Marine James Glass Severely Injured in Grenade Attack on Marine Corps Base in Kuwait; Fellow Marine Larry Framness and Wife Wendy Glass Guilty of Conspiring to Commit Murder (May 14, 2003)

On May 14, 2003June 17, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, USMCLeave a comment

James 'Houston' Glass — James Glass, U.S. Marine Corps (photo: CBS)

In November 1989, James Glass married Wendy McAdory. They were a close knit family and did a lot of things together. Thirty-three years earlier, James Glass was growing up in Lousiana; life had dealt him a tough hand right from the start. James’ father died when James was only five years old. He died of emphysema; he smoked three packs of cigarettes a day. James’ mother struggled to cope raising two children on her own. She eventually met another man and he turned out to be abusive to the family. At one point, James was solely responsible for taking care of his brother. Then one day, a teacher noticed something was wrong and asked the boys what was going on. As a result of their confessions, the teacher called Child Protective Services. James and his brother Robert were taken from the home and placed with foster home. For the first time in a long time, they both felt safe and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. They lived in a wonderful foster home and their foster family ended up adopting the two boys.

James’ love of aviation lead him to join the military when he was twenty-four (24) years old. Unfortunately, his eyesight disqualified him from becoming a pilot so he did the next best thing and became an air traffic controller with the Marine Corps. In the spring of 1989, James was on weekend leave and decided to pay a long overdue visit with his family. At the time, James was stationed in Cherry Point, North Carolina, so James went with his grandfather to look at a truck he wanted to purchase in Pennsylvania, And this is where James met Wendy McAdory. James fell hard and fast for Wendy; they married a month later. The pair had a big wedding and by 1991, they welcomed a daughter Nicole to the family. Two years later their second daughter Andrea was born. James family meant the world to him; he loved his girls. Five years into his marriage with Wendy, he thought he had it all. Wendy was a great mother.

But in the fall of 1994, everything changed when they were relocated to a military base in Japan. James was up for adventure but Wendy not so much. Having two children was difficult and the transition was hard; Wendy struggled to adapt. Wendy stayed home and took care of the children and James was always at work. While in Japan, James was deployed to Korea and Australia, so he was gone and Wendy was left alone with the two kids. She became a stay-at-home mom but she wanted to be a working mom; Wendy was resentful. Being married to a military man was not easy because his job took precedence. Wendy felt like she wasn’t a priority, and she wasn’t, so she turned to someone other than James about her problems and eventually started having an affair with a married man. News of the alleged affair got back to James’ chain of command and when they confronted him about the affair, he denied it emphatically.

James was unaware Wendy was seeing someone else. But Wendy continued to carry on with the affair, maybe to fill a void or get the attention she was missing at home. Adultery is fairly common, especially in the military, but most don’t talk about it. While James was in the dark, he was transferred to a new base in Yuma, Arizona; this transfer ended Wendy’s affair. Wendy welcomed the move back to stateside from Japan. The family quickly began to build a new community of friends, including neighbors Larry Framness and his wife Shelly. Larry was also in the Marines; his wife took care of the children. And they had girls close to the ages of the Glass’ two daughters. But once again the boredom kicked in when Wendy realized she had to be a stay-at-home mom because James was working all the time. James was the senior enlisted Marine in charge at his new position on the training base so he worked a lot of long hours. But then September 11th occurred and James was tasked with deployments with the Marines.

James Glass was first sent to Kuwait so they could respond quickly to any threats of weapons of mass destruction. While James was deployed overseas, Wendy was hit hard with a personal tragedy of her own; her mother died. Wendy’s mom was her rock and she fell into a terrible depression and had a hard time recovering from it. She talked to her mother everyday. She tried to lean on James but James had to focus on what he was dealing with in Kuwait. He was deployed and working in harm’s way so his deployment had to be the priority. Wendy found solace from her neighbor Larry Framness. They had a genuine friendship and spent time with Wendy’s two daughters. Larry was there to help when James couldn’t. Larry was willing to listen and became her confidant. After months of being away, James returned and was ready to settle into a regular routine in Arizona. But his homecoming was welcomed with a shocking allegation.

Mrs. Framness complained to the command that she believed her husband and Wendy Glass were engaged in an adulterous affair. Adultery is a chargeable and punishable crime in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Adultery in the military is illegal because service members need to focus on the mission; they shouldn’t have to worry about someone wooing their wife (or husband) while they are gone. Rumors about the affair were making their rounds on base. Others noticed when James was gone, Larry was at the house. The allegations were investigated and the command interviewed James Glass. Again, he denied it because he could not fathom that Wendy would have an affair. James pushed back against the false allegations. Both Wendy and Larry denied the allegations claiming it was purely a friendship. And, investigators didn’t have any reason to doubt them. Larry Framness had a clean career and nobody would admit any wrong doing, so the March 2002 investigation stopped there.

Then one day, James learned first hand that the rumors of an alleged affair were true. James went home early to surprise his wife at home. Nobody appeared to be home but when James went upstairs, he witnessed Wendy walk out of their bedroom naked and she was totally surprised by James. She asked him to make her a sandwich and she would be right down but James felt like something was wrong so he entered the bedroom and found Larry hiding on the other side of his bed. James said after he found Larry, he left, got in his car, and drove. His first thought was to go to the Command but Wendy called and asked him to come back to the house. Wendy told him that she cheated on him because he was never home. James was floored she turned things around and made herself out to be the victim. She said she was sorry and wanted to make things work because she loved him. James was sad and the hurt ran deep but the love of his family ran deeper; James stayed because he was scared to lose his children.

James was in a deployable status with the Marines and if Wendy left and took the children, he might not see them as often. He told Wendy he wanted to work it out and agreed to keep the indiscretions to himself; Wendy agreed to stop the affair. But Larry’s wife wasn’t as forgiving. Shelly divorced Larry and moved back to Montana with their kids. Larry was devastated. James and Wendy started seeing a counselor but the trust was gone and difficult to get it back. Their children felt like they loved each other but they weren’t in love. Slowly, things between the couple improved. The two overcame a traumatic event but privately James still had suspicion and hurt to work through. James was deployed again and when he returned in November 2002, Wendy planned a romantic trip to a cabin in the Laguna mountains. James felt like things were getting back to normal and this was a new beginning for James and Wendy.

Wendy and James Glass — Wendy Glass and James Glass, U.S. Marine Corps (photo: CBS)

On their romantic trip, James was feeling jetlagged and tired but later on he had a hard time getting to sleep because of the time difference. Wendy suggested he take a pill to help him get to sleep. James took the pill but it had very little effect on him. The next day they returned home feeling like the effort fell flat. James tried to rebuild the trust and the faith but things only got worse for Wendy and James when James was deployed again to Kuwait. This deployment was very stressful and there was no telling when James would return home this time. James tried to be mindful of staying more connected with Wendy back home. Two weeks into his deployment to Kuwait, James ran into Larry Framness. They both attended regular meetings together so it was impossible to avoid him. James was glad Larry was deployed because he didn’t have to worry about him spending time with Wendy. Larry apologized to James and said he had a lapse in judgment.

