muscle spasms

I always say that caffeine helps my muscle spasms but it doesn't

necropsy

I saw a necropsy once. I asked dad if I could skip the beach since I assumed that we were going to the same lame one we went to the day before. I saw the turtle and took tons of pictures of it. This was a great day of forensic science and I loved it

burger night

I love burger night. My family is together and we enjoy the family. Its a nice place with a real burger and French fries. It has cheese melted on the burger and veggies.

purple

As a kid I loved the color purple. I have been a purple freak for as long as I can remember. I now have purple nail polish. I have a purple watch and a couple of purple shirts. Like I said I love purple

missionary talk

Doing an experiment with not drinking so much coffee has shown me how draining it is. Not just in my wallet but in my body. The missionaries challenge me not to drink it. It's waking me up to the damage caused by the caffeine

pool

I have a pool in my backyard. Its nice and bought for me. I have a bad back and my parents decided that a pool would be a nice addition to the house. They also bought a hot tub I can soak I'm. The pool is a simple lap pool but it does the job. I love it. I can swim multiple laps no problem

still life

Still life is a story that involves a woman getting killed with an arrow. How those 2 go together is what you have to read about

hair dye

Despite my mom wiping out the hair dye I had in my hair I swear I see green flecks in my hair

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was twenty-four, Smith published the Book of Mormon; by the time of his death fourteen years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion and religious culture that continues to the present. Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, but by 1817, he had moved with his family to western New York, a site of intense religious revivalism during the Second Great Awakening. According to Smith, he experienced a series of visions, including one in which he saw "two personages" (presumably God the Father and Jesus Christ) and others in which an angel directed him to a buried book of golden plates inscribed with a Judeo-Christian history of an ancient American civilization. In 1830, Smith published what he said was an English translation of these plates, the Book of Mormon. The same year he organized the Church of Christ, calling it a restoration of the early Christian church. Members of the church were later called "Latter Day Saints", or "Mormons". In 1831, Smith and his followers moved west, planning to build a communalistic American Zion. They first gathered in Kirtland, Ohio and established an outpost in Independence, Missouri which was intended to be Zion's "center place". During the 1830s, Smith sent out missionaries, published revelations, and supervised construction of an expensive temple. Nevertheless, the collapse of a church-sponsored bank and violent skirmishes with non-Mormon Missourians caused Smith and his followers to establish a new settlement at Nauvoo, Illinois, where he became both a spiritual and political leader. In 1844, Smith and the Nauvoo city council angered non-Mormons by destroying a newspaper that had criticized Smith's power and practice of polygamy.[4] After Smith was imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois, he was killed when a mob stormed the jailhouse. Smith published many revelations and other texts that his followers regard as scripture. His teachings include unique views about the nature of God, cosmology, family structures, political organization, and religious collectivism. His followers regard him as a prophet comparable to Moses and Elijah, and he is considered the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was not the founder of several break-off groups, including Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the FLDS Church, or the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Judith Barsi

Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress of the mid to late 1980s. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television shows, and later appeared in the films Jaws: The Revenge, The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven, supplying the voice for animated characters in the latter two. In 1988, after years of physical and mental abuse, her father, József, shot and killed Judith and her mother, Maria, before fatally shooting himself in a double murder–suicide. Family history: Judith's father, József, fled Communist Hungary after the 1956 Soviet occupation. He eventually relocated to New York in 1964, and then to California, where he met Maria Virovacz. She, a Hungarian immigrant escaping the Soviet occupation, was born in rural southern Hungary, and suffered psychological and physical abuse from her father. They married, and Judith's birth quickly followed in Los Angeles, California, where she was raised. Career: Maria began grooming Judith to become an actress, and at the age of five, she was discovered at a skating rink. Barsi's first role was in Fatal Vision, playing the toddler Kimberley MacDonald, although Barsi was six at the time of the miniseries' transmission. She went on to appear in more than 70 commercials and guest roles on television. As well as her career in television, she appeared in several films including Jaws: The Revenge as Thea Brody and provided the voice of Ducky in The Land Before Time. By the time she started fourth grade, Judith was earning an estimated $100,000 a year, which helped her family buy a three-bedroom house in West Hills, Los Angeles. As she was short for her age (she stood 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) at age 10), she began receiving hormone injections at UCLA to encourage her growth. Her petiteness led casting directors to cast her as children that were younger than her actual age. Her agent was quoted in The Los Angeles Times as saying that when she was ten, "she was still playing 7, 8". Abuse and murder: As Judith's career success increased, József became increasingly abusive, jealous and paranoid, and would routinely threaten to kill himself, Maria, and Judith. His alcoholism worsened, and resulted in three separate arrests for drunk driving. In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence toward her to the police. After they found no physical signs of abuse, she eventually decided not to press charges against him. After the incident, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten Maria and Judith, which included threats of cutting their throats as well as burning down the house. He reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, in an attempt to prevent her and Judith from leaving America. Physical violence continued, with Judith telling a friend about him throwing pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed. Due to his abuse, she began putting on weight and exhibited disturbing behavior, which included plucking out all her eyelashes and pulling out her cat's whiskers. After breaking down in front of her agent during a singing audition for All Dogs Go to Heaven, she was taken by Maria to a child psychologist, who identified severe physical and emotional abuse and reported her findings to Child Protective Services. The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a Panorama City apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven from him. Friends urged her to follow through with the plan, but she resisted, reportedly because she did not want to lose the family home and belongings. Judith was last seen riding her bike on the morning of July 25, 1988. That evening, József shot her in the head while she was sleeping, and then Maria. He spent the next two days wandering around the house, and said during a phone conversation with Judith's agent the next night that he intended to move out for good, and just needed time to "say goodbye to my little girl." He then poured gasoline on the bodies and set them on fire. After incinerating the bodies, he went to the garage and shot himself in the head with a .32 caliber pistol. On August 9, 1988, Judith and Maria were interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Aftermath: Judith's final film, All Dogs Go to Heaven, in which she voiced the orphan Anne-Marie, was released in 1989. Don Bluth, the director of The Land Before Time, described her as "absolutely astonishing. She understood verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations," and he had intended to feature her extensively in his future productions.

Murder of Michelle Garvey

Michelle Angela Garvey (June 3, 1967 – July 1, 1982) was an American girl murdered in Texas within a month of running away from home in Connecticut. Her body was quickly found but remained unidentified until a 2014 DNA test, after an amateur internet researcher suggested a match between the Texas unidentified decedent and Connecticut missing person data. Circumstances: Michelle Garvey went missing from New London, Connecticut, presumably after running away from home, on June 1, 1982, at the age of fourteen. She was believed to have intended to return to her birth state, New Jersey, or to North Carolina. She had a previous history of running away, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Initially, it was unknown what had happened to the victim, as she may have left home to start a new life and could possibly be alive. Discovery: Garvey's body was found on July 1, 1982, in Baytown, Texas, one month after she went missing. Authorities were unable to identify her body, but could determine that the victim was a white female between fifteen and twenty years old with blue eyes and had curly red hair. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation. The girl also had an inverted left nipple, O positive blood type, a scar on one foot, was approximately five feet one to five feet three inches (1.60 m) tall and had one of her ears pierced. Her body was found wearing brown clothing, including a long-sleeved, button-down shirt with a distinct horse embroidery on the breast pocket. Her pants were made of corduroy material. The body was disposed of in a field after she died, possibly merely hours after her murder. She was buried near two other unidentified murder victims, the Harris County Does. Identification: The body was exhumed in May 2011 to obtain a DNA profile to compare to potential matches, including Michelle's brother. An amateur online sleuth, Polly Penwell, came across the cases of Michelle and her unidentified body and suggested to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Harris County medical examiner that they could be the same person after she compared both cases, while using a website known as Websleuths. Garvey was identified in January 2014 after her DNA from her remains was matched to that of her brother that was taken, as it had previously been submitted to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System after being analyzed by the University of North Texas. She had remained unidentified for 31 years. She was fourteen when she had left her home in Connecticut and was fifteen at the time of her death. She was identified through efforts made by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and by the Harris County Police Department, who eventually contacted her family and obtained samples of their DNA for testing in August 2013. Since her identification, authorities have continued their investigation, now aimed at finding Michelle's murderer. After being returned from Texas to Connecticut, Garvey's body was reburied by her family on March 1, 2014 in Montville, Connecticut.

Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee

Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee, or simply Little Miss Panasoffkee, is the name given to the unidentified remains of a young woman found on February 19, 1971 in Lake Panasoffkee, Florida. The murder currently remains unsolved, despite the reconstruction of the victim's face on two occasions, in 1971 and 2012. The case was featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries in 1993. Discovery: On February 19, 1971, two teenage hitchhikers discovered a decomposing, partially submerged body floating beneath a highway overpass in Lake Panasoffkee, Florida. Reporting their discovery to police, authorities retrieved the fully clothed, badly-decomposed body of a young woman from the lake. The woman bore no identification, although she wore a green shirt, green plaid pants, and a green floral poncho. She also wore a white gold watch, a gold necklace and her fourth finger bore a gold ring with a transparent stone. A forensic examination of the remains was conducted by Dr. William Schutze. Schutze concluded the victim had been killed approximately thirty days prior to her discovery, although she may have been dead for up to two months. A man's size 36 belt was fastened around her neck, strongly indicating ligature strangulation as the cause of death. Forensic examination of remains: The body was exhumed in February, 1986 for further forensic examination. The woman was between 17 and 24 when she died, and weighed approximately 115 lbs. She had dark hair and brown eyes, prominent cheekbones and was between five feet, two inches and five feet, five inches in height. She had received extensive dental work in her lifetime, including numerous silver fillings, and had a porcelain crown upon one of her upper right teeth. It was also determined that she had borne at least two children prior to her death. In addition, one of her ribs was fractured at the time of her death, leading investigators to theorize her killer had possibly knelt upon his victim as he strangled her with his belt. Investigators initially believed the woman to be either of European or Native American ancestry; a further exhumation and examination of the remains, conducted in 2012, established that she was of European descent. In addition, an examination of Harris lines on the victim's bones indicated that an illness or malnutrition had briefly arrested her growth in childhood. Examining the lead isotopes within the victim's teeth, a geological scientist was able to deduce the victim had undoubtedly spent her childhood and adolescence in a location in southern Europe close to the sea; most likely a location south of the Greek city of Athens, until within a year of her murder. This geological scientist, George Kamenov, was able to pinpoint the most likely place "Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee" had lived to within a year of her murder as being the fishing port of Lavrion, Greece, which is also known for its mining history. Given the fact a large Greek-American population exists within Tarpon Springs (approximately 117 kilometers (73 mi) from Lake Panasoffkee), and the additional facts that the victim had been dead for approximately 30 days before her discovery, and had likely lived in Greece until an unknown date in 1970, it is possible that the victim may have traveled to the United States to attend an Epiphany celebration prior to her death. To support the theory that the victim had been visiting temporarily was the forensic examination of her hair, which indicated that she had been in Florida for less than two months before her murder. An orthopedic surgery procedure, known as the "Watson-Jones" technique, had been performed on her right ankle when she was approximately 16 years old. This operation—which involved stretching the tendon through screws drilled into the bone—would most likely have been performed to rectify a chronic instability which would likely have seen the victim sprain her ankle several times prior to the operation. Periostitis was also found on her right leg, which may also have been discomforting and noticeable to the victim in life. Reconstructions: In 1971, a collection of composite images were created in an attempt to show what Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee may have looked like at different stages of her life. In 2012, another composite was created, which was visually different from the first. The composite was also combined with a scaled model of the victim's clothing.

