Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Head in the Oven’ on ID: Former Marine Stopped Taking Meds, Unraveled & Murdered Brett Smith (June 16, 2018)

On June 16, 2018October 14, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, True Crime, USMC, VeteransLeave a comment

Two neighboring bachelors start out as friends. Harmless banter turns into threats eventually igniting an escalating war. The violence ends with a murder so shocking it is almost beyond belief. -Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery (S5,E3)

Brett Smith was found murdered in his home on October 3, 2008 in North Canton, Ohio. Brett was found with a knife in his chest and dismembered; his head was found burning in the oven of his own home. It didn’t take long for police to determine that Brett’s neighbor, William Perry, was the suspect in the case. William Perry served in the Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm and was suffering from what sounds like Post Traumatic Stress. He was taking medications because he saw a lot of terrible things but he didn’t want to talk about it; the medications helped mitigate flashbacks, nightmares and other symptoms like lack of concentration that interfered with daily living. William and Brett were both fixing up their homes, helping each other out, and sharing tools.

At some point, William became jealous of Brett’s home improvement efforts and all the help he appeared to get from his family. William was struggling financially to fix up his place and this bothered William because he wanted a nice place for his children when they came to visit him. William and Brett tried to make the relationship work but the two had an on again and off again kind of relationship. Brett couldn’t drink because he took medication for epilepsy and he was uncomfortable around William after he had a few drinks of alcohol. The two got confrontational when William was drinking and Brett tried to confront William about vandalism on his property including slashed tires and an oil spill that cost William thousands of dollars to remedy. Brett’s mom Judy was getting concerned and wanted him to move out of there because the fighting was escalating.

William Perry was stressed. His girlfriend Susanna Lockard shared that he owed child support and if he didn’t pay it, he was going to jail. At the same time, William decided to stop taking his medication. He said they made him feel foggy and he wanted a clear head. Susanna was concerned he would get depressed or downward spiral. And then one day, William and Brett got into an altercation in the yard and William lost control and started beating Brett with a board. The neighbors thought William was a “psycho” after this encounter and so did Brett. The neighbors were really concerned that this situation was escalating and getting dangerous. Brett reported William to the North Canton Police Department but there was no evidence of the physical encounter so there was nothing the police could do. They told him to stay away from him. Brett was confused about why William hated him so much; he didn’t know what he was doing wrong.

Susanna was leaving the home for the night so William could spend some time with his kids. When she arrived to pick up some clothes, she found William home and he didn’t look well. She learned his plans with his children had been cancelled and he was upset. William was brandishing a gun in front of his girlfriend and her daughter while asking them to leave. William was living with his girlfriend but he broke up with her and kicked her out and never explained why. Later that night, the neighbors noticed William on Brent’s porch and they were arguing. When Brett’s mom showed up to his place the next day, she got no answer and smelled smoke. Brett’s mom turned to a friend and asked him to break into Brett’s house because she was concerned. The living room was in disarray, the contents of Brett’s wallet were strewn about, and there was also paint spilled everywhere. They found Brett in the bathroom laying on the floor with a knife in his chest. He had been strangled and beheaded. The police processed the home and found paint mixed with blood everywhere.

When the police opened the oven, they found Brett’s head burning inside. Brett’s mom had a very hard time accepting her son was dead and that he had been murdered in this way. William Perry was a suspect right away. There was no doubt that William had done this and he tried to cover up the crime. Initially, William was arrested for vandalism, a felony crime, and sent to jail. While there, he wrote a letter to a friend admitting to killing Brett. He said the night he killed Brett, it started with words and escalated to physical fighting. He spent the night trying to clean up the scene and attempted to dismember Brett but gave up after he cut off his head. He tried to erase all signs that he was in Brett’s house. He was charged with murder and faced the death penalty but it never went to trial. In October 2009, William Perry made a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The prosecutor had no rational explanation for why he did this.

“It could have been anything, anything could have triggered it. It could have been trauma, it could have been something from childhood, it could be not seeing your kids as much as you want, it could just be all the pressures building up and it just sets a chain reaction.” -Susanna Lockard (Brett’s girlfriend)

Source: Head in the Oven, Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery

In the News:

A neighbor describes finding the grisly remains of Brett Smith, who had been beheaded in his North Canton mobile home. -CantonRep.com

Employees of LA Office Solutions in North Canton, Ohio, tell how they felt threatened during an encounter with William D. Perry, a suspect in the beheading of Brett W. Smith, a week before Smith’s death. -CantonRep.com

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Monkey in the Middle’ on Investigation Discovery: Spencer Newcomer Found Not Guilty of Murder, Claimed Self-Defense (May 25, 2017)

On May 25, 2017August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, True Crime, USMC, Veterans2 Comments

Preview: A man finds himself living between hostile neighbors on both sides, including a former marine with severe PTSD. Their campaign of intimidation ramps up to the point of no return, ending with a deadly confrontation on the street outside their homes. -Monkey in the Middle, Fear Thy Neighbor (S4, E8)

Date: June 10, 2012
Victim: David Wintermyer, 47, retired US Marine Corps, veteran
Offender: Spencer Newcomer, 42, employed (self-defense)
Location: York, Pennsylvania
Circumstances: Spencer Newcomer wouldn’t mow his grass because he wanted to be one with the land and mother nature on his down time, he owns the home his grandfather owned, lots of great memories, Greg Taylor lives next-door to Spencer, Dave Wintermyer inherited his father’s home and moved to the neighborhood on the other side of Spencer, Dave retired from the Marines after twenty years, his long tours overseas ended his marriage, Dave was very proud to be a Marine, he flew the American flag and the USMC flag proudly on his property, Dave wants to play the hero and help others, Spencer’s dad was a Marine too, he served four years, Spencer appreciated Dave’s service because of his dad’s experience, Dave got out of the Marine Corps but he didn’t give up leadership or Marine Corps values, he would do anything for anybody, Dave would clear everyone’s driveways when it snowed, he became the guardian of the street, Dave would look after people’s homes when they were gone, Spencer’s dogs started pooping on Dave’s lawn, Spencer denied that it was his dog, Greg said Spencer’s dogs pooped in his yard as well, the neighbors confirmed Spencer’s dogs did not stay in his yard, Spencer found Dave in his yard one day, Dave was burning brush in his yard and blasting music, Dave told Spencer he didn’t like his dogs, on another occasion Dave took Spencer’s ladder without his permission and Spencer confronted him about it, Dave thought he was Mayor of Yorkland, Greg got more and more obsessive with his property, Greg and Dave started ganging up on Spencer about his overgrown property, Dave mowed his lawn every week, Greg and Dave had disdain for Spencer’s yard, Dave asked Spencer countless times to keep his dogs off his lawn but Spencer brushed it off as if he didn’t care, Dave approached Spencer one day and told him he had enough of his dog’s pooping on his property, Dave told Spencer he was a Marine and he was not and he needed to respect that, he threatened Spencer, but Spencer didn’t appear to care that he was offending anyone or if his dogs were bothering Dave, Spencer became more wary of Dave’s behavior, it got stranger and stranger, neighbors thought Spencer’s shed was an eye sore and needed to be torn down, Dave was worried that termites would get into his backyard, Spencer didn’t think it was a big deal because no one could see it, Greg was anal and wanted everyone’s stuff to look like his, Greg and Dave acted like they owned the block, Spencer met Bonnie Henderson and eventually asked her to move in with him, she loved his untamed yard, she noticed some of the yards in the neighborhood were immaculate, Dave was angry about his weeds growing six feet tall, Greg hatched a plan with Dave and they reported Spencer to the township, they complained about the weeds in the backyard and the inspector told him he needed to cut down the weeds, he was fined $600, this was just the beginning of their campaign of harassment, someone knocked over Spencer’s woodpile in his backyard while they were not home, the township does not allow boats or jet skis on the property, both Dave and Greg got fined for this, Dave got angry at the town for enforcing the law about his jet skis, another neighbor got fined as well for having a boat in his yard, they thought Spencer was the one reporting them but he denied it, according to Spencer’s girlfriend, he doesn’t like confrontation, Dave started venting on social media about the situation, speaking in a threatening tone, ranting about government overreach, authorities deduced that he suffered from some form of PTSD based on his social media rantings, Dave’s ex-wife didn’t deny that Dave most likely had PTSD after multiple deployments, Dave ranted to Spencer about getting fined by the township, Greg and Dave targeted Spencer and constantly tried to stir things up in the neighborhood, someone flattened Spencer’s tire and vandalized his property, they wrote graffiti all over his windows, the behavior was getting worse and escalating, Spencer called the police to report the harassment, one night they discovered both of Spencer’s dogs were poisoned, they survived but this made Spencer angry, they were scared too, Spencer didn’t know who to trust, Greg wanted to talk to Spencer and Greg said things had gone too far, he said he wanted to live in peace, Greg told Spencer he had nothing to do with any of the vandalism and blamed it all on Dave, he threw Dave under the bus, Greg was instigating Dave to do more and take more action, he used Dave to fuel the fire, he was feeding Dave stuff so he would call the township, Dave wasn’t a bad guy but he had demons that he struggled with, it appeared Dave’s demons were winning the battle, he admitted on social media he couldn’t sleep, Dave’s ex-wife said people with PTSD have triggers, when those triggers happen, it takes them to a very different place, they react on those triggers in a lot of different ways, Dave glared at Spencer and girlfriend when they were in the backyard, Spencer started carrying a pistol because he feared for himself in his backyard, he was protecting himself and his property, he had a permit but never had an occasion to draw a weapon on anyone, things get worst when Bonnie’s rabbit was mutilated, Greg continued to gaslight Dave into taking action, it felt like an act of terrorism to Spencer, they said Spencer was weak, had no guts and the pair were closing in on him, Dave continued to threaten Spencer and his girlfriend and stared at them while they were in their backyard, Spencer didn’t know any way to engage Dave without it escalating to a violent confrontation, Spencer built a wood rack that couldn’t be tipped over, the pair came over and busted up the wood rack, Greg was constantly egging on Dave who had a more aggressive personality, Spencer decided to take action, he called the police and they said there was nothing they could do about it, it added fuel to the fire for Dave, Greg continued to gaslight Dave to take action including harming him if he showed up on their property, Spencer had no idea they were texting each other and egging each other on, Dave started screaming at Bonnie and told her he was going to force her to eat their own dog crap, he was enticing Spencer to come and fight him, Bonnie was fearful because Dave appeared unhinged, Greg watched everything from his property, the police believed their goal was to kill Spencer, Spencer was running late one day and Greg was trying to hold him up, Dave came at Spencer on the road, told him he was sick of his dogs, Spencer tried to diffuse the situation, Dave threatened to kill his dogs so Spencer stopped his vehicle to deal with the situation and protect his dogs and property, Spencer felt backed in a corner as Dave aggressively came at him, Spencer pulled his gun out to defend himself, Spencer saw rage and said Dave looked unhinged, Dave pulled out what looked like a pistol from his pocket and Spencer shot him four times in the chest, but it wasn’t a pistol, it was a cell phone, Spencer called 911 and explained the situation, Spencer was afraid Dave was going to kill him, Spencer was arrested by the police and he was charged with murder, Spencer was held in solitary confinement and waited nine months for a trial, the DA was considering the death penalty, but the defense subpoenaed Dave’s cell phone records and discovered a series of texts between Dave and Greg planning an attack on Spencer, Dave was planning on a confrontation, this new evidence helped the jury decide that Spencer was innocent, but Dave’s ex-wife said the jurors didn’t get to see the real side of Dave, Spencer returned to his home, Greg was never charged with any crime but neighbors believed he was 90% of the reason for all this, Spencer feels isolated by the community and said he regrets that it came to this, he didn’t want this to happen but he felt like he didn’t have a choice
Disposition: Spencer Newcomer was found not guilty of manslaughter in March 2013

Source: ‘Monkey in the Middle’ Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery

In the News:

Neighbor dispute leads to fatal shooting -WGAL TV

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Hysteria Lane’ on Investigation Discovery: Ronald Ragland Harassed, Gaslighted & Executed Army Vet Robert Mitchell (April 20, 2017)

On April 20, 2017August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Scandals, True Crime, Veterans1 Comment

ID Go: A couple who tragically lost their son are thrilled when a family with two boys moves in across the street. But the relationship soon sours, engulfing all of them in conflict, accusation, and finally a deadly shooting. Hysteria Lane, Fear Thy Neighbor (S4, E3)

Date: May 2, 2010
Victims: Robert Mitchell, Sr., 53, Army veteran, disabled and Robert Mitchell, Jr., 18
Offender: Ronald Ragland, 54, Truck Driver
Location: Brandywine, Maryland
Circumstances: Ronald Ragland lost his son to a drunk driving accident, Robert and Donna Mitchell moved in next door with their two sons, Robert Sr. is an Army veteran who served with distinction but was discharged due to an injury, the two families spent a lot of time together initially and regarded each other as good friends, as the Mitchell boys settle in, they make new friends and suddenly the neighborhood is full of kids, more kids means more noise, Ronald slept during the day so he could drive truck at night, Ronald yelled at the Mitchell boys, Robert tried to make Ronald understand they were just kids playing, one day the boys started skateboarding and the noise made Ronald angry again, Ragland grabbed one of the kids by the collar and was throwing him around like a rag doll, Robert Sr. confronted Ronald, Ronald was the type that would not be disrespected and he held a grudge, Robert Sr. told his kids to stay away from Ronald, Ronald wanted things his way in the Charm Court neighborhood, neighbors suspected Ronald may have been jealous of Robert and his two sons, it appeared he was trying to sabotage their life and make them feel his pain, once the boys become Seniors in high school, they had a lot of friends over and listened to music, Ronald would stand in his driveway & make demands of the neighbors, he dictated everything that went on in the neighborhood, Ronald called the police and complained about the neighbors, the Roberts family hadn’t done anything wrong, police asked Robert Sr. to help de-escalate the situation, there was a break-in at a neighbor’s home and someone called to complain that the Roberts kids were the one’s who broke into the home but there was no proof so the police moved on, this didn’t sit well with Ronald, Ronald tried to turn everyone against Robert Sr. and his family, he claimed they were bad for the neighborhood, neighbors admitted to feeling hatred towards the Mitchell family, the situation takes a toll on the Mitchells relationship, one night some unknown kids vandalized Ronald’s house, he didn’t see who did it but he thought he knew who was responsible, he now had a personal vendetta against the Mitchell boys, someone threw a rock through his window as well, Ronald called the cops to complain about the vandalism but the Mitchell boys denied vandalizing Ronald’s property, there was no proof the Mitchell boys committed the crimes, Ronald decided he had to fend for himself, he installed cameras around his property, Ronald sat in front of the different angles of the cameras and watched the neighborhood disintegrate, Ronald tried to gaslight Robert by giving him a hard time about the problems with his wife, Ronald purchased a gun and his hate continued to brew, Robert’s wife left the family and Ronald taunted the boys about their mother leaving them, Ronald was vindictive, one of the Mitchell brothers moved out, Rob Jr. stayed in the house with his dad, Ronald complained about all the cars showing up throughout the night, he suspected drug activity, Ronald called the police and Rob Jr. was arrested for possession of drugs, Rob Jr. smoked marijuana but he denied selling drugs, Rob Jr. told Ronald he wasn’t going anywhere after he returned home from the police department, the case was dropped, Ronald claimed he felt threatened by Rob Jr., Ronald taunted the family once again on May 2, 2010 and Rob Jr. walked towards Ronald gearing up for a fist fight, Ronald started firing his weapon at Rob Jr. in an attempt to execute him and then walked over to Robert Sr. sitting in his car and shot him at close range in his head, Ronald then walked back over to Rob Jr. who was injured but not dead and pointed the gun at him again but he was out of bullets, Ronald returned to his home to reload his gun, the neighbor helped Rob Jr. get into the house out of harm’s way, Ronald returned to the Mitchell home with his gun and taunted Rob Jr. to come back outside, he threatened that he was next, the police arrived just in time and arrested Ronald, Ronald claimed self defense and said Robert Sr. had a gun in his car, the police found a gun in Robert’s car, the neighbor told the police she saw Ronald carry the gun across the street and plant the gun in Robert’s car, the police determined the gun was inoperable and believed Ronald had been planning this for a long time, Ronald purposefully provoked the situation, it was cold blooded murder, Ronald executed Robert Sr. and tried to execute Robert Jr., the Mitchell’s family home went into foreclosure
Disposition: Ronald Ragland was convicted of second degree murder, attempted second degree murder, first degree assault, and use of a handgun in a violent crime in March 2013, Ragland sentenced to 40 years in prison, appealed in 2015

Source: ‘Hysteria Lane’ Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Night of the Machete’ on ID: Veteran Twain Thomas Flipped Out on Loud Neighbors After VA Cut Off Monthly Benefits (June 7, 2016)

On June 7, 2016August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

ID Go: Two young couples in an Idaho apartment building walk on eggshells around a neighbor who can’t stand the one couple’s music and the other’s dog. Tensions keep rising between all parties until finally hell breaks loose and a violent rampage erupts. -Night of the Machete, Fear Thy Neighbor (S3, E10)

“Thomas Twain, an Idaho man with a machete, kicked down the door of home of Kaila Gearhart and James Cvengros and attempted to attack the couple. Upon hearing the shocking sounds of the door coming off its hinges, Cvengros ran the front room, screamed at Twain to leave, and ultimately shot the intruder.

The Idaho machete attacker survived the gunshot wound, and faces up to 15 years in prison for the home invasion. Idaho prosecutors claimed that Thomas Twain’s years of military service meant that he was a danger to the public.”

Read more here: Idaho Machete Attack: Veteran’s Military Service Used By Prosecutor In Attempt To Garner Longer Prison Term (The Inquisitr)

In the News:

Man with machete breaks into apartment; victims tell all. -KAKE News (January 15, 2015)

February 2014, Twain N Thomas was shot three times after he kicked in a neighbors door and came at the occupants with a machete. -Idaho State Journal (January 16, 2015)

Twain Thomas sentenced. -KIFI Local News 8 (January 16, 2015)

Interview with Bannock County Prosecutor and footage of Thomas being shot after knocking down neighbor’s door. -Idaho State Journal (January 16, 2015)

An attempted murder is caught on camera, along with a confession. CNN’s Brianna Keilar reports on the Idaho machete attack. -CNN (January 28, 2015)

Watch as a man with a machete hacks into a neighbor’s apartment – not realizing he brought a knife to a gun fight! -True Crime Daily (September 26, 2018)

Video Links:
Man with machete breaks into apartment; victims tell all
Machete wielding intruder shot on camera
Machete-wielding Idaho man breaks through door before tenant shoots him
‘The Shining’-esque machete attack caught on camera
Prosecutor discusses video of intruder shot on camera
Twain Thomas sentenced
He brought a machete to a gun fight
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (S3, E10)
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (website)
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Landlord, Death Lord’ on Investigation Discovery: John Kendall Shot at Erich & Abigail Mounce 17 Times With an AK-47 (July 6, 2015)

On July 6, 2015August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Suicide, True Crime, USAF, Veterans1 Comment

ID Go: A young couple finds their paradise in a Vancouver, Washington housing development with strict codes of community conduct. But someone forgot to tell their neighbour the rules, and he will resist them at all costs. -Landlord, Death Lord, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E12)

Date: October 31, 2014
Victims: Erich Mounce, 46, and Abigail Mounce, 33, both employed at local silicon wafer manufacturing plant
Offender: John Kendall, 59, Air Force veteran, disabled
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Circumstances: John got annoyed by the smoke from a BBQ grill, John started building a shed for his vacuum repair business but this went against HOA rules (no commercial businesses), the Mounce family was concerned about dust from John’s business, HOA rules were not enforced in the beginning, John’s noisy construction was bothering the Mounces, John’s guest vehicles were blocking the Mounce’s driveway and interfering with traffic flow, John was renting out rooms in his home to tenants (5 at the time), John’s house was like a multi-family apartment complex (against the HOA rules), John refused to follow the HOA rules, John was never held accountable for breaking the HOA rules, John felt like he was being harassed, John said he was not going to be told what to do with his property, John would hammer and turn on skill saw during day impacting Abigail’s studying and sleep, John ignored the Mounces when they asked him to quiet down, someone vandalized the Mounce’s BBQ grill, burglaries and robberies started occurring in the neighborhood, the neighborhood was concerned about John’s transient tenants because John would rent to anyone, John’s tenants had no regard for the neighborhood, the developer and the HOA would not assist the Mounces, John put up a tarp to hide the neighbor’s view of his property (eye sore), John installed a halogen light that shined into the neighbor’s windows (clear act of intimidation), John poisoned the Mounce’s trees, John shot Erich in the face with a water gun, Erich called the police and asked them to press assault charges, John said Erich assaulted him and threatened to rape him, the police blew the whole incident off, living next to John’s shed was like living next to a toxic dump site, the Mounce’s got a civil lawyer to address their concerns in court, written request for John to take down his shed, evict his tenants, stop working from home, he had 30 days to comply, John refused the registered letter, John felt bullied by the neighbors, John’s tenants didn’t help the situation, numerous problems with the tenants including illegal drug activity and fights, John wanted to work out a deal with the County and rent out rooms to sex offenders, the Mounces put their plans for a family on hold, the Mounces took John to court, John represented himself, John said bizarre things while in court, court decided John had to evict his tenants within 30 days, stop vacuum cleaner business, and remove the shed, the judge awarded the Mounces $3000 a month every month John was in violation of the court order, John was furious after losing court battle, John threatened to kill Abigail and Erich, Erich confronted John and told him not to threaten his wife, John threatened to kill Erich and Abigail again, the Mounces called the police but they didn’t do anything, John lied and twisted stories around making Erich look like the bad guy, John walked around with a weapon on his side, John owed the Mounces close to $60,000 after months of ignoring the court order, John finally knocked down his shed but wouldn’t evict his tenants, John was summoned to court for contempt, John went to the Mounce’s attorney’s office in an attempt to confront the lawyer, lawyer was concerned about personal safety, on way to court, John runs out of his house and follows the Mounce’s in their car, he pulled up beside them and shot at them three times, Abigail was shot in the head but lived, John turned his car around and shot at them again with his AK-47 for a total of 17 times, Erich escapes harm, John killed himself and was found 2.5 hours later, John wanted revenge, Abigail is severely disabled
Disposition: Suicide

In the News:

John Kendall, 59, died Friday of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting neighbor Abigail Mounce and leading police on a manhunt in Central Vancouver. -The Columbian (October 31, 2014)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Homeowner Hell’ on Investigation Discovery: Donald Easley Killed 2 Property Owners, Kenneth Vaughn & Laron Estes (June 29, 2015)

On June 29, 2015August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

ID Go: A couple settles in Josephine County, Oregon, where they learn their new neighbor has a deadly past. Now, as relations sour and tempers flare, blood will be spilled on this land…. -Homeowner Hell, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E11)

Date: September 7, 2013
Victim: Laron Estes, 59, Army veteran, former industrial welder, disabled
Offender: Donald Easley, 64, Army veteran (two tours), disabled
Location: Kerby, Oregon (Josephine County)
Circumstances: Laron collected junk & it annoyed neighbors, Laron cut down an apple tree for no reason, Donald killed his former neighbor, Laron’s dogs were barking all the time, Laron didn’t like cats in his vegetable garden, Donald put up lights for his mother’s safety but they were shining on Laron’s property & too bright, Laron put up plastic barrier to block light, Donald installed another light shining on Laron’s property, Donald started his diesel truck in the middle of the night and left it running for an hour or more, someone shot out Donald’s lights (they suspected Laron did it), Donald calls sheriff but Laron denies he shot out the lights, Donald had 13 security lights aimed at Laron’s windows and they couldn’t sleep, someone wounded two of Donald’s mom’s cats with pellet gun, Laron denies harming animals because he loves them, Donald called animal control about Laron’s dogs claiming Laron didn’t have licensing to breed dogs, Donald contacted media, animal control took some of the dogs & Laron was fined for ordnance violations, Laron could not breed the dogs anymore, Laron was described as unpredictable, others said Donald was the aggressor, Laron sprayed Donald’s mom with water and Donald threatened to kill Laron, Donald smeared Laron’s name in any way he could, Donald called the EPA about a polluted well on Laron’s property, Donald wouldn’t let Laron use his property to remove the debris from the well, someone removed a property stake from Laron’s land, surveyor told Laron about Kenneth Vaughn, Donald had same issues with Vaughn, they were both fighting over 3 or 4 feet of property, according to Donald’s mom, Kenneth stopped taking medications, Kenneth drew a gun on Donald and Donald shot him in self-defense, but some believe Donald was jealous of Kenneth and it was murder, Donald’s fence was on Laron’s property but he refused to move it, Laron started fearing for his life, some neighbors said Laron wasn’t a nice guy, Donald called the sheriff’s department over 200 times throughout the years, Donald told cops he hopes he never has to kill Laron, Laron received a letter from a psychiatrist at the local VA cautioning him that Donald threatened to kill him, VA advised him to contact the police immediately, Laron tried to get a restraining order with new information but the judge wouldn’t allow the letter from the VA due to rules of evidence, psychiatrist couldn’t be at hearing so restraining order was denied, Laron made a ‘murderer’ sign and it pointed to Donald’s property, Donald was very angry about the sign, Donald reached out to the media asking for help with Laron, local police still didn’t take any action, physical altercation occurred between Donald and Laron and Laron allegedly beat the crap out of him, attorney told Donald to get a restraining order and they were successful using elderly laws, police were concerned that someone was going to get hurt or killed, there was constant feuding, the restraining order amplified the fear and hatred between them, Donald started carrying a gun so he wouldn’t be beat up again, the cops said the threat was from both sides, they were both pointing guns at each other and making threats, Laron pulled Donald off a ladder while he was trying to poke holes in the privacy fence, Donald fired his gun at Laron, Laron’s family said Laron was on the ladder trying to tape up the holes in the fence, Donald claimed Laron was trespassing and called the police, Donald pointed his gun at him and as Laron was running from the scene, Donald fired his weapon twice and shot Laron once in the back, Laron bled out and died on his property, at trial Donald claimed self-defense after characterizing Laron as a bully.
Disposition: Easley found guilty of murder, sentenced to 25 years to life in prison

In the News:

Detectives arrested Donald Easley in Kerby Monday afternoon. The charges against Easley are murder and unlawful use of a firearm. Josephine County Chief Deputy District Attorney, Lisa Turner, says this is not a case of whodunnit? Last weekend police say Easley shot and killed his neighbor, Laron Estes. -KTVL News10 (October 19, 2013)

The man suspected of killing his neighbor was in court Tuesday & he’ll be staying behind bars for a while. It’s been two weeks since Laron Estes was shot & killed, and the arraignment helped family breath a sigh of relief. Donald Easley was in court, via video, where a judge denied bail. Estes wife, Barbara Hicks, says some of the weight lifted when she heard the person suspected of murder, will stay behind bars. -KTVL News10 (Oct. 19, 2013)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Kill-De-Sac’ on Investigation Discovery: Robert Lorenz Shoots Duren Eldridge, Claims Self-Defense, Acquitted of Murder (June 1, 2015)

On June 1, 2015August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, True Crime, Veterans10 Comments

ID Go: When a freewheeling family moves from California to the buttoned down enclave of Leesburg, Virginia, they quickly get on the wrong side of their neighbour across the way. The conflict escalates until bullets fly and blood flows in the street. -Kill-De-Sac, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E8)

Date: April 9, 1995
Victim: Duren Eldridge, 31, truck driver
Offender: Robert ‘Bob’ Lorenz, 54, military veteran, federal employee
Location: Leesburg, Virginia
Circumstances: Annoyed with dog peeing on his lawn, Duren’s car rolled into his car and hit it causing minor damage, kids on skateboards were too loud, Bob called police & complained about neighbors multiple times, Bob yelled at the kids at Duren’s house, during confrontation at Bob’s front door, Bob shot Duren with handgun and Duren died
Disposition: Lorenz claimed self-defense, justified shooting, acquitted of murder

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Fear Thy Neighbor

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

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

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

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Landlord, Death Lord’ on Investigation Discovery: John Kendall Shot at Erich & Abigail Mounce 17 Times With an AK-47 (July 6, 2015)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Homeowner Hell’ on Investigation Discovery: Donald Easley Killed 2 Property Owners, Kenneth Vaughn & Laron Estes (June 29, 2015)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Kill-De-Sac’ on Investigation Discovery: Robert Lorenz Shoots Duren Eldridge, Claims Self-Defense, Acquitted of Murder (June 1, 2015)

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