Ark-La-Tex: Barksdale Air Force Base Commander Addresses Homicides of Five Airmen or Spouses in Less Than a Year (July 17, 2019)

USAF Seal

“The commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base issued a statement Wednesday afternoon expressing deep concern for the safety of the military members and their families assigned to BAFB in light of the recent murders of five Barksdale Airmen and/or their spouses. ‘I’ve been stationed at eight installations in my 25-year Air Force career and I have never experienced as many murders involving Airmen and their families,’ said Air Force Col. Michael A. Miller.” Read more from Ark-La-Tex here.

  • TSgt Joshua Kidd, U.S. Air Force: died September 25, 2018, murdered outside home, DNA links two teens to murder, Jareona Crosby and Alonzo Wilson charged with second degree murder, awaiting trial
  • TSgt Kelly Jose, U.S. Air Force Reserve and spouse Heather Jose: died November 8, 2018, murdered after giving a guy they met at the shopping mall a ride, found slain in a burned out car, Dewayne Willie Watkins, 34, was indicted in connection with the robbery, kidnapping, and murder, charged with two counts of second degree murder, state seeking the death penalty
  • Antonio Williams (spouse of civil servant Airman Ivy Shelby-Williams): died June 22, 2019, gunned down while delivering mail to Michael Gentry at his home in Shreveport’s South Highlands neighborhood, Michael Gentry, 32, arrested after the shooting & charged with second-degree murder
  • TSgt Perry Bailey, U.S. Air Force: died June 30, 2019, murdered in Shreveport residence, the female homeowner said her former boyfriend, Brandan Brown, broke into the residence through the master bedroom window and shot her current boyfriend Perry Bailey, Brown died by suicide

Related Links:
Barksdale Commander Expresses Concern About Recent Airmen Deaths
BAFB commander addresses homicides of five airmen or spouses in less than a year

Fort Campbell Army Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray Sentenced to Life in Prison After Pleading Guilty to the Pre-Meditated Murder of Ex-Wife Pfc. Shadow McClaine (March 1, 2019)

Jamal Williams-McCray 2

Jamal Williams-McCray, U.S. Army

Crime Watch Daily spoke with the parents of missing Army soldier Shadow McClaine. Shadow disappeared from Fort Campbell, Kentucky on September 2, 2016. Shadow’s parents were concerned her life may be in danger prior to her disappearance. They shared that someone cut her vehicle break lines on base and Shadow posted a picture of it on social media. They also said she reported the incident to her Chain of Command but felt dismissed. The Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) conducted an investigation and reported two soldiers were being held as person of interests and the case was under investigation.

On November 29, 2016, Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray and Spc. Charles Robinson were charged with conspiracy, premeditated murder, and kidnapping under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). On January 23, 2017, the remains of Pfc. Shadow McClaine were discovered off the I-24 highway near Exit 19 in Kentucky. It was confirmed that Shadow was in fact a victim of kidnapping and homicide. A year after Shadow went missing in September 2017, Spc. Charles Robinson pleaded guilty to murder. He claimed he helped Shadow’s estranged husband Williams-McCray kidnap and murder her. On March 1, 2019, Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to premeditated murder.

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Pfc. Shadow McClaine, US Army

Learn more: JUSTICE FOR SHADOW MCCLAINE

In the News:

Private First Class Soldier Shadow McClaine has mysteriously gone missing and theories are swirling on what happened to her and why. Now, new details could help them. -True Crime Daily (October 24, 2016)

Shadow McClaine, a young soldier, mysteriously disappears — some say she left, while others say someone was out to get her. -True Crime Daily (October 24, 2016)

Two soldiers were taken into custody in connection to the case of missing female soldier, Shadow Branice McClaine. -News Channel 5 (October 25, 2015)

Shadow McClaine, 25, has been missing for nearly two months after disappearing from Fort Campbell. -CBS Sacramento (October 26, 2016)

Some thought Shadow McClaine was running away from her problems. But it now appears she was the victim of something sinister. -True Crime Daily (December 6, 2016)

Missing Yuba City soldier’s body found in Tennessee. -KCRA News (January 25, 2017)

First Class Private Shadow McClaine’s body was discovered earlier this week and investigators arrested two fellow soldiers. -CBS Sacramento (January 28, 2017)

The body of Shadow McClaine, a soldier who was murdered near Fort Campbell in Tennessee, was returned to her family in Yuba City Friday evening. -KCRA News (February 3, 2017)

