DOD Releases Annual Report on Sexual Harassment & Violence at the Military Service Academies, Academic Program Year 2017-2018 (January 31, 2019)

Department of Defense“Today, the Department of Defense released the Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies, Academic Program Year 2017-2018…There were 117 reports of sexual assault received across all three academies. This is an increase of five from the prior academic program year, indicating confidence in response measures, however, surveyed measures of unwanted sexual contact and sexual harassment increased compared to rates last measured in 2016. There was also an overall increase in sexual harassment.” Read more here. -Department of Defense (January 31, 2019)

To view the full report, visit SAPR.mil.

Related Links:
DOD Releases Annual Report on Sexual Harassment & Violence at the Military Service Academies, Academic Program Year 2017-2018 (January 31, 2019)
Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies (MSAs) for Academic Program Year (APY) 2017-2018
USA Today publishes fake news story about sexual assault at the military academies | CAAFlog
Department of Defense Retaliation and Response Strategy (July 2017)
Fiscal Year 2017 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military (April 2018)
Department of Defense Instruction 6495.02 | Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program Procedures

Killer Couples Premiered ‘Erika and BJ Sifrit’ on Oxygen: Lethal Lovers Murder Ocean City, Maryland Tourists for the Thrill (January 28, 2019)

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

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

Oxygen (Previews & Bonus Clips):

Erica Sifrit was your typical girl next door during high school, but experienced issues with anxiety and OCD at Mary Washington College. -Erika & BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (January 29, 2019)

Erika and Benjamin Sifrit’s marriage ended in thrill killings, pain, and anguish. -Erika & BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (January 29, 2019)

Scott Bernal, Ocean City Lead Detective discusses the murder trials of Erika and Benjamin Sifrit’s for the death two tourists. -Erika & BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (January 30, 2019)

Ocean City Detectives Brett Case and Scott Bernal reflect on the murder of Joshua Edward Ford and the acquittal of Benjamin Sifrit, and his potential release. -Erika & BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (January 30, 2019)

Kristen Heinbaugh, a high school friend of Erika Sifrit, reflects on the character of the person she used to know before the murders of Joshua Edward Ford and Martha Margene Crutchley. -Erika & BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (January 30, 2019)

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, E46)

Related Links:
Cruel Death by M. William Phelps (Book)
Erika and BJ Sifrit | Killer Couples | Oxygen (S11,E2)
Erika Sifrit | Snapped | Oxygen (S8, E11)
Killer Couples: Preview – Erica Sifrit Struggles With Her Identity
Killer Couples: Preview – Erika & Benjamin Sifrit’s Fiery Romance Led To Murder
Killer Couples: Bonus Clip – Ocean City Detective Explains The Sifrit Murder Trials
Killer Couples: Bonus Clip – Detectives Disappointed By Benjamin Sifrit’s Sentence
Killer Couples: Bonus Clip – Former Friend, Kristen Heinbaugh, On Erika Sifrit
Dirty Little Seacret | Forensic Files | Full Episode (S13, E47)
Killers on the Run | Deadly Sins | Investigation Discovery (S3, E9)
Killers on the Run | Deadly Sins | Investigation Discovery (website)
Killers on the Run | Deadly Sins | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Ocean City | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (S2, E8)
Ocean City | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (website)
Ocean City | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Lethal Lovers | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S3, E9)
Lethal Lovers | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Lethal Lovers | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Lethal Lovers | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Once Upon A Crime – Episode 112: Erika and Benjamin Sifrit – Killer Couple
Tourists Joshua Ford & Martha Crutchley Murdered in Maryland; Erika Sifrit Sentenced to Life, Benjamin Sifrit Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison (May 25, 2002)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Lethal Lovers’ on ID: Erika and Benjamin Sifrit Murdered Maryland Tourists Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley (October 15, 2009)
Forensic Files Premiered ‘Dirty Little Seacret’: Thrill Killers Erika and Benjamin Sifrit Murdered Two Tourists in Ocean City, Maryland (May 28, 2010)
Snapped Premiered ‘Erika Sifrit’ on Oxygen: Woman’s Arrest Leads to Shocking Homicides of Tourists in Ocean City, Maryland (June 16, 2011)
Sins and Secrets Premiered ‘Ocean City’ on ID: Tourists Joshua Ford & Martha Crutchley Reported Missing in Maryland (March 1, 2012)
Deadly Sins Premiered ‘Killers on the Run’ on Investigation Discovery: Erika and Benjamin Sifrit Murder Two Ocean City Tourists (March 8, 2014)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Kansas Army National Guard Veteran Zachary Schaffer Found Unresponsive in Kansas City Home; Death Ruled Fatal Drug Overdose (January 23, 2019)

Zachary Schaffer

Spc. Zachary Schaffer, Kansas Army National Guard

Kansas Army National Guard veteran Zachary Schaffer, 21, was found unresponsive in his Kansas City, Kansas home on January 23, 2019. According to the Dodge City Daily Globe, Zachary fatally overdosed only a few days after he was punished and discharged from the Kansas Army National Guard. According to his mother, Wendy Mottas, Zachary, or Zach, as he was known to most, was accused of failing to show up for multiple weekend drills and discharged with an “other than honorable.” In the midst of losing his military career and eventually his security clearance, Zach was flagged by his command for the prescribed use of Adderall to treat ADHD, even after he was reassured it was okay for him to take the prescription. Wendy doesn’t know if her son’s death was intentional, but stated Zach began suffering with depression and substance abuse during his time in service with the Kansas Army National Guard. Zach went from being a stellar soldier at the age of 19 to being hired as a full time military technician to losing that same position less than one year later for reasons undisclosed. Six months after being fired by the Kansas Army National Guard, he was also passed over for deployment to Afghanistan, having been told he was ‘red flagged’ for the use of Adderall. Six months later, Zach would also experience sadness and grief after losing his friend, 24 year-old Kansas Army National Guardsman Khamis Naser, who died by suicide on July 31, 2018.

Zach grew up in the Hutchinson, Kansas area and joined the Kansas Army National Guard in May 2014. Zach’s mother, also an Army veteran, said he was born in Germany when she was in the military. Zach came from a military family and it was a natural fit for him too. Wendy shared Zach was always intelligent and she knew he would be successful because he was very skilled in anything related to computers and coding. After Zach completed Army basic training and specialty training, he progressed quickly as a soldier and eventually got a full-time job with the Kansas Army National Guard at age 19. Zach was a federal military technician (Personnel Security Technician: GS-7) during the week and on Guard weekends, he was an Intelligence Analyst (E-4). Zach’s downward spiral began when he lost his full-time job as a federal technician and was made to feel incompetent by those who also originally built him up to be a great soldier with a bright future in the military. Zach’s mother does not know why Zach was fired during the probationary period, but she does suspect that Zach had information about other National Guard members whose misconduct were overlooked during routine background checks so they could maintain their security clearances.

Once Zach lost his full-time position, he went from being a professional soldier to not caring about anything anymore. He moved from his home in Topeka, Kansas to Lawrence, Kansas and became somewhat estranged from the family. Zach became secretive, fell in with the wrong crowd, stopped going to therapy and became reliant on self-medicating to take care of the pain of depression he was feeling.  Realizing this lifestyle was not healthy, Zach moved back home to Junction City and tried to get his life together in early January 2018. After about three months of living at home, he discovered the Kansas Army National Guard unit in Junction City, Kansas was tasked with a deployment to Afghanistan, to which he inquired and expressed interest to the unit’s leadership. The leadership put him through mobilization procedures for nearly a month and then his deployment orders to Afghanistan were cancelled citing he had been flagged during the pre-deployment process for Adderall use. Zach was prescribed Adderall for the diagnosis ADHD and his mother states he was prescribed the drug due to a struggle with concentration and focus. Once Zach was flagged, someone made the decision to prevent him from deploying to Afghanistan and his mother does not know if his National Guard unit influenced the decision at that time or not.

Zach was looking forward to the deployment. Instead his orders to Afghanistan were cancelled and it was then Zach started meeting regularly with mental health personnel for depression. It is unknown what Zach may have shared with health care professionals, but his family realized something changed in Zach’s life. Shortly after, Zach moved from Junction City to Kansas City with a friend with which his family was not familiar. He remained distant from his family and friends. Worse yet, the same military officer (O-4) who made the decision to fire Zachary from his full-time military technician position also influenced National Guard unit leadership to end Zach’s military career in its entirety. Leadership observed the changes in Zach’s attendance and behavior. Instead of helping him, they used it to revoke his security clearance knowing he needed a security clearance for his job as an intelligence specialist in the National Guard and his full-time job with the Marine Corps. During this time, the only thing done to assist Zach or try to get to the root of the issues he was having was to refer him to the unit’s social work office. At some point, this social worker was told to ‘stand down’ and allow the unit’s part-time civilian social worker to take care of his issues. To his mother’s knowledge, this individual never contacted Zach to offer support and he was never offered any type of assistance including participation in the Army Substance Abuse Program.

In early July 2018, Zach contacted his mom and stated he wanted to go to an inpatient rehabilitation program. He self-admitted to the substance abuse program to help him stop his drug dependency and get his life back on track. The day after Zach left the rehabilitation program and returned to Kansas City, he learned his best friend and fellow National Guardsman, Khamis Naser, had died by suicide. Zach told his mother he had talked to Khamis only five hours before he was found dead in his apartment. Zach attended the August 2018 drill weekend and his mother said he told her he was met with disdain from his leadership. Zach’s mother states she has text messages from her son indicating the NCOs in his unit were bullying him. Zach told her they said his best friend would still be alive if he ‘wouldn’t have been high’ and ‘would’ve been there for him’ (Khamis). After Zach was blamed for the death of his friend, he got in a physical confrontation with one of his NCOs. During another drill weekend, word got around the unit that leadership wanted to ‘get rid of that “shitbag”’ (referring to Zach) because he made the unit ‘look bad.’ Despite the ill treatment by the Kansas Army National Guard, Zach picked himself up and got a new job as a civilian contractor for the Marine Corps in Kansas City at age 21. Unfortunately, a short time after he got the job, he was terminated when he learned the National Guard had suspended his security clearance. At this point, Zach had no income, including from his drill weekends, due to a status discrepancy. Zach was still considered in ‘active duty’ status because of the deployment orders to Afghanistan and no one in his military leadership would assist him to get transferred back to his original unit. His mother states he discussed this with someone at his unit who agreed with him — why bother going to weekend drill if he was getting bullied and not receiving any pay? He stopped attending drill after September of 2018 and once again became estranged from his family. He would never return to the National Guard.

According to the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, the Kansas Army National Guard suicide prevention program is “based on the premise that suicide prevention will be accomplished through the positive action of unit leaders and implementation of command policy. The key to the prevention of suicide is positive leadership and honest concern by supervisors for military personnel who are at risk of suicide and appropriate intervention for all such personnel.” Khamis Naser died by suicide in July 2018 and six months later in January 2019, Zach Schaffer died of a fatal drug overdose. How did the Kansas Army National Guard’s suicide prevention program help Khamis and Zach? Although we don’t know why Khamis Naser chose to die by suicide, we do know he was a current member of the Kansas Army National Guard. One would think losing a fellow comrade would initiate a more proactive suicide prevention approach yet instead we learn the very people tasked with a “positive and honest concern by supervisors” for military personnel at risk of suicide and appropriate intervention was not implemented in the last couple of years. Zach was a soldier dealing with the loss of his full-time job, grief from the loss of his friend, the loss of his military career, and the loss of his security clearance. Military leadership knew Zach was not well and they knew he was a risk to himself.

The top 10 most stressful life events include death of a loved one, separation, starting a new job, workplace stressors, financial problems, and chronic illness/injury. Zach’s mom shares he was dealing with six out of ten of those stressful life events at the age of 21. Wendy wonders why the military wouldn’t be especially cognizant of the fact they are molding young kids into warriors at a very impressionable time in life. At a time when young adults need guidance most, instead in the military environment, they are forced to deal with additional stressors, caused by military leadership in Zach’s case. Why would the same organization at the root of the cause of the downward spiral of young lives be interested in also pretending to care about suicide prevention of those same personnel? The moment Zach was let go from his full-time job was the moment he started to struggle. Why did he get let go? Why did it contribute to a need to use drugs to self-medicate? And one can only imagine the kind of grief Zach experienced after losing a close friend in such a tragic way. Did anyone refer Khamis or Zachary to mental health programs or the Department of Veterans Affairs?

It appears Zach’s source of pain or original stressor began when he lost his full-time federal military technician position as a Personnel Security Technician. After Zach lost Khamis, another high-paying job and his military career, his downward spiraled accelerated. Zach was dead less than six months after his friend passed. How can the National Guard implement a suicide prevention program when they are the suspected cause of the unit members’ downward spiral? Why did the National Guard choose to characterize ADHD treatment as a ‘mental health risk’? The prescription was used to assist with concentration and focus. Why would Adderall negatively impact a deployment when it is a fact the active duty deploy personnel on all kinds of prescribed medications? Why not help Zach transfer from Active Duty status back to his National Guard unit so he would be paid for drill weekends? How did Zach go from successfully holding great positions of responsibility within the unit to losing his entire military career? Why did they give Zach an ‘other than honorable’ discharge knowing it will negatively impact the rest of one’s working life, never mind the impact losing a security clearance has on anyone’s future financial security. Why did Zach have to lose everything? How does that help his mental health?

Wendy Mottas told the Dodge City Daily Globe that there is a stigma to be tough in the military. And this was confirmed the day the National Guard decided Zach was a “mental health risk” because he had a prescription for ADHD he wasn’t even currently taking. Each Commander has the ultimate say on whether or not an individual can still perform despite taking medication. The prescription was for concentration and focus and not something that had to be a military career ender. Wendy said her son could have used extra support following Khamis’s death and that she would like to see mental health be taken more seriously by the Kansas Army National Guard. While she realizes there were many factor’s influencing Zach’s death, she doesn’t understand why the National Guard wouldn’t offer to help him like so many soldiers with substance abuse are assisted. In Zachary’s case it appears leadership actively contributed to the decline of Zach’s mental health. Who at the Kansas Army National Guard would offer help to Zach after the chain of command (supervisors and leadership) decides a soldier is a “shitbag”? How does the Kansas Army National Guard implement a command driven suicide prevention program when they are the same leadership contributing to a downward spiral? How can the same people tasked with punishing their personnel with a heavy hand simultaneously help prevent a suicide or untimely death of young soldiers? At the very least, in this situation, the National Guard needs to upgrade this soldier’s other than honorable discharge to honorable to make this right for Zach and his family.  It’s one thing to let someone go, it’s an entirely different thing when a person’s life and future is destroyed.

“The military still has to take some responsibility for this, I think, and I think more could have been done to be preventative and be proactive instead of reactive. They have a responsibility to these young men and women. It’s not to live their lives for them or to be mommy or daddy or anything like that, but the soldiers still have to live by the army creed, and in order to do that, they have a role in that.” -Wendy Mottas (quote in Dodge City Daily Globe)

Source: Wendy Mottas (Zachary Schaffer’s mother)

Related Links:
Obituary: Zachary L. Schaffer, Kansas Army National Guard
Obituary: Khamis A. Naser, Kansas Army National Guard
Kansas National Guard captain submits resignation in wake of suicides
Kansas National Guard captain submits resignation in wake of suicides
Kansas National Guard Captain Submits Resignation in Wake of Suicides
Kansas National Guard captain submits resignation over handling of suicides
Kansas National Guard captain submits resignation over concerns of soldier suicide
Kansas Guard captain resigns over concern about suicides
Kansas Guard brigade captain resigns over suicide concerns
Kansas Guard brigade captain resigns over suicide concerns
Governor Kelly to sign bill aimed at preventing National Guard suicide
Sen. Moran, Bipartisan Colleagues Raise Concerns Over Alarming Increase in National Guard Suicides
Moran requests DOD review of rising National Guard suicide rate
Sen. Moran joins bi-partisan group of senators addressing national guard suicides
Bi-Partisan Senate Group Calls Attention to National Guard Suicide Rate
Department of Veterans Affairs: National Guard and Reserve
10 Most Stressful Life Events

Timeline: Army Sgt. Kelton Sphaler and Army Vet Scott Weinhold Reported Missing at Belton Lake on Fort Hood; After Search Launched, Both Recovered in Water (January 21, 2019)

Belton Lake 2

Belton Lake, Fort Hood, Texas (Photo: Hunter Davis, KXXV)

Fort Hood History:

Army SSG Devin Schuette Found Dead in Vehicle at Recreation Area Near Fort Hood; CID Ruled Suicide, Spouse Requests Independent Investigation (January 3, 2016)

Fort Hood Army Pvt. Dakota Stump Unexpectedly Found Dead on Post 3 Weeks After Vehicle Accident; Family Wants Missing ‘Warrior Alert’ Law (November 3, 2016)

Army Spc. Darius Cooper Swept Away in Floodwater Crossing at Fort Hood; Body Never Recovered, Military Board Ruled Deceased 2 Months Later (April 11, 2017)

Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside (2019)

Family Support:

Bring Scott Weinhold Home on Facebook

Bring Scott Weinhold Home Fundraiser

“Until my son is found, there is no limit to the resources that should be brought. And if that means you have to go over the same area three times, go over the area three times.” -Jennifer Florin (Scott Weinhold’s mother)

Continue reading

“Leave No Soldier Behind”: The Unsolved Mystery of the Soldier Who Died in the Watchtower | Vanity Fair (January 8, 2019)

Matthew Brown Army.png

Matthew Warren Brown, U.S. Army (via Vanity Fair Facebook)

Is the Army botching its investigations into noncombatant deaths?

I. The Gun Tower

“On the morning of May 11, 2008, a U.S. Army private second class named Matthew Warren Brown died of a single gunshot wound to the head while manning a watchtower at a forward operating base in Afghanistan. Brown was 20 years old. He was a skinny, all-American kid, a bit aimless but affable and unassuming. He was a good guy. You could see it in his face. At his funeral back home in Pennsylvania, some 200 people showed up. In the aftermath of Brown’s death, army investigators created files about the circumstances. The bullet that killed him was fired from his own weapon, an M4 carbine. He was working the six A.M. shift, alone in the watchtower by the fortified main gate to the base. The tower was known as the Gun Tower. It was made of concrete, and looked medieval when viewed from the outside. It was three stories tall. On the second and third floors it had openings covered with two-piece Plexiglas windows, some of which had broken off and been left lying in shards on the floors.” Read more from Vanity Fair here.

Related Links:
Pvt Matthew Warren Brown | Find A Grave
DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Pvt. Matthew W. Brown
Army Pvt. Matthew W. Brown | Honor the Fallen
Fort Bragg Soldier dies in Afghanistan
Soldier from Fort Bragg dies in Afghanistan
Fort Bragg soldier dies from injuries in Afghanistan
Zelienople soldier killed in Afghanistan, father says
Soldier from Zelienople killed in Afghanistan
Zelienople soldier who died in Afghanistan buried today
“Leave No Soldier Behind”: The Unsolved Mystery of the Soldier Who Died in the Watchtower | Vanity Fair
Family of soldier found dead in Afghanistan in 2008 says he did not commit suicide as claimed
Family of soldier who was found dead in Afghanistan watchtower in 2008 says he did not commit suicide, as the military claims, and had told them he feared he would be killed over his role in a drug ring that was being run on-base by a ‘thug’ sergeant
Army Pvt. Matthew Brown Died As a Result of a Non-Combat Related Incident in Afghanistan; Death Ruled Suicide But Family Alleges Murder in Vanity Fair Publication (May 11, 2008)

Evil Lives Here Premiered ‘Let Her Rot’ on Investigation Discovery: Army Veteran Joshua Hudnall Learned Mother & Sister Killed Father William Hudnall While Deployed in Iraq (January 6, 2019)

ID Go: When Joshua Hudnall went off to war, he felt more at home in combat than he ever did around his mother. But just when Joshua thought he had escaped her torment, she set her sights on someone else, and destroyed their family from within. -Let Her Rot, Evil Lives Here (S5,E1)

Evil Lives Here is by far one of the best shows on Investigation Discovery. “Evil Lives Here tells the true stories of people who lived with a killer. How well do you really know your family? Would you recognize the warning signs?” The season 5 episode Joshua Hudnall was featured in ‘Let Her Rot’ was by far one of the most powerful episodes to date. Today we not only share this particular episode with you because it’s educational but we pause to honor Army veteran Joshua Hudnall because we learned from Investigation Discovery that he passed. We learned shortly after this episode premiered in January 2019 that Joshua Hudnall had passed away in 2018 and never saw the Evil Lives Here episode he was featured in. After the episode premiered, I wanted to reach out to him to let him know how much I appreciated that he shared his very personal story with us.

Joshua experienced violence in the home and suffered in silence because he didn’t know how to escape it. His father’s love was his beacon of hope. He believes strongly his deployment overseas contributed to his Post Traumatic Stress, BUT it started with his mother’s abuse. He said on the outside she appeared to be the world’s best mom but really she was manipulative, greedy, and violent. One of Joshua’s most profound thoughts was when he admitted a deployment to Iraq was easier than what he grew up with because at least he could defend himself. It was while Joshua was in Iraq that he learned his mother Stephanie Hudnall and his sister Guenevere Lynn murdered his father William Hudnall with a pick axe, one of the most violent tools one could use. Joshua went through a lot in his short life including serving our country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. But he left us with his story, a story we can use to help other abused children. Rest easy Joshua.

Joshua Hudnall

Joshua Hudnall, U.S. Army Veteran (featured on Evil Lives Here)

“I loved being in the Army, I really did. In Iraq, and I know everybody watching this is gonna say some crap about what I’m about to say, but Iraq was the EASIEST and best time of my life. Swear to God. My base was the hardest hit. We were the ones who were attacked the most out of all of our bases in the Middle East. You got bombs going off everywhere. There’s always someone trying to kill you. And even with all of that, all of that craziness, all that confusion, still a thousand times better than what I grew up with. If someone shot at me, I could shoot back. Growing up, I couldn’t grab a knife and chase her with it. No matter how bad Iraq got, I knew I had someone watching my back.” -Joshua Hudnall, U.S. Army Veteran (Evil Lives Here)

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:
Let Her Rot | Evil Lives Here | Investigation Discovery (website)
Let Her Rot | Evil Lives Here | Investigation Discovery (S5,E1)
Let Her Rot | Evil Lives Here | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Grand jury indicts mother, daughter for pickax slaying
Daughter accused of killing Hawthorne man with pickax
Florida teen arrested for hacking father to death with axe; She and her mother charged with murder
Daughter, 19, hacks her father to death with pickaxe with mother’s help to get his social security benefits, police say
Brutal Hawthorne murder shocks community
Money reportedly cause of Florida killing
Mother, daughter sentenced in pickaxe murder
Mother, Daughter in Florida Sentenced in Pickax Killing
Mother, daughter in Florida sentenced to 40 years each in pickax killing
Like Mother, Like Daughter | Psychology Today
Video: When Joshua Hudnall went off to war, he felt more at home in combat than he ever did around his mother. (ID Facebook)
Joshua Hudnall death: ID pays tribute to tormented son featured on Evil Lives Here after 2018 passing (February 11, 2019)

48 Hours NCIS Premiered ‘Deadly Lies’ on CBS: Marine Corporal Justin Huff Accused of Fake Rape by a Catfisher; Navy Sailor Cooper Jackson Found Guilty of Murder (June 19, 2018)

“48 Hours: NCIS” takes you inside the real-life investigation of a marine, Justin Huff, who mysteriously disappeared. “48 Hours” Senior Executive Producer Susan Zirinsky joined CBSN to discuss the episode. -CBS News

Preview: Did a duplicitous online love affair between two people who never met lead to an innocent Marine being murdered? -Deadly Lies, 48 Hours

Marine Corporal Justin Lee Huff, 23, of Camp Pendleton, California passed away January 2, 2006 in Currituck County, North Carolina. Justin was attending the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Initially, fellow Marines at Dam Neck Annex of Oceana Naval Air Station and his family considered his absence a disappearance because this wasn’t like Justin. But the US Marine Corps considered it an unauthorized absence and NCIS was tasked with investigating the suspicious circumstances. And during the course of their investigation, they would learn that Navy sailor Cooper Jackson was involved and that this wasn’t a disappearance, it was a murder. Jackson was also attending the Intelligence Training Center and he admitted to impersonating a NCIS officer in an attempt to lure Justin Huff and ultimately kill him. The reason: Jackson’s internet girlfriend (who he had never met in person) told him she had sex with a Marine and Jackson insisted it was rape because she was too intoxicated to consent. Jackson wanted revenge for a rape that turned out to be a rape hoax. As it turns out, Cooper Jackson’s girlfriend “Samantha” went along with the fake rape simply to agree with him, not realizing he had sinister plans.

Cooper Jackson admitted he impersonated a NCIS officer so he could handcuff Justin and trick him into going for a ride with him. Jackson told NCIS agents he confronted Justin about the rape and after Justin denied it, he slit his throat. Jackson basically picked a Marine, any Marine, to exact his vengeance. He told NCIS agents where Justin’s body was and where he disposed of the murder weapon and handcuffs used to subdue Justin. NCIS found Justin and recovered the instruments of murder from the river where Cooper said he tossed them. Jackson was charged with kidnapping and murder in a death penalty trial. Jackson froze when he finally laid eyes on “Samantha” in the courtroom. Cooper Jackson couldn’t even look at her and apologized to the court for his actions. Jackson was found guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Samantha on the other hand wouldn’t spend a single day in jail. The investigators discovered she did not ask Cooper Jackson to kill Justin Huff but Justin’s fellow Marines feel differently. They say she may not have done anything criminally wrong but her actions lead to Justin’s death. Huff’s Marine brothers, who served two tours overseas with him, said if everybody was like Huff, this world would be a better place.

Editor’s Note: If you would like to watch the full episode of ‘Deadly Lies,’ please visit the CBS All Access website, visit the 48 Hours website, or download the 48 Hours app for iPad. The most recent episodes are unlocked on the 48 Hours website and app. If you would like to watch past episodes on the 48 Hours app, it cost’s $4.99 a year. There’s programming dating back to 2005 on the 48 Hours app, including some classics, to feed your true crime addiction.  

Related Links:
Fallen Heroes Project: Justin Huff
Marine from Indiana killed in N.C.
Marine remembered by peers from all walks of life
Sailor, 22, Charged In Death Of Marine
Boones Mill sailor charged in slaying of Marine
Woman’s fake rape story led to Marine’s killing, prosecutors say
Sailor Fell for a Lie and Killed a Marine
Sailor Kills Marine After Lie About Rape
Sailor kills Marine after lie about rape
Sailor admits killing Camp Pendleton Marine
Virginia: Sailor Pleads Guilty to Killing Marine
Sailor pleads guilty to killing Marine, is spared death penalty
Sailor Pleads Guilty to Killing Marine He Mistakenly Thought Was Rapist
Murdered Marine’s family, friends testify in sailor’s sentencing
Virginia sailor to face capital charges in Marine’s death
Sailor who was duped gets life for Marine’s slaying
Woman says she ”feels bad” that her deceit led to Marine’s killing
Brought together by grief
The Search for a Marine who Failed to Show up for Roll Call Launches NCIS Agents into a World of Calls and Texts, A Relationship Built on Lies, and an Ill-Fated Case of Mistaken Identity in “48 Hours: NCIS: Deadly Lies”
Cases they can’t forget: Local attorney details case of murdered Marine in exclusive interview
Catfishing Relationship Between Strangers Leads to the Murder of an Innocent Marine
“48 Hours: NCIS”: How a catfishing relationship between strangers led to the homicide of an harmless Marine
“48 Hours: NCIS”: Investigating the mysterious disappearance of a marine (msn.com)
“48 Hours: NCIS”: Investigating the mysterious disappearance of a marine (YouTube)
“48 Hours: NCIS” sneak peek: Deadly Lies

A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (January 2018)

January 2018

Missing:
Authorities seek information in Marine recruit’s disappearance
Investigators scour woods in case of missing Marine recruit
Aunt of Missing Marine Recruit Makes Emotional Plea for Nephew’s Safe Return
Family: It’s out of character for missing national guardsman to disappear
Help find service dog stolen from KY veteran
Theodore Jost Missing Veteran
Clarence Moore Missing Active Duty Military
Special agent’s disappearance doesn’t make sense
Where are “The Springfield Three”? Women Disappeared Without a Trace in 1992
Disappeared: Stacy McCall, Suzie Streeter, and Sherrill Levitt are ‘The Springfield Three’ who Vanished from Levitt’s Missouri Home on June 7, 1992
Lackland Air Force Base Nurse Nonnie Dotson Mysteriously Disappeared, Last Seen November 19th, 2006 in Littleton, Colorado While on Leave

Cold Cases:
10 Unsolved Military Cases | Military Justice for All
Army National Guard Capt. Gordon Hess Found Stabbed to Death at Fort Knox, CID Ruled Suicide Despite 26 Stab Wounds to Neck & Chest Area (1998)
Air Force Col. Philip Shue Died in an Apparent Car Accident, But Autopsy Revealed Much More; Texas Judge Ruled Cause of Death as Homicide (2003)
Cold Case: Army Veteran Kanika Powell Shot Several Times at Doorway of Maryland Home, No Known Suspects At This Time (2008)
Unsolved Homicide: Fort Hood Army Pvt. Justin Lewis Shot & Killed Near Vacant Lot in Neighborhood in Killeen, Texas (2017)
Family of Man Murdered in LR New Year’s Day 2016 Seeking Public’s Help in Finding His Killer

Fugitive on the Run:
New Security Footage in Search For ‘Armed and Dangerous’ Fugitive Army Recruiter
Reward Offered for Armed and Dangerous Fugitive: Army Recruiter John Blauvelt Wanted for Allegedly Murdering Estranged Wife in South Carolina (2016)
US Marshals release new images of man wanted for 2017 double murder

*************************************************

ACTIVE DUTY

Overseas Deaths:
US Army soldier dies at base in Kosovo
Islamic State group offshoot claims attack on US soldiers in Niger
SPC Zachary C. Moore Memorial
DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Javion Sullivan, 24, Ft. Hood
DoD Identifies Army Casualty: Mihail Golin, 34, Ft. Lee
Family: Soldier with ties to Simpsonville killed in Iraq
Fort Hood soldier who died in Iraq remembered by family
US servicemember killed in fighting in eastern Afghanistan
DoD identifies Green Beret killed in New Year’s Day attack in Afghanistan
First Navy Jack flies at Pearl Harbor to honor sailors killed in collisions
Body of Turlock soldier who died in Iraq returns home

Stateside Deaths:
Three young men killed after late-night crash in St. Lucie remembered by family, neighbors
Cause of Death Determined in Lakeside Car Fire
Marine Dies in Parachute Accident in Arizona
Fort Hood identifies soldier found unresponsive at off-post residence
Soldier killed, 5 injured when military vehicles crash
2016 Hornet Crash Involved Commander of Top Gun, Investigation Shows
Two soldiers killed in Apache crash at Fort Irwin
In Memory Of U.S. Army SSG Anthony Ray Lovell | Freedom Isn’t Free
Airman assigned to Shaw AFB found dead at off-base home
Fort Riley soldier found dead off post
Shaw AFB airman who was found deceased identified as crew chief
Mosque vandal commits suicide a day after sentencing
Two teens, both Army Reservists, killed while pushing stalled vehicle off Jefferson County road
Camp Pendleton Marine killed in San Diego had plans to join law enforcement
Dakota Lee Stump (EP 104) | The Vanished Podcast
Honor sought for US soldier who died in Bronx fire rescue
2 killed in Bellevue when tow truck crashes into stopped cars, police say
Ohio to require overpass fencing after sandbag causes deadly crash
19-year-old airman, Papillion man killed in 3-vehicle crash

Homicide Cases:
Court denies appeal in airman stabbing murder conviction
Body of Calif. woman identified two decades later
DNA hit solves 1992 murder-mystery
18-year-old Marine who was fatally stabbed at Camp Pendleton buried Monday, as investigation continues
Judge rules on bail conditions for triple homicide suspect
Family of murdered Army sergeant make an appeal to you
Funeral Monday for Janesville Marine murdered at Camp Pendleton
Ex-Marine Found Guilty of Killing Two UCSD Medical Students In Drunk Driving Crash
Procession held for Camp Pendleton Marine stabbed to death on base
“We do this to honor him:” Body of murdered Rock County Marine returns to Wisconsin
How homicide charges for two skippers will shake up the entire Navy
Michelle Paet sentenced to life without parole for conspiring to kill her husband
2nd man charged in slaying of Army sergeant is ordered held on no bail
Family mourns Marine stabbed to death at Camp Pendleton
2nd man charged with Omaha slaying of visiting soldier
More Murder-Suicide Details Disclosed
McKernan could serve 3 1/2 years under plea deal
American sailor freed from Belgian custody as Pentagon takes over homicide probe
Navy filing homicide charges against 2 ship commanders
Navy filing homicide charges against officers in ship collisions that killed 17
Funeral held for murdered Army Staff Sergeant Kyle LeFlore
Man accused of shooting Army sergeant admitted to the crime, prosecutor says
Police: Witness to murder-suicide involving Navy officer struck gunman with SUV
Pregnant woman killed by stray bullet identified as Air Force wife
Soldier Found Guilty, Sentenced in Murder of Good Samaritan Marine
US Marine killed in stabbing at Camp Pendleton’s School of Infantry
Suspects wanted in Texas couple’s ambush, murder during home robbery
Man convicted in fatal shooting of Good Samaritan at Arlington Walgreens in 2016
3 Men Accused of Brutally Slaying Texas Couple Execution-Style Held Without Bond
Raised by a Serial Killer: Edward Edwards’ Daughter Shares Guilt and Shame After Turning Him In
Fate of Marine charged with murder for fatal crash in hands of jury
‘With Excrutiating Sadness’ Father Confirms Marine Son Killed in Camp Pendleton Stabbing
2nd man charged in slaying of Army sergeant is ordered held on no bail
Fort Eustis soldier, mistress plead guilty to wife’s 2013 murder
Fort Bragg investigates dead body found on post
Document: Ft. Bliss soldier accused of killing man claims he has PTSD
Court documents detail moments leading up to death of man near Hueco Tanks
Fort Bliss soldier accused of killing man in front of shocked witnesses
Navy servicewoman allegedly killed by ex-boyfriend in Lake Forest had made video about domestic violence
Staff sergeant shot, killed while visiting family in Nebraska
Arrests Made in Fatal Stabbing of Camp Pendleton Marine
Suspects in Gaslamp Quarter Stabbing of US Marine Have History of Predatory Attacks: Prosecutor
Claire Vanlandingham & Ryan Zike: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Omaha gunfire claims the life of a soldier on a visit home
Men who stabbed Marine to death targeted him because he appeared to be easy target
Green Beret indicted for murder (1994)

Sex Crimes Cases:
Coast Guard rape conviction overturned after court’s scathing attack on women-packed jury
Man sentenced to 20 years for child molestation
Air Force Academy cadet accused of sexual assault found not guilty
Navy recruiter suspected of using position to lure sex-abuse victims
Ex-Air Force policeman who raped four women at gun point sentenced to prison
Airman sentenced for sexually abusing young pregnant teen runaway on base
Academy Scandal Exposes Air Force’s Continuing Struggle With Sexual Assault
Former death row inmate, Army Sergeant accused of sex trafficking
Man previously on Delaware’s death row indicted in Hawaii

Other Crime Cases:
Airman, son of Army 1SG charged with injuring 5-year-old during a hit and run
Man pleads guilty in border smuggling case involving former Fort Hood soldiers
Army hospital employees under investigation for misconduct
Marine charged in ‘military training’ child abuse
Military romance scammers steal U.S. soldiers’ photos — and money — from lonely people
Soldier who was hunting charged after N.C. woman was struck by a bullet while in truck with baby
Clarksville Mongols gang members no strangers to police
First military trial in Navy’s ‘Fat Leonard’ scandal results in guilty plea in Norfolk
Motorcyclists held at gun point after trying to sneak in USAF base for second time
Security Forces airman arrested for kidnapping, spotted at squadron holiday party

Absent Without Leave (AWOL) Cases:
Military Desertion is Issue in Border Agent’s Murder Case
Asking for help to find double homicide suspect
Soldier who found fame executing Nazis died his own mysterious death

Military Explosives:
Anti-personnel mine found near Fountain Creek was real
Police: Hand grenade disarmed after being found in trash
$10,000 reward offered for info about military explosives discovered in Pine

Wrongful Conviction Cases:
Bill would give Norfolk Four $3.5M for wrongful rape, murder convictions
Former Marine Sniper Punished in Scandal Wins Again in Court
Dennis Maher: How DNA Freed a Wrongfully Convicted Army Sergeant After 19 Years

*************************************************

NATIONAL GUARD

Stateside Deaths:
Florida National Guard identifies soldier killed in military vehicle crash
2 soldiers die after SUV stalls on Missouri roadway
Indiana National Guard soldier dies at Fort Hood
Army releasing few details on National Guard soldier who died at Fort Hood
Second Republican Lawmaker Commits Suicide Following Sexual Abuse Allegations In Less than a Month

Felony Crime:
Couple was paid for recruiting soldiers, but they committed fraud, jury finds
Fairbanks man gets 20 years for 2016 rape

Administrative:
Former official claims sex discrimination, lies, obstruction at Oregon military agency in $4 million suit
Shutdown cancels North Carolina National Guard training
Eric Greitens Should Have Known Better
Allegations against Missouri governor raise legal risks
Sheena Chestnut, Eric Greitens’ Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

*************************************************

VETERANS

Deaths:
Cause of fatal SW Wichita fire determined
Man who died in Lansing house fire was U.S. Air Force veteran
Gun used in Yakima veteran’s suicide among those confiscated, sold
This Marine Veteran Just Died of Cancer at 36. Here’s Why He Fought Assisted Suicide.
Military Suicide Awareness | SGT Jordan Roberts, 27, USMC, November 14, 2017
A Tacoma veteran died waiting for heart surgery from the VA. His family has sued

Homicide Cases:
3 sentenced to prison for their part in killing of Army veteran
Former Marine accused of murder-for-hire plot released on bail
Ex-soldier sentenced to life in prison for murder of Denver transit guard
Murder suspect held on $5 million bond, victim’s family seeks answers in Delaware shooting
Ex-soldier gets life in prison without parole for slaying Denver transit guard
Funeral services held for paramedic, Army veteran, killed by husband
Victims in Bella Vista suspected murder-suicide identified
Family says murder victim was killed for defending his daughter
Attorney seeks to bar border agent’s military records from trial in teen’s shooting
Crime History: Versace-Killer Andrew Cunanan’s 1997 Murder Spree
Deputy US marshal, an Army veteran, killed while serving Pennsylvania warrant
Man convicted in Kane County murder 20 years ago now on trial for armed robbery
Deputies Down-Colorado story
Officials: SCI-Somerset inmate killed his cellmate
Colorado Gunman Live-Streamed Shooting of Sheriff Deputies
Suspect charged with murder in San Bernardino deputy’s death ‘needs to spend the rest of his life in prison,’ DA says
Police: Former School Principal and Her Mom Died of Gunshot Wounds
Alonzo Leron Smith, Who Fatally Punched California Police Officer, Charged With Murder
Suspect identified in fatal shooting of deputy

Other Crime Cases:
Army Vet Shot by Police at VA Clinic Faces Charges
Dear thieves, give back the Silver Star you stole from a dying Kansas veteran
Former Pilot Sentenced to Life in Prison for Traveling to Philippines to Buy, Rape Young Girls
See the First Image of Sarah Palin’s Battered Husband Todd After Son Track’s Alleged Attack

Wrongful Conviction Cases:
Blackwater: Black-listed and betrayed
Man wrongfully convicted of Simi double-murder plans to work with veterans

Veterans Affairs Issues:
DoD and VA Partner with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to Focus on Reducing Suicide
VA criticized over eye care for vets in rural areas
Fired combat veteran sues McDonald, alleging discrimination
DoD and VA Release Online Tool to Assist Veterans with Discharge Upgrade Process
Police: Oregon man shot by VA officer had come to clinic for appointment
What You Think About Veterans Is Likely Wrong
Man Shot at Oregon Veterans Clinic During Altercation
Inmates, dogs help veterans reintegrate into civilian life
The Obstacles Facing VA In Its Fight To End Veteran Homelessness
Army veteran found dead in freezing cold parking lot after release from VA hospital
Army vet with scalpel left in body after surgery sues VA
New England vet claims surgeon left scalpel inside his body for 4 years
VA secretary apologizes for surgery that left scalpel in Army veteran for years
VA Facilities Now Offer Same-day Care for Urgent Primary and Mental Health-care Needs
New Hampshire House Approved Marijuana Legalization Bill
New Trump order focused on preventing suicide among new vets
New Trump Executive Order Takes Aim At America’s Veteran Suicide Crisis
Reality Check: Veterans Have Lost Faith in A Failing VA System
Unarmed Kansas Man killed by SWAT Team After Getting ‘Swatted’ By Call of Duty Player
If You’re A Vet In California, Here’s How The New Marijuana Laws May Affect You
Explainer: What is “Swatting?” Prank Calls to SWAT Teams are on the Rise
VA Caught Denying Care To Sicker Vets To Get Better Performance Ratings
Attorney General Sessions ends federal policy that let legal pot flourish
VA says Justice Department crackdown on marijuana won’t hit veterans
VA firings spiked after Trump signed the new accountability law last year

*************************************************

Mental Health:
Show Your Mind Who’s Boss
“You have value. It’s there.” | Korey Shaffer
Seeking Justice or Enhancing a Victimized Identity?
5 Things Not to Say to Someone Who’s Suicidal — and What to Say Instead
A Letter to Parents Surviving a Child’s Suicide
Is Mental Illness Physical or Mental?
Honoring Our Fallen Police, Firefighters, Military
11 Signs of a Sneaky Sociopath
The Catch-22 of Dealing With a Narcissist
How To Spot Sociopath Women
3 Surprising Ways Heartbreak Impacts Your Brain

*************************************************

MILITARY JUSTICE REFORM

Felony Crime:
Freed Felon Chelsea Manning to Run For Senate
Military Sexual Trauma Survivors Speak Out At Pentagon
Pentagon officials endorse demonstration against military sexual assault
Veterans Who Have Faced Sexual Assault Ask: Where Is Our #MeToo Moment?
“Where’s Our Reckonin?” | Military Women Gather Outside Pentagon in #MeToo Protest

International Incidents:
Pentagon investigating video that appears to show a service member opening fire on a civilian

Accountability:
Military Morale Sacrificed as Pawn in Shutdown Political Game
Surface Fleet Commander to Resign After Reported Firing Recommendation
Army general now ‘special assistant’ after ‘sweetheart’ comment to female staffer
So the military is doing its job, but not getting paid. And Congress is not doing its job, but getting paid? #SchumerShutdown via Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children

Other Injustices:
Pico Rivera Student Who Recorded Teacher’s Anti-Military Rant Hopes to Serve in Marine
Secrecy and uncertainty surrounds Navy discipline for fatal ship collisions
This viral video caught a California high school teacher’s ugly rant about military recruiters
CA Teacher Caught on Tape: US Military Members ‘The Lowest of the Low’
Air Force supplying drinking water after water well contamination detected near former Texas base
Sgt. Joshua Berry, 2009 Terrorist Attack, Fort Hood | Judicial Watch
Report: Navy sailor found hiding on ship had financial problems
Missing sailor who hid on USS Shiloh was found filthy, carrying Peeps candy, report says
Navy Missed Signs Of ‘Clear Instability’ In Days Before Shiloh Sailor Went MIA

Military Policy:
John Kelly says California teacher caught on video bashing troops ‘ought to go to hell’
Social media becoming powerful tool for Fayetteville police
Marine Col. drugged, robbed in Colombia; now being forced to retire
Air Force technical sergeant removed for racially charged video rant
The Conversation #MeToo Needs to Have
USAF TSgt removed from charge after online rant, base under investigation
Second Lady Karen Pence Advocates for Art Therapy to Help Fort Hood Soldiers
Geraldine Lovely: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
The Innocence Deniers
USAF NCO under investigation for saying only her black subordinates are disrespectful
Why Revoking Obama’s Sex Assault Letter Won’t End Campus Witch Hunts
US soldiers are revealing sensitive and dangerous information by jogging
Army pays $4 million to families for murders committed by WA soldier
New PTSD study shows recovery for Fort Hood soldiers in just two weeks
Navy tells families when they can identify a sailor who has died on social media in latest handbook
AFRICOM investigates images depicting Niger ambush that killed four US soldiers
#MeToo Excesses | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
Why Does Our Justice System Fight So Hard to Keep Innocent People Behind Bars?
Injured Heroes, Broken Promises: Army Launches Investigation Inside Fort Hood’s Warrior Transition Unit
This Is How Mass Incarceration Happens
Nonprofit steps in to aid military death benefits during shutdown
How To Avoid Getting Duped By A Stripper
Troops Just Want Congress to Stop Political Budget Games: Dunford
Feds say slaying by outlaw biker gang happened at Bumpus Mills cemetery
6 signs she is more in love with your contract than you
#MeToo and the Military
Why don’t more people serve? The US is launching a commission to find out
Reporting abuse was risking my life – US veteran & rape victim
S.2870 – Military Retaliation Prevention Act (2015-2016)
McKernan jurors: What if Colleen and Rob’s roles were reversed?
‘Til Death Do Them Part: A Husband Pushed Off a Cliff, a Wife Drowns and Other Newlywed Homicides
Condoleezza Rice on #MeToo: ‘Let’s not turn women into snowflakes’
Rape Victims’ Reactions Misunderstood by Law Enforcement
DOJ to help police dive deep into numbers
This young man is transgender, and ready to enlist Jan. 1
Rape Kits in America: Battling the Backlog-on-Backlog in SAKI
Dakota’s Law by Warriors Aftermath & Recovery (Dakota Stump)
Publicly, We Say #MeToo. Privately, We Have Misgivings.
‘Believe the Victim’ Investigations Reveal a Callous Disregard for the Truth
Proposal Would Create Alerts for ‘Critically Missing’ Adults

*************************************************

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Publications:
Honoring the Victims of Serial Killer Andrew Urdiales, US Marine Corps, in California and Illinois (1986-1996)
Top 10 Posts on Military Justice for All in 2017
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside
74 Fort Hood Soldiers Died Since January 2016: 4 Insider Attacks & 2 Suicides Overseas; 67 Stateside Deaths Including 34 Alleged Suicides & 1 Unsolved Homicide
Army Major Chester Barrett Murdered By Estranged Wife Lisbeth & Step-Son for Military Survivor Benefits; Both Sentenced to Prison 35+ Years Later (1977)
Navy Spouse Susan Russo Hired Drug Addicted Hitmen for $100 to Murder Husband David for the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (July 14, 1994)
AWOL Army Pvt. Dannie Boy Edwards’ Bones Found Near Ohio Cemetery on April 13, 1997; Ed Edwards Guilty of Murder for SGLI; Sentenced to Death (April 13, 1996)
Army Soldier Gary Prokop Murdered by Wife Tyshee Manik & Childhood Friends for the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (June 25, 1998)
Fort Bragg Army SSG John Diamond Convicted of Murder of Air Force Capt. Marty Theer; Military Court Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (2001)
Army Pfc LaVena Johnson Died of Non Combat Related Injuries in Iraq, Death Ruled Suicide But Independent Autopsy Revealed Rape & Murder (2005)
Army Soldier Marc O’Leary Raped an 18 Year Old Woman in Washington; Three Years Later Arrested in Colorado for Rape & Sentenced to 300 Plus Years (2008)
Pregnant Samira Watkins Found Dead in Bayou Grande in Florida; Navy Sailor Zachary Littleton Convicted of 1st Degree Murder, Sentenced to Life (2009)
Evidence Reveals U.S. Army Reserve Recruiter Adam Arndt Murdered High School Student & Recruit Michelle Miller, Then Killed Self; Army Investigators Claim ‘Double Suicide’ (2013)
Army Spouse Dana Mackay Found Murdered in Virginia Home; SSG John Mackay, Nicole Houchin, Nace Houchin, & Greg Crawford Confessed to Crime (2013)
Air Force Veteran Colleen McKernan Shot Husband Robert 10 Times; Plead Guilty to Manslaughter to Avoid 3rd Trial, Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison (2014)
Fort Hood Army Pvt. Dakota Stump Found Dead on Post Three Weeks After Vehicle Accident; Family Wants Missing ‘Warrior Alert’ Law (2016)
Pvt. Wanya Bruns Died by Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Nine Months After Joining Army; One of Many in 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas (2016)
The Silent Truth: The Rape, Murder & Military Cover-Up of Army Pfc LaVena Johnson in Iraq
Killeen PD: Army SSG Anthony Lovell Died of Injuries Sustained in Apparent Motorcycle Accident Along Nolan Creek in Killeen, Texas (2017)
Fort Hood Army Spc. Zachary Moore Found Unresponsive in Barracks on Deployment to Camp Hovey, South Korea; CID Ruled Suicide (2017)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners (2017)
Washington DC Veteran’s Presentation on the Current Status of the Armed Forces at Fort Hood in Texas (2017)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners (2017)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (November 2017)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (December 2017)
Sophie and Co | RT: Reporting abuse was risking my life – US veteran & rape victim (2018)

On This Day:
100 Years After The Porvenir Massacre, Most Texans Still Haven’t Heard The Story
Today in History for Jan. 15
Johnson says U.S. should stay in Vietnam | History.com (January 12, 1966)
Andrew Muns Disappeared from USS Cacapon, Listed AWOL; 30 Plus Years Later, NCIS Cold Case Squad Solved Murder; Michael LeBrun Plead Guilty (January 17, 1968)
Explosion rocks USS Enterprise (January 14, 1969)
Cease-fire goes into effect (January 28, 1973) | History
President Carter pardons draft dodgers | History (1977)
Army Brigadier General Bobby Robinson Found Dead by Gunshot Wounds at Washington DC Home, Death Believed to be Suicide (January 14, 1985)
Saddleback College Student Robbin Brandley was Stabbed to Death by Camp Pendleton Marine Andrew Urdiales in California (January 18, 1986)
Civilian Kimberly Ruggles Raped & Murdered by Fort Bragg Soldier; Ronald Gray Sentenced to Death by Military Courts for Two Murders & One Attempted Murder (January 6, 1987)
The Persian Gulf War begins (January 16, 1991)
Army OTS Candidate Lisa Gaudenzi Disappeared from Virginia Home; 15 Years Later, Spouse Lawrence Pleaded Guilty to Murder, Sentenced to 25 Years (January 26, 1995)
Navy Petty Officer James Kuenn Convicted of the Cold Case Murder of Carol Hutto in Florida; Sentenced to Life, Possibility of Parole After 25 Years (February 9, 2000)
The US Air Force Academy Sexual Assault Scandal, Colorado (2003)
Army Sgt. Keicia Hines Struck by a Vehicle on Mosul Airfield in Iraq; No Updates on Outcome of DoD Investigation (January 14, 2004)
Air Force SSgt Michael Severance Drugged by Wife; Wendi Davidson Plead ‘No Contest’ to 1st Degree Murder, Sentenced to 25 Years (January 15, 2005)
Army Pfc. Suzanne Swift Went AWOL from Fort Lewis; She Refused to Deploy for Third Time with Superiors She Accused of Sexual Harassment (January 15, 2006)
Army Soldier Katherine ‘Kat’ Singleton Died in Iraq; Department of Defense Did Not Publish Press Release Notifying Public of Death (January 18, 2006)
MA1 Jennifer Valdivia, US Navy, Died in a Non Combat Related Incident in Bahrain, NCIS Ruled Death Suicide by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (January 16, 2007)
Marine Veteran Joseph Kerekes & Navy Veteran Harlow Cuadra Murdered Bryan Kocis in Pennsylvania Home; Sentenced to Life in Prison (January 24, 2007)
College Student Brianna Denison Kidnapped, Raped and Strangled by a Former Marine in Reno, Nevada; James Biela Sentenced to Death (January 20, 2008)
Sgt Tracy Birkman, US Army, Died of Non Combat Related Injuries in Owesat, Iraq (January 25, 2008)
Iraq War Army Veteran Benjamin Barnes Found Dead in Mount Rainier National Park; Suspect in Death of Park Ranger Margaret Anderson (January 2, 2012)
Army Soldier Sgt. Brandy Fonteneaux Found Murdered in Fort Carson Barracks; Sgt. Vincinte Jackson Sentenced to Life, No Parole (January 9, 2012)
Fort Bragg Army Soldier Joshua Eisenhauer Shot at Police & Firefighters During 4-Hour Standoff at Fayetteville Home (January 13, 2012)
Shannon O’Roark Murdered Estranged Husband’s Mistress Veterans Affairs Psychiatrist Dr. Irina Puscariu; Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison (January 13, 2012)
Iraq War Army Veteran Steven Russell Jr. Convicted of the Capital Murder of Girlfriend Joy Owen; Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (January 27, 2012)
US Air Force TSgt. Jennifer Norris Testified Before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington DC (January 23, 2013)
Air Force Defends Handling of Sex Scandal (January 24, 2013)
JBLM Army Soldier Shawn Woods Died Saving a Woman Stabbed in Back by Boyfriend; Chase Devyver Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison (January 19, 2014)
Army SSG Devin Schuette Found Dead in Vehicle at Recreation Area Near Fort Hood; CID Ruled Suicide, Spouse Requests Independent Investigation (January 3, 2016)
Iraq Army Veteran Jonathan ‘Mike’ Gilotti Gunned Down in Front of Home in Alabama; 4 Individuals Charged with Murder, 1 Found Not Guilty (January 5, 2016)
Air Force Major John Gerrie Died from Non-Combat Related Incident at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (January 16, 2016)
Fort Hood Army Major Troy Wayman Found Dead at Residence in Nolanville, Texas; Death Ruled Suicide by Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound (January 16, 2016)
Air Force TSgt Zechariah Casagranda Stabbed to Death in Parking Lot in Louisiana; Benjamin Shaw Found Not Guilty of Second Degree Murder (January 24, 2016)
Vanity Fair Confidential on Investigation Discovery Features ‘Code of Dishonor’ (January 25, 2016)
Army Sgt. Joseph Stifter Died of Wounds Suffered When Armored HMMWV was Involved in Roll-over Accident in Iraq (January 28, 2016)
Army Pfc. Shadow McClaine Reported Missing at Fort Campbell on 9/2; Spc. Charles Robinson Pleaded Guilty to Murder, Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray Awaiting Trial (January 23, 2017)
Fort Hood Army Pfc. Kai Yancey, Died After Complications From a Short Illness on New Year’s Day at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas (January 1, 2017)
Fort Hood Army Pfc. Randal Anderson Died from Gunshot Wound in Killeen; No Updates on Outcome of Investigation & Cause of Death Ruling (January 2, 2017)
Florida airport shooting suspect Esteban Santiago formally charged with murder (January 6, 2017)
Army Spc. Barron Von Reichelt Died From Injuries Suffered in an Automobile Accident on South Range Road at Fort Hood (January 7, 2017)
Army Sgt. Alex Taylor Found Unresponsive in Place of Duty at Fort Hood; No Updates on Outcome of Investigation & Cause of Death Ruling (January 11, 2017)
Army Spc. Zackary Partin Found Dead in Barracks at Fort Hood in Texas; Had Plans to Discharge in a Few Months & Become Full-Time Firefighter (January 12, 2017)
Army Pfc. Shadow McClaine Reported Missing at Fort Campbell on 9/2; Spc. Charles Robinson Pleaded Guilty to Murder, Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray Awaiting Trial (January 23, 2017)
Shaw AFB SSgt. Zachary Townsend Found Deceased at Off-base Residence Near Columbia, South Carolina; No Foul Play Suspected (January 15, 2018)

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Featured in Television Episode, Movie, Documentary, Theatre:
No Means Yes | Deadly Women Quick Hits
“48 Hours: NCIS” | Body of Evidence
Tyshee Prokop Documentary | Female Killers
‘The 15:17 Train to Paris’ Cast on Who They Would’ve Chosen to Play Themselves
Megan Leavey Movie Trailer
Cold Case Files: Carols Diary (With Bill Kurtis)
Realistic Patriotism Makes ‘12 Strong’ A War Movie Worth Watching
Watch Our Interview With the Real Heroes of ‘The 15:17 to Paris’
BSF Exclusive Sneak Peek: National Geographic’s Chain of Command
The Ultimate Pledge | Bride Killa | Investigation Discovery
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’: Who is Andrew Cunanan?
My Father, The Serial Killer | People Magazine Investigates (ID Web)
Afghan War Documentary ‘Trauma’ Does Justice To The Difficult Job Of Combat Medic
‘12 Strong’ Isn’t The Afghan War Movie We Deserve, But It’s The One We Want
The Perfect Suspect (Investigation Discovery): Lisa Gaudenzi, US Army
Forbidden: Dying for Love (Investigation Discovery): Adam Arndt & Michelle Miller
‘A Few Good Men’ Comes to Cotuit Center for the Arts
Evil Lives Here (Investigation Discovery): Bobby Joe Long, Army Veteran

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MISCELLANEOUS
Army announces deployments for about 10,000 soldiers
Elevator maintenance worker found dead at William Beaumont’s 9th floor
US: American soldier wounded in Afghan attack
Top 10: Mariah Woods disappears
Married to a Monster: Ex-wife discusses serial killer who raped, killed 10 women
After 15 years, father finds peace in knowing truth about his murdered daughter
Oprah as commander in chief? Here’s what she had to say about the Iraq War
Okinawa-Based Marine Honored for Heroism after Harrowing Water Rescue
Gen. Mark Welsh sounds alarm on undermanned Air Force (2015)
Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Martin Luther King Day | Military Justice for All
Chelsea Manning files to run for US Senate in Maryland
Ex-wife says lawmaker who killed himself molested 2 girls, including relative
Dog Found Tied To Tree With Note Has Been Adopted By Army Specialist
Surprise for an Army Veteran | Purple Heart Homes
Thank you for your service to all generations of veterans
NFL rejects Super Bowl ad from veterans group that asks players to stand during anthem
California Names Mountain after Marine Who Died in Combat
Preston Sharp: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Related Links:
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (November 2017)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (December 2017)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (January 2018)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (February 2018)
A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (March 2018)

Who Killed Jane Doe? Premiered ‘A Girl Has No Name’ on Investigation Discovery: Jovita Collazo & Michael Eugene Richardson (January 30, 2018)


Apple Valley in California’s Mojave Desert is the perfect place to hide a secret. When the body of an unidentified Jane Doe is discovered there in 1994, it takes almost two decades to bring a twisted tale of love, jealousy, and a horrible crime to light. -Who Killed Jane Doe, Investigation Discovery

MJFA Link:
Navy Spouse Jovita Collazo Disappeared from San Diego, California; 23 Years Later Found Murdered; Michael Richardson Convicted, Life Sentence (April 30, 1992)

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.


A startling development in the case of Jovita Collazo, the Southern California Filipina who went missing in 1992. -TFCBalitangAmerica

Related Links:
DNA hit solves 1992 murder-mystery
Remains of Jovita Collazo Found After 23 Years
Remains Identified as National City Woman Missing Since 1992
Human remains identified as missing woman last seen in 1992
Remains found in California in 1994 ID’d as missing Filipina
Bones found over 2 decades ago identified as missing Pinay
Bones found over 2 decades ago identified as missing Pinay 2
Skeletal remains of missing Pinay found after 23 years
Body of Calif. woman identified two decades later
Body of woman who vanished in 1992 found in desert
Body of woman who vanished in 1992 found in desert
Body of missing Filipina in Calif. identified over two decades later
Slain Body of Jovita Collazo Found Decades Ago in a Desert Grave IDd in CA
Man accused of killing wife and mother-in-law charged with murdering girlfriend
New charges against husband accused of double slaying
Cab Driver Attacked by Murder Suspect Michael Eugene Richardson Tells His Story
Man stands trial for three murders
Richardson to Stand Trial for 3 Murders and Statutory Rape of Niece, Judge Rules
Preliminary hearing begins for man accused in three murders
Testimony Begins for Poway Businessman Accused of Killing Wife
Niece Testifies In Hearing For Man Charged With 3 Murders
Man admits killing wife, her mother
Chula Vista Man Admits to Killing 3 Women
Admitting 3 murders means life sentence
Former Poway Business Owner Pleads Guilty to 3 Murders
Man pleads guilty to three murders, including wife and mother-in-law
San Diego man gets 6 life terms for triple murders
Bones found over 2 decades ago identified as missing Pinay
“A Girl Has No Name” | Who Killed Jane Doe? | Investigation Discovery