The Death of Chynelle "Pretty" Lockwood

 

Chynelle Lockwood was ready to embark on a new chapter in her life during the summer of 2017. At the time, the 19-year-old lived in a small village in Alaska called St. Michael. Chynelle, known as "Pretty" by her loved ones, had lived in that small village her whole life. She had just graduated from high school in May of 2017 and planned to move to Anchorage to study at University of Alaska in August. Unfortunately, before she was able to move on to this new phase in life, Chynelle's life was taken. 

Chynelle was last seen alive by her loved ones on July 10th, 2017. She had spent the early evening with her uncle; the two road ATVs together and then ate dinner. Afterwards, Chynelle told her uncle she was going for a walk along the beach - something she did almost every evening. This time, though, Chynelle never returned home. 

The following day, a body was found face down on the beach in St. Michael - located nearby Chynelle's family's home. Police in the village contacted the Alaska State Troopers, and the investigators began working together to piece together what had happened. The State Medical Examiner's officer soon determined that the body was that of Chynelle Lockwood. 

An investigation into Chynelle's death was immediately launched. Unfortunately, the case remains unsolved to this day. There are also many unanswered questions that have arisen throughout the investigation. These unanswered questions have led to several rumors and theories about Chynelle's case.

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Limited information, rumors and a pregnancy.

In the early stages of the investigation, it appears that very little was shared with the family and the public about Chynelle's death. In September 2017, Chynelle's mother told reporters that she still did not know if her daughter's death was being investigated as a homicide, suicide, or accident. The family did learn, however, that Chynelle had been pregnant - a fact they did not know prior to her death. 

Around the same time, social media rumors began to swirl about the case as well. According to a September 2017 article, "the names of a half-dozen young adults and teenagers from Stebbins, a village about 13 miles away, have been repeated in publicly shared social media posts as being the last people to see [Chynelle]." To this day, none of these individuals have ever been charged with anything related to Chynelle's death.

Years passed without any publicly confirmed information about Chynelle's death investigation. In 2019, family members stated that they believed Chynelle had been murdered; that she had been beaten and possibly strangled. While investigators never corroborated this, circulating social media rumors about Chynelle being murdered remained strong as well. 

A homicide with very little answers.

By 2021, the Alaska State Troopers finally confirmed that they have been investigating Chynelle's death as a homicide. They also stated that they turned the case over to prosecutors. However, no additional details were released at that time.

In 2023, a report on Chynelle's case stated that Chynelle's death was due to "drowning of undetermined etiology due to submersion in ocean water under unknown circumstances." It appears that this was confirmed years earlier via autopsy, but this was the first time that this statement had been made to the public. In the same report, it was stated that investigators generally consider Chynelle's death to be homicide, but the exact manner of her death has never been determined.

Unanswered questions and theories.

Although there a few more details available about Chynelle's case today than there were in 2017, there is still an abundance of unknown information. The lack of confirmed facts has left room for many rumors and theories to emerge. 

As noted above, several individuals were named in social media posts as the last people to have seen Chynelle before her death. There have been inevitable rumors of one or more of these individuals being responsible for Chynelle's death. There have also been rumors about drugs and/or alcohol playing a role. None of these rumors have been confirmed, nor has any person ever been publicly labeled as a person of interest or suspect.

Additionally, very little has been said about the fact that Chynelle was pregnant at the time of her death. Information about the child's father remains unknown. Due to the fact that her family was unaware that she was pregnant, it's safe to assume that she was not very far long at the time. It's unknown if anyone else knew that Chynelle was pregnant prior to her death, but if she did disclose her pregnancy to anyone, it's possible that this was a motive for her death.

It's worth noting again that none of these theories have been confirmed by investigators. Various rumors and theories have continued to arise on social media, but very little has been publicly confirmed about the investigation.

An ongoing epidemic of violence against indigenous women.

Chynelle's case is one of many cases involving a missing and/or murdered indigenous woman that remains unsolved. Violence towards indigenous women, and a lack of action to convict those responsible, has been a widespread issue amongst indigenous people throughout the country. In recent years, this has been more prevalent in Alaska. 

A 2024 report on this issue states that "Alaska Natives comprise only 20% of the state’s population, but Alaska Native women represent 54% of Alaska’s sexual assault victims. Compared to all other women in the U.S., Alaska Native women are ten times more likely to experience domestic violence." The information regarding these studies and statistics can be found here. 

An unsolved case. 

By 2025, Chynelle's case was listed as an unsolved homicide by the Alaska State Police. The case remains on that unsolved list to this day. Chynelle's loved ones have not given up their fight for answers. 