James’ Marine unit deployed to Camp Snake Pit, Iraq for thirty (30) days and when they returned to Kuwait, he was tired and went to bed. Larry woke him up and told him he noticed some suspicious activity near the base and wanted James to observe with him. On May 14, 2003, James Glass was lead to a guard shack/bunker where the two stayed for a few minutes; but he didn’t see what he thought he was going to see. The next thing he knows, an explosion went off. James was blown against the side of the building. James survived but he couldn’t see, he couldn’t hear, and there was blood all over him. James thought it was a rocket attack on the military base. The explosion lead to an investigation that revealed a sinister plot months in the making. Military officials scrambled to find out what happened. A few days later, James learned he was targeted.

James was lucky to be alive and the water bottles nearby absorbed a great deal of the shock of the explosion. James was in survival mode after it happened and he walked out of the bunker to get medical help. He was met by Larry with a shocked look on his face. Larry helped him get to the medical tent. James was airlifted to a hospital in Spain where he underwent surgery to remove shrapnel from his arms, necks, and legs. Back in Yuma, Wendy broke the shocking news to their two daughters; she assured them he was going to be okay. Meanwhile in Kuwait, investigators started interviewing witnesses. They started with Larry Framness who claimed that an Al Qaida operative must have done it. But the investigators were skeptical given they were in Kuwait because it wasn’t considered a dangerous place like Iraq. They also reminded him the intelligence gathering operatives didn’t have anything on record to back his theory up.

Investigators started putting the pressure on Larry Framness and he broke. He told them he threw a grenade in the bunker in an attempt to kill James so he could be with Wendy back in California. Larry admitted that the plan had been months in the making while James thought the affair between Larry and Wendy was something in the past. But the affair wasn’t over, not by a long shot. Larry and Wendy determined James was worth more dead than alive; they planned to murder him for the insurance money. The two stood to gain over $500,000 from the insurance policies. In the search, investigators found a note that appeared to be written by Wendy to Larry which basically itemized every life insurance policy and what they planned to purchase. Larry was taken into police custody while military investigators questioned Wendy Glass in Yuma. Wendy denied any involvement and told them she was unhappy but would never kill him.

Wendy denied any involvement in the murder attempt and portrayed herself as a good military spouse with an injured husband. But while military investigators were at her house, they started noticing things that belonged to Larry Framness. They asked her for permission to search the entire residence and found e-mails between Larry and Wendy that were very incriminating. They were professing their love for one another and talking about future plans. With the evidence piling up, Wendy had to make a confession of her own. She indicated that if she divorced her husband, he would take the children. And Larry had convinced her that she could be very happy with him with all that insurance money. A week after the explosion, Wendy was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. As James recovered from surgery, he learned the devastating news. James’ Commanding Officer told him Wendy and Larry did it.

James was informed that Larry and Wendy were both arrested for conspiring to murder him. In James’ mind, everything clicked and the sense of betrayal he experienced before was magnified. James’ whole life changed that day but he decided he was not going to let what they did to him define his life. After James got out of the hospital, he filed for divorce. On January 27, 2004, an article 32 hearing was held and James was a witness. At this hearing, James learned that the grenade was not the first attempt on his life. Wendy and Larry had conspired to murder James in the Laguna mountains in California. They wanted to get him drunk, put him in a moving vehicle, and launch him over a cliff. Unbeknownst to James, Larry was in the area to assist with the the murder. James realized the pill Wendy gave him was part of their sinister plot. Thankfully, it had zero effect on him. James’ children learned about the case on television.

Marine Larry Framness was found guilty and sentenced to twenty-five (25) years to life in prison for conspiracy to commit murder. Wendy Glass took a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to seven (7) years in prison in exchange for testifying against Larry Framness. Per her plea agreement, Wendy was required to admit her full culpability in the conspiracy and she did so. One of James and Wendy’s daughters wanted to know why their mom would try and kill her dad so she did some research, and learned the hard way. Their other daughter talked about how difficult it was to transition from their mom being there all the time to now being gone. In January 2005, James’ divorce from Wendy was finalized. While reflecting back on the marriage, James said he doesn’t regret his marriage to Wendy because they had a lot of good years and two beautiful daughters, but it will take him a long time to trust anyone ever again.

Source: Collateral Damage, Cold Hearted, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

James is a Marine living the American dream. His duty often takes him away from home, but he still provides for his family. While away his wife seeks companionship closer to home. A sordid affair culminates in an explosive revelation. -Collateral Damage, Cold Hearted (S1,E1)

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 Jailed in Alleged Murder Plot
Wife and Lover Held over Plot to Kill US Marine
Marine Indicted for Allegedly Plotting to Kill Fellow Officer
Marine in Kuwait Grenade Attack Indicted
Wife and marine lover charged with trying to murder husband
U.S. Marine Corps officer indicted for murder conspiracy
Marine’s lover testifies at hearing on grenade attack
Marine Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder
Marine Gets Life in Prison for Murder Plot
Officer Gets Life Term for Attempted Murder
Marine sentenced to life in prison for murder plot
Marine’s wife pleads guilty to murder conspiracy
Marine’s Wife in Arizona Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in Attempt to Have Him Killed in Kuwait
Marine asks leniency for wife who plotted against him
Wendy Glass and her lover, Larry Framness, have been convicted of unsuccessfully attempting to murder her husband, James Glass, three times.
United States v. Larry Framness (U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Criminal Court of Appeals, 2007)
NCIS probe of U.S. Marine’s attempted murder in Kuwait reveals a conspiracy of secrets and lies
Collateral Damage | Cold Hearted | Investigation Discovery (S1,E1)
Collateral Damage | Cold Hearted | Investigation Discovery (website)

Shonda Walter Used a Hatchet to Kill Neighbor & WWII Vet James Sementelli; Sentenced to Death But Commuted to Life in Prison, No Parole (March 25, 2003)

On March 25, 2003August 19, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their NameLeave a comment

“James E. Sementelli was a Private in the United States Army during World War II. He grew up in Lock Haven and was stationed at the Army’s Fort Weaver on Oahu when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After the war, he returned to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania where he worked as a taxi driver, in the post office, and at a paper mill. Unfortunately, Mr. Sementelli was a murder victim as part of a gang initiation and robbery” on March 25, 2003. [Neighbor Shonda Walter was found guilty of homicide and sentenced to death in 2005 but the death sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole due to ineffective counsel in 2016.] –Find A Grave

Investigation Discovery:

Neighbors can be a source of friendship and community comfort. But what happens when a neighbor stops watching out for you, and starts watching you. The sinister minds of these women begin to turn sour and they begin to torment their neighbors. -Loathe Thy Neighbor, Deadly Women (S5, E2)

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:
James E. Sementelli (1920-2003) | Find A Grave
Car, Change Said to Spur Homicide
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Appellee v. Shonda WALTER, Appellant (2009)
Lock Haven woman convicted of murder inching closer to execution
Quest for the truth aids lead prosecutor in Sandusky case, colleagues say
Death Row Delays: Victims’ Families Frustrated with Slow Death Penalty Process
Shonda Walter, a 36-year-old Black woman on Pennsylvania’s death row
Three women on Pennsylvania’s death row
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Appellee v. Shonda WALTER, Appellant (2015)
Shonda Walter Escapes Death Row in Vet’s Hatchet Killing
Shonda Walter Death Row: Murderer Given A Stay Of Execution
Shonda Walter Removed From Death Row, Sentence Thrown Out
Could One of These Cases Spell the End of the Death Penalty?
Supreme Court declines death penalty case
Death penalty imposed on woman in 2003 slaying thrown out
Judge vacates death sentence of convicted Clinton County hatchet murderer
Woman’s vacated death sentence brings death row count to 177
The Death Penalty Endgame | NY Times Opinion
World View: Death penalty opponents sense an opportunity
Is the Supreme Court going to reconsider the constitutionality of the death penalty?
Could these cases, including some from Louisiana, end America’s death penalty?
Supreme Court won’t hear capital punishment case
Death penalty decision won’t hinge on PA case
Supreme Court rejects appeal to outlaw death penalty
Supreme Court rejects Pa. female death row inmate’s appeal to outlaw capital punishment
Supreme Court won’t decide on status of executions. 180 Pennsylvanians sit on death row
Victim’s family, others resigned to Walter life sentence
Pennsylvania Inmate Shonda Walter Receives Stay Ahead of May 3, 2016, Execution
15 Vicious Criminals Who Barely Escaped Death Row On Technicality
Shonda Walter Women On Death Row
Shonda Walter | Supreme Court of the US | Death Penalty Information Center
Women Currently on Death Row in the United States
Women and Capital Punishment in the United States: An Analytical History
Shonda Dee Walter | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
List of Deadly Women episodes | Wikipedia
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Loathe Thy Neighbor’ on Investigation Discovery: Shonda Walter Killed Elderly Neighbor for Gang Initiation (August 5, 2011)
Loathe Thy Neighbor | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S5, E2)
Loathe Thy Neighbor | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Loathe Thy Neighbor | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Loathe Thy Neighbor | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)

Showtime Entertainment Released ‘Soldier’s Girl’: Based on the True Story of the Murder of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Barry Winchell (January 20, 2003)

On January 20, 2003November 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, ScandalsLeave a comment

Movie Description: In 1997, new Army recruit Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) is assigned to a base in Tennessee. He quickly befriends the quick-tempered Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy), who struggles with drug problems. One night, they venture out to a local bar hosting a drag show. Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a transsexual drag queen, fascinates Barry, and they strike up a relationship. As Barry and Calpernia grow closer, Justin becomes bitter and recruits another soldier (Philip Eddolls) to help get revenge. (112 minutes)

Soldier’s Girl Trailer | Showtime Entertainment

The story behind the movie Soldier’s Girl.

Celebrating the 15th year anniversary of the release of cable network Showtime’s “Soldier’s Girl.” New Army recruit Barry Winchell is assigned to a base in Tennessee. One night out to a local bar hosting a drag show. Calpernia Addams an in-transition transsexual drag queen, fascinates Barry, and they strike up a relationship. Troy Garity plays Winchell and in his film debut, Lee Pace exquisitely plays the role of Calpernia.

Vanity Fair Confidential featured an episode called Don’t Ask Don’t Kill on Investigation Discovery highlighting the case of Army Pfc Barry Winchell at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1999. Winchell was bludgeoned to death by a fellow soldier while he lay asleep in his cot on July 5 in the barracks. Winchell was described by his friends as someone who would give the shirt off his back for you. He was a model soldier and had dreams of becoming a Warrant Officer. He was a member of the elite Screaming Eagles, 101st Airborne and was considered a perfect fit for the military. He was described by fellow soldiers as a 50 caliber expert.

After Barry Winchell died, the military immediately began downplaying what had occurred on base at Fort Campbell. They initially claimed it was a fight that had gone too far. They told the family that Barry Winchell had been kicked in the head with a boot but his injuries did not match that theory. As a result, the family and media outlets were convinced the military was hiding the real story and believed they were trying to cover up the crime. Why? The military concluded that this was a rare soldier on soldier attack in their barracks but the claim that he was kicked in the head did not match the crime scene either. Although the military was tasked with the investigation of the murder, they declined to speculate on a motive.

The Army was not cooperating with anyone. -Vanity Fair Confidential

When Barry’s girlfriend Calpernia Addams learned about what happened to Barry, he was on life support and considered brain dead. He died twelve hours after the attack and she didn’t get an opportunity to see him. Calpernia learned that he had been murdered on base and believed that there was more to this story then what the Army was sharing. As a result, she set out to make sure both Barry’s parents and the media knew what she knew and suspected had happened. Calpernia was born a boy. She served in the US Navy as a transsexual and then once she got out of the military, she began her transition from man to woman. When Calpernia and Barry met, they hit it off immediately and started dating. When she met Barry, she was halfway to becoming a woman. She lovingly shared that Barry accepted her for who she was and supported her in her transition from man to woman.

Calpernia strongly believed that people were blurring the lines between whether Barry was gay or straight. She wanted people to know that he was straight and he liked women. Calpernia believed that Barry’s troubles began with an anonymous accusation that Barry was gay. She claimed that a fellow soldier said he saw Barry giving oral sex to a man in a Nashville gay bar. But no one believed it and his military comrades didn’t think he was gay. Calpernia believed that it was Barry’s roommate, Justin Fisher, who started spreading the rumors in an effort to cause harm to Barry. In 1999 the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was in effect and a soldier could in fact lose their career if they were found out. Justin Fisher didn’t have the best reputation. He was described as someone who thought he was a gangster even though he was from Nebraska. And some believed that Justin never should have been allowed to join the military.

According to Calpernia, Justin Fisher and Barry Winchell had a love/hate relationship. Fisher tormented him, joked about his sexuality, about him being a homosexual, and kept calling him a faggot. He told others that he didn’t trust him and eventually openly spread rumors that Barry was gay. Fisher also blackmailed Barry with his alleged homosexuality. He told their Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) about him being gay knowing that Barry could lose his career under the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy. Back in those days, once accused of being gay, you were dead in the water in a military setting. Some believe this case reveals that if gone unchecked the military can become an incubator for hate. At the time of DADT, it was virtually impossible to report anti-gay harassment and Barry’s family and friends were not quite sure how he dealt with the regular doses of harassment. As evidenced in this case and many others, he had nowhere to turn without fear of losing his cherished career.

At the time of DADT, it was virtually impossible to report anti-gay harassment without fear of losing your career. ~Vanity Fair Confidential

The military was in charge of the investigation because the crime occurred on a federal base. As with many cases, family, friends, and the media forced the Army to be accountable for what happened on their base on their watch. So as the investigation into Barry’s Winchell’s death continued, we learned what actually happened. Calvin Glover, an eighteen year old new recruit, was ultimately charged with the murder of Barry Winchell. Observers felt that he did it because of a combination of too many men, too much alcohol, and too little to do. The day before the murder, Calvin and Winchell got into a fight. Apparently Winchell dealt him one punch in the face and he went down. Calvin who was highly intoxicated swore he would get him back but Winchell apologized to him the next day and it appeared that everything was fine. Unfortunately, Justin Fisher (Winchell’s roommate) was provoking Calvin all day long asking him if he was going to take Winchell’s abuse.

That same night after Calvin Glover had consumed seventeen beers, he decided he was going to bed. Fisher went to his room and told him that Barry was telling everyone that he beat him up and they were all laughing about it. Fisher handed Calvin a wooden bat, suggested he hit Barry with it, and Calvin said he felt compelled to use it. In a drunken, peer pressured stupor, Calvin hit Barry Winchell multiple times in the head with the wooden bat. Barry Winchell was asleep and couldn’t defend himself. After Calvin was done hitting Barry, Fisher was laughing, jumping up and down, and told Calvin that they would keep it in the family. Then Calvin immediately began to destroy evidence. Fisher acted like he stumbled upon Winchell on the cot and was trying to help him. The soldiers tried calling 911 but they were not able to get through to emergency services on a base phone. Barry was taken to the hospital and twelve hours later, he was dead. Everyone in the barracks was wondering who would come in the barracks and kill them.

The soldiers tried calling 911 but they were not able to get through to emergency services on a base phone. -Vanity Fair Confidential

In the course of the investigation, Justin Fisher eventually identified Calvin Glover as the culprit. As a result of Calpernia Addams and others that stepped forward, we learned that there was more to the story underneath the surface. We learned that Justin Fisher had a much larger role in the crime then he was willing to admit. Justin Fisher introduced Calpernia Addams to Barry Winchell. Apparently Justin Fisher was interested in Calpernia Addams and after she chose Barry, he asked her if she would hook him up with one of her drag queen friends. Justin ended up hooking up with Kimmie Mayfield, who was a man. Everyone suspected that Justin was interested in guys because of his relationship with Kimmie. They hooked up several times in the course of a few months. We also learned this wasn’t Justin’s first walk on the wild side. He had a history of experimentation. Barry shared with Calpernia that one time he woke up to Justin playing with his feet. Calpernia deduced that Justin may have been jealous of Calpernia being with Barry or vice versa. It was noted that people tend to hate those who remind them of something they don’t want to face.

In the end about 90% of the soldiers who served with Barry Winchell, Calvin Glover, and Justin Fisher didn’t think this was a hate crime but instead a crime of passion. They did not witness any anti-gay rage; but they did witness too much alcohol. One of the soldiers believed that Justin Fisher also hit Barry Winchell with the bat because of the blood spatter evidence left at the crime scene. It matched someone who was left handed and Fisher was left handed. One of the soldiers mentioned this to Fisher and Fisher told him he was in the wrong career and should be a detective instead. The soldiers who served with them believed that Justin Fisher was the murderer and Calvin Glover was the murder weapon. Calvin felt pressured by Justin Fisher to hit Winchell while he was intoxicated. It is suspected that Fisher hit Winchell with the bat as well and may have been the one that dealt the fatal blows. Calvin participated in the Vanity Fair programming by phone from prison and did in fact express remorse for his role in Barry Winchell’s death.

Both Calvin Glover and Justin Fisher were court martialed. In the end, Calvin Glover was convicted of pre-meditated murder and was sentenced to life in prison with an opportunity for parole. Justin Fisher was charged as an accessory and restricted to his barracks while he was going through trial. Observers felt that it was ridiculous that Fisher was restricted to his barracks when in fact he was the mastermind of the murder. He too was convicted and sentenced to twelve and half years but was released early in 2006 after only serving seven years. Observers felt that Justin Fisher’s sentence was a miscarriage of justice considering it never would have happened if it wasn’t for him pushing Calvin Glover to hit Barry Winchell with the baseball bat that night. Justin Fisher now lives in the Mid-West and declined to comment on this Vanity Fair episode. He walks as a free man. In retrospect, Calvin Glover shared that he feels like this was a love triangle gone wrong and he wishes that he could take it all back.

At the end of the programming, Pat and Wally Kutteles (Barry’s parents) shared that they sent their son off to serve in the military, they did not send him off to be beaten to death with a bat while he was sleeping. Dixon Osborn from the Servicemen’s Legal Defense Network (SLDN) believed that the military simply wanted to sweep it under the rug with no connection to the gay reference. The military hoped the general public, the media, and Barry’s parents would just accept that it was a drunken brawl. All those involved felt like the military investigation was a joke. Calpernia Addams, Barry’s parents and friends, and the SLDN wanted to honor Barry’s memory by exposing the truth about Barry’s untimely death. They used Barry Winchell’s case as a catalyst to lift the dangerous Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. According to those involved, President Bill Clinton’s DADT policy was the biggest mistake ever for the military because it taught people to lie. At the peak of DADT, there were 3-4 soldiers discharged per day for their sexual orientation. DADT was a failure of the Clinton administration.

All those involved felt like the military investigation was a joke. -Vanity Fair Confidential

In an interesting twist, the Commander who was in charge at the time of the death of Barry Winchell sparked protest in Washington DC in 2000 when he was reassigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. In response, Eric Shinseki, the Army’s Chief of Staff, stated that General Clark’s command at Fort Campbell had been “distinguished by great competence and compassionate leadership. The Army has placed its trust and confidence in Major General Clark and I am confident he will continue to excel in service to our nation.” The military concluded in a public statement that this was the first gay bashing murder in over ten years and that soldier on soldier violence was rare. In October 1999, President Clinton signed an executive order increasing penalties for hate crimes in the military justice code and allowed a sentencing authority to hear evidence that a violent crime was based on race, color or sexual orientation. However, the order only applied to crimes committed after Nov. 30, 1999.

Barry Winchell’s parents lobbied with the SLDN to help change the DADT policy after losing their son. Even though their son was not gay, he was accused of being gay which eventually led to his death. Roughly ten years later in 2010, President Barack Obama signed a historic bill ending the DADT policy, a policy that compelled gay and lesbian service members to hide their sexual orientation. The ending of the policy made it official for gays and lesbians to serve openly in the Armed Forces. President Obama said he “hopes all those who left the service because of the policy will seek to re-enlist. And he encouraged all gays to consider service.” Although, gays and lesbians were cautioned to keep their identity to themselves until the law was official in 2011. This comes as one of the first major actions by Secretary Defense Leon Panetta, who had been on the job for three weeks. SecDef Panetta also lifted the ban on women in combat in 2013. Our military is now officially equal in all respects.

American Justice:

A Fort Campbell private in the US army is bludgeoned to death by fellow soldiers. -A Soldier’s Secret, American Justice

Investigation Discovery:

It was a crime that rocked the army, and when questions about a soldier’s sexuality revealed a cover-up, Vanity Fair uncovered the chilling truth. -Vanity Fair

ID Go: An all-American soldier is found bludgeoned to death. The Army calls it a fight that went too far. But investigators discover a shocking story that starts with a nightclub showgirl and ends with two men behind bars. -Don’t Ask Don’t Kill, Vanity Fair Confidential (S1, E7)

Related Links:
Barry Winchell (1977-1999) | Find A Grave
Why Do People Have To Push Me Like That?
Hate May Have Triggered Fatal Barracks Beating
Witness: GI failed polygraph on killing
Clinton signs an order on military hate crimes
DoD Clarifies “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy
Young Soldier Viciously Attacked While On Military Base, Leads To Presidential Statement
Army Private Admits Murder Charge
Army Private Guilty Of Murder
Murder of GI Denounced as Gay Ends in Conviction
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Doesn’t Work
Anti-gay speech widespread
A statement on the murder of Private First Class Barry Winchell
Soldier Gets 12 1/2 Years in Prison for His Role in Beating Death
Oklahoman convicted Army says Sulphur man guilty in other’s murder
Army Exonerates Officers In Slaying of Gay Private
Reports Clears Army in Gay Soldier’s Death
Don’t Ask Don’t Kill: Inside the Murder of Soldier Barry Winchell
Rise in harassment of gay US soldiers
No Fortunate Son
UNITED STATES, Appellee v. Justin R. FISHER, Specialist, U.S. Army, Appellant (2003)
Boys Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Cry
Has Clark Case Changed The Military?
Soldier’s Girl – The Reality | Calpernia Addams
Justin Fisher Released from Custody | Calpernia Addams
Soldier’s Girl – Variety
Lovers in a dangerous time
Soldier’s Girl Doesn’t Tell the Issues
Picks and Pans Review: Soldier’s Girl
‘Soldier’s Girl’ — a tragic love story / Intense, honest film about lead-up to anti-gay murder
Winchell Murder Co-Conspirator Released
Missouri Army Base Leads ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ Dismissal Rate
Gay soldier discharged for being beaten
Parents of murdered Army private speak out
Serving in Silence | Lawrence.com
Kennedy’s ‘Hate Crimes’ Help for the Military
Kennedy Smears Military in Pursuit of “Hate Crimes” Bill
Army releases soldier convicted in connection with anti-gay murder
Remembering Pfc. Barry Winchell on the 10th Anniversary of His Murder
Murdered soldier’s parents: Repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
Parents of murdered soldier, Barry Winchell, ask for DADT policy to be repealed
Don’t hate, embrace
Gay soldiers at Fort Campbell open up on coming out
Patricia Kutteles, Driven by Tragedy to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Dies at 67
Patricia Kutteles, military mother who helped repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ dies at 67
Patricia Kutteles, who fought against “don’t ask, don’t tell,” dies at 67
Kutteles helped end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
Vanity Fair Confidential to feature Winchell story
The Case for Demilitarizing the Military
Activist And Veteran Calpernia Addams Speaks On Trump’s Transgender Military Ban [Opinion]
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Fort Campbell, Kentucky (US Army)
Soldier’s Girl (2003) – Rotten Tomatoes
Soldier’s Girl (2003) – DVD Netflix
Soldier’s Girl Secrets
Soldier’s Girl Clip (2003)
A Soldier’s Secret | American Justice | A&E
How Barry Winchell’s Murder Rocked the United States Army | Psych of a Psycho
Soldier’s Girl Trailer | Showtime Entertainment
Don’t Ask Don’t Kill | Vanity Fair Confidential | Investigation Discovery (S1, E7)
S1/E5: Barry Winchell | This Week in True Crime History
Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America
Pfc. Barry L. Winchell Memorial Page | Facebook

Army National Guardsman Charles Lewis Fatally Shot Before Deployment to Iraq; Step-Mother Teresa Lewis Conspired, Executed by State of Virginia (October 30, 2002)

On October 30, 2002August 19, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, ScandalsLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2018-02-19 at 7.48.18 PM — Charles ‘CJ’ Lewis, Maryland Army National Guard

In the News:

A Virginia woman, Teresa Lewis, is scheduled to be executed in on September 23, which would be the first US execution of a woman in five years and in the state of Virginia over a decade. A Virginia woman who used sex and money to persuade two men to kill her husband and her stepson, in order to collect a $250,000 life insurance policy. -RT America (July 30, 2010)

The US state of Virginia is set to execute by lethal injection a 41-year-old grandmother, the first woman to be put to death in Virginia in almost 100 years. -Al Jazeera English (September 23, 2010)

Despite Teresa Lewis’ admission of guilt, many are still coming to her defense. -ABC News (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis set to die on death row – 5:30 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis execution – 6 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis, 41, became the first woman executed in Virginia in nearly a century. -CNN (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis executed – 11 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 24, 2010)

Woman executed in Virginia. -CNN (September 24, 2010)

Mentally Challenged Woman Executed? -The Young Turks (September 24, 2010)

Theresa Lewis before her tragic execution. -Ignored Voices (November 18, 2010)

Investigation Discovery:

Preview: Teresa Michelle Lewis used sex for currency to get what she wanted. -To Love and To Murder, Deadly Women (S5,E5)

Marriage is a lifelong commitment of love, and wedding vows. ‘To have and to hold; for better, for worse; until death do us part’. But for these monstrous wives, it was only the vow of ‘death do us part’ they upheld. -To Love and To Murder, Deadly Women (S5,E5)

While mourning the death of his wife, Julian falls hard for his much-younger coworker Teresa. For a time, her spunk lifts him out of to his sorrows until a sordid affair plunges him even deeper into the abyss. -Second Chance at Death, Fatal Vows (S5, E1)

Related Links:
Teresa Lewis v. Commonwealth of Virginia (2004)
Profile and Crimes of Teresa Lewis
John Grisham Asks– Why is Teresa Lewis on Death Row?
John Grisham: Teresa Lewis didn’t pull the trigger. Why is she on death row?
Teresa Lewis: the face of gender differences on death row
Two Men Pulled the Trigger–Why Must Teresa Lewis Die?
For Teresa Lewis, Execution Would Be Unjust
Woman on Death Row Runs Out of Appeals
In Virginia, a Woman on the Verge of Execution
Debating Women and the Death Penalty
Death Row and the Pussy Pass
Lady Killer: How the planned execution of Teresa Lewis challenges our views on gender and capital punishment
Teresa Lewis, Mentally Disabled Woman, To Be Executed In Virginia This Month
Executing Teresa Lewis is Wrong
I’m very sorry: the final words of Teresa Lewis
Death-row woman Teresa Lewis’s last words: ‘I’m very sorry’
Teresa Lewis Appeared Fearful as She Entered Virginia’s Death Chamber
Virginia executes Teresa Lewis; people gather in Roanoke to protest
‘I witnessed my stepmom’s execution’
Teresa Lewis Executed; Kagan Broke with Female Colleagues in Stay Vote
Teresa Lewis executed in Virginia
Va. puts Teresa Lewis to death; rare US female execution
Virginia puts woman to death by lethal injection
Virginia executes Teresa Lewis for role in slayings of husband, stepson in 2002
Teresa Lewis is Executed; What Made Her Case So Interesting?
Teresa Lewis executed by lethal injection in Virginia for conspiring in murders of husband, stepson
Virginia executes its first woman since 1912 as Teresa Lewis dies by lethal injection amid international outcry
Va. executes first woman in nearly 100 years
US woman Teresa Lewis executed for family murders
‘Borderline disabled’ grandmother put to death for double murder
The cruel and unusual punishment of Teresa Lewis
Execution Of Virginia Woman Stirs Objections
Virginia’s execution of a woman may signal shift in national thinking
Only After Virginia Woman Is Executed Do The Gory Details Emerge
The Controversial Execution of Teresa Lewis, Who Had Her Husband & Stepson Killed for Cash
Teresa Lewis Executed in Virginia; Plotted Murder of Her Husband and Stepson
Supreme Court to revisit death penalty for mentally disabled
13 Female Murderers’ Last Meals Serve A Plate Of Bizarre Requests, From Sweet Peas To A Nice Bowl Of Apricots
Teresa Lewis: ‘Fatal Vows’ On ID Begins With ‘Frightened’ Executed Inmate’s Murder Story Of Julian Lewis
Episode 10: The Case of Teresa Lewis | Death’s Door Podcast
Contract Killer : The True Story of Teresa Lewis by Chelsea Cross
Executing Women in the USA | Amnesty International
Deadly Women Premiered ‘To Love and To Murder’ on Investigation Discovery: Teresa Lewis Used Sex to Get What She Wanted (August 26, 2011)
Fatal Vows Premiered ‘Second Chance at Death’ on Investigation Discovery: Father and Son Julian & CJ Lewis Murdered in Virginia Home (May 13, 2017)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Video Links:
Sex, money and the death penalty
US grandmother set to be executed
Virginia Set to Execute First Woman Since 1912
Teresa Lewis set to die on death row – 5:30 p.m.
Teresa Lewis execution – 6 p.m.
CNN: Accounts of Teresa Lewis being put to death
Theresa Lewis before her tragic execution
Execution of Teresa Lewis
Teresa Lewis executed – 11 p.m.
Woman executed in Virginia
Teresa Lewis Receives Execution By Lethal Injection
Mentally Challenged Woman Executed?
Song A Day #634: The Ballad of Teresa Lewis
Death Row Prisoners Last Meals
The Puppetmaster | Deadly Women (Preview)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S5, E5)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (S5,E1)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (website)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)

Retired Army National Guard Pilot & Serial Killer Robert Lee Yates, Jr. Convicted of 2 More Murders in Washington; Sentenced to Death (September 19, 2002)

On September 19, 2002November 17, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Scandals, VeteransLeave a comment

Robert Lee Yates Ranker — Robert Lee Yates, Jr., Army National Guard Retired (photo: Ranker)

The Victims:
July 13, 1975: Patrick Oliver
July 13, 1975: Susan Savage
December 28, 1988: Stacy E. Hawn
August 25, 1996: Patricia Barnes
June 14, 1996: Shannon Zielinski
August 26, 1997: Heather Hernandez
August 26, 1997: Jennifer Joseph
November 5, 1997: Darla Scott
December 7, 1997: Melinda Mercer
December 18, 1997: Shawn Johnson
December 26, 1997: Laurie Wason
February 8, 1998: Sunny Oster
April 1, 1998: Linda Maybin
May 12, 1998: Melody Murfin
July 7, 1998: Michelyn Derning
October 13, 1998: Connie LaFontaine Ellis

Source: Robert Lee Yates | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Click here for another list of Victims of Robert Lee Yates from Serial Killers Podcast.

“According to the Spokane Spokesman-Review, the German federal police are looking into the deaths of 26 prostitutes with assistance from U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command.Yates, a former Navy helicopter pilot, was stationed in Goeppingen, Germany, from 1988 to 1991. The FBI has found the black van he allegedly owned in Germany and has searched it for evidence.” –Whidbey News-Times (October 18, 2000)

UPDATE: Washington State Supreme Court Outlawed Death Penalty; Serial Killer Robert Yates’ Death Sentence Converted To Life in Prison (October 11, 2018)

ROBERT LEE YATES

Number of confirmed victims: At least 15
Years and location: 1970s-1990s, Washington state
Characteristics: A married father of five who flew helicopters in the Army and the National Guard, Yates predominantly preyed on prostitutes. One of the victims was buried in Yates’ yard.
Arrest, conviction and sentence: Arrested on April 18, 2000. Yates was arrested after police matched fibers found on the body of a dead prostitute to Yates’ car, which also had blood on the seatbelt and seat. DNA testing and other evidence linked Yates to at least 12 murders. He later pleaded guilty to 13 killings in exchange for a life sentence (408 years) in lieu of the death penalty. In 2002, he was convicted of two additional murders in a different county and sentenced to death. Yates’ attorneys have repeatedly appealed the ruling but he remains on death row awaiting execution at the Washington State Penitentiary.

Source: Serial Killers Fast Facts (CNN)

In the News:

Melissa speaks with the daughters of Robert Lee Yates Jr, who murdered at least 13 people in Washington State. (2015)

Robert Lee Yates Jr’s family members share their memories of the serial killer. (2015)

Spokane Serial Killer Robert Yates will be learning Thursday whether or not his death penalty conviction for the murders of two women near Tacoma will be overturned by the Washington State Supreme Court. KXLY4’s Jeff Humphrey reports. (2007)

In a majority opinion the Washington State Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Spokane Serial Killer Robert Yates and upheld his death sentence for the murders of two women in Pierce County in the late 1990s. (2007)

Attorneys for convicted Spokane Serial Killer Robert Yates have filed their application for a stay of his execution which is scheduled for later this month. (2008)

Spokane Serial Killer Robert Yates has been transferred from death row in Walla Walla to Pierce County where he will be in court Friday as Judge John McCarthy signs his death warrant. KXLY4’s Jeff Humphrey reports. (2008)

Kathy Lloyd feared that Robert Yates would live longer than her. He killed her sister, Shawn McLenahan. Now a Tacoma judge will sign Yates’ death warrant, and Lloyd is hoping Yates will die soon. KXLY4’s Sally Showman reports. (2008)

Back in the mid 1990’s when Robert Yates was stalking Spokane prostitutes another serial killer was making regular visits to the city. A new book reveals the “Happy Face Killer” often traveled to Spokane where the long haul trucker would spend time with his children. KXLY4’s Jeff Humphrey reports. (2010)

Spokane Serial Killer Robert Yates is claiming he had ineffective legal counsel in his latest appeal of his death sentence for the killings of two women in Pierce County in the late 1990s. KXLY4’s Melissa Luck reports. (2013)

On August 26, 1997, the half-naked body of prostitute Heather Hernandez, 20 was found in an empty lot in Spokane Washington. The same day, the decomposed corpse of prostitute Jennifer Joseph, 16, was discovered in an alfalfa field. Both women had been shot in the head. The day after Christmas, four more women were found with plastic bags tied over their heads, the gruesome signature of a killer who had sexually violated each one of them, after they had died. When the killer is finally arrested he turns out to be a devoted husband, a father of five, a National Guard helicopter pilot and a Desert Storm veteran. Robert Lee Yates Jr. is charged for 13 murders. (2013)

Investigation Discovery:

A serial killer plagues Spokane, Washington, claiming the lives of more than a dozen victims. The reexamination of an old clue finally helps investigators zero in on the murderer. -Monster in Spokane, Unusual Suspects (S1,E6)

ID Go: The Yates family moves to Spokane, WA only to find it besieged by a serial killer who’s targeting young women and confounding the police. Now, the family’s never-before-aired home videos provide a chilling look of one of America’s most notorious killers. -Family Snapshot, American Monster (S2, E2)

ID Go: Tony Harris pieces together the 1990 case of three prostitutes killed in Spokane, Washington, and discovers a pattern of murders connected by twenty-two caliber bullets, a killing spree that shocked a city and a suspect with a stunning new identity. -Down by the River, Scene of the Crime with Tony Harris (S2, E1)

Down by the River | Scene of the Crime with Tony Harris | ID
Family Snapshot | American Monster | Investigation Discovery
Monster in Spokane | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery
Spokane Serial Killer: Robert Lee Yates | Monster in My Family | AETV
These Home Videos Of The Yates Family Are A Prelude To Terrifying Trauma That Would Come
12 Terrifying Facts about Robert Lee Yates – The Most Deranged Killer
Monster in My Family: Robert Lee Yates Jr’s Daughters Speak Out
Monster in My Family: Yates Family Home Movies
Supreme Court to rule on Serial Killer’s appeal (2007)
Supreme Court upholds Yates death sentence (2007)
Spokane Serial Killer files for stay of execution (2008)
Judge to sign serial killer’s death warrant (2008)
Yates’ death still won’t bring closure to sister of victim (2008)
Daughter’s book sheds new insight into “Happy Face Killer” (2010)
Serial killer Robert Yates claims ineffective counsel in latest death penalty appeal (2013)
Most Shocking Murders : The Spokane Serial Killer (2013)
Watch Spokane Serial Killer: Robert Lee Yates – Monster in My Family | LMN

People Magazine Published ‘A War at Home’: Five Military Spouses Slain in Six Weeks at Fort Bragg (August 12, 2002)

On August 12, 2002August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, True CrimeLeave a comment

“On July 19 the perfect picture shattered. After a loud argument that was overheard by neighbors, Brandon Floyd shot his wife Andrea, then turned his gun on himself. The double slaying was the fourth domestic tragedy at Fort Bragg in recent weeks. On June 11 Sgt. First Class Rigoberto Nieves, 32, shot himself and his wife, Teresa, 28, two days after returning from Afghanistan. Over the next six weeks Master Sgt. William Wright, 36, allegedly strangled his wife, Jennifer, 32; Sgt. Cedric Griffin, 28, allegedly stabbed his estranged wife, Marilyn, 32, and set fire to her home; and Maj. David Shannon, 40, was shot while sleeping in his home, a killing in which police have said that the wife remains a suspect.” Read more from People here.

Related Links:
A War at Home | People Magazine
Fort Bragg Army SFC Rigoberto Nieves Fatally Shot Wife Teresa Two Days After Returning Home From Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide (June 11, 2002)
Fort Bragg Army 1SG William Wright Murdered Wife Jennifer While Home on Leave from Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide in Jail While Awaiting Trial (June 29, 2002)
Marilyn Griffin Found Stabbed to Death in House Fire; Fort Bragg Army Sgt. Cedric Griffin Pleaded Guilty to Murder of Estranged Wife, Sentenced to Life in Prison (July 9, 2002)
Retired Army Soldier Andrea Floyd Murdered by Army Husband Brandon Floyd in Murder-Suicide at Fort Bragg (July 19, 2002)
Army Major David Shannon Fatally Shot by Step Daughter Elizabeth While Sleeping; Wife Joan Shannon Guilty of Conspiracy, Sentenced to Life, No Parole (July 23, 2002)
A List of Soldiers Targeted & Murdered for Military Survivor and Life Insurance Benefits (SGLI)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners (2017)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery (July 20, 2018)
Scorned, Love Kills: 7 Military & Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery (October 31, 2018)
Forbidden, Dying for Love Premiered ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ on Investigation Discovery: Fort Bragg Army MSgt William Wright Admitted Murdering Wife (June 29, 2019)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death and Suicide at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (US Army)

Army Major David Shannon Fatally Shot by Step Daughter While Sleeping; Wife Joan Guilty of Conspiracy, Sentenced to Life, No Parole (July 23, 2002)

On July 23, 2002August 19, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, ScandalsLeave a comment

Preview: Joan wants to kill her husband, and her daughter may be the perfect hitman. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)

Military spouse Joan Shannon conspired with her daughter Elizabeth to murder Army Major David Shannon for the Servicemens Group Life Insurance. On July 23, 2002, Elizabeth Shannon fatally shot Major David Shannon twice at close range while he laid in his bed in his Fort Bragg, North Carolina home. Joan Shannon was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in prison plus thirteen years for conspiracy to commit murder. The gunman, Elizabeth Shannon, pleaded guilty to the murder of Major Shannon and was sentenced to 25-31 years in prison. The motive for the crime was greed and Joan Shannon manipulated and coerced her teen daughter Elizabeth to commit the crime.

Investigation Discovery:

An Army Major lay lifeless in his bed, shot twice at close range while sleeping next to his wife. Investigators would soon uncover an intricately planned murder plot involving sex parties, adultery and coercion. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)

When Special Forces Major David Shannon is fatally shot in his family home, investigators wonder if his job made him a target. But a deeper inspection of his personal life reveals sordid secrets… possibly leading to his murder. -She Loves Me Not, Married with Secrets (S2, E3)

Vietnam Veteran Drexelle McBride Shot to Death in Vehicle in Louisiana; Alisha Disotell Convicted of Manslaughter, Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison (July 15, 2002)

On July 15, 2002July 5, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their NameLeave a comment

Drexelle McBride, Vietnam veteran

Alisha Disotell

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: Friends discover the lifeless body of good-natured Vietnam vet Drexelle McBride in the driver’s seat of his white van. Leads are scarce, until Detective Rod Demery charts the victim’s final hours, and learns of a chance meeting gone terribly awry. -Looking for Love, Murder Chose Me (S1, E4)

Related Links:
State of Louisiana v. Alisha Disotell (2004)
Alisha Disotell v. Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (2007)
Drexelle McBride: On ‘Murder Chose Me’ Vietnam Vet Shot, Killed By Prostitute
Caddo DA homicide detective key to new TV series
Series featuring former Shreveport homicide detective set to premiere on ID
Drexelle McBride murder 7/15/2002 Shreveport, LA *Alisha J. Disotell pled guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 30 years hard labor in prison*
Looking for Love | Murder Chose Me | Investigation Discovery (S1, E4)
Looking for Love | Murder Chose Me | Investigation Discovery UK

Fort Bragg Army 1SG William Wright Murdered Wife Jennifer While Home on Leave from Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide in Jail While Awaiting Trial (June 29, 2002)

On June 29, 2002August 7, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Stateside Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Jennifer Wright

William Wright, U.S. Army

Forbidden: Dying for Love featured the Jennifer and William Wright 2002 homicide-suicide case on Investigation Discovery. ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ highlighted the circumstances that lead to the murder of Jennifer Wright and the pain it inflicted on those who were left behind including their three sons. According to the show, William Wright was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina with his wife and three children. MSgt Wright was routinely deployed after 9/11/2001 and as a result he was never home. Bill’s absence was hard on Jennifer and the marriage. She wanted Bill to leave the Army but the Army was his life; it’s what he was meant to do. While Bill was deployed in Afghanistan, he learned that Jennifer was telling people back home that he divorced her.

Bill was stunned to learn the news and was granted leave to go back stateside and deal with his family crisis. Bill learned Jennifer was having an affair with the pastor at church and she wanted a divorce. Instead of salvaging his marriage, Bill murdered Jennifer in the family home on June 29, 2002 and covered it up. When investigators questioned Bill about Jennifer’s murder, he broke down and told them everything. Bill admitted he hit his wife with a baseball bat and then strangled her to death. He then put her body in a garbage bag and buried her in some woods near Fort Bragg. In 2003, William Wright was in prison awaiting trial when he died by suicide in his jail cell. Jennifer and William’s sons expressed concern that the Army’s anti-malaria drugs negatively impacted their father’s health and was most likely the reason this tragedy occurred.

This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. Rigoberto Nieves fatally shot his wife Teresa on June 11, 2002; Cedric Griffin fatally stabbed his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd fatally shot his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.

Source: ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ Forbidden: Dying for Love

ID Go: While her husband serves in the army, a lonely married mother of three finds comfort in the arms of her church’s charismatic new minister. But danger looms in the form of a jealous love-rival that will stop at nothing to scare her away. -Onward, Christian Soldier, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S4,E4)

Related Links:
Fort Bragg Soldier Admits To Wife’s Murder
Wives’ slayings shock Army at Fort Bragg
Soldiers kill wives after serving in Afghanistan
Murders shake US military
A Base Rocked by Violence
A War at Home | People
Blood on the Home Front | Time
Death in the Ranks at Fort Bragg
4 Wives Slain in 6 Weeks at Ft. Bragg
Fort Bragg’s Deadly Summer | Vanity Fair (December 2002)
Rash of Wife Killings at Ft. Bragg Leaves the Base Wondering Why
Suicide In Fort Bragg Jail (March 24, 2003)
Special Forces Soldier Hangs Himself
Third Bragg soldier took malaria drug
Special Forces soldier charged in wife’s slaying hangs himself
What to Watch on Saturday: A Fayetteville murder on ID, new movies from Hallmark and Lifetime
Onward, Christian Soldier | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (S4,E4)
Onward, Christian Soldier | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (website)
Onward, Christian Soldier | Forbidden: Dying for Love | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death and Suicide at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (US Army)
Death on the Home Front (2009)

Tourists Joshua Ford & Martha Crutchley Murdered in Maryland; Erika Sifrit Sentenced to Life, Benjamin Sifrit Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison (May 25, 2002)

On May 25, 2002October 3, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, VeteransLeave a comment

Benjamin and Erika Sifrit murdered tourists Joshua Ford, 32, and Martha Crutchley, 51, on May 25, 2002 in Ocean City, Maryland. In 2003, Benjamin Sifrit was sentenced to 38 years in prison for one homicide and the dismemberment of human bodies and his wife Erika was sentenced to life in prison plus twenty years for two homicides. Benjamin Sifrit was a Navy Seal who was dishonorably discharged shortly after marrying Erika.

In the News:

From the outside, Benjamin and Erika Sifrit looked like a typical young middle-class married couple. But behind closed doors, their marriage harbored dark secrets that included drugs and an obsession with stealing Hooters memorabilia. When their vices were no longer fulfilling their needs, they turned to something more sinister – thrill killing. (Part 1)

Ocean City’s ‘Thrill Kill’ Couple (Part 2)

Ocean City’s ‘Thrill Kill’ Couple (Part 3)

Forensic Files:

Full Episode: The couple spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach, and then they simply vanished. Their clothes and personal items were still in the rented condo, their car was parked outside, and there were no signs of forced entry or foul play. A week later, police would get an unexpected lead from a robbery in progress, and the evidence they found helped them to solve a crime of unparalleled violence and brutality. -Dirty Little Seacret, Forensic Files (S13, E47)

Oxygen:

A young woman’s scrapbook offers insight into a shocking crime. -Erika Sifrit, Snapped (S8,E11)

A vacationing couple’s disappearance exposes the horrific crimes of a murderous husband and wife. -Erika and BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (S11,E2)

Investigation Discovery:

In 2002, Erika and BJ Sifrit’s vacation in Ocean City, MD ended with them in the back of a squad car arrested for armed robbery. When two dismembered bodies were later unearthed, the connection between the two crimes would reveal a grisly murder. -Ocean City, Sins and Secrets (S2,E8)

A seemingly perfect young couple is concealing a sinful life of crime and sexual depravity. Then later, a threesome of lovers ends in a bizarre homicide and cover-up. -Killers on the Run, Deadly Sins (S3,E9)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Investigation Discovery

Marine James Glass Severely Injured in Grenade Attack on Marine Corps Base in Kuwait; Fellow Marine Larry Framness and Wife Wendy Glass Guilty of Conspiring to Commit Murder (May 14, 2003)

Shonda Walter Used a Hatchet to Kill Neighbor & WWII Vet James Sementelli; Sentenced to Death But Commuted to Life in Prison, No Parole (March 25, 2003)

Showtime Entertainment Released ‘Soldier’s Girl’: Based on the True Story of the Murder of Fort Campbell Army Pfc. Barry Winchell (January 20, 2003)

Army National Guardsman Charles Lewis Fatally Shot Before Deployment to Iraq; Step-Mother Teresa Lewis Conspired, Executed by State of Virginia (October 30, 2002)

Retired Army National Guard Pilot & Serial Killer Robert Lee Yates, Jr. Convicted of 2 More Murders in Washington; Sentenced to Death (September 19, 2002)

People Magazine Published ‘A War at Home’: Five Military Spouses Slain in Six Weeks at Fort Bragg (August 12, 2002)

Army Major David Shannon Fatally Shot by Step Daughter While Sleeping; Wife Joan Guilty of Conspiracy, Sentenced to Life, No Parole (July 23, 2002)

Vietnam Veteran Drexelle McBride Shot to Death in Vehicle in Louisiana; Alisha Disotell Convicted of Manslaughter, Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison (July 15, 2002)

Fort Bragg Army 1SG William Wright Murdered Wife Jennifer While Home on Leave from Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide in Jail While Awaiting Trial (June 29, 2002)

Tourists Joshua Ford & Martha Crutchley Murdered in Maryland; Erika Sifrit Sentenced to Life, Benjamin Sifrit Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison (May 25, 2002)

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