Missy Berry Found Murdered in Stopped Vehicle at Intersection; Army Veteran Clifford McDaniel Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (September 17, 1994)

On September 17, 1994September 14, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, VeteransLeave a comment

Hard-working fast food manager Missy Berry is found dead in an idling car at a deserted intersection. Kenda discovers suspects from Missy’s past who may have wanted her dead. But a surprise twist in the investigation leads him into uncharted territory. -Drive Thru Murder, Homicide Hunter (S2,E6)

Missy Berry was found shot execution style in a stopped vehicle at a Colorado Springs intersection on September 17, 1994. As Lt. Joe Kenda investigated the homicide, he learned Missy Berry dropped off the deposits every night after she left work. Lt. Kenda found out the money was never deposited and was not in her vehicle; he suspected robbery was the motive. Lt. Kenda learned from a fellow officer that a man who looked like he worked at the restaurant was hanging out in the parking lot around the time Missy left work. It was believed this man most likely asked Missy for a ride but at the time the police officer thought nothing of the interaction. Kenda wondered who at work might have asked Missy for a ride. Kenda spoke with the restaurant manager to find out who might have a motive to kill Missy. The store manager thought maybe it was a guy named Darren who she suspected was into drugs. Kenda tracked down Darren Haney and found him in the hospital waiting for his child to be born. He was cleared.

Darren offered Kenda a valuable piece of information. He suggested that his co-worker George Clifford McDaniel may have a motive to kill Missy Berry because he hated her. He said he wanted that bitch dead a couple weeks earlier. Apparently, Missy gave Cliff a hard time about his work and the fact that he was a mommy’s boy. Kenda learned Cliff lived one block away from the scene of the crime. At this point, Cliff was Kenda’s primary suspect after learning he fit the description offered by the police officer who observed him hanging around the parking lot. Kenda learned Cliff was the son of a former military police officer. He was born in England and his mother married a serviceman. Cliff too served in the U.S. Army for a couple years. He appeared helpful, cooperative, and didn’t raise any red flags with Kenda. His family was having a hard time financially and Cliff was working at the restaurant to help the family. He said he was with his friend Ronnie Houston watching a movie until 1:20 a.m.

Before the interview wrapped up, Cliff McDaniel suggested it was someone who asked Missy for a ride. Kenda checked out McDaniel’s alibi. Ronnie Houston admitted Cliff was there but Ronnie’s rendition of events did not match those shared by Cliff. Cliff said he left Ronnie’s at around 1:30 a.m. but Ronnie said Cliff left at 11:30 p.m. Cliff could not account for this two hour gap. Ronnie shared another important piece of information. He said Cliff had a gun and said he was planning to rob the restaurant. Kenda now believed Cliff asked for a ride from Missy, shot her at the intersection, and stole the night deposit. When Kenda went to arrest Cliff for suspicion of murder, he learned Cliff was no longer in town. They searched his home but didn’t find any physical evidence in the house tying him to the crime. After Kenda reminded the family they could be charged with accessory to murder, Cliff’s mother told Kenda he was in London, England. The police needed to find Cliff McDaniel because they were afraid he would do this again.

Kenda interviewed the travel agent who arranged the one-way ticket for Cliff. Kenda believed Cliff’s escape to London was a sure sign of guilt and he was going to bring this international fugitive to justice. They contacted New Scotland Yard to ask for assistance with the search of Cliff McDaniel. He was staying with family, the same aunt he told the travel agent had died. New Scotland Yard arrested Cliff McDaniel however getting him back to the states was a whole new battle. England would not honor the extradition unless the State of Colorado agreed not to execute him. With the help of the U.S. State Department, Kenda was able to extradite Cliff McDaniel back to the United States. The Crown Judge agreed to sign an international extradition warrant. Cliff thought he would get away with this murder and move on in England. The stolen money and murder weapon were never recovered but nonetheless McDaniel was convicted. George Clifford McDaniel was found guilty of one count of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Source: Drive Thru Murder, Homicide Hunter, Investigation Discovery

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.

