The Disappearance of Tyreek Pettigrew

 

Tyreek Pettigrew has been missing since February 21st, 2018. The then-20-year-old was last seen at a Fuel Express gas station in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Tyreek was at the gas station around 3:00 PM on the day of his disappearance. He was driving his mother's Nissan Infiniti G35. Tyreek left the gas station after a few minutes. He never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

After Tyreek was reported missing, investigators learned that the vehicle he was driving was spotted by surveillance cameras at 3:38 PM--just 38 minutes after his last known sighting. The car was seen at the Janki Mart on State Road-but Tyreek was not in the vehicle at the time. A different person was behind the wheel. At this time, it is unclear who was in possession of the car. 

During the early morning hours of February 22nd, the car Tyreek was driving was found on fire on Cainhoy Road in Charleston, South Carolina. There was no sign of Tyreek on the scene. It is unknown how the car got to said location. 

Tyreek's mother believes that her son was killed, and that people know what happened but are unwilling to speak up. It's uncharacteristic for Tyreek to stay out-of-touch with his family members. His loved ones have never believed that he is missing on his own accord.

The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is investigating Tyreek's disappearance. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please call 843-719-4465.

-

UPDATE (November 2023): 

An arrest has been made in Tyreek's case.

Brandon Smith (33) has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in relation to Tyreek's disappearance. The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is still investigating Tyreek's case and more updates are expected.

Brandon Smith. (source)

Sources:
[ABC News 4]

[Charley Project]

[Charleston WCSC-TV]

The Murder of Alma Mendez

source: NWI Times

The fall of 2007 was a tough time for Alma Mendez. The then-38-year-old woman had been dealing with the aftermath of her mother's brain aneurysm, which had occurred just months earlier. Additionally, Alma had separated from her husband of 19 years in early October. Despite these tough times, Alma remained a positive and dedicated mother to her three children. She also never deviated from her daily routine of jogging in the Sauk Trail Woods Forest Preserve near her home in Chicago Heights, Illinois. 

The afternoon of October 28th, 2007 was no exception to this routine. As usual, Alma drove her car to the preserve and began jogging on the trail. This time, though, Alma never returned home. Her family members reported her missing that evening. 

Police found Alma's car parked at the preserve. This indicated the likelihood that Alma either never left the area or was taken from the area by force. Searches were immediately launched in the preserve. Two days later, on October 30th, a searcher found Alma's body in the lake near the trail. An autopsy later confirmed that Alma's throat had been slit. She had also suffered several blunt force injuries.

 Alma's death was subsequently labeled a homicide. The news of her death was inevitably devastating for her family members - and it also caused panic amongst locals in the area who now feared that a predator was on the loose. However, detectives believe that Alma's death was not random, and that she may have been targeted. 

Many questions remain, such as who? And why? The information revealed throughout the investigation brings forth a few different theories. 

-

Daily jogs at Sauk Trail.

Sauk Trail. (source: Forest Preserves of Cook County)

Sauk Trail provided Alma with a scenic view during her daily exercise. According to her sisters, Alma loved jogging along this trail by the lake. Since this jog was part of her daily routine, it can be theorized that Alma's killer knew she'd be at the trail at the time of their encounter. 

It's possible that this person is another frequenter of the trail who had seen Alma there during her daily jogs. However, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, Alma usually went running during the early morning hours - but on the day of her murder, she went later in the day.

It's also possible that Alma's killer followed her there or knew she was there after recognizing her car in the parking lot. If this is the case, it supports detectives' beliefs that Alma was targeted - possibly by someone she knew. 

Phone calls before Alma's disappearance.

Several different reports on Alma's case reference phone calls that she made shortly before her disappearance and murder. On November 1st, 2007, Cardinal News reported that Alma "was last heard from on Sunday at about 2 p.m. when she left a friend a voicemail saying she had something important to talk about."

It's unknown what Alma wanted to talk about with said friend, therefore it is unknown if it has anything to do with Alma's murder. Several other reports note another phone call that Alma made that day to one of her sisters. According to the sister, Alma was actually on the phone with her as she began her jog at the trail. 

There was reportedly no cause for alarm during that phone call, as Alma was in good spirits. The phone call did not end abruptly, nor did it give her sister any reason to worry. This information indicates that Alma clearly did not suspect that anything sinister was awaiting her during her jog. 

Witness information.

According to Alma's sisters, witnesses saw something unusual on the trail that day: a truck. While the trail may be large enough for a car, it's known as a walking/running/trail - which is why the vehicle stuck out. Alma's sisters were reportedly told that the truck had a direct link to Alma's murder.

In 2011, Alma's sister Maria Lopez told CBS 2 News that detectives said Alma was run over first, then attacked, before her body was placed in the water. It's not believed that Alma was accidentally struck by the vehicle. 

It appears that detectives have corroborated the witnesses' statements about seeing the truck on the trail - but it is unknown if the vehicle has ever been identified or located.

The separation.

As previously mentioned, Alma and her husband separated in early October 2007 - just weeks before her murder. This inevitably raises suspicions about the husband, who was likely aware of Alma's jogging routine. Early reports on Alma's case state that the husband has been questioned. 

It's unclear if police are suspicious of Alma's estranged husband - but he has not been publicly labeled as a person of interest or suspect in the case.

Theories.

Based on the above information about this case, there are a few theories:

• Theory 1: The killer was a stalker or predator, possibly unknown to Alma. Since detectives believe Alma was targeted, it seems less likely that Alma was killed by a random predator who spotted her in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is, however, possible that Alma was killed by a predator who had been stalking her.
  
  Maybe this person first spotted Alma on her daily jogs at the trail - or maybe this person knew of her from elsewhere. It should be noted that there are no known reports of Alma being fearful of a stalker or anything of the like around the time of her murder. Still, it's possible that she was targeted by someone unknown to her.
  
  
• Theory 2: Alma's husband is the killer. There are many reasons that one might suspect Alma's husband. The two separated just weeks before the murder. Many reports state that the two were estranged. It's possible that Alma and her estranged husband were about to face a nasty divorce and custody battle. If so, this may provide motive for the husband. 
  
  All of this is speculation - as the husband has not been charged with anything related to Alma's murder. However, it appears he has not been publicly ruled out either.
  
  
• Theory 3: The killer is someone else known to Alma. It's possible that Alma was murdered by someone else she knew - but if so, it's unclear who or why. As previously noted, there are not any known reports of Alma being worried about or troubled by any sort of third party/person. Still - detectives may have information about this that the public may not know. 
  
  The phone call that Alma made to her friend, stating that she had "something she wanted to talk about" may hold a clue here. Maybe Alma wanted to talk to her friend about a person she was having trouble with, maybe she wanted to talk about her troubled marriage, or maybe it was something else altogether. At this time, this information is unknown.

Where the case stands today.

Despite having some workable theories, Alma's murder remains unsolved. Years have passed without any news on her case.

Alma's murder has been labeled as a cold case by the Cook County Sheriff's Office. There is a monetary reward for anyone with information that could help solve the case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

-
Sources:
Cardinal News
CBS News
The Chicago Tribune
Cook County Sheriff's Office
Daily Herald

The Disappearance of Marlisha Love

source: KSDK

Marlisha Love has been missing since January 6th, 2023. The 23-year-old young woman was last seen at a White Castle in St. Louis, Missouri. Marlisha never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

According to reports, Marlisha was seen with friends on the day on her disappearance. One of her friends stated that Marlisha asked to be dropped off at the White Castle at the intersection of Delmar Boulevard and Kingshighway Boulevard. After bringing her there, the friend said she witnessed Marlisha getting into the passenger side of an older model white Chevy Suburban. The car then left the parking lot. What happened after that still remains a mystery.

source: KSDK

It is reportedly unusual for Marlisha to stay away from home and out-of-touch for this long. She was subsequently reported missing by her mother on January 9th, 2023 - three days after she was last seen. A few weeks into the investigation, police appealed to the public for help finding Marlisha. Unfortunately, it appears that the investigation has yet to turn up any clues. 

Very little information is available about the vehicle that Marlisha's friend said that Marlisha got into at White Castle. There is surveillance footage of Marlisha in the White Castle parking lot, but it does not appear that the footage captures her getting into a car. In fact, the St. Louis Crimestoppers page states that there are "no video's (sic) to verify [Marlisha's friend's] story."

St. Louis police have revealed very few details about the investigation into Marlisha's disappearance. It is unknown if there are any persons of interest or suspects - as police have not publicly identified any people as such. What is known is that Marlisha remains missing today, and her loved ones are searching for answers.

If you have any information that could lead to Marlisha's whereabouts, please submit a tip.

