Preview: Joan wants to kill her husband, and her daughter may be the perfect hitman. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)
Military spouse Joan Shannon conspired with her daughter Elizabeth to murder Army Major David Shannon for the Servicemens Group Life Insurance. On July 23, 2002, Elizabeth Shannon fatally shot Major David Shannon twice at close range while he laid in his bed in his Fort Bragg, North Carolina home. Joan Shannon was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in prison plus thirteen years for conspiracy to commit murder. The gunman, Elizabeth Shannon, pleaded guilty to the murder of Major Shannon and was sentenced to 25-31 years in prison. The motive for the crime was greed and Joan Shannon manipulated and coerced her teen daughter Elizabeth to commit the crime.
Major David Shannon, U.S. Army
Investigation Discovery:
An Army Major lay lifeless in his bed, shot twice at close range while sleeping next to his wife. Investigators would soon uncover an intricately planned murder plot involving sex parties, adultery and coercion. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)
When Special Forces Major David Shannon is fatally shot in his family home, investigators wonder if his job made him a target. But a deeper inspection of his personal life reveals sordid secrets… possibly leading to his murder. -She Loves Me Not, Married with Secrets (S2, E3)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Army veteran Andrea Floyd was found raped and murdered by Army spouse and special operations soldier Brandon Floyd in a murder-suicide in their North Carolina home on July 19, 2002. The murder was the one of five domestic abuse incidents that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg. According to the book Army Wives, Andrea was planning on divorcing Brandon and had informed him that either she or he was leaving because the relationship was over. Their children were in Alliance, Ohio with Andrea’s family at the time of the incident.
“On July 19 the perfect picture shattered. After a loud argument that was overheard by neighbors, Brandon Floyd shot his wife, then turned his gun on himself. The double slaying was the fourth domestic tragedy at Fort Bragg in recent weeks. On June 11 Sgt. First Class Rigoberto Nieves, 32, shot himself and his wife, Teresa, 28, two days after returning from Afghanistan. Over the next six weeks Master Sgt. William Wright, 36, allegedly strangled his wife, Jennifer, 32; Sgt. Cedric Griffin, 28, allegedly stabbed his estranged wife, Marilyn, 32, and set fire to her home; and Maj. David Shannon, 40, was shot while sleeping in his home, a killing in which police have said that the wife remains a suspect.”
In March 2005, Fort Bragg Army Sergeant Cedric Ramon Griffin, 28, pleaded guilty to murdering his wife Marilyn Griffin and setting her home on fire on July 9, 2002 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Sgt. Griffin was charged by the Cumberland County Superior Court with the first-degree murder of his estranged wife Marilyn Griffin, first-degree arson, and the attempted murder of Marilyn’s two daughters. Marilyn died as a result of approximately 50 stab wounds to the chest, neck, back and abdomen; the preliminary autopsy results indicated Marilyn died prior to the fire. Marilyn’s daughters, ages 6 and 2, woke up during the fire, escaped, and went to a neighbor’s house for help. According to law enforcement officials, the motive appeared to be “domestic related” and Sgt. Griffin turned violent after Marilyn threatened to reveal his infidelity to his commander. The couple were married for eight years and Marilyn was murdered two months after she left Sgt. Griffin. She moved into her new home only a week before she died. Sgt. Cedric Griffin faced the death sentence in North Carolina if he was convicted of stabbing his wife to death but according to the Army Wives book, former Army Sgt. Cedric Griffin pleaded guilty to murdering Marilyn Griffin and is serving a life sentence in the Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. Rigoberto Nieves fatally shot his wife Teresa after an argument on June 11, 2002; William Wright admitted to strangling his wife Jennifer on June 29, 2002; Brandon Floyd fatally shot his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.
Forbidden: Dying for Love featured the Jennifer and William Wright 2002 homicide-suicide case on Investigation Discovery. ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ highlighted the circumstances that lead to the murder of Jennifer Wright and the pain it inflicted on those who were left behind including their three sons. According to the show, William Wright was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina with his wife and three children. MSgt Wright was routinely deployed after 9/11/2001 and as a result he was never home. Bill’s absence was hard on Jennifer and the marriage. She wanted Bill to leave the Army but the Army was his life; it’s what he was meant to do. While Bill was deployed in Afghanistan, he learned that Jennifer was telling people back home that he divorced her.
Bill was stunned to learn the news and was granted leave to go back stateside and deal with his family crisis. Bill learned Jennifer was having an affair with the pastor at church and she wanted a divorce. Instead of salvaging his marriage, Bill murdered Jennifer in the family home on June 29, 2002 and covered it up. When investigators questioned Bill about Jennifer’s murder, he broke down and told them everything. Bill admitted he hit his wife with a baseball bat and then strangled her to death. He then put her body in a garbage bag and buried her in some woods near Fort Bragg. In 2003, William Wright was in prison awaiting trial when he died by suicide in his jail cell. Jennifer and William’s sons expressed concern that the Army’s anti-malaria drugs negatively impacted their father’s health and was most likely the reason this tragedy occurred.
This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. Rigoberto Nieves fatally shot his wife Teresa on June 11, 2002; Cedric Griffin fatally stabbed his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd fatally shot his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.
ID Go: While her husband serves in the army, a lonely married mother of three finds comfort in the arms of her church’s charismatic new minister. But danger looms in the form of a jealous love-rival that will stop at nothing to scare her away. -Onward, Christian Soldier, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S4,E4)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.
Two days after returning home from Afghanistan, Fort Bragg Army SFC Rigoberto Nieves shot and killed his wife Teresa Nieves after an argument on June 11, 2002 in their Fayetteville, North Carolina home; SFC Nieves then turned his .40-caliber service revolver on himself. This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. William Wright admitted to murdering his wife Jennifer on June 29, 2002; Cedric Griffin murdered his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd murdered his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.
Joshua Ford, U.S. Army Veteran and Martha Margene Crutchley
Benjamin and Erika Sifrit murdered tourists Joshua Ford, 32, and Martha Crutchley, 51, on May 25, 2002 in Ocean City, Maryland. In 2003, Benjamin Sifrit was sentenced to 38 years in prison for one homicide and the dismemberment of human bodies and his wife Erika was sentenced to life in prison plus twenty years for two homicides. Benjamin Sifrit was a Navy Seal who was dishonorably discharged shortly after marrying Erika.
In the News:
From the outside, Benjamin and Erika Sifrit looked like a typical young middle-class married couple. But behind closed doors, their marriage harbored dark secrets that included drugs and an obsession with stealing Hooters memorabilia. When their vices were no longer fulfilling their needs, they turned to something more sinister – thrill killing. (Part 1)
Ocean City’s ‘Thrill Kill’ Couple (Part 2)
Ocean City’s ‘Thrill Kill’ Couple (Part 3)
Forensic Files:
Full Episode: The couple spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach, and then they simply vanished. Their clothes and personal items were still in the rented condo, their car was parked outside, and there were no signs of forced entry or foul play. A week later, police would get an unexpected lead from a robbery in progress, and the evidence they found helped them to solve a crime of unparalleled violence and brutality. -Dirty Little Seacret, Forensic Files (S13, E47)
Oxygen:
A young woman’s scrapbook offers insight into a shocking crime. -Erika Sifrit, Snapped (S8,E11)
A vacationing couple’s disappearance exposes the horrific crimes of a murderous husband and wife. -Erika and BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (S11,E2)
Investigation Discovery:
In 2002, Erika and BJ Sifrit’s vacation in Ocean City, MD ended with them in the back of a squad car arrested for armed robbery. When two dismembered bodies were later unearthed, the connection between the two crimes would reveal a grisly murder. -Ocean City, Sins and Secrets (S2,E8)
A seemingly perfect young couple is concealing a sinful life of crime and sexual depravity. Then later, a threesome of lovers ends in a bizarre homicide and cover-up. -Killers on the Run, Deadly Sins (S3,E9)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Army Pfc. Gary S. Kalinofski, 21, died of a gunshot wound at Camp Magrath near Pristina, Kosovo on March 4, 2002. The military casualty announcement confirmed the gunshot wound was not a result of engagement with hostile forces. Pfc. Kalinofski’s home of record was listed as Fayetteville, North Carolina. Pfc. Kalinofski served in Kosovo since November 2001 in a peacekeeping mission role on behalf of A Company, Task Force 1-32nd Infantry Regiment at Fort Drum, New York. According to the book Army Wives by Tanya Biank, the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) ruled that Pfc. Gary Kalinofski died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Gary was survived by his parents; his dad also served in the Army and was in Kosovo at the time Gary took his own life. The Army Wives author shared that Gary’s parents were interviewed by Army CID but they didn’t have any insight or knowledge to help Army CID understand why Gary chose to die by suicide.
Editor’s Note: There was no Department of Defense press release for the announcement of the death of Army casualty Pfc. Gary S. Kalinofski in Kosovo.
Army SSG John Diamond, 28, was accused of fatally shooting Air Force Capt. Frank ‘Marty’ Theer in Fayetteville, North Carolina on December 17, 2000. Capt. Theer and his wife Michelle were on their way to a Christmas party when Michelle claimed she needed to stop at her place of employment. After waiting for awhile, Capt. Theer exited his vehicle to check on Michelle. As he ascended the stairs at the office building, he was shot multiple times and died at the scene. The Fayetteville Police Department launched a homicide investigation and would learn that Michelle Theer was having an affair a married Fort Bragg Army Ranger named John Diamond. It was later theorized that psychologist and Air Force Reservist Michelle Theer was the mastermind behind the murder of her husband. She was accused of setting Capt. Theer up when she lured him to her office; she was also accused of manipulating SSG Diamond to commit the murder. The prosecutor’s theorized the motive for the homicide of Capt. Theer was the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance money.
During the investigation, the police got a tip that a gun matching the murder weapon was in the custody of SSG Diamond which connected him to the crime. Conveniently, SSG Diamond admitted to having a gun that fit the description of the one used in the murder but he claimed his vehicle had been broken into and the gun was stolen. SSG Diamond was arrested by the US Army for having an unregistered weapon on a federal installation while they investigated his role in the murder. They would learn that despite his marriage status, he was in love with Michelle Theer and would do anything for her. The military courts charged SSG Diamond with first degree murder and on August 28, 2001, a six-member military panel at Fort Bragg found him guilty; Staff Sgt. John Diamond was sentenced to life in federal prison. Michelle Theer disappeared by the time the civilian authorities caught up with her but she was eventually located in Florida living under an assumed identity. Michelle Theer was convicted of conspiracy to commit first degree murder on December 3, 2004 and sentenced to life in prison, no parole.
Investigation Discovery:
In 2000, Michelle Theer was an Air Force wife in the military town of Fayetteville until a fatal shooting made her a widow. The investigation into her husband’s death led police to the door of an Army Ranger – taking orders from very unlikely accomplices. -Fayetteville, Sins and Secrets (S2,E3)
Sexy psychologist and doting Air Force wife Michelle begins a swinging affair with Army Sgt. Diamond while her husband, Captain Marty Theer, is away. But all’s fair in love and war, and Marty’s return will remind them that love is a battlefield. -Sergeant Swinger, Scorned: Love Kills (S4,E1)
Oxygen:
A frantic, distraught woman runs into a video rental store screaming that her husband has been shot. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples
Killer Couples: S8 E5 Preview – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E5 After the Verdict – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen
Psychologist Debbie Layton-Tholl talks about her experience meeting with Michelle Theer. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples
A lonely military wife and psychologist go searching for sex on the Internet with deadly results. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples (S8,E5)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
On May 24, 2001, enlisted Army soldier Roger Reister, 27, found his pregnant wife Captain Lynn (Armstrong) Reister, 31, murdered in their off post home in El Paso, Texas. Roger claimed on a panicked 911 call that she was dead and it looked like her throat had been ripped out. Both were stationed at nearby Fort Bliss. Captain Reister was a Commander and was scheduled to transfer in just a few days to a new position as an ROTC instructor in Missouri. Captain Reister was a distinguished Norwich Academy graduate, a Commander, and an Air Defense Artillery Tactical Control Officer for patriot missiles in Saudi Arabia. Lynn was a mother to a five year old son Triston and was pregnant with another son. Lynn’s co-workers scheduled a going away party for her the day she died. She never showed up.
Lynn and Roger met at a club in Oxbar, Germany where both of them were stationed. Lynn thought Roger was charming and nice. They met when she was only twenty-two years old. She was a Lieutenant; he was Private First Class. In the Army it is against regulation to get involved with anyone below your rank unless you are married. Roger continued to salute Lynn while they simultaneously hid their relationship. Lynn was a higher ranking military officer and in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If they were found out, Lynn could have lost her career. Despite the risks, they both pursued a passionate relationship. Roger was approached by military leadership about the affair but denied it. They decided to get married in Denmark so they could openly be together and then Lynn got pregnant. Once they were married, the military couldn’t do anything. Roger was deployed and missed the birth of their son.
After Roger got home from deployment, Lynn was deployed to Hungary for six months. Now both of them experienced being away from their newborn and got a shot at being a single parent. The couple decided to ask for a transfer back to the states so they could raise their son. In the fall of 1996 they were transferred to Fort Bliss. Lynn had a Command and was shortly promoted to Captain. She was described as a great Commander who took care of her soldiers and their spouses. In the summer of 2000, Lynn deployed to Saudi Arabia as a Patriot Missile Commander. She had a highly stressful job because she made the decision when to launch the defensive missiles. Meanwhile Roger suspected her of cheating on him so when she returned home from Saudi Arabia, tensions were high. Lynn denied cheating on Roger but he moved to the barracks on post. Lynn did not want to give up on Roger because she didn’t believe in divorce so they went to marriage counseling. Eventually they reconciled and Roger moved back home, then Lynn found out she was pregnant with their second son.
On the day of the crime. Roger Reister took their son Triston to work with him for the day. Lynn stayed home because she had a doctor’s appointment and was going to pick up Triston after she was done. Early that same day, Roger claimed that his vehicle wouldn’t start and he called his brother Rodney to help him get it started. According to Roger, they both left afterwards. Roger tried calling Lynn throughout the day but she wasn’t answering the phone. He was beginning to get worried. When he got home from work he found Lynn dead on the bedroom floor. According to investigators her throat had been slit from ear to ear all the way to her spine. She had been nearly decapitated. Police always look at the spouse first but Roger had a solid alibi that day. He last saw Lynn alive at 4:30 a.m. before he left for work with his son. In the meantime, Roger’s brother Rodney showed up to the crime scene to support him. He claimed he had not seen Lynn for over a week and the only person he could think of that could do this may be a girl named April who had a crush on Roger.
According to Roger and Rodney, April hit on Roger while Lynn was deployed to Saudi Arabia and her Army husband was deployed to Korea. At one point Lynn’s tires had been slashed and they wondered if it was April. In addition Triston told investigators that “April wanted to marry daddy.” Investigators learned that Roger met April at a local dance club and she offered to help him with Triston while Lynn was deployed. Detectives questioned April next. She admitted to having an affair with Roger for a few months in 2000 but denied killing Lynn. April felt betrayed that Roger pointed the finger at her. She told investigators that Roger said “maybe when she gets back, I’ll take care of her for good.” But Roger told detectives that he was an every day man who cheats on his spouse and ended things with April when Lynn got home. Investigators learned that Roger continued to meet up with April 2-3 times a week at the dance club and Lynn caught him. After Lynn confronted Roger about the affair, he moved back to the barracks. Then Lynn found out April was pregnant with Roger’s child. When police interviewed April she was pregnant and admitted that she was pregnant with Roger’s child. April suggested detectives speak with Army soldier Patrick Meuller.
Patrick Mueller immediately asked for immunity from both the military and civilian authorities when questioned. Mueller was given immunity and shared with investigators that Roger asked him to kill Lynn. Roger asked him to stab her in the throat so she couldn’t scream. Roger convinced him to do it, built him up, offered $10,000 cash, and reminded him of the $250,000 life insurance pay-out. Mueller agreed to do it. The plan was for Roger to take Triston to work and leave the door unlocked but Mueller admitted to never going into the house because he got spooked when he thought a neighbor saw him. Mueller had an alibi. Mueller was friends with Roger’s brother Rodney and shared that Rodney might have beef with Lynn because she kicked him out of the marital home. Apparently Rodney had been in a lot of trouble including setting fires and stealing. Rodney moved in with them after getting out of jail in Florida. Roger and Lynn let him move in temporarily in an attempt to help him out. After six weeks of the living arrangement, Rodney put a strain on the marriage because he didn’t contribute to the household, laid around all day, and made no attempt to get a job. Rodney was also disrespectful to Lynn. Maybe Rodney had motive to kill Lynn because he had no job, little money, and nowhere to live. Rodney Reister was a person of interest.
Investigators questioned Rodney Reister who was now living with his girlfriend Amber. Rodney Reister told detectives that Roger asked him to kill Lynn because she was cheating on him. Rodney said Roger wanted her dead because Lynn would get custody of their son Triston in a divorce due to the fact that she is a military officer. Roger in essence pressured Rodney to kill Lynn for him. But Rodney said Lynn was awake when he entered the house so he took off. Rodney was one of six people Roger had manipulated and asked to kill his wife. Meanwhile, El Paso crime scene investigators discovered a bloody palm print on Captain Reister’s arm. The palm print did not match Roger Reister or his mistress April, but it did match Roger’s brother Rodney Reister. Police questioned Rodney again and this time he confessed to the crime. Rodney admitted to a second attempt the morning Lynn died. He also implicated Roger in the murder-for-hire plot. Roger set the plan in motion and used the problems with his vehicle as a signal for Rodney to kill Lynn. Roger took Rodney into the house, showed him where the knife was, and then went to work with his son. Roger told Rodney to cut her throat to keep her from screaming.
Rodney admitted to losing his nerve initially but Lynn saw him. In the struggle Lynn said to Rodney “you don’t have to do this” and “don’t believe Roger.” A pregnant Lynn fought for her life but was no match for the knife wielding Rodney. Rodney Reister nearly decapitated Lynn when he cut her throat and Roger left him a fresh set of clothes so he could leave the home without raising any suspicion. The motive was the $250,000 Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) pay-out. Roger offered Rodney $1000 to kill Lynn and then more after he got the insurance money. Rodney was arrested for capital murder and faced the death penalty. The big question in Rodney’s case was did he do it for love or did he do it for money. The jury decided Rodney committed first degree murder for the love of his brother and he was sentenced to life in prison. Roger Reister was arrested but claimed that his brother Rodney acted alone despite four people willing to testify that he asked them to kill his wife. A civilian jury found Roger guilty of four counts of solicitation of murder and he was sentenced to four concurrent life terms in prison. The conclusion: Roger wanted girls, money, the house, and custody of his kid; Roger didn’t want to move to Missouri and be married anymore.
A soldier comes home with his five year old son and finds his wife, an Army Officer stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, brutally stabbed to death. -The Affairs of Soldiers, Shadow of Doubt (S1,E2)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 