Navy Spouse Susan Russo Hired Drug Addicted Hitmen for $100 to Kill Husband David Russo for Life Insurance; Sentenced to Life in Prison (July 14, 1994)

On July 14, 1994July 14, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Stateside DeathLeave a comment

Susan David Russo — Susan Russo and David Russo, U.S. Navy

Deadly Women on Investigation Discovery featured yet another military spouse who murdered because they were motivated by greed, selfishness, and sociopathic tendencies. While Navy sailor David Russo was at work at the Lemoore Naval Air Station in California, his wife was getting high on meth with her secret lover. Susan didn’t like that David controlled the purse strings because he might find out that she was blowing their cash on drugs. Then one day a military advisor stopped by the house to advise them of their financial affairs and Susan learned that her husband David was worth more dead then he was alive. He had a grand total of 1 million dollars worth of Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance and other insurance policies on himself. Susan saw her way out of domestic boredom and hatched up a plan with two of her drug addicted buddies, Jason Andrews and Bobby Morris. She offered them $100 to kill her husband and promised them more later after she got her hands on the life insurance payout.

On July 14, 1994, the trio striked. While David lay sleeping in his bed, the two men entered the Fresno, California marital home with Susan’s assistance, walked into David’s bedroom, and shot him one time in the back of the head. They then drove the body to a remote location so they could torch David and the car in an effort to destroy evidence. This plan would never come to fruition because they ran out of gas and then didn’t have enough gas to torch the car. When military personnel stopped by David’s home to see why he hadn’t showed up to work, Susan told them she didn’t know where he was and asked if she would still get his paycheck that week. Eventually David’s car and body was discovered by a local farmer. Of course investigators looked to the spouse first to determine what may have happened to David. Susan told investigators during the interview that they would find no evidence of wrong doing which of course intrigued them to probe further.

Susan Russo was a self proclaimed clean freak and cleaner by trade and was confident she had covered her tracks. But she did not account for the microscopic blood spatter on the headboard of the bed or the spent bullet casing located in the bedroom. Police charged Susan Russo and her two friends with the murder of her husband David Russo. Jason Andrews and Bobby Morris were both convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life. In 1996, Susan Russo was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Investigators described Susan as an evil, psychopathic person who manipulated her two drug addicted friends with the promises of money for more drugs. She didn’t care about David whatsoever, she only saw David as a way to cash in.

Source: Cash In, Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

Preview: Susan Russo was a Navy wife who ran a tight ship. But she had a secret life, and devised a way to profit off her husband’s substantial military life insurance. -Cash In, Deadly Women (S10, E6)

ID Go: The stakes are high and the chips are down when these Deadly Women decide to “Cash In.” -Cash In, Deadly Women (S10, E6)

Air Force Retiree Willy Jackson Found Dead in Colorado Springs Home; Wife Tony Jackson Confessed to Stabbing, DA Ruled Self-Defense (June 24, 1994)

On June 24, 1994September 29, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, USAF, VeteransLeave a comment

When an Air Force veteran dies unexpectedly, Kenda and his team must determine if it was a tragic accident or premeditated murder. But before long, they discover that their clean-cut victim had a secret life. -Rest in Peace, Homicide Hunter (S9,E5)

Air Force Retiree Willy Jackson, 65, was found dead on the bedroom floor of his Colorado Springs home on June 24, 1994. At initial observation, there were no ligature marks, no bullet wounds, and no trauma observed at all. Willy’s wife Tony suggested he died of alcohol poisoning. Nonetheless, this was a suspicious death and detectives began their investigation. After the medical examiner arrived on scene, he turned the body over and observed a small puncture wound in Willy’s thigh. Investigators also found blood on the mattress and it was concealed with new sheets. Lt. Joe Kenda suspected either Tony or her son had something to do with this incident. After the autopsy was conducted, investigators learned Willy was stabbed with a steak knife and bled to death. Kenda got a warrant to search Willy’s home. The police sprayed luminal and discovered the stabbing occurred in the kitchen. There were blood stains all over the house.

Kenda wanted Tony to take a polygraph test. Before the polygraph was conducted, Willy’s wife Tony Jackson stopped the process and admitted she stabbed Willy. She claimed she did it in self-defense because he was drunk and annoyed that Tony was on the phone with her son’s dad. She said he began choking her and she grabbed a knife from the kitchen and poked him in the leg. Willy went to bed and she never suspected his wound would kill him. She cleaned up the house. After reviewing the case, the District Attorney concluded that Tony Jackson was acting in self-defense and declined to press murder charges. The investigators believed her too. Her crime was cleaning up blood and she was charged with that. She was sentenced to three years of supervised probation. If Willy wasn’t so drunk and passed out, he may have been able to save his own life.

Cold Case: Amy Gellert Fatally Stabbed Outside Florida Home; AWOL Marine Dominic Kanuika an Alleged Suspect in the Case, $5000 Reward (March 20, 1994)

On March 20, 1994May 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, USMCLeave a comment

In the more than 20 years since the murder of a 21-year-old woman outside her home in Cocoa Beach, Florida, there have been a number of men investigated in connection with the case — but the crime remains unsolved. Members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office share details with “48 Hours”‘ Erin Moriarty.

On the evening of Sunday, March 20, 1994, Charlotte “Amy” Gellert was attacked by an intruder outside her residence in Cocoa Beach. She died as a result of her injuries. The intruder was described as a white male, early twenties, 5’07″ – 5’10″ tall, weighing between 165 to 185 pounds. Any persons providing information in reference to this case may be eligible for a reward up to $5,000.00. –Brevard County Sheriff’s Office

Screen Shot 2017-08-12 at 2.07.50 PM — Amy Gellert, Civilian, Florida

Sarah Gonstead Shot Execution Style on 21st Birthday; Friend & Air Force Veteran Penny Brummer Found Guilty of 1st Degree Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison (March 14, 1994)

On March 14, 1994May 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, USAFLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2018-06-15 at 1.25.20 PM — Sarah Gonstead, Madison, Wisconsin

Sarah Gonstead of Madison, Wisconsin was a victim of homicide on March 14, 1996 by what was believed to be her friend Air Force veteran Penny Brummer. Sarah was best friends with Penny’s ex-girlfriend Glenda and investigators believe that Penny killed Sarah because she was interfering with her relationship with Glenda. The motive was jealousy, revenge, and vengeance. A month before Sarah’s death, Glenda broke things off with Penny and Penny was heartbroken. Investigators learned that Sarah was shot in the back of the head execution style with a 22 handgun. The person who committed the crime was most likely someone Sarah trusted. Penny’s father owned a 22 which was missing and never recovered. And Penny was the last person to see Sarah alive on the night in question. Penny claims the two were out bar-hopping and drinking for Sarah’s twenty-first birthday. The last time she saw Sarah she was walking towards Glenda’s house; Penny went home. Penny claims she doesn’t remember being at Jake’s bar, the last bar that Penny and Sarah frequented.

Jake’s bar is only a couple miles from where Sarah’s body was located three weeks after she disappeared. Glenda told investigators she broke up with Penny because she was too controlling and obsessive about the relationship. Glenda believes Penny assumed that Sarah was interfering in the relationship when in fact she wasn’t. Sarah was straight so Penny thought Sarah was trying to turn Glenda straight. Penny was arrested eight days after Sarah Gonstead’s body was discovered and she was charged with first degree murder. She was found guilty by a jury of her peers on October 1, 1994 and sentenced to an automatic life in prison. She will be eligible for parole after serving fifty years in prison in 2045. Penny Brummer maintains her innocence to this day and her mother Nancy Brummer advocates for her daughter’s innocence and release. Glenda believes the police have the right person and she mourns for her friend Sarah was was an innocent bystander and didn’t deserve any of this. Glenda described her best friend Sarah Gonstead as shy, soft-hearted, and a loyal friend.

Penny Brummer, a military vet, is accused of murdering her ex-girlfriend’s best friend in a jealous rage. However, Penny was so drunk that night she was in a blackout state. Can Chris and Melissa help fill in the gaps of her memory to prove her innocence? -Reasonable Doubt, Investigation Discovery

Twenty-one years ago a jury found Penny Brummer guilty in the murder of Sarah Gonstead. The family of Brummer has spent those 21 years working to prove her innocence. Dave Delozier reports. -Channel 3000 | News 3 (December 14, 2015)

1994
Sarah Gonstead Murder

1995
Reasonable Doubt by Ingrid Ricks | The Advocate

1997
State of Wisconsin v. Penny L Brummer

2003
A short history of exposing misconduct

2005
Chapter 1: A tale of three young women
Chapter 2: A hole in her story
Chapter 3: A surprise witness appears
Chapter 4: Defense sows seeds of doubt
Chapter 5: Emotional debate ends in guilty verdict
Chapter 6: Supporters of Brummer offer their theories; they say the evidence was too thin and question makeup of jury
Gift enables investigative journalism class to probe old murder case

2012
Dane Co. DA Approves DNA Testing in 1994 Killing
Wisconsin DA approves DNA testing in 1994 killing
Will DNA Save Penny Brummer?
Spring Green woman could be cleared

2013
Innocence project founder promotes cause of Madison woman convicted of murder
Did Homophobia Convict a Wisconsin Woman of Murder?

2014
A Look Back After 20 Years
A look back at a 20-year-old murder and if the right person was convicted

2015
Who killed Sarah? The trial of Penny Brummer
Group questioning conviction of Penny Brummer in 1994 death of Sarah Gonstead
Reward offered in 21-year-old homicide conviction
$10,000 Reward Offered in Wrongful Conviction Case
Person of Interest Hits Wrongfully Convicted for Serving in U.S. Military
On Wrongful Convictions and Penny Brummer

2016
Penny Brummer’s fight for justice
The Lynching of a Madison Lesbian: Wisconsin’s Wrongful Conviction of Penny Brummer
Wrongful Conviction: Penny Brummer Is Innocent and Still in Prison
Richmond Crime Author Sheila Berry Takes on Wrongful Convictions Nationwide

2017
Penny Brummer convicted of murdering Sarah Gonstead, but is there Reasonable Doubt?

Books:
Who Killed Sarah? by Sheila & Doug Berry (2005) | Amazon
Who Killed Sarah? by Sheila & Doug Berry (2005) | Walmart

MJFA Links:
Reasonable Doubt Premiered ‘Failure to Remember’ on Investigation Discovery: Penny Brummer Maintains Innocence in the 1994 Homicide of Sarah Gonstead (June 21, 2017)
Air Force Veteran Penny Brummer Found Guilty of the 1st Degree Murder of Sarah Gonstead; Sentenced to Life in Prison with Possibility of Parole After 50 Years (October 1, 1994)

Army Sgt. Stephen Schap Murdered Wife’s Lover Spc. Gregory Glover in Germany; Convening Authority Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison (December 7, 1993)

On December 7, 1993July 28, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

Preview: What would you do if you found your spouse sleeping with your best friend? When Stephen Schap found out his wife was pregnant with his best friend’s baby, he couldn’t control his anger. He was charged with premeditated murder and 45 years in jail. -Crazy Love, True Nightmares, Discovery Canada (January 26, 2016)

Editors Note: Love podcasts? Do you want to get up to speed quick with the Stephen Schap murder case, check out Episode 2 on the Military Murder Podcast.

Army Sgt. Stephen Schap and his wife Diane Schap were stationed at Sickles Army Airfield in Fulda, Germany. While living there, Diane began an affair with Sgt. Schap’s best friend. Sgt. Schap suspected Diane was cheating on him and confronted her. Diane admitted to Stephen she cheated on him with another man, she was pregnant, and she wanted a divorce. Sgt. Schap knew the child wasn’t his because he had a vasectomy at a young age. Sgt. Schap immediately suspected his best friend Spc. Gregory Glover and set off to confront him. On December 7, 1993, Sgt. Stephen Schap stabbed Spc. Gregory Glover up to fifteen (15) times before decapitating him on the Army post in front of witnesses. Sgt. Schap then delivered Spc. Glover’s head to his wife Diane while she was at the hospital. Sgt. Schap was charged with premeditated murder and found guilty of premeditated murder by a military jury in April 1994. Premeditated murder usually comes with a life sentence but according to the Military Murder Podcast, the convening authority reduced the sentence to 45 years in prison. Sgt. Schap was motivated to kill because his wife Diane Schap was having an affair with his best friend (betrayal), she was pregnant with Spc. Glover’s child (evidence of betrayal), and she wanted a divorce (took marriage vows seriously). During the trial, there were differences of opinion as to whether this was a case of premeditated murder or a crime committed in the heat of passion, hence the reason the convening authority gave Sgt. Schap a reduced sentence.

Sources: Military Murder Podcast & Crazy Love, True Nightmares, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

The death of a farm owner leads to a murder mystery with a shocking outcome; a random twist of fate raises questions for the parents of a thrill seeking teenager; a women betrays her husband and it leads to an unthinkable, horrifying scenario. -Crazy Love, True Nightmares (S1,E1)

Army Spouse Diane Pelkey Reported Missing; Fort Carson Soldier Michael Pelkey Convicted of Murder at Court Martial, Sentenced to Life in Prison (October 8, 1993)

On October 8, 1993November 16, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military PolicyLeave a comment

When the severed head of a wife and mother is found, Lt. Joe Kenda uses forensics and interrogation to find both her body and her killer. Then… a young man’s murder looks like a robbery gone wrong until Kenda learns the odd reason he’s living there. -The Line Goes Dead, Homicide Hunter (S6,E13)

On October 16, 1993, a mother was home with her son cooking supper. She went outside to call her dog Shadow to return home. When the dog returned, he had something large in his mouth. Danielle and her son realized that the dog had a human skull in it’s mouth. Lt. Joe Kenda of the Colorado Spring Police Department was grocery shopping when he got the call. He left his grocery shopping cart as is and headed to the scene. When Kenda arrived on the scene, the medical examiner was observing the skull. The medical examiner observed another animal got to the skull before the dog did and the time of death was within the last couple of weeks. The skull appeared to be a female with no obvious signs of bullet wounds or trauma. But they didn’t have the rest of the body to determine the official cause of death. Lt. Joe Kenda decided to start with the missing persons reports first.

Kenda also wanted to find the rest of the remains. Unfortunately, it was dark outside so they decided to resume the search the next day in during the daylight hours. The police used cadaver dogs to find the rest of the body. Cadaver dogs are trained to notify their handler when they make a hit. Kenda knew this would be a daunting task because El Paso County is the size of Rhode Island. An hour into the search, the K9 officer got a hit. They found a few more human bones; some still had flesh attached and some had teeth marks on them. Kenda theorized maybe she was a hiker out for a walk one day and got attacked by a bear. Now Joe Kenda needed to identify the dead female. They used dental records to determine if the dead woman’s teeth matched any dental records on file. On the third missing woman’s dental records, they finally found a match. Diane Pelkey, 36, was reported missing one week prior by her husband Michael Pelkey.

Michael Pelkey paid for a full page ad in the newspaper looking for Diane Pelkey. Police learned Michael was a 16 year veteran in the US Army and lived off post in Colorado Springs with his wife. Kenda now had the unfortunate task of informing Michael Pelkey of his wife’s death. He told him positive identification was made through dental records. Michael Pelkey was overcome with grief. They had been together for over 15 years. They had a son and she was four months pregnant. Michael claims the last time he saw Diane they were out at dinner and then got in an argument. He said she walked away from him and he had not seen her since. Kenda deduced she would have had to walk ten miles to get home. Kenda decided she was not killed by a bear, she was killed by a human. They didn’t know if maybe someone picked her up hitchhiking and killed her. Michael Pelkey claimed he didn’t look for his wife because he had to go home and take care of their five year old son.

As Kenda was reviewing the missing persons report for Diane Pelkey, he noticed one of the officers put JDLR (Just Doesn’t Look Right) on the bottom of the report. This is usually done when an officer feels something isn’t right or the person making the report was suspicious. Kenda spoke with the officer who took the report. They both decided the missing persons report was suspicious because Michael didn’t say anything about their child, Diane’s pregnancy, or that they got in an argument that same night. Kenda explained that usually if someone thinks something happen to a loved one, they won’t leave him alone. Kenda ran Michael Pelkey’s name through the data base and found there was a history of domestic violence, restraining orders in the past, and the couple had filed for a divorce. Kenda believed Michael Pelkey may have killed his wife but he wasn’t sure he had the authority to pursue the case.

Diane Pelkey’s remains were found in El Paso County, Colorado so the case may be out of Kenda’s jurisdiction. He pressed the sheriff’s office to put the squeeze on Michael Pelkey. They brought him into the sheriff’s department and started questioning him. They presented all the evidence they had to Pelkey and he became overwhelmed. Michael broke during the interrogation and admitted to killing his wife on October 8, 1993. He claimed they were in the car and he wanted to do some fishing. They started arguing; he accused her of being unfaithful, she accused him of being unfaithful. He said she wanted out of the vehicle to get some space from him and that didn’t sit well with him. Michael claims he snapped and started strangling Diane. Michael tried to claim that it was an accident. Kenda thought this was not an accident because it takes two to three minutes to strangle someone to death.

Michael Pelkey then told detectives he panicked after strangling Diane and decided to drive to a rural area in the Rocky Mountain foothills to dispose of her body. He put a seatbelt on her and drove as if she was simply a passenger in his car. He drove to a ravine near the highway and left her in an area where he didn’t think anyone would find her. Afterwards, he filed a missing persons report and took out an ad in the local paper to deflect suspicion from himself. Michael Pelkey probably thought he would get away with murdering her wife. But his plan unraveled and he was arrested for murder. The District Attorney allowed the Fort Carson Army leadership to court martial him despite the fact that the crime occurred in El Paso County. Michael Pelkey was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life. He is serving his sentence at Fort Leavenworth, a military penitentiary in Kansas.

You are held to a higher standard in the United States military. You will not behave in this way and if you do, you will be one sorry son of a bitch. Sgt. Pelkey found that out the hard way. -Lt. Joe Kenda

Source: The Line Goes Dead, Homicide Hunter, Investigation Discovery

Caroline Young Killed 2 Grandchildren After Losing Custody to Marine Recruiter Barrington Bruce; Sentenced to Death (June 18, 1993)

On June 18, 1993August 15, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Child Abuse, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, USMCLeave a comment

A grandmother caring for her grandchildren, a young girl in love with a boy, a mother protecting her son – are all consumed with intense love. But when that love is threatened, they find it too much to bear and take measures into their own hands. -Deadly Possession, Deadly Women (S5, E10)

In 1993, Caroline Young, 51, was as devoted to caring for 6-year-old Darin Torres and 4-year-old Dai-Zshia Torres as any mother, but they were not her children. Darin and Dai-Zshia were her daughter’s children, but her daughter did not care for them so Caroline had to step in. Twenty-five year old Vanessa Torres never looked after her own children because she had significant problems with drugs and prostitution. Caroline had full custody of the children since they were infants because the courts deemed their biological mother unfit as a parent. The children’s two different fathers had nothing to do with them and that’s the way Caroline liked it. Darin’s parents never married and separated when Darin was very young; Darin didn’t see his father for most of his life. And both his mother and grandmother didn’t want Darin’s dad in the picture. But in 1993, that suddenly changed when Marine Corps recruiter Barrington Bruce received a $12,000 bill from the State of California for back child support. Darin’s father Barrington, who was living in Virginia at the time, had been looking for his son Darin since he was a toddler. After Caroline Young applied for child support, the family support division found the young Marine Sergeant who was thankful they found him because he wanted to be reunited with his son.

Active duty Marine Barrington Bruce was determined to get the child back so he took legal steps to get custody. Caroline Young realized she made a mistake by asking for child support because the move revealed her grandson’s whereabouts. Caroline did not want the two kids she had taken care of since they were infants separated. She started making outlandish threats and even talked about killing the children rather than losing custody, but nobody believed that she would do it. Former FBI Profiler Candice DeLong explained that for some people their attachment to other people is unhealthy because it consumes them. In the process, they lose their sense of self and the prospect of losing the person they are consumed with causes tremendous pain and disruption. Barrington Bruce was determined to get his son back so he went to court and was awarded full custody. Barrington went through all the proper channels and his family situation was deemed appropriate for taking custody of the child. He had a full-time job in the military, he was married, and his wife had just had a baby. But Profiler DeLong cautions that the stress of losing Darin caused something deep-seated in Caroline, something that she had not dealt with, possibly a desertion by someone in her past when she was a little girl.

After years of daily devotion, Caroline Young was shattered by the idea of losing her grandson because Darin belonged to her. Candice DeLong explained that for some women, a person that they love is not so much a person but a possession that they can’t live without. What started out as an idle threat seemed like Caroline’s only option, because some women find it easier to kill then to say goodbye. On June 18, 1993, Barrington Bruce won custody of Darin and was excited to pick him up. Across town, his son and Darin’s sister were asleep. Caroline had no intention of relinquishing custody of Darin back to his father. She was operating under the misguided notion that if I can’t have these children, no one can. She wrote a suicide note directed towards Darin’s father and then proceeded with murdering both children. Caroline slit little Darin’s throat first. Afterwards, Caroline calmly smoked a cigarette, which Profiler DeLong reminded us was evidence that she had time to pause, think about it, put the knife down, and call for help but she didn’t. When you think of a grandmother, you don’t think of someone who’s capable of doing such a heinous act. This crime was motivated by pure selfishness and there’s nothing more despicable then the murder of innocent children. This was a horrendous crime, unbelievable in it’s depravity.

Darin’s mother, Vanessa Torres, woke up and found her son Darin in bed with his throat slit. It was a chaotic scene to say the least. Vanessa reported that she saw her mom’s clothing covered in blood and in complete horror she asked her mother why she did it. Caroline replied, “the children needed to stay together.” After this brief encounter, Caroline grabbed the baby girl Dai-Zshia and slit her throat and stabbed her in the chest as well. Vanessa managed to call 911 in the midst of the chaos. Profiler DeLong reminded us that killing someone with a knife is a very personal thing. It’s one thing to shoot somebody but to hold someone against your own body and slash their throats is an entirely different crime. Profiler DeLong explained that she could have silently smothered them while they were sleeping but she didn’t or she could have shot them and they would have been killed instantly but she didn’t do that either. Instead, she used a knife to end their life until they succumbed. But Caroline wasn’t finished; she stabbed herself multiple times in an attempt to kill herself. This was a horrible crime scene and Caroline may have been disturbed at the time of the murders but she was definitely not legally insane. She knew what she was doing was wrong and slaughtered Darin and Dai-Zshia anyways.

Detective Bill Cooper, one of the detective’s tasked with investigating the homicides, shared that every officer that touched the crime scene was impacted. It wasn’t enough for Caroline to simply murder Barrington’s little boy, she wanted to taunt him from her grave. Barrington Bruce found out his son was dead when he went to pick him up after he was awarded full custody, and this told the investigators everything they needed to know about Caroline Young. She was blinded by selfishness and vindictive. At the crime scene, investigators discovered a suicide note. She wrote the note as if she was already dead. She said she was a very angry spirit and was going to get even with those who hurt her and the children. She also said directed to Barrington, “every baby your wife has, I will come back and get it.” Caroline’s stabbing suicide attempt failed. On October 27, 1995, Caroline Young was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to death. The reason Caroline killed those two children was because she didn’t want to see them separated. It doesn’t make any sense but in her mind murdering them kept them together. On September 6, 2005, Caroline Young died of kidney failure after ten years in jail. Detective Cooper summarized and said there are a few cases in his career that he wished he could forget about and this was one of them.

Source: Deadly Possession, Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

Innocent Victims: The True Story of the Eastburn Family Murders by Scott Whisnant Published | Book Review (March 1, 1993)

On March 1, 1993September 26, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Sexual Assault, True CrimeLeave a comment

Innocent Victims by Scott Whisnant (Amazon Books)

Description:

Fort Bragg, North Carolina, had seen it all before – when Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted of savagely slaying his wife and children. Now another officer’s wife had been raped and murdered, another pari of children viciously butchered. And another member of the military was brought to trial. This time the state had no trouble winning a conviction. Tim Hennis was found guilty and sentenced to death. Only Hennis’ parents, wife, and dedicated defense team refused to give up. Piece by piece they ripped the state’s case to shreds, revealing a stunning story of perversion of justice, false witnesses, hidden evidence, and, incredibly, a baby-sitter who had a fascination with Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald. With the brutal truth and chilling suspense of Fatal Vision, this riveting account recreates a vicious crime, the behind-the-scenes story of its investigation, the compelling drama of one of the very few men ever released from Death Row, and an unsolved mystery that still casts a spell of terror. (Innocent Victims by Scott Whisnant)

Book Review:

I read the Innocent Victims book while I was camping and honestly I could not put it down. I was reminded of it while listening to the Military Murder Podcast and inspired to read it because of the level of detail available in the book. It was a great read because there were so many twists and turns in the case. If I didn’t know about the fact that a DNA match to Timothy Hennis helped prove his guilt in a 2010 military trial, I would have been convinced Timothy Hennis was wrongfully convicted. Timothy Hennis was luckier than most because he had the staunch support of his adopted family and wife Angela, who all believed wholeheartedly in his innocence. This case is one for the history books because it’s not every day someone is found guilty in a civilian trial, then found not guilty in a civilian trial on appeal, and then tried again by the military in a third trial and found guilty. Timothy Hennis was sentenced to death and is one of four service members languishing on military death row. The military hasn’t executed anyone since they hanged Army Pvt. John Bennett on April 13, 1961.

Journalists and scholars have questioned the military’s ability to try someone found not guilty in a civilian court because of the double jeopardy concerns. Due to the fact that Timothy Hennis was found not guilty in a second civilian trial, he was allowed to resume his career in the U.S. Army and retired as a MSG in 2004. As far as we know, Timothy Hennis committed no other crimes and was well respected by those he served with. It would be because of his retirement from the military, the Army was able to bring him back on active duty status and try him in a third trial for the murders of the Eastburn family. This practice is also controversial. On appeal Timothy Hennis challenged the military’s jurisdiction to recall him to active duty status to prosecute him and questioned the double jeopardy concerns. In January 2020, an Appeals Court decided military retirees can be recalled to active duty status and court-martialed. In February 2020, the U.S. Court of Military Appeals rejected Hennis’ constitutional rights challenges to the military court’s jurisdiction to try him.

Is it constitutional for retirees to be court martialed? Highest military court to decide soon. (Connecting Vets, July 8, 2020)

Do you love podcasts? Check out the Military Murder Podcast and get up to speed with the Timothy Hennis murder case here.

Kathryn, Cara, and Erin Eastburn of Fayetteville, North Carolina

Civilian Jennifer Asbenson was Raped and Abducted by an Unknown Attacker Later Identified as Former Camp Pendleton Marine Andrew Urdiales, Awaiting Trial (1992)

On September 28, 1992August 11, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Sexual Assault, USMCLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-08-09 at 4.14.12 PM — Jennifer Asbenson, Civilian, California

September 28, 1992: Jennifer Asbenson, 19 (at the time of crime), survived a rape and abduction by former Camp Pendleton Marine Andrew Urdiales in California. She was able to escape from his trunk and run into the arms of two other Marines driving in the area. She did not know who her attacker was at the time of the crime but eventually was able to identify Andrew Urdiales in a police photo line-up. She testified on behalf of three women murdered by Urdiales in Illinois and continues to await his trial in California for five more homicides and her case.

Camp Pendleton Marine veteran Andrew Urdiales is accused of murdering eight women from 1986 to 1996, five in California and three in Illinois, and raping and abducting a 19 year old, Jennifer Asbenson, who escaped and survived. Urdiales was indicted for three murders in Illinois and was sentenced to death but the death sentence was commuted after Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois abolished capital punishment in 2011. Instead he received three life sentences for the murders of Laura Uylaki, Cassandra Corum, and Lynn Huber. A gun confiscated in a separate incident linked the three murders in Illinois together and during an interrogation, Urdiales admitted in detail to five cold case murders in California too. After years of legal wrangling, Urdiales was eventually extradited to California and indicted in 2009 on five counts of first degree murder. He was accused of killing Robbin Brandley, Julie McGhee, Mary Ann Wells, Tammie Erwin, and Denise Maney. Initially California was seeking the death penalty but Proposition 62 was repealed in November 2016. Urdiales continues to await trial in California.

A woman’s story of survival is truly inspiring after she was abducted and tortured by a notorious serial killer. Jennifer Asbenson was 19 when she was abducted by Andrew Urdiales. 24 years later, she returned to California’s Desert Hot Springs to record a video explaining her daring escape to encourage others never to give up. Asbenson was walking to a bus stop near Palm Springs, California, in September 1992 when she was offered a ride by Urdiales, who is believed to have killed eight women. –Inside Edition

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Homicide

Missy Berry Found Murdered in Stopped Vehicle at Intersection; Army Veteran Clifford McDaniel Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (September 17, 1994)

Navy Spouse Susan Russo Hired Drug Addicted Hitmen for $100 to Kill Husband David Russo for Life Insurance; Sentenced to Life in Prison (July 14, 1994)

Cold Case: Amy Gellert Fatally Stabbed Outside Florida Home; AWOL Marine Dominic Kanuika an Alleged Suspect in the Case, $5000 Reward (March 20, 1994)

Army Sgt. Stephen Schap Murdered Wife’s Lover Spc. Gregory Glover in Germany; Convening Authority Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison (December 7, 1993)

Army Spouse Diane Pelkey Reported Missing; Fort Carson Soldier Michael Pelkey Convicted of Murder at Court Martial, Sentenced to Life in Prison (October 8, 1993)

Caroline Young Killed 2 Grandchildren After Losing Custody to Marine Recruiter Barrington Bruce; Sentenced to Death (June 18, 1993)

Innocent Victims: The True Story of the Eastburn Family Murders by Scott Whisnant Published | Book Review (March 1, 1993)

Civilian Jennifer Asbenson was Raped and Abducted by an Unknown Attacker Later Identified as Former Camp Pendleton Marine Andrew Urdiales, Awaiting Trial (1992)

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: