The Abduction and Murder of Kristi Cornwell

Source: GBI

The night of August 11th, 2009, began as a typical night for Kristi Cornwell. The 38-year-old woman was in Blairsville, Georgia. She was taking an evening walk shortly after 9:00 PM near her parent's house on Jones Creek Road while talking on the phone with her boyfriend, Douglas Davis. Neither Kristi nor Davis could have ever imagined that this conversation would be their last.

At some point during her walk, Kristi told Davis that a vehicle appeared to be approaching her. Moments later, Davis heard sounds of a struggle accompanied by Kristi shouting "don't take me!" The phone call disconnected shortly thereafter. Kristi was never seen alive by her loved ones again.

Davis reported what he heard to police, and a search for Kristi was immediately launched. A few days into the investigation, her cell phone was found approximately three miles away from the area where police believe Kristi was abducted. The professional search continued for over two weeks, but no further trace of Kristi was found. 

Meanwhile, both Union County detectives and Kristi's loved ones tried to contemplate a motive for her kidnapping. In the weeks that followed her disappearance, Kristi's brother Richard Cornwell told "Good Morning America" that "investigators were unsure whether his sister's abduction was random or if she was targeted, possibly in relation to her job as a former probation officer."

Cornwell never gave up on looking for his sister. He stayed in touch with detectives from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and completed his own searches for Kristi. In fact, on January 1st, 2011, Cornwell received information from the GBI that led him to search a 2-square-mile area in the woods near Moccasin Road in Union County. It was during the search that Cornwell uncovered human remains. Dental records later confirmed that Richard Cornwell had found the remains of his sister Kristi Cornwell.

Kristi's body had been badly burned and decomposed. An autopsy was unable to determine her exact cause of death. However, detectives immediately began to investigate her death as a murder. 

During the seventeen months that Kristi was missing, detectives had received and uncovered a lot of interesting information pertaining to her case - including a vehicle description and a sketch of a potential person of interest, an anonymous letter from a grandmother, and a police standoff that led to the death of a suspect.

Despite all of this, investigators have never been able to close Kristi's case. Both loved ones and detectives are left without one frustratingly unanswered question: Who killed Kristi Cornwell?

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A look back at the investigation.

As noted above, it is believed Kristi was abducted along Jones Creek Road between 9:15 - 9:20 PM. Kristi was on the phone with her boyfriend, Douglas Davis, while taking an evening walk. Kristi told Davis about a vehicle that appeared to be approaching. Shortly thereafter, Davis listened as a struggle ensued between Kristi and her abductor. The call dropped moments later.

Searches for Kristi were conducted around Blairsville. Investigators from several agencies scoured various areas searching for clues. Professional divers searched Lake Nottley. It's known that Kristi's cell phone was found approximately three miles away from Jones Creek Road. Other than that, though, no other evidence of Kristi was found.

A vehicle description and a suspect sketch.

In December 2009, police released a vehicle description and a sketch of a man who was involved in an assault on a woman that took place in Cherokee County, North Carolina. The woman reported that she was attacked by a man driving a late model Nissan Xterra. At that time, it was announced that investigators believed this same man/vehicle could be connected to Kristi's disappearance. 

Source: GBI

The anonymous letter.

During January 2010, both the Union County Sheriff's Office and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office received an anonymous letter from a woman who stated that sketch resembled her then-27-year-old grandson. The woman wrote that, not only did her grandson drive a Nissan Xterra similar to the one described by investigators, but he also engaged in suspicious behavior around the time of Kristi's abduction. 

The grandmother's letter explained that her grandson had left her home in Cherokee County on the evening of August 11th and did not return until the following morning. When he arrived back at his grandmother's residence, he reportedly had scratches on his face and neck. He told his grandmother he had gotten into a fight. 

The grandmother further wrote that her grandson was also in the Cherokee County area during the December 2009 assault. This deepened the woman's suspicions about her grandson. She noted, "I want to give my grandson the benefit of doubt until proven otherwise. However, I will not turn a blind eye to my suspicions."

After receiving this letter, a public appeal was made for the grandmother to reveal her identity to investigators. An appeal was also made for anyone with information about the grandson or the vehicle to come forward. 

Another suspect: James Carringer. 

