Nightmare Next Door Premiered ‘The Unwelcome Wagon’ on Investigation Discovery: Michael Severance and Wendi Davidson (September 9, 2016)

On September 9, 2016June 24, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, USAFLeave a comment

Preview: When Staff Sgt. Michael Severance goes AWOL the community of San Angelo rallies around his new bride. But there is something more sinister behind his disappearance, and investigators uncover a saga of treachery and passion as big as the state of Texas. -Nightmare Next Door, Investigation Discovery (S10 E2)

Air Force SSgt. Michael Severance was poisoned with animal medications by his veterinarian wife Wendi Davidson on January 15, 2005 in San Angelo, Texas. SSgt. Severance enlisted with the United States Air Force in 1998 and was a flying crew chief stationed at Dyess Air Force Base. He met Wendi at a local club and they hit it off right away. Shortly after meeting, she got pregnant with his child. Michael wanted to do the right thing so he eventually married Wendi and moved in with her in a small apartment attached to her new Veterinarian Clinic. He commuted 90 miles one way to the base where he worked. Michael was reported missing to the local police on January 16th after his wife Wendi informed Michael’s parents that she wouldn’t make the flight to Maine with him for a visit with their child because he was nowhere to be found. She cancelled the flights for all three of them. Michael’s parents also called the base to report him missing but Air Force leadership informed them that their hands were tied until he was considered Absent Without Leave (AWOL). After Michael’s leave was up 8 days later and he didn’t return to duty, he was officially considered AWOL. This prompted the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) to join forces with the local civilian authorities. Wendi led all the investigators to believe that Mike had deserted the military. She claimed that he didn’t want to go back to Iraq and was thinking about heading to Canada. Michael, Wendi, and their child were planning a trip to visit his parents in Maine because Mike was scheduled to deploy to the Middle East after returning from the trip.

The San Angelo police department investigators visited Wendi at her veterinarian clinic on January 17, 2005. Wendi told them Mike had been drinking lately and was out all the time, but investigators observed that all of his personal belongings were still at their shared apartment. On January 18th, Wendi filed divorce papers and attempted to get a restraining order against Mike. Civilian investigators were suspicious of Wendi and believed that she was cold and calculating. They gave her a polygraph test but the results came back inconclusive. Once Mike’s leave was up and he was considered officially AWOL, AFOSI joined the San Angelo police department investigation. AFOSI doubted that Michael was a deserter and would just up and leave. In the meantime, the San Angelo police department put a GPS tracking device on Wendi’s car. They learned that on February 7th, Wendi traveled to a remote area owned by a friend of hers. Because investigators considered Wendi a person of interest, they traveled to the location where she had been and found a large retaining pond on the property. In March 2005, investigators were able to look at the search history on Wendi’s computer and learned that Wendi had done a search for ‘decomposition of bodies’ and ‘how to pass a lie detector test’. Investigator’s confronted Wendi but didn’t buy her story so they started turning up the heat. Wendi appeared to dismiss the investigators and then after the interview left the vet clinic in a hurry. She traveled back to her friend’s remote property but this time the police were there to make sure she wasn’t able to disturb a potential crime scene while they worked on obtaining a search warrant.

In the meantime, Wendi confided in her brother Marshall. She told him that she came home and found Mike dead. She said she was scared so she disposed of his body. But her brother didn’t buy her story either and reported her to the police. On March 6th, law enforcement searched the pond on her friend’s property and found Michael Severance’s body anchored down with cinder blocks. When they searched Wendi’s home and business, they found a knife, rope, drug log book, and bottles of medication. Wendi was arrested for the murder of Mike Severance and after 32 days behind bars, her parents raised the $500,000 bond to get her released. Investigators learned that they had only been married for four months when she murdered him. Wendi gave birth to her first child in October 2001. In December 2003, she met Michael and eventually got pregnant but Michael wasn’t ready to settle down or get married quite yet. And Wendi’s parents apparently didn’t like Mike and labeled him lazy and disrespectful; they did not want Wendi to marry him. In September 2004, Wendi gave birth to their son and they were quietly married twelve days later at the courthouse. Two weeks later, Wendi purchased a veterinarian clinic and Mike moved in with her, despite the commute 90 miles one way to work at the base. Shortly after moving in, Mike was sent to Airman Leadership School in Wichita Falls and then he got orders to go to the Middle East. Mike planned a vacation to Maine in January 2005 so his parents could meet his new wife and child, their grandchild, before he was deployed overseas. After Mike returned from Airman Leadership School shortly before their trip to Maine, he observed that Wendi was cold towards him and her mother made it clear that she didn’t like Mike and she didn’t want Wendi going to Maine.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Michael Severance, US Air Force

The coroner was not able to determine if there was physical trauma to Mike’s body due to decomposition. But an autopsy revealed that Michael overdosed on drugs usually found in an animal clinic. They found Phenobarbital and B-Euthanasia in his system and he was stabbed 41 times after he was dead. Investigators learned from Wendi’s google searches that Mike was most likely stabbed post mortem so his body wouldn’t float to the surface in the pond. Wendi was arrested again on April 15th for evidence tampering after police learned she falsified log records at the animal clinic so she could justify taking the medication she used to kill her husband. Her bail was now $100,000 per tampering. In the meantime, her family arranged for her to have a privately administered polygraph. On May 24th, a grand jury indicted Wendi for murder and shortly after she was released on bond again. While awaiting trial, on August 20th, Wendi was arrested for child endangerment. One of her children got lost while looking for her; she was out at a night club. She spent another night in jail. In preparation for trial, prosecutors theorized that Wendi concocted her homicidal plan on January 14th. She asked Mike out to dinner on January 15th and then afterwards they went to a bar where they drank and danced. Upon return to their residence, prosecutors believe that Wendi mixed Phenobarbital in his drink. After he was unconscious, she plunged a syringe full of B-Euthanasia into his chest. Then she had to get rid of his body so she drove him out to the pond on her friend’s property and used fishing line to tie cinder blocks to his body. From google searches she learned that gases will make the body float so she went back to the retainer pond and stabbed him 41 times to release the gases; she attached more weight to his body.

Wendi Mae Davidson was looking at 9 to 99 years in prison so instead of going to trial, she plead ‘no contest’ which also left things open for appeal. Her lawyers argued the validity of the search warrants and believed that the GPS tracker was placed in an illegal manner; the resulting evidence was fruit of the poisonous tree. Wendi Davidson was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. She also received an additional 10 years for evidence tampering. Investigators and prosecutors were somewhat baffled with the motive for this crime and because Wendi plead ‘no contest’, we may never know the real reason she murdered Mike. Authorities theorized that maybe Wendi was motivated to kill because Mike Severance wanted to leave her. They theorized that Wendi’s mother didn’t like Mike so instead of divorcing him, she killed him. They also theorized that Wendi and her family wanted custody of the child with no incident. It’s important to note that Michael’s family believes Wendi also wanted the $500,000 life insurance payout. This was an unusual case because Wendi never had any known predisposition or tendency for violence but Mike’s family believes that her mother specifically had something to do with Wendi committing the murder. The question remains why didn’t she just divorce him instead of killing him?

Wendi may have made this decision because control and financial motive is a common motive for murder. It was noted that Wendi met Mike at a bar and shortly thereafter became pregnant; he may have been targeted for exploitation. It was noted that Wendi was in debt after purchasing a new animal clinic providing the motive for financial gain. It was noted that the crime was premeditated as evidenced by her plan to steal the medications from her animal clinic used to kill Mike. It was noted that Mike was murdered only four months after marrying Wendi; was he a means to an end? It was noted that Wendi’s parents didn’t like Mike and their beliefs may have been the fuel to light the fire; she may have been manipulated because she didn’t want to defy or disappoint them, afraid of the consequences. It was noted by Mike’s family that Wendi was the recipient of the life insurance policy. It was noted that Wendi attempted to manipulate the investigation and make Mike out to be someone he was not; even going so far as to get a restraining order a couple days after she killed him. Wendi Davidson does appear to be cold and calculating. Wendi Davidson appears to be a sociopath; but she exercised her right to remain silent in another attempt to abuse the process, she knows how the system works. As a result, she is eligible for parole in April 2019; she will be 41 years old.

Source: Nightmare Next Door ‘The Unwelcome Wagon’

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.

