Today in True Crime: September 8, 2022

 

Tereina Jones vanished in Phoenix, Arizona five years ago today. The then-21-year-old vanished after leaving a local hospital. Tereina's loved ones never saw or heard from her again.

Nearly a year later, in August 2018, remains were found in desert area near 11th Street and Alameda Road. It took months for the remains to be identified, but in April 2019 they were positively identified as that of Tereina Jones. Her exact cause of death has never been revealed, but her manner of death is labeled a homicide.

No arrests have been made, nor have any suspects or persons of interest been publicly identified. There have been very few reports about Tereina's case in the media. I would love to expand more on this case - as Tereina and her loved ones deserve justice! If you have any information to help me bring more information to light, please message me on Instagram. If you do not have insta, you can email me at truecasefiles@gmail.com.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

Today in True Crime: September 4, 2022

Today's true crime anniversaries include an unsolved murder case and an unsolved disappearance. 

It has been 5 years since Jabez Spann went missing in Newtown, Florida. The then-14-year-old was last seen around 1:00 AM near MLK Way, where a Labor Day celebration was being held. Jabez was reported the next day after her did not show up at school.

Jabez's disappearance garnered up a lot of speculation and rumors in the local area. Despite this, the case seemed to go cold quickly. Nearly a year and a half later, a man fixing a fence in a rural area off of Interstate 75 spotted human remains. Three days later, those remains were confirmed to be that of Jabez Spann. His cause of death has never been disclosed, but the manner of death has been labeled as a homicide. 

No suspects have ever been publicly identified, but many believe Jabez's murder is related to another murder that he witnessed just days before he disappeared. On August 28th, 2017, a man named Travis Combs was shot to death in Sarasota during a robbery. Another man named Reginald Parker claimed that he, too, witnessed Combs' murder, and he saw Jabez present on the scene. Parker said that the suspects saw Jabez witness the shooting, and are also likely responsible for his disappearance that occurred just days later.

Parker provided all of this information to Jabez's family about two months after his disappearance. Parker also told three other individuals about this event. However, when police questioned Parker about this, he witnessing the murder and he denied telling Jabez's family or the other individuals about it. Still, many still believe that Jabez's disappearance and murder is related to Travis Combs' murder. His case remains unsolved.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

He was only 14 years-old. That is so young...it's so heartbreaking that Jabez's life was taken from both him and his family. If Jabez actually did witness the murder of Travis Combs, it seems likely that their cases are connected. Still, Reginald Parker appears to be an unreliable witness. If I'm reading between the lines correctly, though, Parker only recanted his statement to police because he did not want retaliation from the suspects. If anyone has more information about this, reach out to me! I'd love to expand more on this case. I want Jabez to receive justice.

Case #2-

image source

Today marks 15 years since LaToya Grissom vanished at the age of 25. At the time of her disappearance, LaToya lived in Texarkana, Texas with her grandmother and her children. She was last seen getting into a dark-colored sedan outside of her residence. LaToya never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

LaToya's case went cold quickly. Over three years after her disappearance, some clues were finally found. In October 2010, LaToya's purse and other personal items were found scattered around a creek in the local area. Though this find was significant, as it was the only sign of LaToya that had been seen in years, the find also did not seem to bring investigators any closer to finding LaToya herself. 

Then, news about LaToya seemed to fade away for almost 10 years. Finally, in August 2020, investigators announced that they received new information and they were executing search warrants. This appeared to be a step in the right direction, but authorities have not provided any updates since then. LaToya still remains missing today.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

There's unfortunately not a lot of information out there on the investigation into LaToya's case. The August 2020 update seemed hopeful at the time, but now two years have passed without any further updates. That makes me think of two things: 1) detectives have their suspect but are still missing the evidence they need to press charges or 2) the leads detectives received in 2020 led them in a false direction. 

If it's scenario #1, then I suspect that finding LaToya will allow detectives to finally move forward with charges. Mind you - I could be wrong about this theory, but either way I hope for both LaToya and her loved ones that she is found.

