Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Bonfire of Blood’ on Investigation Discovery: Escalating Property Dispute Between Walter Stephens & Bob Hall Turns Deadly (May 25, 2016)

On May 25, 2016August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, USCG, VeteransLeave a comment

ID Go: An argument about access to a disputed road puts two Lompico, California men at each other’s throats. Things progress from intimidation and property damage to a backhoe attack and, finally, one of the most shocking murders the area has ever seen. -Bonfire of Blood, Fear Thy Neighbor (S3, E9)

Coast Guard veteran Walter Stephens shot and killed Bob Hall in Lompico, California on November 20, 1998. After killing Bob, Walt burned and attempted to hide his body in a bonfire on his property. Bob’s co-workers grew concerned when Bob didn’t show up for his retirement party at work. They called the police and asked them to do a welfare check on Bob. In the course of the investigation, police learned from family members that if anything happened to Bob, they needed to talk to his neighbor Walter Stephens. Bob and Walter had been in a long standing neighborhood feud with one another over a property issue. When police went to visit Walter at his home, they found him tending a large fire. They questioned Walter about Bob’s disappearance but he denied having any knowledge or information useful to the missing persons investigation. Upon closer examination of the bonfire, the police observed what appeared to be human remains in the fire. Walter admitted to killing Bob and he was arrested.

Fellow neighbors always thought it would be the other way around, that Bob would kill Walter. Some believe Walter finally snapped. Bob’s family believed it was first degree murder. Facing a possible death sentence, Walter pleaded self-defense but the prosecutors believed otherwise after the forensic evidence was examined. Walter said he thought Bob had a weapon when he approached him late one night on his property but his gun told another story. Walter pistol whipped Bob with his gun and then shot him while he was helpless and down on the ground. Prosecutors argued it wasn’t self-defense, it was straight up murder. They believed Walter started that confrontation with Bob that night with the intent to kill. Walter Stephens was found guilty and sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for second degree murder. He got 14 years for the murder and another 25 years for use of weapon. Bob’s bones were burned and mostly disintegrated and his body was not recognizable. Detectives believe that had the police not discovered Bob’s remains in the fire, Walter Stephens may have got away with it.

Source: ‘Bonfire of Blood’ Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery

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.

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Burn Neighbor, Burn’ on ID: In Retaliation, Andrew Sindriewicz Burned Down Two Family Homes in New York (May 4, 2016)

On May 4, 2016August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, In Their Name, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Suicide, True Crime, USMC, VeteransLeave a comment

ID Go: In peaceful Alden, New York, siblings who live in neighboring houses get into a conflict when their prodigal brother returns home. Soon, the family is at each other’s throats until their war finally comes to a shocking, fiery end. -Burn Neighbor, Burn, Fear Thy Neighbor (S3, E6)

Date: June 3, 2009
Victims: Helena & David Ward, Raymond Sindriewicz, and Holly & Dale Earsing
Offender: Andrew Sindriewicz, 49, Marine Corps veteran, disabled, caretaker for mother
Location: Alden, New York
Circumstances: Brothers Raymond and Andrew didn’t get along as they got older, Raymond moved in next-door with his sister Helena due to failing health, Andrew started blasting heavy metal music in the garage and Raymond asked him to turn down the music, Andrew would turn it down initially but after Raymond left, he turned it back up, Andrew harbored grudges, sister Helena described Andrew as menacing, Andrew had a dark side, Raymond collected furniture that he restored & sold at local flea markets, Andrew didn’t like all the junk collecting on his sister’s property, Andrew trimmed a tree that dropped on Raymond’s furniture but he wouldn’t admit he did it on purpose, Andrew refused to turn down loud music, Andrew and Raymond got in a physical altercation because of the loud music, Andrew was accidentally cut by the skill saw, Andrew became distraught about their oldest sister who died, Andrew pointed a gun at his sister Helena one night, Andrew suffered with anxiety, Andrew wouldn’t leave the house because he was afraid Raymond would shoot him, Helena called the police for fear that Andrew would commit suicide, instead Andrew was charged with menacing behavior and possession of a deadly weapon, Helena felt bad that he was arrested and went to bat for him at court, the charges are dropped, but Andrew didn’t forgive her, their mother died in the spring of 2007, Raymond was cut out of the will, Raymond felt betrayed that he got nothing and believed that Andrew manipulated their mom, Andrew and sister Helena inherited their mom’s house but Andrew had no money to maintain the house, Andrew wanted his niece and her family to move into the house and help him pay the bills, Andrew turned the garage into his permanent home after they moved in, Andrew started getting annoyed with the children and their messes, Andrew played loud music day after day and wouldn’t turn it down as if he was torturing everyone, niece Holly called the police on Andrew who pretended to be asleep, Holly hoped the issue was settled but it was not, Andrew was very upset that she called the police, the kids got a new puppy but Andrew was not happy because they didn’t ask his permission first, Andrew got his own dog and gave the dog commands to bite their dog, he hoped his dog would kill their dog, Dale confronted Andrew and they got in a fight, Andrew resorted to underhanded tactics like removing the A/C unit from the window, Andrew stopped talking to Holly and Dale, everyone was walking on eggshells, Andrew blasted his music later and later into the night so Holly & Dale shut off his power one night, Andrew tried breaking into their home and they called the police but he couldn’t be charged because it wasn’t criminal in nature, it was a nuisance, there was nothing the police could do to help Holly and Dale, Helena obtained a court order on June 2, 2009 allowing her to sell their mother’s property without Andrew’s say, Andrew was not happy, when Helena returned home the next day, her house was on fire, Dale and Holly’s home was also on fire, both homes were permanently damaged, the family pet was trapped inside and died, the garage apartment also was engulfed in flames, authorities initiated a manhunt for Andrew, the presumed arsonist, after the fire was out, firefighters discovered Andrew’s body in his mother’s home, after an investigation, the family learned that Andrew was seen filling gas cans in town, he poured gasoline all over the properties and then he cut the gas lines, Andrew also purposefully killed the dog and himself in the house fire, neither house was salvageable
Disposition: Andrew Sindriewicz died in the housefire, ruled suicide

A Stranger in My Home Premiered ‘Shades of Jade’ on ID: Nevada Escort Murders Air Force Retiree Philip Inhofer Because Greed (April 8, 2016)

On April 8, 2016September 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, USAF, VeteransLeave a comment

A lonely ex-military man meets up with a much younger beautiful woman, and together they fall in love. Or so they think. Until a deadly combination of greed, worry, and secrets leaves one dead and the other on the run… wanted for murder. -Shades of Jade, A Stranger in My Home (S3,E8)

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.

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Nail in the Coffin’ on ID: Richard Day Used Truck as Murder Weapon, Killed Robert Campbell in Florida (March 30, 2016)

On March 30, 2016August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, USAF, Veterans2 Comments

ID Go: The promise of peaceful life in Tamarac, Florida is broken when the son of a newly arrived family befriends the neighborhood’s most unruly kids. Bad blood between the neighbors boils over until things come to a horrifically violent end on Halloween. -Nail in the Coffin, Fear Thy Neighbor (S3, E1)

Date: October 31, 2001
Victim: Robert Campbell
Offender: Richard Day, Air Force veteran, auto body mechanic, disabled
Location: Tamarac, Florida
Circumstances: Richard Day’s step-son Walter discovered a pocket knife missing from his tackle box, Walter confronted the Rossier boys and they denied it so he let it go, Richard had a quadruple bypass and was forced to give up his job during his recovery, Richard was down because he couldn’t provide for his family, Richard had diabetes, he would get very irritable, Walter brought his game boy to school and Andrew Rossier took it and wouldn’t give it back to him, Andrew threatened to steal his bike next, Adele Day got a guidance counselor involved to help resolve the bullying issues, Connie Rossier refused to admit that her sons did anything wrong, Walter and the boys continued to hang out, Richard accused the boys of stealing items from their house, after that incident, Richard forbid Walter to hang out with the Rossier boys, Walter continued to sneak over to the boy’s house and discovered the they had some of his game boy games so Walter took them, Connie called Richard and accused Walter of stealing the games, Walter admitted taking the games back because they were his, they were labeled so Richard believed Walter, Richard went over to Connie’s house to confront her about the theft, Richard screamed at Connie as loud as he could and they went back and forth, they were both angry, one night, Richard and family returned home to discover that someone had broke into their home and trashed it and Walter’s bike was missing, Richard was certain the Rossier boys did it and reported the break-in to the police, the police found a fingerprint but never followed up on it with Richard, the Rossier boys taunted Richard from the road near his property, Walter’s parents bought him a new bike, Walter makes new friends but can’t avoid the Rossier boys, Andrew tried to take off on Walter’s new bike but Walter stopped him, Andrew threatened to get back at him for humiliating him, Andrew tried to elicit the help of his brothers to get back at Walter, Uncle Rob tried to keep the peace but the Rossier kids were out for revenge, Walter and Richard were washing the truck in the driveway and the Rossier boys started taunting them and trying to get a rise out of them, Richard was ready to beat these boys but Adele stopped him, the Rossier boys continued to antagonize Richard, Richard felt helpless in dealing with the Rossier boys and called the police but there really wasn’t anything they could do to stop them, Richard moved to Florida for peace but the Rossier boys were determined to make his life miserable, on Halloween things reached a boiling point, Richard ate too much candy for someone who had diabetes, when they returned home, they found that their yard had been egged and doused with shaving cream, it was on the driveway, home and garage, Richard and Walter suspected the Rossier boys so they drove to the Rossier home and threw eggs at their home and the situation quickly got ugly, the Rossier family confronted them and Richard and Walter jumped in the truck to escape the situation, Uncle Rob was dragged from 100-150 feet by the truck but Walter kept driving, the Rossier family found Uncle Rob and he was badly injured and bled to death, Richard Day was arrested for homicide, the police said he used his truck as his murder weapon, the untimely death took a toll on both families mental health
Disposition: Richard Day was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on May 9, 2003, Richard died in prison on April 2, 2009 from diabetes complications

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

On February 26, 2016September 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, USMC, VeteransLeave a comment

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)

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

On February 25, 2016August 16, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

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)

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)

On January 23, 2016December 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

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)

Forbidden, Dying for Love Premiered ‘An Officer, Not a Gentleman’ on ID: Navy Chief John Bench Chooses Adultery & Murder Over Divorce (January 22, 2016)

On January 22, 2016August 11, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Suicide, True CrimeLeave a comment

ID Go: A Filipino woman falls for a married US Navy Officer who will do anything to keep his mistress and his money. -An Officer, Not a Gentleman, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S1,E4)

Murder for Insurance: Highlighting Military Risks

On December 15, 2015May 4, 2025 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, Military Policy, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, Stateside Death, Suspicious Deaths, True Crime, USAF, USCG, USMCLeave a comment

In a recent episode of Deadly Women, profiler Candice DeLong highlighted the case of Paul Berkley, a US Navy reservist living in Raleigh, North Carolina. After returning from a deployment overseas to the Middle East in 2005 without injury, he returned home to his wife, Monique, who had him murdered by her teenage lover less then a week later. The motive was a common one I see in both murders and murder for hire cases in the military: Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) policy. The SGLI insurance plan offers increments of $50,000 up to $400,000. This case emphasizes the fact that military men and women are at risk of becoming victims of murder by their abusive, manipulative spouses or those who benefit from the large financial payout that comes with the death of a service member.

I recognized the motive to kill for the insurance money because I had studied other cases in the military involving this motive. It’s a pattern. Civilians are targeting our military members for the benefits and insurance money. So I googled “murder insurance military” today and found more examples to bolster this theory. Based on the research, it is mostly civilian women who murder their military husbands for the SGLI. Other cases involved military members who killed their spouse for the insurance payout. Although most of the cases are female civilians targeting military men, I did find two examples of male civilians targeting female soldiers for the insurance money.

In Their Name:
James Goodyear, US Air Force (Orlando, Florida, 1971)*
Kenneth Barnes, US Army (Fort Gordon, Georgia, 1972)*
Chester Garrett, US Army (Fort Bliss, Texas, 1977)*
Lee Hartley, US Navy (Jacksonville, Florida, 1982)*
Bill Lipscomb, US Air Force (Lackland AFB, Texas, 1986)
Anthony Riggs, US Army (Fort Bliss, Texas, 1991)*
Joseph Snodgrass, US Air Force (Clark AFB, Philippines, 1991)
David Russo, US Navy (Lemoore Naval Air Station, California, 1994)*
Elise Makdessi, US Navy (NAS Oceana, Virginia, 1996)*
Doug Gissendaner, US Army Veteran (Auburn, Georgia, 1997)*
Kevin Spann, US Army (Fort Gordon, Georgia, 1997)*
Marty Theer, US Air Force (Fayetteville, North Carolina, 2000)*
Lynn Reister, US Army (Fort Bliss, Texas, 2002)*
David Shannon, US Army (Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 2002)*
Jeremy Meyers, US Army (Fort Lewis, Washington, 2003)
Gary Prokop, US Army (Fort Hood, Texas, 2003)*
Philip Shue, US Air Force (Lackland AFB, Texas, 2003)*
Paul Berkley, US Navy Reserve (Raleigh, North Carolina, 2005)*
Michael Severance, US Air Force (Dyess AFB, Texas, 2005)*
Donald Gower, US Army (Fort Hood, Texas, 2007)
Gilbert Hart, US Army Retired (Clarksville, Tennessee, 2009)*
Travis McGraw, US Air Force Reserve (Saluda, North Carolina, 2011)
Patricia MacCallum, US Army Veteran (Medford, Oregon, 2012)
Isaac Aguigui, US Army (Fort Stewart, Georgia, 2014)*
Alphonso Doss, US Navy (Orange Park, Florida, 2014)*
John Eubanks, US Army (Fort Stewart, Georgia, 2014)*
Brandon Horst, US Army (Minnesota National Guard, 2014)*
Michael Walker, US Army (Aliamanu Military Reservation, Hawaii, 2014)
Michael Andrews, US Army (Fort Benning, Georgia, 2015)*
Dmitry Chepusov, US Navy (Armed Forces Network, Germany, 2015)*
Jonathan & Lenin Otero, US Army (Florida National Guard, 2015)
Nathan Paet, US Air Force (Nellis AFB, Nevada, 2015)*
Elizabeth Shelton, US Navy (Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, 2015)**
David Wi, US Army (Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 2015)

The asterisk (*) denotes that the soldier was a victim of alleged homicide, homicide or attempted homicide for the insurance money. **Elizabeth Shelton and unborn baby survived the murder-for-hire plot.

Indeed the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance has been a motive for murder as recently as 2015. As military members, we have the option to decline this insurance plan but most of us want to make sure our loved ones are cared for in the event something does happen. If at any point, you choose your spouse as the beneficiary and then remove them as a beneficiary from the insurance policy, they are informed. It’s sad that a program created to ensure our families are taken care of in the event we die in combat has turned out to be a motive for sociopathic spouses to murder the insured. In this research, most of the cases involved civilian women targeting men serving in the Army.

In an effort to always look out for our troops and present information in a way that educates them, it is my hope that those serving in the military realize that they are in fact a target because of the benefits they have including the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance policy. It’s unimaginable to most, that a person, let alone a woman, would be capable of these heinous crimes but it’s happening as evidenced by the Paul Berkley case on Deadly Women and the above listed cases.

As with most things, it is important to have a large data set to work with so the next part of this research could include a more in-depth look at cases on the internet and an analysis of the spousal relationship prior to the homicide. If there were red flags such as abuse, financial difficulties, etc., was there a place the soldier could turn to in an effort to help escape what could be a dangerous situation. There are lots of variables to consider and this helps open up the dialogue.

Both males and females are abusers, rapists, and murderers. Although most crimes are committed by men according to the research, we must have empathy for the situation male soldiers may find themselves in when they become victims of crimes. It’s also important to note that according to the Department of Defense over half the victims of sexual assault in the military are men and very little report the crime.

How many are victims of domestic abuse?
Where do they turn to for help if they are being abused by their spouse?
Do they go to the Commander and risk tarnishing their career in any way?
Do they turn to resources on base and risk them informing the Commander that they reached out for services?
Are they fearful they will risk the very career that provides for their children and families?
Are men not reporting being abused by their spouses because they are afraid the Chain of Command won’t believe them?
Are they afraid the Chain of Command will believe their spouse instead?
Are soldier’s being exploited and/or extorted by their spouses?

We need to make it clear to both our male and female soldiers that they have a safe place to turn to in the event they find themselves a hostage of a domestic violence relationship or a sexual assault by one of their own. We most certainly do not want our male soldiers to feel isolated and end up dead simply because people can’t fathom that they can be victims and women can be wicked too.

Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘Point of No Return’ on ID: Estevan Maestas Killed By Live Hand Grenade Left Behind in Rental Garage (December 1, 2015)

On December 1, 2015October 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

When a mysterious explosion rocks a sleepy suburb, it’s up to Kenda to ID a pile of charred remains and find the killer who triggered the blast. Then…a young mother’s murder leads the CSPD on a harrowing car chase that ends in a violent showdown. -Point of No Return, Homicide Hunter (S5,E13)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Category: True Crime

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Bonfire of Blood’ on Investigation Discovery: Escalating Property Dispute Between Walter Stephens & Bob Hall Turns Deadly (May 25, 2016)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Burn Neighbor, Burn’ on ID: In Retaliation, Andrew Sindriewicz Burned Down Two Family Homes in New York (May 4, 2016)

A Stranger in My Home Premiered ‘Shades of Jade’ on ID: Nevada Escort Murders Air Force Retiree Philip Inhofer Because Greed (April 8, 2016)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Nail in the Coffin’ on ID: Richard Day Used Truck as Murder Weapon, Killed Robert Campbell in Florida (March 30, 2016)

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

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

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)

Forbidden, Dying for Love Premiered ‘An Officer, Not a Gentleman’ on ID: Navy Chief John Bench Chooses Adultery & Murder Over Divorce (January 22, 2016)

Murder for Insurance: Highlighting Military Risks

Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘Point of No Return’ on ID: Estevan Maestas Killed By Live Hand Grenade Left Behind in Rental Garage (December 1, 2015)

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