The Murder of Jaelynn Alston

image source: silentwitness.org

Jaelynn Alston was brutally murdered in Phoenix, Arizona during January 2020. The teen had been reported missing on January 9th, 2020 after she fell out of touch with her family. A week later, Jaelynn's body was found inside an office building near 43rd Avenue and Indian School Road. She had suffered several extensive injuries and it appeared that she had been deceased for several days.

Jaelynn's family members describe her as an independent person who had aspirations of becoming a nurse. She had just recently celebrated her 18th birthday prior to her untimely death. According to her father, Jimmie Alston, Jaelynn's new status as a legal adult led to her independence growing further. It became normal for Jaelynn to come and go for a few days at a time - but she always kept in touch with her loved ones. 

Jaelynn was last seen by her family members around 11:00 PM on New Year's Eve, December 31st, 2019. Over the following few days, she kept in touch with her father via text and remained active on social media. Jaelynn's father last heard from her on January 5th, 2020. After that, she fell out of touch and stopped posting on social media. Her father reported her missing a few days later. 

On January 16th, 2020, a cleaning crew at the west Phoenix office building reported an odor coming from one of the rooms. The room was subsequently opened, and the body of a teen girl - later identified as Jaelynn - was found inside. It was clear that she had been the victim of a brutal murder. 

In 2021, it was reported that the man who leased the room where Jaelynn was found is considered a person of interest. However, this man has never been publicly identified. Since then, very few details about the investigation into Jaelynn's murder have been revealed.

Silent Witness is offering a $1000 reward for anyone with information that could lead to Jaelynn's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
AZ Central
Fox 10 Phoenix , 2
Silent Witness

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about this case. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. If any information on this post is inaccurate, please contact the author via email at truecasefiles@gmail.com or through Instagram and the errors can be corrected. Additionally, if you have any information that could improve the accuracy or quality of this post, please contact the author. 

The Murders of Pamela & Helen Hargan

From left to right: Pamela Hargan, Helen Hargan, and Megan Hargan

Pamela Hargan (63) and her daughter Helen Hargan (23) were found shot to death in Pamela’s McLean, Virginia home on July 14th, 2017. When their bodies were first discovered by the Fairfax County police, it was believed the deaths were a murder-suicide. In fact, it was originally reported that Helen killed her own mother before turning the gun on herself. However, within days investigators found evidence that suggested that something else happened.

It was soon revealed that a man from Texas called the local Virginia authorities on the day of the shootings. This man was eventually identified as Helen’s boyfriend, Carlos. During said call, a police dispatcher was recorded saying, “Caller is third party. Says his girlfriend advised that her sister killed her mother.” This phone call suggests that Helen was alive for several minutes after Pamela was shot.

Additionally, the phone call suggests that Helen was trying to hide from an attacker–as Pamela’s body was found in the downstairs laundry room, and Helen’s was found in an upstairs bedroom. Investigators eventually declared that Pamela and Helen had been murdered, and the crime scene had been staged to look like a murder-suicide.

For over a year, investigators did not reveal if Pamela’s older daughter/Helen’s older sister Megan Hargan (35) was a suspect or not. They did, however, reveal that Megan had attempted to make fraudulent wire transfers from Pamela’s financial account on the day of the murders. After several months of investigating, Megan was finally arrested and charged with the murders of her mother and sister in November 2018. 

Other relatives of the Hargans state that they were not surprised by Megan’s arrest at all. Pamela’s sister Tammy North said that she believes the murders were motivated by money and jealousy. Pamela had recently bought Helen a house that she was preparing to move into before she was killed. Tammy believes that Megan was jealous about this, as she and her 7-year-old daughter could not afford to move out of Pamela’s home.

Megan's arrest appeared to the first step to receiving justice for both Pamela and Helen. However, the road to justice would be a long and slow one - and many details were revealed throughout the process.

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The first trial.

Megan Hargan courtroom sketch. (source)

Megan's murder trial began in March of 2022.