Murder of Riley Fox

Riley Fox (March 31, 2001 – June 6, 2004) was an American three-year-old girl who was reported missing in Wilmington, Illinois. Later that same day the girl was found dead in Forsythe Woods County Forest Preserve, a public park that was just a few miles from the family’s residence. The girl was found face down in a creek in the park. She had been bound, gagged, and sexually assaulted and then drowned. Disappearance: The night of the disappearance, Kevin, Riley's father, had picked up his kids from their grandmother's house around 1 A.M.. Too tired to carry his children up to bed, he laid Riley down on the couch and Tyler, Riley's older brother, down on the living room chair. He then went to his room, watched TV and went to bed around 2:30, according to his statements to police. The next morning, Kevin Fox was awakened by Tyler. Tyler informed him that Riley was gone, Kevin searched the entire house for Riley. He noticed that the front door and screen were open. Kevin went next door to a friend of Riley’s to see if they had seen the little girl. When the neighbors had not seen Riley, he then called the police. The Case- Kevin Fox: Kevin Fox, the girl's father, was initially charged in the young girl's murder, based almost solely on a videotaped confession that he had killed Riley. He spent eight months in prison before he was cleared of all charges due to DNA evidence and the confession was ruled out based on coercion. Fox's attorney Kathleen Zellner was responsible for discovering that DNA evidence existed and getting the State to test it. The killer left a pair of mud-covered shoes at Forsythe Woods County Forest Preserve, which were collected by police. But the police never followed up on this piece of evidence. The shoes had the name Eby written on the inside, the last name of the actual culprit. They overlooked many other important case facts as well. The same night as Riley's abduction another house on the same block was burglarized. The Fox family later sued the Will County detectives. Kathleen Zellner, the Fox's attorney, won a $15.5 million jury verdict in a federal civil rights lawsuit. The verdict was later reduced to $8.5 million, which is still the highest verdict in the U.S. for 8 months of incarceration. Scott Eby: Scott Eby was later charged on five counts of first-degree murder and one count of predatory sexual assault after DNA evidence linked him to Riley. By the time the police caught up with Eby to charge him in connection with Riley's murder, he was serving two consecutive seven-year sentences. Eby later confessed to killing Riley after first breaking into another home on the same block as the Foxes'. Eby said he cut through the back screen door of the home and then pushed the door in. He found Riley lying on the couch and decided to kidnap her when he saw that her father was asleep. He said that he put Riley into his car and drove her to the park where he assaulted her on the floor of a restroom in the park. Then he killed her by drowning her in a nearby creek within the park. He subsequently pled guilty to Riley's murder and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Scott Eby was on parole and lived only about a mile from the Foxes' home at the time of Riley's murder.

St. Louis Jane Doe

The St. Louis Jane Doe is an unidentified girl who was found murdered on February 28, 1983 in St. Louis, Missouri. She has also been nicknamed "Hope" and the "Little Jane Doe." The victim was estimated to be between eight and eleven when she was murdered, presumably by strangulation. The victim had also been decapitated and raped; the brutality of the crime has led to national attention. The head of the Jane Doe has never been located, preventing dental examination and the possibility of facial reconstruction. Discovery: The headless body of an African-American child was found on the afternoon of February 28, 1983 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was believed to have been strangled three to five days earlier and was then disposed of in the basement of an abandoned house, which was found by looters after one lit a cigarette that created enough light to expose the body. She was initially believed to possibly be a prostitute until police had moved her body and discovered she did not have developed breasts, indicating she had not gone through puberty. Further examination was conducted within the next week. Examination: It was concluded that the victim was not killed at the location where it was discovered, as no traces of blood were found by the body. The girl was also bound at the wrists with a red nylon cord and lying face down. Her head had been severed cleanly by a large blade, possibly a carving knife. She was between eight and eleven and was prepubescent, but had been raped. She wore only a V neck yellow, long sleeved, sweater and two layers of pink and purple nail polish. Her head has never been found, but the fingerprints, footprints and DNA information have been collected. Because there were no distinct marks or deformities on her body, except for spina bifida occulta, it is unlikely that she would be identified. Four missing girls have been ruled out as the victim, as well as the Northampton County Jane Doe from North Carolina, who was ruled out to be the remaining parts of the body. She was approximately 4'10" to 5'6" tall when she was alive, which is considered tall for that age. After ten months her burial took place in December 1983. Investigation: Authorities decided to exhume the body in 2013 in order to gather more forensic information about the victim. The remains had been misplaced, along with many other bodies in the Washington Park Cemetery, due to the negligence of cemetery records and were not found until mid June. The remains were located by using camera calibration techniques to determine precisely where a photograph of the casket had been taken on the day of the burial. After tests on samples of her bones were concluded at the University of North Texas, the victim is believed to have originally lived in the southeastern part of the country. Her sweater had previously been sent to a psychic in Florida but was never returned, presumably lost in the mail. She was also presumed to have been a victim of Vernon Brown, who had murdered young girls in a similar manner. Brown was executed in 2005 and never confessed to murdering the Jane Doe, despite efforts made by investigators.

decaf coffee

A controlled study of ten samples of prepared decaffeinated coffee from coffee shops showed that some caffeine remained. Fourteen to twenty cups of such decaffeinated coffee would contain as much caffeine as one cup of regular coffee. The 16-ounce (473-ml) cups of coffee samples contained caffeine in the range of 8.6 mg to 13.9 mg. In another study of popular brands of decaf coffees, the caffeine content varied from 3 mg to 32 mg. An 8-ounce (237-ml) cup of regular coffee contains 95–200 mg of caffeine, and a 12-ounce (355-milliliter) serving of Coca-Cola contains 36 mg. Both of these studies tested the caffeine content of store-brewed coffee, suggesting that the caffeine may be residual from the normal coffee served rather than poorly decaffeinated coffee.

Ex-mormon

Ex-Mormon refers to a disaffiliate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or any of its schismatic breakoffs, collectively called "Mormonism". Ex-Mormons, sometimes referred to as Exmo, typically neither believe in nor affiliate with the LDS church. In contrast, Jack Mormons may believe but do not affiliate; and Cultural Mormons may affiliate but do not believe. The distinction is important to some ex-Mormons, many of whom see their decision to leave as morally compelling and socially risky. Many ex-Mormons experience troubles with family members who still follow Mormon teachings. Aggregations of ex-Mormons may comprise a social movement. Reasons for leaving: Most ex-Mormons leave Mormonism and the LDS church because specific intellectual or spiritual reasons have led them to a conviction that the religion is false. The foremost reasons are disbelief both in Joseph Smith as a prophet and in the Book of Mormon as a religious and historical document. Reasons for this disbelief include issues with anthropological, linguistic, archaeological, and genetic evidence against the Book of Mormon in the New World. In addition to rejecting the Book of Mormon for such reasons, the Book of Abraham and other Mormon religious texts are rejected on similar grounds. Individuals leave Mormonism for a variety of reasons, although "single reason disaffiliates are rare among former Mormons." Research shows that 43% of Mormon disaffiliates left due to unmet spiritual needs. Other reasons for leaving may include a belief that they are in a cult, logical or intellectual appraisal, belief changes or differences, spiritual conversion to another faith, life crises, and poor or hurtful responsiveness by Mormon leaders or congregations. Of former Mormons surveyed, 58% switched to other faiths or practices. Those who adopt humanist or feminist perspectives may view certain LDS doctrines (including past teachings on the spiritual status of black people, polygamy, and the role of women in society) as racist or sexist. A minority of ex-Mormons cite their personal incompatibility with Mormon beliefs or culture. A 2003 Princeton Review publication quoted a student at church-owned Brigham Young University as stating, "the nonconformist will find a dull social life with difficulty finding someone that will be their friend, regardless of who they are or what they believe." Liberal views and political attitudes that challenge this conformity, and occasionally sexual orientation, are cited as reasons for leaving Mormonism. In recent years the LDS Church has become more politically active, particularly with regard to legislation barring civil marriage for same-sex couples. Official LDS involvement in the Proposition 8 campaign was highly controversial, causing some LDS to stop attending church.

Anti-Mormonism

Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed at members of the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The term is often used to describe persons or literature that are critical of their adherents, institutions, or beliefs, or physical attacks against specific Mormons or the LDS Church as a whole. Opposition to Mormonism began before the first Latter Day Saint church was established in 1830 and continues to the present day. The most vocal and strident opposition occurred during the 19th century, particularly during the Utah War of the 1850s, and in the second half of the century when the practice of polygamy in Utah Territory was widely considered by the U.S. Republican Party as one of the "twin relics of barbarism" along with slavery. Modern-day opposition generally takes the form of websites offering alternative views about Mormonism or non-violent protest at large Latter-day Saint gatherings such as the church's biannual General Conference, outside of Latter-day Saint pageants, or at events surrounding the construction of new LDS temples. Opponents generally allege that the church's claims to divine origin are false, that it is non-Christian, or that it is a religion based on fraud or deceit on the part of its past and present leaders.

Independent Baptist

Independent Baptist churches (some also called Independent Fundamental Baptist, or IFB) are Christian congregations, generally holding to conservative (primarily fundamentalist) Baptist beliefs. The term "independent" refers to the doctrinal position of church autonomy and a refusal to join any affiliated convention or hierarchical structure. History: The Independent Baptist tradition began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among local denominational Baptist congregations concerned about the perceived advancement of modernism and liberalism into national Baptist denominations and conventions in the United States and United Kingdom. In response to the concerns, some local Baptist churches separated en masse from their former denominations and conventions and reestablished the congregations as Independent Baptist churches. In other cases, the more conservative members of existing churches withdrew from their local congregation and set about establishing new Independent Baptist churches. Demographics: Members of Independent Baptist churches comprised two and a half percent of the United States adult population according to a 2008 survey. According to the same survey, they represent between ten and fifteen percent of adults who consider themselves Baptist.

church outfit

i never dress up to go to church. I'm usually in whatever i wanna wear. I've always wanted to wear my forensic science shirt to church. although, i don't think it'll go over too well. imagine a ripped, blood stained shirt with a bullet wound in the back. maybe i aught to take it up a notch. wear the blood stained t-shirt, mini skirt, arm warmers and put some funky earrings.

set up

i thought my mom would liked the friend's parents. i can't believe i set my mom with a set of parents from Darnestown. that's funny. than again Maddie set up her twin sister with a friend who doesn't watch TV. that's a pity friend. mostly since Maddie hates going to the mall.

child molestors and killers

in the prison system the child sex offenders and killers are the lowest of the low. no matter what would happen they would never go near a child. Brian David Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth Smart and when he was in jail he was beaten and the other prisoners were chanting, "This is for Elizabeth Smart!"

Sean Vincent Gillis

Sean Vincent Gillis (born 24 June 1962) is an American serial killer who stalked, kidnapped, raped, murdered, and mutilated eight Louisiana women between 1994 and 2003 in the Baton Rouge Metro and surrounding areas. He was arrested without incident at his residence on Burgin Road at 1:30 a.m. on April 29, 2004. In his initial arrest, he was charged with three counts of first degree murder and three counts of ritualistic acts in the murders of 29-year-old Katherine Hall, 45-year-old Johnnie Mae Williams and 43-year-old Donna Bennett Johnston. Gillis confessed to the murders with little coercion and then informed investigators about four other women whom he had murdered. Early life: Little is known about Gillis' early life except that he was the son of Yvonne and Norman Gillis and was born June 24, 1962, in Baton Rouge and was raised in southern Louisiana. During his 2004 first-degree murder trial for the slaying of Donna Bennett Johnston, his mother, Yvonne, testified that her son was a good, happy kid who did well in school, had friends and was generally just a normal child. In the penalty phase of the trial, while testifying for the defense, his mother is quoted as saying: "I used to call him my little blue-eyed angel. This is the person I loved most in this world." His rap sheet began in 1980, when he was 17 years old, but only showed minor infractions and little to indicate the killer he would become. Throughout the years, he was arrested for traffic citations, DUI, possession of marijuana, and contempt of court. He would not commit his first murder until 1994. Years later, after he had been arrested and convicted for some of his murders, a friend of one of his victims wrote to him. She turned the letters over to the prosecution and some of Gillis' words made it into the news. He shows remorse and says, sometimes, he doesn't know why he committed the murders. More shocking to him, however, is the mutilation of the bodies. He says he is "pure evil" and "beyond sorry" for the murders. Murders: Gillis once claimed he began killing because of "stress". His first murder, which he confessed to after his arrest, was of 81 year-old Ann Bryan in March 1994. He intended to rape her, but got frightened when she screamed as he touched her. To stop her screaming, Gillis slit her throat and then stabbed her 50 times. He left her body there at her residence, St. James Place; an exclusive retirement home in Metro Baton Rouge. In May 1999, Gillis began stalking a woman he had seen jogging in the south Baton Rouge area. He spent three weeks driving around the area looking for her. Around 5:30 a.m. on May 30, 1999, a Sunday, he saw her jogging on Quail Run Drive. Two days later the body of 52 year-old Hardee Schmidt was found in a bayou off of Highway 61 in St. James Parish. Gillis later confessed that he hit Schmidt with his car, knocking her into a ditch. He got out and placed heavy-duty wire plastic wrap tightly around her neck and forced her into the car. He drove to a park off of Highland Road and raped her. After killing her, he put her nude corpse into the trunk of his car, a white Chevy Cavalier, and left it there until dumping it two days later. Gillis would go on to kill for ten more years, the murders unconnected and his presence unknown to law enforcement. Arrest and conviction: More attention was paid to cold cases of murdered women when Derrick Todd Lee, the Baton Rouge Serial Killer, was apprehended on May 27, 2003. When certain cases could not be linked to Lee, investigators began to wonder if another serial killer had been in operation at the same time. Though Lee began his killing in 1992, between 1994 – when Gillis began his murders – and 2003 there were two serial killers silently and secretly targeting the women in, around, and just outside the Baton Rouge area. Donna Bennett Johnston, 43 years old, was his eighth and final victim. In February 2004 she was raped and strangled with a nylon tie wrap. After death, Gillis mutilated her body – slashing her breasts, cutting off her left nipple, gouging out a tattoo on her right thigh, and severing her left arm at the elbow. Her body was found February 27, 2004 in a drainage canal near Ben Hur Road, which is south of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. In letters exchanged between Gillis and a decade-long friend of Johnston's, Tammie Purpera, Gillis explains her murder and even shows remorse: "She was so drunk it only took about a minute and a half to succumb to unconsciousness and then death. Honestly, her last words were I can't breathe. I still puzzle over the post mortem dismemberment and cutting. There must be something deep in my subconscious that really needs that kind of macabre action." Tammie Purpera, who died in 2005 of complications from AIDS, turned over all of the letters to the prosecutors and they were used at Gillis' trials. After his arrest, police found 45 digital pictures, downloaded to his computer, of Johnston's mutilated body, as well of photos of her corpse in the trunk of his car. Many other photos were found of other victims, some of which were used at his various trials for first-degree murder. In the end, Gillis brutally raped and murdered eight women. He kept body parts in his home as souvenirs and photos to stimulate him as he remembered the murders. Also found in his home were newspaper clippings about Baton Rouge serial killer, Derrick Todd Lee's last victim, Carrie Lynn Yoder. He feared being "outdone" by Lee and had created a file on his computer named "DTL", Lee's initials, where he stored news and information about the serial killer. Unlike Lee, however, many of Gillis' victims were prostitutes and were caught up in the world of drugs. Gillis, when talking to detectives, showed contempt for these victims, saying they were "disposable members of society" and that he "exterminated" them. In July 2004, three months after his arrest, during a jailhouse interview with former Advocate reporter, Josh Noel, he remarked that, "It was like they were already dead to me." In April 2004, tire tracks found near the body of Donna Bennett Johnston were used to track Gillis down. The tracks were from a unique set of tires and the Louisiana State Crime Lab was able to determine the brand, model, and type of tire. They were then able to narrow it down further when they found that this particular tire was only manufactured for a three-year period, which ended in 2003. Only 90 purchases of the tire had been made in the Baton Rouge area. Soon, after obtaining a DNA swab of Gillis and matching it to evidence found on some of the victims' bodies, authorities arrested Gillis on April 29, 2004. He was charged with various crimes at different times as investigators worked to find evidence to support his confession to the other murders. Initially, he was arrested and charged for the murders of Katherine Hall, Johnnie Mae Williams, and Donna Bennett Johnston. He stood trial for these crimes on July 21, 2008 and was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison after the jury deadlocked in the penalty phase. The previous year, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was convicted in the killing of 36 year-old Joyce Williams.

Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog, originally known as The Annoying Thing, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Swedish actor and playwright Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba! (later known as Jamster), the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a two-stroke engine. The Crazy Frog spawned a worldwide hit single with a remix of "Axel F", which reached the number one spot in Turkey, New Zealand, Australia and most of Europe. The subsequent album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits and second single "Popcorn" also enjoyed worldwide chart success, and a second album entitled Crazy Frog Presents More Crazy Hits was released in 2006. The Crazy Frog has also spawned a range of merchandise and toys, and two video games. History: In 1997, 17-year-old Gothenburg student Daniel Malmedahl recorded himself imitating the noises produced by internal combustion engines. He posted this on a website and caught the attention of a Swedish television researcher, who convinced Daniel to perform the sound live on air. After it debuted on television, recordings of his performance began appearing on file sharing networks and various websites under the filename "2TAKTARE.MP3" ("Tvåtaktare" is Swedish for "two stroker"). The sound was adopted as the sound of a formula one car as early as 2001 in the form of "Deng Deng Form" and later "The Insanity Test" both of which were a static background of a Ferrari Formula One car accompanied by the sound. In late 2003, another Swede, Erik Wernquist, encountered the sound effect and, not knowing about the previous incarnations of the sound, was inspired to create the 3D animated character he named "The Annoying Thing" to accompany it. Wernquist worked on the first animation in his spare time using the LightWave 3D modeling application, and the whole process took between 6 to 8 weeks. In October 2003 he posted it on his website and on the CGTalk forum. The animation was a popular attraction at Erik's website, but the sound was credited to "Anonymous". Eventually, word reached Daniel that his impressions had been used in a now well-known animation. He contacted Erik, apparently giving an impromptu performance to confirm his claims. Erik was convinced, and gave credit to Daniel for his creation. The animation received attention through filesharing and word of mouth, and when Ringtone Europe and Jamster België (now both merged into Jamba!) got wind of this, realizing the monetary possibilities through capitalizing on the underground cult-status they licensed the rights to the creation, renaming it "Crazy Frog" and starting to market it in mid-2004. In an interview with HitQuarters Wernquist expressed his displeasure at the choice of name: "If I had known that this was going to be such a big thing I would not have allowed them to use that stupid name. It has nothing to do with the character. It's not a frog and it's not particularly crazy either." Musical history: The Crazy Frog was broadcast for the first time on Belgian Television in mid-2004. There it was marketed as Albert Motàr. "Axel F" (a remix of the 1980s Harold Faltermeyer song produced by the German band Resource), was released on 23 May 2005 and became one of the most successful singles of the year 2005. "Axel F" debuted at number one in the UK, remaining there for four weeks. Unofficial releases: On 19 March 2005, Pondlife held open auditions to find a live action Crazy Frog to star in their accompanying music video.

International Coffee Day

International Coffee Day (also known as Coffee Day or National Coffee Day) is a worldwide annual event observed on October 1 for the celebration and enjoyment of the popular beverage coffee. http://scae.com/news-and-events/international-coffee-day This day is also used to promote fair trade coffee and to raise awareness for the plight of the coffee growers. On this day, many businesses around the world offer free or discounted cups of coffee. Some businesses share coupons and special deals with their loyal followers via social networking. Some greeting card companies sell National Coffee Day greeting cards as well as free e-cards to help celebrate the occasion. History: While the exact origin of International Coffee Day is unknown, many countries around the world participate in this event. It was promoted in Japan by The All Japan Coffee Association (全日本コーヒー協会) and first celebrated in 1983. In the United States the name "International Coffee Day" originates from "National Coffee Day", which was mentioned publicly as early as 2005. The name "International Coffee Day" was first used by the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, which called a press conference on October 3, 2009 to celebrate it and to announce the first New Orleans Coffee Festival. It was promoted in China by the International Coffee Organization, first celebrated in 1997, and made into an annual celebration in early April 2001. Taiwan first celebrated International Coffee Day in 2009. Nepal first celebrated National Coffee Day on November 17, 2005. Indonesia, which first celebrated National Coffee Day on August 17, 2006, celebrates it on the same day as Indonesia's Independence Day.

