Category: Military Policy

United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals Upheld United States v. Jane Neubauer, US Air Force (2016)

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Retaliation

On March 10, 2016 the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals upheld United States v. Jane Neubauer, United States Air Force. Is this another case of federal government overreach and denial of due process rights? I think John Q Public‘s assessment of this case speaks volumes of the real issues behind the Command directed prosecution of an airman who blew the whistle after being recruited as an Office of Special Investigations (OSI) confidential informant. The same OSI office she exposed ended up investigating and assisting with her prosecution. This is yet another example of the importance of letting an impartial law enforcement official and prosecutor make decisions about whether to investigate, who should investigate, who to investigate, and whether or not they have the evidence to move forward with a case. The moment a military member asks for an attorney, all criminal justice communications with Commanders and their investigators must cease. Every accused military member should be represented by counsel and afforded their due process rights throughout the entire investigation including collection of evidence. Learn more about your due process rights here.

“There have been many sexual assault accusations far less credible than the accusation made by this Airman. Many that were enthusiastically pursued by prosecutors despite their frailty … many that did not result in disciplinary actions when they were revealed to have been false.

So, what was so special about this accusation?

Well, she was an OSI informant, and the situation cast OSI in an extremely negative light at a time when the OSI informant program was already under fire. The same organization that recruited her right out of BMT to help investigate drug activity at Keesler AFB conducted the investigation that eventually resulted in her prosecution.

If she’s wrong … if she’s bad … if she’s a liar … then obviously she’s the problem. She’ll absorb the negative attention and culpability … leaving OSI and its shady actions in this debacle comfortably out of the limelight.

Another example of prosecutorial inconsistency and arbitrariness in the USAF … demonstrating that it’s not operating an impartial justice system, but a score-settling control device on behalf of the chain of command.” ~John Q Public

Related Links:
United States v. Airman Basic Jane M. Neubauer, United States Air Force
Spies, Lies, and Rape in the Air Force: An Undercover Agent’s Story
Undercover Agent Says the Air Force Is Retaliating Against Her After She Was Raped
Air Force undercover informant claims she is being hounded out of the service after being raped while trying to root out drug rings
Gillibrand Reacts to Air Force Rape Case First Reported by The Daily Beast
The Pentagon’s shameful culture of sexual assault can still be uprooted
Air Force Charges Ex-Informant With Lying About Her Rape
Keesler Air Force Base ex-informant loses appeal
Former Air Force informant who made false rape charge loses appeal
Former Air Force Informant Who Made False Rape Charge Loses Appeal
Honor and deception: A secretive Air Force program recruits academy students to inform on fellow cadets and disavows them afterward
Air Force Cadet’s Secret Story: I Blew the Whistle on Football Players and Sex Assaults
Hearing testimony reveals subterfuge of Air Force Academy informant program
Informant Debate Renewed as Air Force Revisits Cadet Misconduct
Air Force Academy: Please Reinstate Cadet Eric Thomas and Reform the Confidential Informant Program!

Fort Hood Army Sgt. Sean Van Der Wal Died in a Traffic Crash on I-35 in Texas; Driver Spc. Timothy Corder Found Guilty of Felony, Received Probation (March 6, 2016)

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vanderwall-2
Sgt. Sean Van Der Wal, US Army

Sgt. Sean Van Der Wal, 25, US Army, was killed in a vehicle crash on Interstate 35 near Georgetown, Texas on March 6, 2016. Sgt. Van Der Wal was in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by Spc. Timothy Corder that collided with the back of a parked semitrailer (hazards were on). The two other crash victims including the driver were hospitalized. Sgt. Van Der Wal was a military policeman assigned to the 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade at Fort Hood. Sgt. Van Der Wal joined the Army in 2014 and his home of record is listed as New Castle, Pennsylvania. Spc. Timothy Corder, 24, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Corder was booked and released from the County Jail on a $100,000 bond on April 11, 2016. Spc. Timothy Corder found guilty of felony and the final disposition was probation.

Data from Corder’s vehicle showed he was traveling at a steady 78 miles per hour just prior to the crash, with no braking or cruise control, the affidavit states. The speed limit at the crash location is 55 mph. –KXAN

Related Links:
Fort Hood Press Center: Sgt. Sean Vanderwal
Death of a Fort Hood Soldier
Obituary: Sgt. Sean McGregor Van Der Wal of Ft. Hood, Texas
Fort Hood soldier killed in crash near Georgetown
Fort Hood IDs soldier killed in Texas crash
ID’ed: Ft Hood soldier killed in crash
Fort Hood: Soldier killed in weekend accident identified
New Castle soldier dies in Texas traffic accident
Police arrest Fort Hood soldier after accident that left a military policeman dead
Man charged in March crash that killed Fort Hood soldier
Man charged for I-35 crash that killed Fort Hood military policeman
Sgt. Sean McGregor Vanderwal, 25, killed, and two people injured in car crash with semi truck near Georgetown, Texas
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside (January 1, 2016 to Present)

Disappeared: Air Force Veteran Michael Vanzandt Vanishes During a Night Out with Friends in Hermosa Beach, California (March 5, 2016)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Cold Cases, In Their Name, USAFLeave a comment
Screen Shot 2018-05-24 at 7.27.44 PM
Michael Vanzandt, US Air Force Veteran

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE HERMOSA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Detective Joshua Droz at (310) 318-0334 or jdroz@hermosapolice.org

Air Force veteran Michael Vanzandt, 36, was living in Lancaster, California at the time of his disappearance. Michael was originally from Pleasant Lake, Michigan where he was raised by his mom. He has two brothers and one step brother. After graduation in 1999, Michael enlisted in the Air Force. It wasn’t long after that in 2000 when he met a fellow Air Force member at Yakota Air Base in Japan. They were both from Michigan and grew up about an hour and a half from one another. They married in 2001 and by 2006, they had three children. Michael was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. While stationed there, he deployed to Iraq twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

After twelve years of service, Michael left the Air Force and got a civilian job in human resources at Edwards AFB. In 2014, Michael and his wife decided to separate and divorce. His wife says they just grew apart. But despite the break-up, the two had a good relationship for the sake of the three children. They had shared custody. Michael tried dating a couple people after the divorce but the relationships didn’t last because he just wasn’t ready yet. Although he remained friends with the two women. It was clear Michael was focused on moving out of his small apartment and getting a house for his family. In early 2016, Michael was approved for a mortgage.

On March 5, 2016, Michael dropped the three children off at his ex-wife’s house because he had plans to go out with some friends that night. He drove from Lancaster to Hermosa Beach where he was meeting his friends. They were going to watch a UFC event and Michael was excited about that because he loves the UFC. Michael parked his car in a parking garage and they ubered it to the Underground. After the UFC event was over, they all decided to go to the American Junkie bar. While they were waiting in line, Michael said he was going to use the bathroom at the liquor store. This is the last time anyone saw Michael Vanzandt again.

When friends decided to abandon their plan to go to the American Junkie, they left and went bar hopping. The last time they spoke to Michael, he said he was going to the bathroom at the liquor store and would be right back. They were starting to get concerned so they texted and called him but got no response. The phone calls were going straight to voicemail. After leaving the bars in Hermosa Beach, they went back to the parking garage to see if Michael had retrieved his car and he had not. The next day, one of his friends started making phone calls with no luck. Another friend went to his apartment and learned that he was not there. His car wasn’t either.

Michael’s ex-wife grew concerned when Michael didn’t show up to drop off an insurance form for one of the kids who was having a medical procedure done. She called one of his ex-girlfriends who offered to go to his apartment and see if she couldn’t find Michael and/or the insurance form. She looked around the apartment but nothing appeared to be out of place and nothing looked suspicious. Michael’s ex-wife called his place of employment at Edwards AFB and learned that he never showed up for work which was totally out of character. They knew now that Michael was missing.

One of Michael’s friends attempted to file an official missing persons report but were quickly disheartened when they realized the police were not as concerned. Michael’s friend went to Hermosa Beach to look for him. She learned that Michael’s car was still in the parking garage. Michael’s ex-wife tells the kids at this point that Michael is officially missing. And they didn’t waste any time trying to garner attention for Michael’s disappearance on social media. The information spread like wild fire. On March 8, Michael’s friends met with a detective in Hermosa Beach who laid out a game plan for launching a missing person’s investigation.

After the investigation was launched, friends and family put up fliers in Hermosa Beach and spoke with local businesses but no one had seen Michael. Investigators talked with all the friends Michael was out with on March 5th but none of them provided any new leads. Investigators looked at cell phone records and the last time the phone was used, it pinged in Hermosa Beach. It appears the phone went dead around 9 p.m. Next investigators looked thru surveillance video around the bars the group frequented. It was at this point, news outlets also began covering Michael’s disappearance. Family and friends hoped for the lead that would be a breakthrough in the case.

After the investigators and Michael’s family and friends were unable to locate Michael in downtown Hermosa Beach, they all shifted the search efforts to the shoreline. Michael’s family hired a helicopter to search up and down the coast line. Meanwhile, the police positively identified Michael on video surveillance. They witnessed Michael come out of the door at the liquor store and then he went southbound on Hermosa Avenue. They could see how the group kept missing Michael in the crowds by a matter of seconds as they searched for each other. The police speculated that Michael was probably looking for a bathroom. Michael went back to the liquor store and bought some whiskey. It was here that police were able to confirm his cell phone was in fact dead.

The last confirmed sighting for Michael Vanzandt was at 11:27 p.m. in Hermosa Beach. Friends and family hoped he ran into someone else while out, maybe an unknown group of people. They felt helpless because there were no new leads despite their exhaustive efforts. Michael’s brother Tyler walked the coast line again and again until he couldn’t walk anymore but eventually realized that his time on the ground was not effective. The Hermosa Beach P.D. confirmed that the investigation is still open but were at a loss after taking all the proactive measures. Michael’s brother thought maybe he went swimming while drinking but deep down inside prays that he’s out there in the world in an effort to maintain hope. Michael had a good job, he was planning on getting a new home, and starting a new chapter in his life for his children.

Source: Just Out of Sight, Disappeared, Investigation Discovery

Related Links:


When Michael VanZandt, a veteran and father of three, disappears one night in Hermosa Beach, Ca., police suspect a group of strangers may be involved. But his loved ones are haunted by suspicions about his thrill seeking when considering his fate. -Disappeared

A Stranger in My Home Premiered ‘The Two-Faced Murder’ on ID: Abusive Caregiver Rosemary Vandecar Convicted of Murder (February 26, 2016)

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An old man collapses in his bathroom, gasping for air. The caregiver tries to save him while her son calls for help in vain. This “accident” isn’t what it seems, though… and the true story reveals murder. -The Two-Faced Murder, A Stranger in My Home (S3,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.

Related Links:
The Two-Faced Murder | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (S3,E3)
The Two-Faced Murder | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (website)
The Two-Faced Murder | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Police Rule Roy Schutzler Death Suspicious; Daniel Vandecar Not Involved, Rosemary Vandecar Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder (February 8, 2010)
Investigation Reveals Retired Marine Daniel Vandecar Not Involved in Schutzler Homicide

Murder Book Premiered ‘Come Back Jack’ on Investigation Discovery: Disabled Veteran Jack Irwin Disappears in Upland, California (February 25, 2016)

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Four years after a 71 year-old Korean War hero goes missing near Upland, California, a DA’s investigator picks up a trail of clues that seem to lead to the victim’s closest friends. -Come Back Jack, Murder Book (S2,E13) 

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.

Related Links:
Come Back Jack | Murder Book | Investigation Discovery (S2,E13)
Come Back Jack | Murder Book | Investigation Discovery (website)
Come Back Jack | Murder Book | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Disabled Army Veteran Jack Irwin Murdered for Disability Benefits, Bank Account & Assets; Marcia Johnson Sentenced to Life, No Parole (September 13, 1999)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Osama El-Atari, One-Time Informant Who Got Marine Jorge Torrez to Confess to 3 Murders Including Amanda Snell, Found Dead in Vehicle; Three Suspects Arrested for Murder (February 16, 2016)

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P.O. Amanda Snell, U.S. Navy
Osama El-Atari
Jorge Torrez, U.S. Marine Corps

“A Virginia man found murdered in Maryland over the weekend was an informant who successfully got a Marine to confess to three murders in prison. Osama El-Atari had been reported missing by his family…Two days later, El Atari was found dead inside his truck…In August of 2010, the feds wanted to see if El-Atari could get Jorge Torrez, a Marine, to confess on tape to the murder of Amanda Jean Snell, a sailor who was found murdered in Fort Myer. El-Atari and Torrez were in the same cellblock in Arlington County Jail. The two talked for hours with El-Atari getting Torrez to admit to the vicious crime…El-Atari was also able to get Torrez to admit to the 2005 killing of two little girls in his hometown of Zion, Illinois. It is a crime in which a suspect had already confessed. Also, DNA evidence pointed to Torrez.” Read more from Fox 5 DC here.

Related Links:
Slain Va. man was one-time informant who got Marine to confess to murders
Admitted bank scammer who turned into jailhouse informant in terror, murder cases found slain in truck on Maryland street
VA Man Convicted of Scamming Banks for Millions Found Dead in MD
Police arrest 2 in slaying of freed jailhouse informant
Arrests made in murder of informant who got Marine to confess to murders
Third man arrested in Leesburg bank scammer’s death
Third man arrested in death of scam artist turned informant
3rd Suspect Arrested for Convicted Loudoun Restauranteur’s Murder
Robbery Cited as Motive in El-Atari Homicide
The King of Ashburn: The life and murder of a con man
Navy Petty Officer Amanda Snell Murdered by Marine Jorge Torrez in Barracks at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia; Sentenced to Death by Federal Judge (July 13, 2009)

Army Sgt. Joseph Stifter Died of Wounds Suffered When Armored HMMWV was Involved in Roll-over Accident in Iraq (2016)

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Sgt. Joseph Stifter, US Army

Army Sgt. Joseph Stifter, 30, of Glendale, California, died of wounds suffered when his armored HMMWV was involved in a roll-over accident on January 28, 2016 at Al Asad Airbase, Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Sgt. Stifter was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve on behalf of the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. At the time of the press release, the incident was under investigation.

Related Links:
Obituary: Joseph Francis Stifter
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Fort Riley Soldier Dies in Iraq
Fort Riley Soldier Killed
Soldier who died in Iraq accident is identified
Sgt. Joseph Stifter, former Fort Riley soldier, dies in Iraq
Fort Riley soldier dies during Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq
Soldier from Glendale killed in crash while serving in Iraq
Glendale Soldier Killed In Rollover Accident In Iraq
Soldier From Glendale Killed in Rollover Crash at Iraq Airbase
Flags at half-staff to honor Army soldier from Glendale killed in Iraq
Community mourns the death of Sgt. Joseph Stifter
St. Francis Alumnus Dies in Iraq Accident
Nearly five years after Petraeus scandal, bad decisions still resonate
Statue Dedication Honoring Local Soldiers
Tribute To Our Fallen Soldiers – US Army Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter, 30, of Glendale, California
Enduring Heroes to Honor Local Fallen Soldiers with a Monument in Pasadena
Families will honor Pasadena soldiers’ sacrifice at ‘Enduring Heroes’ monument unveiling
It’s Time to Honor, It’s Time to Remember: Enduring Heroes


Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter, US Army

Vanity Fair Confidential on Investigation Discovery Features ‘Code of Dishonor’

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There are thousands of victims. All members of the American Air Force. How far will they go to stop a covert war against women? -Vanity Fair Confidential

Vanity Fair Confidential on Investigation Discovery featured ‘Code of Dishonor’ which was an investigation of the issue of sexual assault in the military. They highlighted the US Air Force Academy sexual assault scandal back in 2003 and the more recent case of Myah Bilton-Smith, who was also a victim of sexual assault while serving in the United States Air Force. The show revealed that sexual assault can happen to anyone including officers and enlisted.

Related Links:
Code of Dishonor, Vanity Fair
Code of Dishonor Post-Script
Hidden Sexual Assault In The Military: Code Of Dishonor
Conduct Unbecoming
Former cadet talks about rape
`Expect rape,’ ex-cadet says she was warned
More Cadets Speaking Out About Assaults
Former cadets say rapes at academy ended dreams
Defense to investigate cadets’ rape allegations
Ex-Brass Deny Ignoring Victims
Demotion in air academy sex scandal / Air Force general loses one star before retirement
Ex-Superintendent of Air Force Academy Is Demoted in Wake of Rape Scandal
Air Force leadership blamed for sex scandal
Senate to hear female victims of Air Force academy sexual assaults
Interview with Beth Davis, former US Air Force Academy cadet
Air Force Sex Scandal Gets Hotter
Sexual Assault and Violence Against Women in the Military and at the Academies
C-SPAN: Sexual Misconduct in the Military (June 27, 2006)
Albuquerque Reporter Was A ‘Beautiful Girl Inside and Out’
Vanity Fair Confidential ‘Code of Dishonor’ (YouTube)

Air Force TSgt Zechariah Casagranda Stabbed to Death in Parking Lot in Louisiana; Benjamin Shaw Found Not Guilty of Second Degree Murder (2016)

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zechariah-casagranda
TSgt Zechariah Casagranda, US Air Force

TSgt Zechariah Casagranda, Barksdale Air Force Base, US Air Force, was murdered in the rear parking lot of the Rockin Rodeo in Bossier City, Louisiana at 2:00 a.m. on January 24, 2016. The 34 year old airman was stabbed during an altercation involving two groups of men at the night club. Bossier City Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit detectives arrested 21 year old Benjamin William Shaw of Killeen, Texas in connection with the fatal stabbing. Shaw is facing a charge of second degree murder. Shaw posted $500,000 bond and was released to the custody of his parents in Naples, Maine.

Louisiana authorities made Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department in Maine aware of the case and they were asked to periodically check in on Shaw. But other local officials are concerned that they were not notified and are not sure why he was allowed to travel to Maine. According to WMTW, Shaw can’t leave Cumberland County, except to meet with his attorney or for court appearances. He has to surrender his passport, can’t have firearms or weapons, and can’t have contact with the victim’s family. Shaw must also report to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office weekly.

Benjamin Shaw’s family hired a high-profiled attorney, Jose Baez, who also represented Casey Anthony in Florida. Shaw was found not guilty of second degree murder in June 2017.

Related Links:
Obituary: TSGT Zechariah Casagranda
Barksdale airman stabbed to death outside night club
Airman from Lingleville murdered in Louisiana
Identity released of airman killed in Bossier City stabbing
Technical Sergeant Zechariah Casagranda identified in fatal stabbing
Man arrested in fatal stabbing of Barksdale airman
Sheriff not notified Louisiana murder suspect living in Maine
Accused Louisiana killer out on bail in Maine
Louisiana murder suspect living in Naples with his parents
Sheriff slams Louisiana decision to let murder suspect return to Maine home
Man accused in Barksdale airman’s stabbing death plans to hire nationally-known attorney
Man accused in January stabbing death in court Tuesday
Grand jury indicts suspect in murder of Barksdale airman
High-profile attorney hired by family of alledged airman murderer
Murder trial begins in Bossier for Shaw case
Defense rests in Benjamin Shaw murder trial
Jury finds man accused of killing BAFB airman not guilty of second-degree murder
Not Guilty Verdict in Benjamin Shaw Murder Case

I’d Kill For You Premiered ‘First to Die’ on ID: Contentious Child Custody Case Leads to Shocking Murder of Navy Veteran John Marmo (January 23, 2016)

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A shotgun wedding leaves naval officers John Marmo and Rebecca Braswell in a troubled marriage with a baby. As the relationship crumbles, allegations of infidelity and abuse run rampant. A fierce custody battle pushes both sides in a deadly battle. -First to Die, I’d Kill for You (S3,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.

Related Links:
Rebecca Braswell, John Marmo, Jr.: Investigation Discovery’s ‘I’d Kill for You’ Shocks with Story of Naval Seabees who Murdered Camarillo Man Over Child Custody
Prosecutor: Navy Petty Officer Rebecca Braswell Considered a Pure Sociopath
Navy Seabee Rebecca Braswell Conspired to Have Ex-Husband & Navy Veteran John Marmo Murdered; Sentenced to Life in Prison (December 1, 2006)
First to Die | I’d Kill for You | Investigation Discovery (S3,E3)
First to Die | I’d Kill for You | Investigation Discovery (website)
First to Die | I’d Kill for You | Investigation Discovery (Prime Video)