During the trial, the prosecution stated that money was the main motivation for the murders, especially since Megan was closing on a house in West Virginia. Shortly after Megan shot and killed Pamela, she went on the computer and attempted to transfer money from Pamela’s account to her own account.  

Helen’s boyfriend Carlos testified to this, as he was reportedly on the phone with Helen at the time Pamela’s murder occurred. Helen’s boyfriend said he encouraged Helen to leave the house, but she was concerned about leaving her young niece—Megan’s daughter—behind. At some point after Helen and her boyfriend hung up the phone, Megan shot and killed Helen as well. She then placed the shotgun near Helen to make the deaths appear to be a murder-suicide.

Megan’s defense attorneys argued that Pamela’s and Helen’s deaths were, in fact, the result of a murder-suicide. It was argued that Helen was angry at Pamela for disproving of her relationship with Carlos.

However, the physical evidence proved otherwise. Helen was shot on the top of her head and had a wound that went straight down to her neck. The defense argued that Helen pulled the trigger herself using her toes. The prosecution argued that this would have been very difficult to pull off.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution and found Megan Hargan guilty on all counts. They recommended that she be given two life sentences.

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A vacated sentence.

In November 2022, a judge decided to vacate Megan's conviction and hold a new trial. This decision was made after it was revealed that one of the jurors tested out the theory presented by the defense. As previously noted, Megan’s defense attorneys argued that it was Helen Hargan – not Megan – who shot their mother. The defense also argued that Helen later shot herself by using her toe to pull the trigger.

One of the jurors later told one of Megan’s defense attorneys that she used a rifle to test the defense theory of Helen pulling the trigger with her toe. The juror concluded that it was not possible for Helen to have shot herself in this way, as the medical examiner determined that she was shot in the top of the head. The juror then shared these findings with the other jurors during deliberations.

Megan’s defense attorneys argued that re-enacting the shooting was juror misconduct, as the judge instructed the jurors to not do any outside research during the trial. As such, a retrial was granted. 

A second conviction.

Megan Hargan's retrial began in September 2023. Once again, the prosecution maintained that money was Megan's motive to kill her mother and sister. Megan's defense continued to maintain that the deaths of Pamela and Helen were the result of a murder-suicide orchestrated by Helen.

This time around, a jury once again found Megan guilty on two counts of murder. She is expected to be given two life sentences.

Megan still maintains her innocence.

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Sources:
CBS News
WRIC
WUSA 9

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about this case. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. If any information on this post is inaccurate, please contact the author via email at truecasefiles@gmail.com or through Instagram and the errors can be corrected. Additionally, if you have any information that could improve the accuracy or quality of this post, please contact the author. 

The Disappearance of Iyana Sawyer

Iyana Sawyer (16) was five months pregnant when she vanished on December 19th, 2018. She was last seen at her high school in Jacksonville, Florida. Surveillance cameras captured her leaving the school carrying two large bags around lunchtime that day. Iyana never returned home that afternoon and has never been seen or heard from again. 

Surveillance image of Iyana leaving Terry Parker High School on the day of her disappearance.

Once Iyana was reported missing, investigators quickly identified her uncle through marriage, then-33-year-old Johnathan Quiles (pictured below) as a person of interest. Quiles was arrested on January 9th, 2019, for suspected sexually battery against his underage babysitter. While behind bars, he reportedly admitted to a fellow inmate that he may be the father of Iyana’s unborn child.

Iyana and other relatives were living with Quiles for weeks at a time prior to Iyana’s disappearance. Investigators found even more evidence of an inappropriate relationship between the teen and Quiles on Iyana’s computer. Investigators discovered various writings authored by Iyana that implied a sexual relationship between her and Quiles. They also found a letter written by Iyana in which she professes her love for Quiles and expresses that she wants to run away with him so they can be a family. 

