The Disappearance and Murder of Lineida Olivera

 

Lineida Olivera vanished from Worcester, Massachusetts during 2007. The 35-year-old woman had given birth to twin girls in early January. Weeks later, she seemingly vanished without a trace. While an exact date of Lineida's disappearance is unknown, most sources state that she was last seen alive in late January 2007.

Lineida moved to Massachusetts from Puerto Rico when she was 16 years-old, after giving birth to her first child. In the years that followed, Lineida gave birth to 10 more children - the youngest two being the twins that were born shortly before her disappearance. According to reports, Lineida lost custody of six children in 1999 - when she was 26 years-old. Lineida's family members said that she had suffered with substance abuse for many years, leading to several struggles in her life. 

After giving birth to the twins, Lineida expressed a desire to get clean once and for all. Her family members hoped this was the reason that she fell out-of-touch after late January 2007. The family initially believed that she was in a detox rehabilitation center where she was not allowed to contact them. However, as weeks stretched into months without any sign of Lineida, loved ones began to fear that something had happened to her. Lineida's family reported her missing on May 4th, 2007.

Months later, on September 3rd, 2007, human remains were found in a wooded area in Rutland. The remains were spotted by a deer hunter, in a location approximately just 200 yards from Route 122. The body was later identified as that of Lineida Olivera. Her death was labeled a homicide. An exact cause of death has never been publicly revealed.

The discovery of Lineida's remains left both her loved ones and investigators with many questions. Though there are some strong theories about what might have happened, news on Lineida's case has been scarce over the years. Today, one huge question still remains unanswered: who killed Lineida Olivera?

--
Serial killings in the area.

While investigating Lineida's disappearance and death, the Worcester Police looked into the possibility that the case was linked to another string of unsolved killings in the area. 

During September 2003, the bodies of Betzaida Montalvo and Carmen Rudy were found in Marlborough. Betzaida vanished in April 2003, while Carmen had vanished in September 2002. Despite vanishing at different times, the two women's remains were found just meters away from each other. Betzaida's body was found first. Days later, while the scene was still being investigated, Carmen's body was found as well.

In March of 2004, the body of Dinelia Torres was found in an area "approximately two kilometers" away from where the bodies of Carmen and Betzaida were found. Dinelia had been missing since the fall of 2003. After Dinelia's body was found, it appeared that investigators were confident that the murders of Carmen, Betzaida, and Dinelia were committed by the same person. This unidentified killer was given the name "Main South Woodsman" due to the victim's connections to the Main South area, and the fact that their bodies were found in the woods.

Another potential victim.

In September 2004, the body of another woman, Wendy Morrello, was found in a garbage can in York, Maine. Although Wendy was found in a different state, investigators in Massachusetts have pondered if her murder was committed by this suspected serial killer as well. The area where Wendy was found is located less than 100 miles away from Marlborough. Additionally, Maine investigators have stated that they do not believe Wendy was killed in their state - but that her body was brought there to be hidden. 

However, the fact that Wendy was found in Maine, and the fact that the disposal of her body seemingly differed from the way that the bodies of the other women were disposed - has given investigators pause. Although there is strong speculation that Wendy was killed by the same person who killed Betzaida, Carmen, and Dinelia, investigators still seem open to the possibility that she was killed by someone else.

The connection of the victims to Lineida Olivera.

Carmen, Betzaida, Dinelia, and Wendy all had many things in common with Lineida Olivera: all of the women struggled with substance abuse, all had a history of sex work, all frequented the Main South area, and all mysteriously vanished - only to later be found deceased. There has also been speculation at least some of these women were known to each other.

These commonalities have inevitably led to the theory/possibility that all five women were victims of the same serial killer. However, it appears that investigators are more confident about Carmen, Betzaida, and Dinelia being victims of the same killer than they are about Wendy and Lineida. 

Another theory on Lineida's murder.

In a report published shortly after Lineida's body was found, Lineida's sister Marilyn Olivera is quoted saying that she does not believe Lineida was killed by the Main South Woodsman; she believes Lineida was killed by someone she knew. The report states that Marilyn explained, "Lineida was cautious in her dealings with people. If she was going out with someone she didn't know, she'd call Marilyn and leave the license plate of the person she was going to see, just in case."

Lineida did not make such a phone call before her disappearance, leading Marilyn to believe that Lineida was with someone she knew before she vanished. Marilyn stated, "She'd give me a clue [about who she was spending time with]. But before she disappeared, she didn't call me. That's why I think she went out with someone she knew."