If you have any information that could help solve the case of Chynelle "Pretty" Lockwood, please contact the Alaska Bureau of Investigation (ABI) at 907-269-5611 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:

Alaska DPS
Alaska News Source
Anchorage Daily News
Justice of Chynelle Lockwood

NBC News

The Disappearance and Murder of Latania Janell Carwell

Latania Janell Carwell (pictured left) was last seen alive on the evening of April 17th, 2017—the day before her 16th birthday. The teen, who went by her middle name Janell, was last seen around 1:30 AM at her family’s home in Augusta, Georgia. According to Janell’s mother, Tanya Tripp (pictured top right), Janell left with her stepfather Leon Tripp (pictured bottom right) en route to Clarks Hill, South Carolina. 

Tanya reported that Leon apparently got a call from a friend in Clarks Hill who got his car stuck, and Leon and Janell went to help him. Per Tanya's narrative, the two the two did not return as planned. She reported them missing the next day.

On April 26th, 2017, police found Leon’s car abandoned just a mile away from their home. The car was processed, and it apparently yielded no DNA evidence or additional clues about the whereabouts of Janell and/or Leon. However, the police also investigated their cell phone data—which indicated that they never went to Clarks Hill. 

As the news about Leon and Janell’s disappearance began to spread, police began to receive tips that Leon had been seen more than a hundred miles away in Atlanta—without Janell. In fact, Leon had been spotted for the first time in Atlanta on April 21st—just a few days after he was last seen with Janell. Police discovered that Leon had ties to Atlanta and had been staying with friends in that area. 

According to Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree, Leon actually made two or three trips back and forth while authorities were actively looking for him and Janell. The numerous tips that police received about Leon indicated that Leon was alive and unharmed—but there were still no news or sightings of Janell. As a result, authorities issued kidnapping warrants for Leon on May 1st, 2017.

Meanwhile, suspicions were growing against Tanya as well. Tanya continued to express concern for her daughter in the media, however she also adamantly expressed that she did not believe Leon had harmed Janell. The day after the warrants were issued, reporters from local NewsChannel 6 asked Tanya if it was possible that Leon and Janell had secretly been in a relationship. Tanya responded, “He married to all this prettiness and he gon’ run away with our daughter? Come on now. That’s stupid!” 

That statement seemed odd and wildly inappropriate for a mother with a missing daughter to say—but the odd behavior did not end there. The events that followed revealed a harrowing amount of evidence that both Leon and Tanya had a hand in Janell's disappearance.

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Leon and Tanya are apprehended.

Once it was discovered that Leon had travelled from Atlanta to Augusta several times while there was an active search for him, many believed that Tanya knew of Leon’s whereabouts the entire time; he was never truly “missing” at all. These beliefs were only strengthened on May 23rd, 2017, when police were finally able to track Leon down. 

On that day, US marshals in Atlanta were searching for him when he was finally spotted at a local U-Haul facility. When officers cornered him there, he was not alone. Right by his side was his wife, Tanya Tripp. Both were arrested on the spot. Leon was charged with kidnapping, and Tanya was charged with hindering the apprehension of a criminal.

A changed story; upgraded charges.

After the arrests, Leon denied harming Janell. He said that he and Janell were actually heading to Atlanta the night of April 17th, instead of Clarks Hill. At some point during the trip, Leon said that he gave Janell money to take the bus back to Augusta and has not seen her since. Tanya continued to deny any involvement as well. 

Almost a year later, in March 2018, Janell’s remains were found behind a vacant lot in Richmond County, Georgia—not far from her home in Augusta. Shortly thereafter, Leon had first-degree murder added to his charges, and Tanya had second-degree murder added to hers. 

Additional evidence of premeditation.

In June 2020, it was revealed that prosecutors filed a motion to introduce evidence of additional crimes allegedly committed by Leon Tripp and Tanya Tripp. The evidence states that Leon and Tanya reportedly solicited someone to kill Latania Janell Carwell on three separate occasions prior to her disappearance in April 2017. According to documents, the couple attempted to do this in both September and December 2015, and then one other time in October 2016. 

Those solicitation attempts were obviously unsuccessful/never completed, as Janell was still alive until April 2017. However, the fact that they had attempted to solicit a hitman to kill Janell numerous times before her disappearance indicated that her disappearance and death were, in fact, premeditated by her mother and stepfather.

A slow journey to justice.

Many believed that Leon and Tanya were responsible for Janell's disappearance since the onset of the investigation. Janell's loved ones and Augusta locals alike were glad to see that the couple was facing charges related to her kidnapping and murder. However, it would take many years for the cases to move forward.