Investigators also spoke with Quiles’ brother, who told them that Quiles confessed to murdering Iyana. His brother stated that Quiles told him he choked Iyana to death. He reportedly said, “she wasn't dying right and it was making him sick looking at her.”

Johnathan Quiles

Despite all of this, Quiles publicly denied being involved in Iyana’s disappearance. However, suspicions against him remained strong, especially since he was arrested very shortly after Iyana's disappearance on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with another underage girl. 

Months later, Johnathan Quiles was indicted on murder charges in the death of Iyana Sawyer and her unborn child. The indictment stated that Quiles shot Iyana to death on either December 19th or December 20th of 2018. Although Iyana's body has still not been found, the state was able to gather enough evidence for Quiles to be indicted by a grand jury.

In September 2023, Quiles' trial began. Many testified about having knowledge about him sexually abusing Iyana. Among those was Iyana's sister, who testified that she was aware of their relationship but kept quiet because she was afraid Quiles would be mad if she exposed it. She also testified that she, too, had been sexually abused by Quiles when she was just 13-years-old. 

Quiles' brother Joseph Quiles testified that the defendant had admitted to killing Iyana. In fact, Joseph said that on December 19th, 2018, Iyana met up with Quiles at Ace Pick-A-Part - his workplace - because she believed they were going to run away together. While Iyana sat in a car behind the Ace Pick-A-Part, Quiles attempted to strangle her and before ultimately shooting her to death. He then placed her body in a nearby dumpster. 

Joseph noted that Iyana's pregnant was the motive. According to Joseph, Quiles killed Iyana because he would "lose his entire family" if she had the baby. He allegedly planned this murder for months. Quiles also reportedly admitted this to a several people throughout the investigation.

The jury deliberated for about an hour before finding Quiles guilty of first-degree murder of Iyana and her unborn child. He was also found guilty of sexual battery against a minor. Quiles' was ultimately sentenced to life in prison. 

Iyana's body has never been found. 

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Sources:
Action News Jax

Charley Project
News4Jax

The Murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland

 

Kathy Netherland (48) and her daughter Samantha Netherland (16) were found brutally murdered inside their Bardstown, Kentucky home on April 22nd, 2014. The two were found by Kathy's father Norris Hardin, after he was notified that Kathy had not shown up for work. When Norris arrived at their home, he peered through the window and saw Kathy on the floor of the dining room. He ran around back and saw Samantha. Police were called, and first responders immediately rushed to the scene.

Both Kathy and Samantha were brutally beaten, and their throats were slit. Autopsies confirmed that Kathy died from several gunshot wounds, while Samantha had been bludgeoned and stabbed to death. The brutal murders of the mother and daughter shocked the community in Bardstown. Those who knew Kathy and Samantha have struggled to understand why anyone would kill them. Kathy was a beloved special education teacher Bardstown Elementary. Samantha was a quiet, smart, and kind young girl who enjoyed singing in her high school choir. She was looking forward to attending junior prom with her first boyfriend. By all accounts, Kathy and Samantha were great people who were loved by many. 

Unfortunately, the deaths of Kathy and Samantha were not the only tragedy that the family had faced in recent years. Less than a year earlier, in July 2013, Kathy's husband Bob Netherland died of colon cancer. This left Samantha and the Netherland's older daughter, Holly, without a father. After Kathy and Samantha were killed, Holly was left without her both of her parents and her sister. 

Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation about who killed Kathy and Samantha, and why. Theories have ranged from someone known to them being the perpetrator, to their killings being part of an ongoing series of corruption in the town of Bardstown. 

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The family.

It's safe to say that anyone familiar with true crime knows that in a murder investigation, detectives often look first at those closest to the victims. In many cases, it is not unusual for a spouse and/or significant other to end up being involved. However, Kathy's husband/Samantha and Holly's father passed away months before Kathy and Samantha were killed. Kathy had not began dating anyone new since her husband's passing. Samantha's boyfriend was also just a sophomore in high school at the time of the murder, and he was cleared of suspicion.

