The Disappearance and Murder of Genelle Princess Bradford

Source: Charley Project

Genelle Princess Bradford vanished in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 27th, 1999. The then-17-year-old was a senior in high school at the time of her disappearance. Like many seniors in high school, Genelle seemed excited about the upcoming events in her life: her 18th birthday, senior prom, and graduation. However, she vanished before she could experience any of these milestones with her friends and family. 

The day of Genelle's disappearance began as what appeared to be a regular day for the teen. She attended school at Wilkinsburg High, where she was an honor student. Afterwards, Genelle went to her job at the local YWCA on Ross Avenue. The last known sighting of her occurred that evening as she was leaving the YWCA to walk home. Genelle never made it and was never seen alive by her loved ones again.

Genelle's grandparents reported her missing the following day. Shortly after the case was opened, investigators theorized that Genelle had run away from home. Her grandmother, Princess Bradford, seemed to support this theory. 

Princess reportedly noticed that Genelle had changed in the months leading up to her disappearance; her grades were slipping, and she had stopped studying. Princess also told police that, although it was unlikely, Genelle might have run away with a boyfriend. She also mentioned the possibility that Genelle could have been pregnant, which may have motivated her to run away. 

Friends of Genelle, on the other hand, never believed that she ran away. They shared that she had always been consistent about doing homework and was "obsessed" with having good grades. Her friends also stated that Genelle had been discussing their plans for prom and graduation; there was no indication that she planned to miss those events. 

Decades passed without any sign of Genelle. Throughout that time, she remained classified as a runaway. The differing accounts between her family and friends brought about more questions than answers. It would take 27 years before any major updates in the case.

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More about Genelle.

Genelle was born on May 10th, 1981. During her toddler years, she lived with her mother; her father was not a part of her life. Genelle's maternal grandparents, Ira and Princess Bradford, played a huge role in her upbringing from the very beginning. Genelle's middle name, Princess, was given to her in homage to her grandmother.

When Genelle was just five years old, her mother died of cardiac arrest triggered by an asthma attack. Genelle was left in custody of her grandparents, who subsequently raised her in Pittsburgh. Despite these tough circumstances in her early life, Genelle was a reportedly a happy young girl. She excelled in school and was an honor student throughout her education. 

As Genelle grew into her teen years, she developed a love for basketball and Bible study. Genelle had a good group of friends and was not the type to get into or cause trouble. Both friends and family members described Genelle as a quiet, but happy, fun, and kind young girl.

Genelle's senior year of high school.

As noted above, Genelle was a senior at Wilkinsburg High School at the time of her disappearance. She was amongst the many high school seniors who were looking for colleges to attend after graduation. Since she was an honor student, there were likely many schools that would gladly accept her as a student. 

Genelle reportedly visited "a pair of colleges" at some point during her senior year. According to her grandmother, Genelle's behavior began to change after those visits. In a 2003 article about Genelle's disappearance, Princess Bradford was quoted saying "[Genelle] stopped studying. Her teachers called to say she was not doing her book reports. She never got those grades up and just went the other way."

Despite this, Genelle's friends state that she still seemed like her usual happy and responsible self. The group of friends were in the planning stages of their upcoming prom night before Genelle vanished. As mentioned before, Genelle was seemingly excited about this event. 

The day of Genelle's disappearance.

Genelle vanished during the evening hours of April 27th, 1999. It's known that she went to school that day. Her friends have noted that there was nothing unusual about her behavior as they chatted with her throughout the day. When the school day ended at 3:00 PM, Genelle went to her part time job at the YWCA on Ross Avenue.

After her work shift ended, Genelle left the YWCA on foot, presumably to walk home, but she never arrived. When she had still not returned the next day, Genelle's grandparents reported her missing.

The runaway classification; runaway theories.

Investigators were seemingly quick to label Genelle as a runaway after her case was opened. However, she had no prior history of running away from home. Genelle also did not have a history of worrisome behaviors, did not seem to be involved with drugs, nor had she ever gotten in trouble with the law or even at school.

Despite this, Genelle's grandmother Princess Bradford seemingly supported police's theory that she had left on her own volition. She cited Genelle's recent slipping grades as a potential indicator that she ran away. Princess also discussed the possibility of Genelle running away with a boyfriend and/or due to being pregnant - though nobody noticed Genelle having any pregnancy symptoms prior to disappearing. 

It's unknown why, exactly, police ultimately decided to classify Genelle as a runaway. Was it due to the slipping grades? And/or due to a potential boyfriend and a potential unconfirmed pregnancy? Or did police have something more tangible that indicates she left on her own accord? 

