The Disappearance of Kendra Battelo

 

Kendra Battelo has been missing since July 2022. The then-24-year-old was last seen in Enid, Oklahoma. Kendra was last heard from during the early-morning hours of July 7th. Reports state she left the home where she was staying on West Randolph and never returned. Since then, Kendra's loved ones have been searching from answers.

Kendra was in a tumultuous relationship with a man named Colby Sheppard at the time of her disappearance. The couple had been off-and-on for several years, during which there were several reported instances of domestic violence. Both had accused the other of being physically abusive. In fact, Sheppard was facing domestic assault charges in which Kendra was the victim prior to her disappearance. The charges were dropped after Kendra vanished, as she was unable to testify against him. 

Family members and loved ones of Kendra have long believed that Sheppard is responsible for Kendra's disappearance. He has never been publicly named as a suspect in the case, as police claim they not been able to find any concrete evidence pointing to his involvement. However, this has not stopped the local speculation about Sheppard, especially amongst Kendra's family. 

Nearly a year and a half after Kendra's disappearance, Sheppard himself vanished. The last confirmed sighting of him occurred on December 27th, 2023, at a Pizza Hut in Enid. Sheppard's family members reported him missing on January 4th, 2024. Months later, in August 2024, Sheppard's remains were found in a storm cellar of a local home. An autopsy confirmed that he had been beaten to death.

Shortly after Sheppard's body was found, four people were arrested in connection to his murder. Amongst those four people is Victor Battelo - Kendra's uncle. Authorities believe that Sheppard was lured to his death in retaliation for Kendra's disappearance. Court documents state that "authorities believe Victor may be the mastermind behind the incident and that he told a witness he had to kill Sheppard because of what he did to Kendra."

The charges against Victor Battelo and the others are currently pending. Several questions about Kendra's disappearance remain unanswered, and Sheppard's death has led to even more questions. If Sheppard was, in fact, responsible for Kendra's disappearance, did he take information about her whereabouts to the grave? If not, is the person responsible still out there? Perhaps the simplest but heart wrenching question that remains unanswered is: Where is Kendra Battelo?

The evening of July 6th - the early morning hours of July 7th.

At the time of her disappearance, Kendra and Sheppard were renting a room from a woman named Tanya Dixon Glasco at a house on West Randolph. Kendra was last seen at said house, and Sheppard and Glasco were amongst the last two people to have seen Kendra before she vanished.

As previously noted, Kendra's loved ones last heard from her during the early-morning hours of July 7th, 2022. Kendra's grandmother Lillian Reyes told reporters that she received text messages from Kendra's phone around that time stating that Glasco had accused her of stealing her dog and that she had to move out.

Glasco reportedly later told Reyes that, on the evening of July 6th, Kendra and Sheppard got into an argument. At some point, Kendra left the house, and Sheppard went after her. Glasco said she was told that Kendra was going to Reyes' house, but she never arrived. Reyes, on the other hand, believed the arguments had resolved, as she did not hear anything further from Kendra.

Kendra is reported missing.

Days later, Reyes told reporters that Glasco reached out to her to inquire about Kendra's whereabouts. As mentioned above, Glasco said she thought Kendra had gone to Reyes' house after an alleged fight with Sheppard. However, Kendra was not with Reyes, nor had she ever shown up at her house. It was then that Kendra's family members realized that Kendra had vanished as nobody had seen or heard her from since the early morning hours of July 7th. She was subsequently reported missing on July 12th, 2022.

Source: Facebook

The search for Kendra, a reported sighting, and local speculation.

Reports state that Colby Sheppard was questioned by police several times. He repeatedly denied involvement in Kendra's disappearance. Investigators reportedly executed search warrants on both Sheppard's home and vehicle, and several items were taken in for forensic testing. Despite this, police hesitated to publicly label Sheppard as a person of interest.

Police received a tip about a potential sighting of Kendra that occurred on July 20th, 2022. A resident in Pawnee, Oklahoma contacted police and said that a woman matching Kendra's description had knocked on her door and asked for a glass of water. The resident learned of Kendra's disappearance shortly thereafter, and subsequently contacted police to report the incident.

It does not appear that police were ever able to confirm this sighting. However, investigators also claimed they were unable to find any evidence that Kendra met with foul play at the hands of Colby Sheppard. In September 2022, a detective with the Enid Police Department told reporters, "we’ve conducted several interviews, executed multiple search warrants on several vehicles, residences and devices, conducted several field searches, employed our department’s drone and followed up on each and every tip we’ve received."

This did not stop the online and local speculation about both Sheppard and Glasco from growing, especially as the weeks ticked on without any sign of Kendra. As those weeks turned into months, it appeared that the speculation about Sheppard and Glasco amongst Kendra's family, friends, and other Enid locals differed from opinion of Enid police. 

For example, a flyer was distributed about Kendra's disappearance - both locally and on Facebook - that lists Sheppard and Glasco as the last known people to have seen Kendra. However, in August 2024, it was reported by KOCO 5 that "Enid police said in interviews with Sheppard that he mentioned he hadn’t seen [Kendra] for a while before she vanished. Officials said they don’t know who the last person was to see [Kendra.]"

Source: Facebook

It's worth noting that this flyer, along with the local and online speculation about Sheppard and Glasco being the last two people to see Kendra, came long before the above-mentioned August 2024 report. However, besides the unconfirmed July sighting shortly after she was reported missing, there have not been any other publicly reported sightings of Kendra. No evidence that she was with any other people around the time she vanished. 

Additionally, Kendra's grandmother Lillian Reyes spoke to different reporters in October 2024 and said that Glasco herself said that she and Sheppard saw Kendra before she vanished. Despite this, and despite the search warrants and questioning of the two, Sheppard and Glasco have still not publicly been named as persons of interest in the case. 

December 27th, 2023: Colby Sheppard is killed.

Nearly a year and a half after Kendra went missing, her loved ones were still no closer to answers. Still, their belief that Colby Sheppard was responsible for Kendra's disappearance remained strong. Investigators believe that the determination that Sheppard had killed Kendra is what ultimately led to Victor Battelo planning and executing Sheppard's murder on December 27th, 2023.

Court documents state that Sheppard was "lured to a party" by a woman named Heaven Jordan. Once there, Sheppard was confronted by Charles Jordan, then 55, and Victor Battelo, then 45. The two men reportedly beat Sheppard to death while another man, Devin Harris, stood outside during the incident, acting as a guard. 

Afterwards, the suspects reportedly wrapped Sheppard's body in a tarp and hid it in a storm cellar of a nearby home. Sheppard's family reported him missing on January 4th, 2024, after they were unable to get in contact with him.

August 2024: Sheppard is found; murder charges filed.

At some point after Sheppard was reported missing, Victor Battelo and Charles Jordan were arrested on unrelated charges. Eventually, another inmate tipped police off about both men's involvement in Sheppard's murder. The tipster also provided police with information about where Sheppard's body was hidden. 

In August 2024, said tipster's information was proven to be accurate: investigators found Colby Sheppard's body tied in rope and wrapped by a tarp in a storm cellar just a few blocks away from the home of Charles Jordan. On August 27th, 2024, it was announced that Victor Battelo, Charles Jordan, and Devin Harris were charged with first-degree murder. Days later, Heaven Jordan was charged as well.

Left to right: Charles Jordan, Heaven Jordan, Devin Harris, Victor Battelo.

Kendra's fate still unknown; theories.

The charges against Battelo, Harris, and the Jordan's are still pending. Meanwhile, Kendra remains missing, and her loved ones remain without answers. There are some theories about what might have happened to Kendra, but none of them have been confirmed.

The most common theory is that Colby Sheppard is responsible for Kendra's disappearance in some way - whether he killed her himself or disposed of her body after an overdose or some other accident. Since Sheppard is now deceased, he is unable to provide any answers. 

There has also been a lot of online speculation that Tanya Dixon Glasco - who lived with Sheppard and Kendra at the time of Kendra's disappearance - might have more information about Kendra's case than she has disclosed. However, Glasco has not been publicly named as a person of interest or suspect. Most news articles about the case have declined to even use Glasco's name in their reports. Still, many believe that Sheppard and Glasco may have acted together; or that Glasco has information that she has covered up.