-
Sources:
Fox 2 Now
KSDK
St. Louis Regional Crimestoppers

 

The Disappearance & Murder of Stevencia Barlatier

Stevencia Barlatier (21) was eight months pregnant when she vanished without a trace on November 26th, 2017. She was last seen at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando, Florida. Stevencia never returned home and was never seen or heard from again.

At first, Stevencia’s family members were not worried, as it was not uncommon for her to drop out of sight for days at a time. However, Stevencia was due to give birth in December 2017. When her family had still not heard from her by December 31st, they reported her missing.

After Orlando PD began investigating, Stevencia’s family members learned that she had not used her cell phone or accessed any of her social media accounts since November 26th. Stevencia’s phone was last pinged at a home in Kissimmee. Police went to said home, but the family reportedly did not know or recognize Stevencia.

After two years of silence on the case, it was reported in 2019 that Stevencia's body was found in a remote wooded area in eastern Hernando County - over 50 miles away from where she was last seen. It is unclear when, exactly, her body was found and there has been very little news coverage on Stevencia's case. Her death is classified as a homicide and investigators are looking for tips to help solve the murder. 

-
Sources:
Bay News 9
Newsbreak
WESH

The Murder of Carly Jones

 

Carly Jones was found shot to death inside her Boston, Massachusetts home on January 29th, 2013. Her murder remains unsolved to this day.

The 32-year-old mother lived in an apartment in the Roslindale neighborhood at the time of her death. She was discovered deceased by a friend who was dropping Carly's daughter off that evening. As the friend and Carly's daughter approached the residence on 28 Fawndale Road, they noticed the door was open. The friend told Carly's daughter to wait outside while she inspected the scene.

28 Fawndale Road. (source: apartmentfinder.com)

Once inside, the friend found Carly in her bedroom, slumped over her bed. Her body was covered in blood. Police were called, and it was soon determined that Carly had been killed by gunshot wounds to the head.  

Throughout the investigation, it was noted that there were no signs of forced entry into Carly's apartment or into the building's front door. Due to this, investigators do not believe that Carly's murder was random. A 2014 report from Boston Herald states, "police believe that Jones knew her killer and that a tenant unwittingly let the shooter in through the main entrance." Despite this, police have not publicly announced any suspects in Carly's case.

Early into the investigation, it was reported that police were looking to speak with Carly's friends and acquaintances. It was also reported that several other residents in the apartment building were home at the time of the murder and it was likely that someone heard the gunshots or other noise related to the crime. However, it's unclear if investigators were able to narrow down any persons of interest. Years have passed with any updates in Carly's case. 

If you have any information that could help solve Carly's murder, please contact Boston homicide detectives at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crimestoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word 'TIP' to CRIME (27463).

-
Sources:
Boston 25 News
Boston Herald (2)
Patch
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Sage Smith

Sage Smith disappeared under suspicious circumstances on November 20th, 2012. Prior to vanishing, the 19-year-old was making a lot of positive changes in her life. Sage grew up in the foster care system, and reportedly had a very tumultuous childhood. Things were beginning to turn around in the fall of 2012—Sage was no longer a part of the foster system, so she was able to move into her own place in Charlottesville, Virginia. She had recently gotten a new job in that area, and she was looking forward to her future. 

Sage also had recently come out to her family and friends as transgender. Just weeks before her disappearance, Sage changed her gender on her Facebook page from male to female. According to Sage’s grandmother Lolita Smith, Sage was reportedly very happy to be living her truth.

On the evening she was last seen, Sage told her roommate, Aubrey Carson, that she planned to meet up with a man—possibly for a date—whom she had met online. That man was later identified as Erik McFadden (pictured below).

Aubrey grew concerned the following morning, when he awoke to find that Sage had not returned home. He tried calling Sage, but her phone went straight to voicemail. Aubrey then called Sage’s grandmother, Lolita. After learning that Lolita had not heard from Sage either, Aubrey called the Charlottesville police.

Erik McFadden

By the time authorities determined that Sage had met up with a man named Erik McFadden, they were unable to locate him. In fact, McFadden’s girlfriend ended up reporting him missing on November 24th—just four days after Sage was last seen. At that point, investigators became tasked with locating both Sage and their only person of interest in Sage's case.

--

McFadden contacts the authorities.

At first, it appeared that McFadden was on the run. However, he ended up contacting Charlottesville authorities three days after he was reported missing. McFadden told them that he did plan to meet up with Sage on the evening of November 20th, but Sage never showed up. 

Still, investigators asked McFadden to meet with them in person. He told them that he couldn’t because he was in New York. When investigators asked him when he would be back, he hung up.

A changed story.

Although it appeared McFadden himself was trying to avoid contact with authorities, his girlfriend continued to cooperate with the investigation. She told police that McFadden planned to take a bus back to Charlottesville on November 29th. The next day, though, McFadden changed his mind. He sent his girlfriend an e-mail saying that Sage was blackmailing him by threatening to tell people that the two of them had sex. 

McFadden also stated that he did meet up with Sage on the night of November 20th, but he did not know what happened to her. This version of events clearly differed from the story that McFadden told authorities, and he was officially classified as a person of interest after that. 

Case reclassification.

Unfortunately, investigators have never been able to question McFadden in person. He reportedly has never returned to Charlottesville, and the last sign of him was an e-mail he sent to his girlfriend in May 2013, from an untraceable e-mail address.

The Charlottesville Police are still actively investigating Sage’s disappearance. In 2016, the investigation was reclassified as a homicide. Three years later, on June 26th, 2019, police announced that they officially filed a missing persons' report for Erik McFadden. To this day, McFadden remains the only person of interest/suspect in the case. 

A $20,000 reward is in place for any information that could lead to Sage’s whereabouts and/or an arrest in the case. If you have any information about Sage and/or Erik McFadden’s whereabouts, please contact the Charlottesville Police Department at 434-970-3280.

-
Sources:
ABC News 8
Charley Project
NBC News
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Lina Sardar Khil

Source: Crime Online

Lina Sardar Khil was only 3 years old when she went missing on December 20th, 2021. The little girl lived with her family in San Antonio, Texas at the time of her disappearance. On the evening she vanished, Lina went outside to play with other neighborhood children at a playground at her family's apartment complex around 5:30 PM. Lina's mother turned away for a few minutes, and when she looked back, Lina was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Lina's family is originally from Afghanistan. When Lina was a baby, the family moved to the United States and settled into an Afghan refugee community in San Antonio. The families living in that community all know each other and look after one another. For this reason, Lina's mother felt it was safe for her to turn her back momentarily while Lina played with other neighborhood children. Unfortunately, Lina seemingly vanished within that short amount of time.

When Lina's mother first realized that Lina was no longer at the playground, she went door-to-door throughout the community to see if anyone had seen her daughter. Lina's parents then turned to the leader of their Afghan community to see if he could help. The leader advised Lina's parents to call the police - which they finally did around 7:30 PM that evening. 

Thorough searches were conducted in the family's community and in surrounding areas. Dive teams were sent into a nearby creek. No sign of Lina was found. Lina's family members cooperated with the investigation and have not been labeled as persons of interest. No other persons of interest have been publicly identified.

Months before Lina vanished, her family brought her on a trip to their hometown in Afghanistan. While there, Lina and her mother happened to be just feet away from a suicide bombing that killed hundreds of people. Lina and her mother survived the attack and returned to San Antonio. The family - much like many other families - sought refuge and safety in the United States. They never imagined that the most traumatizing event of their lives would occur while living in Texas. 

Authorities have been baffled by Lina's disappearance. The FBI is now involved in the search. If you have any information that could lead to Lina's whereabouts, please submit a tip.

-
Sources:
ABC News
Charley Project
Crime Online
My San Antonio
New York Times

List Series: Midwest Mysteries vol. 1

The following is the first installment of a new posting series: Midwest Mysteries. This list contains unsolved murder or disappearance from each state in the East North Central region of the Midwest: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Links to more detailed write-ups and tip submissions for each case are provided.

MIDWEST MYSTERIES: VOLUME ONE.

OHIO:

The Disappearance and Murder of Candice Taylor (2017)

Source: NBC4i

Candice Taylor vanished at the age of 21 during March 2017. The then-21-year-old was last seen in the northeast area of Columbus, Ohio. She was reported missing by her mother on March 17th, 2017.

Twelve days later, a set of human legs were found in a garbage truck at a garbage sorting facility on the northwest side of Columbus. It took nearly two years, but in January 2019, investigators announced that the partial remains belonged to Candice Taylor. Her case was then shifted to a homicide investigation.

There are far more questions than answers about Candice's murder. Candice was dead within 12 days of being reported missing, yet her mother continued to receive texts from Candice's phone until June 2017. At the time her mother received the messages, Candice's remains had already been found, but had yet to be identified. 

It's clear that the messages Candice's mother received were not from Candice herself. Whoever sent the messages did so with the intention of making it seem as if Candice were alive and well - so it's likely that this person is involved in Candice's murder as well. However, this is all just speculation - as police have never publicly announced any suspects or persons of interest.

Candice's murder remains unsolved.

If you have any information that could help solve Candice's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Candice's case.

MICHIGAN:

The Disappearance of Tamala Wells (2012)

Source: Charley Project

 Tamala Wells has been missing since August 6th, 2012. The then-33-year-old woman lived with her children and boyfriend in Detroit, Michigan at the time of her disappearance. Tamala was reportedly last seen leaving her residence on the evening she vanished. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Three days after her disappearance, Tamala's car was found abandoned a few blocks away from her home. The car contained some of her clothing and a few personal items, but otherwise no further clues to her whereabouts were found.

Over the years, there has been speculation that Tamala's live-in boyfriend, Rickey Tennant, is involved in her disappearance. He made comments about Tamala giving him a "headache" years after her disappearance - which seemed a bit insensitive. However, police maintain that Tennant has cooperated with the investigation.

Tamala remains missing today. No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly announced. 

If you have any information that could help solve Tamala's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Tamala's case.

INDIANA:

The Disappearance and Murder of Jorden Sopher (2006)

Source: Charley Project

  Jorden Sopher vanished in Wabash, Indiana on May 23rd, 2006. The then-18-year-old was staying with friends, but on the day of her disappearance, she visited her parents' house. Reports state that Jorden vanished after leaving her parents' house on foot.

Jorden's friends, parents, and other individuals were questioned regarding her disappearance - but police were unable to identify a suspect or person of interest. Months turned into years without any sign of Jorden. The case quickly grew cold.

Nearly three years later, a mushroom hunter found human remains amongst a thick canopy of raspberry bushes and honeysuckle in Peru, Indiana. Dental records later confirmed that the remains were that of Jorden Sopher. The clothes that she was wearing on the day of her disappearance were found amongst the remains - which indicates that she was likely deceased not long after she vanished.

Jorden's death has been classified as a homicide, but an exact cause of death has never been revealed. Her case remains unsolved.

If you have any information that could help solve Jorden's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Jorden's case.

ILLINOIS:

The Disappearance of Yasmin Acree (2008)

Source: ABC 7 Chicago

Yasmin Acree was only 15 years-old when she vanished on January 15th, 2008. She was last seen at her mother's home in Chicago, Illinois. The following morning, Yasmin was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Over the years, there has been speculation about several different theories in Yasmin's case. A registered sex offender claimed he brought Yasmin to a house where she died by suicide - and then he later disposed of her body. Said offender is currently serving a 110-year prison sentence for an unrelated kidnapping and rape case. 

While Yasmin actually did personally know this offender, police have not been able to substantiate his version of events. It's worth noting that this man has a history of fabricating events as well. He has never been charged with anything related to Yasmin's disappearance.

There are several other circumstances that could be contributing factors in Yasmin's disappearance as well. Unfortunately, police have been unable to crack the case. Yasmin remains missing today.

If you have any information that could help solve Yasmin's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Yasmin's case.

WISCONSIN:

The Disappearance and Murder of Heather Szekeres (2013)

Source: Fox 6 Milwaukee

Heather Szekeres vanished during the early morning hours of June 22nd, 2013. The 32-year-old woman was last seen by her loved ones at a bar called Final Lap in Shawano, Wisconsin. Reports state that Heather left the bar around 2:00 AM but never returned home.

Heather and her husband, Rob Szekeres, lived in an apartment just yards away from Final Lap. The couple had a daughter who was just an infant at the time of Heather's disappearance. Despite all of this, police initially believed that she was missing on her own accord. This belief was reiterated 6 months after Heather's disappearance, even though there had been no sign of her since the evening she vanished.

In May of 2014, human remains were found in a wooded area behind Peach Road. The remains were located in an area 2.5 miles away from Final Lap, where Heather was last seen. Due to this, many speculated that the remains belonged to her. It took nearly a year for a positive identification, but in April 2015, it was confirmed that the remains did, in fact, belong to Heather Szekeres. An autopsy was unable to determine her exact cause of death, but her manner of death was labeled a homicide.