In April 2010, authorities in Gilmer County, Georgia received a warrant to arrest a 42-year-old man named James Carringer. The warrant was issued after Carringer reportedly abducted and raped a female Kennesaw State University student. It was also believed he tried to abduct a 10-year-old girl from an Easter egg hunt just days before police got the warrant for the rape case. When authorities went to arrest Carringer, he led them on a car chase. 

Police eventually cornered Carringer in his vehicle between Deering Road and 26th Street, after which a standoff shut down the area for several hours. Carringer did not comply with police demands. The standoff ended with Carringer shooting himself inside his car. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

While investigating Carringer, the GBI uncovered information that prompted them to look at him as a potential suspect in the abduction of Kristi as well. It was learned that Carringer's residence was just a few miles away from the street from which Kristi vanished. Additionally, Carringer was originally from Ranger in Cherokee County - where the December 2009 assault occurred. On top of that, Carringer owned 2 Nissan Xterras. 

Authorities executed warrants for Carringer's home and his two vehicles during April 2010. In August 2010, the GBI announced, "Nothing analyzed so far has connected Carringer to the Ranger case or to Kristi’s disappearance, but investigators are still pursuing this lead." At that time, Kristi Cornwell was still missing - making it even more difficult for prove that she had been harmed by Carringer.

January 2011: Kristi's body is found. 

Kristi's brother Richard Cornwell remained in touch with the GBI throughout the entire time that Kristi was missing. Cornwell was dedicated to finding his sister, and the GBI would provide him with information about where to search for her based on leads they had received. 

On New Year's Day in 2011, the GBI told Cornwell about the 2-mile radius in the woods near Moccasin Road that they planned to search after the holiday. Cornwell decided not to wait and went to search the area himself. It was during that search that he found the human remains that were later identified as that of his sister Kristi Cornwell. 

While the discovery of Kristi's body brought closure to her loved ones, it also left them with grief and unanswered questions. Kristi's death is an inevitably devastating loss for her family. Her son was only 15 years-old at the time of her disappearance. 

An unsolved case.

Over 15 years have passed since Kristi's murder, and it still remains unsolved. The GBI states that James Carringer still remains a prime suspect in the case, although they have never been able to find any definitive physical evidence linking him to Kristi's abduction and murder. Additionally, it is unknown if investigators have ever identified the grandson described in the anonymous letter. 

Both investigators and Kristi's loved ones are hoping to receive leads that allow them to finally close her case. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Kristi Cornwell, please contact the GBI at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
ABC News
The Atlanta Journal Courier, (2)
CBS News
Coastal Courier
Fox 5 Atlanta
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
WSBTV

The Disappearance and Murder of Jenika Feuerstein

 

Jenika Feuerstein vanished at the age of 20 on January 3rd, 2009. The young woman was living in Mesa, Arizona at the time of her disappearance. The last known sighting of Jenika occurred at the northeast corner of Mesa Drive and Brown Road, just a few blocks away from her residence. The events that followed that final sighting of Jenika remain a mystery, as she never returned home or contacted her loved ones again.

Jenika's fate remained unknown for over five years. Then, on April 6th, 2014, a group of target shooters in a desert near Apache Lake found a suspicious plastic container. The men opened the container and found something shocking: skeletal remains of what appeared to be a young female, as the remains were covered by women's clothing. 

Police were called to the scene, and investigators soon began to work to identify the deceased. A few days later, it was announced that the remains were that of Jenika Feuerstein. Her death was ruled a homicide.

No arrests have ever been made in Jenika's case, nor have any suspects ever been publicly announced. According to family members, Jenika was struggling with substance abuse at the time of her disappearance. In fact, her mother shared that Jenika had been using heroin since she was in 8th grade. Her loved ones tried to encourage Jenika to get treatment on more than one occasion. Their attempts were reportedly unsuccessful.

After Jenika went missing, there was speculation that her heroin addiction played a role in her disappearance. Additionally, Jenika had an active warrant for shoplifting at the time she vanished - which led to speculation that she was trying to avoid being arrested. However, there was chatter about the person(s) who saw Jenika last before her disappearance as well. 

There are differing accounts about the identity of the person with whom Jenika was last seen. Some reports state the person was an "unknown man", while other reports identify the person as an older man named David L. Hutchison. Jenika reportedly messaged friends around 10:45 PM that evening stating that her and Hutchison were going to come over, but they never arrived. Early reports about Jenika's case state that Hutchison said he dropped her off on the evening of her disappearance and never saw her again. 

According to East Valley Tribune, some of Jenika's friends found Hutchison at a campsite at Coon's Bluff three days after Jenika's disappearance. He reportedly denied knowledge of Jenika's whereabouts. Hutchison has never been labeled as a suspect in Jenika's case.

The location in which Jenika's remains were found years later is an approximate hour-long drive away from Coon's Bluff. After Jenika's remains were identified, investigators made an appeal to the public for anyone who could help them establish a timeline in Jenika's disappearance and murder to come forward. Still, over a decade has passed since Jenika's body was found, and her case still remains unsolved.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has investigative agency over Jenika's case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at 602-876-1853 or submit a tip online. 

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Sources:
AZ Central
Charley Project
East Valley Tribune, (2)
The Mesa Tribune

More:

• Unsolved cases from Arizona
• Unsolved cases from 2009

Timeline Series: The Disappearance and Murder of Brittanee Drexel

Source: WJBF

Brittanee Drexel was only 17 years old when she was kidnapped and murdered by register sex offender Raymond Moody on April 25th, 2009. Though the case had many twists and turns, Brittanee's fate remained a mystery for over a decade until the truth was finally revealed during 2022. Below is a timeline of all the major events in this case:

October 7th, 1991: Brittanee is born in Rochester, New York. Her parents, Dawn Pleckan and John Kahyaoglu, were teenagers at the time she was born. Dawn and John's romantic relationship had also ended by the time Brittanee was born.

1991-1997: Dawn eventually marries Chad Drexel. Chad adopts Brittanee. The family settles in Chili - a suburb of Rochester, New York.

A young Brittanee Drexel. (source: Facebook)

May 1997: Dawn and Chad's daughter, Myrissa, is born.

2003: Dawn and Chad's son, Camdyn, is born. The Drexel family continues to live in Chili.

The Drexel Family. (Source: CBS News)

2006: Brittanee enters high school at Gates Chili High School in Rochester. She eventually begins a romantic relationship with classmate John Grieco. Their relationship is on-and-off over the next two and a half years. 

Source: Find a Grave Memorial

2008-2009: Brittanee's parents, Dawn and Chad, split up. Chad moves out of the family's home. According to Dawn, Brittanee struggles a lot with her parent's divorce. 

April 2009: Brittanee's spring break from her junior year in high school begins. She asks her mother if she can go to Myrtle Beach with some new friends. Dawn does not allow Brittanee to go, as no adults were accompanying the group. This leads to a fight between the mother and daughter.

April 22nd, 2009: Brittanee asks Dawn if she can go to a friend's house in Chili for the next few days; Dawn agrees. However, unbeknownst to Dawn, Brittanee actually goes with her other group of friends to Myrtle Beach.

Brittanee in Myrtle Beach during April 2009. (source: Help Find Brittanee Drexel)

April 22nd - April 24th, 2009: Brittanee is in constant communication via text with her boyfriend, John Grieco, during her trip. She expresses that the trip is not going as planned; she's not getting along with the girls as well as she thought she would.

April 24th, 2009: Brittanee meets a guy from Illinois in Myrtle Beach. He invites her to hang out in his hotel room that evening; Brittanee accepts the invitation. While there, a brief video of Brittanee in the room is captured on a cell phone.

April 25th, 2009 (daytime): Brittanee is in touch with John, her mother, and others throughout the day via text. She is also in touch with Peter Brozowitz, a then-20-year-old acquaintance from Rochester who also happened to be in Myrtle Beach.

April 25th, 2009 (8:00 PM): Brittanee leaves the Bar Harbor hotel, where she is staying, presumably to walk towards the Blue Water Resort - where Brozowitz and his friends are staying.

April 25th, 2009 (8:15 PM): One of the girls Brittanee is on the trip with, Jennifer, texts Brittanee: "where my blk shorts,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:16 PM): Brittanee to Jennifer: "I wore them. Shit did u want to wear them,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:17 PM): Jennifer to Brittanee: "Yupp so go take em off n gimme :)"

April 25th, 2009 (8:18 PM): Brittanee to Jennifer: "Okay.. I will when i get back... Sorry .. I went for a walk but whats going on tonight"

April 25th, 2009 (8:33 PM): Surveillance cameras capture Brittanee arriving at the Blue Water Resort.

Brittanee entering Blue Water Resort. (source: WMBF)

April 25th, 2009 (8:43 PM): Brittanee texts Jennifer, in part, "im going to walk all the way back...," presumably so she can return Jennifer's shorts.

