The Murder of Shawnna Forgus

 

Shawnna Forgus was only 22 years old when her life was taken on February 21st, 2012. At the time of her death, the young woman lived in a Valparaiso, Indiana residence with her mother, stepfather, two children, and three siblings. It was inside that home where Shawnna was brutally murdered. To this day, she has never received justice.

Shawnna was discovered to be deceased by her then-5-year-old son. The young boy went to wake his mother up and found her unresponsive in bed. Police and medics were called, but unfortunately it was too late. Shawnna was pronounced dead on the scene. 

Investigators were able to quickly determine that Shawnna's death was a homicide, as her body had obvious signs of trauma. It was later confirmed via autopsy that Shawnna was beaten and strangled. She had been murdered in her bedroom, inside a home that she shared with several other family members - but initial reports about her case stated that "no one heard anything unusual [that] night." Despite this claim, suspicions against the family inevitably began to build.

Just days later, on February 25th, 2012, those suspicions were all but confirmed. Shawnna's stepfather, Allen Warnes, was arrested by Valparaiso Police. The Porter County Prosecutor's Office charged Warnes, then 55, with the murder of his stepdaughter.

In the months that followed, investigators remained quiet about their case against Warnes. Rumors about what happened circulated both locally and on social media, but nothing was ever publicly confirmed. Then, in October 2012, it was announced that the charges against Warnes were dropped. A report citing this decision states, "The Porter County prosecutor's office said the move was taken because three individuals, who initially gave statements implicating Allen Warnes in the murder of 22-year-old Shawnna Forgus, later recanted their claims."

Since the charges were dropped, news about Shawnna's case has been scarce. Many still believe Allen Warnes is responsible. There has been social media speculation about the family or other people in Warnes' circle covering for him. Investigators have never disclosed the identities of the witnesses who recanted their statements.

Shawnna's case is classified as a cold case. The Valparaiso Police still have agency over the murder investigation. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Shawnna Forgus, please contact investigators at (219) 462-2135.

Sources:
ABC 7 Chicago
CBS News, (2)
Justice For Shawnna
Northwest Times, (2), (3)

Project: Cold Case

Other cases with dropped charges:

• The Murder of Nishan Huff
• The Disappearance of Nadia Kersh
• The Disappearance and Murder of Phylicia Barnes

The Disappearance and Death of Jorden Sopher

Jorden Sopher had just recently turned 18 years old when she vanished on May 23rd, 2006. 

The teen girl lived in Wabash, Indiana at the time of her disappearance. Jorden had spent most of her childhood in the foster system before she was adopted at age 16 by Robert and Linda Sopher. That same year, she dropped out of high school and later began working at a local Hardee's restaurant. However, during the spring of 2006, Jorden told her family members that she planned to re-enroll in high school so she could get a diploma. Before she had that opportunity, Jorden seemingly vanished without a trace. 

Months before her disappearance, Jorden moved out of her adoptive parent's home and had been staying with various relatives and friends in the Wabash area. She was staying with her friend and coworker Erin Harlan the weekend before her disappearance. The two reportedly last saw each other around 5:15 AM on May 23rd, 2006--when Erin woke up to go to her morning shift at Hardee's. Jorden told Erin that she was not working until later that day--so she stayed behind as Erin left for work. 

At a later point that morning, Jorden was dropped off at her adoptive parent's house in a truck driven by Cory Bridenthal. According to Jorden's father Robert Sopher, she spoke briefly to him in the garage before leaving the house on foot. After walking away from the house, Jorden was never seen or heard from again.

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Jorden is reported missing.

Later that evening, employees at Hardee's called the Sopher's to inquire about Jorden's whereabouts--as she had not shown up to her scheduled shift. This was very out-of-character for Jorden, so her parents immediately began to worry. They reported her missing the following day. 

Once police began to investigate, they questioned both Erin and Cory. Erin told police that Jorden was not at her house when she returned from her shift at Hardee's at 10:15 that morning. However, all of Jorden's belongings, including her purse, were left behind. 

Cory told police that Jorden had accidentally left her cell phone in his car when he dropped her off at her parent's house that morning. He later reportedly gave the cell phone to Erin so she could return it to Jorden. The cell phone was later turned over to investigators, but unfortunately it did not yield any clues.

