Saturday, November 17, 2018
Buster from Chicago
Buster from Chicago was a pseudonym used for a mobster and freelance hitman of the 1930s. He is alleged to have played a key role in the Castellammarese War as the assassin of Giuseppe Morello and others. Some claim that Buster was gangster Sebastiano Domingo, notably Bill Bonanno, the son of Bonanno crime family leader Joseph Bonanno, who participated in the War. Others charge that Buster is a character created by Joe Valachi to evade his responsibility for various killings.
Life as hitman: Buster's crime companions knew little of his background, other than that he was from Chicago. Joe Valachi, mobster turned government informant, described Buster as a "college boy" in appearance and claimed he carried a Tommy gun inside a large violin case. While working with the unknown assassin, Valachi noted his exceptional skill with a wide range of weaponry including pistols, shotguns and machine guns. Contrary to Valachi's story that has him hiding a Tommygun in a violin case (the Thompson won't fit in a violin case), Buster did carry a sawed-off, 12 gauge pump shotgun in a guitar case. Buster's first murder assignment for Salvatore Maranzano was to kill Giuseppe Morello. On August 15, 1930, Morello and Joseph Perrano were shot dead in the former's East Harlem office. Two gunmen were seen fleeing the scene. Some accounts claim that Albert Anastasia and Frank Scalise were the shooters that day, although Valachi wrote that Buster was responsible. Buster was also responsible for the deaths of top Masseria lieutenants Alfred Mineo and Steve Ferrigno, gunning them down with his guitar-cased shotgun as they walked through the courtyard of a Bronx apartment complex on November 5, 1930. As his accomplices, Girolamo "Bobby Doyle" Santuccio and Nick Capuzzi, fled the scene, Buster allegedly ran into an investigating patrolman who had heard the gunfire. In the guise of a frightened bystander, Buster told the officer the direction of the shooting and calmly walked away as the officer rushed to the scene. Joe Valachi then picked up the three assassins and sped them to safety. On February 3, 1931, Buster was stationed in a basement apartment on Belmont Avenue in the Bronx in order to watch for Giuseppe Catania aka Joe the Baker. As his quarry left a store across the street with his wife, Buster opened fire. Catania fell mortally wounded and Buster made a clean getaway in the commotion that followed. Buster was supposedly proud of the fact that, despite the wide blast pattern of his shotgun, Catania's wife was unharmed. Although he survived the Castellammarese War, Buster was distrustful of the new mob regime. According to Valachi, Buster wanted to continue fighting against Lucky Luciano because "They'll take us away, one by one." After this, according to Valachi's McClellan Committee testimony, Buster "was killed during an argument at a crap game."
Sebastiano Domingo: Sebastiano Domingo was born in 1910 in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily. Sebastiano's nickname was Bastiano (hence Buster), and he also used the alias of Charles Domingo. In Valachi's unpublished memoirs, he claimed that Buster from Chicago, "is Castellamarese (sic) and that's why the old man got him to join in with us." Domingo and his family immigrated to America in 1913 and settled in Chicago's Little Italy. The family lived on Oak Street, near the infamous Death Corner that was the scene of many Black Hand-related murders. By 1920, the Domingo family was recorded as living on a farm near Benton Harbor, Michigan. Bastiano's older brother Tony was a member of a small fraternity of Castellammare families that sold illegal alcohol in the Benton Harbor area. Tragedy marked Domingo's stay in Michigan. On December 31, 1925, Bastiano's six-year-old niece Matilda was accidentally shot and killed by her ten-year-old uncle Leo DiMaria, who had been playing with a revolver he found in the cushions of a couch. Eight months later two of Domingo's cousins, Sam and Frank DiMaria, lost their lives in a distillery accident. On October 22, 1927, Bastiano's sister-in-law Mary Domingo was killed by a car bomb apparently meant for her estranged husband Tony. He and 17-year-old Bastiano shot up a local social club where the alleged bomber, Louis Vieglo, was hiding. Both were arrested before they could kill their target. Bastiano told the police that he was Tony Domingo's brother "Charles". By late 1928, the Domingo family had returned to Chicago. On August 29, 1929, Tony Domingo was shot to death while eating in an Ogden Street restaurant operated by Pasquale Spilotro (father of future Chicago mobster Tony Spilotro). Bastiano had been seen hanging out in the neighborhood with his brother in the weeks before Tony's murder. The elder Domingo's killer was never positively identified. By the spring of 1930, Bastiano had moved in with relatives in Westchester County, New York. The youthful (and mostly unknown) Sebastiano Domingo was ready to join the Maranzano family. On May 30, 1933, Sebastiano "Bastiano" Domingo was playing cards with a few others at the Castle Cafe in Manhattan's Lower East Side. As they were, four gunmen barged inside and opened fire on the card players. An eyewitness reported that one of the triggermen yelled, "You bunch of rats," just before the bullets began flying. Police found Domingo dead on the sidewalk outside the cafe and five other men wounded. One of the victims, Salvatore Ferrara, eventually died of his wounds. Over 200 friends and relatives attended the dual funeral at St. John's Cemetery on June 3, 1933.
Joe Valachi: In A Man of Honor (1983), mob boss Joseph Bonanno identifies Buster as Sebastiano Domingo: According to Bonanno: Bastiano, or Buster, was the quickest to set up and the best shot among us. He could shoot from any angle and from any direction. His specialty was the machine gun, with which he was a virtuoso. Bonanno's description of Buster is different from Valachi's. Bonanno's Buster is short instead of tall like Valachi's. Allan May argues that Buster is a character invented by Valachi to avoid acknowledging his own role in the killings of Mineo and Ferrigno. Valachi was inducted as a "made man" immediately after these killings. Furthermore, according to May, there was no obvious motive for the mob to induct him at this point. However, it must be remembered that Bonanno was attempting to recall and describe comparative height after 30 years, and a photograph allegedly of "Buster" printed in Joseph Bonanno's book shows a man of medium height. Moreover, May himself did not attempt, he argued because of this issue over the height of Buster, to research the broader revelation made by Bonanno that "Bastiano" Domingo was, indeed, the fabled Castellammare War gunman. In addition, Maranzano had a strong motive to induct Domingo into his crime family in November 1930, from observing his highly effective role in the previous murders of Manfredi Mineo and Steve Ferrigno, top men in the Masseria mob.
Sad
A friend said he'd call the other day but didn't. I'm so sad. I understand stuff happens but it would be nice to meet someone newish.
Evolving tastes
I'm a prime example of things evolving. I'm super into simple things but love patterns purple and jeans.
Baggy jeans
I tell my mom my true successes are more like my jeans being looser on me. I'm losing weight. My jeggings are loose on me and its AWESOME. I got some jeggings size 18 and 12 and now the size 12 are loose on me. I'm happy
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Dardeen family homicides
On the evening of November 18, 1987, police went to the mobile home of Russell Keith Dardeen, 29 and his family outside Ina, Illinois, United States after he had failed to show up for work that day. There they found the bodies of his wife and son, both brutally beaten. Ruby Elaine Dardeen, 30, who had been pregnant with the couple's daughter, had been beaten so badly she had gone into labor, and the killer or killers had also beaten the newborn to death. The killings had apparently taken place the day before. Investigators at first believed that Keith was the prime suspect. However, that theory was discredited the next day, when his body was found in a nearby field. He had been shot and his genitals mutilated; his car was found parked near the police station in Benton. Forensic examination showed he had been killed within an hour of his family. Residents of Jefferson and Franklin counties, who were already fearful after more than 10 murders had taken place locally in the preceding two years, became even more so. Many armed themselves; some suffered adverse psychological effects. Rumors held that the killings were the work of Satanists; police soon ruled that out as well as other causes from illicit behavior such as drug dealing, marital infidelity or gambling. But the crime scene also ruled out rape or robbery as associated incident crimes, and in the absence of any clear cause or leads the crime remained unsolved. No suspects were identified in the quadruple homicide until the 2000s, after serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells, following his conviction and death sentence for murdering a teenage girl in Texas, claimed to have committed the crime. However, he was never charged since prison authorities there would not let him leave the state to assist police in Southern Illinois with their investigation, and they as well as the Dardeen family have doubts about his account of the killings. The case is otherwise cold.
Background: Both Dardeens went by their middle names. Keith, a native of Mount Carmel, bought the trailer in 1986 after completing the training required for his job as a treatment plant operator at the Rend Lake Water Conservancy District's nearby facility. Elaine, who was from Albion, a little closer to Ina, moved there later with their 2-year-old son, Peter. They rented the land it sat on from a nearby farming couple. Keith worked; his wife found a job at an office supply store in Mount Vernon, the Jefferson County seat. When not working, the couple were part of the musical ensemble at a small Baptist church in the village. Keith sang lead vocals while Elaine played the piano. In 1987 Elaine became pregnant with the couple's second child. They had decided to name it either Ian or Casey depending on whether it was a boy or a girl. The pending addition to the family had led Keith and Elaine to strongly consider moving; by late in the year they had put the mobile home up for sale. However that was not the only reason for the move. According to Joeann Dardeen, Keith's mother, he had said he would move back to Mount Carmel even if he were unable to find a job there before doing so, as he regretted ever having moved to Ina, telling her that that area was becoming too violent. There had been 15 homicides in Jefferson County during the previous two years, starting with those committed by Thomas Odle, a Mount Vernon teenager who had killed his parents and three siblings as they individually returned to the house one night in 1985. Though Odle, as well as some of those charged with murder in the other cases, had been convicted, residents of the rural area had become fearful and stressed. A friend of Keith said that, after a 10-year-old girl had been raped and murdered in the area in May 1987, Keith became so protective of the family that one night, when a young woman came by the mobile home asking if she could make a phone call, he refused to let her in.
Discovery of bodies: On November 18, Keith, who had been a reliable worker at the treatment plant, did not report for his shift. He had not called to inform his supervisor that he would be unable to come in, and calls to his house went unanswered all day. His supervisor called both of Keith's parents, who were divorced but still lived near each other in Mount Carmel. Neither of them knew what could have happened to their son. Don Dardeen, Keith's father, called the Jefferson County sheriff's office and agreed to drive down to Ina with the house key and meet deputies at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, between Illinois Route 37 and the former Illinois Central Railroad tracks, now used by Union Pacific, just north of the Franklin County line. Inside they found the bodies of Elaine, Peter and a newborn girl, all tucked into the same bed. Elaine had been bound and gagged with duct tape; both had been beaten to death–apparently with a baseball bat found at the scene, a birthday gift to Peter from his father earlier that year. Elaine had been beaten so severely that she had gone into labor and delivered a girl, who soon met with the same fate as her mother and brother. Keith was not present, nor was his car, a red 1981 Plymouth. Investigators assumed he had killed his wife and children and was at large. A team of armed police went to his mother's house in Mount Vernon looking for him. The search ended late the following day, however, when a group of hunters found his body in a wheatfield not far from the trailer, just south of the county line, near Rend Lake College. He had been shot three times; his penis was also severed. The Plymouth was found parked outside the police station in Benton, 11 miles (18 km) south of the Dardeen home, its interior spattered with blood.
Social effect: News of the killings made area residents even more fearful than they had already been. Many residents began going about their daily business with shotguns visible in their vehicles' gun racks. After high school basketball games, students would wait in the school building for their parents to come in and accompany them to the parking lot for their ride home instead of socializing outside as they normally did. Early reports from police about the crime were limited, and sometimes contradictory, allowing rumors to spread. The two counties' respective coroners differed on whether Keith had died of a head injury or been shot; among those who reported the former, it was said that it had been inflicted when he was dragged from a car. The circumstances under which Elaine gave birth, perhaps posthumously, to her short-lived daughter, gave rise to stories that Casey (as the family called her) had been ripped from her mother's womb. Along with the mutilation of Keith's genitals, this supported speculation that Satanists were active in the area and had performed a ritual sacrifice of the family. The crime was also posited to be the work, along with three other local unsolved murders, of a regional serial killer. Dr. Richard Garretson, a family physician who doubled as the Jefferson County coroner, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in early December that many of his patients talked to him about the case and how it had disturbed them. One man who said he lived a half-mile (900 m) from the Dardeens' trailer told Garretson he was having difficulty sleeping and had lost 14 pounds (6.4 kg) as a result of the stress. Also unable to sleep was the Dardeens' landlords' daughter, who told her parents years later that she kept her bedroom light on and read all night out of fear. Robert Lewis, the Franklin County coroner, felt a lot of the fear was unjustified. "I don't think there is a rational basis for the near hysteria", he told the newspaper. "The people are frightening each other". People were so afraid, he said, that if someone ran out of gas in the county he would not seek assistance in any nearby homes but would instead walk to the nearest highway and hitch a ride.
Investigation: Local police agencies joined forces with the Illinois State Police to investigate the crime. A total of 30 detectives worked full-time following leads and interviewing 100 people. None of what they found proved fruitful. A man taken into custody early on was released after being questioned; likewise, a coworker of Keith's he reportedly had been having a dispute with was cleared. No one who knew the couple had anything bad to say about them. A small quantity of marijuana was found in the trailer, but not enough to suggest they were involved in dealing. Police even believed the marijuana might have been inadvertently left behind by the killer or killers. The autopsies found no drugs or alcohol in any of the victims. The coroners put the time of death for all the Dardeens at within an hour of each other. The bodies in the trailer had been killed 12 hours before they were found, and Keith Dardeen had been dead for 24 to 36 hours when he was found. Resolving this question, however, made it harder to determine how the crime had been committed, since Keith's body was found away from the trailer, and he may have been killed at that location rather than with his family. At the trailer, the killer or killers had apparently taken the time to not only tuck Elaine's body into bed along with her children's bodies but also to clean up the scene, suggesting they did not feel any urgency to leave. The amount of effort involved led police to theorize that the crime may have taken place at night, since the trailer on Route 37, a busy state highway, but also because it could be seen at the time from Interstate 57 almost 2,000 feet (610 m) to the west. It was also an open question as to whether there was one killer or not.
Possible motives: It was also hard to determine what the motive of the assailant(s) might have been. The back door had been left open; there was no evidence of forced entry. A VCR and portable camera were in plain sight in the living room. Elsewhere in the house equally accessible cash and jewelry remained. These facts argued against robbery as the motive. Elaine had not been raped or sexually assaulted. Police also found no evidence of any extramarital affairs involving either Keith or Elaine that might have motivated the other party to a jealous rage. A stack of papers with sports scores found in the house led them to wonder whether Keith might have incurred gambling debts. Joeann Dardeen told police her son was so frugal that he raised money for his young son's college fund by reselling 50-cent cans of soda at work for a small profit. Despite the widespread fear the case engendered, Lewis, the Franklin County coroner, did not believe the Dardeens were randomly chosen. "I believe it was a very personal, deliberate thing", he told the Post-Dispatch. A police expert on cults told the newspaper that the rumor that Satanists were responsible was untrue since such groups often mutilated bodies more extensively, harvest organs, and leave symbols and lit candles at the scene of their crimes. None of those had been found at the Dardeen's trailer. Police did allow, however, for the possibility that while the Dardeens were chosen purposely, it may have been a case of mistaken identity by the killer or killers. Joeann Dardeen said later that she had considered other motives someone might have had for killing her son and his family. "I think someone wanted Keith to sell drugs and he refused," she said in 1997. "Or there's a possibility someone liked Elaine and she wouldn't accept his advances and he took out his rage on both of them ... We just don't know".
Continuing efforts: Eventually, the police exhausted all leads and had to start working other cases. Two FBI profilers came to the area to review the evidence. They were able to make some suggestions, but generally found the crime defied the sort of analysis they typically did. Joeann Dardeen worked to keep the public from completely losing interest. Throughout the 1990s she regularly called the one detective still assigned to the case with possible leads she had learned of, or requests for any news he could share. She gathered 3,000 signatures from area residents on a petition to The Oprah Winfrey Show, asking producers to do a segment on the killings of her son and his family. They turned her down, saying the crime was too brutal for daytime television. America's Most Wanted had a similar reaction at first, but then changed its mind and ran a segment in 1998. The show did not generate any new leads. Police were briefly interested in Mexican-born serial killer Ángel Maturino Reséndiz, then known by his alias Rafael Resendes Ramirez, after he surrendered to authorities in Texas in 1999. He often traveled around the country by hopping freight trains, choosing his victims near the tracks they traveled and often beating them to death. While those elements suggested the Dardeen killings, authorities in Illinois were never able to connect him to the crime.
Apparent Tommy Lynn Sells confession: Another serial killer in Texas would soon bring himself to the attention of the investigators in Illinois. On the last day of 1999, Tommy Lynn Sells cut the throats of two girls near Del Rio, Texas. One survived and helped police identify him; he was eventually convicted and sentenced to death for that murder and another one earlier in 1999, where he had killed a girl in San Antonio. While he was awaiting trial on the first murder charge, he began confessing to other murders he had committed while drifting around the country, sometimes by hopping freights as well. One was the Dardeen family. Sells said he did not remember the details of all the crimes he admitted to, which he describes as a coping strategy from the sexual abuse he endured as a child in the Missouri Bootheel, but he did remember that one. In the mid-1980s, Sells was living primarily near St. Louis, roughly 90 miles (140 km) northwest of Jefferson County, and making money from working at traveling carnivals and fairs, as a day laborer, or through theft. For the latter pursuit, he often hitched rides on truckers or hopped freights without any particular destination in mind. "Anywhere a ride was going I was heading that way. Might be in Illinois today and Oklahoma tomorrow", Sells explained later. It was through those modes of transportation that he became familiar with the Ina area. On one trip through Jefferson County in November 1987, he claimed in 2010 to have met Keith at a truck stop near Mount Vernon or, in a different retelling, at a local pool hall. In both versions, he says, Keith invited Sells home for dinner. After the meal, Sells was simply planning to move on, but then Keith allegedly triggered his anger by sexually propositioning him, in one account to a threesome with Elaine. He forced Keith at gunpoint to drive to where his body was found, killed and mutilated him, then returned to the trailer to kill Elaine and Peter, who were witnesses, although he says it was at the time the result of uncontrollable rage that Keith's alleged sexual offer had set off in him. "I was just so pissed off that I took it to the maximum limit ... Rage don't have a stop button". He implied that it explained why he had killed the infant Elaine had delivered during the crime as well. In a third version, Sells dispensed with the encounter with Keith and the sexual proposition entirely. According to that account, he got off a freight he had hopped near Ina. When he saw the Dardeen trailer with its "For Sale" sign, he saw an opportunity for a killing. After drinking beers and waiting for the right time, he knocked on the door and told a wary Keith he was interested in buying the trailer. He then overpowered Keith, made him bind and gag his wife and son with duct tape, and forced him to drive his car to the nearby field at gunpoint, where he sliced Keith's penis off, telling him he was going to take it back to Elaine, then shot him and left it there. At the trailer he raped Elaine, then beat Peter, Elaine and the newborn to death. After cleaning up he drove Keith's car to Benton.
Doubts about truthfulness: To some investigators, Sells' 2014 execution by Texas was justice for the Dardeens as well. He was never charged with their murders, but, "he remains the No. 1 suspect", Jefferson County state's attorney Douglas Hoffman said, a week after the execution. Sheriff Roger Mulch agreed. The county deputy sheriff who interviewed Sells in his Texas cell says he knew details of the crime that had been kept confidential. But even they agree that Sells may have added details to his story, as he was known to do, something that has left considerable doubt about many of the killings he confessed to. Other investigators are less sure. While Sells' account is consistent with the general facts of the case, they say, most of what he told them had previously been reported publicly. When Sells was asked about some information that has been withheld from media accounts of the killing, he seemed less reliable. His claim as to which seat of Keith's Plymouth he was shot in is belied by the evidence. And when asked how Elaine's body was positioned, he at first answered incorrectly, then correctly, which may merely have been a lucky guess. "I know people got their doubts", Sells said in his 2010 interview with The Southern Illinoisan. He responded to some of them: "They say there's no physical evidence tying me to Dardeens, but there wasn't for any of them because they wasn't looking for me. I moved. I was always a transient". Police in Texas confirmed Sells was responsible for 22 murders, but came to believe that, in conscious imitation of another Texas serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, he was trying to avoid the death penalty by confessing to crimes he had not committed and taking advantage of the judicial system's gratitude. Their counterparts in Illinois thus wanted to take Sells to Ina so they could see how well he knew the area and the locations relevant to the crimes; he claimed he could lead them to missing evidence. However, Texas law does not allow prisoners on death row to be taken out of state, and authorities there were unwilling to find a way to make an exception. So Duncan declined to file murder charges for lack of sufficient evidence. Doubts about Sells' confession are not limited to local law enforcement. Friends and family have issues with some of his claims. For one, they doubt that Keith would have invited home someone from out of town whom he had just met to even have dinner with the family, especially given the heightened fear in the area after all the killings over the preceding two years. "If he wouldn't let a young girl in to use the phone, he wouldn't let a 22-year-old man in", said a friend, referring to Sells' age at that time. They also find Sells' claim that Keith made a homosexual advance to him unlikely. They had never perceived him as even possibly having an interest in his own sex, and police did not find any evidence of that during their initial investigation. The detectives who interviewed Sells believe that if he did kill the Dardeens, he invented that detail to make the crime seem more justified; in confessing to other crimes, he often included similar stories to make it seem like the victims had provoked him.
Joeann Dardeen's change of opinion: Joeann Dardeen's position on Sells' guilt has evolved. In 2000, when the confession was first reported, she told the Chicago Tribune that she was as certain as the police that he was the suspect. She believed only talking to him could clear up any lingering doubts. "I have always wanted to know every detail", she said. "Some people may think that's gory. But when someone does something to (my family), I want to know why". Seven years later, on the 20th anniversary of the killings, a year after Sells' initial execution date had been stayed so a federal appeals court could consider a question about his mental state, she said she was "99 percent sure", and expressed again her interest in possibly talking to Sells. "There's just a little bit of doubt there. Not that he didn't do it; I'm wondering if maybe somebody helped him". In his 2010 interview, Sells was skeptical of what such a conversation might accomplish. "Joeann wants to talk to me. If she wants to come here and talk to me, scream at me, yell, kick me, hit me, she should have that right", he said. But he said that no apology he could make could possibly give her closure. "Sorry ain't gonna cut it. So what is there to say? I could tell her sorry every day the rest of my life. It's not going to stop her pain, and one thing I do know about is pain, and it don't go away". The two never did talk. By the time of Sells' 2014 execution, Joeann had come to believe he was not the man who killed her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. "I wanted him to stay alive until I know positively he didn't do it", she told the Associated Press shortly afterward. "The things he said do not match up with what I know about Keith", she told Pat Gauen, the Post-Dispatch reporter who had originally covered the case in 1987. "A lot of people think it's done and over with, but to me it's not".
attentive
a friend who hosted a party a few weeks ago was super attentive to me. he asked if i wanted anything, had me pour color changing stuff into a fire and walked me out when i left.
Pike County, Ohio shootings
The Pike County, Ohio shootings took place on the night of April 21–22, 2016, when eight people – all belonging to the Rhoden family – were shot and killed in four homes in Pike County, Ohio, near the village of Peebles, 60 miles (97 km) from Columbus, and 90 miles (140 km) from Cincinnati. Their bodies were found later on April 22. Seven of the victims—six adults and a 16-year-old boy—were discovered to have been shot execution-style in three adjacent houses, while the eighth victim, an adult, was found shot to death in his camper in nearby Piketon. Three young children, including two infants, were left alive during the killings. At least two shooters are believed to be responsible. Investigators believe the murders were premeditated, and that the perpetrators were known to the Rhoden family. On April 25, the Ohio Attorney General's office confirmed the presence of marijuana growth and cockfighting operations at some of the crime scenes, but did not confirm a direct connection to the killings. The ensuing investigation soon became the largest in Ohio's history. In November 2018, four members of the Wagner family, known to the Rhodens, were arrested in Ohio and Kentucky, and charged with the eight murders.
Details: The bodies were first discovered after Bobby Jo Manley, a sister of victim Dana Rhoden, came to feed pets at the homes. Police were first alerted after receiving a 9-1-1 call about two bodies inside a home on Union Hill Road, at 7:51 a.m. EDT. Before the police arrived, Manley discovered two more bodies in the second home on the property. Her brother, James Manley, went to check on their sister Dana, and discovered the third crime scene. The police found three victims when they arrived. At 1:26 p.m., a 9-1-1 call reported an eighth body, that of a male adult, at a fourth residence in the nearby village of Piketon. Three young children—ages three, six months, and four days—were unharmed during the shootings, with the four-day-old being found in bed with her mother's body. Seven adults and a 16-year-old were among those slain. The four-day-old and the six-month-old were placed under protective services, and the three-year-old was put under the guardianship of his mother, who was not involved in the shootings.
Victims-
The eight victims were identified as:
Christopher Rhoden Jr.
Christopher Rhoden Sr.
Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden
Dana Lynn Rhoden
Gary Rhoden
Hanna May Rhoden
Hannah Hazel Gilley
Kenneth Rhoden
Autopsies: The bodies of the victims were taken to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office in Cincinnati, where autopsies found that all but one of the victims were shot multiple times. Four of the victims were shot once, twice, or three times; one was shot four times; two were shot five times; and the eighth suffered a total of nine gunshot wounds. Death certificates released on May 28 clarified that six of the eight victims were shot in the head only; the other two, Christopher Rhoden Sr. and Dana Rhoden, were also shot in the head, but Christopher also suffered gunshot wounds to the torso and limbs, and Dana was also shot in the neck. Bruising was also found on some of the bodies, indicating the victims were beaten as well. Some of the victims were found shot in their beds. From the number of gunshot wounds on the victims' bodies, an estimated total of 32 shots were fired during the killings. The offices of the county coroner and the Ohio Attorney General announced that the full final autopsy reports will not be released to the public, citing security concerns. However, amidst lawsuits by media outlets, the coroner's office released heavily redacted versions of the final reports on September 23. The full autopsy reports were publicly released by order of the Ohio Supreme Court on September 19, 2018.
Services: On April 28, Gary Rhoden was the first of the victims to be buried, with his funeral proceedings being held in South Shore, Kentucky. Hannah Hazel Gilley was the next to be buried, on May 1 at Otway, Ohio. Funerals for the remaining victims took place on May 3 at West Portsmouth. A high amount of security was present during the May 3 funeral service. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine approved more than US$20,000 to help pay for the funerals.
Reactions: Ohio Governor and 2016 U.S. presidential candidate John Kasich, who was briefed on the killings, described them as "tragic beyond comprehension". Cincinnati-area businessman Jeff Ruby (namesake of Jeff Ruby Steaks) offered a reward of US$25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the shootings. On April 28, 2016, Ruby withdrew his reward, citing "recent complex criminal developments" in a post on Twitter. A proper reward of US$10,000 was later authorized on May 10, but announced by authorities ten weeks later on July 21 due to a "miscommunication and a misunderstanding" about public notification. On September 23, prompted by the lawsuits, the coroner's office released heavily redacted versions of the final reports.
Investigation-
Early stages: Police believe that more than one shooter may be responsible for the killings, since two of the crime scenes were within walking distance, a third located about a mile away, and the fourth about eight miles away. Investigators briefly considered the possibility of a murder–suicide, but it was discredited as none of the victims' deaths appeared to be suicides. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine stated that the killings were planned, premeditated, and "a sophisticated operation", citing the efforts taken by the shooter or shooters to cover up their tracks and remove any incriminating forensic evidence. All of the victims were members of the Rhoden family. Surviving family members were urged by police to take precautions, and all residents of Peebles were advised to stay inside their homes the following night. An investigative task force of at least 100 members, led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI), was assembled.More than 251 law enforcement officials were involved in the investigation overall, and sheriffs from 25 offices across Ohio offered to provide resources to Pike County. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration provided technical expertise to DeWine's office. At least five search warrants were executed, and more than 50 people were interviewed in connection with the killings. 79 pieces of evidence were examined, including a Facebook threat aimed at Christopher Rhoden Jr., which was posted before the shootings.
Discovery of marijuana and cockfighting operations: On April 25, a spokesperson for DeWine's office also confirmed that marijuana was discovered at the three crime scenes on Union Hill Road, including an indoor grow house in which hundreds of marijuana plants were being grown, as well as chickens and equipment consistent with breeding chickens for cockfighting. An estimated total of 200 marijuana plants were recovered from the crime scenes and are believed to have been grown for sale and not for personal use. It is currently unknown if the marijuana was connected to the shootings, though investigators confirmed the possibility of the involvement of a Mexican drug cartel. Marijuana problems are a common occurrence in Pike County: in 2010, 22,000 marijuana plants were seized by authorities in Latham, 15 miles west of Piketon; and a major marijuana growth site was discovered by police in August 2012, with about 1,200 marijuana plants being destroyed by investigators. In both cases, police suspected connections to Mexican drug cartels. On April 26, Dana Rhoden's father, Leonard Manley, stated that the victims knew their killer(s), citing the presence of Dana's two protective dogs. There was no indication that the dogs tried to attack anyone during the shootings, and there were no signs of forced entry at any of the crime scenes. Manley, who was not involved in the shootings, also said his daughter had no involvement in the exposed marijuana operations, saying that "they are trying to drag my daughter through the mud, and I don't appreciate that." Some family members have acknowledged Kenneth and Christopher Rhoden Sr. growing marijuana, but added that they were unaware of any high-volume growth occurring.
Seizure of victims' properties: On May 3, following the funerals of the last six victims, authorities towed away at least three vehicles from property belonging to the Rhoden family; a spokeswoman for Mike DeWine said they were towed "as part of the investigation". Additional vehicles were towed the next day as well. They were all dropped off at the base of operations set up by the investigative task force. As of May 12, more than 500 tips were submitted during the investigation and 128 interviews were conducted. On May 12, DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader announced the state's intention to relocate the mobile homes where the killings occurred to a secure location, in order to preserve evidence and protect the mementos of the Rhoden family. Three of the homes were taken to a property in Waverly, where the investigative task force set up their command center, while the fourth would arrive at a later time due to complications in removing it. As of October 6, the homes were being stored in a warehouse that was once part of a chemical processing company. On November 24, dozens of family vehicles and farming equipment, which were seized and investigated earlier in May, were returned to the victims' relatives.
August 2016–January 2017 developments: On August 4, during a court hearing relating to the custody of the 6-month-old and 4-day-old children left alive, Sheriff Charles Reader confirmed investigators' early suspicions that more than one shooter was involved in the killings. He also said that the two children remained in "grave danger" because of the investigation, and that the investigation was possibly the largest in the BCI's history in terms of manpower and resources. On August 13, KVIA-TV incorrectly reported that two men arrested in Hatch, New Mexico, for the shooting death of a police officer were also suspected in the Rhoden familicide. The men, in reality, were suspected of another shooting death in Londonderry, Ross County, Ohio. DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles S. Reader issued a statement saying that they were unaware of a link between the case and the New Mexico arrests, that there was no evidence confirming it, and that New Mexico authorities had not contacted them about a suspected connection. KVIA later retracted the error. On August 20, DeWine announced new information regarding the investigation. He confirmed family and community members' suspicions that the perpetrators were familiar with the victims, their homes, and the surrounding area. He also announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies had become involved with the investigation. In addition, DeWine speculated that residents in the area have more knowledge than what they are sharing with investigators. On August 23, officials in Kenton County, Kentucky, located about 100 miles from Pike County, reported similarities between the Ohio shootings and a double homicide in Kenton County that occurred two weeks before. The victims, a well-known drug dealer and his girlfriend, were found fatally shot execution-style in their bed. The uncaught Kenton County killers, who were believed to be familiar with the victims' home, also left any children in the house unharmed. A total of 770 tips had been submitted to investigators as of September 23, according to court documents released on October 7. On September 28, WXIX-TV reported that the Rhoden family houses, all seized by the state as part of the investigation, were not being guarded properly. A news team had spent six weeks, starting from August 14 and ending in late September, watching the warehouse. Their surveillance reportedly turned up an absence of uniformed officers guarding the building, as well as a lack of security cameras and an unlocked, open main gate. DeWine responded to the claims, calling them "ludicrous" and asserting that the evidence was preserved and is not compromised. Reacting to the report, a former prosecutor from Hamilton County criticized the inadequate security measures and said, "Any evidence that they would pull out of that thing would be virtually useless." On October 1, DeWine said that investigators were getting leads in the case and that the state had enough physical evidence for prosecution. He also appealed to the public, explaining that there are people who know more about the shootings. On November 14, Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader issued a statement urging people with knowledge of the killings to come forward. He followed up with a second statement threatening to arrest anyone who may be obstructing the investigation, including relatives, family friends, and neighbors. Reacting to the second statement, Dana Rhoden's father, Leonard Manley, said that he "held nothing back" during the investigation. Following his reelection to the position of sheriff, Reader reiterated this belief and added that people may be scared of providing information. On January 20, 2017, DeWine, on behalf of the Ohio Victims of Crime Compensation Program, denied a request by family member David Weisel to recover lost compensation related to the massacre.
Wagner family: On May 12, 2017, a SWAT team from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office raided a Pike County home approximately 10 miles from the site of the murders. Police originally stated they were searching for suspects in the murders; however, it was later clarified they were looking for evidence in the case and not suspects. Police also searched an Adams County property once owned and recently sold by Edward "Jake" Wagner, an ex-boyfriend of victim Hanna Rhoden and father of her 3-year-old daughter, but not the father of her 4-day-old daughter who was unharmed during the killings. On June 20, 2017, Ohio police announced that they were seeking additional information on Jake Wagner, as well as his parents Billy and Angela and brother George. The family is believed to be living in Alaska now and police want to learn of interactions that members of the public had with the family, specifically conversations pertaining to vehicles, firearms and ammunition. On November 13, 2018, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that George "Billy" Wagner, Angela Wagner, George Wagner IV, and Edward "Jake" Wagner had been arrested and charged with planning and carrying out the murders.
Media lawsuits against coroner's office: On July 22, 2016, the Cincinnati Enquirer filed a lawsuit against the Pike County Coroner's Office, asking for the full autopsy records of the victims. On August 12, 2016 a similar lawsuit was filed by The Columbus Dispatch. In both cases, DeWine called for mediation, which attracted criticism and accusations that it was a mere delay tactic. A lawyer representing both newspapers said there was no legal basis for law enforcement's withholding of information from the public. In a filing on September 6, 2016, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine responded to The Columbus Dispatch's lawsuit against the coroner's office, saying: Public release of information known only to law enforcement and the killer(s) directly threatens the success of the investigation. Among other consequences, releasing this type of information impedes investigators' ability to separate genuine leads from fake, which wastes resources; makes it difficult to analyze confessions, which are fact-checked against information known only by investigators; and devalues information provided by witnesses who come forward after public release. On September 19, 2018, the Ohio Supreme Court overturned a lower court's refusal to release the autopsy reports that the Cincinnati Enquirer had sued to release and the reports were made public to the media.
Arrests: As of November 13, 2018, the suspects accused of murdering eight family members in Ohio are now in police custody. 47-year-old George "Billy" Wagner, III was arrested in Lexington, Kentucky. The suspects are all members of the Wagner family from South Webster:
-George "Billy" Wagner III, 47 (father), was arrested in Fayette County, Kentucky
-Angela Wagner, 48 (George's wife) was arrested at her home in Scioto County
-George Wagner IV, 27 (son) was arrested during a traffic stop in Ross County
-Edward "Jake" Wagner, 26 (son) was arrested along with his brother during a traffic stop in Ross County
-Rita Newcomb, 65, of South Webster, mother of Angela Wagner and Fredericka Wagner, 76 of Lucasville, mother of Billy Wagner, are accused of perjury and obstructing justice for allegedly misleading investigators; Newcomb also is charged with forging custody documents to cover up the crimes.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
weird
so i've had a strong of elders have minor attractions that included asking if i was ok or if i needed anything
getting better
if any of you have seen my video scoliosis in which i talk about my scoliosis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XQRB1cJ4jA) and how it affects me i'm getting better. granted i had an accident during a muscle spasm and falling down the stairs. i'm OK but as i was doing my physical therapy my muscles weren't as severe as they'd been healing.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
don't look alike
my brothers and i don't look 100% alike. the most is our hair and glasses but that's it.
weird
so i get a text from my brother saying his friend who goes to the same campus as i do wants to meet me. i'n like, "alright. i'll meet this person." i get the guy's information and call him immediately. turns out i've met him and occasionally seen him in the campus library.
Saturday, November 10, 2018
scary
i love scary videos. my favorites are from channels like: Rob Dyke, Criminally Listed and Mr. Nightmare. they're terrifying and my parents understand i can tolerate carnage better than they can.
i'm not leaving you
what i implied to my friend when she was upset over losing our mutual friend. she was crying and held my hand a ton. she cried a lot and hugged a ton of people, me included.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Clocaenog Forest Man
“Clocaenog Forest Man” refers to an unidentified murder victim found in the Clocaenog Forest in Denbighshire, Wales in November 2015. The body had lain undiscovered for over 20 years and despite extensive investigations by North Wales Police, national and UK appeals and input from a notable serial killer the identity of the body and the murderer(s) remain a mystery.
Discovery of the body: The remains were found on the evening of 14 November 2015 by two brothers. Andrew and Mark Middle were camping in Cloceanog Forest during the 2015 Wales Rally GB which they were spectating. it was dark and Mark was using a torch to look for firewood in the woods when he found a skull on the forest floor and after a closer inspection realised it was human. The skull was covered in moss was largely concealed by the undergrowth. The North Wales Police were notified of the discovery at 20:35. A local officer attended the scene and concluded that the brothers had found the fully decomposed remains of a human male. Based on tree growth, body decomposition and the fact that the area of the forest were the victim was found was planted in 1985, the police believe that the body was deposited between 1995 and 2005. The remains were found close to one of the Clocaenog sections of the rally and near to Pentre-llyn-Cymmer and Llyn Brenig. The deposition location of the body was easily accessible as it was only few meters from two forest roads. The location of the discovery was known to be near to the murder and burial location of Edward Carthy who, at 28, was the youngest victim of serial killer Peter Moore. Moore later claimed that Clocaenog Forest Man was found in ‘exactly the same place’ as Edward Carthy.
Initial investigation: After the discovery, the police started a large scale search of the forest which took five weeks. The police uncovered an almost entire skeleton of a human male. The majority of the skeleton was discovered beneath in dense trees and undergrowth a few meters away from the location of the skull. The remains were removed two days after the discovery and taken away to be examined by a pathologist. A DNA profile was extracted from the skeleton. No match was found in the UK national DNA database or the UK Missing Persons Unit. Biologists and forensic anthropologists gathered samples and evidence from the undergrowth in an attempt to date the body. A pathological investigation indicated that the man died from a blunt trauma to the head. Police established that it was likely that the man was murdered in an unknown location between 2004 and 2010 and the body dumped in location where it was found.
Description of the victim: It is likely that the man would have been born before 1950 and aged over 54 at the time of his death and most likely in his 60s. He would have been 'well built' in life and would have had a height of between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10.5in (1.73-1.78m). The victim had an injury to his spine, fused vertebrae, a broken nose and possible injury to his left wrist. He had arthritis and an inflammatory condition in his spine and other joints. In life, the victim would have experienced pain and reduced movement.
The victim had lost a number of teeth during life which would have resulted in sunken cheeks. All the victims posterior molar teeth were absent which suggests that he was not dentally aware early in his life however this appeared to be followed by a sudden change of circumstance due to extensive dental work of very high quality completed later in life. Police stated that the victim had undergone two identifiable dental procedures in life. The first was that the victim had a number of crowns to his front teeth, work which appeared to have been done in the UK between 1980 and 2000. The second procedure was an uncommon procedure; a remedial filling to a temporary plastic crown which had been badly worn. John Rosie, a forensic odontologist, stated that as the dental work was highly distinctive and involved specialist work it could allow a dentist to identify the victim. Information regarding the victims dental work was published in dentistry journals by the police. Some items of clothing were found near to the body but it could not be confirmed that they were associated with the victim. These items were; a dark-green Pringle jumper and some dark-red decomposed Marks and Spencer underwear. The underwater was manufactured in 1999 and Pringle of Scotland confirmed that the jumper was produced between 2000 and 2004.
Subsequent investigations: In June 2016 the police released a photograph of the victims jawbone in the hope that dentists may recognise their dental work and therefore identify the victim. The police also announced that they were undertaking familial DNA research. On 26 September 2016 police released images showing how the man could have looked when he was alive at the ages of 50, 60 and 70 on the BBC Crimewatch programme. in March 2017 the police confirmed that they had been contacted by, and met with, serial killer Peter Moore following his claims that he knew the identity of Clocaenog Forest Man. Peter claimed in a letter that the victim was a mature student at Aberystwyth University who had disappeared in 1996. Moore did not disclose the victims name but Daily Post journalists identified a Roger Evans of Bradeley near Stoke-on-Trent who disappeared 16 January 1996 aged 46 during his first year at Aberystwyth University. Moore later stated that his theory had been discounted by the police due to conflicting dates. In October 2017 Police support officers and race marshals distributed leaflets to attendees of the 2017 Wales Rally GB.
Angel of the Meadow
The Angel of the Meadow is the name given by the media to an unidentified murder victim who was discovered in 2010 in Angel Meadow, Manchester, United Kingdom. Despite an extensive international investigation the woman's identity, and that of her killer, have never been established.
Discovery of the body: The body was discovered on 25 January 2010 at the site of a former carpark located between Angel Street, Dantzic Street and Miller Street in Manchester, England. The area is known as Angel Meadow and was the location of a notorious Victorian slum which Friedrich Engels notably referred to as “hell upon earth”. At the time of the discovery the site was being prepared for redevelopment into the new head offices for the Co-operative Group. A workman noticed a skull which lead to the discovery of a human skeleton concealed underneath sections of blue carpet. The police were called at 15:50 to attend the scene.
Description of the victim: The victim had suffered a fractured neck, clavicle and jaw. The police initially believed that the woman was aged 18-35 when she died. The date of her death was identified as the 1970s or 80s. Police believe the woman was born between 1950 and 1954. In life the victim was a size 12 and her height was between 5ft 1in and 5ft 7in. She was probably European but possibly from India or the Middle East. The victim had a number of fillings and her first upper right pre-molar was missing which would have been apparent in life when she smiled. The victim was wearing a blue jumper, blue brassiere a green pinafore dress and black stiletto court shoes of which, only one was found. The pinafore dress was distinctive in that it had large buttons and a unique '1970s-style' pattern. A number of items were found with or near the body; a plastic Guinness measuring chart from the late 1960s, an orange patterned carpet, dark blue and blue carpets, tights and a handbag. One of the carpet pieces which covered the body was thought by police to have been removed from a Ford Cortina and featured a hole cut for a gear stick.
Initial investigation: The death was initially treated as non-suspicious until the postmortem revealed that the woman had suffered a violent death. The investigation commenced with a search of missing person records and an appeal to the public in a hope that someone would recognise the items recovered with the body.
Subsequent investigations: In May 2011 police revealed a facial reconstruction of the woman. On 24 May 2011 the reconstruction featured on an episode of the BBC Crimewatch programme. At this time Police confirmed that the victims dentistry did not match the dental records of 3 women known to have gone missing from the Greater Manchester area; Helen Sage (missing 1997), Zoe Simpson (missing 1996) and Helen McCourt (murdered 1988). DNA analysis done in 2011 to try to establish whether the woman was a victim of either Peter Tobin or Ronald Castree who were killers known to be active at the time showed that there was no connection. In November 2012 the police announced they had complied a list that comprised 18 potential identities for the victim which increased to 21-22 following input from the public. The police stated that the strongest candidate for the potential identity of the victim was an individual from Tanzania who had been brought to their attention after a Tanzanian family had made contact. Additional leads were investigated from Ireland, Texas and the Netherlands. In March 2015 the remains of the victim were buried in an unmarked grave in Southern Cemetery, Manchester in a ceremony attended only by the two police detectives who were working on the case. In March 2015 police confirmed that they had a DNA profile of the victim and there were undertaking a familial DNA search as part of the investigation.
The Bolney Torso
The Bolney Torso refers to the partial remains of an unknown male decedent that were discovered in woods near Bolney, Southern England in October of 1991.
Discovery of the body: On Friday 11 October 1991 Colin Oliver, then 62, discovered the torso in woods off Broxmead Lane in Bolney, Sussex. Oliver was walking home to Burgess Hill from Cuckfield along Broxfield Lane. Oliver stopped along the lane and went though a gate leading to a field. Oliver went into the trees to urinate and found a bloody torso rolled up in a piece of carpet in undergrowth. Oliver then walked to the Burgess Hill police station to alert the police to his discovery. Oliver claimed to have been so disturbed by the discovery that he had trouble sleeping for several months after.
Initial description of victim: The remains were found to be of a male who was believed to have been in his 60s at the time of death. The head and hands of the victim had been removed and the severed head and limbs were never found. One arm had been severed six inches below the elbow and the other two inches below the elbow, this appeared to have been done in order to remove an identifying tattoo. The arms and appeared to have been removed with an axe or bolt cropper. The victim was described as white, had a protruding belly was circumcised and had a small star-shaped mole on his right thigh. The victim was wearing turned up trousers from Fosters and a blue shirt with a distinctive motif on the pocket.
Investigation: The investigation to find the identity of the victim and the murder was assigned the name Operation A23 and employed 60 people and cost £150,000. DCI Peter Kennett led the initial inquiry. Detectives searched files of over 100 missing men without finding a match and appeals for the public to come forward with an identity were fruitless.
Suspects: In December 1991 police were contacted by a local estate agent with a potential lead; a large rented house in Copyhold Lane, Cuckfield, (1.5 miles from the deposition location of the body) had been abandoned which raised their suspicions. Police investigated the property and found a copy of Penthouse magazine containing an article about dismembering bodies with numbers scrawled on the pages. Gunter Josef Knieper, from Dresden, Germany, and Kornelia Maria Teusel first rented the property in September 1991 paying £10,000 (6 months rent) in advance. The couple abandoned the property some time around 9 October 1991. Knieper, who had been using the pseudonym Dr Matthias Herrman, was being sought in Germany and Ireland on suspicion of business fraud. In June 1992 Knieper was arrested in Spain. Police interviewed Knieper in Frankfurt and established that the gang intended to start a fraud operation but Knieper denied any involvement in the murder of the victim. In August 1992 police admitted there was no evidence to link Knieper to the murder. In January 1994 police returned to Germany to interview another unnamed male who had visited the property in Copyhold Lane.
Burial: On 2 August 1994, after a brief service, the remains of the victim were laid to rest at Western Road Cemetery, in Haywards Heath. The coffin bore the name "Unknown Male" Eight people attended the paupers funeral paid for by Mid Sussex District Council. The mourners in attendance were representatives of the police, coroner's office and Mid Sussex District Council.
Subsequent events: In December 1995, a few days before Christmas, some flowers and a note were left at the victim’s grave. The note bore the message: "For the unknown male, Peter and team, remember our loss."
Re-investigation: In March 2009 police exhumed the body in the hope that advances in forensic techniques would provide additional information. On 12 November 2009 the case appeared on the BBC program Crimewatch. In 2010 it was reported that, following media appeals on UK Crimewatch and its German equivalent, numerous suggestions for the victim’s identity had been received however, none bore fruit. Police stated that three missing persons had been discounted as the identity of the victim and their families had been informed. In 2011 it was revealed that evidence gathered in 2010 indicated that the victim had been dressed post mortem and that the clothes did not belong to the victim. The re-investigation examined a femur, rib bone and toenail from the victim. This revealed that the victim likely came from Southern Germany or a surrounding country. Analysis of the toenail suggested that the victim spent the last year of his life in the UK or the French/German border.
Revised description of the victim: The revised description of the victim was that his height was between 5 ft 6 and 5 ft 8 tall and aged between 30 - 45 and most likely in his late 30s at the time of death. The victim had a strongly built upper body Analysis of the skeleton indicated that the victim was strong, well-nourished and healthy at the time of his death and he had no signs of any degenerative illness.
Nude in the Nettles
The Nude in the Nettles is the name given by the media to the body of an unknown female decedent found concealed under a nettle bush near Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire, England in 1981. The police were notified of the body’s location by an anonymous caller who claimed that they could not give their name for reasons of ‘national security’. Neither the identity of the woman nor the caller has never been established despite an extensive investigation.
Discovery of the victim: On Friday 28 August 1981, at around 8:00 am, C John Jeffries of Ripon Police received a telephone call at the Police Station from a man who was described as well-spoken with a slight trace of a local accent. The caller stated: “Near Scawton Moor House, you will find a decomposed body among the willow herbs.” The caller then gave instructions on how to find the body. The called lasted for less than a minute and when the caller was asked for his name and address he stated that he could not give this information for “reasons of national security” and he abruptly terminated the call. The local village constable attended the location identified but could not initially find the body, however, after careful searching, he uncovered human bones underneath a large bed of Rosebay Willow. The CID were called to the scene and cleared a large area of undergrowth. The body was discovered near to Sutton Bank Top on an unclassified road between Sutton Bank and Scawton and Rievaulx near the junction with the A170 Thirsk to Scarborough Road. It is thought that the body had lain undisturbed for up to two years. A clue was a discarded lid from a tin of meat paste, which was found to have been sold on 6 October 1979, which was found beneath the body. Police believe the woman was murdered but have never revealed how she died. The body was so well concealed that it was highly improbable that it could have been discovered by accident despite the fact that the location was near to the entrance to Scawton Moor House Farm which was a popular family picnic area. The anonymous caller was later a suspect in the murder but their identity was never established.
Description of the victim: In life, the woman was 5 feet 4 inches tall. She had dark brown hair with a length of around 4-6 inches which was untreated and cut in a page-boy style. The victim’s toenails were painted with Max Factor Maxi, pale-pink and she wore a size four shoe. The woman had given birth to two or three children during her life and although no wedding ring was found it is believed that she had been married. No jewellery or clothing of any kind was found with the body implying that someone had tried to conceal the victims identity. Analysis of the skeleton revealed that the victim had a neck vertebrae abnormality which would have caused a bad back in life. The victim also had a displaced septum and an old ankle fracture. Bone analysis revealed that until the age of seven, the woman lived in an area with high levels of natural fluoride in the drinking water, two local areas that had such water were Hartlepool and Grimsby. All the victims upper teeth, and all but six of her lower teeth, were missing and an upper dental plate had been fitted. The woman had heavy staining on her remaining teeth which indicated that she smoked and drank heavily and did not pay much attention to herself in life.
Subsequent events: Following the investigation of the site of the discovery the wider investigation discovered some female clothing, a black evening gown and some underwear, hanging from a tree about a mile away from the location of the body. The items could not be proved to relate to the discovery of the woman but no one has come forward to claim them. Police investigated the possibility that the woman was an escaped inmate from Askham Grange open prison. However, the prisoner unexpectedly responded to a request to prove that she was still alive by sending investigating officers two thumb prints and a signature on a blank sheet of paper. In November 1981 medical students constructed a waxwork of the woman in one of the first examples of using this technique to identify an unknown decedent. In 2012, the body was exhumed so that a DNA profile could be created. The profile was compared to samples from five families, two of whom came forward of their own volition, that could potentially be related to the woman. No match was found. In 2013 police stated that they had added the woman’s DNA profile to the national database in the hope that a match would be found in the future.
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