Genelle's grandmother said that her behavior changed after she visited a pair of colleges. It's possible that Genelle decided that she did not want to attend college after all. This could be an explanation for Genelle's slipping grades. However, it's also possible that the slipping grades were due to "senioritis" - a term often used to describe the lack of motivation and energy that students experience at the end of high school or college. 

It's also possible that Genelle was experiencing mental health struggles. Many high school seniors feel an intense pressure to choose the right college and build their future - which can be very stressful on a teenage brain. Still, if a mental health crisis was, in fact, responsible for Genelle's disappearance, then it appears that a runaway classification would not be correct - as the health crisis would make her endangered.

As far as the running away with boyfriend theory goes - there are many unanswered questions. It does not appear that Genelle's friends mentioned a boyfriend and/or if Genelle had plans to run away with a boyfriend. Is the boyfriend someone that existed? Or just an unsubstantiated theory? If the boyfriend did exist, and Genelle was pregnant - do investigators have evidence of this? If so - it has not been publicly shared. 

Other potential theories.

Over the years, a few other theories about Genelle's disappearance came about as well. It's known that she was last seen walking away from the YWCA on Ross Avenue. Is it possible she was kidnapped by an opportunist predator on her walk home? Did she accept a ride from someone who had nefarious plans? 

Or did someone close to Genelle hurt her? It seems likely that Genelle's family and friends were interviewed and/or investigated after her disappearance - and since she was classified as a runaway, it seems as if police ruled them out. However, due to the quick runaway label, it's possible that police overlooked this altogether. 

A cold case.

Genelle's disappearance quickly grew into a cold case, and it remained at that status for years. In the initial stages of the investigation, police stated that they believed she was still in the Pittsburgh area. As decades passed without any sign of her, it became unclear if investigators still believed that to be true. Years continued to tick by without any updates in the case.

2026: The identification of remains found in 1999.

Approximately 2 months after Genelle's disappearance, the remains of a young woman were found in the basement of a home on North Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The home had previously been vacant for about 2 years before being purchased by new homeowners. When the new homeowners entered the home, they discovered the human remains in the basement.

An autopsy confirmed that the deceased woman was between the ages of 18-20. The autopsy also confirmed that the young woman was killed by ligature strangulation. Despite the fact that Genelle was within the age range of the deceased, police seemingly overlooked the possibility that the remains could be her. At that time, it appeared that investigators still strongly suspected that she had run away. 

Finally, 27 years later, advancements in DNA technology allowed investigators to positively identify the remains as that of Genelle Bradford. Reports indicate that this sort of investigative technology was not available in 1999, when the remains were found. Still, Genelle's loved ones are left questioning why it took so long for her to be identified.

A shifted investigation.

Now that Genelle's remains have been identified, her case has now shifted into a murder investigation. It's been reported that detectives have "some leads" but have yet to identify a suspect. The investigation continues today.

The Wilkinsburg Police are the investigating agency in Genelle's case. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact authorities at 412-473-3056.

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Sources:
CBS News
Charley Project
Medium
Missing Genelle Bradford
Patch 
WTAE

The Murder of Jamar Campbell

 

Jamar Campbell was beginning a new chapter in his life during October 2020. The young man lived in Chester, Pennsylvania and had recently turned 21 years old. Jamar also was a new father; his daughter was born during mid-October. According to family members, Jamar was dedicated to his new role in fatherhood. 

Unfortunately, just two weeks after his daughter was born, Jamar was found murdered in Chester. Reports state that police were called to McIlvain Street around 12:30 AM on October 28th, 2020. Once they arrived, they found a Toyota Camry that was still running. Inside the car was a young man who had been shot multiple times. That man - later identified as Jamar - was pronounced dead on the scene.

Jamar’s murder has been both devastating and baffling to his loved ones. In addition to caring for his newborn daughter, Jamar also spent a lot of time helping his other family members as well. He reportedly always took the trash out for his grandmother and assisted his family with other day-to-day needs such as mowing the lawn or shoveling snow if the need arose. It’s unclear why anyone would want to harm Jamar. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been announced in his case.

Years have passed, and Jamar’s murder still remains unsolved. His daughter never got the chance to get to know her father. Jamar’s entire family has been left without answers or justice. 

The Chester Police Department is the investigating agency for Jamar’s murder. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at (610) 447-8402.

Sources:
Delco Times
Gone Without a Trace
Project: Cold Case

The Disappearance of Niija Council

Source: Facebook

Niija Council has been missing since September 2013. The then-20-year-old was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time of her disappearance. Reports state that Niija was last seen at her home in the 6200 block of Lindbergh Boulevard. According to her boyfriend, Niija left the residence and never returned. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Sources state that Niija had two children, one of whom was an infant at the time of her disappearance. Per her boyfriend’s account, Niija left the infant son behind when she left home. This particular detail is noted on several sources about Niija’s case, including her NamUs profile. Although these sources provide very little additional information about Niija’s disappearance, it seems that the detail that her infant son was left behind was, at the very least, eye-catching to investigators. There does not appear to be any evidence that Niija planned to leave her baby, or her life, behind.

There are many other odd details surrounding Niija’s disappearance as well. Most sources list September 1st, 2013, as the date she went missing. However, Niija’s Facebook page remained active until September 23rd. Around mid-to-late September, a few people began commenting on her posts, inquiring about her whereabouts and expressing concern for her safety. The comments indicate that several people in her circle had not seen or heard from her for an unusually long period of time.

The media seemingly did not pick up on Niija’s case; there are very few accessible news reports about her disappearance. Detectives have not disclosed any information about their investigation, which leaves the public with very little confirmed information. A lack of information about a missing persons’ case, combined with a lack of media attention, can often indicate that the police do not believe the person came to harm. In Niija’s disappearance, however, various rumors indicate that the opposite may be true. 

Many questions arise regarding Niija’s disappearance. When exactly did she vanish? Why the discrepancy about the date she was last heard from? Why the lack of information from police? Who has information about her disappearance? Perhaps the most important question that remains is: Where is Niija Council?

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More about Niija.

Niija was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from a high school in the city. Prior to her disappearance, Niija worked as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Professional. As previously mentioned, Niija also had two children, one of whom was just an infant at the time she vanished. Various people who know Niija have posted that she would have never voluntarily left her children behind.

September 2013: Niija's disappearance.

As noted above, many sources list the date of Niija's disappearance as September 1st, 2013 - even though her Facebook page remained active until September 23rd, 2013. She made four status update posts on September 11th, 2013:

None of these posts seem to indicate any danger or that anything was seriously wrong at the time these updates were posted to her page. She later went on to change her profile picture four times during September 2013; the last change occurring on September 23rd, 2013. 

One of her profile picture updates occurred on September 16th, 2013. Days after that was posted, people began commenting on the picture, inquiring about Niija's whereabouts and safety.

It appears that, at some point after all this Facebook activity, Niija was reported missing. After that, it was determined that she was last seen at her home on Lindbergh Boulevard. Various sources say that Niija's boyfriend was the last person to see her before she disappeared. The boyfriend reportedly told police that she left the home and never returned. 

When did Niija vanish?

There could potentially be a few different reasons for the discrepancy about Niija's date of disappearance. It's possible that, whomever reported Niija missing noted that they had not seen or heard from her since September 1st, 2013. It's also possible that detectives do not know that exact date of her disappearance, so they've listed September 1st to indicate that she vanished sometime during the month of September. 

Or, possibly Niija did, in fact, vanish on September 1st, and that the Facebook posts made after that were made by someone else; maybe someone trying to indicate that Niija was alive and well. However, this seems less likely, as the posts seemed to abruptly stop. The most likely scenario seems to be that she vanished at some point in September 2013, but investigators have not been able to pinpoint an exact date. 

Speculation about the boyfriend.

Niija's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance has never been publicly identified. However, various online posts indicate that he was an older man. He was also reportedly not the father of either of Niija's children. 

In May 2024, a woman identifying herself as Niija's aunt made a post on a Missing Children Facebook group about Niija's disappearance. The post provides a bit more info about Niija's background and more info about her boyfriend.

Source: Facebook

It's worth noting that detectives have not confirmed that they believe Niija's boyfriend is responsible for her disappearance. However, detectives have also not made any public announcements about Niija's case - so it's entirely possible that the boyfriend is, in fact, the prime suspect. The aunt mentions that she found out that the boyfriend was physically abusive after Niija's disappearance - which casts even more suspicion on him. Still, this man has never been publicly identified or publicly labeled as a person of interest. 

Where is Niija?

Over a decade has passed, and Niija remains missing. There have not been any updates in her case. Many people have posted that they believe the boyfriend is responsible for her disappearance. If it's true that the investigators, too, believe that the boyfriend is responsible, it's possible that they have not publicly mentioned this due to the status of an ongoing investigation. However, since investigators have not shared anything about the case, it's hard to determine if the case is actually active.

Investigating agency.