Police also questioned both Linda and Robert Sopher. Linda agreed to take a polygraph exam, which she passed--but Robert refused to take one. Many found this suspicious, but both Linda and Robert maintain that Robert took one of their foster children to the doctor shortly after Jorden left their house that morning. 
Jorden's case quickly grew cold. Years passed without any clues or trace of her whereabouts. 

Remains found.

In May 2009 - nearly three years after Jorden's disappearance - the case had a break. A mushroom hunter at a creek in Peru, Indiana had spotted human remains amongst a thick canopy of raspberry bushes and honeysuckle. Dental records later confirmed that those remains belonged to Jorden Sopher.

Due to the deterioration of the remains, an autopsy was unable to determine a cause of death--but police still began to investigate Jorden's death as a homicide.  It is believed that Jorden's body was in the spot where it was found ever since her disappearance. The clothes she was wearing that day were found amongst the remains. 

Where the case stands now.

Years have passed since the discovery of Jorden's body, yet her murder remains unsolved. There has been very little information available about the investigation, especially in more recent years. 

However, in 2022, a man named Richard Allen was arrested for the 2017 murder of two Delphi, Indiana teens: Liberty German and Abby Williams. Many have now began speculating that Allen may be involved in Jorden's murder. This has not been confirmed at this time. 

Anyone with information that could lead to Jorden's case being solved is encouraged to call 1-877-226-1026 to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
Kokomo Tribune
The Sun
Tapatalk

The Murder of Chanelle Wells

 

Chanelle Wells was shot to death inside her Indianapolis, Indiana home on July 19th, 2008. The then-29-year-old was born and raised in Indianapolis, and she still lived there at the time of her tragic murder. Chanell shared her residence with her husband, their children, and her cousin. She was very close with her other family members as well, especially her younger sister AshLynne. 

During July 2008, Indianapolis was hosting the annual Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration--a multi-day event full of music, education, and other celebratory events. Chanelle loved to attend this festival, but on July 19th, she stated that she was not interested in the festival's events that evening. Her husband Randy decided to attend the event without her. 

Although Chanelle had decided not to attend the Expo that night, she did not want to stay in that night. There had been recent reports of two separate home invasions in Chanelle's neighborhood that resulted in two women and their children being murdered. Chanelle did not want to be home alone in case intruders decided to break in. She called her sister AshLynne three times in a row but did not receive an answer. After that, Chanelle decided to go to bed early. 

Hours later, Chanelle's fears came true. Intruders broke into her home, and the house was ransacked. Chanelle was shot during the invasion. Her cousin and youngest daughter hid under the bed during the incident and called for help after the intruders left. Paramedics transferred Chanelle to the hospital, where she unfortunately passed away.

Many years have passed, but Chanelle's murder remains unsolved. Police reportedly had two persons of interest at some point throughout the investigation. One of those persons of interest was arrested on unrelated charges and was questioned about Chanelle's murder while behind bars--but investigators were unable to gain any new information in the case. Charges were never filed for either person of interest. The case has since gone cold.

Chanelle's loved ones are hoping to someday find justice. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department asks that anyone with information that could help the investigation to please contact (317) 327-3811.

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Sources:
Fox 59
Project Cold Case
WISH-TV

The Disappearance of Chenell Renee Gilbert

 

Chenell 'Renee' Gilbert has been missing since June 9th, 2020. The then-42-year-old was last seen around 6:15 AM on Mars Drive in Indianapolis, Indiana. Renee was supposed to return to her daughter's house that afternoon, but she never arrived as planned. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Renee's 19-year-old daughter later used a location app to track Renee's phone. The last place where Renee's phone pinged was at the home of her ex-boyfriend. The phone was shut off shortly thereafter. Renee's daughter went to Renee's ex-boyfriend's house to see if she was there, and the ex-boyfriend claimed that Renee had been outside of the house that morning but had never come inside. The ex refused to let Renee's daughter inside the house, and he also later refused to let the police inside. 

Renee's ex-boyfriend has not been publicly named by news sources, but a Change.org petition calling for his arrest has identified him as a man named Bryan Lyons. Renee's family members stated that Lyons was abusive towards Renee throughout their relationship. 

Due to this, and due to his suspicious behavior when Renee was discovered to be missing, it's fairly easy to suspect that Lyons had something to do with Renee's disappearance. An article from April 2021 states that police did obtain a warrant to search Lyons' residence, but it is unclear what was found during the search. In October 2020, police reclassified Renee's case as a homicide investigation. Still, no arrests have been made. 