Today in True Crime: September 3rd, 2022

 

It has been six years since Tammyetta Spaulding vanished in Jackson, Mississippi. The then-37-year-old was employed by Comcast at the time of her disappearance, and she was last seen at work. Reports state that Tammyetta arrived at work as scheduled that day, but for unclear reasons she left 30 minutes later. She has never been seen or heard from again. 

There are several rumors about what might have happened to Tammyetta. There are two primary things that are speculated: one is that her ex-boyfriend was involved, and the other is that a red truck was used to dispose of Tammyetta's body. This speculation has been ongoing since 2016, but no arrests have ever been made and Tammyetta remains missing.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

It's immediately obvious to me that Tammyetta did not vanish by choice. She was raising two children and was planning to move into a new home with them prior to her disappearance. I believe this is yet another case where investigators probably know what happened but have not been able to make an arrest. Very few updates have been made in the case.

The one detail that strikes me the most is that Tammyetta seemed to abruptly leave work. Why? Did she receive a phone call that prompted her to leave? Did she tell anyone she was leaving? It seems unlikely that anyone would leave their job just 30 minutes after showing up unless there was some sort of emergency or some other circumstance that would require somebody to leave work early. 

I hope this is solved someday and Tammyetta is brought home. Her loved ones deserve answers and justice. 

Today in True Crime: September 1, 2022

 

image source

Today is the five-year anniversary of the murder of Lauren Hugelmaier. She was only 29 years-old at the time of her death. Lauren was stabbed to death by her husband, Matthew Phelps, inside their North Carolina home. 

Matthew claimed to have no recollection of the event. He said that he took Coricidin HBP Cold and Cough before going to bed, and when he woke up, he saw that Lauren was stabbed to death. In Matthew's 911 call, he is heard saying, “I had a dream, and then I turn on the lights and she’s dead on the floor. I have blood all over me, and there’s a bloody knife on the bed, and I think I did it.”

Investigators did not buy Matthew's story from the start. Court documents indicate that the couple was having marital issues, and that Lauren wanted out of the marriage. Matthew was an aspiring pastor at the time the murder took place, but he also reportedly had an obsession with murder and the film American Psycho. The documents state that Matthew told friends he wanted to know what it was like to kill someone. 

Over a year later, Matthew accepted a plea deal and has ultimately pleaded guilty to murdering Lauren. By accepting the plea, Matthew avoided the death penalty and will instead spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[original post]

Today in True Crime: August 29, 2022

Today's true crime anniversaries include two unsolved cases. Both cases involve indigenous Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Interior, "American Indian and Alaska Native people are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing violence, murder, or going missing." To learn more about this issue, visit this site.

It has been seven years since Elijah Runningbear 'Bear' Diaz vanished from his home in El Cajon, California. Bear was 20-years-old at the time of his disappearance. Like many 20-year-olds, he was in a stage of young adulthood where he was gaining independence. However, Bear was also struggling with his health at the time he vanished. Due to his diabetes, he was severely underweight, had limited mobility, and was unable to drive himself from place to place. 

Bear's mother was the last family member to have seen him. His mother dropped him off at his home around 10 PM the night before his disappearance. Bear sent one final text message over at hour later. He has never been seen or heard from again.

Around 4:00 PM the next day, Bear’s mother showed up at his house to bring him dinner. When she arrived, Bear was nowhere to be found and many items were missing from his home as well. The bedding was missing from his bed, along with his big-screen TV and about a week’s worth of his diabetes medication. His toothbrush, glasses, and phone charger were left behind. 

Bear's family members believe somebody took him from his home and harmed him. They have not given up hope in finding him, but unfortunately it appears the case has gone cold.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

Somebody obviously knows what happened to Bear. There's no way he left his home with all of that stuff on his own. The bedding being missing indicates, to me, that maybe something happened on the bed and the perp(s) removed it to hide the evidence. That being said, there aren't any reports on forensic testing done on the mattress/remaining parts of the bed...so who knows.

Bear lived in a neighborhood full of other Barona tribe members. I hate the thought of someone close to him being responsible for his disappearance, but unfortunately that is the case for most missing persons cases/murders. I really feel for Bear's family and I hope they find answers.

