Two young women are shot and left for dead on a beach in Texas. After one miraculously survives, she is determined to find out who the attacker is. When a young man is eventually convicted, the long road to justice seems to be complete until a stunning twist raises a question – could the wrong man be in prison? Josh Mankiewicz reports. -Dateline NBC (June 7, 2019)
Sgt. Maliek Kearney, U.S. Army and Pfc. Karlyn Ramirez, U.S. Army
Army soldier Pfc. Karlyn Ramirez, 24, of Fort Meade, Maryland was found shot to death in her home on August 25, 2015 while she lay next to her newborn baby. Karlyn worked for the National Security Agency (NSA) and had a top secret security clearance. Investigators looked to her roommate and her husband as persons of interests. The media speculated that maybe this crime had something to do with her job. The Anne Arundel Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked jointly to solve Karlyn’s homicide. A $20,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of a suspect. More then a year later on October 6, 2016 Karlyn’s husband Army Sgt. Maliek Kearney and his new girlfriend Army veteran Dolores Delgado were arrested for the murder. In testimony, Sgt. Kearney admitted to shooting Karlyn four times, placing their baby in her dead mother’s arms, and then fleeing the scene leaving a sliding glass door open. Investigators report that the crime was a well thought out and executed plan implemented in an effort to throw homicide detectives off.
Dolores Delgado gave Sgt. Kearney the car, the gun, and gas cans to refuel with so he wouldn’t be caught on any security cameras as he drove from South Carolina to Maryland on August 24th to carry out the murder. Sgt. Kearney returned back to work the next morning at Fort Jackson in South Carolina to establish an alibi. Additional testimony revealed that Karlyn and Sgt. Kearney separated only two weeks after they had been married. They had been married for roughly five weeks when Karlyn was murdered. Karlyn attempted to get a restraining order on Sgt. Kearney just days before the murder after he showed up to her home unannounced in an effort to reconcile with her. After the failed attempt at reconciliation, Sgt. Kearney was hospitalized because he tried to end his life with sleeping pills. Sgt. Kearney was a decorated Army veteran of 15 years who had served tours in Iraq, Pakistan and South Korea. One of Sgt. Kearney’s superiors at Fort Sam Houston testified that he has been “nothing but an exemplary soldier.” A friend reported that he had no idea that Sgt. Kearney and Dolores Delgado were even dating. Sgt. Kearney and Dolores Delgado are being prosecuted by the federal courts because they crossed state lines to execute a murder in another state. The U.S. Magistrate denied bail for Sgt. Kearney and Dolores Delgado and ordered they be transferred to Maryland to await trial. In August 2017, Dolores Delgado plead guilty to helping Sgt. Kearney with the murder of Karlyn Ramirez. On November 30, 2018, Maliek Kearney was sentence to life in federal prison with no parole for premeditated murder.
“He is sick and depraved. Slightly laughable was his compassionate transfer to San Antonio to be close to the child he put in her dead mother’s arms.” -Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wannarka
In the News:
Anne Arundel County police have identified a woman whose body was found at a home in Severn. -WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (August 27, 2015)
Army Mom Murdered in Cold-Blood. -True Crime Daily (March 7, 2016)
Karlyn Ramirez, 24, was killed in her Maryland home. When police found her, she wasn’t alone. But the only living witness can’t say who killed her. -True Crime Daily (March 8, 2016)
Karlyn Ramirez, 24, was killed in her Maryland home. When police found her, she wasn’t alone. But the only living witness can’t say who killed her. -True Crime Daily (March 8, 2016)
24-year-old Karyln Ramirez, an army private stationed at Fort Meade, was found shot to death in her Severn home. Now, more than a year later, authorities make a big break in the investigation. -WJZ (October 10, 2016)
A couple will return to Maryland to face trial in the August 2015 shooting of the man’s wife. -WMAR-2 News (October 19, 2016)
A military mom with top-secret security clearance is gunned down in her Maryland home on August 25, 2015. Who killed 24-year-old mother Karlyn Ramirez, and why? -True Crime Daily (December 15, 2017)
A former girlfriend took the stand Wednesday in the trial of Army Sgt. Maliek Kearney, who is accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife in 2015. Kearney, 37, faces federal charges in the killing of Karlyn Ramirez, of Severn. Delores Delgado struck a plea deal last summer and pleaded guilty to the federal crime of crossing state lines to commit domestic violence that resulted in Ramirez’s death. The plea was in exchange for federal officials not seeking the death penalty. -WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (July 18, 2018)
Trial Underway For Army Sergeant Charged In His Wife’s Killing. -WJZ (July 18, 2018)
The mistress of Army sergeant charged in the death of his estranged wife testified Thursday about the plot to kill the Fort Meade soldier. Dolores Delgado testified she “lied to give him an alibi.” -CBS News (July 20, 2018)
The case against a U.S. Army sergeant who is charged in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged wife resumed Monday with Delores Delgado back on the witness stand. She is the mistress and co-conspirator of Sgt. Maliek Kearney. -WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (July 30, 2018)
Former Army Sergeant Maliek Kearney has been sentenced to life without parole Friday for the 2015 murder of his wife in Anne Arundel County. -WJZ (November 30, 2018)
A federal judge sentenced Army Sgt. Maliek Kearney to life in prison without possibility of parole plus 10 years, in the 2015 killing of his estranged wife. In August, a federal jury found Kearney guilty in the killing of Karlyn Ramirez. Prosecutors called Kearney a cold-blooded, callous murderer who executed his estranged wife. -WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (November 30, 2018)
Investigation Discovery:
She had top security clearance from the U.S. military and was only 24 when she was found dead at home, her 5-month-old daughter by her side. Who would want Karlyn Ramirez dead and why? -Investigation Discovery (September 20, 2018)
Dateline NBC:
Andrea Canning reports on the homicide of private first class soldier and young mother Karlyn Ramirez. Canning also takes a glimpse into the FBI’s crime lab and an in-depth look at how multiple agencies uncovered a plot that spanned several states and prompted suspicions of espionage. -Dateline NBC (January 9, 2019)
Trailer: A murder case considered closed by North Dakota detectives is suddenly reopened when a confidential informant comes forward with a tip about an unlikely suspect. -Dateline NBC (S26,E51)
Dateline featured ‘Prairie Confidential’ on August 13, 2018. It was a 2015 homicide case out of Minot, North Dakota. Nursing student and mom of three Angila Wilder didn’t show up for an important exam at school and her professor knew something was wrong. Angila was discovered stabbed to death in her bedroom in her North Dakota home. The crime appeared personal so the police started their investigation with Angila’s boyfriend and ex-husband. When Angila’s boyfriend Chris Jackson was interviewed, he pointed the finger at her ex-husband Richie Wilder, Jr. Angila met Richie in high school and soon after they married, they had a couple children together. Richie joined the Air Force and was stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. But during their time there, things went awry with the marriage. Richie was court-martialed and convicted of domestic abuse. As a result, he was discharged from the Air Force and soon divorce followed. Richie remarried Cynthia, a kindergarten teacher, and they had a child together. Angila also moved on with Chris Jackson and they too had a child together. Angila was pregnant at the time of her murder.
Investigators found Angila’s blood in Richie’s car and Richie’s DNA was found under Angila’s fingernails. As a result, Richie Wilder was charged with murder and ordered to pre-trial confinement on a 2 million dollar bond. After a couple days in jail, Richie came forward with a “confession.” Richie told police he and Chris learned Angela was cheating on Chris and they hoped to catch her in the act so they could then have custody of their children. Richie said he picked up Chris at his place of employment, drove to Angila’s home, killed her together (an attempt to minimize his involvement yet explain DNA), and then dropped Chris back off at Wal-Mart. But the police looked at the video at Wal-Mart and it blew Richie’s “confession” out of the water. Chris was at work all night and never left the property. In December 2016, Richie Wilder Jr. was convicted of Angila’s murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In May 2018, Cynthia Wilder took an Alford plea hoping the judge would go lenient on her but she was sentenced to life in prison without parole for conspiracy to commit murder. In the course of the investigation, police learned Cynthia and Richie Wilder planned Angila’s murder for two years.
Preview: Anjette Lyles felt the best way to deal with her problematic home life was to poison the people around her. -Secrets and Lies, Deadly Women (S4, E11)
A Gold-Digger Buries Secrets in Her Basement (1961):
Selfish women will sometimes sell their souls to the devil to get what they want. A scorned lover weaves a web of lies, a teenage Goth orders a reign of terror, and a gold-digger buries secrets in her basement. -Souls of Stone, Deadly Women (S7, E18)
Dark Secrets are the Stock-in-Trade of Deadly Women (1971):
Full Episode: While drugs can cure disease and ease pain, they can also be agents of murder. Toxicologists can examine blood and tissue to uncover cases where death is not as natural as it may seem – from slow arsenic poisoning to quick cocaine overdoses. -Lethal Dosage, The New Detectives (S3,E5)
Preview: 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)
When a Deranged Mind of Deadly Woman Snaps (1985):
When a deranged mind of deadly woman snaps, there’s no telling when the killing will stop. In a rage driven by years of untreated schizophrenia, a 25-year-old opened fire on innocent shoppers in a Philadelphia Mall in 1985. -Twisted Minds, Deadly Women (S2, E3)
A Middle-Aged Woman Sacrifices Lives for Money (1987):
Full Episode: 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)
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. -Evil Guardians, Deadly Women (S7, E6)
Preview: Dawn Silvernail, Jennifer Reali, and Bonnie Heady have love stories with bloody and bleak endings. Blinded by desire and malleable, these women fall into relationships with dangerous men. Murder becomes an act of love when they are under his control. -Under His Control, Deadly Women (S4,E10)
Preview:Seeking freedom from his controlling wife, Dennis Hawley begins seeing drug-addicted prostitute Brandita Taliano and supporting her financially. In 1993, when Joan receives an inheritance and makes plans to divorce, Dennis, fearing financial ruin, enlists his lover to help murder his wife. -Second Best, Deadly Women (S8, E10)
A grandmother caring for her grandchildren, a young girl in love with a boy, a mother protecting her son – are all consumed with intense love. But when that love is threatened, they find it too much to bear and take measures into their own hands. -Deadly Possession, Deadly Women (S5, E10)
Perfect Wife Plots To Have Husband Killed For Money (1994):
Preview: Susan Russo was a Navy wife who ran a tight ship. But she had a secret life, and devised a way to profit off her husband’s substantial military life insurance. -Cash In, Deadly Women (S10, E6)
When some brides vowed to love and honor their husbands, they lied. These Deadly Women made a mockery of marital commitment. They only promised “To Have and To Kill”. -To Have and To Kill, Deadly Women (S8, E14)
Disabled Veteran Targeted for Disability Benefits & Assets (1999):
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)
Full Episode: Gail Fulton, a librarian living in a Detroit suburb, was gunned down in a parking lot by a trio of Florida killers. Donna Trapani, a nurse from Pensacola, hired the three because she had been jilted by Gail’s husband. -Red Neck Revenge, Mugshots
Together They Form a Team with the Cold Power to Kill (2002):
Full Episode: The couple spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach, and then they simply vanished. Their clothes and personal items were still in the rented condo, their car was parked outside, and there were no signs of forced entry or foul play. A week later, police would get an unexpected lead from a robbery in progress, and the evidence they found helped them to solve a crime of unparalleled violence and brutality. -Dirty Little Seacret, Forensic Files (S13, E46)
Life Insurance is a Common Motive for Murder (2002):
Preview: An Army Major lay lifeless in his bed, shot twice at close range while sleeping next to his wife. Investigators would soon uncover an intricately planned murder plot involving sex parties, adultery and coercion. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)
Teresa Lewis Used Sex to Get What She Wanted (2002):
Preview: Marriage is a lifelong commitment of love, and wedding vows. ‘To have and to hold; for better, for worse; until death do us part’. But for these monstrous wives, it was only the vow of ‘death do us part’ they upheld. -To Love and To Murder, Deadly Women (S5, E5)
Neighbors can be a source of friendship and community comfort. But what happens when a neighbor stops watching out for you, and starts watching you. The sinister minds of these women begin to turn sour and they begin to torment their neighbors. -Loathe Thy Neighbor, Deadly Women (S5, E2)
A Crazed Mother Took a Custody Battle Too Far (2004):
When these women were betrayed, they demanded payback. They settled their scores by wreaking “Lover’s Revenge”. -Lover’s Revenge, Deadly Women (S8, E8)
To the Master Manipulator we are all just pawns in their game. Men, children, friends… anything is possible. For these women, they manipulate others to kill for them… but these girls didn’t get away. -Master Manipulators, Deadly Women (S4,E6)
Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Them is Dead (2006):
Preview: Robert McClancy was found dead in his home, but was it suicide triggered from his PTSD, did his best friend who found him turn out to be the one who killed him, or was it his seemingly loving wife behind it all? -Snapped, Oxygen Media
A Former Prom Queen Refuses the Feeling of Rejection (2010):
Preview: Kim Coleman had a lot going for her – except control of her own emotions. Her idea of loving Brian was completely possessing him. Love would never survive her suspicious mind. -Suspicious Minds, Deadly Women (S10, E8)
Preview: A young Navy recruit falls for a fellow officer, but becomes overwhelmed by jealousy when she learns he is friendly with the mother of his child. -Cling ‘Til Death, Deadly Women (S10, E4)
A Secret Addiction Drives a Young Woman to Kill (2014):
ID Go: A secret addiction drives a young woman to sacrifice her wheelchair bound employer; a scheming caregiver betrays the man who trusts her; and a single mother’s desire for a better life leads to a brutal dismemberment. -The Vulnerable, Deadly Women (S9, E13)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
This was indeed a very touching Dateline. Vietnam veteran Jim Heintz learned inadvertently that he had a fathered a child in Vietnam. Jim’s daughter submitted a DNA sample to an ancestry registry and a few weeks later she learned she had a half-sister in Vietnam. As it would turn out, Jim did in fact have a brief affair with a Vietnamese woman who worked as a “house girl” for him. They were mostly friends and made a connection right before Jim left Vietnam, a place he vowed never to visit again. Jim didn’t hesitate to connect with his new found daughter. He had fond feelings for her mother and it was obvious that he had great respect for her. He still had pictures of her in his collection of photographs taken in Vietnam. She never told him that she fathered his child; the first time he learned of it was from his daughter. He went to Vietnam with his second wife to meet his Vietnamese daughter and her family. She had done well for herself despite facing criticism from fellow Vietnamese that she was a ‘half breed’ in her own country.
Jim’s daughter Lynn wanted to join him in the United States. It was important to her to be with the only living parent she had. Lynn’s mom passed away a few years after meeting Jim and having their daughter. Jim’s daughter was orphaned when she was seven years old. It took them a while to work out the immigration issues but eventually Jim’s daughter, her husband, and his granddaughter moved to the USA. They all are appreciating the precious time they have together. Jim’s love for his daughter and her love for him is genuine and was one of the happiest ‘Father’s Day’ endings a dad could have. Amerasians Without Borders (AWB) is a non-profit in Washington state and they assist with the reunification of US service members and children in Vietnam. They also submit DNA samples to various DNA ancestry sites to assist with the reunification process. In the course of this programming, we learned that Congress passed a law ‘American Homecoming Act’ allowing Vietnamese children fathered by American GIs to come to America legally so they can reunite with their family.
The American Homecoming Act or Amerasian Homecoming Act, was an Act of Congress giving preferential immigration status to children in Vietnam born of U.S. fathers. The American Homecoming Act was written in 1987, passed in 1988, and implemented in 1989.[1] The act increased Vietnamese Amerasian immigration to the U.S. because it allowed applicants to establish mixed race identity by appearance alone. –Wikipedia
If you or someone you know wants to find a child that may have been fathered in Vietnam, you are encouraged to contact AWB and submit a DNA sample with ancestry sites.
Editor’s Note: You can watch the full episode of Dateline for a limited time on the NBC app. Download the app and binge on the last couple years of programming.
Keith Morrison follows a cold case for nearly 10 years, as a father in Hawaii fights to bring his daughter’s killer to justice despite one setback after another. -Dateline NBC
Sandra Galas
On June 15, 2018, Dateline premiered ‘The Other Side of Paradise’ on NBC. It’s the true crime story of Sandra Galas and her father’s quest for cold case justice. Air Force retiree Larry Mendonca’s daughter Sandra was found strangled to death in her car in the garage of her home on January 25, 2006 in ‘Ele’ele, Hawaii. The case went unsolved for years and if not for the efforts of her father Larry, the case may never have been solved. For years, Sandra’s estranged husband Darren Galas was the prime suspect. Darren had a history of domestic violence and it was rumored that he was angry Sandra was dating someone new. It wasn’t until 2012, investigators were able to pin Darren to the crime with the use of new forensic techniques, specifically touch DNA from evidence at the scene of the crime was a match to Darren Galas. In January 2018, twelve years after the murder, Darren Galas entered a no contest plea in court for a charge of first degree assault, a class B felony. The judge accepted his plea and he was found guilty. In March 2018, Galas was sentenced to a ten year open prison term for his connection to the crime, the maximum that could be imposed. Unfortunately, due to parental alienation, Sandra’s father Larry has no relationship with her two children. He claims Darren has brainwashed them to hate both their mother and her family.
Editor’s Note: You can watch the full episode of Dateline for a limited time on the NBC app. Download the app and binge on the last couple years of programming.
Darren Galas, 40 of Kalaheo was arrested for the 2006 murder of his estranged wife, Sandra Galas. -KHON2 News (2012)
A 2006 Kauai case has new witnesses and interviews. -KITV (2012)
The body of Sandra Galas was found in her garage in Eleele on Jan. 25, 2006. -KHON2 News (2018)
Kauai man Darren Galas has been sentenced in connection with his wife’s 2006 murder. -KHON2 News (2018)
Tonight’s episode of “48 Hours: NCIS” takes you inside the real-life investigation of a 19-year-old Marine wife who vanished in the desert. “The Marine’s Wife” uncovers the story of Erin Corwin and her disappearance. – CBS News (June 12, 2018)
Marine Corps spouse Erin Corwin, 19, was reported missing on June 29, 2014 by her husband who was stationed at Camp Pendleton near Twentynine Palms in California. After an extensive investigation and search, Erin’s body was found in an abandoned mine shaft on August 16th, 2014. During the investigation, authorities learned that Erin was having an affair with another Marine. This Marine was identified as Christopher Lee, 29, who was arrested in Alaska after Erin’s body was recovered from the mine shaft. Christopher admitted that he killed Erin but said it was because he became angry after she confessed to molesting his daughter.
The prosecution theorized he killed her to silence her and hide the pregnancy from his wife. He tricked her into believing that he was going to propose to her and instead he approached Erin from behind and strangled her for at least five minutes with a garrote made up of two pieces of rebar and a cord. After Lee was satisfied Erin was dead, he dragged her body to a mine shaft in the desert and pushed her in head first. Christopher Lee was found guilty of first-degree murder by civilian authorities and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Christopher Lee, U.S. Marine Corps, and Erin Corwin
Editor’s Note: If you would like to watch the full episode of ‘The Marine’s Wife,’ please visit the CBS All Access website, visit the 48 Hours website, or download the 48 Hours app on your iPad. The most recent episodes are unlocked on the 48 Hours website and app. If you would like to watch past episodes on the 48 Hours app, it cost’s $4.99 a year. There’s programming dating back to 2005 on the 48 Hours app, including some classics, to feed your true crime addiction.
In the News:
Investigators are searching for the beautiful, pregnant wife of a U.S. marine corporal who was last seen over a week ago. 19-year-old Erin Corwin was reportedly last seen leaving her Twentynine Palms, CA home around 7 a.m. on June 28 to go to nearby Joshua Tree National Park. Her husband of a year and a half Jonathan reported her missing the next day. Days after she disappeared, Erin’s mother Lore Heavilin found out that her daughter was about 3 months pregnant. -HLN (July 7, 2014)
An eyewitness spoke out Wednesday, describing the last time he saw the pregnant Marine wife who’s been missing for more than two weeks.Michael Beasley said he saw Erin Corwin get into a red car with another man and drive away. He added that it didn’t appear she was being forced into the car in any way.Corwin was last seen on June 28 leaving a home she shares with her husband, headed to Joshua Tree National Park. Her husband, Lance Cpl. Jonathan Corwin, reported her missing a day later when she never returned. -HLN (July 16, 2014)
According to a new search warrant affidavit released this week, homicide detectives now believe that — on the day she vanished — missing Marine wife Erin Corwin went on a day trip with a neighbor and ex-Marine whom she was romantically involved with. -HLN (July 22, 2014)
New police documents reveal Erin Corwin was having an affair with her married neighbor and told her friend the two were spending the day together when she went missing. -HLN (July 22, 2014)
Erin Corwin was last seen leaving her home on June 28, and was reportedly heading to Joshua Tree National Park. -HLN (July 22, 2014)
Following the discovery of Erin Corwin’s remains, friends and family father to honor her memory and begin healing. -WATE 6 On Your Side (September 19, 2014)
Part 1: Erin Corwin vanished after having a miscarriage and growing distant from her husband. She was allegedly pregnant at the time of her disappearance. -Crime Watch Daily (May 3, 2017)
Part 2: Erin Corwin vanished after having a miscarriage and growing distant from her husband. She was allegedly pregnant at the time of her disappearance. -Crime Watch Daily (May 3, 2017)
Part 3: Erin Corwin vanished after having a miscarriage and growing distant from her husband. She was allegedly pregnant at the time of her disappearance. -Crime Watch Daily (May 3, 2017)
Dateline (NBC):
When the 19-year old wife of a Marine vanishes without a trace in the California desert, investigators launch a massive search. They soon uncover a secret love triangle and a mystery with multiple suspects. Andrea Canning reports. -Dateline NBC (December 1, 2016)