According to Renee's write-up on The Charley Project, the police no longer consider Lyons a person of interest in the case. Other than that, it appears that very little other information about the investigation is available.

If you have any information that could lead to Renee's whereabouts, please contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at 317-327-6160.

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Sources:
CBS 4 Indy
Change.org
Charley Project
Websleuths

The Disappearance of Aaliyah Ramirez

 

Aaliyah Ramirez has been missing since April 27th, 2021. The 14 year-old was last seen leaving her father's home in Syracuse, Indiana. Aaliyah was supposed to walk to the nearby school bus stop, but she never arrived. She was reported missing later that day, after her school called to notify her family about her absence. 

Aaliyah leaving her father's home

Aaliyah was reportedly struggling in her home life in the months leading up to her disappearance. According to various social media posts, Aaliyah's mother had kicked her out of the house a few months prior. After this, Aaliyah went to stay with her aunt. However, this was short lived--as Aaliyah's father went to court to petition for full custody. The judge granted her father's request, despite the fact that Aaliyah did not want to live with him. In fact, she wrote the judge a letter requesting to stay with her aunt. In the letter, Aaliyah wrote that she did not want to live with her mother OR father--as she faced abuse in both homes. Despite this, the judge still placed her with her father.

Part 1 of the Aaliyah's letter to the judge (click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

  

The judge's ruling also reportedly banned Aaliyah from having any contact with her boyfriend. It is unclear why her parents did not want her to contact him--as he lived in Florida and it was primarily a long distance relationship. Aaliyah met this boyfriend while staying with her grandmother in Palm Beach City. Aaliyah's grandmother allowed her to see the boyfriend, but her parents did not--which caused further rifts in her relationship with them. 

Investigators believe that Aaliyah is no longer in Indiana. It's speculated that Aaliyah had help getting out of the state, but authorities still believe she is in danger. Prior to vanishing, Aaliyah was a dancer at the Indiana Ballet Conservatory in Indianapolis. Many members of the dance community have been sharing her story hopes of spreading awareness about her disappearance. 

Aaliyah is described as 5'9" and approximately 138 lbs. If you have any information that could help locate her, please contact the Syracuse Police Department at 574-267-5667.

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UPDATE: Aaliyah has been found alive.

On August 27th, 2021, it was reported that Aaliyah has been located safely in Florida. At this time, it has not been confirmed if Aaliyah has been there this whole time,  however she does have relatives in the state. Many are now advocating for her to be placed in a more stable home. 

The Disappearance of Lauren Spierer

Lauren Spierer vanished at the age of 20 during the early morning hours of June 3rd, 2011. She remains missing to this day. 

Lauren was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York. At the time of her disappearance, she was a student at Indiana University and was living in Bloomington, Indiana. Lauren spent the evening of June 2nd and the early morning hours of June 3rd drinking and partying with her friends. She was reportedly last seen leaving her friend Jay Rosenbaum's apartment around 4:30 AM. Lauren never made it back to her own apartment and was never seen or heard from again. 

There are many different reported witnesses/friends who saw and spoke to Lauren before she vanished. It was noted by many different people that Lauren was noticeably intoxicated in the hours leading up to her disappearance. She reportedly drank heavily that night and had also possibly snorted cocaine and/or pills. Throughout the night, Lauren lost her shoes, phone, purse, and keys. She also reportedly fell a few times and obtained bruises on her face and body. 

This information has been provided to investigators by the various witnesses/friends who saw her that night. From this information, investigators have been able to compile a detailed timeline of the events leading up to her disappearance. Despite this timeline, Lauren's fate remains a mystery. However, the timeline has led a few theories about what might have happened.

Before Lauren's disappearance.

Around 12:30 AM on June 3rd, witnesses saw Lauren leaving her apartment with her friend David Rohn. The pair then went to Jay Rosenbaum's apartment, where they also met up with fellow IU student Cory Rossman. The group then went to a local bar called Kilroy's around 1:45 AM. 

Lauren and Cory then left the bar around 2:30 AM. By this point, Lauren was quite intoxicated and reportedly left both her cell phone and shoes at the bar. After leaving Kilroy's, Lauren and Cory walked back to Lauren's apartment building. 

While there, they encountered another friend who noticed Lauren's level of intoxication and asked if she was okay. Cory and this friend reportedly got into a physical altercation during this interaction.

Cory and Lauren then left the building shortly thereafter. Around 2:50 AM, security cameras captured Lauren walking through an alley between College Avenue and Morton Street. Her purse and keys would later be found in said alley. 

A few minutes later, Lauren and Cory arrived at Cory's apartment. Cory's roommate noticed that both of them were very intoxicated. The roommate helped escort Cory to his bed, and also tried to persuade Lauren to spend the night at the apartment. Lauren reportedly refused and said she would eventually return to her own apartment.

However, by 3:30 AM, Lauren returned to Jay Rosenbaum's apartment. While there, Jay noticed that Lauren had a bruise under her eye. It's presumed that Lauren got the bruise from a fall earlier that night, but she reportedly was unable to tell Jay how she got it. 

According to Jay, Lauren left his apartment on foot around 4:30 AM. He said that he last saw her walking southbound towards College Avenue. This is the last reported sighting of Lauren, and she has never been seen or heard from again. Lauren's boyfriend, Jesse Wolff, reported her missing the following day after he was unable to get ahold of her. 

Theories on Lauren's disappearance.

In the years following Lauren's disappearance, three main theories have been established about what might have happened. One theory is that Lauren was taken advantage of by an opportunist. It's known that Lauren was intoxicated that night. It's possible that she crossed paths with the wrong person on her walk back to her apartment. 

Another theory is that Lauren came to harm at the hands of somebody she knew and trusted. It's been reported that certain people who were interviewed after Lauren's disappearance were unable to provide a verifiable alibi. Despite this, investigators have never formally identified anyone as a suspect.

The third theory is that Lauren died accidentally that night. She was intoxicated, and she was also suffering from a heart condition that required her to take daily medication. It's been speculated that Lauren possibly passed away at some point during the night, and the individuals who were with her disposed of her body to avoid being implicated in her death. 

None of these theories have been confirmed, however investigators believe it is likely that Lauren encountered one of these three scenarios. She remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact the Bloomington PD at 812-339-4477.

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Sources:
CBS News
Charley Project
Indy Star

The Murders of Alejandra Gutierrez and the Rios Family

Alejandra Gutierrez was only 10 years old when she was brutally murdered on December 8th, 2005.  The little girl left her family's Fort Wayne, Indiana home that morning to walk a short distance to her school bus stop. However, when the bus arrived, Alejandra was not there. She never made it to school that morning, nor did she return home. Alejandra's family members reported her missing around 9PM that evening. 

Both investigators and Alejandra's worried family members feared that Alejandra had been kidnapped. Initially, investigators could not find any evidence of an abduction, but they acknowledged that Alejandra's disappearance was suspicious and it was unlikely that she ran away. Then, just days later, another tragic incident occurred in Fort Wayne: a woman and her three daughters had been murdered.  One of the victims, Liliana Rios, was Alejandra Gutierrez's former classmate. Investigators would quickly learn that Alejandra's disappearance and the murder of the Rios family were not just a coincidental tragedies.

The Rios Family

During the early morning hours of December 12th, 2005, 33 year-old Simon Rios called Fort Wayne police and said that he was suicidal. Officers were dispatched to Rios' home, where they greeted him on his front porch. Rios then told officers that he beat his wife, Ana Casas-Rios with a steel pipe before strangling her to death with an extension cord.  Afterwards, he strangled his three daughters, Liliana (10), Katherinne (4), and Thynna (1).  Rios was arrested on the scene and charged with murdering his family. 

While in custody, Rios began speaking to investigator's about Alejandra's disappearance. Eventually, he provided information that led to Alejandra's body being found in a gravel pit in Delaware County--over 50 miles away from Alejandra's home in Fort Wayne. An autopsy revealed that Alejandra had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Rios was then additionally charged with Alejandra's abduction, rape, and murder.

-continued from Tumblr post:

Rios initially told investigators that he had an accomplice in Alejandra's abduction. He said that it was actually 17 year-old Juan Rosales who abducted Alejandra from her bus stop on the morning of her disappearance. Rios' explained that Juan is the one who put Alejandra into Rios' van, and that the two of them raped Alejandra before they dumped her body in Delaware County. Juan was taken into custody but was seemingly released after 77 days. Investigators reportedly believe that both Rios and Juan lied about Juan's involvement. 

Investigators later revealed that their belief that Rios lured Alejandra into his van on the morning of her disappearance. Alejandra was familiar with Rios, making it easier for him to gain her trust. He then drove Alejandra to Delaware County were he raped and strangled her before dumping her body in a remote area. Later, after Alejandra was reported missing, Rios went to her family's home to tell them that he was praying for her and her family. Days later, Rios argued with his wife Ana over household chores. It was this argument that eventually led to Rios beating and murdering Ana and then their three children. 

Thynna, Liliana, and Katherinne 

This was  not Rios' first incidence of domestic violence. In fact, he was charged with domestic battery in 2003 after he reportedly beat his wife in front of their oldest daughter, Liliana. Court records state that Rios received a one year suspended jail sentence, one year of supervised probation and was ordered to have no contact with his wife. However, the no-contact order was lifted two months later.

After Rios was charged with murdering his family and Alejandra, prosecutors sought the death penalty. However, in April 2007, he pleaded guilty to Alejandra's murder in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. In September 2008, Rios once again pleaded guilty to murdering his wife and children in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

Just a month after he pleaded guilty to murdering his family, Rios was found dead in his jail cell. His death was ruled a suicide. 

The Disappearance of Lorenzia Tucker

 

Lorenzia Tucker has been missing since February 1st, 2011. The 31-year-old had just moved from Chicago, Illinois to East Chicago, Indiana before she vanished. On the day of her disappearance, Lorenzia went back to Chicago to pick up her tax return. She reportedly picked it up around 2pm. Lorenzia intended to return home to her three children after that, but she never made it there. She reportedly called someone to pick her up and drive her home, but at this time the identity of the person she called is not known to the public. Lorenzia has never been seen or heard from again. 

Lorenzia is described as a dedicated mother who would not abandon her children. She was having issues with an ex-boyfriend before her disappearance; however, she had just moved to East Chicago to get away from him. Although Lorenzia traveled back to Chicago, Illinois on the day of her disappearance, her ex-boyfriend is not considered a person of interest in her case. 

Years have passed, and unfortunately there have been very few updates in Lorenzia's case. As previously noted, it is unclear who, exactly, Lorenzia called to pick her up on the day of her disappearance. It is also unclear if said person--or if anyone--actually did pick her up that afternoon. 

Lorenzia remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please call 219-391-8500 to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
ABC 7
Charley Project
Newsbreak

The Disappearance of Ashley Morris Mullis

 

Ashley Morris Mullis has been missing since September 22nd, 2013. The image below is the last known image of Ashley, who was 27 years-old at the time of her disappearance. The picture was taken at a family reunion in Royerton, Indiana. After Ashley left the reunion, she seemingly vanished without a trace. Her loved ones have never seen or her from her again. 

Ashley at her family reunion on Sept. 22nd, 2013.

A few days later, Ashley's parents began to worry when they were unable to get ahold of her. After asking around, they realized that nobody else in the family had heard from her either. Ashley's parents then went to her house, but it appeared she was not home. They left a note on the door, asking her to get in touch with them.

Still, days continued to pass without any contact from Ashley. Her parents decided to return to her house. Once again, it appeared that nobody was home - but the note they had left on the door was missing. 

Ashley's parents then decided to contact Daniel York Sr. - an older married man with whom Ashley had been having an affair. In fact, Daniel had loaned Ashley the rental home she was living in, and he was the father of her newborn daughter - who was only two weeks old at the time of Ashley's disappearance. 

When Ashley's parents contacted Daniel, he told them that he had given Ashley $15000 so she could move to Virginia. He explained that, before leaving town, Ashley left their newborn daughter with him and his wife, and then dropped her two older sons off with their father/her estranged husband. 

Ashley's parents immediately thought Daniel's story was suspicious. Ashley had not made any indication that she wanted to move, and it was highly unusual for her to leave her children behind. After speaking with Daniel, Ashley's parents contacted police to report their daughter missing.

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Suspicions about Daniel York.

Ashley's loved ones felt that Daniel had more information about her disappearance than he had disclosed. Their suspicions about him intensified when they learned that he was a person of interest in the murder of 22-year-old Heather Musick, which had occurred just four years before Ashley's disappearance.