There have been numerous theories about Heather's killer(s). Many inevitably had suspicions of Heather's husband Rob. Heather and Rob had a rocky past, and some accused Rob of seeming unbothered by his wife's disappearance. There is also suspicion about the manager of Final Lap; a man named Darwin Davis. Shortly before Heather vanished, Davis was charged with sexual assault after being accused of assaulting a 15-year-old girl in the bar's basement. Heather was reportedly due to testify against him.

Despite having some very solid leads, police have yet to charge anyone with anything related to Heather's murder. Her case remains unsolved. 

If you have any information that could help solve Heather's case, please contact the Shawano Police Department at (715) 524-4545

Read the full write-up on Heather's case.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about these cases. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. Sources used are provided in the full case write-ups. 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. We want these cases solved!

The Disappearance and Murder of Dominick Brown-Hill

Source: CBS News

Dominick Brown-Hill vanished at the age of 21 on March 22nd, 2012. The young man lived in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania at the time of his disappearance. Reports state that he was dropped off by a jitney around 5 or 6 PM in front of a home where he was staying in Althea Hills. Dominick was never seen alive again. 

A 2012 report on Dominick's disappearance states that he called the owner of the home where he was staying - his friend's grandmother - the day after he was last seen. During the phone call, he reportedly told his friend's grandmother that he would return that evening. However, Dominick never returned, and his phone was shut off a short time later. 

Years passed without any news on Dominick's disappearance. Then, in late February 2017, human remains were found in a garbage can in the 900 block of Washington Street. Those remains were later identified as that of Dominick Brown-Hill. He had been murdered; killed by a gunshot wound to the head. 

The garbage can that contained Dominick's body was discovered around 7:00 PM on February 23rd, 2017. According to neighbors, the garbage can came from somewhere else - and had to have been placed on Washington Street the night before garbage day. This has led to several more questions in Dominick's case - especially because he had been missing for nearly 5 years at the time he was found. 

Upon the discovery of his body, Dominick's case shifted to a homicide investigation. Unfortunately, years have passed, and the case still remains unsolved. No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified.

If you have any information that could help solve Dominick's murder, please submit a tip with the Allegheny County Police Department.

-

Sources:
CBS News, (2)
Patch
WPXI
WTAE 

List Series: Mideast Mysteries

The following is a list of an unsolved murder or disappearance from the following Mideast states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland. Links to more detailed write-ups and tip submissions for each case are provided.

MIDEAST MYSTERIES: VOLUME ONE.

NEW YORK:

The Murder of Yvonne Torch (2004)

Yvonne Torch was brutally murdered inside her hair salon in Newburgh, New York on June 9th, 2004. The 31-year-old woman was killed in the morning between clients. Yvonne finished with a usual client of hers - her husband's grandmother - around 10:40 AM. By the time the next client arrived around 10:55 AM, Yvonne was dead.

The client subsequently called police after finding Yvonne on the floor in a pool of her own blood. An autopsy later determined that she died from blunt force trauma. 

Yvonne had owned her salon for about 10 years prior to her murder. She was a beloved and respected member of the community, and a motive for her murder remains unclear. To this day, no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly announced. Several people have been investigated, but no arrests have been made. Yvonne's murder remains unsolved.

If you have any information that could help solve Yvonne's case, please contact crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.

Read the full write-up on Yvonne's case. 

NEW JERSEY:

The Disappearance and Murder of Greta Tim (2008)

Source: Dailyvoice.com

Greta Tim was only 14 years-old when she vanished from her family's home in Irvington, New Jersey on July 27th, 2008. The teen was reportedly a habitual runaway. For that reason, she was classified as a runaway when she was first reported missing. 

As more and more time passed without any contact from Greta, she was reclassified as an endangered missing child. Then, her case seemingly went cold. Years passed without any sign of Greta.

Nearly four years later, in April 2012, Greta's remains were found stuffed into a plastic bag in a remote area of Parsippany, New Jersey. Her death was classified as a homicide. 

Very few details have been released about the investigation into Greta's murder. Her case remains open, but it is considered a cold case. Greta's loved ones are still hoping to one day receive answers.

If you have any information that could help solve Greta's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Greta's case. 

PENNSYLVANIA:

The Disappearance of Alivia Kail (2011)

Source: Disappeared Blog

Alivia Kail has been missing since March 4th, 2011. The then-19-year-old was last seen by loved ones at her brother's house in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Alivia had visited her brother with her new boyfriend, Alexander Lorenzi.