When Staff Sgt. Michael Severance goes AWOL the community of San Angelo rallies around his new bride. But there is something more sinister behind his disappearance, and investigators uncover a saga of treachery and passion as big as the state of Texas. -Nightmare Next Door, Investigation Discovery (S10 E2)

Heath Phillips, Active Duty Military & Veterans Advocate, a Voice for Male Victims of Crime

On July 5, 2016February 25, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Sexual Assault1 Comment

Screenshot9520160630-155103 — Heath Phillips, US Navy

Heath Phillips is a US Navy veteran who served his country honorably up until he became a victim of sexual assault while on board the ship he was assigned to. As a result of the crimes, Heath chose not to go back to the ship in an effort to escape the hazing, retaliation, and further sexual and physical assault that awaited him. Instead he went Absent Without Leave (AWOL) and was eventually given an Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge from the military. As a result of the discharge status, his life has been impacted greatly up to and including not having the ability to access veteran’s health care and compensation at the Department of Veterans Affairs for the injuries he sustained in the line of duty.

Since 2009, he has been an active voice for male victims of crimes in the military and has helped to educate the public about male military sexual assault issues. He has helped Representative Jackie Speier gain support for the Sexual Assault Training, Oversight, and Prevention Act (STOP Act). He has supported Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in efforts to pass the Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA). He advocated on behalf of the Human Rights Watch organization for passage of the Fairness for Veterans Act. He continues to work closely with organizations and members of Congress to elevate support for male victims of crimes in the military and improve care for them in active duty and veteran status.

Update (June 2018): Heath Phillips appeared on the Today Show and informed the public that his military discharge status had been upgraded to HONORABLE.

In the News:

Military Rape Speech 6 by Congresswoman Jackie Speier: I’ve discussed the military culture where victims are blamed and assailants are promoted. And I’ve shared the personal stories of several women in order to shine a light on this ongoing epidemic. But it is not only our female service members being raped. Men are being victimized too. (July 20, 2011)

Heath Phillips discusses surviving military sexual trauma & respect (July 1, 2018)

Anya Parampil breaks down a report written by the RAND Corporation that shows that there is still a sexual assault crisis in the US military. Anya reviews the findings of the study, which states that sexual assault is most rampant in the Navy. Anya speaks with US Navy Veteran, Heath Phillips, who shares his own experiences with sexual assault in the Navy and offers solutions to end the epidemic. -RT America (September 24, 2018)

Documentaries:

When his commanders would not stop sexual assaults by his shipmates, Heath went AWOL and then accepted a dishonorable discharge to end his torture. Now he is speaking out to change the way military rape is handled. This is his story.

Oral history interview with Heath Phillips by Jason A. Higgins on June 12, 2018. This interview is part of the Incarcerated Veterans Oral History Project, with the support of the UMass Oral History Lab. In the interview, U.S. Navy veteran Heath Phillips discusses his early life growing up with a Vietnam veteran father; his motivations for joining the military at seventeen; recounts 10 months of sexual violence aboard the U.S.S. Butte; the impact of Military Sexual Trauma, PTSD, and an other-than-honorable discharge on his post-military life; incarceration and twenty years of alcoholism; his path toward recovery; and his advocacy for other survivors of sexual trauma. -Incarcerated Veterans Project

Ashley Melnyczok Found Murdered in Colorado Home; Army Soldier Joseph Kimsey & Jonathon Nelson Sentenced to Life in Prison (June 3, 2015)

On June 3, 2015November 15, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military PolicyLeave a comment

On June 3, 2015, Ashley Melnyczok was found stabbed to death in her Colorado Springs, Colorado apartment. She had been stabbed four times, twice in the neck and twice in the back; the killer also put a plastic bag over her head causing suffocation. Ashley was discovered by her friend who was initially considered a suspect but he was quickly ruled out. With no known suspects, detectives started doing a victimology to learn more about Ashley and her life. They learned that Ashely had a rocky relationship with the father of her daughter, Jason Connor, and had lost custody as a result of the tumultuous relationship. But Ashley was determined to get custody of her daughter and began to make positive changes to improve her life. She got a new waitressing job, a new apartment, and was determined to fight off depression in an effort to provide stability for her daughter. Jason was also ruled out as a suspect.

When investigators looked into Ashley’s criminal history, they found multiple domestic violence incidents and a pending domestic violence case against Joseph Kimsey. Kimsey, 23, was an Army soldier stationed at Fort Carson and according to Army leadership was nowhere to be found and considered Absent without Leave (AWOL). In the course of the investigation, investigators also learned that Ashley’s car was missing so they were on the hunt for it. And eventually, two individuals were pulled over in the stolen car. When police asked where they got the car, the pair claimed that Jonathon “JP” Nelson gave it to them. This was the same person a witness said answered Ashley’s door on June 1st. According to records, JP Nelson was dishonorably discharged from the Army a couple years earlier and had a pending criminal case; he was accused of hitting a female in the back of the head with a sledgehammer. JP was apprehended and arrested by police after trying to make entry into Ashley’s apartment with a large duffel bag.

While JP Nelson was in county jail, an inmate contacted detectives to inform them JP had confessed to the murder and said he didn’t do it alone. They knew the inmate was being truthful because he revealed a detail about the homicide that had been kept from the press. When pressed for a name, he could only provide them with a nickname “Pony Boy” so police set out to find out who Pony Boy was. About a month after the homicide, Ashley’s ex-boyfriend Joseph Kimsey was arrested for failure to appear in court. When interviewed, police learned that Kimsey was Pony Boy and that Nelson and Kimsey served in the Army together at Fort Carson. They were also both in county jail at the same time. JP Nelson bonded out on May 1st but he continued to stay in contact with Kimsey who was still in jail. The two of them initially schemed to rob Ashley to get money for Kimsey’s bond but Ashley didn’t take the bait.

Kimsey was released from county jail on June 1st. He made contact with Ashley and she agreed to meet with him at her new apartment, but he didn’t go alone. Once inside, Kimsey and JP Nelson demanded that Ashley open her safe but she refused so the pair attacked her. Ashley fought hard for her life and as a result it took two of them to kill her. The prosecution theorized that the bag was put over her head to keep her quiet. Both Jonathon Nelson and Joseph Kimsey were charged with first degree murder. A fingerprint in Ashley’s blood tied Jonathon Nelson directly to the murder. Investigators ascertained that JP returned to Ashley’s apartment two days later to dismember and dispose of Ashley’s body, instead he was spotted and arrested. In 2017, both Jonathon Nelson and Joseph Kimsey were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Source: Murder Behind Closed Doors, Grave Mysteries

Jonathon Nelson (Dishonorably Discharged Army Veteran)

Joseph Kimsey, U.S. Army

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: 27 year-old Ashley Melnyczok is a single mother. Her daughter is her life’s joy. In June 2015, Ashley is murdered in her Colorado Springs home. While hunting for clues, police hunt down a cast of dangerous characters and uncover a heinous plot. -Murder Behind Closed Doors, Grave Mysteries (S2,E3)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘Blood Red Highway’ on ID: AWOL Fort Carson Soldier Kills Store Owner Sam Melena for $32 (November 19, 2013)

On November 19, 2013September 21, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, True CrimeLeave a comment

The elderly owners of a beloved local grocery are brutally attacked and left for dead. Working with little beyond a vague witness description, Lt. Joe Kenda leads a state-wide manhunt to catch a pair of cold-blooded killers before they disappear for good. -Blood Red Highway, Homicide Hunter (S3,E8)

“When people become desperate, it’s very easy to do desperate things.” -Lt. Joe Kenda

Deadly Women Premiered Mommy’s Little Helpers on ID: Hilma Marie Witte Manipulated Children to Kill Family Members (November 24, 2012)

On November 24, 2012August 14, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, True CrimeLeave a comment

Preview: Growing up, Eric Witte’s father taught him to protect his family. But when his father became increasingly violent, Eric realised that his father was the evil his family needed protection from. -She Made Me Do It, Evil Lives Here (S2, E2)

As a boy, Eric Witte’s father taught him to protect his family. But as his father grows increasingly violent, Eric realizes that he is the evil his family needs protection from. -She Made Me Do It, Evil Lives Here (S2, E2)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Army Deserter Lonnie Swartz Charged with Second Degree Murder in Death of 16 Year Old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez (2012)

On October 10, 2012March 24, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, ScandalsLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2018-03-24 at 4.46.32 PM — Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez

“The records say Swartz enlisted in the military in 1995 at age 19 and went AWOL two months later. He was arrested in Las Vegas in October 1997 and discharged in lieu of trial by court-martial four months later.” -Business Insider

Missing California Army National Guardsman Noah Pippin Recovered in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness; Died From Exposure (August 24, 2012)

On August 24, 2012August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, In Their Name, Military Policy, Missing, National Guard, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Stateside Death, Suicide, USMCLeave a comment

0608_noah-pippin — Noah Pippin, U.S. Marine Corps, California Army National Guard

On September 11, 2010, the California National Guard called the parents of Noah Pippin, 31, to ask where he was because he didn’t show up for military duty and that wasn’t like him. Nonetheless, Noah was listed as Absent Without Leave (AWOL). It was this phone call that would set off a series of events for the family of Noah Pippin who also knew that he wouldn’t normally shirk his responsibilities but they were concerned about him. Noah’s parents knew that he once served in the Marines and deployed to Iraq three times. To them, he seemed troubled, preoccupied and depressed the last time they saw him. They wondered if he committed suicide. The family began to trace his steps. Noah left Michigan on August 25, 2010 in a cab to go to the airport to get a rental car. In October 2010, the family remembered they had a picture of the cab and the number. They called the cab company and it was confirmed that Noah did go to airport and rented a car. Records indicate that Noah drove to Kalispell, Montana. The family questioned why Montana instead of California and wondered what happened to him.

At his family’s insistence, Noah visited with them for a week in Traverse, Michigan prior to his deployment with the National Guard to Afghanistan. Noah drove from California to Michigan with a U-haul full of his belongings so he could store them while he was deployed. He had abruptly quit his job 3 months earlier at the Los Angeles Police Department where he had been working for a year a half as a police officer. He decided the job was not working out so he left the position and volunteered to go back on active duty with the Army. Noah volunteered to go on a 13 month deployment to Afghanistan. Noah became a police officer after getting out of the US Marine Corps so when he became disillusioned about the job, he went back to what felt comfortable. Noah got rid of his apartment in California and then when he got to Michigan, he started giving away everything he owned. Noah’s parents questioned his decision to give away all his belongings and told him he could store some of his stuff in their basement. They also knew he deployed to Iraq 3 times and as a result of their observations asked him about his mental health. But he assured them he was okay.

Noah’s parents were already concerned about suicide and worried when Noah didn’t show up for his National Guard duty. They contacted police on September 24, 2010. Initially it appeared the police didn’t share their same concerns about Noah and even made assumptions about his AWOL status as if he was a malingerer. But after the family shared the information they had confirmed with the cab company, the police began to take notice. The police investigated and learned from cell phone records that Noah called a taxi in Hungry Horse but the taxi didn’t know where he went to. On August 31, 2010, all activity stopped on Noah’s cell phone. The family and police wondered if Noah stopped in Montana to do some hiking as a form of rest and relaxation before he was deployed. Credit card activity showed that Noah checked into a hotel on August 28, 2010 and stayed for two nights. Aside from credit card activity at local stores for supplies and a couple restaurants for meals, there was no more activity on his cell phone and credit card and it appears that Noah Pippin disappeared on August 31, 2010. Noah’s dad couldn’t help but wonder if he went to Montana to die. Where Noah went after he left the hotel in Hungry Horse remained a mystery for two years.

In December 2010, the family felt like Noah was probably was dead. His mom continued to send messages to his e-mail but he never responded. Then Noah’s brothers reminded their parents that some of Noah’s stuff was in the basement. The brothers suggested they go through his belongings to see if there were any clues to his disappearance. Noah’s parents admitted it was hard to go through his stuff but they began the process and found a notebook that contained detailed directions to a place called Blue lakes which was south of Glacier National Park in Montana. They also found a list of supplies one would take on a wilderness trek. It appeared that Noah planned on going to Glacier National Park but didn’t mention it to his family. After learning this information, they couldn’t help but assume Noah went there to clear his head. Now the concern was why didn’t he show up for military duty and why haven’t they heard from him. The hotel in Hungry Horse called a month later and informed the police they found some of Noah’s property in the lost and found. This property included cell phone and computer chargers but the cell phone and computer were not present. At this point police thought maybe Noah was a victim of robbery and foul play, maybe even a homicide victim.

The police needed an eye witness who may have seen Noah. In February 2011, the family shared developments in the case with the media while the police contacted the Forest Service. The police talked to people who occupied cabins in the area but no one had seen him. Some witnesses thought they saw Noah walking on the road but couldn’t confirm it was him. At this time, police had no more leads to follow and they all had to wait for the snow to melt before they could begin searching for him. In June 2012, Noah’s parents went to the Blue Lakes to look for him. They noted that they were pleased Noah’s last known location was in such a beautiful place. Eventually witnesses contacted the family to share that Noah showed up to their camping spot. They provided details that he talked about being in the military and deploying to Iraq, therefore he was positively identified. It appears that Noah followed through with his plans to hike to the Blue Lakes and then he headed to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Noah’s parents were relieved to know he was alive two weeks after his cellphone activity stopped. But now it appears Noah deliberately didn’t go back to active duty with the National Guard. Shirking his responsibilities was not like Noah so why would he go AWOL?

It was September 15, 2010 when the witnesses ran into Noah while they were setting up their camp. They said it appeared that he only had a day pack which wasn’t the norm for someone so far back in the wilderness. Noah said he was going to hike along the Chinese Wall where there was no trail. The family offered Noah dinner and to put him up for the night but he declined and insisted on continuing on his hike. The next day, the weather pattern changed and the family sensed a snow storm was on the way so they left immediately and got caught in blizzard like conditions on the way out. The family thought if Noah got caught up in these conditions, it could be dangerous. A ranger also contacted the family and confirmed that he witnessed Noah sleeping on the trail on September 15, 2010 and it appeared he was heading towards the Chinese Wall. The ranger observed Noah wasn’t equipped for the trip too. Everyone acknowledged that a two day’s hike from civilization could be very dangerous in winter conditions. It was hard to anticipate what could happen in the mountains in blizzard like conditions and the outlook was bleak. Police began a recovery mission after learning this information and a helicopter search team looked for him in August 2011 but he was not spotted. The inconclusive search gave the family hope but they wanted closure.

UPDATE: On August 24, 2012, Noah Pippin’s body was recovered and reports indicate that Noah died from exposure. Noah Pippin froze to death in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Investigation Discovery:

Former Marine Noah Pippin is reported missing after failing to appear at drill. -A Soldier’s Story, Disappeared (November 21, 2011)

ID Go: In August 2010, 31-year-old ex-marine Noah Pippin left Michigan to report to the California National Guard. But Noah never shows up. Police trace his path to the forests of Montana, leaving Noah’s parents to wonder why he is venturing into the wild. -A Soldier’s Story, Disappeared (S5,E8)

Disappeared Premiered ‘A Soldier’s Story’ on Investigation Discovery: Noah Pippin’s Body Located in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness (February 27, 2012)

On February 27, 2012August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Missing, National Guard, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Stateside Death, Suicide, True Crime, USMCLeave a comment

Former Marine Noah Pippin is reported missing after failing to appear at drill. -A Soldier’s Story, Disappeared (November 21, 2011)

JBLM Army Soldier Nathan Smith Sentenced to 11 Years to Life in Prison for Kidnapping, Rape, Attempted Rape, Torture, and Arson (May 28, 2010)

On May 28, 2010May 4, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Military Policy, Scandals, Sexual AssaultLeave a comment

screen-shot-2016-12-31-at-7-17-36-pm — Nathan Smith, US Army

According to ABC News, US Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Ryan Smith, 29, was charged with kidnapping, rape, arson, and tampering with evidence in the State of Washington. Fort Lewis Army personnel reported that Nathan Smith was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) as of January 5, 2009. Washington state investigators said Smith was suspected of kidnapping and attacking two women.

Smith was accused of grabbing one woman on January 1, 2009 in a Tacoma, Washington parking lot. He allegedly choked her until she became unconscious. The woman claimed when she woke up, she was naked and bound with zip ties in someone’s house. When she tried to free herself, she says she heard a man say, “If you fight, you’ll die.” Then she alleged the man put a knife to her face and said, “If you cooperate, you’ll go home.” According to this victim, the man believed to be Nathan Smith then gagged her and raped her. He also used electrified clamps to torture her and told the woman “If you tell anybody, police or anyone, I will kill you and your family. I can find you. I will find you.”

“After he allegedly raped one woman, Smith told her, I have killed several people in Iraq. I’m crazy in the head, and if I get caught by police I will come looking for you and kill you.” –ABC News

The second victim the police identified was a woman who was kidnapped on January 3, 2009. She claimed once they arrived at the assailant’s home, he choked her until she blacked out. She told police that when she woke up, her hands were bound and she had a gag in her mouth. She managed to escape and ran to a neighbor’s house who called the Washington State police. The second woman gave a similar description as the first victim of the man who kidnapped her. She also identified the same car the first victim identified, the same car Nathan Smith drove.

In both instances the victims said their attacker fit Smith’s description and drove the same kind of car that is registered to Smith. Washington State Police reported that Fort Lewis Army soldier Nathan Smith served as a calvary scout in Iraq from September 2006 to October 2007 and has military and wilderness survival skills. Nathan Smith is considered extremely dangerous. When finally captured and arrested, The News Tribune in Tacoma reported that Smith pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. In 2010, Smith changed his plea to guilty; guilty of one count of second-degree rape, one count of attempted second-degree rape, and one count of first-degree arson. The prosecutor requested 12 years for Smith, adding the brutality he inflicted on the women was off the charts. On May 28, 2010, the Judge sentenced Nathan Smith to 11 years to life in prison and it will be up to the Washington state Indeterminate Sentence Review Board to determine when, if ever, Smith is released.

He apologized to the women before being sentencing, saying he hopes the pain he caused them does not endure. He also apologized to his former comrades in arms. “They’re in Iraq right now, which is where I should be,” said Smith, a former cavalry scout with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division…Defense attorney Wayne Fricke requested a low-end sentence of nine years, three months, saying his client had served his country honorably before going over the line with the women – prostitutes he’d hired to have sex with him. –The News Tribune

Kirby Archer Commits String of Crimes After Dishonorable Discharge from Army Including Four Murders in an Attempt to Flee to Cuba (September 22, 2007)

On September 22, 2007August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Missing, VeteransLeave a comment

screen-shot-2016-11-05-at-7-19-38-pm — Kirby Archer, US Army Veteran

Army veteran Kirby Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo offered to pay a Miami, Florida based charter company $4000 to take them to Bimini to meet up with their girlfriends. The Joe Cool agreed and the two headed out with Jake Branam, Kelley Branam, Scott Gamble, and Samuel Kairy. When they didn’t return home on Sunday, their families began to worry. They eventually contacted the United States Coast Guard for assistance with locating them. The USCG found the boat off the coast of Cuba, 140 miles off course. They also found two survivors: Archer and Zarabozo. The two claimed to be victims of crimes. They said the boat had been hijacked and the other four were shot. They claimed their lives were spared because they knew Spanish and were asked to drive the boat until it ran out of gas. Both the USCG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation got involved with this case. They learned that Kirby Archer was dishonorably discharged from the Army after he went Absent Without Leave (AWOL).

He was arrested for child sexual abuse and was on the run after stealing money from his place of employment. It is believed that he met Zarabozo at Guantanamo Bay where Archer was once assigned; Zarabozo was a child refugee. They made plans to flee to Cuba and used the Joe Cool to execute the plan. Both of them were arrested for lying to federal agents. After Zarabozo’s home was searched, they found shell casings that matched those found on the boat. They also observed that Zarabozo’s 9 mm was not in the case and unaccounted for. Both Archer and Zarabozo were charged with sixteen counts including four murders. There was no body and no murder weapons so it was considered a circumstantial case. The defendants turned on each other but the prosecutors were able to show how it took both men to commit the crimes against the four individuals on the boat. There were two guns used in the commission of the crimes, therefore both were involved. Archer and Zarabozo were sentenced to five consecutive life terms. The Joe Cool slip is empty to this day. Jake and Kelley Branam’s children are living with her sister in Washington.

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: Kelley Branam lives in Miami’s most exclusive neighborhood. Guillermo Zarabozo lives in its grittiest.It’s improbable that their paths would ever cross.But, in less than 24 hours, their lives will intersect at sea in a fatal encounter. -Fatal Voyage, Fatal Encounters (S1,E4)

ID Go: The crew of a luxury charter yacht falls prey to a fugitive’s cold-blooded escape plan en route to Bimini, a remote Bahamian paradise in the Bermuda Triangle. -Hook, Lines and Murder, Murder in Paradise (S1,E4)

ID Go: Kelley Branam’s husband Jake is a Miami charter boat captain with high aspirations. Jake works long hours to support his new family but Kelley’s suspicions run deep. Out of the blue, she decides to join Jake on a charter and is never heard from again. -Hijacked, Dark Waters (S2,E4)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: AWOL

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Kirby Archer Commits String of Crimes After Dishonorable Discharge from Army Including Four Murders in an Attempt to Flee to Cuba (September 22, 2007)

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