Army Major Troy Wayman, 45, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on January 16, 2016 at his residence in Nolanville, Texas. Major Wayman’s home of record is listed as Lincoln, Nebraska; he entered military service in the Nebraska Army National Guard in August 1989 as an Armor Cannon Crewman. Major Wayman was commissioned as a second lieutenant and entered active-duty military service in May 1998; he was assigned to the First Army Division West at Fort Hood since October 2014. Major Wayman served two tours in Saudi Arabia (including Desert Shield/Desert Storm), two tours in Iraq, and one tour in Kosovo. The circumstances surrounding the incident were investigated and on January 22, the Army Times reported Major Wayman’s death was ruled a suicide by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, Texas.
All Hell Breaks Loose In Club Brawl Leaving A Young Solider Dead -Victim Zero, Homicide Hunter (Preview)
A massive brawl erupts at a local bar ends with the shooting death of a young army soldier. To unravel the murder, Lt. Joe Kenda must infiltrate a revered military institution, and expose a dangerous vendetta. -Victim Zero, Homicide Hunter (S5,E9)
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.
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)
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.
ID Go: Two families in Elyria, Ohio live beside each other in friendship and peace for decades, but as time goes on things deteriorate into acrimony, mutual accusation, violence, and finally a shocking and bloody shoot out. -There Bleeds the Neighborhood, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E5)
Date: January 19, 2004 Victim: Darrell Oskins, 54 Offender: Paul Hashman, 84, WWII Army veteran, retired Location: Elyria, Ohio Circumstances: Paul filed complaint with city over the Hoskins new garage, city would not help him, Paul loses his wife to cancer, becomes more passive-aggressive with neighbors, when police were called, Paul denied he owned a handgun, Paul threatened to kill the neighbors, Paul choked the neighbor’s daughter, Paul guilty of disorderly conduct charge, Paul shot Darrell Oskins 7 times but he lived, Darrel now permanently disabled, Paul admitted that he acted with the intent to kill Disposition: Paul Hashman acquitted of attempted murder, convicted of felonious assault in 2006, sentenced to 7 years in prison, died in 2009
In the News:
Paul Hashman trial Day 1. -The Chronicle Telegram (July 17, 2006)
Video footage of the verdict being read in the Paul Hashman trial. -The Chronicle Telegram (July 26, 2006)
The defense and the prosecution plead their cases before sentencing. -The Chronicle Telegram (July 29, 2006)
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.
Preview: Neighbors go to war when an older man obssesses over the boundary lines of his property and won’t let his neighbors anywhere near it. -Driveway of Death, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E3)
Korean War veteran John Kenney fatally shot and killed his neigbors Mel and Elizabeth Grimes on January 29, 2007 in Carmel Valley, California. In the beginning, the three were friends and Elizabeth even looked after John’s house when he was gone for months at a time. And the Grime’s dog used to visit John on his property. The two neighbors got along great although they were very different. John was neat and tidy and his yard wasn’t cluttered whatsoever. The Grimes home on the other hand was decorated in their own way. They collected some odd stuff but only John could see it. The problems began when John’s need for order kicked into overdrive and he began to assert himself. John started complaining about the dog digging holes and invasive plant species. John and the Grimes also had to share a driveway and the Grimes had to cross over a small piece of John’s property to get to their carport. The arrangement had worked for years until a shared bridge needed to be repaired.
John and the Grimes shared a road with a bridge in need of repair. Mel Grimes offered to fix it and told John he had a lot of people who owed him labor. John Kenney didn’t want to cut corners and told Mel he wanted everything to be built to code. And then a short time later, on his own, Kenney hired an engineer to draw up the plans. Afterwards, he handed a bill to the Grimes and expected them to pay half. The Grimes didn’t want to pay for half of the cost of the engineer because they felt they could have done it cheaper. John went to court and sued the Grimes for the portion of the bill they should pay for and the court ruled in John’s favor. John wasn’t the only one in disputes with the Grimes. Another neighbor complained about the Grimes using their land as a dumping ground too. This neighbor said the Grimes dumped invasive plant species on his property and the behavior didn’t stop until they were reported; the Grimes mostly complied with the city ordinances.
John Kenney started getting really upset about the Grime’s dog making a mess on his property. The dog was defecating on another neighbor’s property as well. Kenney’s obsession with order and the Grime’s chaos clashed once again and this time it was over the shared driveway. Kenney decided to draw a line in the sand and assert his property rights. He told the Grimes not to drive over his property anymore to get to their carport. The Grimes blew him off because it was a very small piece of land and the only way to get to their carport. In response, the Grimes put up no trespassing signs on their property facing John Kenney. He was the only one who could see the signs and Kenney thought they were trying to provoke him. The Grimes also blared loud music in their yard in what seemed to be another aggressive move. John turned to City Hall for help and started reporting the Grimes for out of code buildings on their land. They both reported each other for building without a permit.
According to the Mel and Elizabeth’s son, the couple wanted John Kenney to leave and Mel Grimes was the type to fight back and never back down to a bully. But some in the neighborhood felt the Grimes were the bullies. The shared driveway made things complicated between John Kenney and the Grimes. As a result, the issue went to court and this decision didn’t go in Mel Grimes way either. John Kenney planted a garden on the dirt patch in front of the Grimes’ carport to stake out his property. When Mel came home from work, he ran over the garden that blocked his access to his carport and destroyed it with his vehicle. John started taking pictures of Mel destroying the plants with his car. Elizabeth ran out and grabbed John Kenney’s camera which was attached to him with a lanyard. As a result, John slammed his head and was harmed in the process. John felt threatened by the Grimes and thought the neighbors wanted to kill him. The Grimes felt imprisoned in their own home.
Elizabeth & Mel Grimes
This escalating feud was confusing to those on the outside. Some bystanders felt for John Kenney and some felt for the Grimes. No one ever imagined it would escalate the way it did. Elizabeth attempted to resolve the situation in her own way. She knew where John went to church and wrote to John’s pastor. But this did nothing to resolve the bitter disagreement and John fired back with a letter in response. Nothing ever came of this exchange either so Elizabeth went public. She went to John’s church and interrupted a bible study meeting he attended and asked them for prayer and resolution. She questioned how John could be at a bible study meeting and harass them at the same time. Elizabeth felt this was hypocrisy. Now John didn’t feel safe anywhere and filed a restraining order. The restraining order required that both parties turn in their guns. John did not tell the courts he had a gun; the Grimes turned in a decorative gun. Mel developed an irregular heartbeat due to the stress.
It was hard to avoid one another when John Kenney and the Grimes had to share a driveway. John Kenney wasn’t backing down either. On January 29, 2007, Kenney had a boulder delivered to stake out his property in front of the Grimes’ carport. This made it impossible for the Grimes to get to their carport. Kenney knew that rock would get a reaction out of Mel and he would blow a fuse. When Mel returned home from work, he began destroying the rock so he could gain access to his carport. Elizabeth called the police to resolve the situation and asked Mel not to touch the boulder because she wanted the police to handle it. Once John Kenney realized Mel Grimes was destroying the boulder, Kenney reached his boiling point and confronted the Grimes with a gun in hand. When police got to the scene, they found two gunshot victims. Mel Grimes was dead and Elizabeth Grimes was shot but still alive. Elizabeth told the police John Kenney was the one who shot them.
John Kenney was arrested for two homicides because Elizabeth died en route to the hospital. The neighbors were shocked that things escalated to this kind of violence. The tragedy created a split in the community. Kenney’s fellow church members couldn’t believe he committed first degree murder and supported his claims of self defense. John Kenney said he shot the Grimes because he was attacked with a sledge hammer first. But the forensic evidence and recorded 911 call said otherwise. While Elizabeth was on the phone with 911, John Kenney walked down his driveway with a loaded, concealed gun. When John Kenney reached the Grimes, he pushed Elizabeth out of the way and out of instinct Mel came to her rescue. It was at this time, Kenney pistol whipped Mel Grimes and then shot him. Mel Grimes’ DNA was found on the weapon and the head injuries on Mel were consistent with blows to the head. John Kenney didn’t stop there.
After shooting Mel Grimes, Kenney turned the gun on Elizabeth and shot her. The 911 recording captured the last words the Grimes said to each other as they lay on the ground with gunshot wounds. “I love you.” An investigation revealed that Elizabeth was shot while she was laying on the ground next to her husband. She attempted to protect herself and block the bullets with her arms. John was heard on the 911 recording saying “welcome to hell Elizabeth” before he shot her in the back. John Kenney went to trial and was found guilty of the first degree murder of Elizabeth Grimes and second degree murder of Mel Grimes. Kenney was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. What John Kenney didn’t know was Elizabeth and Mel Grimes had purchased a home in Hawaii and were planning to move. The Grimes’ family found solace with the fact that Elizabeth and Mel got to say I love you to one another before they died together.
John Kenney, the Carmel Valley man accused of killing two of his neighbors, is set to appear at a preliminary hearing. -KSBW Action News 8 (October 26, 2007)
A preliminary hearing has begun for Carmel Valley resident John Kenney, who is accused of killing neighbors Mel And Elizabeth Grimes. -KSBW Action News 8 (October 29, 2007)
KSWB reports on John Kenney, the Central Coast man ordered to stand trial for the murder of his neighbors and the fate of the couple’s dogs. -KSBW Action News 8 (December 21, 2007)
Prosecutors say they are seeking a new trial for perjury charges. -KSBW Action News 8 (March 21, 2008)
A 911 call was played out in court Wednesday in the case of a Carmel Valley man accused of killing his neighbors. -KSBW Action News 8 (April 3, 2008)
Almost 800 people have been summoned for jury duty, one of the largest jury pools for a trial in Monterey County. -KSBW Action News 8 (May 6, 2008)
Jury selection continued and the judge made a ruling that could give a glimpse into John Kenney’s mind. -KSBW Action News 8 (May 7, 2008)
The prosecutor in the John Kenny murder trial was removed from the case. -KSBW Action News 8 (May 16, 2008)
A new development is revealed in the case against John Kenney, the man accused of murdering his neighbors, Mel and Elizabeth Grimes. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 11, 2008)
The defense attorneys for John Kenney argued in court Wednesday about calling witnesses that would show Elisabeth Grimes had a propensity for aggressive behavior. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 13, 2008)
The jury for the trail of John Kenney was seated Wednesday afternoon and opening arguments were scheduled for Friday. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 20, 2008)
The jury in the trial of John Kenney visited the scene where Kenney is accused of killing Mel and Elizabeth Grimes. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 25, 2008)
A U.S. Army colonel testified on Tuesday as a character witness as the testimony phase of the John Kenney trial continued. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 26, 2008)
The deputy who failed to respond to John Kenney’s call for help testified Wednesday about what happened the day Mel and Elizabeth Grimes were shot. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 27, 2008)
The Carmel Valley man accused of killing his neighbors took the stand Thursday in his own defense. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 28, 2008)
John Kenney took the stand for the second day in a row Friday and attempted to explain what happened the day Mel and Elizabeth Grimes were shot to death. -KSBW Action News 8 (August 29, 2008)
An attorney formerly employed by John Kenney testified that he suggested the boulder be placed as a barrier on the disputed land. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 2, 2008)
The brother of one of the victims shot and killed by John Kenney testified Wednesday in court. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 3, 2008)
The former security consultant hired by John Kenney testified that he told Kenney to stay inside his home when Mel Grimes came home from work. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 8, 2008)
The final witnesses were called by the defense Tuesday in the trial of John Kenney. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 9, 2008)
The jury received their instructions from the judge presiding over the trial of John Kenney on Wednesday. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 10, 2008)
Closing arguments wrapped up Thursday in the trial of a Carmel Valley man accused of killing his neighbors. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 11, 2008)
Closing arguments ended and jury deliberation began on Friday in the trial of a Carmel Valley man accused of killing his neighbors. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 12, 2008)
Jurors visited the scene on Monday where a Carmel Valley man is accused of killing his neighbors. -KSBW Action News 8 (September 15, 2008)
John Kenney was sentenced to life without parole on Monday for killing his former neighbors, Mel and Elizabeth Grimes. -KSBW Action News 8 (November 3, 2008)
Investigation Discovery:
ID Go: In the idyllic hills of Carmel Canyon, California, wealthy neighbors get into a dispute over everything from shared roads and bridges to upkeep of their respective properties. Anger finally boils over and the feud is resolved with fatal gunfire. -Driveway of Death, Fear Thy Neighbor (S2, E3)
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.
Air traffic controller Gene Thurnau moves to St-Petersburg, Florida to start over. He meets Jaye-Jaye, and soon they marry and begin building their dream home. But ghosts from Gene’s past bring unwanted tension and horror into their perfect home. -Star-Crossed Murder, A Stranger In My Home (S2,E1)
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.
US Army Veteran Tomas Young (photo by Danny Clinch)
“I write this letter on behalf of those veterans whose trauma and self-revulsion for what they have witnessed, endured and done in Iraq have led to suicide and on behalf of the active-duty soldiers and Marines who commit, on average, a suicide a day. I write this letter on behalf of the some 1 million Iraqi dead and on behalf of the countless Iraqi wounded. I write this letter on behalf of us all — the human detritus your war has left behind, those who will spend their lives in unending pain and grief.” -Tomas Young, Disabled Army Veteran
Read the rest of The Last Letter to Bush and Cheney here.
Tomas Young, who joined the Army in the days after 9/11, was deployed to Iraq where he was shot and paralyzed just five days into his tour of duty. He spent ten years battling his injuries and speaking out against war and injustice before his death on the eve of Veterans’ Day, 2014. “Tomas told me that one of the reasons he joined the Army was to obtain GI Bill funding so he could go to college,” said [Mark] Wilkerson (author of Tomas Young’s War). “He wanted to study creative writing or journalism. After his passing, we felt a scholarship would be a perfect way to honor his legacy.” –Pearl Jam
Body of War, a film by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. It is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. -The Real News
ID Go: In Miami, a young mother has no choice but to shut the door on her warring neighbors as a three-year feud over a patch of land and differing moral standards reaches a bloody and tragic conclusion. -Home’s Where the Hearse Is, Fear Thy Neighbor (S1, E5)
Retiree Baldomero Fernandez, 62, murdered Army veteran James Escoto, 29, in Miami, Florida on October 4, 1986. Fernandez claimed self-defense but the evidence said otherwise. Fernandez shot Jimmy multiple times and then bashed his head in with a rock to kill him. Jimmy’s son believes this homicide was pre-meditated. After a plea deal, Baldomero Fernandez was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 7 years in prison but he only served 3 years.
James ‘Jimmy’ Escoto, U.S. Army Veteran (Photo Credit: Investigation Discovery)
ID Go: The Phillips’ family moves to a quiet seafront town in Maine to escape a crime wave in Indiana. But their dream home comes with a not so dreamy ex-military neighbor. A barrage of gunfire between the houses one night shatters both families forever. -Red Picket Fences, Fear Thy Neighbor (S1, E2)
On August 29, 1989, Navy veteran Richard Uffelman and his two sons opened fire from their living room window and shot and killed their neighbors Michael and Florence Phillips in Machiasport, Maine. The Phillips family moved back to Maine so they could be closer to their family and the ocean, and they wanted to escape crime in Indiana. Shortly before they moved to Maine, a murder occurred outside their home and this was it for them; they wanted to raise their son Michael in a safe environment. Richard and Anita Uffelman and their two sons were the new neighbors of the Phillips in Maine. Richard was described as an authoritarian and a believer in good order and discipline. He worked at the local post office and taught his two children to shoot guns. Initially the neighbors were good friends and their boys played together. At some point, family came to visit the Phillips for a week. The happy family reunited outside on the front lawn while they barbecued, drank some beers, and enjoyed one another’s company. Apparently Richard found a broken bottle on his lawn during the event and automatically assumed the Phillips threw the bottle on his lawn. Richard called the police to complain about the incident but there was no proof since the Phillips denied doing it. This was it for Richard; the Phillips home interfered with his view of the ocean and he was going to exact his revenge.
After this first broken bottle incident, Richard continued to call the police complaining that the neighbors were throwing bottles on his property. He would bag them up and give them to the police as evidence. The Phillips continued to deny the allegations. The police were beginning to get concerned for the Phillips. Then Richard’s wife Anita called the Phillips family and told them that Richard did not want their two sons playing with Michael anymore. Florence was confused. Soon Richard began harassing them while they were outside on their lawn. He used a megaphone and yelled at them until they went back into their house. The Phillips became fearful of him because he was quite literally bullying them. Richard upped the anti and put up some bright lights that shined directly on their home. He also shot guns in front of his home with his two boys on a regular basis which to the Phillips began feeling threatening. They called the police to ask Uffelman to stop shooting the guns because it felt like he was flexing his muscles but their was nothing illegal about shooting guns for target practice in Maine. The police couldn’t do anything. They needed evidence so Michael and Florence set up a video camera to start taping the behavior because they were not the gun types.
Tension and fear was building daily. The Phillips called the police on Richard Uffelman and Uffelman called the police on them. Now Richard wanted a protection order. It was obvious to police that Richard was getting paranoid and he had some fear that could not be alleviated by the police. Uffelman wanted to play war. Uffelman began dressing in full military fatigues with his two sons and they all carried guns and marched together as if they were in the military or a militia. The kids were impacted by Richard’s paranoia as well; as a matter of fact the whole family was brainwashed. Eventually the Phillips were afraid of Uffelman and his two sons. The Phillips left the city to get away from violence and now they were in the middle of it. They decided to file a harassment suit to get Richard Uffelman to stop. At this point, they felt trapped in their own home and they continued to videotape because it was their only option. One day Richard and his two sons armed with guns started chasing the Phillip’s son after school as if he was prey. The trio scared the entire Phillips family and they called the police again. The cops took it seriously and knew things were not going to turn out right. The Phillips got a protection order and then went on a vacation to Indiana to visit family in July 1989.
While the Phillips were visiting with family, they began viewing the videotapes. All of them were terrified at what they were witnessing but the Phillips were stuck financially. They assured their family they would be fine but in reality they were afraid Richard Uffelman would kill them when they got back. They asked their family to raise their son Michael if Uffelman killed them. They left for Maine the next day because it was their home and they had no other option. They got back to the war zone and the front lines had moved closer to home. When they got out of their vehicle, they realized that someone had dumped gasoline on their front porch. They witnessed someone running in the shadows from their home to Uffelman’s home. They called the police again but they didn’t have any proof that Uffelman had done it. They all recognized that Uffelman was raising the stakes. Unfortunately the system was at a stand still until someone made an overt act. On August 29, 1989, family visited the Phillips because they were celebrating a pregnancy in the family. The Phillips revealed to them that dealing with Uffelman was very stressful because they hadn’t caught anything of value for their harassment case. In this case, the best evidence would come too late.
Michael and Florence Phillips left the house that evening for a walk, just like every other night. This time Michael was carrying a gun as they walked in an effort to let Richard know that they were not going to take it. Then all of a sudden Richard and both of his sons began shooting at both of them from the living room of their home as they walked. The remaining family in the home were fearful that they were going to kill young Michael next. Meanwhile, Michael and Florence are struggling to move to safety in the woods to escape the barrage of gunfire. Uffelman did go to the Phillips home but turned around and left. After this near miss, the three family members in the home left to protect young Michael. They were not sure how Michael and Florence were doing at this point; they were not sure if they had been murdered or if they were still alive. Police arrived on the scene and knocked on Richard Uffelman’s door. They found him sitting at his kitchen table which was covered with handguns and firearms. The police were worried about their own safety but Uffelman surrendered without incident and he was taken into police custody. Michael and Florence Phillips both died at the scene in the woods where they attempted to escape the gunman.
Richard Uffelman, US Navy Veteran
Richard Uffelman was arrested for murder after the Phillips’ bodies were found. His two sons participated in the shootings as well and together they fired twenty-five rounds or so from the inside of their home. Investigators concluded the two boys were doing what they were told to do; they were victims too and as a result were not charged. Upon search of the property, police learned that Uffelman’s land was rigged with trip wire and his home was riddled with explosives. Bomb technicians were called in to remove the undetonated devices. Police also found secret passageways and tunnels. Uffelman tried to claim self-defense at his trial but the video coverage the Phillips had showed otherwise. The videotapes revealed that Uffelman went outside to check to see if his prey were dead; his murderous intent was all captured on film. Richard Uffelman was sentenced to life in prison for the first degree murders of Michael and Florence Phillips. Young Michael sued Richard Uffelman in Maine Superior Court and was awarded a wrongful death judgement for $513,320 but he has never received a dime. According to a YouTube site called Abandonment of Maine, shortly after new owners moved into the Uffelman home, the house caught on fire and burned to the ground.
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.
Air Force SrA Katrina Jackson, 22, of Universal City, Texas died from injuries sustained from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Alaska on February 15, 2014. SrA Jackson joined the Air Force in 2010 and was stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in 2011 where she was assigned as a patrolman with the 673rd Security Forces Squadron. Media reports indicate that the circumstances surrounding her death were investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). SrA Jackson was one of four servicemen from JBER found dead this month: Army Sgt. Okan Cetinbag on February 11; and SSgt. Darian Miller on February 18; and SSgt. Samuel Davis on February 23.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 