The Murder of Kenisha Dixon

 

Kenisha Dixon’s life was senselessly and tragically taken from her on May 9th, 2000. 

The 21-year-old woman was at her apartment in Houston, Texas on the morning of her murder. At 11:10 AM, Kenisha heard a knock on her front door. She opened it and was immediately shot to death by the person on the other side of the door. Kenisha’s assailant fled the scene after the shooting and to this day has never been identified. 

Very little is known about Kenisha and/or the events leading up to her death. What is known is that she moved into the apartment where she was killed just two months earlier. Kenisha did not have a boyfriend but lived with a male roommate. Said roommate was reportedly not home at the time of Kenisha’s murder.

It’s also known that Kenisha seemed to be fearful of answering the door that morning. She reportedly grabbed a handgun before opening the door. Unfortunately, Kenisha was shot so quickly that she did not have time to defend herself. Investigators later discovered the handgun in close proximity to Kenisha’s body. 

Kenisha’s male roommate told police that he was the owner of said handgun. The reason why Kenisha felt she needed to bring it with her to answer the door remains a mystery. It’s clear that she was correct about any danger she might have sensed - but the reasons why she was scared, and why she was killed, are unknown to this day. 

The Houston PD stated that “investigators were able to ascertain valuable information while conducting a canvas, interviewing residents of the apartment complex and others.” Still, over 25 years have passed since Kenisha’s murder, and no arrests have been made - nor have any suspects been publicly identified.

Kenisha’s murder remains unsolved. Her case is listed as a cold case by the Houston Police Department. Anyone with information that could help solve the murder of Kenisha Dixon is asked to contact the Houston PD Cold Case Squad at 713-308-3618.

Sources:
Crime Immemorial
Houston PD Cold Cases
Our Black Girls

The Murder of Keke Jefferson-Moore

source: goldenvalleymn.gov

The morning of September 23rd, 2000 began as a seemingly normal day in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Temperatures were ranging between the high 40s-low 50s; still warm enough to spend time outside if properly attired. On two this particular morning, individuals were doing just that - taking a morning walk alongside Theodore Wirth Lake - when they spotted something unexpected in the water: the body of a young female. 

Police were notified about the discovery of the body shortly before 10:00 AM. The call indicated that there was a possible drowning at the lake. Once police arrived on the scene, it was discovered that the victim was fully clothed but did not have any identification. However, it did not take long for investigators to identify the young woman as 20-year-old Keke Jefferson-Moore.

An autopsy determined that Keke's death was not the result of drowning - she had actually been a victim of homicide. In fact, it is believed that she was actually killed elsewhere before her body was disposed of at the lake. Keke's exact cause of death has never been revealed, but police announced very early on that they were investigating her case as a murder. 

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More about Keke.

Keke was born in September of 1980 to Johnetta Jefferson-Moore and Benjamin Moore. She was the youngest of three siblings and had an older brother and sister. Keke grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota with her family.

According to reports, Keke was an outgoing and friendly person. As a child, she enjoyed typical things such as riding her bike and playing with makeup. In high school, she developed a passion for writing and photography. 

Keke graduated from high school in 1998. She took a job as a telemarketer after graduation but hoped to eventually go to college to study journalism. Unfortunately, Keke was murdered before those hopes could be pursued. 

Theodore Wirth Lake.

source: Wikipedia

As previously stated, Keke's body was found at the edge of Theodore Wirth Lake. Investigators noted that it did not appear that she had been in the water for very long before her body was discovered. It is believed she was killed elsewhere. More specifically, investigators reportedly believe Keke's body was placed there between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM the day before it was found. 

Initial theories. 

Days after Keke's body was discovered, an unnamed 24-year-old man was arrested and booked on suspicion of homicide. Reports did not indicate the nature of the relationship between Keke and this man; only that the two of them knew each other. The man was eventually released after being questioned, and he was never formally charged with anything related to Keke's case. 

Around this time, police noted that there are others who had not been ruled out as well. However, nobody else has been publicly named as a suspect or person of interest in Keke's case. 

Police also pondered if Keke's murder was connected to four other murders that had occurred in the vicinity of Theodore Wirth Lake in 1996. However, the main suspect in those murders was quickly ruled out, as he had already been convicted for one of the killings at the time Keke was murdered. 

A cold case.

Over two decades have passed, and Keke's murder still remains unsolved. It does not appear that any other persons of interest have ever been identified. Keke's family members are still hoping to find answers and justice. 

If you have any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of Keke's killer(s), please contact the Golden Valley Police at (763) 512-2500.

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Sources:
Golden Valley
Newspapers.com, (2)
The Published Pen
Uncovered

The Disappearance and Death of Erin Foster & Jeremy Bechtel

Longtime friends Erin Leigh Foster (18) and Jeremy Bechtel (17) vanished together on April 3rd, 2000. The two teens were born and raised in Sparta, Tennessee. On the day they vanished, they took Erin’s car to go visit a mutual friend right outside of town. They spent the day there, and then Erin and Jeremy left their friend’s house in Erin’s car that evening. Witnesses spotted them in the car just outside of Sparta around 10:00 PM that evening. They never made it home and have never been seen or heard from again.

At first, investigators believed that Erin and Jeremy were runaways. However, as time passed without any trace of them, this theory became unlikely. Neither of them ever accessed their Social Security Number since vanishing, and Erin never renewed her driver’s license.

It was noted that Erin's car, a black two-door 1998 Pontiac Grand Am, vanished with them. Both Erin and Jeremy remain missing today and the White County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case. If you have any information that could help lead to their whereabouts, please contact investigators at 931-836-2700.

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UPDATE (December 2021):

A YouTube named Jeremy Sides used side-scan sonar technology to search the Calfkiller River during late November 2021. During his dive, he located a car. The license plate on the vehicle confirmed that it was the same car that Erin Foster was driving on the day that she and Jeremy Bechtel vanished. Human remains were also found inside the vehicle. It is believed that the remains belong to Erin and Jeremy, however this has not yet been confirmed. Updates are expected. 

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UPDATE (2022):

It has been officially confirmed that the remains found in the vehicle belong to Erin and Jeremy. Investigators stated that there were no signs of foul play on the scene. It is believed that the Erin and Jeremy accidentally drove the car into the river on the day of their disappearance. 

The Disappearance and Murder of Mike Williams

Mike Williams with his wife Denise Williams on their wedding day in 1994

Denise Merrell Williams (pictured right) had been married to her husband Mike Williams (pictured left) for 6 years when Mike disappeared on December 16th, 2000. According to Denise, Mike left their Tallahassee, Florida home that morning to go duck hunting on Lake Seminole. When he still was not home around 12pm, Denise and her father drove over to the lake to look for him. There, they found Mike’s car parked near a remote boat landing on the lake, but Mike was nowhere to be found. Authorities were alerted and a search and rescue team began their search shortly thereafter. During that search, Mike’s boat was found abandoned around a cove not far from the boat landing. After this discovery, it was believed that Mike had fallen off his boat and drowned.

However, as time went on and Mike’s body never surfaced, people began to question that theory. There had previously been around 80 known drowning deaths at Lake Seminole, and each person’s body had eventually been found after they floated to the surface. Mike’s body never surfaced, so it was theorized that he might have possibly been dismembered and hidden by alligators. Although there was no concrete evidence of this, Mike was declared dead 6 months after his disappearance. Denise collected her deceased husband’s insurance policy, for which she received $1.5 million. She later went on to marry her husband’s best friend, Brian Winchester (pictured below).

Brian Winchester

Brian and Denise eventually separated in 2012. Denise filed for divorce in 2015. Brian objected, but was ordered by the court to comply. On August 5th, 2016, as Denise went to drive to her job at a university, she noticed that Brian had snuck into the backseat of her car. He held her at gunpoint and ordered her to drive around. He eventually told her that he had no intentions of killing her, however he threatened to kill himself if she went through with the divorce. After he calmed down, Denise drove him back to where his own car was parked and dropped him off. She promised him that she would not tell the police, but did so anyways immediately after dropping him off. 

Denise reporting the kidnapping to detectives

Police arrested Brian and interviewed various people known to him. One friend in particular told the police that Brian was concerned that Denise might tell the police the truth about “a guy who had died 15 or so years ago.” Eventually, though, Brian revealed the truth himself.

In October 2017, Mike’s remains were found buried six feet under mud and waste near the boat landing. Authorities did not immediately comment on how exactly he died, but they said he did not drown or get eaten by alligators–he was murdered. At that time, they did not announce any suspects or persons of interest in the case. In December 2017, Brian was sentenced to 20 years for kidnapping Denise. Then, five months later, on May 8th, 2018, Denise was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and accessory after the fact. Brian, who was already in jail for the kidnapping, had apparently confessed to their involvement in Mike’s case.

After Denise's arrest, more information about Mike's disappearance and death came to light. After being offered immunity in the case, Brian confessed to his involvement in Mike’s murder and implicated Denise in the process. Brian told investigators that he and Denise had been having an affair since 1997. Both were cheating on their respective spouses, but claimed they had fallen in love for one another and wanted to be together. Denise, however, refused to get a divorce due to appearances. She didn’t want anyone to think she didn’t have a perfect life and marriage. According to Brian, the two decided that the only way they could be together was if Mike died. Mike’s death would benefit the two financially as well; Brian had recently convinced Mike to buy a hefty life insurance policy that Denise could collect following his death. Brian and Denise came up with the plan for Brian to take Mike duck hunting. Brian would push Mike into the water while Mike was wearing waders that would cause him to sink and subsequently drown. They decided this would take place on December 16th, 2000.

Things did not go according to plan. Brian told investigators: “I got him to stand up and I pushed him into the water – he, he got his jacket off and his waders off and he was in a panic, obviously. I was in a panic. I was driving the boat –and I didn’t know what to do – and I ended up shooting him.” Brian then retrieved Mike’s body from the water and later buried him in the waste near the boat landing.

Brian apparently never told Denise the truth about what really happened to Mike, and Denise never wanted to know. After Brian and Denise’s marriage fell apart, Denise still promised that she would never reveal their involvement in Mike’s death. Even after Brian was charged with kidnapping her, Denise still kept that promise. Brian, however, did not. While in custody for the kidnapping, Brian was questioned about Mike’s disappearance and ultimately offered immunity for the truth about what really happened to him. Brian confessed, which subsequently led to Denise’s arrest. 

Denise went to trial in December 2018. Almost 18 years to the day of Mike’s murder, Denise was found guilty for her role in his death. A Florida jury deliberated for around 8 hours before reaching a verdict, however they all unanimously convicted Denise for plotting to kill her husband with Brian Winchester. She was sentenced to life in prison.

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UPDATE: In November 2020, the appeals court overturned Denise's first-degree murder conviction. The court ruled that "the state did not produce "competent" and "substantial" evidence to prove that Denise Williams was a principal to murder under state law." However, Denise still remains behind bars on a 30 year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder. 

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Lists including this case:
[Accomplice Confessions]

[Dangerous Duos]

[Friendships Turned Fatal]

[Initial Theories Gone Wrong]

The Murder of Jill Behrman

Jill Behrman vanished at the age of 19 on May 31st, 2000. At the time, Jill was a student at Indiana University. On the day she vanished, Jill went for a bike ride in Bloomington and never returned home. Her family members were immediately worried and reported her missing very shortly thereafter. Just two days later, Jill's bicycle was found in a field north of town. From that point forward, it was believed that Jill had met with foul play. This sparked a extensive search for the young woman.

Unfortunately, the searches for Jill initially came up empty. Almost a year passed without any progress in the case. Then, in 2001, a woman named Wendy Owings came forward and stated she was in the car with another woman name Alisha Sowders and a man named Uriah Clouse when they hit Jill while driving around under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Wendy told authorities that Jill was not dead after she was hit, but they believed she significantly injured so the women decided to kill her. Wendy claimed they dumped Jill's body in a creek and then abandoned her bicycle on the other side of town. This confession seemed promising at first, as one of the three women lived nearby the location where Jill's bicycle was found.

Wendy's confession sparked yet another extensive search for Jill in the area where Wendy claimed she was dumped--but unfortunately nothing was found. Still, detectives continued to investigate this lead while prosecutors were considering pressing charges without a body. However, the case would soon take a few unexpected turns. 

From left to right: Wendy Owings, Alisha Sowders and Uriah Clouse

On March 9th, 2003, almost two years after Jill's disappearance, human remains were found in a remote area in Morgan County. Just days later, those remains were confirmed to be that of Jill Behrman. She was not found in the creek where Wendy claimed she had been dumped. An autopsy also revealed that Jill's injuries were not consistent with being struck by a vehicle. In fact, Jill had died of a gunshot wound to the back of her head. At that point, Wendy changed her story and denied her involvement in Jill's death. She was already incarcerated for an unrelated charge at the time she made the confession about Jill's death, so it was believed that Wendy was coerced into a false confession. She and Alisha were cleared of suspicion. However, Uriah Clouse remained a suspect. 

Clouse continuously denied his involvement in Jill's death, and eventually investigators closed in on another suspect: John Robert Myers II. Myers had reportedly made incriminating statements about the case to his friends and family members. In March 2006, a grand jury began an investigation into Jill's disappearance and death. About a month later, on April 9th, 2006, Myers was arrested and charged with Jill's murder. Little information was revealed about any direct evidence that linked Myers to the crime, and he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

John Robert Myers II

In October 2006, Myers went to trial and was ultimately found guilty of Jill's murder. He was sentenced to 65 years in prison. Myers continued to deny his guilt after his conviction. Years later, in September 2019, a District Court judge in Indianapolis took another look at the case and ultimately decided to vacate the murder conviction against Myers. The decision came after it was deemed that Myers received "ineffective assistance of counsel" during his trial, which is a violation of Sixth Amendment rights. It was also determined that Myers' attorneys made inaccurate statements to the jury during opening statements.

After years of thinking justice had been served, Jill Behrman's family is back at square one. Jill's mother still believes Myers is responsible and hopes that the State will decide to retrial him.

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Lists including this case:

[Cases Involving a Miscarriage of Justice]

[Unsolved Cases with Multiple POIs]