Buckskin Girl

Buckskin Girl is the nickname given to an unidentified female murder victim discovered in 1981 in Troy, Miami County, Ohio. She is known for her unique hairstyle along with the tasseled suede jacket she wore. The victim may have been murdered by a serial killer in the area that had killed many prostitutes or dancers in the area, although this specific case had no indication of sexual activity. Discovery and death: She was found within 48–50 hours of her death off of Ohio State Route 65, near Greenlee Road in Troy, Ohio after police responded to a call stating that a woman's body was found along a road. However, some sources state she was found in Newton, Ohio. She had suffered trauma to the head and was strangled and her shoes were absent from the scene. Some believe she may have been a teenage runaway or a possible victim of a serial killer who had murdered multiple prostitutes in the region. However, the scene showed no signs of sexual assault, rape or other sexual activity, indicating the Buckskin Girl was not a sex worker. Description: The young woman's reddish-brown hair was braided into pigtails on both sides of her head. Her eyes were brown and she had many freckles across her face. Her personal hygiene was described to be well maintained, and all of her teeth, including the wisdom teeth, were in good condition and had no evidence of fillings or other dental work. The victim was described to have had a "normal amount" of pubic hair that was reddish-brown, indicating that she did not dye her hair. The victim had a ruddy complexion, indicating she spent a lot of time outdoors. She wore Wrangler jeans, a patterned brown and orange turtleneck pullover sweater, as well as a deerskin poncho that appeared to have been handmade with purple lining. She wore no shoes or socks. She was between 5'4" and 5'6" and weighed 130 pounds. Several scars were also found on the body, including under the chin, on one wrist, the arms and the ankle. Her bra size was 32D. Investigation: Because of the short time the victim had been deceased, it was possible to obtain her fingerprints. Her dental information and DNA were also taken. Although these three elements are considered vital for identifying a body, they have not led to her identity. Approximately ninety-five missing women and girls were ruled out as possible identities of the victim, including Tina Kemp, Pamela Harvey Rousseau and Karen Zendrosky.[1][13] The case was featured on Unsolved Mysteries in attempts to generate new leads for the case. Serial killer theory: Some investigators speculate that the Buckskin Girl was the first of many victims killed by an unidentified serial killer in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as others that had occurred in Ohio until 2004. Such a serial killer was suspected to have killed approximately seven to ten other women, presumed prostitutes and exotic dancers in Ohio. In 1991, a press conference was conducted where investigators discussed a task force that was created that connected various murders in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois. These cases were originally connected by a reporter who discovered similarities with other unsolved murders in the area. On an episode of Unsolved Mysteries the case was briefly detailed along with several other cases connected to the unidentified serial killer. Unsolved Mysteries connected the case to that of Shirley Dean Taylor, Anna Marie Patterson, Hebron Jane Doe and additional cases. All of the victims had been beaten or strangled and had some clothing or jewelry missing. The Buckskin Girl wore no jewelry and had her footwear removed and had died the same way that the other victims had. Buckskin Girl was missing shoes when she was found, yet there was no indication that she had participated in any sexual activity prior to death and was fairly well-groomed, unlike many of the other victims. Some, like the Hebron Jane Doe had participated in sexual activity before their deaths, which indicated they were sex workers. Patterson had her body wrapped in a sleeping bag and was likely stored in a refrigerated area for "nearly a month" before it was located on the side of a highway. It is thought that the women who may have been victims of the serial killer could have met with a man at a truck stop while working as prostitutes. In the case of Anna Marie Patterson, there was a suspect identified as "Dr. No" on a CB radio, believed to be between the ages of 25 and 40. Patterson's husband, who was involved with her work as a sex worker stated she stated she was uncomfortable accepting the man's requests, as other local prostitutes, some speaking over the radio, had expressed that they were suspicious of the man and did not wish to meet with him. Police suspect that the person involved with her death may have been this individual. Earlier, it was presumed that she had been a victim of a different span of killings, known as the Redhead murders, but this case was ruled out to be linked to these murders.

Freeway Phantom

"Freeway Phantom" was the name given to an unidentified serial killer known to have abducted, raped and strangled six female youths in Washington, D.C. from April 1971 through September 1972. The victims were all African-American girls between the ages of 10 and 18. Murders: On the evening of April 25, 1971, 13-year-old Carol Spinks was sent by an older sister to buy groceries at a 7-Eleven located a half-mile away from her home, just across the border in Maryland. On her way home from the store, Carol was abducted; her body was found six days later on a grassy embankment next to the northbound lanes of I-295, about 1,500 feet south of Suitland Parkway.Over a month later, on July 8, 1971, Darlenia Johnson, 16, was abducted while en route to her summer job at a recreation center. Eleven days later, her body was discovered a mere 15 feet from where Spinks was found. On July 27, 1971, 10-year-old Brenda Crockett failed to return home after having been sent to the store by her mother. Three hours after Brenda was last seen, the phone rang and was answered by her 7-year-old sister, who had waited at home while her family searched the neighborhood. Brenda was on the other line, crying. "A white man picked me up, and I'm heading home in a cab," Brenda told her sister, adding that she believed she was in Virginia before abruptly saying "Bye" and hanging up. A short time later, the phone rang again and was this time answered by the boyfriend of Brenda's mother. It was Brenda again, and she merely repeated what she'd said in the last telephone call, indicating she was alone in a house with a white male. The boyfriend asked Brenda to have the man come to the phone. Heavy footsteps were heard in the background. Brenda said "I'll see you" and hung up. A few hours later, a hitchhiker discovered Brenda's body in a conspicuous location on U.S. Route 50, near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Prince George's County, Maryland. She had been raped and strangled, and a scarf was knotted around her neck. Authorities quickly concluded that Brenda likely called her home at the behest of the killer, who fed her inaccurate information in order to buy the necessary time to perpetrate the crime, and to hamper investigation. Furthermore, one witness reported having seen one of the victims, Ms. Johnson, in an old black car, driven by an African-American male, shortly after her abduction. 12-year-old Nenomoshia Yates was walking home from a Safeway store in Northeast Washington, D.C. on October 1, 1971, when she was kidnapped, raped, and strangled. Her body was found within a few hours of her abduction, just off the shoulder of Pennsylvania Avenue in Prince George's County, Maryland. It is after this murder that the "Freeway Phantom" moniker was first used in city tabloid article describing the murders. After having dinner with a high school classmate on November 15, 1971, Brenda Woodward, 18, boarded a city bus to return to her Maryland Avenue home. Approximately six hours later, a police officer discovered her body, stabbed and strangled, in a grassy area near an access ramp to Route 202 from the Baltimore–Washington Parkway. A coat had been placed over her chest, and one of its pockets contained a note from the killer: This is tantamount to my insensititivity [sic] to people especially women. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! Free-way Phantom Authorities surmised that the note, written on paper cut from the victim's school notebook, was dictated to and handwritten by her. The Phantom's final victim was claimed almost a year later, on September 5, 1972. 17-year-old Ballou High School senior Diane Williams cooked dinner for her family and then visited her boyfriend's house. She was last seen alive boarding a bus. A short time later, her strangled body was discovered dumped alongside I-295, just south of the District line. Investigation and Evidence: The Freeway Phantom case has seen numerous investigators and much interest over the years. Numerous investigative tips came from the general public by a telephone hot line operated by the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Mail, and all leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. Some leads were easily proven not to be viable, and others required substantial investigation. The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, MD, Maryland State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Among those individuals investigated, members of a gang known as the Green Vega Rapists were considered. Those gang members were collectively responsible for numerous Washington D.C. and surrounding Maryland vicinity rapes and abductions that occurred near the Washington Beltway. Logical investigation and intimate knowledge of the modus operandi of the Green Vega Gang brought them forefront. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by M.P.D.C. Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, at Lorton Prison, Lorton, VA, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with successful prosecutions of those crimes in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. During the interviews of the Green Vega Gang members, one gang member initially implicated another gang member, who he said told him he was involved and gave information as to a beltway homicide. The implicated inmate was also serving a sentence at Lorton for the Green Vega convictions. The inmate stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed. He identified the inmate who gave him the information, the date and location of the crime, and signature detail which was not provided to the public, but which was known to the perpetrator, and to detectives. That signature information was correct. The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the Homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be true. During this period, an election was being held in Maryland, and one of the candidates publicly announced to the press, that a break had occurred in the Freeway Phantom investigation, and provided that an inmate at Lorton Prison had given the information. After that announcement, the inmate who provided the information declined any further interviews, and denied that he had ever provided any information. Unfortunately, common practice at the time was that case files at Metropolitan Police Department Detective Divisions were retained in files maintained by the Detectives assigned to the case. As a result, the Freeway Phantom case files have been lost, along with the associated notes, and all investigators assigned as primary or task force have either long retired, or are deceased. Ultimately, no investigative lead produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. However, interest in these serial killings has never faded, and this case is open as a cold case in the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Division. Suspect: In March, 1977, a 58-year-old computer technician, Robert Elwood Askins, was charged with abducting and raping a 24-year-old woman inside his Washington, D.C. home. Homicide detective Lloyd Davis proceeded to question Askins and learned that he had been charged with murder on several previous occasions. On December 28, 1938, Askins—then a 19-year-old student and member of the science club at Miner Teachers College—served cyanide-laced whiskey to five prostitutes at a brothel, resulting in the death of 31-year-old Ruth McDonald. On December 30, only two days later, he stabbed to death another prostitute, 26-year-old Elizabeth Johnson, at the same location. Upon his arrest, Askins declared to police that he was a "woman hater" and was placed under mental observation at Washington, D.C.'s Gallinger Hospital. While there, he broke free of his restraints and assaulted three orderlies with a chair before being subdued. During his trial, it was revealed that he'd been a police informant, aiding law enforcement in the arrests of prostitutes. In April 1939, Askins was found criminally insane and committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. Five months after being released in April, 1952, Askins strangled 42-year-old Laura Cook to death. He was indicted for this murder in 1954, accused of several other assaults of similar circumstance, and re-tried for the 1938 murder, it having been determined that he was indeed sane upon committing the act. Despite claiming he intended the cyanide for himself, planning suicide, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to twenty years to life. This conviction was overturned in 1958. After the 1978 rape charge, Askins' home was searched by police in connection with the Freeway Phantom murders. Court documents were found in a desk drawer in which a judge had used the word "tantamount," an uncommon word that had appeared in the note dictated by the killer of Brenda Woodward. Furthermore, colleagues at the National Science Foundation where Askins was employed reported that "tantamount" was a word that frequently cropped up in his speech. A search warrant was eventually obtained, and investigators dug through Askins' backyard. No physical evidence was obtained and Askins was not charged in connection with the Freeway Phantom killings. Askins, who died at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland at the age of 91, remained in prison for two D.C.-area abductions and rapes in the mid-70s, and had been contacted by both Davis and press regarding the Freeway Phantom slayings. He denied any role in them, adding that he did not have "the depravity of mind required to commit any of the crimes."

Oprah Chai Tea

Created in partnership with Oprah Winfrey and Teavana teaologists, this distinctive chai blend features a bold infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves, blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos. Lightly sweetened and finished with steamed milk. With the sale of each Teavana Oprah Chai product we will make a donation to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation to benefit youth education.

Refreshers

Refreshers are a new line of beverages by Starbucks that are sweetened with a blend of fruit juice and natural sweetener Stevia and caffeinated with green coffee extract, a natural (and flavorless) source of caffeine. The Refreshers line includes handcrafted fruity beverages served over ice, on-the-go powdered VIA packets, and a carbonated, canned product.

Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School

Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School is a 1988 animated made-for-television film produced by Hanna-Barbera for syndication as part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 series. Plot: Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo are on their way to a Miss Grimwood's Finishing School for Girls, where they have been hired as gym teachers. Once there, however, they find that it is actually a school for girl ghouls. The pupils include Sibella, the daughter of Count Dracula; Elsa Frankenteen, the daughter of Frankenstein's monster, Winnie, the daughter of The Wolfman; Phantasma (usually called Phanty for short), the daughter of a phantom, possibly The Phantom of the Opera; and Tanis (which is a parody of an Egyptian city), the daughter of The Mummy - all parodies/tributes to the Universal Monsters of the 1930s-40s. Other residents of the school are a floating white hand; an octopus, who is the school's butler; Legs, a spider that helps with the upcoming volleyball match; Miss Grimwood, the headmistress; and her pet dragon Matches (who dislikes Scooby at first, but later becomes friends, and has a strong friendship with Scrappy). Shaggy and Scooby wanted no part of this at first, but eventually they agreed to stay as teachers. The following morning began with the class and the new teachers taking ballet lessons. Gym class soon starts, with the intent to train the girls for their upcoming volleyball match against the boys of the neighboring Calloway Military Academy. Soon it was time to start the match. For many of the serves it was a seesaw battle. However, thanks to a device that the boys put in the volleyball allowing the boys to win, they started to pull away. But because of an accidental squirt of ketchup, the boys lose the remote, Scooby accidentally swallows the remote and it allows the girls to win instead. The girls' fathers come for Open House, but as they leave, they warn Shaggy and Scooby not to let any harm come to their daughters or they'll be in big trouble. As an additional plot twist, Revolta, the self-styled Witch of the Web, and her minion, the Grim Creeper, plan to kidnap the girls and make them her slaves, by hypnotizing Shaggy into taking the girls on a field trip to the Baron Bog. That same day the Calloway Cadets are at the bog. With the help of Revolta's spider bats, Revolta and the Grim Creeper capture the girls and Revolta makes a potion that will make them evil forever at the stroke of midnight. Scooby, Scrappy, Shaggy, and Matches, along with the Calloway cadets manage save the girls; and Revolta's plan is foiled. Despite being well liked by all their students, Shaggy and Scooby have enough of this and run away when monsters such as an alien, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Godzilla enroll their daughters at the school for the following year screaming "Like, meet us in St. Louis". As they leave, they see the girls and Matches wave them goodbye. Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy then give them a last werewolf howl before driving off into the night.

Marlee Matlin

Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Children of a Lesser God (1986), and is both the only deaf performer to win the award, and, at 21, the youngest to date. Her work in film and television has resulted in a Golden Globe award, with two additional nominations, and four Emmy nominations. Deaf since she was 18 months old, she is also a prominent member of the National Association of the Deaf. Her longtime interpreter is Jack Jason. Early life: Matlin was born in Morton Grove, Illinois, to Libby (née Hammer) and Donald Matlin (1930-2013), an automobile dealer. She has two older brothers, Eric and Marc. She lost all hearing in her right ear and 80% of the hearing in her left ear at the age of 18 months. In her autobiography I'll Scream Later, she suggests that her hearing loss may have been due to a genetically malformed cochlea. She also indicated that she is the only member of her family who is deaf. Her family was of Russian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent. Matlin had a Bat Mitzvah, and managed to read her Torah portion by learning Hebrew phonetically; she was later interviewed for the book Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories. Matlin graduated from John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and attended Harper College. In her autobiography I'll Scream Later, she described two instances when she was molested by her babysitter at the age of 11 and by her teacher in high school. Career: Matlin made her stage debut at the age of seven, as Dorothy in an International Center on Deafness and the Arts (ICODA) children's theatre of The Wizard of Oz, and continued to appear with the ICODA children's theatre group throughout her childhood. Her discovery by Henry Winkler during one of her ICODA theater performances ultimately led to her film debut in Children of a Lesser God (1986). That film brought her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and an Academy Award for Best Actress. Two years later, she made a guest appearance on Sesame Street with Billy Joel performing a revised version of Just the Way You Are with lyrics by Tony Geiss. Matlin used sign language during the song and hugged Oscar the Grouch during the song's conclusion. In 1989, she played a deaf widow in Bridge to Silence. Matlin was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her work as the lead female role in the television series Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993) and was nominated for an Emmy Award for a guest appearance in Picket Fences. She became a regular on the series during its final season. She portrayed Carrie Buck in the television drama Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story (1994) based on the United States Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell 274 U.S. 200 (1927). In the movie, Matlin played a hearing woman for the first time and earned a CableACE Nomination as Best Actress. Matlin later had recurring roles in The West Wing, and Blue's Clues. Other television appearances include Seinfeld ("The Lip Reader"), The Outer Limits ("The Message"), ER, The Practice and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for her guest appearances in Seinfeld, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Practice. In 2002, Matlin published her first novel, Deaf Child Crossing, which was loosely based on her own childhood. She later wrote and published a sequel titled Nobody's Perfect, which was produced on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in partnership with VSA Arts in October 2007. In 2004, she starred in the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!? as Amanda. She also hosted the 3rd annual Festival for Cinema of the Deaf in Chicago, October 15–18, 2004. In 2006, she played a deaf parent in Desperate Housewives. She also had a recurring role as Joy Turner's (who made many jokes of Marlee's deafness at her expense) public defender in My Name Is Earl and played the mother of one of the victims in an episode of CSI: NY. That same year, Matlin was cast in season 4 of The L Word as Jodi Lerner, a gay sculptor. She appeared in season 4 (2007), season 5 (2008) and season 6 (2009) as the girlfriend of one of the show's protagonists, Bette Porter (played by Jennifer Beals). On February 4, 2007, Matlin performed the "Star Spangled Banner" in American Sign Language at Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida. In January 2008, she appeared on Nip/Tuck as a television executive. On February 18, 2008, it was announced that Matlin would participate as a competitor in the sixth season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Her dance partner was newcomer Fabian Sanchez. Matlin and Sanchez were the sixth couple eliminated from the competition. On May 6, 2009, Matlin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On November 8, 2009, Matlin appeared on Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show, hosted by Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein. After Borstein imitated Matlin calling MovieFone and singing "Poker Face", Matlin herself appeared and launched into a comical tirade against Borstein over being made fun of, and how she was not invited to provide her own voice for Family Guy. Matlin went on to voice Stella, Peter's coworker, in the Season 10 episode "The Blind Side" which has since turned into a recurring role. In 2010, Matlin produced a pilot for a reality show entitled My Deaf Family, which she presented to various national network executives. Although they expressed interest, no network purchased rights to the show for ongoing production. On March 29, 2010, Matlin uploaded the pilot to YouTube and launched a viral marketing campaign. On July 26, 2010, Matlin signed a speech at an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She was a finalist on the NBC show The Celebrity Apprentice, competing to win money for her charity, The Starkey Hearing Foundation, finishing in second place. However, on one episode of The Celebrity Apprentice ("The Art of the Deal" aired on April 3, 2011), Matlin raised more funds than had ever been raised for charity in a single event on any television show before ($986,000). Donald Trump then donated an additional $14,000 to make the contribution an even million. Marlee also acts as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for disability rights. She currently plays the recurring character Melody Bledsoe on the ABC Family television teen/family drama series Switched at Birth. In September 2015, she made her Broadway debut in the revival production of the musical Spring Awakening. Personal life: Matlin is actively involved with a number of charitable organizations, including Easter Seals (where she was appointed an Honorary Board Member), the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, VSA arts, and the Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. She was appointed by President Clinton in 1994 to the Corporation for National Service and served as chair of National Volunteer Week. Matlin was a participant in the first-ever national television advertising campaign supporting donations to Jewish federations. The program featured "film and television personalities celebrating their Jewish heritage and promoting charitable giving to the Jewish community" and included Greg Grunberg, Joshua Malina, Kevin Weisman, and Jonathan Silverman. Matlin received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Gallaudet University in 1987. In October 2007, she was appointed to the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees. In 1988, Matlin received the Samuel S. Beard Award for Greatest Public Service by an Individual 35 Years or Under, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards. Matlin attended the 1987 Oscars to present the Academy Award for Best Actor. After signing her introduction in ASL, she spoke aloud the "names of the nominees" and of Michael Douglas, the winner. On April 14, 2009, Matlin released an autobiography, I'll Scream Later. In it she describes her drug abuse and how it drove her to check herself into Betty Ford. She also tells about her rocky, two-year relationship with actor William Hurt, who she claims was physically abusive to her and abused drugs during that time. She also addresses the sexual abuse she says she suffered as a child at the hands of her female babysitter. She enjoys a sense of humor about her deafness: "Often I’m talking to people through my speaker phone, and after 10 minutes or so they say, 'Wait a minute, Marlee, how can you hear me?' They forget I have an interpreter there who is signing to me as they talk. So I say, 'You know what? I can hear on Wednesdays.'" Marriage: Matlin married Burbank police officer Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993, at the home of actor Henry Winkler, five days after her 28th birthday. They first met while she was filming a scene from Reasonable Doubts outside the studio grounds; the police department had assigned Grandalski to provide security and control traffic. They have four children: Sarah (born 1996), Brandon (born 2000), Tyler (born 2002), and Isabelle (born 2003).

Murder of Riley Ann Sawyers

Riley Ann Sawyers, known as Baby Grace prior to her identification, (March 11, 2005 - July 24, 2007) was a two-year-old girl from Mentor, Ohio, who was beaten to death by her mother and stepfather, and whose body was subsequently discovered in Galveston Bay. At this point police began a nationwide effort to identify her, and she was known in the press under the nickname "Baby Grace" while her identity was unknown. Her identity was confirmed after her paternal grandmother, Sheryl Sawyers, notified police after seeing a composite sketch of the child. The remains were positively identified through DNA testing on November 30, 2007. Background: Riley Ann Sawyers was born at Geauga Regional Hospital (now University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center) in Claridon Township, Geauga County, Ohio, to Robert Thomas Sawyers and Kimberly Dawn Trenor. Her mother was a sophomore at Mentor High School, and became pregnant at age fifteen. Robert Sawyers was a former student at Mentor High School, until he dropped out during his junior year. The family lived with Robert's mother Sheryl in Mentor, where Sheryl was Riley's primary caregiver. It was also during this time that Robert and Riley's mother Kimberly Trenor grew apart and were no longer a couple. They all continued to live in the same home and Riley's father began dating a woman named Catherine Priester. The two would later marry and have a son named Braden together. In October 2006, alleging physical abuse and having filed domestic violence charges, Robert left the home and Trenor continued to live in the home with her daughter and Sheryl Sawyers until May 2007. Trenor moved with her daughter to Spring, Texas, at the end of May 2007 to marry Royce Clyde Zeigler, Jr. The two had met while playing on the online game World of Warcraft, and they married on June 1, 2007, in Harris County, Texas. Zeigler believed Riley should be disciplined to say "Sir" and "Ma'am" to adults, and that corporal punishment was the best means of disciplining a child. Believing that Trenor was not properly administering the beatings herself, Zeigler took over. Death: Accordingto a videotaped confession and signed affidavit from Trenor, on July 24, 2007, she and Zeigler beat Riley with two leather belts and held her head underwater in the bathtub. She also said Zeigler picked her daughter up by her hair, threw her across the room, which caused her to slam her head into the tile floor. Finally Riley, hurt from the beating, was unable to stand when ordered to do so. “She didn’t have control of her legs,” Trenor said. When they realized Riley was dead, Trenor and Zeigler went to Wal-Mart to purchase a plastic Sterilite storage container, wrapped Riley in garbage bags, and stuffed her corpse inside the container. They kept the container in a storage shed for approximately two months before dumping it into Galveston Bay, where it was discovered by local fisherman Robert Wayne Spinn on October 29, 2007. A coroner discovered skull fractures and the investigation proceeded as a homicide. Shortly before Thanksgiving in 2007, Zeigler attempted suicide via overdosing on blood pressure medication and prescribed anti-depressants. He left a suicide note stating: "My wife is innocent of the sins I committed". However, he later claimed during his trial that he was in another room of the house when Riley had died, so could not have been guilty. Trenor and Zeigler eventually took responsibility for Riley Ann's death, initially charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence. Trenor said that the death was accidental—"a case of discipline that went too far." On January 14, 2008, the cremated remains of Riley Ann Sawyers were turned over to her family in Ohio, after a Texas judge ruled that samples taken during the autopsy would be sufficient evidence for trial. Murder convictions: Trenor was convicted of capital murder on February 2, 2009. It took the jury 90 minutes to reach a verdict. Trenor received a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 38 years. Zeigler also faced charges of capital murder as well as evidence tampering. On November 6, 2009, he was convicted of capital murder and received an automatic sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, because the state did not seek the death penalty. Zeigler, Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) #01605580, is currently incarcerated in the Powledge Unit. Previously he was incarcerated at the Allred Unit. Trenor, TDCJ# 01549893, is incarcerated in the Mountain View Unit. Her first parole eligibility date is November 24, 2047.

uneven legs

I have uneven legs. Its a complication of my back disorder. It sucks so bad since I can't change it. I also have uneven feet. Makes it harder on me

addiction

Addiction is not a good thing. I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to caffeine. Just in 2 days I'm irritable, can't sleep, have massive headaches and crave it. On the upside, no more muscle spasms.

how you doing?

I was at the beach once and asked someone how they were. I was like this is unreal. I can communicate

1st day of school

Everybody is excited about the first day of a new year. Even in church. Everyone went crazy. My brothers aren't excited about it. Michael joked saying that he was saying goodbye to the things he did

red dress

I look amazing how in red. When my mom finds something red she buys it. It goes well with my hair. I have this 1 red dress that is awesome

why?

Why did I want to have the ability to dye my hair? I like my hair color but I want to dye it funky colors when I want to.

too much make up

Too much make up is something guys don't like. I tried to wear makeup and it was a disaster. I had on: tinted moisturizer, lipstick, brown eye shadow, and body glitter. I thought I looked OK but I had to go to the bathroom and wipe it off. When I came out I sighing because I like make up. If I could trade wearing makeup for the ability to dye my hair I'd do it in a heartbeat

too much mascara

I had WAY too much mascara on today. The reason I know that is because when I closed my eyes and I tried opening them they stuck.

earrings

I have tons of earrings. I could've changed my earrings more often but I was lazy. A kid I used to work with asked me why I apparently only have 2. I was lazy. If I'm required to I'll wear prettier ones. I have dangly earrings, studs, hoops, Chandler etc. I have 1 that looks like a hearing aid in the sense that it goes from my lobe to my cartilage

roll outta bed head and church

Today, I went to church with roll out of bed head and too much mascara. I wonder if that is a bad thing. No one noticed

too much?

Is there such a thing as too much jewelry or make up? I know wearing too much is obvious but OWNING too much is my question. I have 20 rubber wristbands, 16.5 dangly earrings, 15 stud earrings, 5 or 6 necklaces and 5 or 6 regular bracelets. I have 8 lip glosses, 4 eye-shadow 2 lipstick and 1 pallet.

scoliosis

I suffer a back condition called scoliosis. Its not painful most of the time but occasionally it hurts. I have 2 points in my back so it looks like an S. I've managed but it isn't easy to do so.

make up

I'm going out Tonight and I am going to wear makeup. It's hard for me to wear it since I am naturally pretty. I tried to wear makeup but I was told to wipe it off. I was sad since I put the make up on.

peanut butter and jelly

I like eating peanut butter and jelly. It's a vegetarian option I like

upset

I lost my wallet and I apparently have a bad attitude about it. Now I get annoyed with the brother who bugged me

mascara

I can only wear mascara and lip gloss and if I wear more I'll be asked to wipe it off. Occasionally, I'll wear more mascara than necessary

homicide hunter

I love homicide hunter. I got into it last year and I have been obsessed ever since

lol

I have a friend who could not go 5 minutes without checking her reflection in the mirror

snack

A snack should be light and never a meal. I someone on a health show that for a snack ate a burger chicken nuggets and French fries. The French fries are a snack

chain messages

Most people hate chain messages. Its stupid stuff. I'm unsure if I like them or not

sleep and caffeine

If I cut back on the coffee I drink I might lose some weight. I bet that if I don't drink it I might lose something though, what I'm unsure. I might be cranky, tired and sleep more

my family tree

I love the stubs on Disney channel. I especially like "my family tree" since I'm part Asian American

national bow tie day

National bow tie day? Wow nice. I think they look a little stupid but if you like it go for it

Murder of Tammy Alexander

Tammy Jo Alexander (previously known as the Caledonia Jane Doe or "Cali Doe") was a homicide victim found in the town of Caledonia, in New York's Livingston County, on November 10, 1979. She had been shot twice sometime during the previous night and left in a field just off U.S. Route 20 near the Genesee River in the eastern end of town. Her body was discovered the next day, but she was not identified until 2015, over 35 years later. Tan lines on her upper body led investigators to believe that she had come to the Caledonia area from a distant, warmer locale. While most evidence at the scene had been washed away by heavy rain that night, forensic palynology, or the analysis of pollen in her clothing, suggested she had spent time in Florida, southern California, Arizona or northern Mexico prior to her death. Later analysis of isotopes in her bones lent further support to this geographic clue. During the years when she remained unidentified, her case was well-publicized by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office, which continued to investigate the case, processing thousands of leads and tips from the public. John York, one of the first deputies to respond to the original crime scene, made the case a priority during his quarter-century tenure as sheriff. Serial killer Henry Lee Lucas at one point confessed to the crime, but like many other such high-profile crimes he claimed to be responsible for, the confession was never considered credible. She was buried in a cemetery in Dansville a village in the southern part of the county. Alexander was finally identified as the result of efforts by a school friend of hers from Brooksville, Florida, to locate her in the 2010s. Unable to find her on social media or through other conventional means, she turned to Alexander's family, who told her that Tammy, who often ran away from home, had not been seen or heard from since the late 1970s. In 2014 they filed a missing persons report with the Hernando County, Florida, sheriff's office; shortly afterwards a CPA and artist from El Segundo, CA, who had painted one of the reconstructions of the unidentified girl's face saw the report online and, noting the similarities, contacted the Livingston County sheriff. A mitochondrial DNA match with one of Alexander's living relatives was made early in 2015. Death and discovery: On the morning of November 9, 1979, a farmer in Caledonia, 23 miles (37 km) southwest of the city of Rochester, New York, saw red clothing in one of his corn fields near the Genesee River, about 20 feet (6 m) from the south side of U.S. Route 20, and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) west of Route 20's split with New York State Route 5. He went to investigate, believing that he had spotted a trespassing hunter. Instead, in the field he found the body of a young girl. The body, later named "Caledonia Jane Doe" or "Cali Doe" by investigators, was fully clothed. It showed no signs of sexual assault. She had died from severe hemorrhage caused by two gunshot wounds, one to the head over the right eye and one to the back. The wound to the head indicated she had apparently not turned or flinched, as is common when one is shot in the head. Instead, the entry wound suggested complete, if horrified, surprise. Her pockets had been turned inside out, suggesting that any identification she carried had been removed. The autopsy indicated that she had first been shot in the head while next to the road bordering the corn field, at or near a blood spot found on the ground. Her body was then dragged into the corn field, where she was shot again in the back and left for dead. Heavy rains on the night of her death washed away much potential forensic evidence. Characteristics: Cali was believed to have been between the ages of 13 and 19 (born sometime between 1958 and 1967). The height and weight of the victim were estimated to be 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) and 120 pounds (54 kg), respectively. She had brown eyes and wavy, light brown shoulder-length hair that had been frosted in the front about four months prior to her death and was growing out. Her hair appeared to have been recently dyed from blonde to brown. Her toenails were painted with coral-colored polish. She had visible tan lines from a halter top or bikini, suggesting that she may have come from a region with abundant October–November sunshine, as sun tanning beds were uncommon in the 1970s, and upstate New York is not generally warm or sunny enough to wear halter tops for periods sufficient to develop that tan during that period. There were freckles on the backs of her shoulders and acne on her face and chest. The teeth were in natural condition, with no restorations or fillings. It did not appear as if she had ever received dental care. Some of her permanent first and second molars suffered from severe dental caries (cavities and decay). Consistent with her young appearance, none of her permanent third molars (wisdom teeth) had erupted. Her blood type was A-. A few hours before her death, she had eaten sweet corn; potatoes; and boiled, canned ham. This was possibly from a diner in nearby Lima, where a waitress had seen her eating with a man. Clothing and jewelry: The girl was wearing a red nylon-lined man's windbreaker jacket with black stripes down the arms, marked inside with the label "Auto Sports Products, Inc.", a boy's multicolored plaid button-up shirt with collar, tan corduroy pants (size 7), blue knee socks, white bra (size 32C), and blue panties. She wore brown rippled-sole shoes. The red Auto Sports Products jacket was produced as a one-time promotional item and could not be traced after distribution. She also wore a silver necklace with three small turquoise stones. The necklace had a homemade appearance and resembled replica Native American jewelry made in the southwestern United States. Attached to the girl's pants' front belt loops were two metal keychains, one shaped like a heart with a key-shaped cutout and inscribed with the words "He who holds the Key can open my heart", the other shaped like a key meant to fit the cutout in the heart. The keychains were sold at vending machines along the New York state Thruway, leading investigators to conclude that she and her killer had traveled that route. Pollen evidence: In 2006, after the 2005 exhumation of the body, Paul Chambers, a recently hired investigator in the Monroe County, New York medical examiner's office, which handled that aspect of the case since Livingston County, where Caledonia is located, lacked the resources, asked for and received permission to send her clothing to the Palynology Laboratory at Texas A&M University, where it was checked for plant pollen trace evidence. Among the types of pollen found on the clothing by the Texas A&M University researchers were grains from Casuarina (Australian pine, or "she oak"), Quercus (oak), Picea (spruce), and Betula (birch). The clothing pollen grains were compared to a control sample of pollen grains taken directly from the rural New York site where the body had been found in 1979. Oak grows widely all over the United States, and spruce and birch grow in New York, among many places in the United States. However, no oak, spruce, or birch pollen grains were found in the control sample, and neither spruce nor birch trees were found growing near the body dump site. The spruce and birch pollen on the unidentified body came from species common in mountainous areas of California. Australian pine is an invasive genus of tree that grows in a limited number of locations in North America: south Florida; south Texas; parts of Mexico; the campuses of the University of Arizona and Arizona State University; and three regions in California: the North Bay of San Francisco, the San Luis Obispo area, and the San Diego area. The tree cannot survive the autumn and winter seasons in the temperate climate of western New York, where the body was found. She or her clothing could not have acquired the Casuarina pollen grains at the dump site. Researchers believed the southern California and San Diego region to be the best geographical pollen print match location for the grains from the clothing. Based on the pollen evidence and the girl's visible tan lines, forensic researchers suggested that she may have been living in the southwestern United States near San Diego, California, then traveled (perhaps by hitchhiking) through the Sierra Nevada mountains where spruce and birch grow, passing through Reno, Nevada, and then traveled across the country to New York. A 2012 reexamination of the grains concluded, once again, that they could have only originated from California, Arizona or Florida. Other details: Police believe the murder weapon to have been a .38-caliber handgun. Investigators located a spent slug in the dirt underneath the unidentified girl's body, which they compared forensically to hundreds of other bullets fired from confiscated weapons. Despite the efforts of investigators to trace weapons from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Mexico, the slug has not been matched to a specific gun. The subject seen with Tammy was a white male between the heights of five feet eight and five feet nine inches tall. He was seen driving a tan station wagon and wore black wire-rimmed glasses. In the hope that she could eventually be identified by a DNA match with any living relatives, the body was exhumed in September 2005 to extract DNA. The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification was able to produce nuclear STR (nucDNA) and mitochondrial (mtDNA) profiles of her DNA via forensic DNA profiling. Her DNA profiles were stored in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database that allows United States public crime laboratories to compare and exchange DNA profiles in order to identify criminal suspects and crime victims. When she was exhumed, several of her teeth were sent for mineralogical and forensic isotope analysis, to connect the composition of her teeth with the composition and mineral content of regional drinking water supplies around North America, allowing investigators to determine where she may have been raised. Early results on the dental 18O/16O isotopic oxygen ratio indicated that she may have spent her early years in the south/southwest region of the United States. In 1984, Henry Lee Lucas confessed to the murder of the unidentified girl, without identifying her. Investigators found no sufficient evidence to support the confession. The case received national attention, appearing on such television shows as America's Most Wanted. Later in the 1980s, John York, who had been one of the first Livingston County deputy sheriffs on the scene in 1979, was elected sheriff. He served in the job until 2013, always ensuring the investigation remained active. Identification: The remains were finally identified as Alexander in 2015, 35 years, 2 months and 15 days after she was found. A high school classmate who had known her in Brooksville, Florida, was trying to find her. She was eventually led to Alexander's half-sister, Pamela Dyson, of Panama City. Alexander had often run away from home, but Dyson found that no one in her family knew anything of Alexander's whereabouts since one of those departures sometime between 1977 and 1979. Unable to find any trace of her any other way, Dyson and the classmate became concerned that Alexander might have fallen victim to a crime at some point since then. In August 2014, Hernando County sheriff's office told them no missing persons report had been filed (Dyson, a child at the time, disputes this, saying her parents did indeed make a report, but speculates that given Tammy's history of running away and returning police may not have taken it seriously). They filed a new report. Shortly after it was posted in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), Carl Koppelman, a California artist who has created reconstructions from unidentified corpses, came across the report on Alexander when he reviewed new reports for WebSleuths.com, a website he runs where volunteers attempt to solve cold cases, including those of unidentified corpses. In 2010 he had sketched the Caledonia Jane Doe, and in September 2014, when he saw the new listing for Alexander, he immediately recognized that Alexander and the victim were the same person. He emailed the Livingston County sheriff's office and told them. In January 2015 the Monroe County medical examiner's office, the NamUs regional administrator, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office tip line and told them of the strong resemblance. In January 2015 the Monroe County medical examiner's office found that mitochondrial DNA from the body matched that of Dyson. A week later the Livingston County sheriff, Thomas Dougherty, announced at a news conference that the body had been identified after 35 years. "We knew this day would come," said York, who had retired as sheriff two years earlier. He called it "bittersweet." Dougherty, his successor, said the investigation would now focus on finding out who killed Alexander. "We've always said one of the biggest parts of solving this case is knowing the victim," Dougherty told the media. "This case is burning hot ... "We're going to be working it harder than ever." York later stated that over ten-thousand leads had since been investigated in the case.[29] The FBI has also posted billboards throughout the country as an attempt to gain information from the public. The Livingston County Sheriff Department also stated that many more tips have been submitted since the victim's identification and had also stated that they had developed knowledge of the events that led up to Alexander's arrival in Caledonia. The department has also released information that Alexander had ties to a "prison ministry" in Young Harris, Georgia that specializes in working with individuals "on probation or parole." Dyson said the family would keep Alexander buried in the Dansville cemetery where she had been buried for so many years, and hold services there for her. "I'm truly glad for the closure," she said. "But it hurts to know she died that way. It's terrible, nobody should have to be shot and dragged out into the woods." The Dougherty Funeral Home, in Livonia, stated it paid to have the "Jane Doe" headstone removed and property replaced with one that reads "Tammy Jo Alexander" with a public service in spring 2015.[32] Such ceremony took place on June 10, 2015, where the new headstone, reading the victim's name and lifespan, was revealed. Approximately one hundred family and community members attended. Sister's recollections: Tammy's half sister, Pamela Dyson, believes that Tammy was leaving a turbulent household, one in which a pill-addicted mother could fly into volatile rages and temper tantrums. "She did prescription drugs," Dyson said of her mother, Barbara. "She was suicidal. I think she had issues back then that they didn't diagnose." Tammy, who was a waitress at a truck stop, had a history of running away. A woman who was a friend of Tammy when both were teenagers has said that the two once traveled all the way to California together, riding with truckers. The friend's parents then paid for airline tickets for their return, Dyson said. Until the realization that "Cali" was Tammy Jo Alexander, Dyson lived with the belief that her sister had escaped her home and made a new life somewhere with a husband and children. She imagined Tammy Jo in a serene and loving household, a domesticity representing the polar opposite of her young life. "I thought she just wanted to go away and start all over," Dyson said. Dyson also urged family members of missing people to enter the subjects into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, as such action assisted with Alexander's identification. Tammy's mother, Barbara Jenkins, died on January 17, 1998. Her obituary accurately listed Tammy Alexander as deceased.

Murder of Tammy Vincent

Tammy Vincent was an American teenager who was murdered in September 1979. Her body was not identified until 2007, twenty-eight years after her murder. Despite the fact that her identity was discovered, the case remains unsolved, although a prime suspect has been selected. It is believed she may have been a victim of the notorious Green River killings, which have an approximate number of 49 victims. Gary Ridgway has since pleaded guilty to most of these killings, plus six additional murders. However, Vincent's case has not been officially solved. NCIS cast member Pauley Perrette collaborated with the popular television show America's Most Wanted in 2009 to work on solving the case. Circumstances: After spending her life on a farm, she was seventeen years old when she had run away from home and later was possibly involved in prostitution as a way to survive. An explanation for her departure was due to the fact of being sent to a foster home after conflict with her biological family members. She was native to Seattle, Washington, United States. Murder: Vincent reportedly contacted her sister in summer 1979, explaining her wish to return home. This was the last time she was heard from. The body was found on September 26, 1979 in Tiburon, California. Vincent was beaten, shot in the head, and stabbed 43 times; her remains were severely damaged after being set ablaze after acetone was poured on the body. Witnesses reported seeing a van speeding away from the scene. Upon the discovery of the remains on a beach, examiners could not identify the body. It is believed that she was murdered due to the fact that was going to testify against an organized crime leader in court. The night prior to Vincent's murder, a teen matching her description was seen accompanying a white man purchasing an ice pick as well as acetone, which were likely the same items used to murder her. After her body was found, examiners could only determine her eye color, height, weight, sex, and dental characteristics. At the time of death, she wore a black shirt, beige pants decorated with blue and red, and high heels. Identification: In efforts to identify Vincent, the body was exhumed in 2002 and was transported to Richmond, Virginia for further examination. The Center for Missing and Exploited Children created a composite image from her skull, which has been done on countless other unidentified decedents. Various other reconstructions have been created prior to the work done by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2007, DNA samples from Vincent's mother and sister were matched to the DNA of the remains. Because Vincent's head was severely burned, detectives were unable to collect hair samples; instead, hair from the pubic region was used to carry out the DNA test. She was cremated on August 7, 2007 and was laid to rest by her family later that month. Her ashes were flown from California to her family in Washington by detective Steve Nash, who had worked on the case since 1988. Since Vincent's identification, three other Green River victims remain unidentified.

Murder of Jaclyn Dowaliby

Jaclyn Marie Dowaliby (May 17, 1981 - September 14, 1988) was an American seven-year-old girl who disappeared from her bedroom in the middle of the night. Her body was found five days later. Disappearance: On September 10, 1988, seven-year-old Jaclyn was taken from her home in Midlothian, Illinois at some point in the middle of the night. The next morning, her mother, Cynthia Dowaliby reported her as a missing child, possibly an abduction. Police reportedly found a broken window, but it may have been a phony entry area as her adoptive father, David Dowaliby later recalled the back door left open. The police investigation was below par as it is widely believed even in 2014 that the police failed to properly preserve the crime scene, thereby obstructing justice. Search parties were organized, but for five days, Dowaliby was nowhere to be found. Death and legacy: On September 14, 1988, Dowaliby's body was found abandoned at a dump site six miles away from her home. An autopsy revealed she had been killed the night she went missing. Police suspected Cynthia and David. In 1990 they were put on trial for her murder. Cynthia was acquitted but David was convicted on eyewitness testimony which placed him at the scene where her body was found. In 1991, an appellate court overturned his conviction, ruling that there was no more evidence against him than there had been against Cynthia. Nobody else has been arrested or convicted for her murder. As of June 2015, no further arrest has been made in connection with Dowaliby's murder. Gone in the Night: In 1996, a television film was released, entitled Gone in the Night. It was based on Dowaliby's disappearance and murder, and starred Kevin Dillon and Shannen Doherty as David and Cynthia.

Murder of Skylar Neese

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Neese (February 10, 1996 – July 6, 2012) was an American girl who disappeared from her home in Star City, West Virginia around midnight on July 6, 2012. Neese's remains were found on January 16, 2013, in Wayne Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania. On May 1, 2013, teenager Rachel Shoaf pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, telling authorities that she and another teenager, Shelia Eddy, planned and carried out Neese's murder. Neese's disappearance led to new West Virginia legislation that made changes to the Amber Alert missing child alert system. Background information Victim: Skylar Annette Neese was the only daughter of Mary and Dave Neese. Mary Neese worked as an administrative assistant in a cardiac lab and Dave Neese was a product assembler at Walmart. Skylar was an honors student at University High School who wanted to become a criminal lawyer. She worked at Wendy's with two close friends. Perpetrators: Shelia Eddy (born September 28, 1995), commonly called Shelia Rae by her family, is the only child of Tara Clendenen and Greg Eddy. Shelia was born in Blacksville, West Virginia. Her parents divorced in 2000 when her father got into a car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury and permanent disability. Tara struggled as a single mother, working as an accountant for a car dealership. In October 2010, Tara moved with her new husband, Jim Clendenen, to Morgantown, West Virginia, where Shelia started attending University High School and became an honors student. Rachel Shoaf (born June 10, 1996) grew up in Morgantown. She is the only daughter of Rusty and Patricia Shoaf. Rachel regularly volunteered with the Special Olympics and was also an honors student at University High School. She had a passion for acting and singing, participating in many school plays. Disappearance: On July 5, 2012, Neese returned to her family's Star City, West Virginia apartment after working a shift at a fast food restaurant. She disappeared from her home that night. Apartment complex surveillance video showed the teenager leaving the apartment by the window at 12:31 A.M. on July 6, 2012 and getting into a sedan. Neese's father said that she did not take her cell phone charger, that her window was left open, and that she planned on coming home. Murder: Skylar Neese's best friends, Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf, convinced Skylar to sneak out in the middle of the night with them to ride around town and smoke marijuana. Skylar, who had recently fallen out with the two girls, was hesitant. After a series of phone calls and texts from Shelia and Rachel, Skylar changed her mind and was convinced to go with them. At 12:31 A.M., after Shelia's silver Toyota pulled up by her apartment, Skylar climbed out of her window via a small bench she had put by her window earlier. She climbed into the back seat of the car and the three girls headed north from Star City on U.S. Route 19. They planned to turn onto Route 7 when they saw a State Police car parked in front of a gambling lounge. Not wanting to get caught as underage girls out past curfew, they turned around and headed back to Star City and took an alternate road to Blacksville. They eventually arrived at their destination on Morris Run Road in Pennsylvania, a long dirt road surrounded with woods, a place familiar to all three girls where they would occasionally smoke marijuana on the way to and from Shelia's father's house. Shelia and Rachel each concealed a kitchen knife Shelia had provided under their clothes. In the trunk was hidden paper towels, bleach, Handi Wipes, clean clothes, and a shovel Rachel had stolen from her father's house. The girls stepped out of the car for a smoke but Shelia's lighter didn't work, so Skylar went to retrieve her lighter from the car. As soon as Skylar turned her back, Rachel began counting to three—a premeditated signal—and the two girls began stabbing Skylar. Skylar attempted to run but didn't make it very far until Rachel tackled her to the ground and continued to stab her. At some point, Skylar managed to grab the knife from Rachel and leave a three-inch gash just above her right ankle. That's when Rachel stopped stabbing but Shelia kept going. They stopped counting after fifty stabs. The only word Skylar managed to muster during the vicious attack was, Why? over and over again. When they were certain Skylar was dead, they retrieved Rachel's shovel and dragged Skylar's body to the side of the road where they tried to bury her near a creek, but the soil was too rocky so instead they covered her body with rocks, fallen branches, and dirt. After disposing of Skylar's body, the girls returned to the car to clean up with the Handi Wipes and towels they brought and put their bloody clothes in a trash bag and donned clean clothes. The murder, disposal of Skylar's body, and clean-up took three hours. Investigation: For months police investigated several unproductive leads in Neese's disappearance.[6] Neese was initially considered to be a runaway by law enforcement authorities, and an Amber Alert was not immediately issued in connection with her disappearance.[4] An early tip indicated that Neese had been seen in North Carolina, but the Star City Police Department determined that the individual spotted was not Neese.[7] Neese's parents posted fliers about their missing daughter in the Monongalia County region. Police determined that the unknown sedan in which Skylar Neese was last seen belonged to one of her friends and interviewed her. The friend (Shelia Eddy) admitted picking up Neese but stated that she had dropped her off an hour later. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police joined the search for Skylar Neese on September 10, 2012, and began interviewing Neese's school friends. A major break in the case was made when Rachel Shoaf admitted plotting with fellow teenager Shelia Eddy to kill her.[6][10] Dave Neese stated that these two girls were among his daughter's best friends, and that Shelia Eddy had even helped the family look for her by distributing missing person fliers. After her confession, Rachel Shoaf led investigators to Neese's body. On March 13, 2013, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II released a press release stating that a body found in Wayne Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania on January 16, 2013 had been identified as the remains of Neese. Neese's remains were found less than 30 miles away from her home. Criminal charges: On May 1, 2013, Rachel Shoaf pleaded guilty to second degree murder. According to the court transcript, Shoaf said that she and Shelia Eddy picked up Neese in Eddy's car. The girls drove to Pennsylvania, got out of the car, and began socializing. At a pre-arranged time, Shoaf and Eddy stabbed Skylar to death on the count of three. The teens attempted to bury Neese's body, but were unable to do so and instead covered the body with branches. The court transcript indicates that other students overheard conversations between Shoaf and Eddy about the murder plot, but failed to report it, thinking they were joking. According to Shoaf's plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree by "unlawfully, feloniously, willfully, maliciously and intentionally causing the death of Skylar Neese by stabbing her and causing fatal injuries". In the plea agreement, the State of West Virginia will recommend a sentence of forty years incarceration. Shoaf's family issued a public apology for her actions through their lawyer. On September 4, 2013, West Virginia prosecutors publicly identified Shelia Eddy as the second alleged perpetrator of the murder of Skylar Neese and announced that she would be tried as an adult. Eddy was indicted by a grand jury on September 6, 2013 with one count of kidnapping, one count of first-degree murder, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. Shelia Eddy pleaded not guilty to these charges. The date of the trial was originally set for January 28, 2014, but on January 24 – four days prior to the trial – Shelia Eddy changed her Not Guilty plea to Guilty to first degree murder with mercy. As a result, Eddy was sentenced to life imprisonment, with parole eligibility after she has served 15 years. Following her guilty plea on May 1, 2013, Rachel Shoaf was remanded on charges of second degree murder and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on February 26, 2014, with parole eligibility after she has served 10 years. Skylar's Law: An Amber Alert was not issued in Neese's disappearance because the circumstances did not meet all four criteria for an alert to be issued: (1) That a child is believed to be abducted; (2) The child is under 18; (3) The child may be in danger of death or serious injury; and (4) There is sufficient information to indicate the Amber Alert would be helpful. A waiting period of 48 hours had to elapse before a teenager could be considered missing. A West Virginia state legislator from the Neese family home district introduced a bill called Skylar's Law to modify West Virginia's Amber Alert plan to issue immediate public announcements when any child is reported missing and in danger, regardless of whether the child is believed to have been kidnapped. Opinion columns appeared in both West Virginia and national media in support of Skylar's Law, some of which also acknowledged criticism and drawbacks of the legislation. On March 27, 2013, the West Virginia House of Delegates approved Skylar's Law with a 98-0 vote. On April 12, 2013, the West Virginia State Senate unanimously passed the law, but made minor technical changes to the bill which the House of Delegates voted to accept on the same day. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the legislation into law in May 2013. National media attention: On May 31, 2013, Anderson Cooper 360 covered the story of Skylar Neese's murder. On March 7, 2014, Dateline NBC aired an episode entitled "Something Wicked" which chronicled the story of Skylar Neese's murder. On March 10, 2014, the Dr. Phil show covered Skylar's story. Her parents Dave and Mary were both present, as were two women who described themselves as "second mothers" to Rachel Shoaf. On April 12, 2014, Lifetime aired Death Clique, a fictional drama inspired by the story of Skylar Neese's murder. On July 18, 2014, ABC's 20/20 covered Skylar's story in the episode called "Unfriended". On October 22, 2014 Lifetime's show I Killed My BFF covered Skylar's story using parent and friend commentaries in an episode titled "Real Life Heathers". On November 14, 2014 Investigation Discovery's show "See No Evil" covered Skylar's story in an episode titled "Skylar Neese". The show uses the real-life surveillance video of Skylar to piece together the last few hours of her life. First person interviews with her family, friends, and the investigators are used, along with limited dramatic recreation.