In that same article, a spokesperson for the Worcester County District Attorney's Office is quoted saying "We don't think the evidence we found in this particular case is the work of a serial killer." However, now that nearly two decades have passed since Lineida's death, it is unknown if investigators have changed their stance. As of today, the possibility of Lineida being a victim of the Main South Woodsman has not been completely ruled out. 

A potential suspect for the serial killings.

In 2008, investigators announced that a man named Alex Scesny, then 38-years-old, was a potential suspect for the Main South murders. Scesny had been recently arrested for the 1996 murder of Theresa Stone. Stone was also a sex worker, and she lived in Fitchburg at the time of her death. 

Throughout his adult life, Scesny displayed several concerning behaviors towards women. He was accused of rape on more than one occasion. In fact, Scesny was charged with rape in 2002 - but the charges were dropped after the victim passed away before being able to testify in court. 

There are several reasons why investigators have theorized that Scesny could be the Main South Woodsman. Scesny's history of violence towards women is inevitably one of those reasons. Additionally, Scesny's family reportedly owned a farm in Marlborough - located within walking distance from the area where the bodies of Betzaida Montalvo and Carmen Rudy were found. 

After Scesny was arrested for the murder of Theresa Stone, he was questioned extensively about the Main South murders. Scesny continuously denied involvement the murders and has never been charged in connection with any of the cases. 

In 2012, Scesny was convicted for the murder of Theresa Stone. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Still unsolved. 

As of 2026, the murder of Lineida Olivera remains unsolved. The murders of Betzaida Montalvo, Carmen Rudy, Dinelia Torres, and Wendy Morrello remain unsolved as well. The Massachusetts State Police are in charge of investigating these cases.

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Lineida Olivera or any of the murders, please contact authorities at 508-453-7589.

----

Sources:
Boston Herald
Canton Repository
Charley Project
Metro West Daily News
The State-Journal Register
Telegram & Gazette
Worcester District Attorney

Other similar cases:

• The Murder of Tonya Wales
• Unsolved murders from 2007
• Unsolved murders from Massachusetts

The Disappearance of Junaliza Chappell

 

Junaliza Chappell vanished under suspicious circumstances on February 16th, 2007. The then-27-year-old took a flight that day from West Palm Beach, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia. Junaliza disappeared at some point after arriving in Atlanta. She has never been seen or heard from again.

According to reports, Junaliza planned to drive from Atlanta to California for a new job. However, it appears that there has not been any trace of her since she reportedly arrived in Atlanta on the day of her disappearance. A post about Junaliza's case on the Atlanta PD website states that she was eventually "reported as missing by a friend and a co-worker." 

Certain reports about Junaliza's disappearance mention that she was also seen by her husband on the day of her disappearance. In fact, Junaliza's case profile on Charley Project notes that her husband "stated he picked her up from the [Atlanta] airport and then they went to Walmart, and she went inside the store and never returned."

This narrative that was reportedly provided by her husband is suspicious for several reasons. By 2007, most major stores such as Wal-Mart and Target had surveillance cameras in and around their buildings. It's unknown if there is any footage that shows Junaliza entering a Wal-Mart on the day of her disappearance. If Junaliza was kidnapped or somehow injured inside the store, it seems likely that witnesses or surveillance footage would have captured that as well. 

It's also suspicious that Junaliza was reported missing by a friend/co-worker rather than her husband - especially given the story he provided about her disappearance. Despite all of this, though, Junaliza's husband has not been labeled as a person of interest, nor has any person at this point in the investigation.

There are very few details available about Junaliza's disappearance. The Atlanta Police Department has investigative agency over her case. If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts of Junaliza Chappell, please contact authorities at (404) 546-4235.

-
Sources:
Atlanta PD
Charley Project

NamUs
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Ryan Esparza

Source: NCMEC

Ryan Esparza has been missing since June 14th, 2007. The then-17-year-old left his home in Pasadena, Texas that day after receiving a phone call from a friend, asking him to meet up at a basketball court at Highlands Park. Ryan was expected back home that evening, but he never returned. He has never been seen or heard from again.

Ryan's mother reported him missing on June 15th. She also reached out to the friend Ryan was meeting at the park that day. Said friend told Ryan's mother that he and Ryan met up and shot hoops at the basketball court for about 20 minutes. Then, according to the friend, Ryan walked away to take a phone call and never returned. 

Investigators searched a five-mile radius around the park but did not find any sign of Ryan. There also did not appear to be any evidence that Ryan ran away. He did not have a history of running away, nor did he have a history of mental illness. Ryan's loved ones do not believe he would walk away from his life. He had a girlfriend who was approximately six months pregnant with his child at the time of his disappearance. The baby, born a few months later, was named Ryan Jr. after his father. 