Case #2-

It's been three years since 18-year-old Kaysera Stops Pretty Places was found deceased in Hardin, Montana. Prior to her untimely death, Kaysera lived in the area with her grandmother. She was last seen alive by her family members on August 24th, 2019, and she was reported missing on August 27th.

Two days after Kaysera was reported missing, her body was found in the backyard of a home in Hardin. Her death was deemed suspicious by authorities - but an exact manner and cause of death were unable to be determined. Kaysera's family members have criticized the quality of the investigation into her death. After the autopsy turned out inconclusive, Kaysera's body was cremated - making it impossible for further examinations to be done.

There is still hope that someone with information about Kaysera's death will come forward. Please do not let her name be forgotten!

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip] 

My thoughts on this case...

So many unfortunate circumstances. I know nothing about cremation/morgue services but it seems as if a body should not be cremated until the investigation into the person's death is complete. The reports say that Kaysera was cremated without her family's consent. If that is true, shouldn't there be some legal repercussions? Either way, I feel frustrated for her family. An 18-year-old doesn't just end up dead out of the blue. Something sinister had to have happened.

Today in True Crime: August 22, 2022

source

It's been 10 years since Hannah Truelove was reported missing from her home in Gainesville, Georgia. The following evening, the 16-year-old girl was found murdered in a wooded area near her residence. Hannah had been brutally stabbed to death. 

Hannah was last seen alive around 7:30 PM on August 22nd, 2012. She was hanging out with other teenagers who lived in the same apartment complex. Hannah never returned to the apartment she lived in with her mother. Her mother reported her missing by 10:00 PM that evening. Unfortunately, Hannah was found deceased less than a day later. 

At the time of her murder, Hannah did not have her cell phone after her parents had taken it away. Therefore, it was difficult for police to determine who she had been in touch with during the days leading up to her murder. Several people have been investigated over the years, but no arrests have ever been made. Detectives otherwise have remained quiet about the status of the investigation. 

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

Obviously an incredibly tragic case. It also seems solvable to me. Hannah was only missing for a day and was found near her residence. It seems incredibly likely that someone she knew was responsible for her death. But since a decade has passed without an arrest... I guess it's possible that Hannah was the victim of a random perpetrator too. Someone definitely knows something. 

I remember this case when it first happened. I'd love to see it solved someday.

Today in True Crime: August 21, 2022

 

source

Kimberly Day Jacobs vanished in Honolulu, Hawaii 14 years ago today. The then-47-year-old woman lived in a Waikiki apartment with her husband, Stan Jacobs. According to Stan, Kimberly was resting when he left their apartment around 6:00 PM. When he returned by 8:00 PM, she was gone. Kimberly has never been seen or heard from again.

It has never been believed that Kimberly went missing on her own accord. It's uncharacteristic of her to be out-of-touch with her family, especially her daughter. Kimberly also left behind all of her personal items, including her passport and credit cards. Many have speculated that Stan is involved in her disappearance, but he has never been arrested or charged with anything related to the case.

There are some conflicting reports about Stan's potential involvement.  Kimberly's page on the Charley Project states that Stan has cooperated with the investigation. Still, Kimberly's family members believe that he knows more than he has revealed.

Kimberly's disappearance remains unsolved.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

Today in True Crime: August 19, 2022

 

(image source)

Today marks 5 years since the murder of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, and the fetal abduction of her daughter, Haisley Jo. 

Savanna was 22 years-old and 8 months pregnant at the time of her murder. She lived with her parents and siblings in an apartment building in North Dakota. On the day of her tragic death, Savanna was lured to the apartment of her upstairs neighbor, Brooke Crews. Savanna thought she was going to try on and help modify a dress that Brooke made in exchange for $20. Unfortunately, Brooke's true motives were far more brutal. After Savanna arrived at the apartment, Brooke knocked her unconscious and then began performing a "crude c-section". Savanna died as a result, but the baby was born healthily. 

Over the next few days, Savanna's worried family searched for her, while Brooke and her live-in boyfriend William Hoehn denied any knowledge of Savanna's whereabouts. Police were suspicious of the couple, but they initially did not have enough evidence to obtain a warrant to search their apartment.

Finally, on August 24th, a neighbor called police and said they heard the sound of a baby crying coming from Brooke's apartment. Investigators then got their warrant, and they subsequently searched the residence. While there, they found a baby girl - who was later identified as the daughter of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind. Both Brooke and William were arrested on the spot. Days later, Savanna's dismembered remains were found in the Red River.

Brooke was ultimately charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and providing false information to police. She pleaded guilty to all charges and is currently serving life without the possibility of parole. William was given the same charges. He pleaded guilty to kidnapping and providing false information to police, but he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. He went to trial and was ultimately acquitted. However, he was still sentenced to life in prison for the other charges. 

Savanna's daughter, Haisley Jo, is now being raised by the father, Ashton Matheny. 

[original case write-up] [extensive timeline on the case]

My thoughts on the case...

This was one of the first cases I wrote about when I first began my Tumblr page. It was ongoing at the time, and I was blown away by the circumstances. I remember watching an episode of Private Practice when I was younger that had similar circumstances...a woman attacked a heavily pregnant woman with the intent of performing a c-section and taking the baby for herself. I remember seeing that episode and thinking "this seems far-fetched"....but apparently this sort of thing is more common that I thought. A Google search of "fetal abduction" will lead to SEVERAL cases with similar circumstances.

This medical malpractice is inevitably life-threatening for both the mother and the baby. In Savanna's case, she sadly did not survive. The only good thing to come of this situation is that her baby luckily did survive. That young girl is now unfortunately growing up without a mother... but I am glad she is being raised by her father and has the support of Savanna's other family members. 

Today in True Crime: August 18, 2022

Today's true crime anniversaries involve one resolved murder case, and an unsolved disappearance. 

Today marks 10 years since a pregnant Alisha Bromfield was murdered at the age of 21. Brian Cooper, who was 36 at the time the crime was committed, is serving two life sentences for the murder of both Alisha and her unborn child. Brian was Alisha's boss at Home Depot, where they both worked in Plainville, Illinois. Brian immediately took a liking to Alisha; they struck up a quick friendship, but Brian reportedly wanted more. He asked Alisha to accompany him as his date to his sister's wedding in Door County, Wisconsin, and Alisha agreed.

According to her friends, Alisha did not really want to attend this wedding with Brian, but she was afraid of losing her job if she did not agree. Since she was pregnant and planned to raise the child on her own, she wanted to make sure she had income. However, on their drive to the wedding, Alisha and Brian got into a fight and Alisha decided to end their friendship. She agreed to put on a happy face for the wedding but was not interested in continuing their relationship once they returned home. 

Later that evening, Brian attacked Alisha in their hotel room. A struggle ensued, and Brian strangled Alisha—killing both her and her unborn baby. He then raped her postmortem body. Hours later, Brian stumbled into a gas station and used a phone to call 911 and turn himself in. Once in custody, authorities learned that Brian had been spying on Alisha for months. He had installed cameras in one of his bathrooms that Alisha used while dog sitting for him. He also installed a camera in their hotel room bathroom. 

It took years, but Brian was eventually convicted for the murders of both Alisha and her unborn child. He remains incarcerated today. [full case write-up]

My thoughts on this case....

An awful, awful case all around. Brian Cooper clearly had a sick obsession with Alisha...and it resulted in him committing several violent crimes against her. This case also provides yet another example of a man in a position of power taking advantage of a young woman. Alisha was clearly creeped out by him, but she was afraid she would lose her source of income if she did not do what he wanted. As soon as Alisha put her foot down and stood up for herself, Brian retaliated by attacking and murdering her. 

This man is exactly where he should be. Behind bars and far, far away from other young women in society. It's very likely that Alisha was not the first woman he was inappropriately obsessed with, and I doubt she would have been the last too. 

Today's other true crime anniversary:

Today also marks 10 years since Heather Cameron vanished near Redding, California. The then-28-year-old was last known to be in the company of her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lusby. On the day of Heather's disappearance, she and Lusby went to Keswick Dam - located an approximate 20-minute drive from her family's home in Redding. Around 2:50 PM, Heather called 911 three times from Daniel’s phone from the Keswick Dam area. She told police that she had been drugged with heroin and needed assistance. An extensive search was launched in that area, but no signs of Heather or any sort of suspicious activity were found.

When investigators asked Lusby why Heather had called 911 from his phone, he told them that she took his phone from him, walked off, and never returned. That phone has never been recovered. Lusby has been extensively investigated but he still has not been charged with anything related to Heather's disappearance. Their relationship was reportedly abusive, and he remains the only person-of-interest in the case to date.

[read more about this case] [submit a tip]

My thoughts...

This seems to be another unfortunate case in which investigators know who is responsible, but simply do not have enough evidence to arrest said person. Lusby is innocent until proven guilty...but it seems likely that he was involved. Not only was Lusby (allegedly) abusive towards Heather, but he was also the last person to have seen her before she vanished....and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are incredibly suspicious. 

Heather's case is also another tragic example of a Native American woman going missing...and her case remaining unsolved. There are NUMEROUS cases of missing and murdered Native American women that do not get the same type of attention that other cases receive. I hope that her family will someday learn what happened to her...and that the person(s) responsible for her disappearance will be convicted. 

Today in True Crime: August 14, 2022

It's the 11 year anniversary of two different cases - one is a missing persons' case, the other is a murder. Unfortunately, both cases remain unsolved.

image source

Julius 'TaDarius' Jones vanished at the age of 26 on August 14th, 2011. He lived in Meridian, Mississippi at the time of his disappearance. TaDarius' loved ones last saw him on the evening he went missing. He ate dinner with his family, went out afterwards, then never returned home. TaDarius has never been seen or heard from again.

Two days after he was last seen, TaDarius' car was found parked near an abandoned home on 27th Street. There was no sign of TaDarius at the scene and no additional clues were found. His case went cold quickly. On February 19th, 2019, TaDarius was declared legally dead. 

Over the years, several leads have been chased, but no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly named. There is a lot of online speculation about what happened, but no arrests have been made. TaDarius remains missing.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

Definitely another case where investigators have a lot more information than disclosed. Not sure if they have a legitimate suspect or not, but I would bet money that police have an idea of what happened...especially since they declared TaDarius dead without a body.

TaDarius' mother said she did not know that her son had been declared dead for almost 3 years. If investigators did not bother to let TaDarius' own mother know about this, I highly doubt they will share any information with the public anytime soon... unless they finally make an arrest. I hope that this happens soon, and that TaDarius' family gets the answers they deserve.

Case # 2-

image source

Katelyn Markham vanished in Fairfield, Ohio on August 14th, 2011. The then-22-year-old was last seen alive was last seen at her condo in Fairfield. Nearly two years later, Katelyn's remains were found at Big Cedar Creek in Cedar Grove, Indiana. Her death was labeled a homicide, but investigators were never able to determine her exact cause of death.

Several people have been investigated in Katelyn's case, including her fiancé John Carter. John was the last person to have seen Katelyn before her disappearance, and his alibi had a few inconsistencies. However, he's been investigated extensively and he has never been charged with anything related to Katelyn's death.

Others have been investigated too...but no arrests have ever been made. Katelyn's family members have not given up on solving her case.

[read the full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

I think this was a pretty high-profile disappearance when it first happened. It's really sad that she was found dead and they still don't have any suspects. Like all unsolved cases, I really hope Katelyn and her family members find justice.

Today in True Crime: August 13, 2022

Today is the anniversary of 3 different types of cases: an unsolved murder, and unsolved disappearance, and a resolved murder. 

We'll begin with the unsolved cases, so the "submit tip" links are higher on the page. 

image source: FBI.gov

It has been 17 years since Alexandra 'Alex' Anaya vanished from her family's Hammond, Indiana residence. The young girl was only 13 years-old at the time of her disappearance. Just days after she vanished, 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. The case remains unsolved.

[full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

If I've read between the lines correctly, it seems like investigators have a pretty good idea about who their suspect is. They just need that one extra tip or that one extra shred of evidence to finally make an arrest. This girl was only 13 years old when she suffered this brutal death. She deserves to rest in peace...and her loved ones deserve justice.

Case # 2:

On this day in 2010, DeNeka Walker vanished in Muskegon, Michigan. The then-30-year-old woman was last seen getting into a black Cadillac CTS driven by a man known only by the nickname ‘Brick’. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

It is not believed that DeNeka vanished on her own accord. She left behind four children, which is uncharacteristic. Those children were placed into foster care after DeNeka's disappearance. Police were eventually able to track down the man known as 'Brick'. They questioned him, but he was then released from police custody. It's unclear if he is a person of interest or not.

DeNeka's family reportedly heard rumors that prior to her disappearance, DeNeka was involved in the theft of a large amount of drugs and money. These rumors have not been confirmed, and it is unclear if the rumors have anything to do with her disappearance.

12 years have passed, and there is still no answer about what happened to DeNeka. Her case remains unsolved. 

[read full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

It's so sad that DeNeka's children were placed in foster care instead of with a relative. It's possible that foster care was their best option - but we all know the foster system can be very tough on children. I hope those children are doing okay now.

There haven't been that many updates on DeNeka's case. It seems like yet another unfortunate case that has fallen through the cracks. I hope I'm wrong, though. Let's not let DeNeka be forgotten!

Case # 3:

It's been sixteen years since Alycia Mesiti (14) was killed by her own father in Ceres, California.

Alycia and her brother were placed into Mark Mesiti's custody after their mother was deemed unfit by a Santa Clara County judge. However, Mark also did not have a clean-cut past, as he had a history of substance abuse and domestic violence. Still, the judge deemed that Mark was the more suitable parent for the two children, so they were sent to live with him in Ceres.

Alycia was reported missing on August 14th, 2006. That day, Mark’s girlfriend Shelly Walker took a flight from Los Angeles to Northern California to visit Mark. When Shelly asked Mark about Alycia's whereabouts, he told her that she ran away. Shelly subsequently reported Alycia missing. Initially, police truly believed Alycia had run away. Months later, Mark and Shelly moved to Los Angeles.

In March 2009, investigators brought cadaver dogs to Mark’s old home in Ceres. After getting a hit, a team dug up the backyard and ended up finding remains. Those remains were later identified as that of Alycia Mesiti. An autopsy concluded that she died of acute drug intoxication. At that point, it became clear that Mark Mesiti, at the very least, was responsible for disposing of his daughter's body.

Investigators subsequently obtained a warrant for Mark's new home in Los Angeles. There, it was discovered that Mark and Shelly were running a meth lab in the home where children were living. The two were subsequently arrested and booked on drug and child endangerment charges. Those charges were pursued first, and he was convicted of the drug and child endangerment charges in 2011. After that, Mark was sent back to Stanislaus County where he was charged with Alycia's murder.

Prosecutors believe that Mark provided his daughter with these drugs for a horrifying reason: to prevent her from resisting his sexual abuse. There was proof that Mark had been sexually abusing Alycia, as a numerous amount of pornographic images of Alycia and other minor children were found on his computer. Investigators also uncovered videos of Mark molesting his daughter while she was unconscious. 

Mark pleaded guilty in October 2017. He was eventually sentenced to life in prison, where he remains today.

[read full case write-up]

My thoughts on this case...

Everything about this case is awful. This young girl was being drugged and molested by her father, yet a judge somehow deemed him the more suitable parent? Obviously it was not *known* that he was an abuser when he obtained custody, but I'd like to know why exactly the mother was deemed unfit. Reports say she suffered from depression.. but with proper treatment, that could have been managed! There must be more to the story, but who knows if we will ever know the truth.

I am glad Alycia's murderer is exactly where he deserves to be: in prison for life. 

Today in True Crime: August 11, 2022

 

Kayla Berg disappeared 13 years ago today. The then-15-year-old was living in Antigo, Wisconsin at the time of her disappearance. Kayla was last seen by a man named Kevin Kielcheski, a friend of her brother, who was 24 at the time. Kevin would often drive Kayla and her friends around town. On the evening of her disappearance, Kevin picked Kayla up from her grandmother's house around 8:45 PM.

By Kevin's account, the two drove around Antigo and smoked marijuana for a bit. Shortly after 9:30 PM, Kayla asked Kevin to drive her to her boyfriend Miguel's house in Wausau. Kevin agreed, and the two of the made the 40-minute drive to the area. Kevin claims that he dropped her off around 10:30 PM and then went home. Kayla has never been seen or heard from again.

Both Kevin and Miguel have been considered persons of interest in the case - but both have vehemently denied being involved in Kayla's disappearance. In October 2009, Kevin was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment due to the fact that he had smoked marijuana with Kayla in the car. However, those charges were later dropped. Since then, neither Kevin nor Miguel have been charged with anything related to Kayla's disappearance.  It seems that the case has gone cold. 

[full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on this case...

Really sad that this case hasn't been solved yet. I've seen online that people in the area mostly believe that Kevin Kielcheski is involved in some way... whether he killed Kayla or disposed of her body after an overdose; people think he know what happened. He's definitely suspicious, but I also find the boyfriend Miguel to be suspicious too. 

One of Miguel's old phones pinged off a tower 40 miles away from his home on the night of Kayla's disappearance. He told police he was at home all night, and phone records from his NEW cell phone corroborated this. But did he leave that phone at home to establish and alibi? Did he bring the old phone as a backup in case he needed to get in contact with someone?

It's totally possible that the phone was in someone else's possession entirely that night. But when police questioned Miguel about this old phone ping, he refused to speak with them. In my mind, that's quite suspicious. Other than that, though, I lean towards Kevin being the one involved. Either way, Kayla's case remains unsolved and there are very few updates.

Today in True Crime: August 6, 2022

Today's true crime anniversaries include two unsolved disappearances.

It's been 10 years since Tamala Wells vanished in Detroit, Michigan. Then then-33-year-old mother was last seen leaving her residence. Tamala never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. A few days later, Tamala's car was found abandoned just a few blocks from her home. The vehicle did not provide any clues about her whereabouts.

Over the years, suspicions have built against Rickey Tennant, who was Tamala's live-in boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. In 2015, Rickey spoke to reporters about Tamala's disappearance and said that Tamala gave him a headache - despite the fact that he had not seen her in 3 years. Many people, including Tamala's family members, found that to be an odd comment. However, police stated that Rickey has cooperated with the investigation and is not considered a suspect at this time.

Tamala's case remains unsolved.

[more info on this case] To submit a tip in Tamala's case, please call 1 (800) 773-2587.

It has now been 11 years since Bilial Hammette vanished in Beloit, Wisconsin. The then-19-year-old left his home after telling his mother he was going fishing. An unidentified person in a black vehicle picked Bilial up at his home, and that was the last time he was ever seen. His mother thought it was his parole officer that picked him up, which is why she did not worry when Bilial did not return home that night. However, after days passed without any word from him, Bilial’s mother reported him missing on August 12th.

Bilial did not have a cell phone or a bank account at the time of his disappearance, which gave police very little to work with. It's unclear if the person who picked Bilial up on the day of his disappearance has been identified or not. Bilial remains missing today.

[more info on this case] [submit a tip]

My thoughts on these cases..

There isn't a whole lot out there on either case, unfortunately. The article about Tamala's case in which her boyfriend calls her a "headache" is from 2015. It's definitely an insensitive thing to say about a missing person, especially someone who had been missing for years at that point. If he isn't involved in Tamala's disappearance, he seems to be fine with the fact that she's missing - which is just sad all around. 

There's even less out there about Bilial's case. My *hope* is that this is one of those cases where police have not revealed a lot of details about the investigation, but they are still getting things done behind closed doors. Not sure if that's the case or not, but that's what I hope. 

Let's not let Tamala or Bilial be forgotten! They both still have loved ones who want to learn the truth.

Today in True Crime: August 4th, 2022

Today marks two years since Jaylen Griffin vanished in Buffalo, New York. He was only 12-years-old at the time of his disappearance. 

(image source)

According to his mother, Jaylen left their Warren Avenue in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood around 11:00 AM. His mother thought he was going to hang out near stores in the local area so he could help people carry their grocery bags - which is something he did often. Unfortunately, Jaylen never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

It appears that investigators thought Jaylen had run away from home; despite having no prior history of such behavior. There were reported sightings of him after his disappearance, but police were still unable to track him down. In November 2020, Jaylen's brother was killed in a shooting. When Jaylen did not return after that, the worries for his safety began to escalate.

There have been very few updates in Jaylen's case. Buffalo Police are investigating. 

[full case write-up] [submit a tip]

My thoughts...

Seems like police think that Jaylen runaway, contrary to what his family members have told them. His mother has publicly stated that Jaylen is a "momma's boy", and running away is not in his nature. Not to mention...he was only 12 years-old when he disappeared! A literal CHILD! Not even a teenager yet. That is enough reason on its own to be very concerned about Jaylen's safety as soon as he was reported missing - regardless if he ran away or not.

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of other details available about the circumstances leading up to his disappearance. My hope is that someone will come forward will information - I'm positive that someone out there knows what happened. 

Today in True Crime: August 3rd, 2022

Today marks 9 years since Alexis Murphy was kidnapped and murdered in Lovingston, Virginia. The 17-year-old teen vanished while in route to Lynchburg for a hair appointment. Alexis stopped at a gas station in Lovingston, where she encountered a man named Randy Allen Taylor. 

Taylor, then 48, reportedly kidnapped and later murdered Alexis following their encounter at the gas station. After she was reported missing, investigators found that her cell phone had pinged near Taylor's camper. Additionally, hair, fingernails, and bloodstained were all found inside inside Taylor's residence - and they all belonged to Alexis. Based on all that evidence, investigators decided to charge Taylor with both kidnapping and murdering Alexis - despite the fact that they had not found her body. 

In 2014, Taylor was found guilty of all charges. He was given two life sentences.  Taylor continuously denied involvement in her disappearance and claimed that he was falsely convicted. Then, in October 2020, something changed. Taylor decided to lead investigators to Alexis' remains. When it was announced that her remains had been found, investigators said that they did not make any deals with Taylor in exchange for the location of Alexis' remains. It's unclear why he changed his mind after denying involvement in her case for so long, but Alexis' family finally got to give her a proper burial.

[full write-up on this case]

True Case Files' take on this case:

I remember this case from when Alexis first went missing. I was living in Virginia at the time and this case was big news. I remember following Sierra Lamar's case from a year earlier and being shocked when they charged Antolin-Garcia Torres with murder since they hadn't found Sierra's body (and they still haven't!). 

The evidence in Sierra's case was a bit more complex; it was eventually revealed that Sierra's DNA was all over Garcia-Torres' car, but for a long time it was not revealed what type of DNA. When it was revealed that Alexis' hair, nails, and a substantial amount of blood were found in Randy Taylor's residence, it became clear that some sort of violent struggled occurred. Although Taylor was initially unwilling to admit involvement in Alexis' case, prosecutors still had enough physical evidence to convict. 

After he was convicted, I was 100% sure that they had the right man behind bars, even though he still continued to deny guilt. I'm also 99.9% sure that Taylor is also responsible for the disappearance of Samantha Clarke, who has been missing since 2010. He has yet to be charged with anything related to that case, but he remains the prime suspect.

Today in True Crime: August 1st, 2022

 Today's true crime anniversary involves the unsolved disappearance and murder of a young girl from New York.

The disappearance & murder of Jennifer Hammond.

It has been 19 years since Jennifer Hammond vanished in Milton, New York. The then-18-year-old lived in Albany and had a job selling magazine subscriptions. On August 1st, 2003, Jennifer was dropped off at  the Creek & Pines mobile home so she could sell subscriptions door-to-door. When Jennifer's co-workers returned to the mobile home park later to pick her up, she was nowhere to be found. She never returned to the hotel in Albany and was never seen or heard from again.

Jennifer's case seemed to quickly go cold. There were very few updates in her case. Over six years later, in October 2009, a human skull was found in Lake Desolation Forest in Greenfield. Forensic testing later confirmed that the skull belonged to Jennifer Hammond. She had been murdered.

Investigators believe Jennifer's murder is connected to the murder of Christina White. Christina vanished from Milton nearly two years after Jennifer's disappearance. Her remains were found in Greenfield during March 2006. She had been stabbed to death. Jennifer and Christina both vanished from the same area, and were found in close proximity as well. Unfortunately, both of their cases still remain unsolved.

[more info about this case] [submit a tip]