Another theory is that Kendra's disappearance is unrelated to Sheppard and Glasco altogether. If that July 20th sighting was, in fact, Kendra, then more weight is added to this theory. Police still maintain that they have not found any evidence that ties Sheppard to Kendra's disappearance. While this does not necessarily mean Sheppard is not guilty, it does open up the possibility of another person or circumstance being responsible for Kendra's disappearance.

The search for answers continues.

Kendra remains missing today. Her case is still open and being investigated by the Enid Police Department. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, or any other information that could help the investigation, please contact Enid authorities at 580-242-7000.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Facebook

The Kansas City Star

KFOR

KOCO

Law and Crime
Newsbreak

Cases with Major Updates in 2024

There are four cases featured on True Case Files that had major updates during 2024. Below is a list of those cases with a brief description. Links to full case write-ups are provided.

Jaylen Griffin: Remains found.

Name: Jaylen Griffin

Case update: Remains found after missing for 4 years.

Age at disappearance: 12

Missing on: August 4th, 2020

Remains found: April 2024

Location: Buffalo, NY

Jaylen Griffin vanished from his family's Buffalo, New York home on August 4th, 2020. The then-12-year-old left the home around 11:00 AM that day and never returned. Authorities initially treated Jaylen's disappearance as a runaway case, even as months passed without any sign of him. In April 2021, investigators told reporters that they did not believe that Jaylen had been abducted or taken against his will. After that, the case seemingly went cold.

Years later, in April 2024, a maintenance man working at a multi-unit house on 107 Sheffield Avenue found a body in the attic. That body was later identified as Jaylen Griffin. His death was labeled a homicide. 

The house where Jaylen was found is approximately five miles away from his home. Neighbors in that area told reporters that police had responded to that house "several times" over the years. At this time, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Jaylen's case.

Full story: The Disappearance and Murder of Jaylen Griffin.

Suzanne Morphew: Autopsy results revealed.

Name: Suzanne Morphew

Case update: Cause of death revealed.

Age at disappearance: 49

Missing on: May 10th, 2020

Remains found: September 2023

Location: Maysville and Moffat, CO.

Suzanne Morphew's case has been high-profile in not only the state of Colorado, but also the entire nation, since she was first reported missing on Mother's Day 2020. She vanished from her family's home in Maysville, Colorado. Many suspected Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew, was responsible for her disappearance from the very beginning of the investigation. In fact, in May 2021, Barry was arrested and charged with Suzanne's murder; despite the fact that her remains had not yet been found.

In April 2022, the murder charges against Barry were dropped - citing a lack of evidence needed to move the case forward. However, the charges were dropped without prejudice, which means the prosecution can charge him again at a later date. At the time the charges were dropped, the prosecutors implied that they intended to do so in the future.

Over a year later, in September 2023, human remains were found in an area of Moffat in Saguache County. Days later, it was confirmed that those remains were that of Suzanne Morphew. She was found approximately 45 miles away from the Morphew family home.

In April 2024, authorities announced that Suzanne "died homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine (BAM) intoxication." These findings cast even more suspicion on Barry, as BAM is often found in animal tranquilizers that Barry admitting to having and using at the home he shared with Suzanne. 

Despite these findings, Barry still remains a free man. At this time, he has not been re-charged with anything related to Suzanne's death. The investigation into her death continues.

Full story: The Disappearance and Murder of Suzanne Morphew.

Sebastian 'Ty' Husted: Remains found.

Name: Sebastian 'Ty' Husted

Case update: Remains found after missing for 6 years.

Age at disappearance: 18

Missing on: January 22nd, 2018

Remains found: April 2024

Location: Mercer County, MO

Sebastian 'Ty' Husted vanished at the age of 18 on January 22nd, 2018. He lived while his family in Centerville, Iowa at the time, but he vanished after reportedly traveling to Mercer County, Missouri. Ty had gotten a job at a hog farm in Mercer County, and on the day of his disappearance, he arranged for his coworker to give him a ride to the farm. 

After being driven there, Ty reportedly texted his brother and asked him to pick him up, as his coworker was acting strange and aggressive. His brother replied to ask for an address, but Ty never got back to him. He never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. Ty was reported missing two days later.

Police questioned Ty's coworker, but he was never publicly identified or labeled as a suspect. Several searches were conducted in and around the hog farm, but no sign of Ty was found. His disappearance soon faded into a cold case.

Over 6 years later, in April 2024, turkey hunters found human remains on a private property in northeast Mercer County. Days later, those remains were confirmed to be that of Sebastian Tyrese Husted. 

At this time, a cause/manner of death has not been revealed. It appears that the circumstances surrounding Ty’s death are still being investigated. Ty’s family is still hoping to find answers about what led to his disappearance and death. 

Full story: The Disappearance and Death of Sebastian 'Ty' Husted.

Brittany Robinson: Arrest made.

Name: Brittany Robinson

Case update: Arrest made.

Age at disappearance: 14

Missing on: June 14th, 2012

Arrest made: February 2024

Location: Mobile, AL

Brittany Robinson has been missing since June 14th, 2012. The then-14-year-old was last seen in Mobile, Alabama. On the day of her disappearance, Brittany was dropped off at the home of her father, Demetric Hooper, for what was supposed to be a two-day visit. However, Brittany never returned home and was later reported missing by her mother.

Hooper reportedly fled Mobile immediately following Brittany's disappearance. Months later, in September 2012, investigators tracked him down at a mental health facility in Arkansas. Hooper was then arrested and subsequently charged with custodial interference. He pleaded guilty to those charges in August 2014 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but he was released in 2016 after serving just two years.

Hooper denied both knowledge of Brittany's whereabouts and involvement in her disappearance. Years passed without any updates in the case. Then, in December 2023, Hooper was arrested on charges of burglary and assault with a dangerous weapon. While Hooper was behind bars on these unrelated charges, a grand jury reviewed Brittany's case as well. In February 2024, it was announced that the grand jury had decided to indict Hooper on murder charges in Brittany's case.

Despite the murder charges, Brittany's remains have still not been found. Hooper is facing the burglary and assault charges in Oklahoma but will be tried for Brittany's murder in Alabama. The case is still unfolding. 

Full story: The Disappearance of Brittany Robinson.

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Here's to hoping these cases continue to make more progress in 2025! 
A list of cases that were resolved in 2024 can be found here. 

Resolved in 2024

There are six cases featured on True Case Files that were resolved in 2024. Here is a complete list of those cases, with links to the full case write-ups.

The Murder of Courtney Phillips (2015)

Courtney Phillips was found stabbed to death inside a home in San Antonio, Texas on April 5th, 2015. The 23-year-old woman had planned to meet up with a man named Isaac Estrada that afternoon, for what she thought was going to be a first date. Unbeknownst to Courtney, Estrada had other plans. 

Text messages revealed that Estrada had arranged for Courtney to meet him at a house in 200 block of Edge Avenue. While there, Estrada stabbed her in the neck and back before fleeing the scene. After Courtney's body was found, Estrada was quickly identified as the main suspect. Unfortunately, investigators were unable to locate him - as he seemingly went on the run.

Estrada evaded police for eight years before he was finally located in Eagle Pass, Texas in March 2023. He was subsequently charged with first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree capital murder. Estrada initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In July 2024, Estrada accepted a plea deal and was able to plead to the lesser charge of murder rather than capital murder. Estrada sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder and an additional 5 years for aggravated robbery. He will be eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence.

Full story: The Murder of Courtney Phillips.

The Murder of Katelyn Markham (2011)

Katelyn Markham vanished under suspicious circumstances on August 14th, 2011. The then-21-year-old was last seen alive at her condo in Fairfield, Ohio. After Katelyn was reported missing, suspicions quick fell upon her fiancé, John Carter. Not only was he the last person known to have seen Katelyn before she vanished; Carter also told inconsistent stories about his actions that night. 

Carter denied involvement in Katelyn's disappearance. Professional searches for the young woman ended unsuccessfully. As months passed without any sign of Katelyn, her disappearance faded into a cold case. Then, almost two years later, on April 7th, 2013, human remains were found at Big Cedar Creek in Cedar Grove, Indiana - located approximately 30 miles from Katelyn's condo. Dental records later confirmed that those remains were that of Katelyn Markham.

Detectives soon shifted the investigation from a missing person to a murder case. Suspicions against John Carter had still not faded, but he continued to deny involvement in Katelyn's murder. Nearly a decade passed without any movement in the case. Then, just months away from the 10-year-mark, John Carter was finally arrested and charged with Katelyn's murder.

In June 2024, Carter accepted a plea deal that allowed him to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter instead of murder; citing that Katelyn died during a misdemeanor assault. The prosecution reported that they feel satisfied that John Carter admitted to being responsible for Katelyn's death. However, the involuntary manslaughter conviction allowed John to receive a short sentence. On July 18th, 2024, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison - the maximum amount allowed for the charges he pleaded guilty to. 

Katelyn's family is upset by the sentence. Her father, Dave Markham, spoke at the sentencing, stating "I do not feel three years is justice, not for Katelyn; not for her sister; not for me, her friends or the entire community that has ached and grieved alongside us."

Full story: The Disappearance and Murder of Katelyn Markham.

The Murder of Ashley Smylie (2024)

The murder of Ashley Smylie is one of the most shocking murder cases from 2024 for several reasons. The 40-year-old woman was murdered by her teenage daughter, Carly Gregg, on March 19th, 2024. Carly, just 14-years-old at the time, shot her mother to death inside their Brandon, Mississippi home. 

Hours later, as Ashley's husband/Carly's stepfather, Heath Smylie, entered their home, Carly shot him, as well. Heath was struck in the shoulder by a bullet but was able to wrangle the gun away from Carly. The teen girl fled the home after that but was later found by police and taken into custody.

Despite her young age, Carly was charged as an adult with Carly was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and tampering with evidence. While many cases take years to go before a jury, Carly's defense team opted for a speedy trial - which began in September 2024. 

Carly's defense team argued that she was not guilty by reason of insanity. Professionals for the defense testified that Carly suffered from improperly treated mental illnesses and has "no memory whatsoever" of shooting her mother and stepfather. In contrast, witnesses for the prosecution argued the opposite; that she appeared to be of sound mind in the events prior to the murder.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution and Carly was found guilty of all charges. She was sentenced to life in prison for both the murder and attempted murder charges, with an additional 10 years for tampering with evidence.

Carly’s life sentence at the age of 15 has sparked widespread debate. Some believe that she deserves to spend the rest of her life in prison, while others argue that she can be rehabilitated and should receive a lesser sentence. This debate continues to unfold on various online forums.

Full story: The Murder of Ashley Smylie.

The Disappearance and Presumed Murder of Aranda Briones (2019)

Aranda Briones vanished on January 13th, 2019. The then-16-year-old teen left her Moreno Valley, California home that day to spend time with a male friend, Owen Skylar Shover (pictured left). Aranda never returned home and was never seen or heard from again.

After Aranda was reported missing, suspicions quickly fell upon Shover, as he was the last known person to have seen her before her disappearance. Shover told investigators he dropped Aranda off at Moreno Valley Community Park between 6:00 and 6:30 PM that evening and never saw her again. However, surveillance footage and cell phone pings both contradicted his statements.

Investigators spent the following weeks gathering evidence before arresting both Owen Skylar Shover and his brother, Gary Shover (pictured right) on February 11th, 2019. Owen Shover was charged with both conspiring to commit murder and first-degree murder. Gary Shover was charged with first-degree murder and a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait.

In 2022, a judge dismissed the first-degree murder and lying in wait charges against Gary Shover; instead, charging him with accessory to first-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to those charges in June 2024 and sentenced to a year in jail, plus another year of probation. 

In August 2024, Owen Shover's trial began. It was then that a motive was finally revealed. Both Aranda and Owen had been expelled from their school in February 2018 - a little less than a year before Aranda's disappearance. The expulsion followed a November 2017 incident in which Aranda and Owen were both caught skipping school. As a truancy officer approached them, Owen tossed Aranda a gun, and Aranda tossed the gun into a nearby canal. The officer witnessed the entire event, leading to disciplinary action for both teens. 

The prosecution believes that Aranda's murder was revenge for the expulsion. Evidence from text messages shows Gary's involvement after-the-fact. Although Aranda's remains have never been found, it is believed the Shover brothers buried her in the San Bernandino mountains.

A jury deliberated for less than a day before finding Owen Shover guilty on all charges. In October of 2024, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Full story: The Disappearance and Presumed Murder of Aranda Briones.

The Murder of Blaze Bernstein (2018)

Blaze Bernstein was had just completed his first semester of college when he vanished on January 2nd, 2018. The then-19-year-old was in his hometown of Lake Forest, California at the time of his disappearance. Blaze left his parent's house on the evening of his disappearance after being picked up by a former high school classmate, Samuel Woodward (then 20). Blaze never returned home and was never seen alive again.

Days later, on January 9th, 2018, Blaze's body was found in Borrego Park. He had been stabbed to death. It did not take long for authorities to zero in on Samuel Woodward as a suspect. Investigators eventually found DNA at the crime scene that linked Woodward to the murder. Woodward was arrested just days after Blaze's body was found. 

Soon, it became clear that this was more than just a murder case. In fact, investigators found evidence that Blaze's killing was a hate crime. Woodward was reportedly part of a Neo-Nazi group called the Attomwaffen Division. The group is described as “relatively small, but incredibly anti-Semitic and hateful.” Additionally, evidence from Woodward's cell phone and computer that included “a large number of texts and images that spew hate at every protected group.” 

Noting that Blaze was both gay and Jewish, Woodward was charged with murder with the special circumstance of a hate crime. He pleaded not guilty, however during his 2024 trial, Woodward defense did not deny that he killed Blaze. Instead, they argued that Woodward, conflicted by his own sexuality, acted in a fit of rage - but that the crime was not premeditated or a hate crime.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution. After deliberating for a day, the jury found Samuel Woodward guilty of first-degree murder and a hate crime in the killing of Blaze Bernstein. He was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

Full story: The Murder of Blaze Bernstein.

The Murder of Milana Li (2022)

Milana Li was only 13 years old when she was found murdered near her family's Beaverton, Oregon home on May 10th, 2022. The young girl was reported missing 2 days earlier, after she left her family's home to go for a walk and never returned. Police initially classified Milana as a runaway, but the case quickly shifted to a murder case after her body was found in a small stream at Westside Linear Park. 

A little under two weeks later, on May 21st, 2022, it was announced that Daniel Ryan Gore had been arrested and charged with Milana's murder. Gore was only 16 years-old at the time of his arrest, but the state opted to charge him as an adult. He already had a criminal record and was on probation prior to his arrest. Gore violated said probation in February 2022 and was sent to live with his father and stepfather in Salem shortly thereafter. Two weeks later, Gore ran away. His family was unaware of his whereabouts until his arrest for Milana's murder.

Gore was charged with 3 counts total in Milana's case: murder in the first degree, rape in the first degree, and sexual abuse in the first degree. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. During his 2024 trial, it was revealed that, in May 2022, Gore was living in a tent in a wooded area near Progress Ridge. Milana, who wanted to become friends with an older crowd, had recently become acquainted with Gore. 

Milana and Gore agreed to meet up on the afternoon of May 8th, 2022. According to testimony/evidence presented at trial, the two spent that afternoon "aimlessly riding buses up and down Southwest Scholls Ferry Road" before Gore led Milana to a secluded area near his tent where he raped her and strangled her to death. 

After a two-week trial, Daniel Ryan Gore was found guilty on all charges. On December 2nd, 2024, he was sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole after 38 years.

Full story: The Murder of Milana Li.

Thanks to everyone who continues to support True Case Files. Here's to hoping more of these cases are resolved in 2025!

Lists from previous years:

• Resolved in 2023: Part 1 & Part 2
• Resolved in 2022: Part 1 & Part 2

The Disappearance and Homicide of Margaret 'Maggie' Stickler

Source: Legacy.com

Margaret 'Maggie' Stickler vanished from Richmond, Virginia on April 16th, 2022. The then-21-year-old woman was reportedly last seen alive near local motels on Chamberlayne Avenue and Brookland Park Boulevard. After this last sighting, Maggie's communications with her family ceased, and her social media activity abruptly stopped. She was later reported missing by her mother.

Maggie is originally from Botetourt County, Virginia and grew up in Fincastle. According to her mother, Maggie relocated to Richmond to complete a drug rehabilitation/continuing drug abstinence program. She reportedly battled with drug addiction for at least a year and a half prior to her disappearance. 

Despite Maggie's struggles, she still kept in touch with her family. She spoke to her mother on the phone on the same day of her disappearance, and nothing seemed amiss during their conversation. However, at some point later that day, Maggie vanished. 

Six months later, in October 2022, human remains were found in a wooded area near Elm City, North Carolina. It took nearly a year, but in August of 2023, those remains were identified as that of Margaret 'Maggie' Stickler. Her death was labeled a homicide. 

Over two years have passed since Maggie was found deceased, but the case still remains unsolved. Both family members and investigators alike are left with several questions, namely: Who killed Maggie? How did she end up in Elm City?

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The initial investigation.        

Source: ABC 8

As previously noted, Maggie was last seen alive in Richmond, Virginia on April 16th, 2022. She spoke with her mother on the phone that day, and said she'd call again the following day. The family did reportedly receive a "Happy Easter" text from Maggie's phone in a group chat the following day - but the phone call never came.

Then, all attempts to reach Maggie went unanswered. Her social media activity abruptly stopped. After days of silence, Maggie's mother finally contacted police to report her daughter missing. 

Throughout the investigation, it was revealed that Maggie's boyfriend, Mitchell Cooper, was amongst the last people to have seen Maggie alive. When questioned, Cooper told police that he last saw Maggie leaving the Richmond Motel on Chamberlayne Avenue. There were reportedly other sightings of Maggie in or around the same area later that day. After that, the trail seemingly went cold. 

It was noted that, after the initial questioning, Cooper quickly retained an attorney and became uncooperative with the investigation. In June 2023, Richmond police Detective Clarence Key told reporters that Cooper was a "person of interest" in Maggie's disappearance. However, to this day, Cooper has not been charged with anything related to the case.

Remains found near Elm City, NC.

On October 15th, 2022 - almost exactly 6 months after Maggie's disappearance - hunters in Wilson County, North Carolina found human skeletal remains in a wooded area south of Elm City. The state's medical examiner determined that the deceased was likely a "Caucasian woman between 20-25 years old with auburn hair." Investigators revealed that the woman had been a victim of homicide; having likely been killed in a different location before her body was left in the woods. 

The human remains were found 150 miles away from Richmond, Virginia - where Maggie was last seen. As such, Maggie's name initially did not even come up on detective's short list of possible identities for the human remains. In January 2023, it was reported that investigators had entered descriptions of the victim into NamUs, and five possible matches came up. However, dental records ruled out all five people.

Many people in Wilson County speculated about the remains possibly belonging to either 20-year-old Isabel 'Chaveli' Palacios or 35-year-old Tammy Grady - as both women vanished from the area. However, investigators were unable to match the remains to either woman. 

August 2023: Maggie is identified.

Ten months after the remains were found, it was finally confirmed through DNA that the body was that of Margaret 'Maggie' Stickler. Her family was soon notified that not only was Maggie deceased, but her death was a homicide, and her body had been hidden. Shortly thereafter, her family shared the following message:

"It is with saddened and broken hearts that we share that the search for Maggie Stickler has ended. Her remains were discovered last October in North Carolina and we have now confirmed her identity. Maggie’s struggles are over. She will soon be at peace. We are in the process of bringing her home and have scheduled services for Labor Day weekend...We would like to thank you all for your unwavering support. Your calls, texts and messages have been incredible and we are eternally grateful. We ask that you allow us time to process and grieve in private.

A beautiful light has been extinguished and our world will never be the same.

RIP sweet Maggie"

Source: WTVR.com

What happened to Maggie?

To this day, no arrests have been made related to Maggie's case. Based on the known information and speculation, a few theories can be made - but it should be noted that, at this time, nothing has been confirmed. 

When Maggie was first reported missing, there was speculation that her battles with addiction played a role in her disappearance. Reports state that she initially lived in a recovery residence in Richmond, but shortly before her disappearance, she was staying at a motel. There was various online speculation that Maggie might have been in active addiction and was avoiding her family out of shame. Other speculation was even more grim - that she had possibly overdosed and was yet to be found. 

There was (and still is) inevitable speculation about Maggie's boyfriend, Mitchell Cooper, as well. Not only was he one of the last known people to have seen Maggie alive, but he was also quick to hire a lawyer and stop cooperating with police. Additionally, Richmond Detective Key told reporters that Cooper was a person of interest back in June 2023. 

Said June 2023 report was before Maggie's remains were identified. Since the confirmation of Maggie's death, police have not mentioned anything further about Cooper. Still, it appears that he has not been ruled out, either. 

While detectives have confirmed that they are investigating Maggie's death as a homicide, they have otherwise remained quiet about the status of the investigation.  

An open case.

The homicide of Margaret 'Maggie' Stickler remains open and unsolved. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Wilson Police Department at 252-399-2323 or the Richmond Police Department at 804-646-5125.

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Sources:
10 News
Charley Project
The Wilson Times
WTVR, (2)

The Murder of Mikiko Kasahara

 

21-year-old Mikiko Kasahara was found murdered inside her apartment in Seguin, Texas on the morning of December 14th, 2002. 

It was shortly before 9:30 AM when police were alerted about a structure fire inside one of the units in an apartment building at 964 San Antonio Street. After first responders extinguished the flames, they found Mikiko's lifeless body. Police determined that she had been killed by homicidal violence before her apartment was set on fire. 

Mikiko is originally from Japan. At the time of her death, she was in an exchange student program at Texas Lutheran University. In December 2002, Mikiko had a lot to celebrate. She had just finished her first semester at the university with excellent grades and was recognized by the Dean's List. 

On the evening of December 13, 2002, Mikiko hosted a gathering at her apartment to celebrate the end of the semester. The party was attended by several guests, most of whom were fellow Japanese exchange students. The celebration reportedly continued until around 5:00 AM. Sometime between 6:00 and 9:23 AM is when investigators believe the tragedy struck—Mikiko was murdered, and both her body and apartment were set ablaze. 

Mikiko's autopsy report revealed that, despite attending a party just hours before her death, she had no drugs or alcohol in her system. The injuries on her body indicated she had endured a violent death, with the report stating that Mikiko "died as a result of homicidal violence including but not limited to strangulation."

In the early stages of the investigation, detectives had numerous individuals to question, as several people had been at Mikiko's residence shortly before she was found dead. They conducted multiple interviews; however, no suspects were identified. Just a month after the murder, reports indicated that "law enforcement hadn't determined the motive for killing Mikiko and that there were no suspects in the case."

Now, over two decades later, Mikiko's tragic death remains unsolved, and detectives seem no closer to cracking the case. Very few details about the investigation have been disclosed to the public. On the tenth anniversary of her murder, investigators stated, "We feel very confident that it wasn’t somebody from Japan, but it was somebody that knew her, had some connection to her." Beyond this, no additional information regarding a possible suspect has emerged.

Mikiko's murder remains unsolved today. There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead the arrest/conviction of Mikiko's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Texas Rangers at 1-800-346-3243 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:

Click 2 Houston
Hub Pages
Seguin Gazette
Texas Department of Public Safety

The Disappearance and Murder of Miranda Rodriguez

Source: Facebook

Miranda Rodriguez vanished in Houston, Texas on August 25th, 2017. The then-24-year-old woman vanished around the time Hurricane Harvey flooded the city.  Reports state that Miranda was last seen at a hotel off of I-45 and Airport. She planned to go to her parent's house to wait out the storm, but she never arrived. Miranda's loved ones never saw or heard from her again.

Miranda's family members searched for her tirelessly in the days following the storm. Unfortunately, no sign of her was found. The police investigation seemingly did not turn up any clues either. Miranda's disappearance quickly faded into a cold case. 

On July 12th, 2022, nearly five years after Miranda vanished, a man was hired to clean out a backyard on Peach Creek Drive in southeast Houston. While on the job, the man spotted a human skeleton while cleaning the yard's built-in barbecue pit. It took nearly a year, but on July 3rd, 2023, the human remains were identified as that of Miranda Rodriguez. 

Miranda's family was reportedly not familiar with the address where her remains were found. Police stated that a family with children was living at the address during July 2022. At this time, there are no reports to indicate that this family has any connection to Miranda. Police also noted that the barbecue pit appeared undisturbed when Miranda was found, indicating that it had not been used in quite some time.

Although an exact cause of death has not been revealed, Miranda's case is being investigated as a homicide. In November 2023, a monetary reward was announced in exchange for information that could lead to an arrest. Since then, though, updates on the investigation have been scarce.

If you have any information that could help solve Miranda's murder, please contact the Houston Police Department at 832-394-1872 or Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

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Source:
ABC 13
Charley Project
Facebook
FOX 26 Houston
KHOU 11
My Texas Daily