As the months grew into years without any sign of Ryan, his disappearance grew into a cold case. His mother stated that she had heard rumors over the years that Ryan was accused of stealing marijuana from a childhood friend prior to his disappearance. However, it was reportedly not a large amount of marijuana. Ryan's mother also stated that investigators said they did not find any evidence that these rumors are linked to Ryan's disappearance.

Still, Ryan's mother has grown skeptical of the story told by the other friend with whom Ryan planned to meet at the park that day. In 2023, when asked if she believed the friend's story, Ryan's mother replied, "No, not anymore, because nobody else said he was at that park, so I don't know if he even made it there." This friend has never been publicly identified, and he has not been labeled a suspect.

Ryan remains missing today. If you have any information that could help solve his case, please contact the Pasadena Police Department at 713-477-1221 or Pasadena Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

-
Sources:
Charley Project
Fox 26 Houston
Medium
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The Murder of April Sorensen

April Sorensen was found murdered inside her Minnesota home on April 17th, 2007. Her killing remains unsolved to this day.

At the time of her death, the 27-year-old woman lived with her husband, Joshua Sorensen, at a residence in Rochester. April was a student at Rochester Community and Technical College, where she was studying to become a dental hygienist. She also was working for UPS Inc. in the northwest part of town. 

April 17th, 2007 began as a seemingly normal day for both April and Joshua. April worked an early-morning shift at UPS from 4:00 AM to 8:00 AM. Meanwhile, Joshua went to his job at IBM. At 10:00 AM, April went to class. The class lasted approximately 50 minutes, and she returned home shortly after it concluded. 

Around 12:30 PM a TV technician arrived at the Sorensen residence for a scheduled appointment. The technician noticed smoke coming from inside the house and immediately called 911. Both the police and fire department responded to the scene. It was quickly determined that this was a case of arson, not an accidental fire.

After extinguishing the flames, investigators found April's body in the bedroom. It was clear that her death was not caused by the fire - as she had been stabbed, strangled, and her throat had been slit. It's believed that the fire was set after April was murdered in an attempt to cover up the crime.

Investigators immediately launched an investigation into the murder. After retracing April's steps, investigators learned that she was killed within a very short timeframe. She arrived home at approximately 11:00 AM after her class. When the TV technician arrived approximately 90 minutes later, the house was already on fire - meaning April had already been murdered and the killer(s) had already fled the scene by that point.

April's husband Joshua was inevitably questioned early on into the investigation. Joshua told police that he was at his job at IBM at the time the killing took place. Investigators were able to easily confirm this alibi, as the IBM building is a secure corporate campus that tracks when their employees enter and exit the premises. 

The TV technician was also ruled out as a suspect. Over the years, investigators have looked at several other persons of interest, including "one strong suspect." Detectives have not publicly named this person; however, they did mention that his person has been incarcerated for unrelated crimes. 

Several years have passed, and April's murder is still unsolved. Investigators have created a profile of a potential suspect; stating that "the offender may have been involved in other impulsive criminal behaviors in the past such as burglary, theft, trespassing, window peeking, or joy riding." Both detectives and April's loved ones are hoping that anyone with information about a potential suspect will come forward.

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of April Sorensen, please contact RPD homicide Detective Alex Kendrick at 507-328-2739.

-
Sources:
ABC 6 News
KROC News
NBC News
Post Bulletin

Similar cases:

• The Murder of Heather and Kira Radcliffe
• The Murder of Kelcey Fike
• The Murder of Mikiko Kasahara
• Unsolved cases from 2007

The Murder of Jessica Bejarano

 

Jessica Bejarano was only 25 years-old when her life was tragically taken on April 6th, 2007. 

That day, police in Frederick, Colorado responded to a 911 call at her residence on Larkspur Circle. When officers entered the home, they found Jessica unresponsive on her bathroom floor. She had suffered a single stab wound to the chest. The first responders attempted life-saving measures to no avail, and Jessica was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jessica's two children, a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, were also found in the home when police arrived. The children were reportedly distraught, but physically unharmed. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, "it appeared that [the children] had been unkept for most of the day and may have witnessed the murder."

When the investigation into Jessica's murder began, police initially looked into several suspects, including Jessica's husband. He was eventually cleared after it was determined he was at work at the time of the stabbing. As time passed without any arrests, news about Jessica's murder began to fade. The case soon grew cold.

Nearly 18 years later, in March 2025, a major break was announced: a 72-year-old man named Darrell Burkland had been arrested and charged with Jessica's murder. According to reports, "investigators ultimately obtained DNA evidence that subsequently yielded a potential match" to Burkland. Then, on March 14th, 2025, "investigators conducted a follow-up interview with Burklund. Following the interview, Burklund was arrested and taken into custody at the York County Sheriff’s Detention Center, in York, Nebraska."

Burkland was 54 years-old at the time of the crime. He worked as a maintenance worker. At the time of Burkland's arrest, no further details about the investigation were provided. Although he was arrested in Nebraska, he will face the charges for Jessica's murder in Colorado. The case is currently pending. 

Sources:
ABC 7 Denver
Colorado Bureau of Investigation, (2)

The Disappearance of Kelly Allen

Source: Facebook

Kelly Allen had a busy life in early 2007. The then-20-year-old lived at her mother's home in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a nursing student, worked as a home caregiver, and was looking for other employment opportunities as well. By all accounts, Kelly had many things to be excited about - finishing her degree, advancing her career, and growing into her future. Unfortunately, that future was halted when Kelly vanished on March 13th, 2007.

On March 7th, 2007, Kelly went to a female friend's residence in Berkeley, Missouri, where she spent the next few days. She was still staying with her friend on March 13th - the day of her disappearance. That day seemingly began as a regular one. Kelly, who had been looking for a job closer to her home, went to a job interview for a local telemarketing company. The interview seemingly went well, as Kelly left with plans to return for a follow-up interview in the near future.

Kelly's friend went to her respective job that day as well. She stated that she saw Kelly at her apartment before leaving for work, and she also spoke to Kelly on the phone at some point during the day. All seemed fine during those interactions. However, when the friend later returned from work, Kelly was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Kelly's personal belongings were still at her friend's house, which indicated that she did not plan to leave long-term. However, days later, Kelly did not show up for her follow-up interview. At that point, her family knew something was wrong. They subsequently reported her missing.

Family and friends of Kelly described her sudden absence as uncharacteristic. There are no indications that she planned to leave voluntarily. Not only was Kelly looking forward to starting a new job, but she also left behind her personal belongings - including a $2000 tax refund check that was never cashed. Her disappearance was soon deemed as suspicious by investigators.

There are very few additional details available about Kelly's case. In 2023, it was reported that authorities are still actively investigating, but there have not been many leads. A potential break occurred in 2017, when Kelly's cousin snapped a picture of a woman on a train who he thinks might be Kelly. However, as of today, police have been unable to determine the identity of the woman in the photograph.

Picture of woman on train, taken by Kelly's cousin in 2017.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police are in charge of investigating Kelly's disappearance. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact authorities at 314-444-5738 or email missingpersons@mshp.dps.mo.gov.

-
Sources:
Charley Project
Medium
Missouri State Police
NamUs
Our Black Girls

The Murder of Anita Knutson

Anita Knutson (18) was brutally murdered inside her own apartment on June 3rd, 2007. Anita was a freshman at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota at the time of her death. She lived with a roommate, Nichole Thomas, near campus. Despite being away at school, Anita she always stayed in touch with her family. 

On June 4th, 2007, Anita’s father grew worried after learning she had not contacted any of her siblings or anyone else in her family for over a day. He had been told that Anita's roommate was out of town for the weekend. Anita’s father subsequently went to her apartment building and asked her apartment’s manager to let him into the apartment. The manager let him in, and when he entered the apartment, Anita’s father found a horrific scene. Anita was dead, she had been stabbed to death in her own bedroom.

It initially appeared that Anita was killed by someone who had broken into her home. The apartment’s front door was locked, but the screen on Anita’s bedroom window had been slashed and pushed out of the frame—suggesting that the killer had entered through said window. It also appeared that Anita had been deceased for about a day before she was discovered.

Police initially had many leads to follow. They investigated apartment maintenance workers, Anita’s friends from school, and various people who were seen in the area around the time of Anita’s murder. Despite this, detectives were unable to gather enough evidence for an arrest for several years. 

Finally, in March 2022, a break was made in the case. On March 16th, 2022, the Minot Police Department announced that they had arrested Anita's roommate from 2007 - Nichole - for Anita's murder. Since the crime, Nichole had married and was now known as Nichole Rice. 

The arrest of Nichole appeared to be the beginning of the road to justice for Anita and her loved ones. Unfortunately, the case went in a different direction during Nichole Rice's trial. 

---

The arrest.

Source: Minot PD.

As previously noted, Nichole Rice was arrested and charged with the murder of Anita Knutson in March of 2022. By this point, nearly 15 years had passed since Anita's murder - Nichole was 34 years old at the tie she was arrested. The arrest occurred after detectives from the TV show Cold Justice were called upon to investigate Anita's case. 

Nichole was bonded out after her arrested. She later pleaded not guilty to the charges. Due to the publicity of the case, a judge ruled to have the trial moved to Grand Forks instead of Minot.

Testimony from trial.

As previously noted, Nichole Rice was arrested nearly 15 years after Anita's murder. The trial did not occur until 2025 - nearly 17/18 years later. Due to this, the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence to try and prove Nichole's guilt.

Several witnesses established that Anita and Nichole were not getting along in the months leading up to the murder. The two often argued, and testimony revealed that Anita would lock her bedroom door to get away from Nichole. Coworkers of Nichole testified that Anita would often refer to Anita as a "crackhead", "cunt", "bitch", etc. Nichole's defense argued that it's not unusual for roommates - especially teens/young adults - to fight every now and then. 

Two people in particular testified for the state, saying that Nichole had confessed to each of them, on separate occasions, that she had murdered Anita. One of the witnesses, William May, testified that he met Nichole at a party just a few weeks after Anita's death. The two began casually seeing each other.

May testified that, shortly after their relationship began, he threw a party at his house - during which Anita's murder became a topic of conversation amongst the partygoers. At some point, Nichole, who had been drinking, told May that she and Anita had fought over an alarm clock that would not stop going off and she subsequently stabbed Anita to death.

May claimed that, after hearing this, he decided to cut ties with Nichole. He also testified that he subsequently contacted police and gave a statement about Nichole's confession. However, for some reason, there are no documented records of William May ever contacting police or giving any such statement. 

Several months to a year later, May and Nichole crossed paths again. Nichole told May that she had been cleared of suspicion in Anita's murder. May stated he had no reason to not believe her at this point, and the two began seeing each other again. Although they eventually broke up again later, their rekindled relationship cast doubt on his initial testimony. 

A woman named Kristina Holler is the other witness that testified that Nichole had confessed to murdering Anita. Holler and Nichole reportedly also met at a party after Anita's death. During this particular party, Holler testified that Nichole was upset about people accusing her of being involved in Anita's murder. Holler said that she gave Nichole a ride back to her apartment after that. Once the two were there, Nichole told Holler that she stabbed Anita to death.

Holler testified that she, too, contacted police after hearing this confession. She gave a statement about what Nichole had said. She also testified that she still continued a friendship with Nichole after this - although it only lasted for about 3 months before the two had a falling out. 

Similar to what happened with William May, there is also no documented record of Kristina Holler ever contacting police and giving any such statement about Nichole Rice. While this may not necessarily mean that May and Holler lied about giving statements, Nichole's attorneys pointed out that the lack of documentation may cast doubt on their testimony.

Other witnesses, including mutual friends of both Anita and Nichole, and Nichole's aunt and uncle, testified about Nichole's state of mind after Anita's murder. Some friends testified that Nichole did not seem as devastated or in shock as one might think someone would be if their roommate had been stabbed to death. In fact, she appeared more concerned about the fact that her iPod was missing from the apartment than the fact that her roommate had just been brutally murdered inside their shared home.

Nichole's aunt testified that Nichole told her that "Anita was a fucking cunt who deserved to die." The aunt stated that Nichole said this just a month after the murder - while many were still in shock about the crime. The aunt and uncle both testified that they, too, felt that Nichole did not act the way they'd expect her to after going through such a traumatic event. They also noted that, over the years, Nichole's story about what happened seemed to always change. 

The verdict.

Throughout the trial, there was an abundance of online speculation amongst locals and other people following the case. While many noted that they believed Nichole was guilty, there were also a lot of comments about how the state had not necessarily proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. 

The jury deliberated for about a day before they reached a verdict. On March 26th, 2025, it was announced that the jury found Nichole Rice not guilty of the murder of Anita Knutson. As such, Nichole is now free of any charges related to Anita's case.

Days after the verdict, the interim chief for the Minot Police released a statement. He alluded that the lack of documentation regarding the statements from William May and Kristina Holler hurt the state's case. The statement reads:

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with Anita Knutson’s family and loved ones. This case has deeply impacted our community, and I recognize the emotional toll it has taken on so many people.

Regarding the verdict, we respect the role of the jury and the judicial process. While the Minot Police Department’s role is to investigate and collect evidence, it is ultimately up to the court to determine the outcome. We remain committed to our duty of seeking justice and serving this community with integrity.

As for the testimony regarding alleged confessions, I cannot speak to what did or did not happen with documentation from 2007/2008. I was not in my current position at that time, and those who were with the department then are no longer here. Because of this, I am not able to provide further comment on that matter."

Where the case stands today.

As of now, Anita's murder is classified as unsolved. Many believe that Nichole Rice is the perpetrator and has now gotten away with murder. Others believe that the real killer may still be out there. 

Anyone with information that could help solve Anita's case is asked to contact Minot Police at (701) 852-0111.