According to Kathy's sister, Stacy Hibbard, the only person with something to gain from the deaths of Kathy and Samantha is Holly Netherland. After Bob Netherland passed away, Kathy raised her life insurance so both Holly and Samantha could be covered if something happened to her. Additionally, Kathy and Holly had an, at times, volatile relationship. Just two days before the murders of her mother and sister, Holly tweeted, "Ur words went way too far this time ull b lucky if I decide to come home."

Still, there is no known evidence that Holly's troubles with her family were not just typical troubles that many older teens/young adults have with their parents. According to Stacy Hibbard, Holly was actually unaware that Kathy had raised her life insurance policy prior to her death - which rules out money being a motive for Holly to want her mother and sister gone. Reports state that Holly was heavily scrutinized by police, but has never been arrested or even publicly named as a suspect. 

Stacy told reporters that Holly has been ruled out as a suspect, but police have not confirmed this. When reporters asked police if Holly was ruled out, an officer responded, "We’re not going to say whether there’s any potential suspects or we’ve ruled anybody out. Everybody continues to remain a possible suspect.”

Potential gang-related activity.

In 2018, reports began to surface about the murders of Kathy and Samantha potentially being gang-related. That same year, a docu-series about another young woman from Bardstown aired, titled The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers. The series investigates the disappearance of a young woman named Crystal, but it also touches on numerous other unsolved crimes in Bardstown.

During the finale of the docu-series, Stephanie Bauer spoke an anonymous inmate who said that the murders of Kathy and Samantha were part of a gang initiation. While Kathy and Samantha themselves did not have any known connection to gangs, the anonymous inmate claimed they were killed by people being initiated into a gang. 

When the reporter asked how he knew it was an initiation, he explained that a cellphone jammer was placed by the Netherland's front door to kill all the cellphone signal in the house. He also explained, "I know they was tortured. I know that they were tied to their chairs. I know that one of 'em had her throat slit. They was stabbed, and one was shot. I know that trinkets were taken as trophies."

The Netherland home. (wave3.com)

Reporters also spoke to Holly, who could not confirm the rumors about the gang initiation - but she said that it was certainly a possibility. When the reporters mentioned the cellphone jammer, Holly was particularly struck by this detail. She explained, "I mean, that would explain why they didn't get a call off because I know my mom always had a phone in her hand. Samantha, she ... I'd like to think that if something happened to Mom that she would have tried to get a call off. ... She would have had [a cellphone]."

Investigators have never confirmed the gang initiation theory. When these reports first surfaced in 2018, the Kentucky State Police said they were investigating these claims. It's unclear if they are still following these leads to present day.

The car.

On the evening of Kathy and Samantha's murders, a black Chevy Impala was captured on surveillance footage. According to reports, the car was traveling north on U.S. 150 from Botland into Bardstown. The car was also captured near the Netherland home that night. Police believe that the person(s) inside that vehicle are either responsible for the murders or know who committed the murders.

The black Chevy Impala.

Police have never located the car, or the driver. Still, the Kentucky police are adamant that the occupants of the vehicle witnessed something on the night Kathy and Samantha were killed. In 2019, a trooper is quoted saying, "whoever was in that car was in that house during the time this crime was committed."

Link to other unsolved cases. 

A little less than a year before Kathy and Samantha were killed, another Bardstown local was murdered: Jason Ellis, a Bardstown police officer. 

Ellis was driving home on May 25th, 2013, when police say he was ambushed. In a description from WAVE 3, "[Ellis] was taking Exit 34 off the Bluegrass Parkway where he stopped to remove tree branches blocking his path. The killer is believed to have shot him from a nearby hill."

Many speculated that the murders of Kathy and Samantha were related to Ellis' murder. Ellis reportedly had a son with down's syndrome, and there was speculation that said son was one was Kathy's students. This connection does not explain why Kathy, Samantha, and Ellis all ended up murdered - but it was certainly worth noting to investigators. Since none of the above have been solved, the potential connection between the three murders has not yet been ruled out.

Two years after these murders, another mystery occurred in Bardstown. This time, it was a disappearance. A 35 year-old mother named Crystal Rogers vanished on July 3rd, 2015. 

Crystal was last seen at her home, where she lived with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, their two-year-old son, and her other four children. According to Brooks, Crystal was playing games on her phone when he went to bed on the evening of July 3rd, 2015. When he awoke the next morning, both Crystal and her car were gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Brooks a suspect in the case from the get-go, but it took years for him to be charged with anything related to Crystal's case. However, in 2023, Brooks was charged with capital murder and tampering with evidence. Joseph Lawson was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in relation to Crystal's case. The charges against both men are currently pending.

As previously mentioned, Crystal's case was the subject of a docu-series on Oxygen. The murders of Kathy and Samantha were mentioned and discussed on the show, as the series touches on the various unsolved crimes in Bardstown. 

The series also mentions the murder of Jason Ellis, as Ellis was a Bardstown police officer. Also a Bardstown town police officer: Nick Houck - brother of Brooks Houck. Nick Houck was eventually fired from the police force after allegedly interfering with the investigation into Crystal's disappearance. 

Sixteen months after Crystal vanished, her father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed by an unknown gunmen. He was hunting with his grandson on family property when he was struck in the chest. The grandson has been ruled out in the case, but no other suspects have been named.

From the years of 2013-2016, several murders and a disappearance occurred in the small community of Bardstown. There is inevitable suspicion that all cases are related - as they all remain unsolved - but this has yet to be confirmed. Due to the number of police officers involved in the various cases, there is speculation that the reason none of these cases have been solved is because there is corruption happening amongst the police force. 

Where the Netherland case stands today.

As of 2023, the murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland remain unsolved. There is a $50,000 reward available for information that could lead to the killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please call Kentucky State Police at 270-766-5078.

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Sources:

The Daily Beast

Oxygen
WAVE 3
WDRB

WHAS 11

The Disappearance and Murder of Breasia Terrell

Breasia Terrell went missing on July 10th, 2020. The 10-year-old girl vanished while spending the night at the home of the girlfriend of 47-year-old Henry Earl Dinkins, in Davenport, Illinois. Breasia's mother Aishia Lankford last heard from her around 9 PM on July 9th, when Breasia sent a text to say goodnight. Reports state that Breasia was seen for the last time a few hours later. Aishia reported her missing on the evening of July 10th after she never returned home.

Dinkins was immediately considered a person of interest in Breasia's disappearance. He is the father of Breasia's half-brother, and he is also a registered sex offender. Breasia reportedly tagged along with her half-brother during a visit with Dinkins on the day before her disappearance. According to Aishia, Breasia had never spent the night at this apartment before--but was enjoying her time with her brother and wanted to stay the night. 

Although Aishia was aware that Dinkins is a registered sex offender, she was initially not worried about Breasia spending the night at his girlfriend's home because she was with her brother, and she had known Dinkins her whole life. However, when Breasia never returned from Dinkins' house, suspicions against him began to build.

Police searched Dinkins' girlfriend's apartment shortly after Breasia was reported missing. During the search, he was arrested for violating sex offender requirements. He maintained that he had nothing to do with Breasia's disappearance and had no knowledge of her whereabouts.

On July 15th, 2020, an Amber alert was issued for Breasia. Authorities also announced that they were searching for anyone with information about Dinkins' whereabouts between the hours of 10pm on July 9th and 12pm on July 10th. Still, months passed without any public updates on the case.

Henry Earl Dinkins

In March 2021, Breasia's body was found. 

The remains were found on March 22nd by a group of fishermen at a pond in DeWitt--located approximately 20 miles away from Davenport. On March 31st, 2021, authorities confirmed that the remains were positively identified as that of Breasia Terrell. Her death was labeled as a homicide.

About a month later, Henry Dinkins was arrested and charged with the first-degree kidnapping and murder of Breasia Terrell. It was then revealed that Breasia was shot to death. It was believed that her death was premeditated by Dinkins. 

In September 2023, a judge declared that Dinkins was guilty of both Breasia's kidnapping and murder. It is believed that he shot her to death after sexually assaulting her. In fact, during court proceedings, Breasia's half-brother testified that he witnessed Breasia getting shot. He also stated that Dinkins and his girlfriend left the apartment with Breasia during the night and returned without Breasia. 

Dinkins was later sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.

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Sources:
Court TV
The Gazette
NBC News
People

The Disappearance and Murder of Franchesca Alvarado

image source: phillyobitproject.com

Franchesca Alvarado had a lot to look forward to during early 2012. The then-22-year-old woman was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time, and she was ready to begin her next chapter in life. Franchesca had plans to enroll at the Community College of Philadelphia, as she hoped to pursue a criminal justice degree. Unfortunately, she would never have a chance to take this step - as she vanished on March 17th, 2012.

According to reports, Franchesca arranged for a babysitter to care for her then-3-year-old daughter before leaving for Atlantic City to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. She was reportedly accompanied by Tracy Williams, an older male acquaintance. Franchesca never returned home from this trip, and her loved ones never heard from her again.

Franchesca's siblings knew something was off when days passed without any contact from her. One of her sisters, Frances, decided to go to Franchesca's home in Hunting Park to check in. Frances was greeted by Franchesca's roommate, who said that Franchesca would be back from Atlantic City in two weeks. This seemed odd, as it did not seem likely that Franchesca would take a trip that long without telling her family. 

Eventually, Franchesca's loved ones reported her missing. They then passed out fliers, organized rallies, and continuously searched for Franchesca. Meanwhile, police searched for leads. Tracy Williams was questioned, and he reportedly told police that he and Franchesca separated at some point during their night in Atlantic City. He said that he last saw her by the Borgata. Franchesca's roommate was also questioned but was reportedly uncooperative. 

Over a year later, in August 2013, a fisherman at Corson’s Inlet State Park in Ocean City found a severed foot floating in the water. The foot was still wearing an Adidas high-top sneaker, which led both police and Franchesca’s loved ones to believe that the foot did, in fact, belong to Franchesca. This was officially confirmed just a few days later.

At that point, it became clear that Franchesca met with foul play. To this day, many questions remain. What happened to Franchesca? Who is responsible for her death?

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More about Franchesca.

image source: Philly Inquirer

As previously stated, Franchesca - known as 'Cheka' by those closest to her - lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time of her disappearance. She was the youngest of 8 siblings and was very close with her family. Franchesca and her siblings had a rough childhood; as Franchesca’s father went to prison shortly after her birth, and her mother died when she was just 9 years old. Franchesca was subsequently raised by one of her older sisters. 

Despite these hardships, Franchesca remained a positive person. According to her loved ones, Franchesca had a happy energy and sparkling personality. She enjoyed crafts and had a not-so-secret crush on Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Franchesca was also a dedicated mother to her daughter, whom she gave birth to when she was just 19 years old.

The disappearance.

As also previously noted, Franchesca disappeared after going to Atlantic City - a place she went to frequently. Franchesca often went there to blow off steam and enjoy a fun time with friends. She took this particular trip to Atlantic City with a man named Tracy Williams - who is described in reports as an older male acquaintance. 

When Franchesca did not return from this trip, both her family members and police inevitably wanted to speak with Williams. He maintained that he separated from Franchesca at some point during the night after she told him that she would find her own ride home. Williams claims he last saw her by the Borgata. Despite his insistence that he did not have any information about Franchesca's whereabouts, Williams still refused to take a polygraph exam, which raised suspicions against him.

Potential persons of interest.