The Philadelphia Police Department has investigative agency over Niija's case. If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Niija Council, please contact authorities at 215-686-3183.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Charley Project blog
The Doe Network
Facebook

NamUs
Underground Mysteries
Uncovered

The Murder of Shana Maxwell

On the evening of October 23rd, 2024, police in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania received a call about a stabbing that occurred in the town of Whitehall. Authorities responded to the scene at an apartment on Skyline Drive. Once there, first responders found 38-year-old Shana Maxwell deceased inside her residence. She had suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck.

Investigators are still searching for Shana's killer. On the one-year anniversary of her death, authorities made a public appeal for anyone with information on Shana's murder to come forward. The homicide detectives shared that they still "have never been able to identify a suspect." 

It has been determined that a neighbor saw Shana alive outside the apartment building around 9:00 PM on October 22nd, 2024. She was found deceased around 6:40 PM the following evening. The events that occurred between that 9:00 PM sighting and the time of Shana's death remain mysterious; detectives have not shared any other information about the investigation. 

Shana's loved ones describe her as a caring and loving person. A motive for her killing is unknown. Shortly after her death, a friend told reporters that "One of the last things I told [Shana] last time I spoke to her is she really is too good for this world. She was always caring. If someone needed help, if someone needed a hand, she was always gonna be there and she’d give you her last couple dollars if she had it. It really is a loss for this community."

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Shana Maxwell, please call the Allegheny County Police Department at (412) 473-1200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call 1-833-ALL-TIPS or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Allegheny County PD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Shore News Network
WPXI, (2) 

More cases:

• Unsolved cases from 2024
• Unsolved cases from Pennsylvania

The Disappearance of Devin Brown-Boussetta

Source: NamUs

Devin Brown-Boussetta suspiciously vanished in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 5th, 2006. 

The last documented sighting of the then-25-year-old woman occurred that day around 2:30 PM. Devin's landlord visited her apartment to make repairs and saw Devin eating Chinese food and doing other various chores around the residence. According to the landlord, nothing seemed unusual about this encounter. However, at some point afterwards, Devin seemingly vanished into thin air. 

After Devin was later reported missing, the landlord returned to her apartment with police. The landlord said the apartment looked exactly as it did during her last visit. The ironing board that Devin was using was still out, and a piece of delicate clothing that had been soaking in the sink was still there as well. It initially appeared as if Devin left to run an errand and intended to return. Unfortunately, she has never been seen or heard from again. 

Devin's car - a white 1995 Chrysler Cirrus LX - was later found abandoned at a gas station near her residence. There was no sign of Devin herself on the scene. It does not appear that the vehicle yielded any additional clues to her whereabouts. 

Devin is originally from Florida but was living in Pittsburgh at the time of her disappearance. She got married during the summer of 2005, but her husband filed for divorce and moved away after less than a year of marriage. The ex-husband reportedly was unaware Devin had vanished until 2008, when the Pittsburgh Police Department contacted him. 

Devin also has a daughter from a previous relationship. The child's father had custody and the two lived in Florida at the time of Devin's disappearance. Several years have passed, and it appears that nobody in Devin's family has any clues to her whereabouts.

The Pittsburgh Police Department has investigative agency over Devin's disappearance. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact authorities at 412-323-7800.

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Sources:
Charley Project
NamUs
Our Black Girls
Trib Live

Similar cases:

• The Disappearance of LaKisha Taylor
• Unsolved disappearances from 2006
• Unsolved disappearances from Pennsylvania

The Disappearance of Maria Nina Miller

Source: FBI.gov

Maria Nina Miller has been missing since February 4th, 2011. 

The last known sighting of the then-34-year-old woman occurred at her workplace, Dandy Mini Mart, in Towanda, Pennsylvania. Maria told coworkers that she was going to take the next few days off so she could go with her husband to visit his sick mother in Charleston, West Virginia. She planned to be back in Towanda by February 7th to work an overnight shift, but she never showed up. Maria has never been seen or heard from again.

Maria is originally from the Philippines. She met her husband, Kenneth Miller, while he was deployed in Philippines by the U.S. Army. The couple moved to the United States in 2005. They lived in Norfolk, Virginia for approximately five years before moving to Towanda, Pennsylvania in 2010. There, Kenneth worked as a recruiter while Maria worked at the Dandy Mini Mart.

Police were not notified about Maria's disappearance until June 10th, 2011 - over four months after she was last seen. The U.S. Army filed the report after it became known that nobody had seen or been able to get in contact with Maria for a long period of time. Throughout the investigation, it was established that the last confirmed sighting of Maria occurred at the Dandy Mini Mart on February 4th. 

When Kenneth was questioned, he said that he and Maria traveled to Charleston after her February 4th shift. He claimed that the two of them got into an argument in the parking lot of Charleston Area Medical Center, and that Maria demanded to be taken to Virginia Beach. Kenneth said that he complied with her request and ended up dropping her off at an apartment complex in the Virginia Beach area. He told police that, after that, he never saw or heard from his wife again.

There has been inevitable suspicion about Kenneth since the onset of the investigation. Not only did he not report Maria missing, but he also claimed that he drove Maria all the way from Charleston to Virginia Beach - over 400 miles away and an approximate 6-to-7-hour drive - to drop her off. This would mean that the couple had already traveled an approximate 6-to-7 hours from Towanda to Charleston, and then another 6-to-7 hours from Charleston to Virginia Beach. 

It's worth noting that investigators have not been able to confirm Kenneth's version of events. All online reports about Maria's disappearance state that she was last seen at her workplace in Towanda. As noted above, this appears to be the last sighting of her that police have been able to verify. However, Kenneth has continuously denied involvement in Maria's disappearance. Police have declined to answer whether or not they consider Kenneth a suspect.

The FBI is involved in the investigation into Maria's disappearance. There is a monetary reward available in exchange for information that could help solve the case. If you have any information that could help, please submit a tip. 

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Sources:
ABC 27
Charley Project
FBI
Star Gazette

Similar cases:

• The Disappearance of Junaliza Chappell
• Unsolved disappearances from Pennsylvania

The Disappearance and Murder of Keisha Roman

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sources:

Binghamton Police Department
Find A Grave: Keisha Roman

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

The Disappearance of Cameron Hardman

source: uncovered.com

Cameron Hardman has been missing since October 31st, 2011. 

The then-31-year-old man was last seen in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. It was Halloween, and Cameron reportedly had plans to meet up with friends in the 4500 block of Carmac Street in Philadelphia. He vanished after he left a residence on Newlin Avenue in Sharon Hill; presumably headed to the Carmac Street residence. Cameron has never been seen or heard from again. 

Cameron was later reported missing by his family. On November 4th, 2011, Cameron's mother told reporters that Cameron does not have a criminal background. She also noted that Cameron had never left home without a warning before, making his sudden absence all the more baffling.

Three days after that reporting, on November 7th, 2011, Cameron's car was found abandoned at 5234 North 2nd Street in Philadelphia. The vehicle was located approximately seven blocks away from the address on Carmac Street, where Cameron was headed on the evening of his disappearance. Cameron's personal items, including his cell phone and wallet, were found inside the car, but Cameron himself was still nowhere to be found. 

Cameron remains missing today. There has been minimal reporting on his case, so details about the investigation are unknown. Cameron's disappearance is considered a cold case. 

If you have any information that could lead to Cameron's whereabouts, please contact the Darby Township Police Department at 610-583-3245.

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Sources:
The Advance-Titan
Charley Project
NamUs
NBC Philadelphia
Uncovered

The Murder of Lisa Stover

image source: WPXI

Lisa Stover was murdered inside her apartment in the Rochester Borough of Beaver County, Pennsylvania on October 27th, 2016. 

Most of that day was an entirely typical day for the 30-year-old woman. She attended college courses in the late afternoon/early evening. Meanwhile, her two sons were with their father at a friend's residence located near Lisa's apartment building. 

Lisa arrived home from her classes around 6:00 PM. Shortly thereafter, she sent a text to her ex-boyfriend Mark Yaros, saying she was ready for him to bring her sons to her place. When Yaros and the children arrived approximately 15 minutes later, Lisa was found in her bed, covered in blood. She was taken to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries a short time later. 

An autopsy determined that Lisa had been shot and brutally bludgeoned to death. To this day, a motive for her killing remains unknown. Lisa was reportedly not sexually assaulted during this attack. There were no signs of forced entry at her apartment, nor were any items of value missing/stolen from the residence. 

Lisa's apartment building was secure, so visitors to the building had to be let inside. Additionally, the door to Lisa's unit itself was locked when Yaros and her sons arrived. Yaros told reporters that he "forced his way in" to the apartment before finding Lisa's body. 

With all of this in mind, it seems likely that Lisa was killed by somebody she let into her apartment herself. Police initially had a potential suspect: a person in a hooded sweatshirt who was seen running away from the building shortly before Lisa was found. Said person was eventually identified and passed a polygraph related to the case. 

To this day, there are many unanswered questions about Lisa's death. A murder weapon has never been found. In May 2023, it was reported that police were beginning to narrow down their list of suspects. However, no arrests have been made in Lisa's case.

There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to Lisa's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
Beaver County Times
Crime Watch PA
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WPXI, (2) (3)

The Disappearance and Murder of Dominick Brown-Hill

Source: CBS News

Dominick Brown-Hill vanished at the age of 21 on March 22nd, 2012. The young man lived in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania at the time of his disappearance. Reports state that he was dropped off by a jitney around 5 or 6 PM in front of a home where he was staying in Althea Hills. Dominick was never seen alive again. 

A 2012 report on Dominick's disappearance states that he called the owner of the home where he was staying - his friend's grandmother - the day after he was last seen. During the phone call, he reportedly told his friend's grandmother that he would return that evening. However, Dominick never returned, and his phone was shut off a short time later. 

Years passed without any news on Dominick's disappearance. Then, in late February 2017, human remains were found in a garbage can in the 900 block of Washington Street. Those remains were later identified as that of Dominick Brown-Hill. He had been murdered; killed by a gunshot wound to the head. 

The garbage can that contained Dominick's body was discovered around 7:00 PM on February 23rd, 2017. According to neighbors, the garbage can came from somewhere else - and had to have been placed on Washington Street the night before garbage day. This has led to several more questions in Dominick's case - especially because he had been missing for nearly 5 years at the time he was found. 

Upon the discovery of his body, Dominick's case shifted to a homicide investigation. Unfortunately, years have passed, and the case still remains unsolved. No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified.

If you have any information that could help solve Dominick's murder, please submit a tip with the Allegheny County Police Department.

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Sources:
CBS News, (2)
Patch
WPXI
WTAE 

The Disappearance and Murder of Franchesca Alvarado

image source: phillyobitproject.com

Franchesca Alvarado had a lot to look forward to during early 2012. The then-22-year-old woman was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time, and she was ready to begin her next chapter in life. Franchesca had plans to enroll at the Community College of Philadelphia, as she hoped to pursue a criminal justice degree. Unfortunately, she would never have a chance to take this step - as she vanished on March 17th, 2012.

According to reports, Franchesca arranged for a babysitter to care for her then-3-year-old daughter before leaving for Atlantic City to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. She was reportedly accompanied by Tracy Williams, an older male acquaintance. Franchesca never returned home from this trip, and her loved ones never heard from her again.

Franchesca's siblings knew something was off when days passed without any contact from her. One of her sisters, Frances, decided to go to Franchesca's home in Hunting Park to check in. Frances was greeted by Franchesca's roommate, who said that Franchesca would be back from Atlantic City in two weeks. This seemed odd, as it did not seem likely that Franchesca would take a trip that long without telling her family. 

Eventually, Franchesca's loved ones reported her missing. They then passed out fliers, organized rallies, and continuously searched for Franchesca. Meanwhile, police searched for leads. Tracy Williams was questioned, and he reportedly told police that he and Franchesca separated at some point during their night in Atlantic City. He said that he last saw her by the Borgata. Franchesca's roommate was also questioned but was reportedly uncooperative. 

Over a year later, in August 2013, a fisherman at Corson’s Inlet State Park in Ocean City found a severed foot floating in the water. The foot was still wearing an Adidas high-top sneaker, which led both police and Franchesca’s loved ones to believe that the foot did, in fact, belong to Franchesca. This was officially confirmed just a few days later.

At that point, it became clear that Franchesca met with foul play. To this day, many questions remain. What happened to Franchesca? Who is responsible for her death?

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More about Franchesca.

image source: Philly Inquirer

As previously stated, Franchesca - known as 'Cheka' by those closest to her - lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time of her disappearance. She was the youngest of 8 siblings and was very close with her family. Franchesca and her siblings had a rough childhood; as Franchesca’s father went to prison shortly after her birth, and her mother died when she was just 9 years old. Franchesca was subsequently raised by one of her older sisters. 

Despite these hardships, Franchesca remained a positive person. According to her loved ones, Franchesca had a happy energy and sparkling personality. She enjoyed crafts and had a not-so-secret crush on Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Franchesca was also a dedicated mother to her daughter, whom she gave birth to when she was just 19 years old.

The disappearance.

As also previously noted, Franchesca disappeared after going to Atlantic City - a place she went to frequently. Franchesca often went there to blow off steam and enjoy a fun time with friends. She took this particular trip to Atlantic City with a man named Tracy Williams - who is described in reports as an older male acquaintance. 

When Franchesca did not return from this trip, both her family members and police inevitably wanted to speak with Williams. He maintained that he separated from Franchesca at some point during the night after she told him that she would find her own ride home. Williams claims he last saw her by the Borgata. Despite his insistence that he did not have any information about Franchesca's whereabouts, Williams still refused to take a polygraph exam, which raised suspicions against him.

Potential persons of interest.

From the beginning, Tracy Williams was an obvious person of interest - however he was not the only person whom the family and police found suspicious. Franchesca's roommate at the time of her disappearance - Tonya Alavarez - also raised some questions. 

image source: Find Franchesca Cheka Alvarado (Facebook)

As mentioned earlier, Alavarez told Franchesca's siblings that Franchesca planned to be in Atlantic City for two weeks. Franchesca's siblings knew this was likely untrue, as it seemed unlikely that she would take such a long trip without her daughter AND without mentioning it to her family. Additionally, Alavarez reportedly declined to cooperate with the authorities investigating Franchesca's disappearance. 

Investigators also inevitably wanted to question any potential romantic partners of Franchesca's. Her siblings note that Franchesca's ex-boyfriend is now currently in prison on federal gun charges unrelated to Franchesca's case. It's unclear if he was ever a major person of interest in Franchesca's disappearance and/or murder.

The discovery of remains.

Franchesca's severed foot was found by a fisherman at Corson's Inlet State Park during August 2013. The foot still had her shoe on it - which ultimately helped investigators identify the remains.

Image source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Knowing that there had to be more remains out there, Franchesca's family continued their quest to find answers. They conducted several internet searches for "human remains found" and "bones found" - which led them to learn that a human femur and tibia had washed ashore. In 2015, both were finally identified as that of Franchesca Alvarado. The rest of her remains have never been found.

A murder investigation.

Franchesca's case shifted to a murder investigation after the discovery of the remains. However, no arrests have ever been made. Investigators have also never disclosed an exact cause of death. Tracy Williams, Tonya Alavarez, and possibly other individuals still remain persons of interest. 

Franchesca's family members are still fighting for answers. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-462-2899.

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Sources:
Find Franchesca Cheka Alvarado Facebook
Fox 29
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Obituary Project
Uncovered

The Suspicious Death of Marquis Brown

Marquis Brown was a 21 year-old student-athlete at Duquesne University when he died under suspicious circumstances on October 4th, 2018. The evening of his death began as a fairly typical evening for a college student. After having football practice that afternoon, Marquis reportedly went to get a haircut before going to a friend's off-campus apartment to play video games on PlayStation. This seemingly normal evening quickly went in another direction when Marquis returned to his dorm building. Other students in the dorm building called 911 after witnessing Marquis behaving 'erratically' in the elevator and in the hallway of this dorm room on the 16th floor. 

University security and police responded to the 911 call shortly after 10pm. Once they arrived on the scene, they found Marquis' roommate trying to calm him down. From there, the events leading up to Marquis' death remain unclear. Pittsburgh police stated that, shortly after campus police arrived on the scene, Marquis picked up a chair and threw it through the dorm window before jumping out of the window himself and falling sixteen stories to his death. Pittsburgh police arrived on the scene shortly thereafter and subsequently took over the investigation into Marquis' death.

The initial reports following this incident stated that witnesses including both students and campus police saw Marquis jump out of the window. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma--but the manner of death remained undetermined. A toxicology report concluded that Marquis had marijuana in his system at the time of his death, but no other substances are noted on the report. 

The toxicology findings led to the insinuation that marijuana is what caused Marquis to behave erratically on the night of his death. However, Marquis' family members doubt that this is the case. After this report went public, a lawyer representing Marquis' family tweeted, "It took four months for Pittsburgh police to produce a report that insinuates marijuana caused an athlete in the prime of his life to jump 16 stories to his death from his dorm room window. This feckless report creates more questions than answers."

As time continued to pass, Marquis' loved ones grew increasingly more frustrated with the lack of answers in his case. Finally, in July 2020, Marquis' mother Dannielle Brown decided to take drastic action to demand answers.

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In early July, Dannielle decided to travel from her home in Washington, DC to the Duquesne campus in Pittsburgh to demand answers about her son's death. Dannielle went on a hunger strike and began spending her days and nights on Freedom Corner in Pittsburgh's Hill District in hopes of catching the attention of Duquesne University. She told reporters that she was hoping for a new investigation into her son's death. Dannielle explained, "Bottom line is, either you watched my son go out that window or your hands were on my son when he went out that window." 

Dannielle Brown in Pittsburgh. Image source: KDKA

Not only does Dannielle want more answers about her son's death, she is also calling for change to the ways that campus police officers handle cases such as Marquis'. She has publicly made a request for three things: a new investigation into her son's death, a requirement for campus police officers to wear body cameras, and for the campus police to undergo more thorough de-escalation training. 

On July 22nd, 2020, it was finally announced that Duquesne University will honor Dannielle's requests. The university wrote an open letter to Marquis' family describing how each of the requests will be honored. The letter can be read in-full here. 

In April 2021, it was revealed that the university had reached a settlement with Dannielle Brown. The university has opted not to share the terms of the settlement with the public, but an attorney for Dannielle stated that she is satisfied with the outcome. Dannielle has since begun a foundation in her son's honor called The Marquis Jaylen Brown Foundation. The aim of the foundation is to achieve social justice.

The Disappearance and Presumed Murder of Tianna Phillips

Tianna Phillips has been missing since June 13th, 2018. The then-25-year-old woman was last seen in Berwick, Ohio. Tianna reportedly left her boyfriend's residence in Berwick at some point between 11:00 PM and 12:30 AM and never returned home. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Tianna left behind two young sons who are now in the care of a relative. It was quite uncharacteristic for her to be out-of-touch with her loved ones, and it was never believed that she went missing on her own accord. Tianna's social media presence completely stopped after her disappearance, but she was previously quite active on Facebook. 

In fact, just hours before she vanished, Tianna posted the following on her Facebook page: "FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW... ME AND SCOTT ARE NOT TOGETHER HE THREW ME OUT... WE ARE BROKE UP AND THATS HOW ITS GOING TO STAY...." 

Tianna's post from the day of her disappearance (source: Facebook)

After Tianna was reported missing, people began commenting on the Facebook post, asking if her ex-boyfriend Scott had been investigated. Some replied stating that Scott was cooperating with the investigation, but there were still some commenters who have questioned whether or not that was true. Other commenters on the post indicated that Tianna might have been avoiding her family. Her family denied this and believed she was harmed. 

Nearly three years later, an arrest would be made that would disprove not only the rumor that Tianna's ex was involved, but also the rumor that she was hiding from her family.

Harold Haulman III.

Almost three years after Tianna's disappearance, a man named Harold Haulman III was charged with Tianna's murder. It was then revealed that on the night of Tianna's disappearance, she told a friend that she had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and that a man named Dave was going to pick her up. It's believed that "Dave" was actually Harold Haulman.

source

Harold's other charges: the murder of Erica Shultz.

Before being charged with Tianna's murder, Haulman had already been charged with the murder of 26-year-old Erica Shultz. Erica vanished in Michigan and was reported missing on December 6th, 2020. Cell phone records linked Erica to Haulman. The two had reportedly met on a dating app. 

Erika Shultz (source)

By late December 2020, Haulman decided to cooperate with the investigation into Erica's disappearance. He subsequently led them to Erica's remains in a wooded area off Hobbie Road. It's believed that this is the same location where Tianna was killed.

Haulman's connection to Tianna.

Tianna Phillips and Haulman also reportedly met on a dating app years earlier. Haulman was married, but his wife knew of their affair. Tianna herself had another boyfriend as well. However, at some point, Haulman learned that Tianna's boyfriend also knew about their affair. For whatever reason, this made him angry. 

On the evening Tianna's disappearance, Haulman took her to the spot off Hobbie Road under the guise of starting a bonfire. Instead, Haulman reportedly struck Tianna with a hammer several times, stabbed her, and slashed her throat. He then left her remains in the woods.

Haulman later confessed to his wife that he had killed Tianna. Months later, Haulman and his wife returned to the murder site to gather Tianna's remains, which they later placed in a dumpster. Her remains have still not been found.

Guilty plea and another case.

In September 2021, Haulman pleaded guilty to the murders of Erica Shultz and Tianna Phillips. Around that time, it was also revealed that Haulman confessed to murdering another young woman named Ashley Parlier, who vanished from Battle Creek, Michigan, in 2005. 

Ashley Parlier (source)

Haulman was linked to Ashley's disappearance after he was in custody for the other two murders. He reportedly asked investigators if they could combine all three cases in court because he did not want to go to trial. However, up until that point, investigators were only aware of Haulman's involvement in Erica and Tianna's cases - Ashley had not yet been brought up. As such, Haulman later confessed to murdering Ashley as well. 

Harold pleaded guilty to murdering both Erica and Tianna so he could avoid the death penalty. He was subsequently given two life sentences. He is still awaiting further court proceedings in Ashley's case. 

The remains of both Tianna and Ashley have still not been found. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
PA Home Page
WNEP