-
Sources:

Court TV
KFYR, (2)
KX News

The Murder of Kellie Owens

 

Kellie Owens was murdered inside her Charlotte, North Carolina residence on December 27th, 2007. The 30-year-old woman was shot to death in her apartment's bathroom. Kellie's boyfriend reportedly found her suffering from a gunshot wound and called 9-1-1. Medics announced her dead on the scene. 

Kellie's daughter, who was only 2 years old at the time, was found unharmed in her crib in a separate bedroom. Detectives believe the toddler was placed there by someone other than Kellie, as it was uncommon for the child to be left in the crib. It was also noted that there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, which suggests that the killer might have been someone known to Kellie.

The death of Kellie was a devastating loss for not only her family, but also the community. Kellie worked with at-risk youth and was loved by the children she interacted with. She was also a loving mother, but she unfortunately never got to see her daughter grow up.

Several years have passed, and the murder remains unsolved. In 2024, a detective working the case told reporters that "the physical evidence in this case does not help us get any closer to making an arrest." Though it appears several interviews have been conducted, and several people have been investigated, police have not been able to gather needed evidence to move forward in the case.

Both detectives and Kellie's family loved ones have appealed to the public for someone with information to come forward. If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of Kellie's killer(s), please contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg Violent Crimes Division at 704-336-2358. 

-
Sources:
Crime in Charlotte
Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD
WSO-TV

The Murder of Ralisha Alexander

source: Henrico County Police

Ralisha Alexander was brutally murdered inside her own home on October 21st, 2007. The 26-year-old woman lived in Henrico County, Virginia at the time of her death. She had a young daughter and was close with her family members. 

Ralisha last spoke with her family members the morning before she was murdered. Around 6:00 PM that evening, Ralisha's family members went to her residence at the Essex Village apartment complex in the 100 block of Englewood Drive. Once Ralisha's family members entered her apartment, they made a tragic discovery: Ralisha was deceased, and it was clear that her death was not an accident.

Initial reports about the case stated that Ralisha's body had obvious signs of trauma. Henrico Police later confirmed that Ralisha had died from multiple stab wounds. Her death was subsequently classified as a murder. 

To this day, Ralisha's murder remains unsolved. There has been very minimal reporting on her case, and very few details about the investigation are known. It is unknown if there are any suspects or persons of interest. 

Comments on various online memorials for Ralisha indicate that she was loved by many and is dearly missed. However, there are otherwise little to no postings about Ralisha's murder. Henrico Police have labeled the investigation as a cold case.

If you have any information that could help solve Ralisha's case, please submit a tip or contact the Henrico County Police at hpdcoldcase@henrico.us.

-
Sources:
Henrico County Cold Case Division
Legacy.com
March Funeral Homes
Richmond Times-Dispatch, (2)

The Disappearance and Murder of Leah Hickman

source: Herald-Dispatch

Leah Hickman had her whole life ahead of her during December 2007. The then-21-year-old lived in Huntington, West Virginia, and she was a student at Marshall University. Leah was pursuing a degree in journalism and was looking forward to her future. Unfortunately, that future was cut short when Leah vanished on December 14th, 2007. Her body was found a week later. 

Before her untimely death, Leah shared an apartment with her half-sister, Jessica Vickers, on 8th Avenue in Huntington. On the day of her disappearance, Leah accessed her Myspace page from a computer at the apartment. She later spoke to a friend on the phone and said she was going to go to McDonald's for some food. 

A receipt later found in the apartment seemingly confirms that Leah did, in fact, go to McDonald's. What happened after that remains a mystery to this day. Leah's sister Jessica stated that when she returned to their apartment the following day, Leah was nowhere to be found. However, her car, purse, and cell phone were all left behind. 

Leah's family was later notified that she did not show up to a scheduled work shift at Dress Barn. This immediately worried her loved ones, who subsequently attempted to search for her themselves to no avail. Her family then reported her missing to police on December 16th, 2007. 

On December 21st, 2007, a team of investigators found Leah's body in a crawl space in her apartment building. She had been strangled to death and her body was wrapped in plastic. It appears that her killer(s) placed her in the crawl space in attempt to hide her body. 

Several years have passed, and Leah's murder remains unsolved. Investigators have never publicly announced any suspects of persons of interest in case. However, there has been a lot of both local and online speculation about who might be responsible for Leah's death.

-

Who killed Leah?

After Leah's body was found, locals in Huntington immediately began speculating - both online and offline - about the identity of her killer(s). There are many factors that play into said speculation. Some of the speculation comes from known information about Leah's case, while other speculation comes from rumors heard around town. 

The apartment building/crawl space.