Alivia and Lorenzi had just returned from a trip to Florida when they visited Alivia's brother. However, Alivia informed her brother that she and Lorenzi would be returning to Miami the next day. Alivia later left her brother's residence with Lorenzi. Her loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.

After days turned into weeks without any word from Alivia, her family members reported her missing. They soon learned that Lorenzi had returned from his trip from Florida, but Alivia was not with him. 

Police were able to verify that Lorenzi took a flight to and from Florida - but they were unable to find any evidence that Alivia went to Florida or left the state of Pennsylvania at all. This obviously raised suspicions about Lorenzi. These suspicions grew when Lorenzi refused to cooperate with the investigation.

Alivia remains missing today. Lorenzi remains a person of interest, but he has never been charged with anything related to Alivia's case. The case has since grown cold.

If you have any information that could help solve Alivia's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Alivia's case. 

DELAWARE:

The Kidnapping of Nefertiri Trader (2014)

Source: Charley Project

Nefertiri Trader was kidnapped from her home in New Castle, Delaware during the early morning hours of June 29th, 2014. The then-33-year-old was seen being dragged by a man through her front yard and forced into her own vehicle. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Nefertiri's kidnapping was witnessed by a neighbor who thought she was being taken to a hospital - so 911 was not called. It wasn't until after Nefertiri was reported missing when the neighbor realized she had actually been kidnapped. Other than this witness account, there appears to be no further information about the man who kidnapped Nefertiri. 

Nefertiri remains missing today. Her vehicle has never been recovered, and the man who kidnapped her remains unidentified. Very few details about the investigation have been publicly revealed. The FBI is investigating the case.

If you have any information that could help solve Nefertiri's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Nefertiri's case. 

MARYLAND:

The Murder of Marilyn Scott (2017)

Source: Project Cold Case

Marilyn Scott was shot to death outside of her Bel Air, Maryland home on February 7th, 2017. The 28-year-old woman worked as a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard prior to her murder. Marilyn was about to get into her car and drive to work when she was shot.

It was later revealed that Marilyn was about 3-months pregnant at the time of her death. Her family members were reportedly unaware of this - as Marilyn was typically a private person. It's unclear if Marilyn's pregnancy was a motive in her murder - as the father of the child has never been publicly identified.

In 2018, investigators stated that they have a prime suspect, but they do not have enough evidence to charge said person. The identity of the suspect has not been made public, and very few details about the investigation have been revealed. 

Marilyn's murder remains unsolved. Her case remains opened in the state of Maryland. 

If you have any information that could help solve Marilyn's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Marilyn's case. 

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about these cases. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. Sources used are provided in the full case write-ups. 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. We want these cases solved!

The Clewis Family Tragedies

Marco Clewis (left), Earl Clewis (top), Matthew Clewis (right). Source: Dallas News

The winter of 2019 was an immeasurably hard time for Earline Clewis. The mother-of-five had lost 3 of her sons within just a 60-day span. The nightmare first began on October 24th, 2018 - when Earline's son Marco Clewis (40) was shot to death at his Dallas, Texas home. Just minutes after the shooting, Marco's older brother Earl (51) was killed in a car accident. Months later, in January 2019, another of one Earline's sons - Matthew - died after a seizure. 

Marco Clewis. Source: Project Cold Case

Marco's murder set off this chain of tragedies in the Clewis family. According to reports, Marco was killed after a group of individuals drove by his home on Copeland Street and opened fire. Earl, who lived just across the street, heard the gunfire. He then saw the suspects driving away from his younger brother's home.

Earl subsequently got into his car and began chasing the suspects. Minutes later, he crashed near Elsie Fay Higgins Street. Reports state that the suspects might have shot at Earl's car shortly before the wreck. Unfortunately, Earl did not survive his injuries from the crash. 

Earl Clewis. Source: Patch.com

According to their mother Earline, both Marco and Earl helped provide care for their brother, Matthew, who had suffered from seizures for years. Earline said that Matthew was depressed over the deaths of his brothers. She believes that his depression and heartbreak over the tragic losses had a contributing factor in his death.

Years have passed, and Marco's murder still remains unsolved. He was due to get married just six months after his untimely passing. He was also raising three young children. All of Marco's loved ones are still hoping to receive justice in his case.

If you have any information that could help solve Marco's murder, please call the Dallas Police Department at (214) 671-3584.

-

Sources:
CBS News
The Dallas Times
Project: Cold Case
WFAA