TW⚠️ : This case talks about suicide. If this is a sensitive or triggering topic for you, please skip this post.
Jeremy Wade Delle was a 15 year old boy who committed suicide in front of his English class in 1991. His death was the inspiration behind the popular Pearl Jam song “Jeremy”.
Jeremy Wade Delle was born on February 10, 1975. Before his death, Jeremy was dealing with multiple issues, both at home and at school. Jeremy’s parents were going through a divorce and his father eventually got custody of him. Because of the turmoil with his family, Jeremy lacked attention from his parents, causing him to have depression and anxiety. Jeremy was said to be attending counseling at the time of his death because he had a history of attempting suicide and some issues with drugs.
Young Jeremy Wade Delle
Jeremy had only been attending Richardson High School in Richardson, Texas for about 2 months when he committed suicide. At this school, Jeremy was described by his peers to be “real quiet” and “acted sad”, but this obviously was not an act. His teacher also described him to be a “loner.” A classmate that Jeremy met during in-school suspension named Lisa Moore said that she and Jeremy would often write notes to each other. She said Jeremy would always sign his notes with “Write back.” But on Monday, Jeremy signed with, “Later days,”, much to Lisa’s confusion. She eventually came to understand what Jeremy meant by that statement.
On January 8, 1991, Jeremy arrived late to his 2nd period English class, to which his teacher Ms. Barnett asked him to go to the office to get a late pass. At this, Jeremy went to his locker and grabbed a .357 Magnum revolver before returning back to class. When he returned, Jeremy told his teacher that he, “got what [he] really went for.” He then stood at the front of the class, took out the revolver, and put the barrel in his mouth. Before anyone could react, Jeremy pulled the trigger and killed himself in front of his teacher and 30 other students.
The young students and teacher were obviously shocked and terrified by what they had just witnessed. Some students out in the hall recall hearing a loud pop, “like somebody had just slammed a book on a desk,” before hearing the screams of the other students. The students were taken out of the class and met with the school district’s volunteer crisis team for grief counseling. When police arrived, they tried to resuscitate Jeremy, but it was much too late.
A newspaper article about Jeremy’s suicide
Further investigations found that Jeremy had taken the revolver from a female acquaintance of his father’s, unbeknownst to her or his father. A girl who attended church with Jeremy stated that Jeremy had been “looking for love and wasn’t quite sure how to find it.” The two had become acquainted and open with each other. Before his death, Jeremy gave the girl a letter and asked her to give it to another friend. The letter was revealed to contain a suicide note.
Jeremy’s headstone
After reading about Jeremy’s tragic death in the newspaper, Pearl Jam’s vocalist Eddie Vedder was inspired to write the song “Jeremy”. In an interview, Eddie stated that he “felt the need to take that small article and make something of it—to give that action, to give it reaction, to give it more importance.”
What happened to Jeremy is very saddening and tragic for everyone involved. We can learn from this to reach out and check on others because we never know what kind of battles they are fighting within themselves.
Gabby Petito is a 22 year old Youtuber and blogger from New York who recently went missing while on a cross country trip with her fiancé . She was last seen on August 24, 2021. While news is still coming out about the case, the circumstances appear very strange.
Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie
Gabby Petito is from Blue Port, Long Island and was living in Florida with her fiancé. She and her fiancé Brian Laundrie began a cross country road trip in their van from her home in Long Island on July 2, 2021. By July 16, the couple had reach Zion National Park in Utah and then Arches National Park by August 12.
Gabby and Brian documented their trip as they were on the road. Gabby would share photos and videos on her social media accounts as well as sharing photos with her parents.
Gabby in a YouTube video
The couple was last seen checking out of a Salt Lake City hotel on August 24, 2021. The next day, Gabby called her mother to tell her they were on their way to Yellowstone, Wyoming. However, Brian later returned to their home in Northport, Florida without Gabby.
Gabby and Brian in a YouTube video
When being questioned by authorities over Gabby disappearance, Brain was said to not be cooperating. He has also hired a lawyer. Gabby’s parents reported her missing on September 11, 2021.
It was reported that on August 12, 2021 police in Utah responded to a witness reporting an argument going on between the couple that sparked when Brian locked Gabby out of the van. Police were able to work things out between the two and ordered them to have space apart for the night.
The Northport police are currently working with the FBI to investigate Gabby’s disappearance. The van that the couple were traveling in has also been seized by the FBI. Brian’s family’s attorney released a statement saying that a search has been organized to help find Gabby. Brian has been officially named a person of interest in Gabby’s disappearance.
Gabby’s last Instagram post was a photo of her posing in front of a Monarch mural in Ogden, Utah. These photos were posted on the same day that Gabby’s parents last heard from her, which was August 25.
After a search of the Laundrie’s home, it was reported that Brian Laundrie has been on the run since Tuesday, September 14, 2021. His attorney reported that they don’t know where Brian is either. As of October 2021, the FBI have been searching for Brian and there have been multiple supposed sightings of him throughout several states.
Brian Laundrie
On September 19, 2021, investigators found a body near Teton National Park in Wyoming. It is said that the body matches the description of Gabby Petito. The body was confirmed to be that of Gabby Petito on September 21, 2021. Autopsy results revealed that Gabby died by strangulation.
On October 20, 2021, partial human remains were found in a swampy area of a Florida preserve. Near the remains were items belonging to Brian Laundrie, which included a notebook and some clothing. On October 21, 2021, the remains were confirmed to be those of Brian Laundrie.
This is a fresh case, so a lot is still being investigated. I do continue to update this as the case goes on.
Su Taraskiewicz was a 27 year old woman from Massachusetts who was found brutally murdered in the trunk of her car in 1992. Her family and many others believe that she was targeted by people she had trouble with at her job at Northwest Airlines. Her murder is still unsolved.
Susan “Su” Taraskiewicz
Susan Taraskiewicz, who commonly went by Su, was born in Saugus, Massachusetts on February 13, 1965. After graduating high school, Su went on to study at Salem State College, North Shore Community College, and MA College of Art. She was said to love rollerskating and her favorite cartoon character was Snoopy.
Su posing with a Snoopy mascot
Su later began living in Boston, Massachusetts and began working at Northwest Airlines 3 years prior to her murder. At this job, Su’s great skills lead her to becoming the second Ground Crew Supervisor, which is a common role for males, and later became the first woman promoted to a supervisor position. Despite her competition for this position, Su did not give up on getting the job, and she eventually proved that she was more than capable of doing it. Su also received high marks on a Fire Fighter Placement Exam and she was put on a reserve list for the Swampscott, MA Fire Department.
On September 12, 1992 Su was working the night shift and at about 1AM, she left to go get food for herself and some other coworkers. Around this time, Su also received a phone call from an unidentified person who wanted to meet up with her. After a while, Su did not return, but none of her coworkers reported her absence. It wasn’t until the next day when Su did not show up for her shift for someone to finally notify others about her absence. On September 14, 1992, Su’s car was found on Route 1A in Revere, Massachusetts. In the trunk was the dead body of 27 year old Su Taraskiewicz. She had been stabbed multiple times and brutally beaten.
After not hearing from her daughter, Su’s mother Marlene went to the Saugus Police Station to report Su missing, unbeknownst to her that Su had been found. In that same moment, the police station got a phone call from another station stating that Su was found and they sent Marlene over to the other station. The chief then revealed the heartbreaking news to Marlene.
During her time working at the airport, Su told her mother about multiple issues she was having with male coworkers. Many times it was because they did not want to take orders from her because she was a woman. Marlene began to realize just how serious these issues were when she began reading Su’s diary.
In Su’s diary, she mentioned several incidents involving other male coworkers. In one incident that occurred in April of 1989, a coworker named Bobby broke Su’s radio twice. After discussing the issue with her boyfriend, she asked Bobby to replace her radio, to which he threatened to kill her boyfriend. Su then went on to file multiple complaints about this, but very little was done. Unfortunately, the harassment grew to the point where Su was getting anonymous phone calls from someone threatening to hurt her. Her car and her boyfriend’s car were also vandalized on multiple occasions.
There were even more incidents that occured prior to Su’s murder. In February of 1992, before Su was promoted to supervisor, another male coworker got the position. However, Su found out that he got this position through an illegal bid. She then filed a grievance and won, to which she got the position. Some time after this promotion, on Su’s locker was a graffiti drawing of a coffin with Su’s name on it.
Recreation on the graffiti on Su’s locker
The 2 main suspects are Bobby, whose full name is Robert Brooks, and another man named Joseph Nuzzo. Joseph threatened Su after she broke up a fight between him and another man, which resulted in him being suspended for 6 months. In retaliation, Joseph vandalized her car, anonymously called her, and stated that he would get “exact revenge.” When he returned to work, Joseph got involved in a stealing scheme, which resulted in his permanent termination from the job. Joseph believed Su was the one who reported this scheme. Su was later found dead 2 days after this.
Su’s headstone
Despite all of this, Su’s murder is still unsolved. I think that is is quite obvious that someone at her job had something to do with her murder. She was not randomly targeted as evidence shows that her death was a crime of passion and there is so much evidence backing up threats on Su’s wellbeing and life. The fact that none of her coworkers decided to even report her absence until much later is an even bigger red flag. All of these coworkers should be investigated again, especially the two men who had the most threats against Su. Somebody there knows much more about Su’s death than they are saying.
Su’s mother Marlene continues searching for answers and investigating her daughter’s death. Eventually, the truth about what happened to Su will come to light.
LaVena Johnson was an E3 Private First Class of the U.S. Army who was found dead in a contractors tent where she was deployed. Despite her showing signs of rape and battery, her death was ruled a suicide, making many believe her death was a cover up.
LaVena’s graduation photo
LaVena Lynn Johnson was born on July 27, 1985 in Florissant, Missouri. Her parents are John and Linda Johnson, and was the 4th of 5 children. LaVena was an honors student at Hazelwood Central High School and was known for being a very independent, intelligent young woman. Immediately after graduating, she enlisted in the Army. She was deployed to Iraq and was stationed in Balad, Iraq, working in the communications building.
A Johnson Family photo
LaVena was only in Balad for about 8 weeks until she was tragically killed. Usually LaVena would call and tell her parents optimistic stories of her days, but days before her death, she spoke on the phone with her father talking about the rough day she had. She said that this day in particular, many of the soldiers were not listening to her and would not leave the communications building. During this, her general got upset with her, instead of the soldiers not listening, stating that they would not listen to her because she was being “soft”.
LaVena and her father LaVena and her mother
LaVena died on July 19, 2005, just 8 days before her 20th birthday. The Department of Defense ruled her death a suicide, but after hearing the ruling of her death and seeing her body in a funeral home, her father became suspicious that her death was not a suicide. At first, the Army refused to release information regarding LaVena’s death, but they eventually did under the Freedom of Information Act.
WARNING ⚠️ graphic detail below
A new autopsy reported several pieces of evidence that were not consistent with suicide. The autopsy showed that LaVena had a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, chemical burns on her genital area, and a gunshot wound in the head. This was clearly not a suicide. Some believe that the chemical burns were an attempt to destroy DNA evidence from the sexual assault she suffered. More evidence from where she was discovered revealed that there were bloody footprints near the scene.
Although a spokesman from the House Armed Services Committee claimed to be looking into LaVena’s death, as of June 2008, they had not yet committed to a formal investigation, and the case remains closed according to the U.S. Criminal Investigative Command for the Army.
Several petitions were launched and a website was launched dedicated to prompting the army to formally investigate her death. A documentary titled LaVena Johnson: The Silent Truth was released in 2010 and shows her family’s struggles to get justice for LaVena’s death. On July 19, 2011, criminal justice students at the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute began an investigation into LaVena’s death. They made a reconstruction of the crime scene to collect more evidence. The CCIRI did not agree with nor dispute the Army’s findings.
LaVena’s gravesite
Some evidence suggests that her murderer may possibly be Kevin P. Byrnes, a four-star Army General who was later kicked out for unspecified “personal conduct”, which many suspect was due to his extramarital affair. It is believed that LaVena may have possibly witnessed this affair and was killed in retaliation.
Over the years, LaVena’s case gained very much media attention and was controversial from the start. Many questioned why the Army would want to withhold information regarding LaVena’s death and believe it is a cover up. This is something I absolutely agree with. All the evidence clearly shows that LaVena did not kill herself. She was brutally murdered and assaulted, possibly by someone on her own side. If people keep speaking up about LaVena’s case, she and many other people who lost their lives under similar circumstances will finally get the proper justice they deserve.
Boone County Jane Doe was a young woman who was found murdered near Interstate 65 in Lebanon, Indiana in 1992. She remains unidentified for over 29 years.
On May 3, 1992, Boone County Jane Doe was discovered by a farmer while he was tending to his crops. She was at the bottom of a hill near an entrance ramp on Interstate 65 in Lebanon, Indiana. The young woman’s body was only wearing a light green or yellow tank top and light green socks. Because of her state of decomposition, her cause of death could not be determined, but because of the circumstances in which she was disposed, detectives are sure that foul play was involved in Jane Doe’s death.
Upon further examinations, Boone County Jane Doe was determined to be a white female between the ages of 17-22, was between 5’3″-5’7″, and weighed about 130 pounds. She had short red or auburn hair, as well as several tattoos. These tattoos included the word “MOM” on her upper right arm, the word “LOVE” with a cross and two hearts on her right breast, a cross tattoo on her right hand between her thumb and index finger. Boone County Jane Doe is suspected to have died 3 to 5 days before she was discovered.
Some time after she was buried, Jane Doe’s remains were exhumed so that a professor from Michigan State University could create a clay facial reconstruction of the young woman. For years, this facial reconstruction was displayed in the Boone County Sheriff’s Office so that someone would eventually recognize her.
Jane Doe’s first facial reconstruction
Detectives believed that the Jane Doe was possibly picked up by a trucker and looked into this, but no one came forward saying that they had seen her or taken her anywhere. Jane Doe was determined to have been staying in Indiana prior to her death. Despite this information, figuring out Jane Doe’s identity has still been difficult.
In 2018, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office released new facial reconstruction images of what Boone County Jane Doe looked like. These new advanced images may hopefully be what is needed for someone to finally recognize this young woman and give her name back to her. Isotope tests were also taken after her remains where exhumed for a second time, and it was determined that Jane Doe must have been from the southwestern U.S., the Midwest, or the Upper New England states. Hopefully with the new DNA technology available, Boone County Jane Doe’s identity will eventually be revealed.
Norman McCaster was a 22 year old man who was murdered and dismembered by his wife in 2012 in Illinois. After an investigation, almost all of the evidence pointed to his wife Juatasha Denton-McCaster and she was sentenced to 78 years for his murder.
Norman Raymel McCaster was born on June 18, 1990 in Illinois. Norman was an Army National Guardsman and his father described him to be, “a wonderful son.” Norman and his 24 year old wife Juatasha Denton were high school sweethearts. Juatasha was a student at the University of Illinois, and the two were about to reach their 2 year anniversary at the time of Norman’s death.
Norman McCaster and Juatasha Denton-McCaster
On October 29, 2012 in Springfield, Illinois, a man was driving home after doing some hunting when he passed by a creek and saw what he thought was a dead deer. He continued driving and arrived home, however, he could not stop thinking about the object he saw. The man then asked a friend to go back with him to check it out. When the two men returned to the dark and wooded area, and they finally saw the object up close, they realized that it was not a dead deer.
WARNING ⚠️ graphic detail below
What the two men had discovered was a dead body. The remains were only a torso; the head, arms, and legs had been removed. Authorities were called to the scene, which was described to be incredibly gruesome. Investigators began to work on identifying the remains, but could not find any recent missing persons reports. Without being able to get fingerprints or use a face for a facial reconstruction, it was difficult for investigators to find out who this was.
The area that the remains were found in
The evidence investigators were able to find were discarded receipts from Walmart near the body’s location. The receipt included items such as: a reciprocating saw, respiratory masks, cleaning supplies, plastic sheeting, and blankets. The next day, the receipt was traced back to the credit card of Juatasha Denton-McCaster.
After this finding, investigators placed Juatasha under 24-surveillance to watch her actions. On the following days, she took some trash out to the curb of her house, which the detectives then obtained. As they search her garbage, in one bag they had found floor tiles, which Juatasha removed from her home. Investigators immediately found this odd, and the tiles were then sent to a crime lab for testing. They also found multiple bottles of Visine, or eye drops, which they were originally puzzled about. But they later found out that if Visine is ingested in large quantities, it can be fatal. As they continued searching through the garbage, they found one bag full of men’s clothing, including a soldier’s uniform. As they keep looking through this bag, they discover a man’s identification card. It belonged to Norman McCaster, Juatasha’s husband.
Norman’s discarded ID card
The detectives then contact the Illinois National Guard and learn that Norman did not show up for a mandatory drill. They later go to Juatasha and Norman’s home to talk to Juatasha. She was polite and did not act suspicious. Juatasha went on to tell the police that their marriage was suffering because of Norman’s supposed drug addiction. She claimed that the last time she saw Norman, he was leaving with some druggies with “nothing but the clothes on his back.” Later when speaking to Norman’s father Marcel, he stated that Norman had never done drugs and was not even aware that Norman was missing. He knew Norman would not have just up and left without telling him first.
As the investigation continued, investigators found more surveillance footage of Juatasha purchasing different items in a store, which included cleaning supplies and plastic covering. The investigators then contacted the Illinois National Guard to obtain a DNA sample of Norman’s. They were then able to finally match and confirm the remains found as being those of 22 year old Norman McCaster.
Norman’s father Marcel recalled the moment when he received the phone call confirming Norman’s death, stating how it “tore him”. At first, the investigators would not tell Marcel the manner of Norman’s death, but when he later arrived at the police station and the detectives revealed what happened to Norman, his father stated how he felt angry like he wanted to hurt someone, specifically the person who did it.
At first, investigators did not think Juatasha could be responsible for the horrific crime because of her background. She was a young, church-going woman who attended college, so they did not think she could’ve committed such a crime. But they were wrong. As the evidence began to pile up, they strongly believed that she was responsible for her husband’s brutal murder.
One pf Juatasha’s mugshots
With some strong enough evidence, detectives ask Juatasha to come to the sheriff’s headquarters shortly before Thanksgiving. While interrogating her, Juatasha claimed she kicked Norman out after a heated argument a few days before their 2 year anniversary. She then stated that he took all his stuff when she kicked him out. The investigators had finally caught Juatasha in a lie because when they came to her house weeks before asking about Norman, she claimed he left with nothing but the clothes on his back.
After being confronted about this lie, Juatasha tried to stick to her new story that Norman had taken everything with him, but at this point, detectives knew she wasn’t telling the truth. The detectives then handed Juatasha 2 search warrants, one for the couple’s home and another for a DNA sample from her. She was then placed under arrest for the murder of Norman.
During Juatasha’s trial, incriminating searches found on her laptop that began in June were used as evidence. These searches included: “how to kill a spouse and get away with it” and “how to kill your husband”. A classmate of Juatasha also came forward as a witness, stating that she had borrowed a gun from him, and the next day she returned it and it was missing two bullets. Investigators assume that Juatasha must have shot Norman in the head, which is why his head was removed. The medical examiner also revealed that large amounts of visine was also found in Norman’s system, suggesting that Juatasha had tried to poison him with the substance.
Juatasha’s mugshot
Norman’s head, arms, and legs were never recovered, but investigators assume the Juatasha must have discarded them in a body of water somewhere in Chicago. During the trial, Juatasha still denied killing Norman, despite all of the obvious evidence against her. She tried to use her faith and church activism as a defense, but as a Youtube comment stated, “going to church does not automatically make you a good person!” On November 26, 2012, Juatasha was convicted to 78 years in prison; 55 years for first-degree murder, 20 years for dismemberment of a body, and 3 years for concealing a homicidal death.
What happened to Norman McCaster was so vicious and brutal, and to think that his own wife was responsible. Norman’s family remember him as the good-hearted soldier he was. His father Marcel states that he often mourns for his son alone and dearly misses him. Norman did not deserve what happened to him, but I am glad that justice has been served and his killer is put away. I hope that in the times to come, the rest of his remains will eventually be found.
St. Louis Jane Doe is the name given to an unidentified young girl who was the victim of a brutal murder in 1983. The girl’s head and her killer(s) have never been found and she remains unidentified for over 38 years.
On the afternoon of February 28, 1983, two men were looking through a vacant Victorian style apartment building at Clemens Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri to find scrap metal for their car. While looking through the dark basement of the building, one of the men lit his lighter to illuminate the area. Upon doing so, the young girl’s body was discovered. The girl’s body was found lying on her stomach with her wrists tied behind her back with a red and white nylon rope. She was found only wearing a yellow sweater and her nails were polished.
WARNING ⚠️ Graphic image below
St Louis Jane Doe’s hands upon discovery
At first, the investigators, believed that this was the body of a prostitute, but upon further investigation, it was found that the girl had not gone through puberty yet. She was African American, between the ages of 8-11, height about 4’11”- 5’4″, and she weighed about 70-80 pounds. Her head was also missing, which made finding her identification difficult. Her autopsy reported that she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and then decapitated with a large-bladed knife after she was dead. There was no blood around or near the girl’s body, which the authorities determined that she must have been murdered and had her blood drained somewhere else. Testing revealed she must have been killed 5 days prior to her discovery.
News clipping about Jane Doe’s murder
Due to the girl’s head being missing, authorities could not use dental records to find the girl’s identity, nor could they create a facial reconstruction for her. After checking Missouri school records with no leads, authorities determined that the girl must have been from out of state. Later isotope tests further revealed that she may have been from Alabama, the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
After getting no leads of who the girl may be, she eventually became known as St. Louis Jane Doe and “Hope”.
Authorities showing Jane Doe’s bloodied sweater
Authorities began to reach out to psychics for help on locating the girl’s head and revealing her identity. One psychic said that Jane Doe’s head could be found on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, but this didn’t lead to anything. Another psychic in Florida requested to see the girl’s sweater that she was found in, but it got lost in the mail and has never been relocated. A last psychic stated that she was a Chippewa Indian named Shannon Johnson and that her killer was a drifter in southern Texas, but like the other leads, this was disproven and a dead-end.
Jane Doe’s sweater she was found wearing
Authorities believed the girl’s killer, or killers, must have been family members due to the lack of missing persons reports. Others believe that the girl’s killer may be Vernon Brown, a serial killer convicted in the 1986 murder of 9 year old Janet Perkins and the 1985 murder of 19 year old Synetta Ford. He was also believed to be responsible for the 1973 rape and murder of Kimberley Campbell, but he has not confessed to any murders besides those he was convicted for. Vernon Brown was executed on May 18, 2005.
St. Louis Jane Doe’s first resting place was at the Washington Park Cemetery, a historically black, but very run down cemetery. Before she was exhumed for more testing, her remains were misplaced due to the negligence of cemetery records, and had to be relocated using using camera calibration techniques to figure out where she was buried at the cemetery. Jane Doe was eventually reburied at the Calvary Cemetery is St. Louis, Missouri; she is specifically buried in an area called the Garden of Innocence, which is dedicated to Jane and John Does.
St Louis Jane Doe’s memorial service (1983)
It is very unfortunate and horrible what happened to this young girl who is now known as St Louis Jane Doe. I always wonder what horrible people must’ve done this to this innocent young girl. With the new advanced technology today, I know that Jane Doe will eventually be identified and her killer(s) will be found. She will eventually be given the justice she deserves.
⚠️ This is one of the most disturbing and brutal cases I have researched. Please proceed reading at your own caution ⚠️
Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were a young couple from Knoxville, Tennessee who were kidnapped then viciously tortured, raped, and murdered in January of 2007. Despite how horrific and graphic the case was, it did not receive very much media coverage early on.
Channon Gail Christian was born on April 29, 1985 in Nacogdoches, Texas. After living in Louisiana for a while, Channon and her family moved to Tennessee in 1997. She went on to graduate from Farragut High School in 2003 and began majoring in sociology at the University of Knoxville. Channon planned to graduate in December of 2007.
Hugh Christopher Newsom, who also went by Chris, was born on September 21, 1983 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He played baseball at his high school Halls High, which he later graduated from in 2002. Chris later attended Pellissippi State Technical Community College and became a carpenter.
Chris Newsom and Channon Christian
Channon and Chris had been newly dating at the time of their murders. On January 6, 2007, the couple planned to go out for dinner and then attend a friend’s party together after. Channon waited for Chris to come pick her up from another friend’s house after getting ready. At about 8 P.M., Chris arrived, and he and Channon headed to the parking lot to go to Channon’s car, which they planned to ride to the party in. As Channon and Chris were hugging each other next to Channon’s car, a group of 5 people: Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson (whom were half brothers), George Thomas, Eric Boyd, and Vanessa Coleman, ambushed the couple at gunpoint. They were both forced into the back seat of the car and were tied up by the assailants. They were then taken to the home of Lemaricus Davidson.
Mugshots of the perpetrators (left to right) Eric Boyd, George Thomas, Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, and Vanessa Coleman
WARNING ⚠️ The details of the torture that Channon and Chris had to endure are VERY GRAPHIC!
When they got to Davidson’s house, Channon and Chris were raped and tortured in the most horrific ways. A medical examiner determined that Chris had been sodomized with an object and raped by at least 1 of the assailants. After this, he was forced by the 4 male assailants to walk barefoot to a set of train tracks that were nearby. Chris’s hands and feet were then tied together and he was blindfolded and gagged with a sock. He was then shot in the neck and back, but was still alive after this. After a while, the 23 year old was then fatally shot with the muzzle of the gun pressed above his right ear, which severed his brainstem. After he was dead, the assailants set his body on fire and returned to Lemaricus’s house.
As Chris was being murdered, Channon was held captive by the other assailant. When the men returned, they then began to beat, torture, and rape Channon for over 24 hours. The medical examiner said that the sexual attack of Channon was extreme as she had been raped vaginally, anally, and orally, and her injuries were consistent with being raped using an object. It is believed that Channon was tied to a chair as she was being raped. She was also repeatedly kicked in the head and vagina, which caused her to suffer major hemorrhaging in both areas. She also had many bruises and carpet burns all over her body. According to one of the killer’s confessions, Channon pleaded with her killers, saying she didn’t want to die.
Before killing Channon, to remove their DNA, these monsters poured bleach down her throat and scrubbed her body with bleach, including her damaged genital area. Channon was then hog-tied with curtains and bed sheets, and then a trash bag was tightly tied around her face, and she was put into several large trash bags. Channon was then placed inside a waste disposal bin, where the 21 year old suffocated to death sometime between January 7-8. During this time, Lemaricus, went to see his girlfriend, whom he also gave some of Channon’s belongings to, and he was seen wearing Chris’s shoes.
The disposal bin that Channon was found in
When Channon and Chris didn’t show up to their friend’s party that night, their friends tried to contact them, to which they received no response. The friends then went to the apartment complex where the couple were last at, and here they found Chris’s car still parked in the parking lot, but Channon’s car was gone. The next day, Channon’s mom was also growing concerned as she was unable to reach Channon. Channon’s manager also contacted her mother, stating that Channon had not come in for work, which ultimately caused her to report her daughter missing. Along with their friends, Channon and Chris’s family began searching all over for the couple, including going to hospitals to see if they were there.
That same day, January 7, 2007, the body of 23 year old Chris Newsom was found by a rail worker a little after noon. The medical examiner originally found semen from the suspected killer(s) inside of Chris’s body, but the DNA in the semen had been destroyed by the fire that the killers set.
Officers recovering Chris’s body from the train tracks
On January 8, while the search for Channon continued, Channon’s mobile phone pinged to an area near the Cherry Street phone tower. Family and friends went to search this area, where Channon’s car was found abandoned. Several of Channon’s belongings were missing from her car, including a teddy bear and her phone charger. However, a pack of Newport cigarettes were found inside of her car. It was reported that neither Channon nor Chris smoked, so it could not have belonged to them. There was also an envelope that had a fingerprint on it found inside the car, which led investigators to 2316 Chipman Street, just 2 blocks from where the car was abandoned. This was Lemaricus’s house.
On January 9, police went to the house, but no one was there. They went inside where they found the body of 21 year old Channon Christian inside of the waste bin wrapped in trash bags. Lemaricus’s fingerprints were found all over the bags. Semen was found inside of Channon’s body, which the medical examiner was able to determine belonged to Lemaricus and Letalvis. Items that belonged to Channon and Chris, included the items that were missing from Channon’s car, were found inside of the house. Shell casings were also found around the house, which matched the bullets that were used to kill Chris.
A manhunt was executed to find Lemaricus. Police were able to find one of the assailants, Eric Boyd, who gave the the location of Lemaricus. Lemaricus was found on January 11, 2007, hiding in a vacant house and he was arrested. Lemaricus told the cops different stories, claiming he wasn’t involved in the rapes and murders of the couple, but stating he did use Channon’s car for drug deals. After this, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, and Vanessa Coleman were all arrested in connection to the murders. During an investigation, journal entry from January 9, 2007, was found which read-
“Last night was one of a kind. We stayed w/a crackhead that is cool as hell. It snowed a lil bit but it’s already melted. Let’s talk about adventures! I had one HELL OF AN ADVENTURE since I’ve been in the big T.N. It’s a crazy world these days! But I love the fun adventures [and] lessons that I’ve learned. It’s going to be a long interesting year!”
Forensic science matched the handwriting back to Vanessa Coleman.
A photo of 3 of the killers during the trial
After finding the bodies, evidence, and the perpetrators, dates for the trials were set. The first trials for Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Eric Boyd and Vanessa Coleman began in 2009. Eric Boyd was found guilty of being an accessory to the carjacking. He was the only suspect that was not charged with murder and was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years in prison on April 16, 2008. George Thomas was found guilty on multiple counts and sentenced to life without parole on December 8, 2009. Letalvis Cobbins was found guilty and faced the possible death penalty, but he was later given life without parole on August 25, 2009. Lemaricus Davidson was found guilty and jurors had originally decided to give him the death penalty also with 80 years on other charges related to the murders on October 28, 2009. Vanessa Coleman was the last to face trial, and was granted immunity for the carjacking, but not for the rapes and murders. She was sentenced to 53 years in prison on May 13, 2010.
The case began to stir controversy as many critiqued that it did not receive very much media coverage despite how brutal it was because the victims were white and all the suspects were black. However, the police chief stated that there was no indication that this crime was racially motivated. Those people were just evil people and Channon and Chris deserved so much better than what happened to them. It doesn’t matter what race someone is because we are all humans and no one should have to endure that except for the evil people who can commit such heinous crimes.
A photo of Channon and Chris
In the aftermath, foundations were started in honor of Channon and Chris’s lives, like the Channon Gail Christian Foundation, as well as a baseball scholarship that is annually given to students at the high school that Chris attended in honor of him. The house that the couple were tortured and killed at was also destroyed and a memorial for the couple was put in its place. In 2014 two new laws were passed called the Chris Newsom Act and the Channon Christian Act. The Chris Newsom Act was passed to prevent re-trials in cases like this one as a result of the re-trials that the killers were provided with. The Channon Christian Act was passed to prevent the accused from painting the victims in a negative light after one of the killers tried to claim that Channon came to buy drugs, which was completely false.
Channon and Chris’s memorial
The torture and pain that Channon and Chris went through is so horrifying and sickening. I cannot understand why people commit such evil crimes against others. Those monsters who did this to them should never be able to touch freedom for the rest of their lives. This couple didn’t deserve this and I hope that they are living a peaceful and joyous eternity together.
Asha Degree was a 9 year old young girl who went missing from her home in Shelby, North Carolina in 2000. Though several people recall seeing her walking down a highway in the early morning hours of the day she disappeared, Asha has not been seen since and her disappearance has remained a mystery for over 21 years.
Asha Jaquila Degree was born on August 5, 1990 in Shelby, North Carolina to her parents Harold and Iquilla Degree, whom were married on Valentines Day in 1988. Asha had a brother who was about a year older than her named O’Bryant. The Degree family lived in a rural area on the western edge of the Charlotte metropolitan area north of Shelby, North Carolina. While their parents worked, Asha and O’Bryant would typically let themselves in their home after school and work on or complete their school work by the time their parents returned from work.
Asha Degree
The Degree children were brought up in a family that centered around their extended family, church, and school, to keep them away from any outside influences. The children’s parents also did not allow them to watch tv or use internet based on the pedophilia that began to increase through these forms of media in the early 2000s. They said that Asha followed these rules well, which made it more surprising upon investigating her disappearance.
On February 11, 2000, because the schools in the district that the children attended were closed, Asha and her brother went to go stay with their aunt while their parents worked. The next day, the children both had basketball games at their schools. Although Asha seemed upset at her team’s loss, she quickly got over and continued to watch the other games.
On February 13, 2000, the children left from a relative’s house to attend church. After church was over, the children returned to their own home. At about 8 P.M., Asha and O’Bryant went to bed in their sharing room. The neighborhood power went out after a car accident at about 9P.M., but turned back on at about 12:30A.M. When the power came back on, the childrens’ father went into their room to check on them, to which they both were sleeping. He checked again before going to bed at about 2:30A.M. to see the children still sleeping.
A little while after this, O’Bryant recalls hearing Asha’s bed making a squeaking noise as if she were moving around. However, Asha had actually gotten out of bed, taken a book bag that she had previously packed with clothing and personal items, and then left the house. Sometime between 3:45-4:15 A.M., a truck driver and motorist recall seeing her walking along Highway 18, north of its junction of Highway 180. After later seeing a TV report about Asha’s disappearance, the two people reported this to police. The motorist said that he even turned around to check on Asha because he found it strange that such a young child was walking out by herself so early. He then said she ran into some nearby woods and did not see her again. It was also stated that Asha was possibly seen getting into a dark green colored early 1970s Lincoln Mark IV or a Ford Thunderbird upon further investigation.
When the rest of the Degree family woke up on February 14, 2000, which was also Harold and Iquilla’s 12th wedding anniversary, Iquilla went to go get O’Bryant and Asha up for school, where she discovered that Asha was not in her bed. She checked the whole house, and subsequently found that Asha was missing. Harold’s mother lived right across the street, so they went to check if she was there, but she was not.
By 6:40 A.M. the police were out and police dogs were brought out to help with the search for Asha. Family, friends, and neighbors all joined in the search to help look for Asha. Church members also came to the family’s home to offer the family support as well. Asha’s disappearance quickly received lots of local media coverage and the search for her became huge. The FBI eventually became involved in the search and investigation of Asha.
On February 15, some candy wrappers were found in a shed at a nearby business nearby where Asha was seen running into the woods. There was also a pencil, marker, and a Mickey Mouse-shaped hair bow that belonged to Asha. There was also a photo of a young black girl, who looked to be about Asha’s age, but is said to not be Asha. The search for Asha was called off after about a week, but investigators kept following new leads.
At first, investigators believed that Asha had runaway, as it seemed that she had packed and planned to leave. However, many people did not believe this as Asha was such a young child. Over a year later on August 3, 2001, Asha’s book bag and other items that she took with her were found wrapped in a plastic bag during a construction project off of Highway 18 in Burke County, about 26 miles north of Shelby. Inside the bag also contained Asha’s name and phone number.
2 of Asha’s items that were found
Many of the leads that investigators have gotten have led to dead ends. However, this does not stop their search for Asha. Asha’s family also keep her story alive by hosting annual walks along the road in which Asha was last seen in order to help fund their ongoing search for Asha. There have also been multiple facial reconstructions that have been made of Asha in hopes that some may be able to recognize her. Asha’s mother still has incredibly high hopes that Asha is still alive and living out in the world, but someone must know of her disappearance.
Asha (left) and an older facial reconstruction of herself (right)
Based on Asha’s age and upbringing, I don’t think she would’ve chosen to just runaway all by herself. I theorize that someone older she knew probably persuaded her to leave her home and then abducted her. This really narrows it down because her family was said to be very centered and kept to the people around them, such as family, school mates, and church members. But this is just a theory. Who knows was happened to Asha Degree? With the evidence that investigators already have and new advanced technology, I believe there is absolutely a great chance for investigators to find the new evidence they need to locate Asha and bring her home.
Israel Keyes was a serial killer, among other crimes, that spanned between 1996 until his capture in 2012. He is suspected to have killed 3 or more people, including his most known and last victim Samantha Koenig. Israel Keyes died by suicide while awaiting his trial for the murder of Samantha in 2012.
Israel Keyes
Israel Keyes was born on January 7, 1978 in Cove, Utah and was the second child of a family of 10 children. His family was apart of the Mormon community, but later rejected this when Israel was about 5 and moved to Colville, Washington. While here, the family began attending a white supremacist church. When Israel reached his teen years, he denounced his beliefs and began following the ideas of Satanism. Israel displayed many serial killer tendencies, such as torturing and killing animals as well as stealing from neighbors.
Israel later served in the United States Army from 1998 to 2001 at Fort Lewis, Fort Hood, and in Egypt. After the military, he travelled across the United States. Israel later moved to Alaska and began a construction business in 2007.
When Israel began his crimes in 1996, they spanned all across the United States since he travelled a lot. This was so that he could attack random people to avoid being detected, and he usually planned these crimes months ahead, even making a “murder kit” and just attacking whoever is at the wrong place at the wrong time. These crimes included: burglary, arson, rape, bank robbery, and murder. Most of these known crimes were committed in the states of Vermont, Alaska, New York, and Washington and he is believed to have burglarized 20-30 homes. These crimes came to light after he was arrested for the murder of his last known victim Samantha Koenig.
18 year old Samantha Koenig
Samantha Koenig was an 18 year old coffee booth worker from Anchorage, Alaska. On February 1, 2012 Samantha was working alone at her coffee booth in Anchorage, Alaska. Her boyfriend was supposed to pick up Samantha after work at about 8 P.M., but she wasn’t there. He then went to their home, where both he and Samantha’s father discovered she was missing. After an investigation, surveillance footage was taken from the coffee booth, where it showed footage of Samantha being kidnapped.
Footage from Samantha’s kidnapping
While she was working that evening, Israel Keyes approached Samantha’s booth and bought a coffee. After purchasing his coffee, he left the booth, only to return with a gun and kidnapping Samantha at gunpoint. He took her bank cards and began using them. After this, he took Samantha to a shed, where he raped her, then strangled and stabbed her to death. He then stored her body in a freezer in the shed and left with her money. Israel travelled to New Orleans, whilst using Samantha’s bank cards all across the states, and departed on a two-week cruise in the Gulf of Mexico with his girlfriend and child.
After returning from the cruise, Israel went back to the shed where he retrieved Samantha’s body. By this point, Samantha’s kidnapping was making national headlines and people were searching for her. Israel had a news clipping of an article talking about Samantha’s kidnapping of the Anchorage Daily News.
WARNING ⚠️ Graphic detail below!
After getting Samantha’s body, Israel put make up on her and then sewed Samantha’s eyes open. He then sat her upright so that it would appear that she was alive. Israel then took a photo of Samantha whilst holding the news article next to her. He then demanded a $30,000 ransom for Samantha’s return. However, he didn’t plan on returning Samantha because after making this ransom, he dismembered and disposed of her body in Matanuska Lake in Anchorage.
Recreation of Samantha’s ransom photo
After weeks of evading police, Israel was finally tracked down through his use of Samantha’s cards in Lufkin, Texas on March, 13, 2012. He was the interrogated whilst awaiting his trail for Samantha’s murder. During these interrogations, Israel admitted to 3 other murders, and is suspected and linked to many more.
Israel Keyes being arrested in Texas on March 13, 2012
The 3 other murders he confessed to were that of Bill and Lorraine Currier of Essex, Vermont and Deborah Feldman of New Jersey. He burglarized the couples’ home on June 8, 2011. He then tied up the couple and drove them to an abandoned farmhouse. Israel then shot Bill and then raped and strangled Lorraine to death. Their bodies have still not been found. Israel had been stalking and planning to kill the couple for 2 years, even making a “kill kit” and leaving it near their home until he returned and was ready to kill them. Deborah Feldman went missing from the area she lived in 2009, which Israel also happened to be at at that time. Her name was also found on his computer and he eventually confessed to her murder.
Bill and Lorraine Currier
Upon further investigation, detectives suspected that Israel may have been responsible for several other murders; it is said to be as many as 11 deaths in the United States. It is suspected he may have other victims outside the United States that took place during his time in the military. Israel planned his murders ahead of time to avoid being detected by the FBI. He chose his victims as random, killed far from home, and never killed in the same area twice. He also paid with cash during his crime sprees to avoid payments being linked to his accounts. He also had no connection to his victims, which made it even more difficult to link him to his crimes at first.
Footage from one of Israel’s interrogations
During his interrogations, it was noted that Israel kept a very calm demeanor and told the detectives about his crimes as if he were “talking about what he had for lunch”. Israel stated that those close to him never really knew him and only he knew his real self. On May 23, 2012, Israel tried to escape from a hearing, but failed. On December 2, 2012, Israel used a concealed razor blade to commit suicide. He left a suicide note that consisted of an “ode to murder”. In 2020, the FBI released 11 drawings Israel made before his death. The drawings were all skulls and 1 pentagram made using Israel’s own blood. Detectives believe this number of skulls correlates to the number of victims Israel has.
The drawings of Israel Keyes
The crimes of Israel Keyes is absolutely horrific. I without a doubt believe he has many more victims out there, maybe even more than 11. Though it is great that he was caught, now that Israel is dead and authorities cannot directly talk to him for information, it makes it that much harder to figure out his crimes. Israel was very calculated and planned his crimes, so there may be some obstacles to track his crimes. Despite this, I still have hope that other victims will eventually be brought to light and the crimes of Israel Keyes will all be put together.
TRUE CRIME REPORT 