April 25th, 2009 (8:48 PM): Surveillance cameras capture Brittanee exiting the Blue Water Resort.

Source: WMBF

April 25th, 2009 (8:51 PM): While on her walk, Brittanee texts her boyfriend, John Grieco "I'm gong [sic] to ducking [sic] bug you have no idea,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:54 PM): John replies, "Why now baby,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:55 PM): Brittanee texts John, "I'll tell you later when you call me.. I'm so heated,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:57 PM): John texts Brittanee, "Are you going out tonight [sic] Don't let your last night be ruined baby Seariously [sic] for me please just try to enjoy yourself you deserve it more than anyone I know"

April 25th, 2009 (8:58 PM): Brittanee sends her last text to John Grieco: "No fuck that I'm staying in and packing and gong [sic] to sleep probably,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:59 PM): John replies, "Why baby :("

April 25th, 2009 (9:05 PM): John texts Brittanee again, "?? Why boo"

April 25th, 2009 (9:15 PM): John texts Brittanee, "Babe I'm concerned about ya let me k know [sic] what's going on okayy I don't want you out alone if your friends are being dicks, but I also don't want you to ruin your last night there"

April 25th, 2009 (9:15 PM - 10:00 PM): Brittanee receives several calls and texts from John, friends on the trip, and others inquiring about her whereabouts. During this time, Brittanee's phone pings in Surfside, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys, and Georgetown.

April 25th, 2009 (10:00 PM): John texts Brittanee, "I'm calling your mom if I don't hear from you in the next ten min". At this point, Brittanee's mother still does not know Brittanee traveled to Myrtle Beach without permission.

April 25th, 2009 (10:09 PM): Jen texts Brittanee, "ur [sic] mom calling where the fuck r u,"

April 25th, 2009 (10:11 PM - 11:57 pm): Brittanee receives several texts and calls from her friends who are looking for her. Meanwhile, her phone continues to ping throughout several areas of Georgetown and then McClellanville.

April 26th, 2009: A large search effort is launched in the Myrtle Beach area for Brittanee. That same day, Raymond Moody is pulled over for a traffic violation. At the time, police had not connected Moody to Brittanee's disappearance, and there was no sign of Brittanee when Moody was pulled over.

May 11th, 2009: Brittanee's parents and Peter Brozowitz appear on the Dr. Phil show, bringing national attention to Brittanee's disappearance.

Source: Dr. Phil YouTube

June 6th, 2009: Brittanee's case is featured on America's Most Wanted.

November 12th, 2009: Brittanee's case is featured on the cover of People Magazine.

December 2009: Campers find a pair of sunglasses near a body of water in Georgetown. Investigators announce their belief that the sunglasses could be connected to Brittanee. A search for Brittanee is launched in the area, but nothing else is found.

October 2010: Brittanee's case is featured on the ID show Disappeared.

August 1st, 2011: A hotel room where Raymond Moody lived at the time of Brittanee's disappearance is searched. Moody no longer lived there when the search took place, and by this point, over 2 years had passed since Brittanee vanished - making it difficult for investigators to find any concrete evidence.

February 2012: Investigators publicly announce that Raymond Moody, a convicted child rapist/registered sex offender, was eyed as a person of interest in Brittanee's disappearance.

February 2012

September 2012: Brittanee's mother, Dawn, sends a letter to various media outlets in Myrtle Beach. In the letter, she notes that the friends Brittanee traveled to Myrtle Beach with never looked for Brittanee, nor did they report her missing. Dawn questioned whether or not those friends told police everything they know about Brittanee's disappearance. 

October 7th, 2012: Brittanee's 21st birthday. A candlelight vigil is held for her in Myrtle Beach.

April 2013: Another vigil is held, this time in New York, on the 4th anniversary of Brittanee's disappearance. 

May 2014: Investigators state that new technology made additional cell phone data available, which prompted another search for Brittanee in a new area of South Carolina. Unfortunately, nothing new is found. 

June 2016: A press conference is held regarding new information in Brittanee's disappearance. During the conference, the FBI announces that they believe Brittanee was kidnapped, taken to McClellanville and held in a "stash house" for a few days, before ultimately being killed. When asked how the FBI knows this information, the spokesperson replied, "there has been an exhaustive amount of evidence in this case. The investigators are certain that this is what happened, and I can’t give you the exact details on that, but we are certain."