Heather Musick. (source: Herald Bulletin)

Still, concerns about Daniel seemed to be brushed aside by police. Ashley's family members would later learn that the sheriff of their local police station was Daniel's cousin. 

Daniel eventually ended up moving to Florida. On September 15th, 2015 - almost two years to the day after Ashley vanished - Daniel passed away. Ashley's family members believe that important information about Ashley's whereabouts was buried along with him. Ashley's daughter was left in the custody of Daniel's wife Sheila York.

Ashley's daughter/Sheila's arrest.

During February 2023, Sheila was arrested and charged with kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Reports stated that "the charges filed against Sheila York stem from the role she has allegedly played in retaining custody of Mullis' daughter for nearly a decade." Court documents revealed that Sheila allegedly lied throughout the process of adopting the child. 

However, in September 2023, a judge dropped the charges. The child remains in custody of Sheila York today. Ashley's family members are still fighting to gain visitation. 

Still missing.

Ashley remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please go here to submit an anonymous tip.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Missing Ashley Morris Mullis
NBC News
The Star Press, (2)

The Disappearance of Larissa Sam

Larissa Sam (23) has been missing from Indianapolis, Indiana since June 21st, 2015. At the time of her disappearance, Larissa worked as a dancer at a club located south of Indianapolis. She left work around 1am on the morning of June 21st and headed to her uncle Rusty Wagner’s house to have a few drinks. While there, Larissa posted on her Facebook page that she was looking for a “texting buddy”—and she included her phone number on the post. Larissa left Rusty’s home around 4:30am, and sometime after that, she disappeared. Her parents reported her missing after she did not show up at their house to pick up her 4 year old son. Shortly after, police found Larissa’s car with a flat tire near an abandoned home in Mars Hill. Her purse, phone, wallet, and keys were found inside the car.

The FBI got involved in the case early on, after a Facebook post suggested that Larissa was kidnapped and taken to another country. However, after investigating that lead, the FBI determined that it was fake. Since then, a lot of strong potential leads in Larissa’s case have been ruled out as well. Many were concerned about the fact that Larissa vanished shortly after posting her phone number to Facebook, but the FBI said there was no evidence that somebody responding to her Facebook post had kidnapped her. Another theory was that Larissa had been followed by somebody she met at the strip club where she worked. However, the FBI said there was no evidence of that either. They have also ruled out sex trafficking and numerous people that have been interviewed—but they have not publicly identified anyone they have ruled out.

Very little has been said about Larissa’s uncle Rusty, who was the last known person to see her. There also has not been any information about the circumstances under which Larissa left his home. In fact, most of the significant information about Rusty has been revealed through online sleuthing. An admin on a Help Find Larissa Sam Facebook page posted a screenshot of records that confirm that Rusty was convicted of rape in 1989. A poster on Websleuths found an online obituary that confirms that Rusty passed away in March 2017. Comments on his Facebook page state that he died by suicide. Despite all of these tragic and odd twists, authorities have not commented on whether or not they believe he was involved in Larissa’s disappearance.

Larissa had dreams of auditioning for American Idol and often posted videos of herself singing on her YouTube channel.  Her family tries to remain hopeful that she will be found alive and can one day fulfill that dream. Anyone with information/tips about Larissa can report here.

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[List Series: Cases with a Social Media Trail]

The Fort Wayne Triple Shooting

Picture left to right: Danielle Carter (29), Nicole Saylor (36) and Kayla Harris (24)

Danielle, Nicole, and Kayla all worked as bartenders at the same bar in Fort Wayne, Indiana. However, they were far more than just co-workers: Danielle and Kayla were cousins, and Nicole was one of their best friends. In the early morning hours of November 9th, 2017, the three women returned to Kayla’s house after a night’s work. As they approached the front of Kayla’s house, the three women were ambushed by an unidentified man in a black hoodie and shot multiple times. Multiple neighbors witnessed the event, including a witness who saw the man fleeing from the scene before police arrived.

When paramedics arrived, Nicole was pronounced dead at the scene. Danielle and Kayla were taken to the hospital, where Kayla later died. Danielle, the lone survivor, was shot ten times: twice in the right ankle, once in the left knee, twice in the left arm, four times in the chest, which miraculously didn’t touch any of her organs, and once in the back.

The shooter remains unknown at this time, but many believe that the women were targeted. In a statement released to the public, the police announced that they had determined that the shootings were not random. Danielle, who did not see the shooter’s face, does not know who would have targeted them or why. However, she fears that whomever it was may come back to “finish” her as well. Police have not released any information about a potential suspect in the case.

Danielle is still recovering from this tragic event, physically and mentally. Since the incident, she has suffered from PTSD and panic attacks. She does not have health insurance, but still requires costly medical care for her injuries. On top of all of this, Danielle is raising five children, but is unable to work as often while she recovers physically from the shooting. Danielle’s grandmother has set up a GoFundMe account to help Danielle with her medical and living expenses. If you would like to donate, go here.

Meanwhile, the search for the shooter continues. The case is still open and being investigated and police are searching for leads. If you have any information about the identify of the gunman, please call the Fort Wayne Police Department at (260) 427-1230.

The Murder of Breana Rouhselang

17-year-old Breana Rouhselang was murdered by 16-year-old Aaron Trejo on December 9th, 2018. The two teens lived in Mishawaka, Indiana–where Aaron played football at the local high school, and Breana competed as a cheerleader. Breana and Aaron first met when they were in elementary school, but they reportedly only began to have a romantic relationship during 2018. 

At some point during their relationship, Breana learned that she was pregnant. She reportedly waited until she was about 20 weeks along to tell Aaron that he had fathered her child. By then, it was too late to get an abortion. This infuriated Aaron, and he spent a week formulating a plan to solve what he perceived as a problem. 

On the evening of December 8th, Aaron asked Breana to meet up and discuss the pregnancy. Around 11:00 PM, they met up in an alley behind Breana's family’s home. Unbeknownst to Breana, Aaron had a knife and a garbage bag in his possession when they met. 

Aaron then allegedly confronted Breana over the fact that she told him about her pregnancy after it was too late to get an abortion. According to Aaron, an argument ensued, and he ended up strangling Breana with her scarf before stabbing her to death. He then placed the garbage bag over her head and then placed her body in a restaurant dumpster located a block away.

After Breana’s body was found, her family members told police that she had left their home around 11:00 PM to talk to Aaron. When police located and questioned Aaron, he initially denied meeting up with Breana that night. However, after being confronted with physical evidence, he admitted that Breana was pregnant with his child, and he was upset about it being too late for an abortion. When the detectives asked what he did about it, Aaron replied “I took action… I took her life.”

Aaron was arrested and charged as an adult with murder and feticide in connection with the death of both Breana and her unborn fetus. Despite admitting to the crime, he entered a preliminary plea of not guilty. However, in October 2019, Aaron ultimately decided to plead guilty to both the murder and feticide charges. In exchange for this guilty plea, the State has agreed to not file any additional charges against him. 

In January 2020, Aaron was sentenced to 65 years in prison. The judge sentenced him to 55 years for the murder of Breana, plus an additional ten years for the murder of their unborn child. 

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Sources:
ABC News
IndyStar
WNDU

The Murder of Jill Behrman

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Robert Myers II

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

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

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Lists including this case:

[Cases Involving a Miscarriage of Justice]

[Unsolved Cases with Multiple POIs]

The Disappearance of Marina Boelter

Marina Boelter disappeared in Bloomfield, Indiana on December 31st, 2014. That evening, 18-year-old Marina finished her shift at the Bloomfield IGA grocery store at 6:00 PM and was spotted talking to a man in the store’s parking lot. After chatting for a minute or two, witnesses said that Marina got into his car. 

Marina’s ex-boyfriend, DJ Lockhart, along with three mutual friends, pulled into the parking lot around the same time. DJ told police that they showed up to ask Marina to join them in their plans for the night, but Marina declined. Witnesses said that DJ drove off in one direction, and the man drove off in the opposite direction, towards Marina’s apartment. 

The driver (who police are not identifying) told police Marina did not want him to know where she lived, so she asked him to drop her off at a closed down pizza restaurant nearby her apartment. This is the last known sighting of her; she has never been seen or heard from again.

Marina had plans to go to a New Year’s Eve party that night, at the home of an older married man whom she had been seeing. However, Marina apparently did not show up. The next day, that man went to IGA grocery to look for her. While there, he encountered Marina’s manager, who told him that Marina never showed up for work. The two men subsequently reported her missing.