The building where Leah lived/was found murdered. (source: Herald-Dispatch)

In 2007, there were four units inside the apartment building where Leah lived with her sister Jessica. One unit was obviously occupied by Leah and Jessica. Two of the other units were vacant. A single man lived in the remaining unit; however, he was out of town at the time of Leah's disappearance and murder. 

The crawlspace where Leah's body was found is part of the building's laundry room. The laundry room was a common area used by all tenants, located in the building's basement. 

source: YouTube

It seems likely that whoever placed Leah's body in the crawl space was, at the very least, familiar with Leah's apartment building. Various discussion about this case online seems to indicate that the crawl space could easily go unnoticed unless one already knew it was there. 

Speculation about the sister's ex-boyfriend.

Over the years, there has been an abundance of speculation about Leah's sister/roommate Jessica, and Jessica's ex-boyfriend. Much of that speculation has been posted online on various forums. Certain posts state that the ex-boyfriend lived with Jessica in the 8th Avenue apartment for 2 years. 

In fact, some posts also indicate that there was overlap between Leah and the ex-boyfriend in the apartment as well - meaning that at some point, Leah, Jessica, and Jessica's ex-boyfriend all lived there together. A statement that consistently seems to come up across all the online speculation is that Leah and Jessica's ex-boyfriend did not get along. 

Another statement amongst locals that has popped up more than once is that Jessica and the ex-boyfriend broke up while he was deployed to Iraq. Jessica and Leah then reportedly removed all of his things from the apartment. 

One specific post from Mydeathspace states: "The rumor is: he used to live in the apt with Jessica before he shipped off to Iraq. They broke up while he was gone, and Leah/Jessica threw all his crap away. It was stored in the basement." 

If there is any truth to the rumor in this post, this raises a bunch of suspicions. If the "basement" being referred to in this post is the basement of Leah and Jessica's apartment building, that means it's the same basement where Leah's body was found in a crawl space. Is it possible that Jessica's ex-boyfriend showed up at the apartment demanding his items? If so, did Leah bring him down the basement, where he strangled her and then hid her body in the crawl space?

The same post on Mydeathspace also mentions something else that raises suspicions about the ex-boyfriend. The post, in part, states "Rumor is his arm was injured right after Leah came up “missing” and he refused to take any lie detector tests."

It's worth noting that these rumors originated all the way back in 2007, when the crime first occurred, and they have never been publicly substantiated by investigators. Still, these rumors have never been publicly ruled out, either. 

Speculation about the sister.

Most speculation about Leah's murder mentions Jessica's ex-boyfriend as a probable suspect. Much of the speculation also mentions Jessica herself possibly being involved in Leah's murder as well. As previously stated, Leah allegedly never got along with Jessica's ex-boyfriend. There are various online postings that Leah and Jessica were also fighting a lot before Leah's disappearance and murder as well.

It's not unusual for sisters to fight from time to time, but rarely does sibling drama escalate to murder. The extent of the fights between Leah and Jessica do not appear to be discussed super in-depth online, but many seem to agree that they fought quite a bit. 

In 2018, a commenter on a Reddit post about Leah's case wrote the following: "Lifelong Huntington resident here. The general consensus is it was her sister's boyfriend and the sister helped cover for him. A smaller percentage of people think the reverse, that it was the sister and the boyfriend covered for her. Personal belief is that it was both. The sisters were known to fight a lot over anything and everything. Most people that knew them believe the sister was involved in some way if not the actual perpetrator."

What do investigators think?

Again, it's worth noting that Jessica and her ex-boyfriend have not been charged with anything related Leah's murder. Investigators have never publicly labeled either of them as suspects. Investigators have also not labeled anyone as a suspect or person of interest; they have mostly remained tight-lipped about the case.

In September 2008, Huntington Police Capt. Steve Hall told reporters, "There is an individual that we believe was involved. It is an individual that we have contacted and have spoken to. However, this individual keeps coming to the forefront of someone we’re particularly interested in."

To this day, investigators have not disclosed the identity of this individual. There has been inevitable speculation that this person is Leah's sister's ex-boyfriend. It seems that detectives have still been unable to collect evidence that could lead to a prosecution. 

DNA evidence.

Investigators collected various evidence from the area where Leah's body was found. The evidence was sent for DNA testing, but the results were reportedly not conclusive. Leah's father reportedly requested that the DNA be retested by Parabon NanoLabs. Investigators working the case stated that the DNA sample was so small that they feared new tests would destroy it.

The lead detective on the case told reporters that they were hesitant to retest due to "the fear that it would lead nowhere, and the remaining evidence would be lost."

A cold case.

As of 2024, the murder of Leah Hickman remains unsolved and is considered a cold case. It has been years since investigators have provided any substantial updates in the case. 

In 2014, someone spray painted "Who Killed Leah Hickman?" on the outside brick wall of the apartment where Leah lived. Police reportedly do not know the identity of the spray painter.

source: Herald-Dispatch

Since then, there have not been any updates on Leah's case. However, the online speculation remains somewhat active. Investigators still encourage anyone with information that could help solve Leah's case to call the Huntington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, at (304) 696-4420 or the tip line at (304) 696-4444.

-
Sources:
Herald-Dispatch
Killer Crawl Space
Me Aww
NBC News

Reddit
True Crime Society
WSAZ

Never Reported Missing: The Murder of Jeana Burrus

source: The Sun

February 6th, 2007 began as a typical day in Sarasota, Florida. The southern coastal area experiences warm temperatures year-round, which allows for children and adults alike to spend their time outdoors during the winter months. On this fateful day, a 14-year-old boy was doing just that: spending time outside in the woods behind Ashton Court.

 At some point, the boy stumbled upon a bone. His mother, who worked as a nurse, immediately recognized that the bone belonged to a human. The boy's mother subsequently called police, who then went to the wooded area where the bone was found. While sifting through dirt, investigators found a partially decomposed body in a shallow grave. 

The body was fully excavated the following day, during which it was discovered that the deceased person was an adult female. The female was fully clothed but did not have shoes on - which led detectives to believe that she had been carried to the location where she was found. A medical examiner determined that the woman had been dead for about 5-6 months at the time her body was found. She had been killed by blunt force trauma. Her manner of death was labeled a homicide.

Great lengths were taken to identify the woman - who was determined to be between her 30s and 40s at the time of her death.  DNA samples were taken, but there were no matches in the investigative database. The FBI processed the woman's clothing for fibers and trace hairs. Renderings were created with images of the woman's estimated appearance. Unfortunately, none of these efforts turned up any leads.

Fifteen years later, advances in DNA technology finally led to a positive identification. A woman in Bowie, Maryland used AncestryDNA - and her DNA matched the Sarasota victim's DNA. It was eventually confirmed in November 2022 that the victim was 39-year-old Jeana Burrus - the niece of the Maryland woman in the ancestry database.

Investigators soon learned that Jeana lived in Sarasota with her husband, James, and her son, James Jr., prior to her death. Her body was found in a wooded area near the local auto body shop where her husband James used to work. This detail alone would have likely been suspicious to investigators had they known Jeana's identity back in 2007. However, Jeana had never even been reported missing.

-

Who was Jeana?

source: pelhamplus.com

Jeana's uncle described Jeana as a loving woman who went out of her way to make others happy. Prior to moving to Florida, Jeana lived in Maryland - closer to her relatives. Her uncle said that she would routinely visit and regularly call her relatives after she moved to Florida. However, at some point in 2006, Jeana's relatives stopped receiving calls. 

Jeana's family. 

Jeana with her husband, James Burrus, and their son. (Sarasota County Sheriff's Office)

Jeana was a stay-at-home mother in Sarasota. Her son was in elementary school at the time of her death. As previously noted, her husband James Burrus worked at a local auto body shop - located close to where Jeana's body was found. 

There is very little publicly known information about Jeana's relationship with James. It is inevitably suspicious that he did not report his wife missing on top of the fact that she was found deceased near his workplace, but he has not been charged with anything related to Jeana's death. James and their son eventually moved out of Sarasota. 

It also seems odd that nobody else in the family reported Jeana missing. Jeana's uncle told reporters that he inquired about Jeana's whereabouts over the years, and he was always "given a story" that he currently cannot comment on due to the ongoing investigation. The same story was also reportedly given to Jeana's brother and stepfather. Jeana's extended family members did not know she was dead until her remains were identified in 2022. 

It is unknown if any friends or acquaintances asked about Jeana's whereabouts over the years. If they did, it's likely that they were also told a similar story. 

The investigation.

As previously noted, Jeana was killed by blunt force trauma. She did not end up deceased in that wooded area on her own - somebody had to have placed her there. Before her body was identified, it was reported that whoever had carried the then-unidentified victim to the spot where she was found had to have already known that the isolated spot existed. A detective told reporters, "This is an area that someone has obviously taken great care to obfuscate the fact that there is a body here."

In August 2023, it was reported that investigators wanted to track down Jeana's family members and/or anyone who knew Jeana and James. As of right now, it appears that investigators are keeping information close to the vest due to the fact that the case is ongoing. Though it has not been confirmed, it appears that James Burrus is the main person-of-interest. 

Anyone with any relevant information is asked to contact detective Brian Ng at 941-861-4900.

-
Sources:
Citrus County Chronicle
People
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, (2)
The Sun