Snapped Premiered ‘Erika Sifrit’ on Oxygen: Woman’s Arrest Leads to Shocking Homicides of Tourists in Ocean City, Maryland (June 16, 2011)

On June 16, 2011August 16, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

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)

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)

Podcast:

Once Upon A Crime – Episode 112: Listener Suggestions: Erika and Benjamin Sifrit – Killer Couple (December 22, 2018)

The Nation | In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal (June 25, 2010)

On June 25, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal

When NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman died at the hands of US troops in a case of “friendly fire,” the spin machine at the Pentagon went into overdrive. Rumsfeld and company couldn’t have their most high-profile soldier dying in such an inelegant fashion, especially with the release of those pesky photos from Abu Ghraib hitting the airwaves. So an obscene lie was told to Tillman’s family, his friends and the American public. The chickenhawks in charge, whose only exposure to war was watching John Wayne movies, claimed that he died charging a hill and was cut down by the radical Islamic enemies of freedom. In the weeks preceding his death, Tillman was beginning to question what exactly he was fighting for, telling friends that he believed the war in Iraq was ” [expletive] illegal.” He may not have known what he was fighting for, but it’s now clear what he died for: public relations. Today, after five years, six investigations and two Congressional hearings, questions still linger about how Tillman died and why it was covered up.

Army Spc. Christopher Opat Died of a Non Combat-Related Incident in Baquah, Iraq (June 15, 2010)

On June 15, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

opat-older — Spc. Christopher Opat, U.S. Army

Army Spc. Christopher W. Opat, 29, died of a non combat related incident on June 15, 2010 in Baquah, Iraq. Spc. Opat was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. According to the Department of Defense, at the time of the press release the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation.

Related Links:
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
Army Spc. Christopher W. Opat
Cresco soldier dies in Iraq
Local residents show support for fallen soldier
Father of fallen soldier says son was dedicated to service
Christopher Wesley Opat | Remembering the Fallen
Spc. Christopher W. Opat
Christopher Opat, 29, Lime Springs
Procession for fallen Army soldier to go through Spring Valley Tuesday morning
U.S. Army Spc. Christopher Opat laid to rest
A family buries a hero
Flags lowered in Iowa in honor of soldier Christopher Opat
US troops who have died while serving in Iraq and Kuwait

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez Died By Suicide After Jumping Off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York (June 10, 2010)

On June 10, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Suicide1 Comment

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez, 19, died on June 10, 2010 after jumping off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. Her death was ruled a suicide.

Related Links:
19-Year-Old Dies in Plunge Off Tappan Zee Bridge
Police Confirm Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez’s Body Washes Ashore
Witnesses recount pleading with TZ jumper
Community Says Farewell to Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez
Army pvt. bound for Hood jumps from NY bridge
Soldier who jumped to her death was upset about deployment

Forensic Files Premiered ‘Plastic Puzzle’: Navy Veteran Kirk Hudson Struck & Killed in Hit-And-Run Accident in Kalamazoo, Michigan (June 1, 2005)

On June 1, 2005August 6, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Navy, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

A man riding a bicycle was fatally injured, and police believed he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Tiny clues found at the scene created a picture of the vehicle which struck him and led police to its driver. -Plastic Puzzle, Forensic Files (S10,E3)

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

Related Links:
Kirk Glenstan Hudson (February 18, 1995)
Plastic Puzzle | Forensic Files | IMDb
Plastic Puzzle | Forensic Files | Full Episodes (S10,E3)
Plastic Puzzle | Forensic Files | Netflix (Collection 2, E11)
Plastic Puzzle | Forensic Files | Amazon Prime Video (S10,E1)
Forensic Files: 13 Active Duty Military and Veteran Homicide Cases [Full Episodes]
PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellant v. James Arthur NORTHEY, Defendant-Appellee (Court of Appeals of Michigan, 1998)

Fort Hood Army Soldier Pfc. Melissa Hobart Collapsed and Died from an Undetermined Cause While on Guard Duty in Baghdad, Iraq (June 6, 2004)

On June 6, 2004July 5, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Medical, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental IllnessLeave a comment

Army Pfc. Melissa Hobart, 22, died after collapsing on guard duty in Baghdad, Iraq on June 6, 2004. Pfc. Hobart was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) on behalf of the Company E, 215^th Forward Support Battalion, 1^st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. At the time of the Department of Defense press release, the incident was under investigation. Pfc. Hobart left behind a three-year-old daughter. According to Melissa’s memorial site, military officials believe Melissa suffered from a heart attack. Melissa’s mom Connie Hobart told the Hartford Courant that she was put on an anti-depressant shortly before deploying to Iraq and was still feeling depressed. Connie reported in 2006 that the official word from the military, two years later, was that she died of an undetermined cause.

Connie Hobart’s 22-year-old daughter, Army Pfc. Melissa Hobart, was put on an anti-depressant shortly before deploying and had told her mother that she remained depressed while in Baghdad. Three months into her tour, in June 2004, the East Haven native collapsed and died of a still-undetermined cause. Told of the policy changes Monday, Connie Hobart said, “I’m happy to hear about it. That’s good news.” Sobbing, she said her daughter might be alive today if the policy had been different at the time. –Hartford Courant

Related Links:
Pfc. Melissa Jennifer Hobart (1981-2004)
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Pfc. Melissa Hobart | Hartford Courant
Army Pfc. Melissa J. Hobart | Honor the Fallen
Pfc. Melissa J. Hobart | The Washington Post
Mentally Unfit, Forced To Fight — (The Hartford Courant)
Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Iraq)

Army Spouse Teresa Nieves Found Fatally Shot in North Carolina Home by Fort Bragg SFC Rigoberto Nieves in Murder-Suicide (June 11, 2002)

On June 11, 2002August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Stateside Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Two days after returning home from Afghanistan, Fort Bragg Army SFC Rigoberto Nieves shot and killed his wife Teresa Nieves after an argument on June 11, 2002 in their Fayetteville, North Carolina home; SFC Nieves then turned his .40-caliber service revolver on himself. This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. William Wright admitted to murdering his wife Jennifer on June 29, 2002; Cedric Griffin murdered his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd murdered 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.

Related Links:
Obituary: Teresa M. Hernandez Nieves (June 11, 2002)
Obituary: SFC Rigoberto B. Nieves (June 11, 2002)
Wives’ slayings shock Army at Fort Bragg
Series of Slayings Shakes Fort Bragg
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)
Spate of domestic killings hits U.S. military base
US army stunned by spate of murders at special forces’ base
Rash of Wife Killings at Ft. Bragg Leaves the Base Wondering Why
How GI Heroes Turned Homes into Killing Fields
After Combat Overseas, Many War Veterans Killing Others At Home, Then Themselves
Spouse slayings, suicides raise alarm at Fort Bragg
4 slain wives had tried to leave
4 Army wives who were slain sought divorce
Soldiers kill wives after serving in Afghanistan
Army fights domestic violence in soldiers’ homes at Fort Bragg
Army Wifes’ Slayings Spurs Review
Army re-evaluating counseling program after four wives killed
Army Behavior Experts to Probe Fort Bragg Killings
Army base to take a look at its counseling program
Third Bragg soldier took malaria drug
Deaths highlight military problem
War Torn | Part 1 | The New York Times (January 12, 2008)
Death on the Home Front (2009)
A Decade after Murder-Suicides, D-Day for “the Agent Orange of our Generation”
Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage (Book)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners (2017)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death and Suicide at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (US Army)

Navy Veteran Matthew Blankswade Fatally Shot Jeffrey Brisebois in Hawaii for Girlfriend; Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder, Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison (June 26, 2000)

On June 26, 2000June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, NavyLeave a comment

ID Go: When landowner Jeff Brisebois is found shot to the head in the bedroom of his Hawaii plantation home, police uncover angry neighbors, disgruntled tenants, estranged family members — and soon find themselves with an island full of suspects. -Warm Revolver, Devil in the Details (S1, E4)

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:
Henrietta Phillips v. Jeffrey Brisebois (1991)
Murder victim’s daughter arrested
Murder suspect confesses
Suspect arraigned in killing of girlfriend’s Kauai father
Kaua’i killer gets life with parole
Kauai man gets life sentence in killing of girlfriend’s father
Man convicted of Kauai killing to serve 45 years
Kauai man ordered to serve at least 45 years for 2000 murder
Murderer won’t see parole for at least 45 years
Warm Revolver | Devil in the Details | Investigation Discovery (S1, E4)
Psycho For Love: Matthew Blankswade killed his girlfriend’s father, Jeffrey Brisebois; Sentenced to life in prison

Fort Hood Army Soldier Gary Prokop Killed by Wife & Friends for Benefits & Life Insurance; Tyshee Prokop Sentenced to Life in Prison (June 25, 1998)

On June 25, 1998August 6, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military PolicyLeave a comment

Tyshee Prokop Deadly Women — She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep

When some brides vowed to love and honor their husbands, they lied. These Deadly Women made a mockery of marital commitment. They only promised “To Have and To Kill”. -To Have and To Kill, Deadly Women (S8, E14)

Tyshee Prokop and her childhood friends from Killeen, Texas murdered Gary Prokop, an Army soldier stationed at Fort Hood in 1998. Tyshee married Gary shortly after meeting him and they had a child together. But Tyshee wasn’t ready for family life. About a year and a half after they were married, they filed for divorce. Gary was going to get out of the Army and move back home. Tyshee conspired with her friends to have Gary murdered before he got out of the Army so she could collect medical benefits and the $100,000 dollar life insurance policy. He was murdered on June 25th with a single gunshot wound to the head while he was sleeping. One of the co-conspirators, Rodney Barfield, felt remorse about his involvement with the crime. He confessed his full involvement in the murder and detailed everyone’s roles. In 2002, Tyshee Prokop and her friends were arrested and charged with the murder of Gary Prokop. They were sentenced as follows:

Tyshee Manik Prokop – pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison
Charles Edward Turnbull III – convicted, sentenced to life in prison
Rodney Barfield – pled guilty, sentenced to 25 years
Reuben James Salgado – pled guilty (tampering with evidence charge)
Jacob Luther Harris – pled guilty (to a conspiracy charge)

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:
Spec Gary Thomas Prokop | Find A Grave
Army wife charged in husband’s killing
Killeen woman accused of murdering husband pleads not guilty
Jcc Man Arrested On Charges Tied To Texas Killing
Killeen woman pleads guilty to murder, avoids death penalty
‘Prokop 5’ murder suspect pleads guilty to tampering with evidence
Four of five sentenced for Killeen murder-for-hire scheme
Victim’s parents get child custody
Forensics could be key to two-year mystery
She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep | Deadly Women
Tyshee Prokop had her husband, Spec Gary Thomas Prokop, killed for his military benefits and insurance
Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Prison Inmates | The Texas Tribune
Parole Review Info for Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Dept of Criminal Justice
ISO A Femme Fatale? Jail Babes Has The Hook-Up
Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance is a Common Motive for Murder
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘To Have and To Kill’ on ID: Gary Prokop Murdered for Military Death Benefits and Life Insurance (October 17, 2014)
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on ID
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S8,E14)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)

On This Day in History: Army Veteran Timothy McVeigh Convicted for Oklahoma City Bombing (June 2, 1997)

On June 2, 1997June 3, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, VeteransLeave a comment

Timothy McVeigh Army — Timothy McVeigh, U.S. Army Veteran

“Timothy McVeigh, a former U.S. Army soldier, is convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. On April 19, 1995, just after 9 a.m., a massive truck bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The blast collapsed the north face of the nine-story building, instantly killing more than 100 people and trapping dozens more in the rubble. Emergency crews raced to Oklahoma City from across the country, and when the rescue effort finally ended two weeks later, the death toll stood at 168 people, including 19 young children who were in the building’s day-care center at the time of the blast.” Read more from This Day in History here.

Related Links:
Oklahoma City Bombing: 168 People Died in an Act of Domestic Terrorism at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (April 19, 1995)
Timothy McVeigh convicted for Oklahoma City bombing (June 2, 1997)
American Experience PBS Premiered ‘Oklahoma City’: Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols Conspired to Bomb the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (February 7, 2017)
Oxygen Premiered ‘In Defense Of Timothy McVeigh’: Convicted Oklahoma City Bomber Executed by Feds in 2001 for Terrorism (June 25, 2018)
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Oklahoma City National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: June

Snapped Premiered ‘Erika Sifrit’ on Oxygen: Woman’s Arrest Leads to Shocking Homicides of Tourists in Ocean City, Maryland (June 16, 2011)

The Nation | In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal (June 25, 2010)

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez Died By Suicide After Jumping Off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York (June 10, 2010)

Army Spouse Teresa Nieves Found Fatally Shot in North Carolina Home by Fort Bragg SFC Rigoberto Nieves in Murder-Suicide (June 11, 2002)

Navy Veteran Matthew Blankswade Fatally Shot Jeffrey Brisebois in Hawaii for Girlfriend; Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder, Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison (June 26, 2000)

Fort Hood Army Soldier Gary Prokop Killed by Wife & Friends for Benefits & Life Insurance; Tyshee Prokop Sentenced to Life in Prison (June 25, 1998)

On This Day in History: Army Veteran Timothy McVeigh Convicted for Oklahoma City Bombing (June 2, 1997)

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