Six weeks after her disappearance, Marina’s previously mentioned ex-boyfriend DJ was stabbed to death by Michael Rogers after he entered Michael’s home and attacked him. Investigators ruled Michael’s actions as self-defense and no charges were filed. Michael told police that DJ entered his home to confront him about two women he had previously dated–one of those women was Marina. Despite this, police stated that there is no evidence to suggest that DJ’s death is related to Marina’s disappearance.

There have been no arrests in connection to Marina’s case since her disappearance, and Marina remains missing. The FBI is actively investigating her case. If you have any information, please submit a tip here.

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Sources:
Charley Project
NBC News
WLWT 5

The Disappearance of Jessica Masker

Jessica Masker (24) gave birth to a premature baby two months before disappearing from Indianapolis, Indiana on April 15th, 2013. The baby had been hospitalized since birth due to the premature status, and Jessica had been visiting him regularly. She posted the above photos, amongst many others, to her Facebook page on March 3rd, 2013. By all accounts, Jessica appeared to be enthusiastic about her son’s progress and dedicated to her other child as well. However, a month and half after posting these photos, Jessica vanished.

According to relatives, Jessica had been struggling in the days before her disappearance. In fact, on the day before she vanished, Jessica was involuntarily committed to the hospital after possibly taking a drug overdose. She apparently checked out of the hospital a few hours later and went to stay with a cousin. 

Jessica then left her cousin’s home at 4:30 AM on the morning of the 15th after an argument. She called her mother shortly after leaving, saying she was afraid because two men “came at her wrong.” After that, Jessica has not been seen or heard from again.

Jessica’s family believes that she left her cousin’s house that morning to go get drugs. They also worry that she may have been attempting to meet up with her abusive boyfriend. Relatives claim that this boyfriend got Jessica hooked on drugs and had previously been in jail for abusing her. 

Police say they have spoken to this boyfriend, and that he claims he does not know what happened to Jessica. While both authorities and family members do not believe him, there is currently no other concrete evidence to prove otherwise.

Jessica remains missing today. If you have any information/tips about her disappearance, please report it here.

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Sources:
Charley Project
The Clermont Sun
Uncovered
WISH TV

The Murder of Alexandra Anaya

Alexandra (Alex) Anaya was only 13 years-old when she was brutally murdered in August 2005. The teen vanished from her family’s Hammond, Indiana home on August 13th. Just three days later, Alex’s torso was found floating in Little Calumet River in Chicago. She had been dismembered, and the rest of her body has never been recovered.

No arrests have ever been made for Alex’s death. Her mother’s ex-boyfriend was tried in federal court shortly after Alex’s disappearance on charges of stalking the family, but he was eventually acquitted. He has never been named as a suspect in Alex’s case. However, investigators do believe that Alex knew her killer.

In 2016, Special Agent Michael Anderson hinted that they knew of certain individuals who could help the investigation. Anderson explained, “[Authorities] have reason to believe that there are individuals with information pertinent to this investigation, who for whatever reason, have not come forward. It’s been more than a decade since Alex was murdered, and during that time people and relationships have changed. We are hopeful that someone will come forward now.”

Chicago’s FBI Homicide Initiative Task Force is investigating Alex’s case. Anyone who may have information on the case is being asked to call the FBI Chicago Field Office at (312) 421-6700.

The Disappearance of Najah Ferrell

Najah Ferrell vanished in Avon, Indiana on March 15th, 2019. 

The mother-of-two was reported missing after she failed to show up for employee orientation for her new job at Panera Bread. Over a week later, on March 26th, 2019, Najah's car was found abandoned in Indianapolis, near the Panera where she worked. Additionally, some of Najah's items were found strewn across the interstate. By that point, Najah's family members were certain something bad had happened to her. Najah's mother made a tearful plea for information on her daughter's disappearance during a March 28th press conference. 

Ten days later, on April 8th, 2019, two fisherman called authorities after they reeled a severed foot onto the shore of Crown Point--a pond location over 100 miles away from the town where Najah was seen. In early May 2019, that severed foot was confirmed to belong to Najah Ferrell. Investigators have now shifted her disappearance into a death investigation until police receive more details.

Najah's murder remains unsolved. and her family members are desperate for answers. Anyone with information that could lead to Najah's killer(s) is asked to contact authorities at 317-262-TIPS (8477).

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