The Murder of Sarah Stern

Sarah Lee Stern was a budding YouTube star pursuing a career in the arts when she was reported missing in Neptune City, New Jersey on December 3rd, 2016. 

A massive search for Sarah was prompted when her car was found abandoned, with the keys inside, on Belmar Bridge over Shark River. Thinking she may have jumped, a dive rescue team searched the water, possibly for her body, but nothing was found. In the days following her disappearance, both police and community members searched for Sarah in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, the searchers were unable to find Sarah or any clues to her whereabouts. 

On February 1st, 2017, nearly two months after her disappearance, Sarah’s childhood friend Preston Taylor (19) confessed that on the night of December 2nd, 2016, he helped Liam McAtasney (19) throw Sarah’s body over Belmar Bridge and into Shark River. Earlier that day, Liam allegedly went to Sarah’s house and strangled her to death before stealing $7,000 from her. After that, he left Sarah’s body at her house and called Preston to ask him to help dispose of her body.

Preston then went to Sarah’s house, retrieved her body, and hid her under a bush near her home. Later that evening, both Liam and Preston returned to Sarah’s home and placed her body in the front passenger seat of her own car. Liam then drove Sarah’s car to Belmar Bridge, with Preston following in his own car. Upon arriving, the two threw her body into the river. 

Sarah, Liam and Preston were all childhood friends. In fact, Preston and Sarah attended the prom together in high school. Liam and Preston also feigned concern for Sarah following her disappearance and volunteered in the initial search for her. Prosecutors allege that Liam had been planning to rob and kill Sarah for at least 6 months and that he let Preston in on the plan sometime before it occurred. Preston pleaded guilty to all of his charges in April 2017. Liam maintained his not guilty plea and went to trial in January 2019.

A jury ultimately found Liam guilty of murdering Sarah in February 2019. At his trial, a video was played that contained a recording of Liam detailing what he did to Sarah. This video was secretly recorded a few weeks after Sarah’s death by a friend of Liam’s who was working with police. In the recording, Liam is heard saying “it took me half an hour to kill her. The worst part of it is I thought I was walking out with $50,000 to $100,000 in my pocket. [But] she had one safe that she took money out of and it only had $10,000.” Liam also admitted to studying Sarah’s mannerisms–particularly her movements while driving–in the months leading up to her death. That way, when Liam left Sarah’s home in her car, the neighbor’s surveillance camera would capture movements identical to Sarah’s typical movements while driving and make it appear that Sarah was the one who voluntarily left her home in the car.  

Preston Taylor also testified at Liam’s trial. He maintained that Liam planned to kill Sarah for months before doing so, and that the two disposed of her body together.

In June 2019, Liam McAtasney was sentenced to life in prison without possiblity of parole. Sarah's body has never been found. 

Today in True Crime: The Murder of Michael Howell, at the hands of his 17 year-old daughter Crystal Brooke Howell

Crystal Brooke Howell (pictured right) was only 17 years old when she murdered her father, 50 year-old Michael Howell (pictured left) on February 24th, 2014. 

Crystal's parents got a divorce when she was 12 years-old, and Crystal ended up living with her father. For the next five years, the two lived in a remote cabin on Sheepback Mountain located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. On the day of the murder, Michael and Crystal went shopping together in Ingles. Crystal allegedly attempted to shoplift, but was caught by Michael. Investigators theorize that after this incident, Crystal began to think about killing her father. 

Crystal Brooke Howell in 2014

When the two returned from shopping that day, Michael took a nap while Crystal took a shower and allegedly continued to think about killing her father. Once she got out of the shower, Crystal grabbed a shotgun and shot her father once in the head as he napped on the couch. She then hid his body in a plastic container inside the family’s storage shed. Then, she dumped the couch he was laying on and sold the shotgun that she used. Life seemed to just continue for Crystal after that–she began to drive her deceased father’s car, spend his money, and damage his house. Her friends moved in, and they often threw parties at the house. Crystal even had a stripper pole installed in the kitchen. When asked about her father’s whereabouts, Crystal told her friends that he moved to Georgia and then killed himself.

Crystal continued her new lifestyle for almost a month before her secrets were uncovered. On March 22nd, 2014, two of Crystal’s house guests decided to move a pinball machine into their storage shed. While doing that, one of the men noticed the plastic container and found Michael’s body inside. The police were called, and Crystal was eventually arrested and charged with murder. 

In October 2016, Crystal pleaded guilty to the murder of her father and was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison. She remains behind bars today. 

Lists including this case:

[Betrayed by Blood]
[Murder Cases with Ridiculous Motives]
[Tragic Crimes Committed by Teenagers]