Leon and Tanya were tried together, and their trial finally began in late February 2026. During the trial, the prosecution laid out their case that the couple had conspired together to end Janell's life. Meanwhile, Leon and Tanya had their own respective defense teams who pointed the finger at one another as being responsible for Janell's death.

Guilty verdicts.

After the evidence was presented from all sides, the jury began their deliberations. They ultimately found both Leon and Tanya guilty on all counts. Leon received the following sentences for each charge:

• Count 1, malice murder - life without parole.
• Count 2, felony murder - life without parole.
• Count 3, aggravated assault-family violence - 20 years consecutive sentence.
• Count 4, concealing the death of another - 10 years (runs concurrent with the Count 3 sentence).

Tanya received the following sentences for each charge:

• Count 1, malice murder - life without parole.
• Count 2, felony murder - life without parole.
• Count 3, aggravated assault-family violence - 20 years.
• Count 4, concealing the death of another - 10 years.

The couple are likely to remain behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Rest in peace, Janell.

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Sources:
Atlanta Black Star
WJBF
WRDW

The Murder of Anna Marie Baldwin

 

Melvern Lake in Osage County, Kansas is a popular spot amongst locals, especially during the summertime. There are many outdoor activities available for visitors, such as camping, fishing, swimming, etc. Certain parts of the park are sectioned off for overnight campers, while other parts are opened just for daytime use. On the evening of August 25th, 2017, a park ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was in a daytime use area of the park called Turkey Point when he stumbled upon something unexpected: skeletal remains of a human. 

Both the Osage County police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation were called upon to investigate the case. The human remains were badly decomposed by the time they were found, so investigators were unable to immediately identify the deceased. However, forensic testing was able to determine that the remains belonged to an adult female between the ages of 35 and 50. It was also determined that the female was a victim of homicide. She had been shot to death. 

In September 2017, investigators released images of personal items that were found around the remains in hopes that anyone who recognized the items/their owner would come forward. The items included jewelry and a pair of glasses. A description of the clothing found on the woman's remains were released as well. Despite all of this, several more months would pass before an identification was finally made.

Source: KBI

Investigators collaborated with the Washburn University Anthropology Department to make an identification. Finally, on July 27th, 2018, it was announced that the remains were that of Anna Marie Baldwin - a 40-year-old from Topeka. It is believed that Anna was killed sometime between April and July 2017, though investigators acknowledged that it's possible that her death could have happened as long ago as late 2016. 

It turns out that Anna was never reported missing. Family members reportedly told investigators that it was not uncommon for weeks or even months to pass without any word from Anna. As such, nobody from Anna's family immediately thought that the remains belonged to her when the news broke about the body being found in August 2017. 

After Anna's remains were identified, many more questions arose, such as: when did she die? What happened to her pitbull, whom she reportedly always kept by her side? And perhaps the most important question that still remains unanswered: who killed Anna Baldwin?

Throughout the investigation, authorities determined that nobody from Anna's family had heard from her since late 2016. In 2022, a report was released stating that the KBI "wants to hear from anyone who had contact with Anna Marie Baldwin in late 2016 or anytime in 2017. They hope they can retrace her contacts and movements and find her killer." Since then, though, there have not been any updates in Anna's case.

The KBI has investigative agency over this case. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Anna Baldwin, please contact authorities at 785-296-4017 or submit a tip online. 

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Sources:
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
KSAL
KVOE
The Topeka Capitol Journal
WIBW, (2)

The Murder of Brittney Briggs

 

Brittney Briggs was only 24 years-old when her life was tragically taken inside her Las Vegas, Nevada home. The young mother was found murdered inside her residence on February 10th, 2017. To this day, Brittney's killer(s) have still not been brought to justice.

According to the LVMPD, friends of Brittney began to worry on February 10th after they learned she had not shown up to a pre-arranged appointment. The friends went to Brittney's residence on Spindrift Court and called police as well. It was then that police discovered Brittney deceased inside the home. Brittney's daughter, who was only 3 years-old at the time, was found crying, but otherwise physically unharmed in her own bedroom. 

Brittney had been brutally attacked by her killer(s). An autopsy revealed that she died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. Brittney's home also appeared to have been ransacked, as several items were missing from the residence. Despite this, investigators did not find any signs of forced entry at the scene. 

While investigating Brittney's murder, detectives learned she had recently started a new job as a tax preparer shortly before her death. Additionally, detectives also learned that Brittney "often sold items online and unknown person(s) were known to come and go from her residence." Police noted that it's possible that Brittney's assailant was someone who arrived at the home under the guise of buying something.

Although she was only three years old at the time, Brittney's daughter was still able to provide some details about what she saw before her mother was murdered. The young girl told investigators that "someone told her to be quiet and put a blanket over her head." The frightened young girl remained in her bedroom until police later arrived at the home.

Brittney's death has been a devastating loss for her loved ones, especially as her murder remains unsolved. Her family is still hoping to receive answers and closure. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Brittney Briggs, please contact the LVMPD’s Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
LVMPD Cold Cases
LVMPD Facebook

News 3 LV

Other similar cases:

• The Murder of Kayla Freeland
• The Murder of Keira Banks
• The Murder of Kellie Owens
• The Murder of May Ann Atilano Siason
• The Murder of Shannon Steele

The Disappearance of Callie Cooper

 

Callie Cooper has been missing since July 13th, 2017. That day, the then-25-year-old took a Greyhound bus from Texas to Mississippi. Callie exited the bus in Jackson, MS; she was last seen at Jackson's Greyhound station. What happened after that remains a mystery. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Very few details are available about Callie's case. Various sources indicate she lived in Cross Plains, Texas prior to her disappearance. There does not appear to be any publicly shared information about why Callie traveled to Mississippi, or if she planned to meet up with anyone there. 

After Callie was reported missing, police in Ackerman, Mississippi were put in charge of investigating her case. Callie's loved ones have expressed frustration with the police investigation; citing that police have not truly searched for her. Family members have posted Callie's missing person flyer on social media, but unfortunately no updates have been provided in years.

If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Callie Cooper, please contact authorities at 662-285-3600.

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Sources:
Charley Project
MissingSippi
Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons

The Disappearance of Zachary Anderson

Source: NamUS

Zachary Michael Anderson has been missing since January 10th, 2017. The-then-27-year-old was living in Kansas at the time of his disappearance. Zachary is originally from Wichita, but he was last seen in Topeka.

On the evening of his disappearance, Zachary and some friends went to the Prairie Band Casino in Mayetta. Their plan was to gamble at the Prairie Band before spending the night at a Ramada Inn in Topeka. However, the plan never fully came to fruition, as Zachary was denied entrance to the casino.

Various reports state that Zachary was dropped off at the Ramada Inn after he could not get into the casino. Despite this, there are no records of him checking into the hotel. Zachary also never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

The friends that Zachary traveled to the casino with eventually returned to Wichita without him. They had some of his personal belongings - including his cell phone - but stated they did not know the location of Zachary himself. Zachary was reported missing a few days later.

Zachary was reportedly struggling with substance abuse at the time of his disappearance. According to his mother, Zachary was battling an addiction to heroin. His mother believes that, due to this, police did not treat his disappearance with urgency.  

Although Zachary was facing these struggles, he still kept in touch with his family, especially his young daughter. His mother does not believe that Zachary would purposely lose contact. During a 2025 interview, Zachary's mother stated "[Zachary] had every intention of coming home. No matter his struggle, he was always there for his daughter."

Zachary remains missing today. There are very few additional details available about his case. If you have any information that could lead to Zachary Anderson's whereabouts, please contact the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9247.

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Sources:
Annette Lawless
Charley Project
Missing Persons in America
NamUs 

The Disappearance and Murder of Christian Boyle

Source: AL.com

Christian Boyle vanished in Blount County, Alabama on December 12th, 2017. The 18-year-old planned to go to his parent's house that evening to do laundry, but he never showed up. Christian's family then attempted to get in touch with him via phone and social media, but their attempts were unsuccessful. 

Christian's sudden absence was a huge red flag to his mother, who stated that her son called her daily, and also frequently checked up on his father, who was ill. Worries quickly began to build when the communications from Christian abruptly stopped. Family and friends looked around various places in Blount County to no avail; both Christian and his car had seemingly vanished.

Nearly two weeks later, on Christmas Day, a group of ATV riders spotted Christian's car on Cold Branch Road. Police were called, and when they arrived on the scene, they found Christian's body near the vehicle. He had been shot to death.

Several years have passed, and Christian's murder remains unsolved. At one point, investigators stated that they had two main suspects - both of whom were already behind bars, facing murder charges from another county. The investigation into Christian's murder has not produced enough evidence to move forward with charges. The two suspects have never been publicly identified. 

Christian's mother describes him as a trusting person who was always willing to help someone in need. A motive for his murder is unknown. Unfortunately, Christian's case has grown cold.

If you have any information that could help solve Christian's murder, please contact the Blount County Sheriff’s Office at 205-625-4127, the Alabama Attorney General Cold Case hotline at 866-419-1236, or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
ABC 3340
Alabama Cold Case Advocacy
AL.com
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Keir and Chloe Johnson

Keir Johnson (34) and her 8-month-old daughter Chloe Johnson went missing on April 30th, 2017. The mother and daughter were last seen that morning at their home in Hampton, Virginia. Keir told her mother that she was going to bring Chloe to Buckroe Beach, where they planned to spend the day with one of Keir’s friends. 

Keir and Chloe did not show up to the beach as planned, and they also never returned home. Neither have been seen or heard from again. Their family members reported them missing the following day. 

Two weeks later, Keir’s car was found abandoned at a trailer park in Newport News, Virginia. At this time, it is unclear if Keir has any connection to the trailer park. However, family members said that it is uncharacteristic of her to stay out-of-touch with her loved ones, and even more unusual for her to leave without any of her or Chloe’s personal belongings. 

Keir’s loved ones have never believed that she and Chloe are missing on their own accord. In fact, Keir’s twin sister long maintained that somebody Keir knows is responsible for their disappearance. Family and friends continued to spread awareness about the missing mother and daughter. Unfortunately, years passed without any news or updates in the case. 

That all finally changed in February 2025, when a break was announced in the case. Carlos Johnson Jr., Keir's ex-boyfriend and Chloe's father, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. 

Source: Newport News PD

At the time of his arrest, it was noted that Johnson had been a person of interest for "quite some time". Authorities never publicly labeled him as such until his arrest, as they were likely trying to protect the investigation. The case is currently unfolding, and more updates are expected.

As of today, Keir and Chloe still remain missing. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Newport News Police Department at 888-562-5887. 

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Sources:

13 News Now
Charley Project
WTKR, (2)

The Disappearance of Timothy Vincent

Source: Iowa Missing Persons

Timothy Dean Vincent has been missing since May 1st, 2017. The then-26-year-old was last seen in Des Moines, Iowa. Very little information is known about the circumstances under which Timothy vanished, and he has never been seen or heard from again.

Timothy was not reported missing until December 3rd, 2018 - over a year and a half after he was last seen. It is unknown why it took so long for his disappearance to be reported, and additional details about Timothy's life prior to vanishing are minimal. His NamUs page provides a little bit of information, such as that he typically carried around a wallet, chain, and a backpack or duffel bag that contained snacks and/or other personal items. It was also noted that Timothy often carried around some sort of protection; his family reportedly shared that he owned a sword. 

Various sources state Timothy lived in several different states throughout his life, including Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana, and possibly Illinois and Nebraska. However, it's unknown if there is any evidence that he went to any of these places after vanishing from Des Moines. Authorities in Iowa have been the only investigating agency in Timothy's disappearance.

Timothy's case has not received attention from the media. His NamUs profile was not created until February 2024, several years after he vanished. While Timothy's case remains opened, it appears it was a cold case from the onset of the investigation. 

Timothy is described as a black male with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was approximately 6'4" and 200 pounds. If you have any information that could lead to Timothy's whereabouts, please contact the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 515-725-6036.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Iowa Missing Persons
NamUs

The Disappearance and Murder of Miranda Rodriguez

Source: Facebook

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Murder of May Ann Atilano Siason

Source: Baltimore County Police

May Ann Atilano Siason was only 32 years-old when she was found murdered on February 9th, 2017. The young woman was killed inside her own Nottingham, Maryland home. May Ann's body was found around 5:00 PM after family members returned home and found her unresponsive. Her four-year-old daughter was found unharmed nearby. 

Police were called, and May Ann was declared deceased on the scene. However, her exact cause of death was not immediately obvious. There were no signs that a shooting or stabbing had taken place. The only information that has been revealed is that May Ann had "suffered apparent trauma to her upper body." Her death was subsequently labeled as a homicide.

The area where May Ann lived is described in reports as a "quiet section of Nottingham." Neighbors were shocked to learn of May Ann's murder; many stated that May Ann and her family members normally kept to themselves. Police had never been called to the residence prior to the murder.

Shortly after the news about May Ann's death broke, police announced that they do not believe her murder was a random act of violence. It's believed that May Ann likely knew her killer. Still, several years have passed, and an arrest has yet to be made in the case.

There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that may help solve May Ann's murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Metro Crimestoppers of Maryland at 1-866-7LOCKUP or submit a tip online. 

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Sources:
2 ABC Baltimore
Baltimore County
NottinghamMD.com

The Disappearance of Kiley Nunn

 

Kiley Nunn has been missing since 2017. The then-39-year-old woman lived in Toledo, Ohio at the time she vanished. An exact date of when Kiley went missing is unknown, as are the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. 

Kiley was reported missing by a cousin on April 11th, 2018. The cousin stated that Kiley had not been seen or heard from in over a year. Investigators in Toledo have continuously appealed to the public for anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward, but years have passed without any sign of her. 

It appears that there is very little information available about Kiley's disappearance. She remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact Ohio Crime Stoppers at Crime Stoppers 419-255-1111.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Newsbreak
WTOL 11

The Murder of Shantell Pollard

source: Front Page Detectives

Shantell Pollard was only 19 years-old when she died after being shot on October 31st, 2017. The teenage girl planned to celebrate Halloween that evening with friends on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Unfortunately, Shantell never made it to the celebration. 

Shantell's friends picked her up from her family's home in Thibodaux around 10:00 PM on the evening of the shooting. Their plan was to make the hour-long drive to New Orleans, but first they needed to drop Shantell's friend's children off at a home in a nearby Marydale neighborhood. It was in that neighborhood where Shantell was fatally shot in the head. 

According to reports, police were called to Park Avenue around 10:35 PM. Once officers arrived on the scene, they found Shantell unresponsive in the front seat of an SUV. It was clear that she had been shot, and she was subsequently transported to a local hospital. Shantell succumbed to her gunshot injuries days later, on November 3rd, 2017. 

No arrests have ever been made in Shantell's case, nor have any suspects been publicly announced. A motive for her murder remains unknown. Shantell's family members are inevitably devastated by her death, and they hope to one day receive justice. 

If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of Shantell's killer(s), please contact Crime Stoppers Bayou Region at 1-800-743-7433 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Front Page Detectives
Houma Today
Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office
Project: Cold Case

The Disappearance and Murder of Jerome Ezell

source: wilx.com

Jerome Ezell vanished under suspicious circumstances on November 7th, 2017. The then-27-year-old man was last seen alive in Lansing, Michigan. Over a year later, on December 12th, 2018, Jerome's remains were found in a wooded area in Van Buren County off of I-94. His death was labeled a homicide.

The day of Jerome's disappearance seemingly began as a regular day. He dropped off his girlfriend, Jasmine Hill, at her job in Lansing. Jerome was driving a vehicle the couple shared, a white 2017 Chevy Equinox. He was supposed to later pick Jasmine up from work, but he never showed up as planned. 

After Jasmine's calls to Jerome went unanswered, she contacted OnStar to try and locate their car. OnStar subsequently led to police finding the vehicle on N. Fairview Avenue in Lansing. Jerome's five-month-old son was found in the car, unharmed and strapped into his car seat, but Jerome himself was nowhere to be found. Police subsequently began to investigate Jerome's disappearance. 

A year after Jerome went missing, a local news report stated that police did not consider his disappearance to be a cold case, but it was "at a standstill." A little over a month later, human remains were found in a wooded area in Van Buren County. Days later, the remains were confirmed to be that of Jerome Ezell. 

It's worth noting that Jerome's body was found approximately 100 miles away from where his car was found. It's unknown if he was killed in that location or if his body was hidden there after the fact. There is otherwise very little information available about the investigation into Jerome's murder. Police were quick to label Jerome's manner of death as a homicide, but his exact cause of death has not been publicly revealed. 

Both the Michigan State Police and the FBI are involved in the search for Jerome's killer(s). The FBI is offering a monetary reward for "information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible" for Jerome's murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip. 

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Sources:
Click on Detroit
The Detroit News
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FOX 47 News
WILX, (2), (3)

The Murder of Shannon Steele

source: al.com

Shannon Steele was murdered at the age of 29 on December 28th, 2017. The young woman lived in Demopolis, Alabama at the time of her death. Shannon was found deceased inside the residence that she shared with her young children. She had been shot to death by her killer(s).  

Police went to Shannon's residence shortly after 3:10 PM on the day of her murder. According to reports, an officer went to the apartment on Queensbury Lane to "serve papers to someone there." The officer unexpectedly encountered a 4-year-old boy at the residence, who said that someone killed his mother. 

Police subsequently entered the home and found Shannon's body in a back bedroom. It was determined that she had been fatally shot. It also appeared that her murder occurred in front of her two youngest children: her 4-year-old son, who led police to his mother's body, and her 4-month-old daughter, who was found physically unharmed in that same back bedroom. Shannon's two older children were not home at the time of the killing. 

Years have passed, and Shannon's murder remains unsolved. Her children and several other loved ones are left without answers. Shannon had spent the Christmas holiday with her family just days before her murder. Her family members never expected that the holiday celebration would be the last time they'd see Shannon alive. 

There is very little information available about the investigation into Shannon's murder. In 2020, WVUA 23 reported that that a total of $20,000 is available for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of her killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact Demopolis Police Department at (334) 289-3073 or the DPD Tip Line at (334) 216-4077.

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Sources:
ABC 11
AL.com
Project: Cold Case
The Tribune
WVUA 23

The Disappearance of Colin Arey

source: Facebook

Colin Arey has been missing since January 25th, 2017. The then-26-year-old man was last seen in Brewer, Maine. According to reports, Colin's stepfather dropped him off at the Brewer Civic Center on the day of his disappearance. He has never been seen by his loved ones again.

That same day, Colin reportedly spoke to a co-worker via Facebook Messenger. This is the last known reported contact from him; he has also never been heard from again. Since then, Colin's social media accounts, bank accounts, and credit cards have all been inactive. 

Prior to disappearing, Colin was an art student in New York City. He eventually moved to Bucksport, Maine, where his stepfather and siblings reside. For some time period, Colin reportedly worked as a substitute teacher and education technician at the G. Herbert Jewett School in Bucksport.

Colin was not reported missing until June 25th, 2018 - nearly a year and a half after his disappearance. An article about his disappearance from August 2018 states it took some time for his family to realize he was missing. The report states, "Colin Arey's family members were talking recently, and it was determined that the last confirmed sighting was in January of 2017, when a family member gave him a ride to the Brewer area. Family members told Bucksport Police, when they called recently to report him missing, that they're close, but that they don't have regular, daily contact with each other."

There has been very little media reporting on his case. However, there has been a bit of online speculation. Friends of Colin's have made various postings on different platforms to help spread awareness about his disappearance, which has sparked discussion about what might have happened to him. 

In 2021, a friend of Colin's made a post on Reddit about his disappearance. The friend commented, "He lived with his stepfather and siblings, his mother is deceased. He didn’t drive so his stepfather would drive him to work and wherever he needed to go. I’ve spoken with his relatives, and they seem to think that he is dead at the hands of his stepfather. The local police haven’t done a whole lot to bring attention to the case. He was also a gay man and was in the online dating scene in the area. This is all I really know about the case and as time goes on it bothers me more and more."

It is easy to see how some might suspect the stepfather. Reports state that he was the last known person to have seen Colin. It also appears that Colin lived with the stepfather at the time of his disappearance, yet the stepfather never reported him missing. It seems impossible that the stepfather/siblings would not notice that Colin was missing for over a year. 

Still, the stepfather has never been publicly named as a person of interest or suspect in the case - nor has anybody. Colin's disappearance has now become a cold case. The Bucksport Police are in charge of the investigation.

If you have any information that could lead to Colin's whereabouts, please contact Bucksport Police Department at 207-469-7951.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Fox Bangor

Q 106.5 FM
Reddit
Uncovered

The Murder of Alexxandra Morris

source: kansascity.com

Alexxandra Morris was only 23 years-old when she was found murdered in Kansas City, Missouri on December 11th, 2017. Around 1:00 AM that day, Kansas City police were called to East 70th and Kensington near Swope Park. Once there, they found the body of a young woman near the road. She had been shot several times. 

Shortly thereafter, the deceased young woman was identified as Alexxandra Morris. It was clear that her death had been a brutal murder. Unfortunately, many questions still remain, such as: who killed Alexxandra? And why?

Alexxandra - who is sometimes referred to as Alexx, Lexi, or Sonny in other reports - was last seen by her family members on Thanksgiving Day. The family had gathered at Alexxandra's brother's house to celebrate the holiday. According to Alexxandra's mother, it was a good Thanksgiving. The family could have never predicted that it would be the last time they'd see Alexxandra alive. 

Very little information has been revealed about the investigation into Alexxandra's murder. A year after her death, Alexxandra's mother told reporters that she believed her daughter was killed elsewhere before being dumped at the intersection where she was found. Other than that, though, very few other details about Alexxandra's case are known.

There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could help solve Alexxandra's murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
FOX 4 KC
Kansas City Police Department
Kansas City Star
KMBC

The Disappearance & Murder of Stevencia Barlatier

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

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

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

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

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Sources:
Bay News 9
Newsbreak
WESH

The Murders of Pamela & Helen Hargan

From left to right: Pamela Hargan, Helen Hargan, and Megan Hargan

Pamela Hargan (63) and her daughter Helen Hargan (23) were found shot to death in Pamela’s McLean, Virginia home on July 14th, 2017. When their bodies were first discovered by the Fairfax County police, it was believed the deaths were a murder-suicide. In fact, it was originally reported that Helen killed her own mother before turning the gun on herself. However, within days investigators found evidence that suggested that something else happened.

It was soon revealed that a man from Texas called the local Virginia authorities on the day of the shootings. This man was eventually identified as Helen’s boyfriend, Carlos. During said call, a police dispatcher was recorded saying, “Caller is third party. Says his girlfriend advised that her sister killed her mother.” This phone call suggests that Helen was alive for several minutes after Pamela was shot.

Additionally, the phone call suggests that Helen was trying to hide from an attacker–as Pamela’s body was found in the downstairs laundry room, and Helen’s was found in an upstairs bedroom. Investigators eventually declared that Pamela and Helen had been murdered, and the crime scene had been staged to look like a murder-suicide.

For over a year, investigators did not reveal if Pamela’s older daughter/Helen’s older sister Megan Hargan (35) was a suspect or not. They did, however, reveal that Megan had attempted to make fraudulent wire transfers from Pamela’s financial account on the day of the murders. After several months of investigating, Megan was finally arrested and charged with the murders of her mother and sister in November 2018. 

Other relatives of the Hargans state that they were not surprised by Megan’s arrest at all. Pamela’s sister Tammy North said that she believes the murders were motivated by money and jealousy. Pamela had recently bought Helen a house that she was preparing to move into before she was killed. Tammy believes that Megan was jealous about this, as she and her 7-year-old daughter could not afford to move out of Pamela’s home.

Megan's arrest appeared to the first step to receiving justice for both Pamela and Helen. However, the road to justice would be a long and slow one - and many details were revealed throughout the process.

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The first trial.

Megan Hargan courtroom sketch. (source)

Megan's murder trial began in March of 2022.

During the trial, the prosecution stated that money was the main motivation for the murders, especially since Megan was closing on a house in West Virginia. Shortly after Megan shot and killed Pamela, she went on the computer and attempted to transfer money from Pamela’s account to her own account.  

Helen’s boyfriend Carlos testified to this, as he was reportedly on the phone with Helen at the time Pamela’s murder occurred. Helen’s boyfriend said he encouraged Helen to leave the house, but she was concerned about leaving her young niece—Megan’s daughter—behind. At some point after Helen and her boyfriend hung up the phone, Megan shot and killed Helen as well. She then placed the shotgun near Helen to make the deaths appear to be a murder-suicide.

Megan’s defense attorneys argued that Pamela’s and Helen’s deaths were, in fact, the result of a murder-suicide. It was argued that Helen was angry at Pamela for disproving of her relationship with Carlos.

However, the physical evidence proved otherwise. Helen was shot on the top of her head and had a wound that went straight down to her neck. The defense argued that Helen pulled the trigger herself using her toes. The prosecution argued that this would have been very difficult to pull off.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution and found Megan Hargan guilty on all counts. They recommended that she be given two life sentences.

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A vacated sentence.

In November 2022, a judge decided to vacate Megan's conviction and hold a new trial. This decision was made after it was revealed that one of the jurors tested out the theory presented by the defense. As previously noted, Megan’s defense attorneys argued that it was Helen Hargan – not Megan – who shot their mother. The defense also argued that Helen later shot herself by using her toe to pull the trigger.

One of the jurors later told one of Megan’s defense attorneys that she used a rifle to test the defense theory of Helen pulling the trigger with her toe. The juror concluded that it was not possible for Helen to have shot herself in this way, as the medical examiner determined that she was shot in the top of the head. The juror then shared these findings with the other jurors during deliberations.

Megan’s defense attorneys argued that re-enacting the shooting was juror misconduct, as the judge instructed the jurors to not do any outside research during the trial. As such, a retrial was granted. 

A second conviction.

Megan Hargan's retrial began in September 2023. Once again, the prosecution maintained that money was Megan's motive to kill her mother and sister. Megan's defense continued to maintain that the deaths of Pamela and Helen were the result of a murder-suicide orchestrated by Helen.

This time around, a jury once again found Megan guilty on two counts of murder. She is expected to be given two life sentences.

Megan still maintains her innocence.

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Sources:
CBS News
WRIC
WUSA 9

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about this case. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. If any information on this post is inaccurate, please contact the author via email at truecasefiles@gmail.com or through Instagram and the errors can be corrected. Additionally, if you have any information that could improve the accuracy or quality of this post, please contact the author.