August 2016: It is revealed that investigators learned about Brittanee allegedly being held in the "stash house" by a jailhouse informant named Tequan Brown. Brown reportedly lists Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor, and his father, Shaun Taylor, as Brittanee's kidnappers. Brown told investigators that he saw Brittanee at the McClellanville stash house where she was raped, trafficked, and eventually killed. The informant also said that the Taylors disposed of Brittanee's body in an alligator pit. 

 

August 2016 (cont): Timothy Taylor is arrested on charges unrelated to Brittanee's case. While behind bars, he is interrogated about Brittanee but denies involvement in her disappearance. Investigators, however, remain adamant that Taylor is a suspect; they insist that he failed a polygraph related to Britanee's case.

Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor.

September 2016: Brittanee's father, Chad Drexel, announces that he believes the allegations about the Taylor family being responsible for Brittanee's disappearance are true. He also starts a petition asking for a grand jury to weigh in on the informant's statements. Chad requested that Timothy and Shaun Taylor be charged if the grand jury finds the informant to be truthful.

November 2016: Brittanee's mother, Dawn, starts a nonprofit organization called Brittanee's Little Angels. The organization's purpose is to help and advocate for families of missing and/or trafficked loved ones.

Source: Democrat and Chronicle

March 2017: Investigators search a private property outside of Georgetown in relation to Brittanee's case. It's noted that unspecified evidence and/or a tip sent authorities to the property - there is no further elaboration. After the search, investigators state they made "some progress" - but once again, no further information is provided.

November 2017: Timothy Taylor is arrested again after authorities' state that he violated terms of his bail by crossing state lines while out on bond for the robbery charges. Taylor continuously denies involvement in Brittanee's case.

November 2017 - April 2022: Brittanee remains missing; her case remains unsolved. The public is left with the belief that Timothy Taylor is responsible for her disappearance, though no charges are filed.

April 27th, 2022: Raymond Moody's girlfriend, Angel Vause, agrees to being interviewed by the FBI. As noted above, Moody was investigated in Brittanee's disappearance back in 2011, but he was never charged, and the investigation was eventually led in a different direction.

April 29th, 2022: A judge signs a warrant to search the home and the electronic devices of Moody and Vause.

May 4th, 2022: Moody agrees to speak with investigators. During their conversation, he admits to killing Brittanee and disposing of her remains. Moody then tells investigators where Brittanee is buried - on property near Pickerel Road. That same day, Moody is arrested and charged with obstruction of justice related to Brittanee's case.

May 11th-15th, 2022: A search is conducted in the area where Moody says he buried Brittanee. A single human bone is found first, and then over the next few days, other human remains are found. DNA analysis and dental records eventually confirm that those remains are, in fact, that of Brittanee Drexel.

May 16th, 2022: Raymond Moody is charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering Brittanee. 

Moody's 2022 mugshot.

October 19th, 2022: Moody pleads guilty to all charges related to Brittanee's case. During the court proceedings, the prosecutors outlined what made them circle back to Moody after all these years. 

It was revealed that, in 2022, investigators reached out to Angel Vause after an informant told them that Vause has information about Brittanee's case. Vause agreed to wear a wire while talking to Moody about Brittanee. Around the same time, a search warrant was executed at Moody's home. 

According to reports, investigators did not actually find any evidence during their search. However, perhaps feeling pressure from investigators, Moody eventually agreed to talk to detectives. During their conversation in May 2022, Moody said that, on April 25th, 2009, he and Vause were driving around Myrtle Beach when they saw Brittanee walking by herself. The couple approached Brittanee and asked her if she wanted to smoke marijuana. Moody claimed that Brittanee voluntarily got into their car, and the three of them traveled to Moody's campsite in Georgetown County.

Moody continued to explain that, at some point, Angel Vause left to go take care of a family member. Then, by Moody's account, he made a sexual advance on Brittanee, which she rejected. Moody then raped her, then strangled her to cover up the crime. When Vause later returned, Moody said that Brittanee had been picked up by friends. 

Instead, Moody said he covered her body with a blanket and hid her in the bushes. Later in the night, Moody moved Brittanee's remains to a different location and buried her. After that, Brittanee remained missing for 13 years until Moody finally led investigators to her body.

October 20th, 2022: Moody is sentenced to life in prison. Many of Brittanee's family members make victim impact statements at the sentencing. They expressed that they do not believe Brittanee voluntarily got into Moody's vehicle on the night she disappeared.

March 26th, 2024: The family of Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor files to sue the US Department of Justice and demands an apology after Timothy was falsely accused of being involved in Brittanee's disappearance.

May 27th, 2024: Angel Vause is arrested on federal charges - three counts of lying to the FBI about Brittanee's kidnapping, rape, and murder. 

Angel Vause.

As it turns out, Vause had been interviewed back in 2011 - when Moody was first eyed as a person of interest. During their interview, Vause denied that her and Moody had seen Brittanee on the night of her disappearance. Evidence from the case further revealed that investigators believe Vause also lied during 2022 interviews as well.

August 27th, 2024: Angel Vause rejects a plea deal that "could have sent her to prison for 16 years on two charges of lying to the FBI during their investigation into Drexel’s disappearance and death."

September 9th, 2024: Vause ultimately pleads guilty to all three counts. 

November 13th, 2024: Investigators visit Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville to interview Raymond Moody again. This time, Moody "agreed to provide the 'complete and truthful information about the abduction, rape, and murder of Brittanee' in exchange for the Drexel family's allowance of a portion of Moody's property to remain in a trust for Vause's grandchildren."

January 2025: Details about investigator's interview with Moody are revealed. It's reported that, during the interview, Moody told investigators that he and Vause were "hunting" for a girl on the night they kidnapped Brittanee. When they spotted Brittanee walking in the Myrtle Beach area that night, Vause lured her to their car by pretending that she and Moody were also tourists and could give her a ride back to her hotel.

At some point during the drive, Moody pretended to be lost. He then let Vause drive while he restrained Brittanee in the backseat. Moody said he told Brittanee not to panic, as he "kidnaps girls and demands a $5,000 ransom from the City Chamber of Commerce."

Moody then went on to explain that both he and Vause led Brittanee to a tent that they had set up at Pole Yard Boat Landing in Georgetown. Vause briefly went to go retrieve the keys to their apartment, telling Moody "not to rape [Brittanee] until she returned, as their plan from the beginning had been to rape her together."

After Vause returned with the keys, Moody said that he left Brittanee alone with Vause while he went to their apartment to retrieve sex toys. This means that Vause had the opportunity to release Brittanee while Moody was gone, and she did not do so. However, Moody maintains that he does not recall Vause taking part in sexually assaulting Brittanee, though he claims she was present. 

Moody also stated that Vause was present, but did not participate, while Moody strangled Brittanee to death and then stabbed her body with an ice pick. He claims he later disposed of Brittanee's remains alone.

February 13th, 2025: Angel Vause is sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Present day: Both Raymond Moody and Angel Vause remain behind bars. In April 2025, a judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Taylor's family. The family has never received a public apology for the FBI and public's scrutiny of them.

Brittanee's family continues to honor her memory through Brittanee's Little Angels and by celebrating her life.

-
Sources:
ABC News 4
Live 5 News (2) (3)

Rochester First (2)
WBTW (2)

WPDE

The Disappearance of Crystal Branham Hall

Source: Kentucky State Police

Crystal Gayle Branham Hall has been missing since March 3rd, 2009. The then-24-year-old was living in Pikeville, Kentucky at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen at the apartment she shared with her sister on Kentucky Avenue.

Crystal was at home alone at the time she vanished. She was speaking on the phone to a friend when she said someone was coming in through the back door. The call ended shortly thereafter. Crystal has never been seen or heard from again.

When Crystal's sister returned home a few hours later, she noticed that Crystal was gone. However, many of her personal belongings were left behind. Crystal's coat was found on the couch, and her purse still remained inside the residence as well. 

Prior to vanishing, Crystal spent a year in jail on drug-related charges. She reportedly had been struggling with addiction, and as a result, she did not have custody of her three children. Still, according to Crystal's grandmother, Crystal still called her children every single day. Her loved ones do not believe she would voluntarily stay out of touch with them.

There were several reported sightings of Crystal around the Pikeville area shortly after her disappearance, but none of them panned out. As time continued to pass without any sign of Crystal, both local and online speculation about what might have happened to her began to build. Posts on a (now-defunct) message board called Topix indicate she might have been killed by a specific person, but nothing substantial ever seemed to come from these rumors.

There has also been speculation about the "someone" Crystal said was coming to the door while she was on the phone with a friend. According to Crystal's sister, the two of them would often say someone was the door when they were ready to get off the phone. Due to this, it's unclear if there actually was anyone at the door at this time. 

Over 15 years have passed, and Crystal still remains missing. Her loved ones are still searching for answers. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact the Kentucky State Police at 606-433-7711.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Reddit
Topix archive
Unsolved Appalachia
WYMT

The Disappearance of Winter Angel Rose Parks

 

Winter Angel Rose Parks has been missing since 2009. The then-22-year-old was last known to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The last confirmed communications from Winter occurred on July 29th, 2009; she contacted both Tulsa Police and her mother that day. The exact date of her disappearance is unclear, but it appears that her family members have not seen or heard from her since the summer of 2009.

Winter was homeless at the time of her disappearance. She frequented the Day Center in the 400 block of west Archer Street but was also known to stay at other shelters in the Tulsa area. Winter was also receiving Social Security disability benefits due to being deaf. The last known activity on her Social Security account occurred in September 2009. The account has since been inactive.

There are very few additional details available about Winter's disappearance. News about her case has been minimal. Several years have passed without any sign of Winter; her disappearance is considered a cold case.

If you have any information that could help solve Winter's disappearance, please contact the Tulsa Police Department at 918-596-9183.

-
Sources:
Charley Project
Oklahoma Cold Cases
Tulsa Police Department
Uncovered

The Disappearance and Murder of Keisha Roman

 

Keisha Roman vanished at the age of 29 on March 22nd, 2009. The young woman was last seen at her residence in Binghamton, New York. Months later, on September 21st, 2009, Keisha's remains were found in a rural area in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Her death was ruled a homicide.

According to a memorial page for Keisha on FindaGrave.com, she faced legal challenges in the years leading up to her death. In 1996, she was sentenced to eight years in prison for manslaughter but was released in 2000 after serving just four. Following her release, Keisha briefly pursued acting, landing a role in the 2003 indie film Summers of Tomorrow. However, her legal troubles resurfaced a few years later, and she was arrested again in 2007 on various charges.

The events leading up to Keisha's disappearance are unknown. The Binghamton Police note that Keisha was "reported missing from her Oak Street residence in the City of Binghamton." After Keisha was reported missing, her case seemingly went cold until her remains were found several months later.

Keisha's remains were discovered in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles from Binghamton, near the New York state border. Because her body was found in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Police took over as the lead agency in the investigation. Just days after the discovery, police confirmed that Keisha had been a victim of homicide.

Years later, her murder remains unsolved. There is scarce information about Keisha's life before she disappeared. According to her memorial page, she was married at the time of her disappearance and is survived by a son. Beyond that, there has been minimal coverage on Keisha's case.

If you have any information that may help solve Keisha's homicide, please contact the Pennsylvania State Police - Gibson at (570) 465-3154 or submit a tip with the Binghamton Police.

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Sources:

Binghamton Police Department
Find A Grave: Keisha Roman

Keisha's IMDB page
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Scranton Times-Tribune

The Disappearance of Domonique Holley-Grisham

 

Domonique Holley-Grisham has been missing since February 12th, 2009. 

That day began as a typical day for the then-16-year-old. Domonique played in a hockey game, where he reportedly won MVP of the game. He then returned to his family's home in Rochester, New York. Domonique vanished a short time later. He still remains missing today.

Domonique is the second oldest amongst six siblings. Just hours before he vanished, Domonique brought some of his younger brothers' home from his hockey game while their mother went to the store. At some point after arriving home, Domonique received a phone call that prompted him to walk outside of the residence. He told his siblings he would be back, but he never returned. Domonique has never been seen or heard from again.

Domonique's mother later reported him missing. Police classified Domonique's disappearance as a runaway, despite the fact that he had never done so before, nor had he indicated that he planned to leave. There were a few reported sightings of him in the Rochester area, but none of the sightings were ever confirmed. 

Over the years, there have been a few rumors about what might have happened to Domonique. In 2016, Domonique's mother told reporters that several people have reached out to her, "saying her son was killed by a group of teens over an unknown disagreement. Others have told her his death was an accident and was hidden because the kids he was with were scared."

Neither of these theories have been confirmed, but it appears that they also have not been ruled out. Domonique's case remains opened, but several years have passed without any updates in the case. There has been very little reporting about his disappearance. 

Domonique's family has since moved to North Carolina. They are still hoping to once day receive answers about what happened to him. If you have any information that could lead to Domonique's whereabouts, please contact the Rochester Police Department at 585-428-6595.

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Sources:
Canalside Chronicles
Charley Project

Dateline

Democrat and Chronicle
WXXI News

The Murder of Lisa Bollaert

Image source: Tulsa World

Lisa Bollaert was found brutally murdered in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 6th, 2009. 

The 37-year-old woman was originally from New York and had only been in the Tulsa area since late April. Prior to this, Lisa was receiving mental health treatment at a facility in New York. According to reports, Lisa walked away from the facility and began hitch hiking across several states before stopping in Oklahoma. She checked into a Salvation Army shelter in Tulsa on April 27th, 2009. Two days later, Lisa checked into a women's shelter in Sand Springs.

Over the next several days, Lisa was spotted by surveillance cameras around the Tulsa and Sand Springs area. On April 30th, she was captured on camera outside of Tulsa's FBI office, accompanied by a white man in his 40s or 50s. On May 5th, Lisa was captured by convenience store footage after walking away from the Sand Springs women's shelter. The following day, Lisa's body was found in a garbage bag in a nearby front yard.

According to law enforcement, Lisa's killer(s) acted with "extreme rage." She had been severely beaten and her body was covered with lacerations. Lisa was found with her arms and legs bound by duct tape. Her body had been stuffed into a garbage bag before being left in the front yard on 81st and Elmwood. 

Years have passed without an arrest in Lisa's case. Both Lisa's loved ones and investigators remained baffled by the questions: Who killed Lisa, and why?

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More about Lisa.

Image source: news9.com

Loved ones remember Lisa as a kind and generous person. Prior to her death, Lisa was married to a man named James Bollaert. The couple lived in New York and had a daughter together. Lisa also had a son from a previous marriage. 

Image source: Justice for Lisa Bollaert (Facebook)

Lisa was also previously a member of the U.S. Army but had been recently discharged before entering the mental health facility in New York. 

Struggles with mental health.

According to Oklahoma Cold Cases, Lisa first began showing signs of mental illness in 2001. Reports state she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had been hospitalized in the past. Lisa's husband, James, reported that he was worried about his wife as she had told him that she was seeing ghosts. 

It's known that Lisa was receiving treatment for her mental health shortly before she hitch-hiked from New York to Tulsa. She left the facility with no belongings - just the clothes on her back. Lisa did not even have a wallet or cell phone on her person. 

Surveillance footage from the Tulsa FBI office.

As previously noted, Lisa was captured by surveillance cameras outside of the Tulsa FBI office on April 30th, 2009. She was accompanied by a white man in his 40s or 50s. 

Image source: news9.com

It was later learned that Lisa went to the FBI office that day because she "wanted to see if the FBI had any information on her before she went to an Army recruiting office to re-enlist." The man seen with her in the footage reportedly gave her a ride to the office.

After Lisa was found murdered, it was reported that police wanted to locate/speak to the man in the footage. He was not labeled a suspect at that time; just someone who investigators wanted to interview. Snippets of the surveillance footage were shown on the news as an appeal was made to the public to help identify this man.

Image source: news9.com

In 2014, it was reported that investigators still had not identified this person. As of 2023, it's unclear if he has been identified or located.

Surveillance footage from the convenience store.

On May 5th, 2009, Lisa was captured by surveillance cameras outside of a convenience store near the women's shelter. 

Image source: news9.com

This is the last documented sighting of Lisa before she was found deceased. It is unknown where she was traveling in this footage. What is known is that at some point shortly after this, Lisa encountered the person(s) who ended her life. 

A body is found. 

On May 6th, 2009, police received a call from homeowners about a mysterious garbage bag in their front yard. Inside the bag was the body of a deceased woman. It took a few days, but the body was eventually identified as that of Lisa Bollaert. It was clear that she had been a victim of homicide.

The fact that Lisa had been bound with duct tape, beaten, and stabbed is just one of the many disturbing elements of this case. Although the case has been open for years, the disturbing aspects of it still haunt investigators to this day.

Where the case stands today.

Investigators have collected DNA samples from the trash bag and the tape on Lisa's body, but they have yet to get a solid lead in the case. Lisa's murder remains unsolved today.

If you have any information that could help solve Lisa's murder, please contact the Tulsa Police Homicide Unit at 918-596-9135. 

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Sources:
2 News Oklahoma
News 9, (2)
Oklahoma Cold Cases
Reddit