Shadow McClaine’s remains touched down at the Sacramento International Airport Friday night greeted by dozens of local service men and women along with her grieving family. -CBS Sacramento (February 3, 2017)

A look at the scene as Shadow McClaine came home on Friday. -CBS Sacramento (February 4, 2017)

Missing soldier Shadow McClaine’s body has been found. Crime Watch Daily talks to McClaine’s mother London Wegrzyn, who says that her daughter had a fraught relationship with ex-husband Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray. Specialist Charles Robinson and Williams-McCray were charged with her murder. Crime Watch Daily also speaks to McClaine’s friend Trystan Harding about what happened to McClaine. -True Crime Daily (March 9, 2017)

Family and friends came together for a vigil to honor a murdered Fort Campbell soldier. -News Channel 5 (April 11, 2017)

Private First Class Shadow McClaine was found dead 2,000 miles away from her home, allegedly at the hands of two men who will face premeditated murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges. -CBS Sacramento (April 11, 2017)

Army specialist Charles Robinson says he slashed Shadow McClain’s throat, then broke her neck to make sure she was dead. He says McClaine’s ex-husband, Jamal Williams-McCray hired him to murder her. -True Crime Daily (October 3, 2017)

Two years ago this week, the body of Shadow McClaine was discovered in Robertson County along Interstate 24. -News Channel 5 (January 23, 2019)

Related Links:
Soldier vanishes under mysterious circumstances; Army, Family Seeks Tips
Shadow McClaine: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Missing Fort Campbell soldier failed to show in court
Family searches for missing Fort Campbell soldier
Family searches for missing Fort Campbell soldier
Fort Campbell soldier missing; officials find her car abandoned
Missing Fort Campbell soldier’s car found in downtown Nashville
Car of missing Fort Campbell soldier found in Nashville
Missing Fort Campbell soldier’s car found in downtown Nashville
Missing Ft. Campbell soldier’s vehicle found in downtown Nashville parking lot
Missing Fort Campbell soldier’s car found in downtown parking lot
Missing soldier’s car found in Nashville, friends not giving up
Car belonging to U.S. Army soldier missing for more than a week is found abandoned 70 miles from her base in Kentucky
New developments in search for missing Fort Campbell soldier
Army confirms investigation of missing soldier Shadow McClaine
Fort Campbell Military Police looking for missing woman
Army CID investigating disappearance of 101st Airborne soldier
Army CID Seeks Information on Missing Campbell Soldier
Mother of missing soldier says daughter wouldn’t ‘just go away’
Group plans vigil for missing Fort Campbell soldier
Community invited to candlelight vigil for missing soldier Shadow McClaine
Vigil held for missing Fort Campbell soldier
Questions and Rumors Swirl Around Disappearance of Fort Campbell Soldier Shadow McClaine
2 held in Ft. Campbell soldier’s disappearance
Two 101st Airborne Soldiers charged in disappearance of Pfc. Shadow McClaine
2 soldiers charged in murder of 101st soldier Shadow McClaine
2 charged with murder, kidnap of missing Ft. Campbell soldier
Two Soldiers Charged with Murder in Connection with Disappearance of Fellow Soldier Shadow McClaine
Charges preferred against 2 Fort Campbell soldiers in Shadow McClaine’s death
Ft. Campbell soldier missing from Kentucky
Two Fort Campbell Army soldiers charged with murder in case of missing private first class Shadow McClaine
Soldiers face murder, kidnapping charges in disappearance of Ft. Campbell soldier
Soldier Who Survived Tours in Afghanistan Allegedly Abducted and Murdered by Ex-Husband, Prosecutors Say
Army: Remains of missing Fort Campbell soldier have been found
Skeletal remains of missing soldier from Yuba City found in Tennessee
Skeletal remains of missing Northern California soldier found in Tennessee
Pretrial Hearing Ends for GIs Charged in Murder Case
Men accused of killing soldier to silence rape accusation
Army specialist pleads guilty in Fort Campbell soldier’s slaying
Soldier pleads guilty to role in murder of Shadow McClaine
Soldier pleads guilty in murder of soldier Shadow McClaine
Soldier Pleads Guilty to Murder of Shadow McClaine
Soldier pleads guilty to murder of Shadow McClaine
Shadow McClaine murder update: Soldier pleads guilty, implicates ex-husband
Shadow McClaine killing: Fort Campbell soldier gets 25 years for helping man kill ex-wife
Shadow McClaine: Ex-husband’s murder trial will be a death penalty case
Ex-husband facing death penalty for murder of Shadow McClaine asks to move trial
Ex-husband facing death penalty for murder of Shadow McClaine asks to move trial
Ex-husband admits he had soldier killed, helped hide her body
Ex-Husband Pleads Guilty in Female Soldier’s Slaying
Ex-husband pleads guilty in Fort Campbell soldier’s slaying
Ft. Campbell soldier sentenced to life in prison after admitting he had his ex-wife killed
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Fort Campbell, Kentucky
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners (2017)
Army Pfc. Shadow McClaine Reported Missing at Fort Campbell; Ex-Husband Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray & Spc. Charles Robinson Pleaded Guilty to Murder (September 2, 2016)

Video Links:
Soldier vanishes under mysterious circumstances; Army seeks tips
Soldier vanishes under mysterious circumstances; Army seeks tips (2)
Missing Yuba City soldier’s body found in Tennessee
2 Ft. Campbell Soldiers Named As Persons Of Interest In Missing Soldier Case
Fellow Soldiers Named As Persons Of Interest In Missing Yuba City Woman Case
Mom Of Soldier Who Died At Hands Of Fellow Soldiers Hopes For Death Penalty
Update: Ex-Husband, Second Man Charged with Soldier’s Murder
Slain soldier Shadow McClaine’s body returns to Yuba City
Murdered Soldier’s Body Returns Home To Yuba City Family
Murdered Soldier’s Body Returns Home
Vigil Held For Murdered Ft. Campbell Soldier Shadow McClaine
Ex-Husband, Second Man Charged with Soldier’s Murder
Missing Soldier’s Body Found
Family Remembers Murdered Yuba City Soldier As They Confront Suspects
Army Specialist Pleads Guilty to Shadow McClaine Murder
Vigil held for Shadow McClaine in Robertson County two years after her body was found

Method of a Serial Killer: Authorities Believe Israel Keyes Trained to Kill & Suppressed Desire to Murder While Serving in the Army (October 28, 2018)

Oxygen’s two hour special event on Israel Keyes airs Sunday, October 28th. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Reporters, investigators and family friends reflect on the kidnapping of Samantha Koenig. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Israel Keyes is arrested after a minor traffic infraction. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Follow FBI special agents as they investigate the kidnapping and murder of Samantha Koenig. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Investigators say that some conversations with Israel Keyes were very “normal.” -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Investigators discuss the power dynamics and the fight for Keyes to reveal information. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer (S1, E1)

Israel Keyes admitted that he is “two different people.” -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

The kill kits recovered by the FBI reveal the meticulous planning of Israel Keyes. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Keyes said the randomness of his victims is what kept him “successful.” -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Keyes could have many more victims than those that have been accounted for. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

FBI Special Agents discuss Israel Keyes’ possible involvement in another murder case. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

FBI special agents and a forensic psychologist reflect on Israel Keyes’ personality. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Israel Keyes fascination with serial killers reveals patterns in his MO. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Israel Keyes revealed he created kill kits and buried them in various locations. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

FBI special agents and a forensic psychologist discuss Israel Keyes’ training and suppression of killing sprees. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Mary Wood, reflects on the time her family employed Israel Keyes for a bathroom remodel. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Former reporter, Casey Grove, describes his journey as a crime journalist. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Related Links:
Method of a Serial Killer | Oxygen Official Site
Serial Killer Israel Keyes’ Suicide Letter Is Creepy Ode to Murder
Alaska Serial Killer Committed Suicide With Hidden Razor and Bedding
The untold story behind Israel Keyes’ jailhouse suicide
Was Israel Keyes the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of Modern Times?
Serial Killer Suicide Notes | Psychology Today
Israel Keyes Update: Remains of at least 5 victims of Alaska serial killer are in Washington, FBI interviews indicate
Israel Keyes Update: Alaska serial killer linked to at least 11 deaths, FBI says
Listen to Detectives Describe the Disturbing ‘Kill Kits’ Made by Serial Killer Israel Keyes
Method of a Serial Killer: Israel Keyes Abducts his Final Known Victim
Read Serial Killer Israel Keyes’ Chilling Suicide Note: ‘Soon Now You’ll Join Those Ranks of Dead’
Martinis & Murder: Episode #99 – The Alaskan Serial Killer
Oxygen’s ‘Method Of A Murderer’ Goes Inside The Mind of Serial Killer Israel Keyes
10 Recently Caught Demented Serial Killers |Listverse
Profile of Alaska Serial Killer Israel Keyes
Israel Keyes | Unresolved
Method Of A Serial Killer Premieres Sunday, 10/28 | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Samantha Koenig – Preview (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: White Ford Focus – Preview (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: From Kidnapping To Murder – Preview (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Interviewing Israel Keyes – Preview | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Fight For Control – Preview (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: The Two Sides Of Israel Keyes – Preview | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Calculation – Preview (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: The Randomness Of Victims – Preview | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Leaving Behind Unsolved Crimes – Preview | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: A Tight Timeline – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Double Life – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: The Fascination – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: The Caches – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: Military Training – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: He Didn’t Choose Us – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Method Of A Serial Killer: A Compelling Story – Bonus clip (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Devil in the Darkness: The True Story of Serial Killer Israel Keyes by J.T. Hunter (Book)

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

Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘Bring My Baby Home’ on ID: Baby Rachel Ann White Abducted by Air Force Spouse Maritza Beato Rentz (February 7, 2018)

A four-week-old girl is kidnapped, leaving her mother in anguish and police scrambling to find her. As days go by with no sign of the baby or demands for ransom, sergeants Joe Kenda and Robert Sapp fear she’s been sold on the black market or worse. -Bring My Baby Home, Homicide Hunter (S7,E20)

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:
Bring My Baby Home | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (S7,E20)
Bring My Baby Home | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (website)
Bring My Baby Home | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Bring My Baby Home | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Baby Rachel White Abducted by Air Force Spouse; Paul Rentz Denied Involvement, Maritza Rentz Used Insanity Defense, Hospitalized for One Year (February 19, 1988)

Norman Early III Lured to Married Lover’s Home to “Pay Him a Lesson”; Three Former Marines Sentenced in the California Robbery & Beating Case (2015)

USMC

“I knew what my fate was. I was going to be murdered.” -Norman Early III

On the morning of September 20, 2015, Diana Reyes lured Norman Early III into her home so her husband and his friends could “pay him a lesson” for an alleged affair Early had with Reyes while her husband was deployed overseas with the US Marine Corps. Early claims that he thought she was separated and getting a divorce. He even stated that he loved her and although they were involved romantically, he never slept with her. Reyes on the other hand sat in a room in the house and listened to him being beat by her husband and his Marine buddies. Norman Early sustained an orbital fracture, his eye was bruised and swollen shut, and he had numerous contusions to his head and body. Marines Sergio Medina, Rodrigo Sanchez, and Leonardo Ortiz were initially charged with several felonies, including attempted murder, kidnapping, and torture. The attempted murder and kidnapping charges were dismissed during the preliminary hearing. Their lawyers accepted a plea deal for first-degree robbery. Lance Cpl. Sergio Medina was sentenced to 6 years in prison. Lance Cpl. Rodrigo Sanchez and Lance Cpl. Leonardo Ortiz were sentenced to 3 years in prison. Military officials said all three were discharged from the Marine Corps.

Related Links:
Dad: 3 marines kidnap, assault son after alleged affair
Reports: U.S. Marines beat, choked man over alleged affair
Court documents show suspect confessed to beating, robbing victim
Kidnapping, attempted murder charges against Marines dismissed
Three former U.S. Marines take plea deal in beating case
Former U.S. Marines sentenced to prison in beating case
3 Former Marines Sentenced To Prison In Beating Case
Marine veterans sentenced for brutally beating man who had an affair with one of their wives
Three former Marines sentenced for brutal beating of man who had an affair with one of their wives
Three Marines sentenced for beating man who had affair with Marine’s wife while deployed

Army Veteran Carlos Holcombe Kidnapped & Raped 12-Year-Old Girl in El Paso, Texas; Sentenced to Life Plus 20 Years in Prison, Sentences Served Concurrently (August 22, 2014)

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Carlos Holcombe, US Army Veteran

