prior to her disappearance. That boy was later identified as Aryion Jackson - a Houston-based rapper who used the stage name Yung Corleon. 

Kristen actually vanished with Jackson prior to January of 2020. During this time, Kristen's family learned that Jackson was also a pimp who had sex trafficked over a dozen girls and young women, including Kristen, at a house on Bissonnet Street. Kristen was at the house for about a week and a half before she was rescued. Unfortunately, she vanished again two and a half weeks later. 

Years have passed since this second disappearance, and Kristen still remains missing. A private investigator hired by Kristen's family has been investigating the case, and several leads have been followed. Still, the key question remains: where is Kristen?

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Several different locations have been investigated in regard to Kristen's whereabouts. Witnesses have also come forward with information. A closer look into these locations and the witness testimonies may hold the answers needed to solve Kristen's case. 

Bissonnet Street.

As previously noted, Kristen was rescued from a house on Bissonnet Street just two and a half weeks before her January 2020 disappearance. When she vanished for a second time, her family inevitably wanted to investigate both the house and Aryion Jackson.

Kristen's family went to Bissonnet Street to search, but they saw no signs of her. Jackson was questioned, but he claimed that he did not have any knowledge of Kristen's whereabouts. In fact, he denied knowing Kristen altogether. Jackson was later sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking minors with force, fraud or coercion.

Aryion Jackson (image source)

Jackson has not been charged with anything related to Kristen's current disappearance. It's possible, and some think it's likely, that he has information about Kristen's whereabouts, but at this time he has not revealed that information. 


The Atlanta lead.

During the spring of 2021, authorities publicly announced that they, too, believe that Kristen is a victim of sex trafficking. In fact, people have reported that they've seen Kristen's picture on a website that is well-known for prostitution. Rumors also began to swirl that Kristen was being trafficked in Atlanta. 

A private investigator hired by Kristen's family traveled to Atlanta to follow these leads. She reportedly found some of the girls listed on the website, but she was unable to find Kristen. 

Latasha's testimony.

That same month, the private investigator was contacted by a woman named Latasha who claimed to have been held against her will and trafficked out of the same Atlanta house as Kristen. She mentioned that Kristen was pregnant at the time. Latasha said that she managed to escape from the traffickers and felt guilty about leaving Kristen behind. 

The private investigator noted that Latasha provided information about Kristen that "nobody else would have known". However, Latasha later spoke to the FBI, and her testimony was deemed as not credible. 

The baby.

At an unknown date in the spring/summer of 2021, the private investigator received a Facebook message from a person claiming to be Kristen. The messages said that she had borrowed a phone from a man who "did not know the rules". The message also said that she had just given birth in a Port-a-Potty and was forced to leave the baby behind, and she wanted her mom to go get the baby.

On June 3rd, 2021, a deceased infant was found in a Port-a-Potty in Houston, umbilical cord still attached. A test was requested to see if the baby's DNA was a match to Kristen's DNA. Four months later, the private investigator received a text saying that the DNA was not a match - but they were never provided with any documentation from the tests. 

Other remaining questions.

Although the DNA from the deceased infant was reportedly not a match to Kristen, it seems odd that the private investigator never received the requested documentation with the DNA results. It also seems suspicious that the private investigator received a message that Kristen had given birth in a port-a-potty, and then a deceased infant was found in one. It's possible that someone was pretending to be Kristen - but who? And why?

The private investigator tried to get in touch with Latasha at a later date and learned that Latasha had passed away. She messaged some people on Latasha's Facebook friend list to see what happened. She was told by a friend that she was murdered, but Latasha's mother said that she had suffered an aneurism. 

Kristen remains missing.

Despite the numerous leads, Kristen remains missing. If you have seen Kristen or have any information on her disappearance, PLEASE contact authorities and/or leave an anonymous tip. You can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the following ways:
  • Phone: 1-888-373-7888
  • Text: 233733
  • Online chat: link
  • Anonymous online tip: link

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

The Disappearance and Death of Shawnta Pankey

image source

Shawnta Pankey vanished in Idaho on April 15th, 2018. The then-25-year-old was seen near her Grangeville apartment with her boyfriend, Eddie Mills, around 2:00 AM. Surveillance cameras captured the couple making several trips back and forth from the apartment to Mills' car while carrying camping gear.  Shawnta and Mills left the apartment building in the vehicle around 2:15 AM. By 11:06 AM, Mills returned to the apartment building alone. Shawnta was never seen or heard from again.

Shawnta was reported missing the following day, after she did not pick up her daughter from her mother’s house as planned.  When Mills was questioned, he said that he and Shawnta got into an argument while camping at Pine Bar along the Salmon River. Shawnta then decided to talk a walk around 10:00 AM and never returned.

As the last person to have seen Shawnta, Mills was inevitably labeled as a person of interest. He denied any knowledge of her whereabouts and agreed to take a polygraph exam. Reports stated that Mills did not show up for the planned polygraph at first – but he did eventually take the exam, and he passed. This still did not rule Mills out completely, but it did prompt investigators to look at other possible scenarios.

One couple reported seeing a woman matching Shawnta’s description hiking up grade near the river between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on the day of her disappearance. Investigators conducted several searches in that area and in the surrounding areas, but they were unable to locate Shawnta. The area from which she vanished reportedly has very little cell phone service, so investigators were unable to track her cell phone pings.

On May 5th, 2019 - over a year after Shawnta's disappearance - human remains were found near Buffalo Eddy on the Snake River. Days later, it was confirmed that those remains were that of Shawnta Pankey. The FBI then began conducting a forensic examination on her remains. By late November 2019, it was announced that investigators had finished the forensic examination, but they declined to provide any further details. 

To this day, Shawnta's cause and manner of death has not been revealed. However, there is speculation that she was murdered. Many people still believe her boyfriend Eddie Mills was involved. Still - no arrests have been made in Shawnta's case.

Shawnta's loved ones are hoping to find answers in her case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Idaho County Sheriff's Office at 208-983-1100.
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Sources:

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Timeline: The Case of Katie and Steven Pladl

Katie Pladl (18) and her biological father Steven Pladl (42) pictured together in 2016

The story of Katie and Steven Pladl is one of the wildest cases I have ever covered. The disturbing and tragic story has caused a lot of discussion on the case's tumblr post. While the post covers the overall story, this timeline breaks down the details in chronological order. 

1995: 20-year-old Steven Pladl meets 15-year-old Alyssa Garcia on the Internet.

Alyssa Garcia (source)

January 1998: 17-year-old Alyssa gives birth to a baby girl fathered by Steven. They name the little girl Denise. 

Steven and Alyssa's baby girl (source)

1998 cont.: According to Alyssa, Steven was abusive towards their infant daughter. Alyssa alleged that Steven would pinch Denise “until her body was left black and blue. The cruel father would also stuff Katie in a cooler to drown out her crying, preventing Alyssa from freeing the terrified infant until she was on the verge of suffocating.” (DailyMail). Despite this, though, Alyssa stays with Steven and eventually ends up marrying him. 

1998 cont.: Alyssa and Steven place Denise up for adoption. She is adopted by Anthony and Kelly Fusco. The baby's new name is Katie Fusco, and she is moved to Anthony and Kelly's home in Dutchess County, New York. 

Town in New York, where Katie moved as an infant after being adopted by the Fuscos

2007: Almost 10 years after giving birth to Katie, Alyssa gives birth to her and Steven's second child--a baby girl. Alyssa stated that they were “more grown up and ready” to have children at this stage in life.

2012: Alyssa gives birth to their third daughter.

2016: Katie, now 18 years old, grows curious about her biological family. She tracks down Alyssa, now 37, and Steven, now 42, on social media. The estranged parents and daughter begin to correspond.

Katie Fusco at age 18 (source)

June 2016: Katie graduates from high school. She has plans to enroll in the local community college and then eventually transfer to SUNY Purchase to study digital advertising.

August 2016: After continuing to correspond with her birth parents, Katie’s plans change. Instead of enrolling in college, she opts to move to Henrico, Virginia to live with Steven, Alyssa, and their other two daughters. 

Alyssa Pladl and Katie Pladl reunited in 2016 - pictured together with Alyssa and Steven's two younger daughters (source)

September 2016: Steven begins sleeping on Katie’s bedroom floor each night. According to Alyssa, she and Steven had already been sleeping in separate beds for months prior. 

Sept-Nov. 2016: Steven and Katie begin a sexual relationship.

November 2016: Alyssa moves out of the home and files for divorce from Steven. They split custody of the two younger children. Alyssa allegedly had suspicions about Steven’s relationship with Katie but was not completely aware of how far it had gone. 

Late 2016-Early 2017: Steven instructs his two younger daughters to begin referring to Katie as their stepmom rather than their sister. At some point, Katie learns she is pregnant with Steven's child.

Katie and Steven in 2017, while Katie was pregnant (source

May 23rd, 2017: Alyssa reads her 11-year-old daughter’s diary after a visit with Steven and Katie. From there, Alyssa learns that her ex-husband was engaging in a sexual relationship with their oldest biological daughter. She also learns that Katie is pregnant with Steven’s baby. After confronting Steven about it, Alyssa decides to contact the police. 


Pages from the diary of Alyssa and Steven's 11-year-old, describing Steven's relationship with Katie. Click to enlarge. (source)

May 31st, 2017: Henrico County police officers interview Steven and Alyssa’s two other children. No arrests are made.

Summer 2017: Katie and Steven move to Knightdale, North Carolina. 

July 20th, 2017: Katie and Steven get married in Maryland. Their marriage was official; they were able to “legally” wed because they did not disclose their father-daughter relationship. Their wedding ceremony was complete with guests, including Steven’s parents and Katie’s adoptive parents. Katie’s adoptive parents reportedly felt there was “nothing they could do except support Katie.” (CBSnews)

Katie, Steven & family at their July 2017 wedding (dailymail)

September 1st, 2017: Katie gives birth to her father’s baby. They name the little boy Bennett. 

Katie with Bennett (2017)

November 29th, 2017: Henrico County police officers issue arrest warrants for Steven and Katie.

Late January 2018: Steven and Katie are arrested and charged with incest and adultery. They are later released on bond and ordered to have no-contact with one another. Katie moves back to New York with her adoptive parents. Steven’s mother gains custody of their son.


April 2018: Katie decides to end her relationship with Steven. Despite the no-contact order, Katie calls Steven to break-up with him.

April 11th, 2018: Steven picks up his and Katie’s baby from his mother’s house. He brings the baby back to his house, where he later suffocates him and leaves his body in a closet.

April 11th-12th, 2018: Steven drives through the night from North Carolina to New York.

April 12th, 2018: Steven waits outside of the home of Katie’s adoptive parents. He watched as Katie and her adoptive father left together in a vehicle. He followed the two as they drove from Wingdale to New Milford. While stopped at a stop sign between routes 7 and 55, Steven shot Katie and her adoptive father, killing them both, before turning the gun on himself.

Scene where Steven shot Anthony Fusco and Katie before turning the gun on himself

Unfortunately, this disturbing tale ended violently. An officer working the case stated, “we may never understand the mindset or motives of Steven Pladl, but we do know his actions have shattered the lives of countless people.”

Additionally, this case has brought more attention to a term called "genetic sexual attraction", which is "used to describe the intense physical and emotional feelings that some people experience following restored contact between an adopted person and a close member of his or her birth family. Some people believe genetic attraction to be a delayed by-product of “missed bonding". Believe it or not, Katie and Steven are not the first father-and-daughter couple to fall in love. A list of other similar cases can be found here. More information about GSA can be found here.

Saturday, April 8, 2023

The Murders of Tammy Jo Parker & Bryan Capnerhurst

Tammy Jo Parker (left) Brett Parker (center) and Bryan Capnerhurst (right)

Tammy Jo Parker and Bryan Capnerhurst were both killed by Tammy’s husband Brett Parker on April 13th, 2012. Tammy and Brett lived in the small town of Irmo, South Carolina. Brett and Bryan knew each other as business partners. Both were involved in illegal sports betting in Midlands—in fact, many referred to Brett as the “kingpin” of the operation. 

Reports state that both Brett and Bryan were addicted to gambling, and both were suffering from debt. It is believed that Brett’s debt motivated the killings. He had a million-dollar life insurance policy on Tammy that he wanted to collect, and he used Bryan as a person to place blame upon.

After the murders, Brett called the police and told them that Bryan had broken into their home and immediately shot Tammy. Then, he demanded money from Brett’s safe. Brett then said that he grabbed his own gun from above his safe and shot Bryan in self-defense. His explanation of events portrayed him as a victim in this situation, however it did not take very long for Brett’s story to fall apart.

Throughout the investigation, detectives learned of both Brett and Bryan’s involvement in the illegal sports betting. After speaking to Bryan’s widow Cindy Capnerhurst, investigators learned that Bryan was allegedly concerned about meeting with Brett on the day of his death. In fact, he reportedly told Cindy to call the police if she did not hear from him within an hour of his meeting with Brett.

Cindy explained to investigators that Brett owed Bryan money, and Bryan feared that Brett would become violent when confronted about said money. Investigators also learned about the lucrative life insurance policy that Brett had on Tammy, and that Brett had been exchanging flirtatious messages with other women in the years leading up to Tammy’s death.

Three months after the incident, Brett was charged for murdering both Tammy and Bryan. At the trial, prosecutors presented their belief that Brett wanted to relieve himself of debt and to get out of his marriage. As such, he concocted this plan to kill his wife and his business partner who wanted to collect money that Brett owed him. 

The prosecution then presented evidence Brett shot and killed Tammy before Bryan even arrived at their home, and Bryan was shot shortly after showing up. It was also revealed that Brett’s claim that Bryan immediately began to shoot as he entered the home was false as well, as surveillance footage from the Parker’s home showed that Bryan entered the house a full 11 minutes before 911 was called.

Brett and his defense team maintained his original story that it was actually Bryan who killed Tammy, and that Brett killed Bryan in self-defense. The jury did not buy his story and ultimately found him guilty for both murders. 

Brett was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. He attempted to appeal his case in 2016, but the conviction was upheld by a three-judge panel. Brett currently remains behind bars in a Columbia, South Carolina prison.