Tag: Felony

Marine Veteran Robert McClancy Poisoned with PTSD Medications; Martha McClancy & Charles Kaczmarczyk Convicted of Fraud & Murder (May 15, 2006)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Cold Cases, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, USMCLeave a comment
screen-shot-2016-12-04-at-12-57-32-pm
Robert ‘Bob’ McClancy, US Marine Corps Veteran

“Monroe County judge calls crime the most evil he’s seen.” -WATE.com

Robert ‘Bob’ McClancy, 47, and Martha Ann McClancy worked in the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department in Florida. Martha was a secretary and Bob was a detective. They fell in love later in life and Bob decided to take an early retirement from his job. The two decided to move away from the fast paced life in Florida and settled in Tellico Plains, Tennessee which is nestled in the Smoky Mountains. Bob suffered with severe stress after years of working as a detective and his time in the Marines. Bob was a highly decorated Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was also diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Bob went through some very traumatic combat experiences and was on strong medications. Bob would often take the wrong dose so Martha Ann decided it was time for her to take control.

In the meantime, Bob was grateful for his friend and fellow veteran Charles Kaczmarczyk because he understood what Bob was going through. Chuck said he had seen combat as well and was also awarded the Purple Heart. The pair had a lot in common. Over the course of time, Martha Ann quickly warmed up to Chuck, the “military hero.” Their relationship blossomed beyond a friendship over time and Bob was never aware of their ongoing affair. Martha Ann and Chuck frequently got together in Bob’s home. They fell in love and soon Bob was looking increasingly like a troubled third wheel. Martha often told Chuck things would be better if Bob went away. One night, Martha claimed to find Bob barely conscious after he had taken an accidental overdose of his medications for PTSD. When she got to the hospital, she claimed Bob was always messing up his medications.

On May 15, 2006, Chuck said he discovered Bob dead after another accidental overdose on his medications. Chuck found his friend dead in his chair with an empty pill bottle in one hand and a 38 revolver in the other hand. Chuck appeared distraught after finding his friend as did  the sobbing Martha Ann after she found out. Everything pointed to a tragic suicide and Martha Ann leaned harder on her friend Chuck. Five months later, Martha and Chuck got married and embarked on a new life with a whole new look. They didn’t even look like the same people when they started their new careers as fraudsters. Martha Ann took on the role of a veteran pretending to be a Purple Heart recipient and claimed she earned it after the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. And Chuck doesn’t have PTSD, he was faking it for the veteran benefits. Chuck had been in the military but he never saw a day of combat.

Martha Ann and Chuck both faked permanent injuries and had this whole scam going at the Department of Veterans Affairs. They used a wheelchair or a cane to make it appear they had physical injuries as well. Over six years, the two defrauded the federal government of nearly $800,000 dollars until Chuck told one war story too many. Other veterans came forward and said he was lying because what he was describing was not what happened as they were there. Martha Ann and Charles both ended up behind bars and their criminal history was over. And then one day, Martha Ann’s son made a surprise discovery on her computer. Martha Ann’s son found pictures of his step-father, Bob, dead in a chair. In each picture, Bob was in a different position. There were pictures of Bob with the gun in his hand, then there were pictures of Bob without the gun in his hand.

Martha Ann’s son knew the photos would implicate his mother in the murder of his step-father Bob but he loved Bob and didn’t hesitate to contact authorities. Martha Ann’s son cooperated with the police fully in a sting operation to nail his mother. Martha Ann asked him to get rid of all the photos. The police knew where to find the person who took the pictures because Chuck was spending 30 months in jail for his part in the disability fraud. Chuck immediately wanted to know what was in it for him so the police agreed to tell the district attorney that Chuck cooperated with them in the investigation. Chuck confessed that Martha Ann had crushed up Bob’s pills and put them in his drink and then confessed to the entire twisted tail. Martha called the crushed pills her “magic dust.”

The police would learn that Martha Ann crushed up the medication and put it in Bob’s drinks in an effort to slowly kill him. And on May 15, 2006, Martha gave Bob a lethal dose of “magic dust” and then went to work to create her alibi. Chuck was supposed to check in on Bob later that afternoon and it was his job to pretend to find him dead. Martha Ann was sure Bob would be dead by then. But when Chuck arrived to check in on Bob, he was laying on the floor and wasn’t dead yet. So Chuck lifted him up, placed him in the chair, and fed him more of the crushed pills. Then Chuck sat there and waited until he died. Martha Ann told Chuck to keep it simple and make it look like a suicide. But Chuck went overboard, placed a gun in his hand, and took pictures of Bob in various positions. Martha wanted to see the pictures.

Despite Chuck’s confession, Martha Ann claimed Bob took the wrong medication and she had nothing to do with it. She never admitted to any involvement whatsoever. The detectives said she was one of the coldest people they had ever interviewed. In 2013, Charles Kaczmarczyk pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first degree murder and was sentenced to twenty-five (25) years in federal prison. Nine years after her husband’s death, Martha Ann McClancy was convicted of attempted first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. She was sentenced to the maximum of fifty years in prison and is eligible for parole in 2028. Those involved with the investigation claimed Martha Ann never showed an ounce of regret or remorse or guilt for what she did to her husband.

Dateline:

Preview: The death of a beloved Tennessee man is believed to be a suicide. But when a son questions his mother, he uncovers a dark family conspiracy. -Secrets in the Smoky Mountains, Dateline NBC (October 24, 2016)

Oxygen:

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? -Martha Ann McClancy, Snapped (S21, E2)

Investigation Discovery:

Two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead. These Deadly Women think they’ve committed the perfect murders when they “Hit and Run.” -Hit and Run, Deadly Women (S11, E6)

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

Related Links:
Disability Day of Mourning: Robert McClancy
FBI: Husband and Wife Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Public Money from Two United States Government Agencies
Knoxville couple charged with conspiracy to steal money from U.S. government agencies
Ex-New Boston residents face federal charges over claims about veteran status
Couple lies about PTSD, fakes military records to receive benefits
Couple charged with faking military service injuries to receive benefits
Honoring our military medalists the right way
SSA OIG: Bogus War Hero Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Social Security Fraud
Charles Kaczmarczyk, 59, pleads guilty to 2006 murder
Bogus war hero pleads guilty in conspiracy to murder friend
Federal prisoner pleads guilty in 2006 Monroe County murder
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty To Murder Plot 7 Years Ago With Victim’s Wife
Knoxville woman arraigned in husband’s 2006 death
Wife Faces Monroe County Murder Charge of Husband
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Woman indicted for 2006 murder of husband in Monroe County
Knoxville Woman Moves From Federal Custody To Face Charges Of Plotting To Kill Husband And Murdering Him
Trial date set in murder mystery
Woman found guilty in husband’s death
McClancy sentenced to 50 years for killing husband
Monroe County woman sentenced to 50 years in husband’s murder
Wife Who Murdered Decorated Combat Vet For His Benefits Gets 50 Years
VA OIG: Investigation Leads to 50-Year Sentence
Fake 9/11 First Responder Killed Her Husband for His Real VA Check
NBC explores Tellico Plains murder staged as suicide
NBC’s Dateline revisits murder mystery in Monroe County
Robert ‘Bob’ McClancy: ‘Dateline NBC’ Ex-military man murdered in fake PTSD suicide by wife Martha Ann Kaczmarczyk and her lover, Chuck in Tennessee
Who is Sean Michael? An Adoption Mystery: Part 1, Meet Sean
Remembering Bob McClancy: “He just always took care of us”
Fake War Hero Charles Kaczmarczyk (YouTube)
The Murder of Bob McClancy (YouTube)
Dateline Episode Trailer: Secrets in the Smoky Mountains | Dateline NBC
Martha Ann McClancy | Snapped | Oxygen (S21, E2)
Martha Ann McClancy | Snapped | Season 21 | Oxygen (Amazon)
Snapped: Sneak Peek – Martha Ann McClancy (Season 21, Episode 2) | Oxygen
Snapped: Sneak Peek – Suicide or Murder (Season 21, Episode 2) | Oxygen
Snapped: Bonus Clip – Martha McClancy Sentencing (Season 21, Episode 2) | Oxygen
Snapped: After The Verdict – Martha McClancy (Season 21, Episode 2) | Oxygen
Hit and Run | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S11, E6)
Hit and Run | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Hit and Run | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Hit and Run | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Marine Veteran Robert McClancy Poisoned with PTSD Medications; Martha McClancy & Charles Kaczmarczyk Convicted of Fraud & Murder (May 15, 2006)
Snapped Premiered ‘Martha Ann McClancy’ on Oxygen: Wife and Lover Staged Marine Vet Bob McClancy’s Death as Suicide (August 13, 2017)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Hit and Run’ on ID: Martha McClancy & Charles Kaczmarczyk Killed Marine Vet Bob McClancy for Assets (October 6, 2017)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Sheila LaBarre Murdered Army Veteran Kenneth Countie at Epping, New Hampshire Farm; Sentenced to Life in Prison for Two Homicides (March 21, 2006)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, VeteransLeave a comment
Kenneth Countie
Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Countie, U.S. Army Veteran

Epping, New Hampshire police were looking for a young man reported missing by his family. They searched for him at his last known whereabouts at Sheila LaBarre’s farm in March 2006. During the search of the farm, they found a burn pit still smoldering on the property and what appeared to be human bone and flesh in the burn pit. But, wouldn’t know for sure until it was tested. This was the first clue that a crime had been committed on this property. Epping, NH is typically a quiet New England town, until Sheila LaBarre showed up. Sheila was incredibly confident and charming and caught the attention of wealthy doctor Wilfred ‘Bill’ LaBarre. He placed a lonely hearts ad in a newspaper and Sheila responded with topless photos of herself.

It wasn’t long before she moved from Alabama to Dr. LaBarre’s 100 plus acre horse farm in New Hampshire. After some digging, local reporter Kevin Flynn discovered Sheila was a demanding partner, she was a really mean person, and had an unnatural control over people. People in Dr. LaBarre’s life told him to ditch her but he just couldn’t. She took complete control over him and started asking for Power of Attorney and rewriting the will, eventually she was the executor. A few years later, the Doctor died of what the coroner called heart disease but Bill LaBarre’s family thinks Sheila used poison to speed up the process so she could get her hands on the farm, his Chiropractor business, and other properties he owned in New Hampshire. Despite never marrying Bill LaBarre, Sheila changed her name to his and inherited everything.

Soon Shiela started enticing young men to share the work at the farm, and her bed. Neighbors witnessed what they observed as badly beaten men walking up and down the road near the farm. District Attorney Kristen Wilson said the farm became a sadistic playground because it was isolated and with Sheila, it was always about control. Sheila took advantage of young men and men who were trusting and vulnerable. She went to a homeless shelter initially to find them. In February 2006, Sheila was on the prowl for a new victim, someone innocent and defenseless, someone like Army veteran Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Countie. Kenny’s mother shared that Kenny was indeed a kind and trusting soul. Unfortunately, he had a low IQ and a child like trust that led him into a deadly trap.

Kenny called Shiela about work on the farm and after a few phone calls, he was serious about her. Sheila promised more than just work to entice him and picked him up at his home in Massachusetts. Kenny moved to her New Hampshire farm and was never seen again. Sheila used her seductive qualities to attract her victims, then she isolated them, and then she began the psychological and physical torture. A few nights before 24-year-old Kenny died, Sheila took Kenny shopping at a local Wal-Mart and the employees were concerned. Kenny couldn’t walk, he had bruises all over his face, and his complexion was an odd shade of green. Sheila was making a ruckus at the store so they called the police department but Kenny didn’t ask the police for help when they arrived because he was under Sheila’s spell. After the encounter in the store, Kenny was never seen alive again.

Late one night, Sheila called the police to report that Kenny Countie was a “child molester” and a “pervert.” She seemed frantic and from what the police learned, she obsessively recorded everything she did. She played some tapes for the police over the phone. It sounded as if Kenny was being interrogated and vomiting. Of course, Sheila said he was faking the vomiting and again accused him of being a “pedophile.” The reality was Kenny wasn’t a pedophile or pervert but Sheila had to fantasize that the men she killed were pedophiles so she could justify the murder. Police investigated the situation the next day but didn’t realize Kenny was already dead. Prosecutors theorized that when Kenny finally stood up for himself, it most likely triggered Sheila into a homicidal rage. After police obtained a search warrant, they observed blood spatter and blood smears in the house but didn’t know who it belonged to until it was tested.

They would eventually learn that Sheila calmly sat on the night of March 21, 2006 and watched Kenny Countie burn after she stabbed him, dismembered him, and set his body on fire in her backyard on a mattress. Despite Sheila trying hard to destroy Kenny’s body, forensic evidence gave her away. Police compared the blood spatter found in the home and the bone and flesh found in the burn pit with DNA the U.S. Army had on file and it was a match. During the search of Sheila LaBarre’s property, the police also found a wallet in the septic tank that belonged to Michael Deloge, another young man who had fallen prey to Sheila. In June 2008, Sheila LaBarre was convicted of the pre-meditated murders of Michael Deloge and Kenneth Countie and is currently serving two life sentences in prison. Although prosecutors only had evidence to convict Shelia LaBarre of two murders, it is believed there are more.

In the News:

A Connecticut family is hoping to learn what happened to a loved one who used to live with Sheila LaBarre, the woman accused of killing and dismembering a man on her Epping farm. -WMUR-TV (May 31, 2007)

A woman charged with killing a man and incinerating his body admitted in court that the state has enough evidence to convict her of not one but two killings. -WMUR-TV (February 15, 2008)

The Sheila LaBarre trial got underway with a trip to LaBarre’s Epping farm and the Wal-Mart where Kenneth Countie was last seen alive. -WMUR-TV (February 15, 2008)

A woman charged with killing a man and incinerating his body admitted in court that the state has enough evidence to convict her of not one but two killings. -WMUR-TV (February 15, 2008)

The defense in the Sheila LaBarre trial made their opening statements. -WMUR-TV (May 19, 2008)

Sheila LaBarre appeards to roll her head back and laugh as tape recordings are played in court. -WMUR-TV (May 19, 2008)

Lynn Noojin, Sheila LaBarre’s sister, testified that that two suffered abuse at the hand of their father as they grew up. -WMUR-TV (May 19, 2008)

Sheila LaBarre is sentenced after being found Sane and Guilty in connection with the killings of Michael Deloge and Kenneth Countie. -WMUR-TV (June 27, 2008)

The state Supreme Court heard an appeal Wednesday from a woman convicted of killing two men on her Epping, N.H., farm. -WMUR-TV (January 13, 2010)

The mother of one of the victims of Sheila LaBarre is telling her son’s story, saying he was more than the pictures shown during the trial. -WMUR-TV (May 28, 2010)

The mother of one of Sheila LaBarre’s victims hand-delivered a petition to the state Attorney General’s Office on Friday accusing Epping police of “gross negligence” in how they handled the case. -WMUR-TV (August 31, 2012)

A decade after the arrest of Sheila LaBarre, those who worked the case said the memories are still with them. -WMUR-TV (March 31, 2016)

Arts & Entertainment:

Kevin Flynn discusses his book Wicked Intentions, an account of real-life serial murderer Sheila LaBarre. -MacmillanUSA (April 25, 2011)

14 :: Sheila LaBarre Part 1 :: w\ Kate from Ignorance Was Bliss (July 5, 2018)

How to spot women who are master manipulators so you don’t compromise your values, what you want and end up being manipulated, used, abused, taken advantage of and tossed aside after they are done with you. -Coach Corey Wayne (May 24, 2017)

Investigation Discovery:

Preview: This cougar uses her feminine wiles to get the attention of young men, breaks them down and leaves their remains. -Master Manipulators, Deadly Women (S4,E6)

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

Related Links:
Ex-husband: Suspect asked him to murder chiropractor
Family: State looking at autopsy report in horse farm murder case
Murder suspect found in Revere
Jurors watch LaBarre stroke rabbit in police interview tape while denying grisly events
LaBarre not insane when she killed 2, psychologist testifies
N.H. woman who killed 2 boyfriends sane, jury says
Woman found guilty of killing 2 boyfriends
New Hampshire jury says Sheila LaBarre was sane; sentenced to life in prison
The STATE of New Hampshire v. Sheila K. LABARRE (2010)
High court upholds Sheila LaBarre’s convictions
N.H. Court Upholds LaBarre’s Murder Convictions
Countie’s mother starts petition for justice
Sheila LaBarre case: Mother wants justice for her murdered son
Human toes found near Sheila LaBarre’s Epping horse farm may lead to new homicide probe
Mystery toes may be sole link to torture killer Sheila LaBarre’s latest victim: Cops (VIDEO)
Sheila LaBarre property could be a tough sell
Murderer Sheila LaBarre’s farm auctioned for $600K
10 years later, prosecutor reflects on Sheila LaBarre case
Remembering Sheila LaBarre case, 10 years later
Gold-digger turned gravedigger lures men to their deaths in small New England town
Wicked Intentions: The Sheila LaBarre Murders | Facebook
Killer Cougar : The True Story of Serial Killer Sheila LaBarre (book)
When Cougars Attack | Pretty Bad Girls | Justice Network
Deadly Women: Sheila LaBarre sentenced to two sentences of LWOP for the murders of Michael Deloge and Kenneth Countie
NH’s Rich History Includes These Murderers
Serial is over but here are seven true-crime stories to fill the gap
Dear Sheila | Episode 10 | Criminal Podcast
Sheila LaBarre by Kyle is haunted | Anchor Podcast
Burn Farm: Michael Benson 03/23 by True Murder Podcast
14 :: Sheila LaBarre Part 1 | Voice of the Victim Podcast
15 :: Sheila LaBarre Part 2 | Voice of the Victim Podcast
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Master Manipulators’ on Investigation Discovery: Everything You Need to Know About Killer Sheila LaBarre (September 16, 2010)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Video Links:
Searching For Sheila’s Missing Man
LaBarre Admits State Can Convict Of Two Killings
LaBarre Undergoes Third Psychiatric Evaluation
Sheila LaBarre Trial Begins With Trip To Wal-Mart, Farm
Jury Visits Wal-Mart, Farm On Day One Of LaBarre Trial
Part 1: Video Shows Interior Of Sheila LaBarre’s House
Part 2: Video Shows Interior Of Sheila LaBarre’s House
Part 3: Video Shows Interior Of Sheila LaBarre’s House
Part 4: Video Shows Interior Of Sheila LaBarre’s House
Part 5: Video Shows Interior Of Sheila LaBarre’s House
Prosecutors Make Opening Statements In LaBarre Trial
LaBarre Appears To Laugh As Recordings Are Played
Court Ends Early As LaBarre Has Reaction To Tapes
Rogers: LaBarre’s Conversations Had A Pedophilia Theme
Rogers: LaBarre’s Ideas “Outlandish”
Psychiatrist Explains “Rabbit Or Pedophile” Comment
Rogers On Progression Of Deteriorating Mental State
LaBarre’s Defense Makes Openings Statements
LaBarre’s Sister Testifies About Father’s Abuse
Sister Describes LaBarre’s Stay At Hospital
Noojin: LaBarre Thought She Was Reincarnated Witch
Sheila LaBarre Sentenced
Mother Says Countie Was Always Smiling
Lawyers Say Police Violated LaBarre’s Privacy
LaBarre victim’s mother accuses of police of negligence
Sheila LaBarre’s Farm Auctioned Off
Remembering Sheila LaBarre case, 10 years later
Serial Killer Sheila Labarre’s House – Farmhand’s Nightmare
Serial Killer Sheila Labarre, House of Horror Now
Book Trailer for “Wicked Intentions”
Kevin Flynn on Wicked Intentions, the story of Sheila LaBarre
Wicked Intentions: The Sheila LaBarre Murders by Kevin Flynn— (A True Story)
Red Flags – Coach Corey Wayne
Master Manipulators – Coach Corey Wayne
Deadly Women – Cougar Seduces, Tortures and Kills Men (Preview)
Master Manipulators | Shiela LaBarre | Female Killers (S4, E6)
Master Manipulators | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Master Manipulators | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Killing Farm | Killer Instinct | Amazon (S1,E4)

Air Force SrA Andrew Witt Sentenced to Death for the Pre-Meditated Murders of Jamie & Andy Schliepsiek; 13 Years Later, Military Court Re-sentenced Witt to Life In Prison, No Parole (October 13, 2005)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, USAFLeave a comment
SrA Andrew Witt, U.S. Air Force
Jamie & Andy Schliepsiek, U.S. Air Force

Air Force SrA Andrew Witt murdered Airman Andy Schliepsiek and his wife Jamie at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia on July 5, 2004. According to reports, Andrew Witt made a ‘pass’ at Andy’s wife Jamie at a July 4th cookout. When Andy confronted Witt about the inappropriate sexual advance, he informed him that he would not only report the assault to their Commander but also that he was sleeping with an officer on base. This was motive enough for Andrew Witt to drive back on base and stab them to death in the early morning hours of July 5th. Another airman Jason King was also stabbed in the back as he was attempting to flee the scene. On October 5, 2005, Andrew Witt was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to the death penalty by a military court on October 13, 2005. After an appeal, the death sentence was overturned in 2013. In early 2016, the death sentence for Andrew Witt was reinstated. On July 19, 2016, the highest military appeals court ruled in favor of a new sentencing hearing for Andrew Witt. In July 2018, a military panel re-sentenced Andrew Witt to life in prison without parole. Witt also received a dishonorable discharge from the Air Force as part of his sentence. At one point, Witt was the only Air Force service member on military death row at Leavenworth in Kansas. He was joined by four other Army soldiers: Timothy Hennis, Ronald Gray, Hasan Akbar, Nidal Hasan. (Army soldier Dwight Loving‘s death sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama in 2017).

Related Links:
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The survivor: Airman escaped murder scene only to fight new battles
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Death sentence upheld for Robins airman
Air Force court reinstates airman’s death sentence for 2004 killing
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Only airman on military’s death row gets new sentencing hearing
U.S. v. Witt – U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (July 2016)
Nidal Hasan, and the 5 other men on the military’s death row
Description of Cases for those Sentenced to Death in U.S. Military
This former airman was spared the death penalty a 2nd time in 2004 double homicide case
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Murderous airman sentenced to death, still dodging execution after 12 years
Air Force SrA Andy Schliepsiek & Wife Jamie Stabbed to Death at Robins AFB Home; Military Court Re-sentenced SrA Andrew Witt From Death Penalty to Life In Prison, No Parole (July 5, 2004)
Four Service Members on Military Death Row at Fort Leavenworth, Army Private John Bennett was Last Military Execution by Hanging in 1961
What the DoD Doesn’t Want You to Know: 50 Shocking Military Homicides in the Last 30 Years (2018)

Forensic Files Premiered ‘Strong Impressions’: What Happened on Nellis AFB TDY Didn’t Stay TDY for Air Force SSgt Ronald Gillette (August 17, 2005)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, True Crime, USAFLeave a comment

Full Episode: The wife of an Air Force officer was found dead in her bed, with a plastic laundry bag near her face. At first glance, it appeared she’d been doing laundry, fell asleep, rolled onto the bag, and suffocated. But further investigation proved that the scene had been staged. Her death wasn’t an accident; it was cold-blooded murder. -Strong Impressions, Forensic Files (S10,E11)

Editor’s Note: Full episodes of Forensic Files are available on a variety of media platforms. Forensic Files Channel features full episodes of Forensic Files on YouTube. You can also find full episodes of Forensic Files on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. On Netflix, the seasons are grouped as collection 1-9. On Amazon Prime Video, you can find Season 1-10 here; Season 11; Season 12; Season 13; Season 14; Season 15; Season 16; Season 17; Season 18; Season 19; Season 20; and Season 21. Start bingeing and see for yourself why Forensic Files is such a hit!

Related Links:
Juana Beatriz “Vicki” Gillette (August 28, 1984)
Strong Impressions | Forensic Files | IMDb
Strong Impressions | Forensic Files | Full Episodes (S10,E11)
Strong Impressions | Forensic Files | Netflix (Collection 2,E13)
Strong Impressions | Forensic Files | Amazon Prime Video (S10,E3)
Forensic Files: 10 Active Duty Military and Veteran Homicide Cases [Full Episodes]
Forensic Files – Season 10, ep 11 – Strong impressions | Readable
Ron Gillette: An Air Force Man Who Didn’t Exactly Aim High
10 Great ‘Forensic Files’ Episodes and How to Find Them on Netflix
10 Unlikely Pieces of Evidence That Convicted Murderers
United States Air Force v. Staff Sergeant Ronald P. GILLETTE (1986)

Forensic Files Premiered ‘Shear Luck’: Military Spouse Found Stabbed to Death Near Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines (August 3, 2005)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, True Crime, USAFLeave a comment
Medical Detectives (Forensic Files) – Season 10, Ep 9: Shear Luck

When the wife of a serviceman was brutally murdered in the Philippines, the Air Force Office of Special Investigators swung into action. Clues led to the victim’s husband, but he insisted he was innocent. Investigators would have to do something unprecedented: Reassemble a 5 1/4 inch computer disk which had been cut to pieces with pinking shears. -Shear Luck, Forensic Files (S10,E9)

Editor’s Note: Full episodes of Forensic Files are available on a variety of media platforms. Medical Detectives Channel features full episodes of Forensic Files on YouTube. You can also find full episodes of Forensic Files on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. On Netflix, the seasons are grouped as collection 1-9. On Amazon Prime Video, you can find Season 1-10 here; Season 11; Season 12; Season 13; Season 14; Season 15; Season 16; Season 17; Season 18; Season 19; Season 20; and Season 21. Start bingeing and see for yourself why Forensic Files is such a hit!

Related Links:
Shear Luck | Forensic Files | IMDb
Shear Luck | Forensic Files | Medical Detectives
Shear Luck | Forensic Files | Netflix (Collection 9,E13)
Shear Luck | Forensic Files | Amazon Prime Video (S19,E7)
Military Spouse Julie Snodgrass Found Stabbed to Death in the Philippines; Air Force Sgt. Joseph Snodgrass Sentenced to Life in Prison (February 26, 1991)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners

Fort Campbell Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson Died of Non Combat Related Injuries in Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide But Independent Investigation Revealed Rape and Murder (July 19, 2005)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Sexual Assault, Suicide, Suspicious Deaths4 Comments

LaVena Johnson
Pfc. Lavena Johnson, U.S. Army

Editors Note: Need to get up to speed quick with the unsolved case of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Lavena Johnson, please check out Episode 40 on the Military Murder Podcast.

Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson, 19, died of non combat related injuries in Balad, Iraq on July 19, 2005. Pfc. Johnson was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the Army’s 129th Corps Support Battalion in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Unlike most, the Department of Defense did not announce that LaVena’s death was under investigation in their press release. The Army Criminal Investigation Division later determined that Pfc. Johnson’s cause of death was suicide by self inflicted gunshot wound. The Army tried telling the family that LaVena used her own M-16 to commit the suicide. The family immediately suspected foul play and ordered an independent autopsy for LaVena. LaVena was not depressed and showed no signs of suicidal ideation. As a matter of fact, she was happy and bubbly and looking forward to going home for Christmas. After the family saw LaVena’s body and obtained investigative documents from the Army, they quickly realized that LaVena did not die by suicide, she was raped and murdered.

According to the family, the Army never investigated LaVena’s death as a homicide nor did they do a rape kit test or autopsy. The family gleaned from the paperwork that Army investigators first considered LaVena’s death a homicide and recorded that in their paperwork, but within a short window of opportunity were suddenly ordered to cease their investigation and reclassify her death as a suicide. Ten years later, LaVena’s father, Dr. John Johnson, continues to fight for justice for his daughter. And, although he has had struggles getting media coverage, he has forged out on his own to speak the truth for LaVena. Dr. Johnson is featured in a documentary called The Silent Truth which presents the heartbreaking story of his daughter LaVena. Pfc. LaVena Johnson was betrayed by the very people she depended on for her life, and the military industrial complex who would rather silence the truth then harm their reputation.

Petition: Reopen the investigation of LaVena Johnson’s death

In the News:

Nineteen year-old Army PFC LaVena Johnson, was found dead on a military base in Balad, Iraq in 2005. The U.S. Army ruled Lavena’s death a suicide, but an autopsy report and photographs revealed Johnson had a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, burns from a corrosive chemical on her genitals, and a gunshot wound that seemed inconsistent with suicide. LaVena’s father, John Johnson, shares his family’s fight to get answers from the military about his daughter’s death. -Protect Our Defenders (July 14, 2012)

Pfc. LaVena Johnson died in Iraq on July 19th, 2005 and her family needs your help. -Unsolved Mysteries (September 26, 2014)

Many have heard about the efforts for justice in the case of Army PFC LaVena Johnson. In 2005 after only 6 weeks of her deployment in Iraq, PFC LaVena Johnson was found dead. The Army says suicide, but after close evaluation and discovering a plethora of discrepancies in the Army’s report, LaVena’s father Dr. John H. Johnson began the fight for justice for his daughter. On this episode of The Rock Newman Show our special guest are LaVena’s father, Dr. John H. Johnson and attorney Donald V. Watkins. We warn our viewers that this episode of The Rock Newman Show goes into deep detail concerning the evidence and death of PFC LaVena Johnson. Dr. John H. Johnson and Donald V. Watkins contend that by no means is this case a suicide, and say they even know the name of the culprit. -The Rock Newman Show (February 11, 2016) 

Learn more here: ACT Now! Stand for PFC LaVena Lynn Johnson

Related Links:
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
10 Unsolved Military Cases
The Silent Truth
Ten years later, a soldier’s family still grieves and questions the Army’s version of her death
LaVena Johnson: Army Still Calls Grisly Rape and Murder ‘Suicide’
A Political Season: Justice for PFC LaVena Johnson
What the Death of Army Pfc LaVena Johnson Says About Us
No Justice, No Peace: Remembering Pfc. LaVena Johnson (Includes Petition)
Justice for Pfc. LaVena Johnson?
Justice For LaVena Johnson: Raped & Murdered Or Suicide? The Evidence Says One Thing; U.S. Military Says Another
New Details Emerge After Second Autopsy of Pfc Lavena Johnson
Rape in the armed forces, Breaking the silence
Sexual Violence Against Women in the US Military: The Search for Truth and Justice
The Silent Truth Documentary aka The LaVena Johnson Murder Cover-Up
LaVena Johnson: Raped and Murdered on a Military Base in Iraq
What’s The Military Hiding About LaVena Johnson & Kamisha Block’s Deaths?
Family disputes Army’s suicide finding in daughter’s death
Suicide or Murder? Three Years After the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq, Her Parents Continue Their Call for a Congressional Investigation
Soldier’s Family Challenges Army Suicide Report
The Scandal of Military Rape
Documents and photos suggest foul play in death of Private Johnson
Army Pvt. Lavena L. Johnson
Who Killed PFC LaVena Johnson???
Democracy Now: Pvt LaVena Johnson
The Mysterious Death of Lavena Johnson
LaVena Johnson’s Murder, An Analysis of Crime Scene
U.S. Army Covers Up Womans Murder and gets Caught!
“The U.S. Army Raped & Murdered My Daughter!!! Justice For Pfc LaVena Johnson!!!”
Black teen in the army raped and murdered but the army says it was suicide
Non Combat Deaths of Female Service Members in the U.S. Military (Iraq)
Conspiracy: Women in the US Military | Crime Junkie Podcast (website)
Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson Died of Non Combat Related Injuries in Iraq; Death Ruled Suicide But Independent Autopsy Revealed Rape & Murder (July 19, 2005)
‘The Silent Truth’ Documentary: The Rape, Murder & Military Cover-Up of Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq (July 1, 2014)
Crime Junkie Podcast Featured the Suspicious Deaths of LaVena Johnson & Tina Priest in ‘Conspiracy: Women in the US Military’ (October 22, 2018)
The Strange & Unexplained: ‘The Biggest Suspicious Unsolved Military Mysteries’
15 Active Duty Cases That Beg for Prevention Efforts, Military Justice Reform, and the End of the Feres Doctrine
15 Movies & Documentaries That Expose the Broken Military Justice System
Military Murder Podcast Featured the Suspicious Case of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Lavena Johnson in Balad, Iraq (July 27, 2020)

Fort Bragg Army Sgt. Ronna Valentine Found Fatally Shot by Army Spouse James Valentine in Murder-Suicide at North Carolina Home (May 21, 2005)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Stateside Death, SuicideLeave a comment

US Army Seal

Army Sgt. Ronna R. Valentine, 28, was found shot to death in her Fayetteville, North Carolina home hours after she returned stateside from Iraq on May 21, 2005. The Fayetteville Police Department said Sgt. Ronna Valentine was shot by her Army spouse, James Valentine, 42, who then turned the gun on himself. Reports indicate police received a call from a man who said he just shot his wife and was about to turn the gun on himself. When officers arrived at the apartment, they found the couple dead inside. Sgt. Ronna Valentine’s home of record was listed as Brandenburg, Kentucky and she was an equipment records and parts specialist for the 327th Signal Battalion of the 35th Signal Brigade at Fort Bragg. Sgt. Ronna Valentine enlisted in the Army in 1997 and deployed to Iraq in November 2004; she was home on leave when the murder-suicide occurred.

Related Links:
Fort Bragg Soldier From Kentucky Killed In Murder-Suicide
Slain Fort Bragg Soldier’s Battalion To Hold Memorial Service
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death and Suicide at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (US Army)

Forensic Files Premiered ‘The Financial Downfall’: Navy Spouse Deanna Wild Falls to Her Death While Sightseeing at Big Sur Cliff in California (August 11, 2004)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, True CrimeLeave a comment

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)

Editor’s Note: Full episodes of Forensic Files are available on a variety of media platforms. Forensic Files Channel features full episodes of Forensic Files on YouTube. You can also find full episodes of Forensic Files on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. On Netflix, the seasons are grouped as collection 1-9. On Amazon Prime Video, you can find Season 1-10 here; Season 11; Season 12; Season 13; Season 14; Season 15; Season 16; Season 17; Season 18; Season 19; Season 20; and Season 21. Start bingeing and see for yourself why Forensic Files is such a hit!

Related Links:
Forensic Files Wiki: Virginia McGinnis
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | IMDb
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Facebook Fan Club
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Full Episodes (S9,E12)
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Netflix (Collection 4, E20)
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Amazon Prime Video (S9,E21)
Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Pushed Deanna Wild Off Cliff in California; Reardon Sentenced to Life, McGinnis Died Before Trial (April 2, 1987)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Vicious Vixens’ on ID; Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Kill Son’s Wife for Life Insurance Benefits (August 16, 2013)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Air Force SrA Andy Schliepsiek & Wife Jamie Stabbed to Death at Robins AFB Home; Military Court Re-sentenced SrA Andrew Witt From Death Penalty to Life In Prison, No Parole (July 5, 2004)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, USAFLeave a comment

Jamie and Andy Schliepsiek
Jamie & Andy Schliepsiek, U.S. Air Force

Andy Schliepsiek was serving in the US Air Force when he and his wife Jamie were murdered at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. According to reports, Andrew Witt made a ‘pass’ at Andy Schliepsiek’s wife Jamie at a July 4th cookout. When Andy confronted Witt about the inappropriate sexual advance, he informed him that he would not only inform their Commander of the assault but also the fact that he was sleeping with an officer on base. This was motive enough for Andrew Witt to drive back on base and stab them to death in the early morning hours of July 5th. Another airman Jason King was also stabbed in the back as he was attempting to flee the scene. In 2005, Andrew Witt was sentenced to the death penalty. In August 2013, the death sentence was overturned. In 2016, the death sentence was reinstated. Most recent reports indicate Andrew Witt was granted a new sentencing hearing. In July 2018, a military panel re-sentenced Andrew Witt to life in prison without parole. Witt also received a dishonorable discharge from the Air Force as part of his sentence. At one point, Witt was one of five people awaiting execution on military death row.

Related Links:
Airman Charged with Killing Couple May Get Death
Mother of convicted airman pleads for mercy
Airman sentenced to death
Convicted airman sentenced to death for killing couple
Two killers closer to first military executions since 1961
Strain and battle fatigue of war hit home front
The death penalty: What is justice?
Sergeant offers hope to inmates
Air Force court reinstates airman’s death sentence for 2004 killing
Ga. airman’s death sentence overturned on appeal
Ga. airman’s death sentence overturned on appeal due to ignoring of critical evidence
Georgia airman escaped murder scene, fought PTSD
On military death row, execution is anything but guaranteed
CAAF to examine the Air Force CCA’s reconsideration of Airman Witt’s death sentence
New jury to decide fate of airman convicted in murder of former Peoria couple
Judge in USS Cole case refuses to step down for death penalty bias
Judge in Cole bombing case refuses to step down
United States v. Andrew Witt, US Air Force (2016)
The survivor: Airman escaped murder scene only to fight new battles
New hearing for airman awaiting military execution
Only airman on military’s death row gets new sentencing hearing
New Sentencing Hearing for Airman on Military Death Row
Murderous airman sentenced to death, still dodging execution after 12 years
Death sentence upheld for Robins airman
Air Force court reinstates airman’s death sentence for 2004 killing
New hearing for airman awaiting military execution
Only airman on military’s death row gets new sentencing hearing
U.S. v. Witt – U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (July 2016)
Nidal Hasan, and the 5 other men on the military’s death row
Description of Cases for those Sentenced to Death in U.S. Military
Air Force SrA Andrew Witt Sentenced to Death for the Pre-Meditated Murders of Jamie & Andy Schliepsiek; 13 Years Later, Military Court Re-sentenced Witt to Life In Prison, No Parole (October 13, 2005)
This former airman was spared the death penalty a 2nd time in 2004 double homicide case
Former airman from La Crosse off death row after new sentence in 2004 slayings
Murderous airman sentenced to death, still dodging execution after 12 years
Four Service Members on Military Death Row at Fort Leavenworth, Army Private John Bennett was Last Military Execution by Hanging in 1961
What the DoD Doesn’t Want You to Know: 50 Shocking Military Homicides in the Last 30 Years (2018)

Military Spouse Kimberly O’Neal Found Murdered at Camp Pendleton Park; Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Archie O’Neil Jr. Sentenced to Life, No Parole (February 29, 2004)

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, USMC1 Comment

USMC

Date: February 29, 2004
Victim: Kimberly O’Neal, U.S. Marine Corps Spouse
Offender: Archie O’Neil, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps
Location: Deer Park, Camp Pendleton, California
Circumstances: Archie O’Neil and Kimberly O’Neal engaged in a forbidden affair for a couple of years, before Archie was suppose to deploy to Iraq, they had one more tryst, Kimberly got angry when she learned Archie wasn’t going to leave his wife, Archie shot Kimberly O’Neal multiple times, during the investigation, Archie’s wife claimed Kimberly tried to run her down with her car but didn’t report it because no proof, Archie said he had severe headaches and shot Kimberly because she threatened to kill his family (most likely not true), Archie confessed to Kimberly’s murder but showed no remorse, charged with 1st degree premeditated murder, used PTSD defense to mitigate his crimes, defense claimed Archie had an abnormal startle response
Disposition: O’Neil sentenced to life in prison, no parole

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: A decorated marine faces war at home when he falls for a married woman. Suspicion and jealousy plague their affair as they battle to keep their secret from their spouses but with the stakes so high it’s a truth they’ll stop at nothing to hide. -Love is War, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S4,E8)

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.

Related Links:
Marine held in Kuwait for Calif. shooting
Marine Charged With Shooting Death on Base
Marine faces murder charges in Pendleton slaying
Trial continues for Marine accused of murder
Trial continues for Marine accused of murder 2
Defense: Stress triggered shooting
Verdict: Guilty, sentence stalled
Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles 2008
Major NYT piece on homicides by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
Gunnery sergeant gets life without parole
The War Within | Los Angeles Magazine
Love is War | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (S4,E8)
Love is War | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (website)
Love is War | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death, and Suicide at Camp Pendleton, California (US Marine Corps)