From the beginning, Tracy Williams was an obvious person of interest - however he was not the only person whom the family and police found suspicious. Franchesca's roommate at the time of her disappearance - Tonya Alavarez - also raised some questions. 

image source: Find Franchesca Cheka Alvarado (Facebook)

As mentioned earlier, Alavarez told Franchesca's siblings that Franchesca planned to be in Atlantic City for two weeks. Franchesca's siblings knew this was likely untrue, as it seemed unlikely that she would take such a long trip without her daughter AND without mentioning it to her family. Additionally, Alavarez reportedly declined to cooperate with the authorities investigating Franchesca's disappearance. 

Investigators also inevitably wanted to question any potential romantic partners of Franchesca's. Her siblings note that Franchesca's ex-boyfriend is now currently in prison on federal gun charges unrelated to Franchesca's case. It's unclear if he was ever a major person of interest in Franchesca's disappearance and/or murder.

The discovery of remains.

Franchesca's severed foot was found by a fisherman at Corson's Inlet State Park during August 2013. The foot still had her shoe on it - which ultimately helped investigators identify the remains.

Image source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Knowing that there had to be more remains out there, Franchesca's family continued their quest to find answers. They conducted several internet searches for "human remains found" and "bones found" - which led them to learn that a human femur and tibia had washed ashore. In 2015, both were finally identified as that of Franchesca Alvarado. The rest of her remains have never been found.

A murder investigation.

Franchesca's case shifted to a murder investigation after the discovery of the remains. However, no arrests have ever been made. Investigators have also never disclosed an exact cause of death. Tracy Williams, Tonya Alavarez, and possibly other individuals still remain persons of interest. 

Franchesca's family members are still fighting for answers. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-462-2899.

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Sources:
Find Franchesca Cheka Alvarado Facebook
Fox 29
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Obituary Project
Uncovered

The Murder of Brittany McGlone

Brittany McGlone was only 19 years-old when she was brutally murdered in Winnsboro, Texas on May 4th, 2007. 

Brittany was killed at her boyfriend's family's house. She reportedly spent the previous evening working an overnight shift at Lowe's Distribution Center. According to her family, Brittany usually went back to her own home after working an overnight shift--but on this day, she opted to go straight to her boyfriend's house.

It is believed that she arrived at her boyfriend's house around 7 AM and went to sleep in his bed shortly thereafter. Brittany's boyfriend and his family members left the house while she was sleeping. When Brittany's boyfriend and his family members returned that afternoon, they found a gruesome scene: Brittany had been savagely murdered.

Investigators later determined that Brittany had been assaulted and beaten at some point between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM. An autopsy ruled that she had died from massive head trauma. The Wood County Sheriff's Department inevitably looked at Brittany's boyfriend and his family members when they began investigating her murder - and all of them were eventually cleared. All had solid alibis that were confirmed through both surveillance and cell phone pings. 

Brittany's family members actually had another suspect in mind: a man named Chad Carr. Chad was dating Brittany's boyfriend's sister at the time of the murder. He also has quite a lengthy criminal record with prior charges for burglary, sexual assault, and assault with a deadly weapon. Chad became the main focus of the investigation as time went on. 

However, in the years that passed since the murder, Brittany's family members grew increasingly more frustrated with the authorities from Wood County Sheriff's Department. Despite having a suspect, there would be many bumps in the road throughout this investigation.

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A faulty investigation.

Various people have stated that Brittany's murder scene was mishandled and was possibly contaminated by law enforcement. In 2010, Brittany's sister Hope McGlone posted the following to a forum discussion about Brittany's case: "DNA results came back and we were told no one BUT Brittany's DNA was found. We were told whoever killed her was wrapped in saran wrap. I dont know how thats possible." 

In 2019, Hope wrote to Wood County Monitor to express her family's frustrations about the lack of communication from investigators. She wrote that she and her family members feel that Brittany has been forgotten, and that the investigators lack sensitivity when family members reach out to inquire about the case.

A turn in the case.

Finally, in 2021, a new investigator took over Brittany's case. It was at that point that authorities decided to chase the leads involving Chad Carr a bit more thoroughly. After reviewing the evidence, the new investigators noted that a pair of women's underwear had been found at Chad's house that were consistent with the size Brittany wore. It was also noted that Brittany's underwear was missing from the scene where the was found murdered.

Information from the girlfriend.

At the time of Brittany's murder, Chad Carr was dating a girl named Velva. As previously stated, Velva is the sister of Brittany's boyfriend. Approximately 8 months after Brittany's murder, Velva decided to meet with the lead investigator on Brittany's case. She explained that Chad had suspicious behavior on the day Brittany was found murdered. Additionally, Velva mentioned that Chad had a growing resentment against Brittany, as she was allowed to spend the night at the home, but Chad was not. 

Further evidence.

In addition to the information provided by Velva, investigators had even more reason to suspect Chad. There were reported holes in his alibi, and he also failed a polygraph exam relating to the case. Chad also had a history of aggravated assault; he reportedly had previously assaulted another woman in a similar fashion to the way in which Brittany was found murdered.

An arrest.

Although it appears that authorities had all the aforementioned information as early as 2008, it seems that it did not become central to the investigation until 2021 - when a new sheriff took office. On September 1st, 2021, Chad Carr was arrested and charged with Brittany's murder. 

The Grand Jury.

After Chad's arrest, Brittany's family members felt they were finally on the road to receiving justice. Unfortunately, this would never come to fruition. In November of 2021, a grand jury voted to not indict Chad on these capital murder charges. For whatever reason, they were unable to find enough probable cause to move forward with the charges. Investigators note that if more evidence is found, it's possible that Chad will be charged again.

An unsolved case.

Despite the fact that Chad Carr remains the one and only suspect, Brittany's case remains unsolved. Investigators are still searching for information that may solve the case once and for all. If you have any information that could help solve Brittany's case, please call (903) 763-2274 to submit an anonymous tip.

The Disappearance and Death of Kaysera Stops Pretty Places

 

Kaysera Stops Pretty Places was only 18 years old when she was found deceased in Hardin, Montana on August 29th, 2019. The young girl was a member of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribal communities and she lived with her grandmother. Kaysera was last seen by her family members on August 24th, 2019. She was reported missing on August 27th. 

Two days later, a passerby spotted human remains in the backyard of a Hardin home. The remains were later identified as Kaysera. Unfortunately, the discovery of her remains has led to more questions than answers. Authorities have described Kaysera's case as suspicious, but medical examiners were unable to determine an exact cause or manner of death. Her autopsy reportedly did not turn up any evidence of injury or disease. However, asphyxia was not ruled out.

According to a report released in 2021, one of Kaysera's relatives believes that Kaysera was hanging out with a person who purchased alcohol for her shortly before her death. Witnesses in that area reportedly told police that they heard an argument around 3:00 AM involving Kaysera and three other individuals: two young girls, aged 17 and 19, and a 23-year-old man. The argument apparently prompted a nearby homeowner to set off their car alarm, which caused Kaysera and the others to run off in different directions. Kaysera was then last seen running towards the backyard where her body was later found. 

Although Kaysera's manner of death remains undetermined, her family members believe she was murdered. Her family members also feel that local authorities have not put enough investigative efforts into her case. Kaysera's remains were reportedly cremated after the autopsy, so it is impossible for any further examinations of her body to be completed. Her family members stated that she was cremated without their consent. 

Kaysera's case is one of many unsolved cases among Native American women who have gone missing or have been murdered. According to the Justice Department, there are certain areas in the United States where "Native women are murdered at rates more than 10 times the national average." (source) Additionally, cases of missing and murdered Native women tend to go unsolved more often as well. 

Kaysera's family is still hoping to gain answers about her disappearance and death. There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could help solve her case. If you have any information, please call (406) 665-9780. 

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Sources:
Justice for Kaysera
NBC News
Uncovered