Army veteran Carlos Antonio Holcombe was accused of kidnapping a twelve year old child from a high school parking lot and raping her on August 22, 2014 in El Paso, Texas. He lured the little girl by asking her if she would help him move some boxes. He then pointed a gun at her back and forced her into his truck. He took her to his home, put duck tape over her eyes, bound her, and raped her. School cameras caught him in the act of the abduction and he was arrested by police the next day. He was indicted on one count of aggravated kidnapping and three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to reports, Holcombe served ten years in the US Army in support of Operation Desert Shield and was honorably discharged. He now claims he has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) yet has not received any treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs. He used the PTSD defense claiming that he suffers from a disassociative disorder he developed after he was sexually abused as a child. He also used the temporary insanity defense, claiming he was drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana right before the incident. A psychologist testified that he examined Holcombe by giving him several psychological exams and the results of the exams showed that Holcombe was exaggerating or lying about his symptoms. Holcombe was found guilty by a jury of three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and one count each of aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child involving sexual contact. He was sentenced to life in prison on one count of aggravated kidnapping and 20 years in prison on a charge of indecency with a child involving sexual contact. The sentences will be served concurrently.

“You don’t get to claim you have PTSD and commit a rape.” -Prosecutor Alyssa Nava

Related Links:
Man indicted on aggravated kidnapping, 3 charges of aggravated sexual assault of child in Aug. incident in Horizon
Trial date set in Horizon City kidnapping, sexual assault case
Trial underway for man accused of kidnapping girl from Horizon HS football game
Trial underway for man accused of kidnapping 12-year-old girl from Horizon High School football game, raping her
Evidence shown in day three of Carlos Holcombe trial
Cameras show 12-year-old’s kidnapping
Girl testifies about kidnapping, sexual assault
Texas man convicted of kidnapping, raping girl, 12
Army vet found guilty of kidnapping, raping girl in Texas
Man found guilty of kidnapping, raping girl
Former soldier guilty of kidnapping, sexually assaulting girl he bound, blindfolded outside El Paso
Man gets life in kidnapping, rape of girl

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

20140301-003103.jpgWhat is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

When in danger, it’s natural to feel afraid. This fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to prepare to defend against the danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this reaction is changed or damaged. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger.

PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers.

PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes.

FMI from the National Institute of Mental Health, please click here.

Unusual Suspects Premiered ‘Vanished in Reno’ on Investigation Discovery: The Rape & Murder of Brianna Denison Leads to Nevada Passing Brianna’s Law (January 12, 2014)

ID Go: When a young college student is abducted from a friend’s home in the middle of the night, the city of Reno lives in fear of who might be next. Dogged investigation leads detectives to a serial rapist who’s just escalated to murder. -Vanished in Reno, Unusual Suspects (S6,E1)

“The bill mandates a DNA cheek-swab whenever a person is booked for a felony arrest. If the arrest is deemed legitimate, the DNA would be cross-referenced with DNA from other crime scenes to see if the arrestee was involved. The proposal is named after Brianna Denison who was raped and murdered by James Biela in Reno in 2008. Proponents believe such a law may have saved Denison because Biela had a prior felony arrest.”

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:
Vanished in Reno | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (website)
Vanished in Reno | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (S6,E1)
Vanished in Reno | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
College Student Brianna Denison Kidnapped, Raped and Strangled by a Former Marine in Reno, Nevada; James Biela Sentenced to Death (January 20, 2008)
From May 2013: Brianna’s Law officially becomes Nevada state law
Brianna’s Law has matched more than 1,000 DNA samples to crimes

Deadly Women Premiered ‘Souls of Stone’ on ID: Iva Kroeger Strangled Married Couple Because She Wanted What They Had (November 15, 2013)

Selfish women will sometimes sell their souls to the devil to get what they want. A scorned lover weaves a web of lies, a teenage Goth orders a reign of terror, and a gold-digger buries secrets in her basement. -Souls of Stone, Deadly Women (S7, E18)

Naughty by Monte Schulz (Book):

This crime noir novel, set in the 1950s, was inspired by the real life story of Iva Kroeger and her husband, indicted for the murders of Mildred and Jay Arneson in 1962. -Monte Schulz, Mr. Media Interviews By Bob Andelman

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:
The Grandma from Hell
17 infamous crimes in Sonoma County history
Monte Schulz retells gruesome story from Santa Rosa’s past
Naughty by nature, Iva Kroeger inspired Monte Schulz! INTERVIEW
Souls of Stone | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S7, E18)
Souls of Stone | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Souls of Stone | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Iva Kroeger Murdered Motel Owners Mildred Arneson and WWI Army Veteran Jay Arneson in California; Sentenced to Life in Prison (August 20, 1962)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery