Army Soldier Dwight Loving Murdered First of Two Cab Drivers; Sentenced to Death by Military Courts But Commuted in 2017 by President Obama, Re-sentenced to Life, No Parole (December 12, 1988)

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Dwight Loving, US Army

A military judge sentenced Army soldier Dwight Loving, 20, to death for the murders of two Killeen, Texas cab drivers and the attempted murder of a third. Loving was found guilty April 3, 1989 of two counts of felony murder in the deaths of Army Private Christopher Fay, 20, a 13th Corps Support Command soldier and part-time Killeen cab driver, and retired Master Sgt. Bobby Sharbino, 44. The two men were found dead in their taxis on December 12 and December 13, 1988, both victims of gunshot wounds. Howard Harrison, 28, another cab driver, was injured when he struggled with Loving in his cab. Harrison managed to escape after knocking the gun from Lovings hand. The court also found Loving guilty of robbing two 7-Eleven convenience stores on December 11, 1988. In 2016, Dwight Loving was one of six service members on military death row at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas; he was joined by Andrew WittRonald Gray, Timothy Hennis, Hasan Akbar, and Nidal Hasan. In 2017, President Barack Obama commuted Dwight Loving’s death sentence before he left Office. Loving was re-sentenced to life in prison without parole. According to the terms of the commutation agreement, Loving will be unable to appeal his conviction and is ineligible in any way for release in the future. Andrew Witt was granted a new sentencing trial on appeal, and in July 2018, the military courts re-sentenced Witt from the death penalty to life in prison without parole.

Related Links:
GI Sentenced to Death
Soldier sentenced to death for killing two cab drivers
A Grim Life on Military Death Row : As the armed forces prepare to resume executions, six men await their fate at Ft. Leavenworth. The fact that only one is white renews debate over the question of equal justice.
Dwight Loving v United States (1996)
Attorneys fight to save ex-soldier
Servicemen on Death Row: 6 killers wait as military justice crawls
Nidal Hasan, and the 5 other men on the military’s death row
Former Fort Hood soldier’s fate left in president’s hands
Dwight Loving v. Department of Defense (2008)
Former Fort Hood soldier’s fate left in president’s hands
Fort Hood Shooter Could Join 5 Others on Death Row
Study: Racial disparities taint military’s use of death penalty
Military death penalty cases face many hurdles
Military death row: More than 50 years and no executions
On military death row, execution is anything but guaranteed
Soldiers Sentenced to Die, but No Executions on Military Death Row Since 1961
Soldier sentenced to die for 2003 murders pins hopes on Supreme Court
Obama commutes death sentence for ex-soldier from Texas
Among last-minute orders, Obama commutes ex-soldier’s death sentence
Soldier on ‘military death row’ spared by President Obama
Obama commutes Chelsea Manning’s sentence
How Obama Disappointed on the Death Penalty
Soldier on ‘military death row’ for killing two cab drivers more than 25 years ago will be spared after his sentence was reduced in Obama’s latest commutations
Heartbreaking Impact of Obama Commutation

Ellen Boehm Murdered Son David for Life Insurance Benefits; Less Than a Year Later, Beohm Murdered Son Stevie; Sentenced to Life (November 24, 1988)

Ellen Boehm
Ellen Boehm

In 1986, 26-year-old Ellen Boehm of St. Louis, Missouri was tired of the constraints of family life. She was married to a much older Vietnam veteran and after five years of marriage, they had two children with a third baby on the way. It became quickly apparent, Ellen may not have been ready for the role of mom as she wasn’t your typical stay-at-home mom. Ellen loved professional wrestling and she spent a lot of time watching the matches. Ellen admitted her marriage was in trouble when she confided in friends. When she was eight months pregnant with the third child, her husband Paul told her when he was in Vietnam, he was exposed to Agent Orange and the only way he could be cured is if he went to Texas for treatment. But it was all a lie because Paul was not sick, he left her for another woman he met on-line. As a result, Ellen was broke. She had been abandoned by her husband but it didn’t stop her from indulging in her favorite pastime. But her favorite professional wrestling hobby started interfering with her life. By the time Ellen Boehm was 28-years-old, she was bankrupt. Her children were more of a burden than a joy.

Ellen’s two-year-old son David was fussy and she couldn’t deal with it. On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1988, she settled the two older children in bed and she let David stay up. As he was lying on the floor, she took a cushion off the couch and smothered him. When she thinks he was dead, she called for help and said she found little David unconscious. Emergency personnel rushed him to the hospital where David was put on life support. But the doctor said there was nothing they could do; he was brain dead. The doctor asked for permission to take David off life-support and Ellen eventually turned to the doctor and said “Pull it”. She never shed a tear. As a result, Ellen received a life insurance pay-out of $5000. Ironically, only eight months after David’s death, Ellen went shopping for life insurance policies for children. According to investigators, there was a total of $94,000 in life insurance taken out on her children. On September 13, 1989, Ellen’s 8-year-old daughter was taking a bath and Ellen dropped a hairdryer in the tub. She didn’t die so Ellen brought her to the hospital. Ellen’s daughter survived with no permanent injuries and everyone just accepted that it was an unfortunate accident.

Twelve days later, Ellen tried again. Her son Stevie was sleeping on the living room floor when Ellen decided to put a pillow over his face and smother him; he died. Steven’s passing created a sense of unease with Ellen’s friends because they couldn’t understand her reaction. It was as if it was just another day. For long time friend Deanne Bond, a third tragedy was just too much and she called the police. She suspected foul play and police conducted a thorough investigation. Realizing the police were closing in on two murders and one attempted murder, Ellen confessed to everything. She broke down and admitted she did it; she explained how she did it but never explained why. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to observe that Ellen could not have the life she wanted with children so she chose murder. In 1993, Ellen Boehm pleaded guilty to one count of first degree murder and one count of second degree murder. She received two life sentences with no possibility of parole. Her friend Deanne suspected after she received the first $5,000 life insurance pay-out for her youngest son David, it set the whole thing in motion. Ellen killed her children for money, it was all about the pay-day.

Source: Evil Guardians, Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

38. Ellen Boehm of Saint Louis, Missouri

In the 1980s, when Ellen Boehm couldn’t pay her debt, she turned to the quickest payout she knew: life insurance. She murdered her two sons and attempted to kill her daughter. In 1992, Ellen was sentenced to two life terms in prison and is currently incarcerated in Vandalia.

50 American Women Who Killed In 50 Words or Less | Soap Boxie

Investigation Discovery:

A mother’s role is to love & protect her children, but for some, that doesn’t ring true. When a Missouri mom uses her children for money, it’s clear they lack motherly love. -Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery (S7, E6)

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:
Books: Sleep, My Child, Forever by John Coston
Mommy Needs Money: Why Ellen Boehm Murdered Her Children
50 American Women Who Killed In 50 Words or Less
Sleep, My Child, Forever: The Mother Who Killed Her Own Children for Insurance Money
Evil Guardians | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S7,E6)
Evil Guardians | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Evil Guardians | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Evil Guardians | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Evil Guardians’ on Investigation Discovery: Single Mother Ellen Boehm Killed Two Sons for the Life Insurance (August 23, 2013)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Mary Ann Wells Found Fatally Shot in Abandoned Warehouse in San Diego, California; Former Marine Andrew Urdiales Sentenced to Death for Five Murders (September 25, 1988)

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Mary Ann Wells, Civilian, California

September 25, 1988: Mary Ann Wells, 31, San Diego, California

Marine veteran Andrew Urdiales is accused of murdering eight women from 1986 to 1996, five in California and three in Illinois, and raping and abducting 19 year old Jennifer Asbenson who escaped and survived. Urdiales was indicted for three murders in Illinois and was sentenced to death but the death sentence was commuted after Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois abolished capital punishment in 2011. Instead he received three life sentences for the murders of Laura Uylaki, Cassandra Corum, and Lynn Huber. A gun confiscated in a separate incident linked the three murders in Illinois together and during an interrogation, Urdiales admitted in detail to five cold case murders in California too.

After years of legal wrangling, Urdiales was eventually extradited to California and indicted in 2009 on five counts of first degree murder. He was accused of killing Robbin Brandley, Julie McGhee, Mary Ann Wells, Tammie Erwin, and Denise Maney while stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. On May 23, 2018, Andrew Urdiales was convicted of five murders by a jury that deliberated for about a day before recommending in June 2018 that he be sentenced to death for each of the five murders. On November 2, 2018, corrections officials said they found Urdiales unresponsive during a security check at San Quentin State Prison; former Marine and serial killer Andrew Urdiales died by suicide.

In the News:

The murders occurred when Andrew Urdiales was stationed at various Marine Corps facilities in Southern California. -CBS Los Angeles (October 5, 2018)

Related Links:
48 Hours Mystery: Escape from a Serial Killer
State of Illinois vs. Andrew Urdiales (2007)
OC goes after Illinois serial killer suspect
Serial Killer Wanted for Trial in Saddleback Slayings
Former Pendleton Marine Turned Serial Killer To Be Charged With SoCal Murders
Serial killer charged with 5 murders in SoCal
Triple killer charged in five California murders
Serial killer to face charges in 5 deaths in Southern California
Illinois convict faces charges in 5 California deaths
OCDA finally charges murderer responsible for 1986 Saddleback stabbing
Andrew Urdiales, Serial Killer, Extradited to OC For Killing Saddleback College Student Robbin Brandley
Ex-Marine accused in deaths of 5 Southern Calif. women to be extradited
Ex-Marine indicted in serial murders of five women in California
California Seeks Death for Chicago Serial Killer
Serial Killer’s Brother Called to Testify at California Murder Trial
Ex-Marine Andrew Urdiales Sentenced to Death for California Serial Killings
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales sentenced to death in murders of 5 women in Southern California
Ex-Marine Serial Killer Who Slayed 5 SoCal Women Gets Death Penalty
Andrew Urdiales: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales was a monster masquerading as a marine who nearly got away with murder
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales dies of possible suicide on San Quentin’s death row
Ex-Marine Turned Notorious Serial Killer Commits Suicide On Death Row
‘Eyes of the devil’: Serial killer and mass murderer take own lives on death row
Two death row killers die in apparent suicides over weekend, San Quentin officials say
2 serial killers found dead within hours on California’s death row
24 Years After Encounter With Serial Killer, Woman Still Seeks Justice
10 Killers Who Targeted College Women
Near-victim of serial killer recalls years of struggle after her attack
Timeline: A look back at the Andrew Urdiales murders
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death, and Suicide at Camp Pendleton, California (USMC)
Honoring the Victims of Serial Killer Andrew Urdiales, US Marine Corps, in California and Illinois (1986-1996)
Convicted Serial Killer Andrew Urdiales Died by Suicide in Prison; Found Guilty of 8 Murders in Illinois & California, Sentenced to Death (November 2, 2018)
David Wohl interviews the only survivor of an attack by a confessed serial killer: Part 1
David Wohl interviews the one survivor of serial killer Andrew Urdiales: Part 2

Nine-Year-Old Dolana Clark Vanished From Great Falls, Montana; Retired Air Force Sgt. Wilfred Morrisey Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole for Murder (August 2, 1988)

On August 2, 1988, nine year old Dolana Clark vanished from Great Falls, Montana without a trace. A year later, a hunter found Dolana’s remains in the Little Belt Mountains southeast of Great Falls. She died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Retired Air Force Sergeant Wilfred “Bill” Morrisey lived a couple of blocks from the Clark residence and had a close relationship with the family during the years preceding Dolana’s disappearance. Police considered Morrisey a person of interest but he repeatedly denied any involvement. A few months later, Morrisey left Great Falls and eventually settled in Colorado. Dolana Clark’s disappearance and homicide case went cold.

Four years later in 2002, the Great Falls Police Department renewed the investigation into Dolana’s death. Detectives reviewed the case file including statements Morrisey had given back in 1988 and found inconsistencies. This peaked a renewed interest in Wilfred Morrisey. After an investigation, detectives developed the theory that Dolana went to Morrisey’s house the evening of August 2, 1988 after her father refused to give her money to purchase a Siamese cat on layaway at a local pet store. Investigators deduced that Dolana went to Bill and asked for money to purchase the cat. They believe Morrisey took advantage of this opportunity. Police suspected that Morrisey most likely sexually abused Dolana in exchange for the money, hit her, and realized he went too far.

Wilfred Morrisey most likely killed young Dolana Clark in an effort to hide his crimes. Police believe he placed Dolana’s body in the trunk of his vehicle and then joined family members in searching for Dolana but refused to use either of his vehicles in the search. After the search, he drove up to the mountains where he dumped her body in a remote location. Detectives learned from a friend of Bill’s that he did in fact own a gun of the same caliber used in the death of Dolana. They also learned that Bill went to the pet store and purchased the Siamese cat that Dolana wanted and kept the cat as his own. The State of Montana charged Wilfred Morrisey on September 4, 2002 with deliberate homicide. In 2005, a jury found Morrisey guilty and sentenced him to life in prison with no eligibility for parole.

Investigation Discovery:

Preview: In 1988, a nine year-old girl goes missing in Great Falls, Montana. Years after the case goes cold, a chance bus stop encounter breathes new life into the investigation, leading detectives to the horrifying truth behind the girl’s disappearance. -Little Girl Gone, Unusual Suspects (S7,E12)

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:
Suspect in ’88 slaying found in Colorado
Man Suspected in 1988 Slaying Found in Colorado
Man charged in 14-year-old murder case
Jailed inmate assaulted
Morrisey found guilty in Dolana Clark murder
Man found guilty in Great Falls girl’s murder
Former Weston man gets life for murder
Morrisey sentenced life for murdering 9-year-old girl
Man sentenced to life for murder of 9-year-old girl
State of Montana v. Wilfred Morrisey (2009)
Cable network to air program on Great Falls murder
Retired officer reflects on Dolana Clark case
Little Girl Gone Clip (Unusual Suspects)
Little Girl Gone | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (S7,E12)
Little Girl Gone | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (website)
Little Girl Gone | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)

Julie McGhee Found Fatally Shot in a Ditch in Cathedral City, California; Former Marine Andrew Urdiales Sentenced to Death for Five Murders (July 17, 1988)

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Julie McGhee, Civilian, California

July 17, 1988: Julie McGhee, 30, Cathedral City, California

Marine veteran Andrew Urdiales is accused of murdering eight women from 1986 to 1996, five in California and three in Illinois, and raping and abducting 19 year old Jennifer Asbenson who escaped and survived. Urdiales was indicted for three murders in Illinois and was sentenced to death but the death sentence was commuted after Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois abolished capital punishment in 2011. Instead he received three life sentences for the murders of Laura Uylaki, Cassandra Corum, and Lynn Huber. A gun confiscated in a separate incident linked the three murders in Illinois together and during an interrogation, Urdiales admitted in detail to five cold case murders in California too.

After years of legal wrangling, Urdiales was eventually extradited to California and indicted in 2009 on five counts of first degree murder. He was accused of killing Robbin Brandley, Julie McGhee, Mary Ann Wells, Tammie Erwin, and Denise Maney while stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. On May 23, 2018, Andrew Urdiales was convicted of five murders by a jury that deliberated for about a day before recommending in June 2018 that he be sentenced to death for each of the five murders. On November 2, 2018, corrections officials said they found Urdiales unresponsive during a security check at San Quentin State Prison; former Marine and serial killer Andrew Urdiales died by suicide.

In the News:

The murders occurred when Andrew Urdiales was stationed at various Marine Corps facilities in Southern California. -CBS Los Angeles (October 5, 2018)

Related Links:
48 Hours Mystery: Escape from a Serial Killer
State of Illinois vs. Andrew Urdiales (2007)
OC goes after Illinois serial killer suspect
Serial Killer Wanted for Trial in Saddleback Slayings
Former Pendleton Marine Turned Serial Killer To Be Charged With SoCal Murders
Serial killer charged with 5 murders in SoCal
Triple killer charged in five California murders
Serial killer to face charges in 5 deaths in Southern California
Illinois convict faces charges in 5 California deaths
OCDA finally charges murderer responsible for 1986 Saddleback stabbing
Andrew Urdiales, Serial Killer, Extradited to OC For Killing Saddleback College Student Robbin Brandley
Ex-Marine accused in deaths of 5 Southern Calif. women to be extradited
Ex-Marine indicted in serial murders of five women in California
California Seeks Death for Chicago Serial Killer
Serial Killer’s Brother Called to Testify at California Murder Trial
Ex-Marine Andrew Urdiales Sentenced to Death for California Serial Killings
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales sentenced to death in murders of 5 women in Southern California
Ex-Marine Serial Killer Who Slayed 5 SoCal Women Gets Death Penalty
Andrew Urdiales: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales was a monster masquerading as a marine who nearly got away with murder
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales dies of possible suicide on San Quentin’s death row
Ex-Marine Turned Notorious Serial Killer Commits Suicide On Death Row
‘Eyes of the devil’: Serial killer and mass murderer take own lives on death row
Two death row killers die in apparent suicides over weekend, San Quentin officials say
2 serial killers found dead within hours on California’s death row
24 Years After Encounter With Serial Killer, Woman Still Seeks Justice
10 Killers Who Targeted College Women
Near-victim of serial killer recalls years of struggle after her attack
Timeline: A look back at the Andrew Urdiales murders
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death, and Suicide at Camp Pendleton, California (USMC)
Honoring the Victims of Serial Killer Andrew Urdiales, US Marine Corps, in California and Illinois (1986-1996)
Convicted Serial Killer Andrew Urdiales Died by Suicide in Prison; Found Guilty of 8 Murders in Illinois & California, Sentenced to Death (November 2, 2018)
David Wohl interviews the only survivor of an attack by a confessed serial killer: Part 1
David Wohl interviews the one survivor of serial killer Andrew Urdiales: Part 2

Army Pvt. Rosa Martinez Found Murdered at Fort Dix; Pvt. Jose Aponte Pleaded Guilty at Court Martial, Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison (April 11, 1987)

US Army

Army Pvt. Rosa Martinez, 21, from Elsa, Texas was found dead on April 11, 1987 at Fort Dix in New Jersey. She was attending an eight week cooking course at the base. Her body was discovered badly burned in a refuse bin on base. An autopsy report showed that she had died of strangulation after having been beaten about the head. Pvt. Jose Aponte, 18, of New Jersey was attending a truck driving training course at the base. Aponte admitted in court to knowing Martinez only by sight. The night she was killed they had shared a taxi on a return trip to base. He testified that he left the taxi with her and that when she objected to his advances, he punched her in the face and struck her in the head with a piece of brick. He tried to cover up his crimes by strangling her, throwing her in a refuse bin, and setting it on fire. Pvt. Aponte pleaded guilty to killing her after she resisted his advances. He was court-martialed, sentenced to 40 years of hard labor, and dishonorably discharged from the military.

“It’s been a long time but this and the Joel Jones case still stick in my mind. Poor Rosa just was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Such a shame. Also, Sgt Jones case as well. Ft. Dix was really active for a few years in the mid 80’s for whatever reason. There was also a plane crash, normal deaths and a suicide that should have been investigated as a murder.” (submitted by Retired Army Military Policer)

Related Links:
Burned Body Of Female Soldier Found At Post
Charred Body of Female Soldier is Found in Refuse Bin at Fort Dix
Death Ends Her Army Dream
Army Career Was Lifelong Dream Of Slain Ft. Dix Gi
Man Held In Ft. Dix Slaying
Guardsman, 17, Held In Dix Killing
Private Is Charged in Death Of Another Soldier at Ft. Dix
N.j. Guardsman Sentenced In Killing

Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Pushed Deanna Wild Off Cliff in California; Reardon Sentenced to Life, McGinnis Died Before Trial (April 2, 1987)

Deanna Wild
Deanna Hubbard Wild, California

Virginia Reardon, 55, and Billie Joe McGinnis, 52, pushed Navy spouse and roommate Deanna Hubbard Wild, 20, off a 400 foot cliff at Big Sur in California on April 2, 1987. Deanna was living with her husband’s parents while he was at sea with the U.S. Navy. The motive was life insurance and Virginia had a string of insurance claims she cashed in on including Deanna’s death. The couple lured Deanna to the location under the guise of sight seeing, drugged her at lunch, and then it appears Billi Joe pushed her off the cliff. In the meantime, Virginia Reardon is taking pictures the entire time; investigators theorized she wanted a trophy of the homicide. After Deanna’s mother, Bobbie Roberts, found out her daughter was dead, she questioned the accidental ruling. She hired her own private investigator and attorney and they learned that Virginia Reardon had purchased a $35,000 life insurance policy the day before Deanna’s death. Reardon and McGinnis were arrested in 1989 for the murder of Deanna Wild. In 1991, Billi Joe McGinnis was charged with first degree murder but died from complications from pneumonia before his trial started. Virginia was charged and convicted on March 2, 1992 of first degree murder for financial gain. She was sentenced to life in prison, no parole. Virginia Reardon died while serving out her sentence on June 25, 2011.

Source: Vicious Vixens, Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

Deanna Wild
One of the infamous photos taken before the murder. Investigators believe in this photo Deanna Wild was feeling the effects of the drugs she was given to make her vulnerable.

Forensic Files:

A beautiful, vibrant young woman fell to her death from a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Initially, investigators thought it was just a terrible accident. But after a closer forensic examination of photographs taken at the scene, police had a very different story of what had happened. -The Financial Downfall, Forensic Files (S9,E12)

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: Cross these deadly vixens at your own risk. An English beauty spars with her boyfriend, a middle-aged woman sacrifices lives for money, and a couple of game players lure an innocent man into a deadly trap: these women will certainly fight to the death. -Vicious Vixens, Deadly Women (S7, 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.

Related Links:
Deana Jalynn Hubbard Wild (1967-1987) | Find A Grave
Billie Joe McGinnis | Find A Grave
Virginia Rearden McGinnis | Radford University
Murder Suspect Dies Night Before the Trial: Chula Vista man had been in jail for two years. He was accused, along with his ex-wife, of killing a housemate to collect on an insurance policy
Murder Suspect Dies on Eve of Jury Selection in His Trial
Prosecutor Says Woman Plotted to Murder for Money
Woman Convicted of Forcing Son’s Girlfriend Off Cliff
Jury Finds Woman Guilty of Murder for Insurance
Woman Sentenced to Life for Murdering Son’s Girlfriend
`Death Benefit’ Fleshes Out Trail Of Female Serial Killer
Killer Feels No Guilt
Insurance Scam Victim (Deana Wild)
Virginia Rearden Mcginnis infamous California inmate dead at 74
Virginia Rearden Mcginnis infamous California inmate dead at 74
Deana Wild Murdered at Big Sur for the Insurance Money
Death Benefit and Justice for Annie are based on the same true story
The Encyclopedia of Female Murderers | R | Murderpedia
Justice for Annie: A Moment of Truth Movie (1996 TV Movie)
Season 7 | Deadlywomen Wiki
Keller on the Loose: Murder Most Vile Volume 7
Death Benefit: A Lawyer Uncovers a Twenty-Year Pattern of Seduction, Arson, and Murder
“Torchered” Minds: Case Histories of Notorious Serial Arsonists
Bad Men Do what Good Men Dream: A Forensic Psychiatrist Illuminates the Darker Side of Human Behavior
Death benefit: a lawyer uncovers a twenty-year pattern of seduction, arson, and murder
Forensic Files – The Financial Downfall | FilmRise (S9, E12)
Vicious Vixens | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S7,E5)
Vicious Vixens | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Vicious Vixens | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Vicious Vixens |Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Vicious Vixens’ on ID; Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Kill Son’s Wife for Life Insurance Benefits (August 16, 2013)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Army Spc. Darlene Krashoc Raped & Murdered in Colorado Springs; DNA Match Leads to Arrest of Michael Whyte (March 17, 1987)

arm-cid-cold-case-krashoc-photo
Spc. Darlene Krashoc, U.S. Army

Information via The Gazette:

The victim: Darlene Krashoc, 20, a soldier at Fort Carson who worked as a mechanic at the Army post.

The Crime: Two Colorado Springs police officers on routine patrol spotted a partially nude woman laying in the parking lot behind the Korean Restaurant, a nightclub formerly at 2710 S. Academy Blvd., around 5:20 a.m. on March 17, 1987. An autopsy determined that Krashoc had been strangled with a coat hanger and leather thongs after being severely beaten, bitten, sexually assaulted. She may also have been thrown from a moving vehicle.

The investigation: Krashoc’s mother, Betty, last spoke with her daughter a week before her death. Krashoc had changed from a soldier ready to re-enlist to a frightened woman ready to go AWOL to get away from Fort Carson, but wouldn’t tell her mother why.

Colorado Springs Police Department considers a case to be cold if it remains unsolved for more than one year. If you have  information that would be of assistance in these investigations, please contact 719-444-7613, by e-mail at CSPDColdCase@springsgov.com or you may remain anonymous and could earn a cash reward by calling Crime Stoppers at 634-STOP (7867). –The Gazette

Thirty years after Krashoc’s body was found, Army Criminal Investigation Command are offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who can lead them to the man they believe killed Darlene Krashoc. If you have any information about the investigation or if the DNA prediction results resemble someone you know or knew at the time, you’re asked to contact your local CID office or CID headquarters in Virginia at (844) Army CID or (571) 305-4375. You can also email army.CID.crime.tips@mail.mil.

UPDATE: 32 years after a young woman’s killing in Colorado Springs, a suspect is in custody (June 14, 2019) 

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Related Links:
Justice for Darlene
Colorado Bureau of Investigations: Darlene D Krashoc
Getting away with murder
THE COLD CASE FILES: Soldier strangled, 1987
Army CID Offers $10,000 Reward on 1987 Homicide Case Using State-of-the-Art Science
Army offers $10,000 reward to solve 30-year-old murder of Fort Carson soldier
Army investigators offer reward to solve a soldier’s 30-year-old murder
New technology, $10,000 reward aimed at finding Fort Carson soldier’s killer from 1987
Investigators Hope New DNA Phenotyping Leads to Answers on a Decades-Old Case
Army offers $10K reward in 1987 cold-case murder of 20-year-old female soldier; DNA profile released
Army investigators on hunt for killer decode DNA to sketch what suspect in 1987 slaying might look like
Army Offers $10,000 To Anyone Who Can Help Solve Fort Carson Murder
Army hopes $10K reward, DNA phenotype will help solve 1987 Colorado murder
Army releases sketches to catch killer in 1987 cold case
DNA used to make rendering of suspect in 1987 cold case
DNA samples used to reconstruct face of killer 30 years later
Reward Grows In 30-Year-Old Murder Case
25 cold cases in Colorado Springs
Is Sketching a Killer’s Face From DNA Science or a Scam?
Hypocritically Trained: Military Experience
Phenotyping Webtool Developed by Academics, Who Want ‘Full Disclosure’ of Limitations
32 years after a young woman’s killing in Colorado Springs, a suspect is in custody
DNA leads to arrest in 1987 cold case slaying of Fort Carson soldier
Thornton man arrested in 1987 cold case killing of Fort Carson soldier
Arrest made in Colorado Springs cold case, 20-year-old female Fort Carson soldier murdered
DNA cracks killing of 20-year-old female Fort Carson soldier in 1987
CSPD makes an arrest in 1987 cold case murder
Man arrested in 1987 cold case slaying of soldier in Colorado Springs
Colorado man arrested in 1987 strangulation murder of 20-year-old soldier Darlene Krashoc
Thornton man arrested in 1987 cold case killing of Fort Carson soldier
DNA leads Colorado police to arrest of murder suspect in 32-year-old cold case
DNA leads to arrest in 1987 cold case slaying of Fort Carson soldier
How Army CID, police found suspect in 1987 cold case of soldier killed near Fort Carson
DNA testing leads to break in decades-old Colorado murder case. But privacy questions are being raised.
Darlene Krashoc Murder Finally Solved?

Civilian Kimberly Ruggles Raped & Murdered by Fort Bragg Soldier; Ronald Gray Sentenced to Death by Military Courts for Two Murders & One Attempted Murder (1987)

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Kimberly Ruggles, Civilian

On January 6, 1987, Army soldier Ronald Gray raped, sodomized, robbed, and murdered civilian Kimberly Ann Ruggles, 23, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Kimberly, who was a taxi driver, was dispatched to pick up Ronald Gray at his residence. In the early morning hours of January 7th, Fort Bragg military police officers discovered Ruggles’ empty cab parked at the edge of the woods on post. They discovered Kimberly’s nude body a short distance away. She had been raped, sodomized, beaten, and stabbed seven times. Kimberly’s mouth was gagged with a cloth belt that matched pants found in Gray’s possession only hours earlier. Ronald Gray’s fingerprints were also on the interior door handle of Ruggles’ taxi and Ruggles’ fingerprints were found on money in Gray’s possession. In addition, Gray’s footprints were found at the scene of the crime. In 1988, Ronald Gray was found guilty by the military courts of the premeditated murders of Kimberly and Private Laura Lee Vickery-Clay, and the attempted premeditated murder of Private Mary Ann Lang Nameth. On April 12, 1988, Ronald Gray was sentenced to death, given a dishonorable discharge, total forfeitures, and a reduction to Private E-1. In 2008, President George Bush gave the final approval for the military execution of Ronald Gray. In December 2016, media reports indicated that the military is moving forward with the lethal injection execution of Ronald Gray.

Related Links:
Witness Links Victim, Gray to Drugs
Georgia soldier convicted of two murders
Soldier Gets Death Sentence for Raping, Killing 2 Women
United States, Appellee v. Ronald A. GRAY, U.S. Army, Appellant (1999)
Ronald Gray vs United States of America (2000)
Bush: Former Army cook’s crimes warrant execution
Bush OKs Execution for Army Private on Death Row
Hearing set for former Fort Bragg soldier convicted of rapes and murders
Soldier’s Denied Appeal May Pave Way for Death Sentence
Twenty-eight years later, Winter Garden man sees his daughter’s killer
Ft. Bragg Killer To Be Executed
Military to execute murderer and rapist Ronald Gray, a former soldier, after 8-year delay
US military to execute first inmate in over 50 years
Ronald Gray, US Army, Sentenced to Death by Military Court for the Rape & Murder of Army Private Laura Vickery-Clay & Civilian Kimberly Ruggles (1986)
U.S. Military May Perform First Execution In Over 50 Years (YouTube)
Execution Date to Be Set for Former U.S. Army Soldier (YouTube)


According to CNN, the US military could soon execute someone for the first time since 1961. Ronald Gray, a former Army soldier, has been on military death row at Fort Leavenworth since 1988 when he was convicted of killing five women and raping several others in 1986 and 1987 while stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. A civilian court gave him eight life sentences, but a military court sentenced him to death. Last week, a judge ruled Gray’s stay in prison was no longer in effect and denied any further stays. Following the ruling, an execution date for Gray could be announced as soon as next month. –Wochit News

Army Spc. Tracy Spencer Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Rape & Murder of Veteran Micki Filmore & Nurse Barbara Kramer (December 31, 1986)

When 22 year-old Micki Filmore is found raped and murder in her apartment, detective Kenda focuses his investigation on her activities the previous night. Micki was seen dancing with a man who then paid a late night call to her door. -A Killer Always Rings Twice, Homicide Hunter (S1, E3)

Colorado Springs is the home of five military bases made up of about 40,000 personnel. A lot of them live off-base in local apartment units. On July 19, 1986, as Army Spc. Tracy Spencer was walking by, he noticed his neighbor Micki Filmore was laying lifeless on the floor in her apartment. He was alarmed and ran to his wife Lisa to seek help. She claims she went through the window of the apartment because of her own concern for Micki and discovered that she was in fact dead. They called the police. Lt. Joe Kenda of the Homicide Unit at the Colorado Springs Police Department was assigned to investigate the case. Kenda deduced from the observation of the crime scene that there did not appear to be any struggle, the victim’s wallet and cash were present, and she was naked with her legs open and bruising around her neck. He suspected Micki Filmore was raped and strangled in a quick and brutal attack.

Joe talked about the crimes of rape and murder for a bit. He talked about how rape is unfortunately a very common crime but he also noted that rape and murder is not that common. Lt. Kenda educated the public about the fact that rape and sexual assault is mostly a punishment of women. And in this particular case, the perpetrator surprised Micki Filmore while she was in bed. His only purpose was to rape and kill her. While Joe waited on the results of the autopsy, he tried to figure out the modus operandi of this particular offender because he would strike again. Joe wondered why it was so important for this person to get in and out of the apartment quickly. Was he a local and making sure that nobody saw and recognized him? Neighbors Lisa and Tracy Spencer reported they saw Micki the night before; she was happy, eating pizza, and nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

Joe canvassed the neighbors in the apartment complex and learned that Micki was having troubles: he heard from neighbors that her fiancé left her, she was pregnant, and broke but nobody knew who the father of the child was. One neighbor told Lt. Kenda that he went to a night club with her the night before. He claimed that while they were there, she saw someone she knew. She left the club with her neighbor around 2 a.m. but she did give a piece of paper to the friend she ran into at the club. The neighbor claimed they talked for a little bit and then went their separate ways. After lying down, the neighbor heard knocking on her door. He looked out briefly and saw the same man from the club standing there. Another neighbor said she was awoken by a loud scream and then a thumping noise around 3:45 a.m. She assumed whoever it was they were fighting. Joe still had little evidence to go on but the autopsy helps tell a story.

The autopsy revealed that Micki Filmore’s last moments were met with violence, anger, and rage. And she had engaged in sexual relations within the last twelve hours. Despite what her neighbors said, she was not pregnant and there were no drugs or alcohol in her system. Lt. Kenda learned Micki was twenty-two years old and originally from a rural community in North Carolina. She joined the Army straight out of high school, did a three year tour of duty, traveled the world, and her service ended in December 1985. She was looking forward to leaving to be with her fiancé in a few weeks. Lt. Kenda contacted the fiance and learned that he had not abandoned Micki. The fiance was finalizing a divorce so he could marry Micki and he could verify his whereabouts at the time of the murder. The fiance shared he asked his friend Frank Lynch to look out for Micki while he was gone; but now he had concerns that maybe he was involved. This gave Kenda a new lead and potentially a new suspect.

Kenda met with Frank Lynch who denied any involvement in the murder and could account for himself on the night in question. As a result, Kenda closed out Lynch and in the meantime got a phone call from DiCarlo Dowden. DiCarlo was the man at the club that Micki gave a piece of paper to and the same man suspected of showing up at her apartment the night of the murder. DiCarlo admitted that he ran into Micki at the club, they chatted, they danced, she told him she was not ‘with’ her neighbor (he was an escort), and then gave him her number. She also gave him her address which to him was an invitation so DiCarlo dropped by her apartment but no one answered the door so he left. DiCarlo noticed that a neighbor did see him after looking out their window, which also matched the neighbor’s story. DiCarlo denied any involvement in the crime and there was no probable cause to arrest him, he did volunteer to provide biological evidence for testing.

It takes several weeks for the comparative analysis testing to be completed at the labs. Joe reiterated that DiCarlo was not off the hook yet. On August 12, 1986, another body was discovered in the same apartment complex. Lt. Joe Kenda knew this was not a coincidence. The victim was twenty-four year old Barbara Kramer who was a nurse at Eisenhower Hospital in Colorado Springs. She didn’t show up to work so her sister and a friend went over to her apartment to check in on her. They discovered the newspaper outside her door, signs of a struggle in the apartment, and the friend found Barbara Kramer dead in her bedroom. The family was devastated because they were already worried about her safety after the first murder in that apartment complex but they reported that Barbara was cautious and playing it safe. Kenda was horrified by what he saw at the crime scene because he immediately knew it was the same guy.

The modus operandi of both crimes was exactly the same aside from one woman was black and one woman was white. Both were displayed with their legs open after they were murdered; both were attacked in the middle of the night between the hours of 4 and 7 a.m.; both were single females living alone; both were strangled; and both were living in the same apartment complex. Lt. Kenda was feeling an even more heightened sense of urgency because this guy was a serial killer and was not going to stop; he wanted to prevent a third victim. He also deduced that the killer probably lived in the area and he was carrying on as if nothing mattered. He questioned DiCarlo about his whereabouts and DiCarlo was cleared as a suspect because his girlfriend could alibi him. Kenda knew DiCarlo wasn’t his man because the person he was looking for killed Micki Filmore and Barbara Kramer.

Lt. Kenda knew these murders were similar offenses; they were the same crime, different targets. He wondered how many more had to die before the Colorado Springs Police Department could stop him. Kenda theorized that the perpetrator most likely stalked his victims before the attacks. He did not feel that these crimes were random and he believed that the perpetrator surveilled his victims. This offender simply waited for the right place and right time. Kenda noted that these guys are not as intelligent as one would think but they are cunning. He knew the guy made mistakes and he had to be the one to find them. After interviewing more neighbors about the night before, Kenda learned that one neighbor was awakened to screams around 6 a.m. and another neighbor saw Tracy Spencer banging on Barbara’s door with a piece of paper in his hand around 6:25 a.m. She saw the door open, Spencer enter the apartment, and then the door slam.

This new information intrigued Lt. Kenda because now Tracy Spencer not only found Micki Filmore’s body but a witness saw him knocking on Barbara Kramer’s door around the time that she died. Kenda looked into his criminal history and found only minor offenses, nothing to indicate a propensity for violence. But Kenda was going to apply for a warrant regardless and arrest Tracy Spencer based on the evidence he had. But first he wanted to talk to Tracy’s wife. Lisa was still claiming that Tracy was with her the night of the murders so Kenda told her that a witness saw him and she began to cry. Kenda did not understand why she would protect him and told her she could be arrested next. She told him she did lie and that Tracy was not with her all night. As a matter of a fact, she admitted that he left the apartment in the middle of the night often and went for walks. She claimed Tracy told her he kept finding Barbara’s mail on the ground and wanted to return it to her, despite locked mailboxes at the apartment complex.

Lisa Spencer also admitted to finding an empty envelope with Barbara’s name on it so she threw it away. She observed Tracy get angry when he couldn’t find it but she never told him she threw it away. She also confessed that she did not go through the Micki’s apartment window like she originally shared with the police; she went into the apartment to help Tracy cover up the crime. When Kenda asked her why, her response was that she loved him. Kenda learned that Tracy was on the move so he made a decision to arrest and take him to the station before he hurt someone else. Kenda got a search warrant for his apartment and found the letter he couldn’t find right in the trash where his wife said she put it. And it did in deed have Barbara Kramer’s name on it. Kenda questioned Tracy at the station and even after he was told there were witnesses, Spencer stuck to his story. Eventually he folded some and admitted to taking mail to Barbara but said he didn’t go inside her apartment.

Kenda realized Tracy Spencer was a prolific liar. He denied everything. Kenda confronted him with the semen he said matched him (which was a lie) and then Tracy admitted that he was lying to him because he was having an affair with Micki and did have consensual sex with her that night. He had an explanation for everything. The bottom line was that he was going to commit the crimes regardless of the consequences and then lie about it. That’s what they do. The lab results came back and showed that both Tracy’s blood and hair samples matched those at the crime scenes. Tracy Spencer was arrested for the first degree murders of Micki Filmore and Barbara Kramer. On December 31, 1986, Tracy Spencer was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison plus twenty-four years. He is eligible for parole in 2032. Lt. Kenda ended the show with the fact that Spencer overpowered, raped, and killed two girls he didn’t even know for no real reason. Two women paid the price for his crimes and there could have been more, and that scared him.

Source: A Killer Always Rings Twice, Homicide Hunter, Investigation Discovery

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:
Homicide Hunters: Lt. Joe Kenda Episode 3 – Double Murder In Mayberry
A Killer Always Rings Twice | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (S1, E3)
A Killer Always Rings Twice | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (website)
A Killer Always Rings Twice | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
A Killer Always Rings Twice | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Fort Carson, Colorado
Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘A Killer Always Rings Twice’ on ID: Lt. Joe Kenda Hunts for Serial Rapist & Killer Before He Strikes Again (November 8, 2011)
What the DoD Doesn’t Want You to Know: 50 Shocking Military Homicides in the Last 30 Years (March 23, 2018)