On August 29, 1989, Navy veteran Richard Uffelman and his two sons opened fire from their living room window and shot and killed their neighbors Michael and Florence Phillips in Machiasport, Maine. The Phillips family moved back to Maine so they could be closer to their family and the ocean, and they wanted to escape crime in Indiana. Shortly before they moved to Maine, a murder occurred outside their home and this was it for them; they wanted to raise their son Michael in a safe environment. Richard and Anita Uffelman and their two sons were the new neighbors of the Phillips in Maine. Richard was described as an authoritarian and a believer in good order and discipline. He worked at the local post office and taught his two children to shoot guns. Initially the neighbors were good friends and their boys played together. At some point, family came to visit the Phillips for a week. The happy family reunited outside on the front lawn while they barbecued, drank some beers, and enjoyed one another’s company. Apparently Richard found a broken bottle on his lawn during the event and automatically assumed the Phillips threw the bottle on his lawn. Richard called the police to complain about the incident but there was no proof since the Phillips denied doing it. This was it for Richard; the Phillips home interfered with his view of the ocean and he was going to exact his revenge. Read here.
On April 10, 2008, Navy sailor Chris Shortt discovered his step-daughter Meghan Landowski stabbed to death in their Portsmouth, Virginia home. Meghan was 16 years old and from the looks of the crime scene, there was a struggle; Meghan fought back. Investigators learned the killer used a knife from the family’s kitchen. They found it in a gutter down the street. The police didn’t know who committed the murder but they believed it was personal and Meghan knew her attacker. Chris and Angie Shortt believed Robert Hickey killed Meghan and they called NCIS at Naval Station Norfolk to let them know what happened. NCIS questioned Hickey. Robert Hickey was a military officer who was on his way to the rank of Captain when he was accused of sexual assault by Meghan. Robert was a close friend of the family and NCIS believe he groomed Meghan for a sexual relationship. Meghan said Rob began touching her when she was 14 and by age 15, Meghan was having a sexual relationship with a 30-year-old man. The family supported Meghan as she pressed charges against Robert but they learned from civilian investigators that Hickey’s crimes amounted to a misdemeanor in Virginia; he would spend 12 months maximum in prison. But Robert Hickey was a Navy sailor and subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Navy was investigating and planning to prosecute the case. Read here.
This is footage from the deck of the USS Fitzgerald, a U.S. Navy destroyer, of the moments immediately after it was struck by cargo ship MV ACX Crystal, in the South China Sea around 1:30 a.m. on June 17, 2017. The picture goes dark for a second as the Crystal hits, then the Fitz is knocked into a 360-degree rotation. 7 sailors died. Our investigation found that the collision was preventable. Read the investigation here -ProPublica
An investigation with our reporting partners at ProPublica into the 2017 collisions of U.S.S. Fitzgerald and U.S.S. McCain suggest that the Navy had ignored warnings, and postponed critical training and repairs before those deadly accidents. -NBC News
A ProPublica investigation revealed new details into two separate collisions of the U.S.S. Fitzgerald and John S. McCain that led to the deaths of 17 sailors. Robert Faturechi was one of the authors of the investigation, and joined CBSN to discuss their findings. -CBS News
For sale: One of the most notorious citizens of Durham, North Carolina finds herself under scrutiny after her boyfriend is stabbed. -Crystal Mangum, Snapped (S24, E7)
Date: April 3, 2011 Victim: Reginald Daye, 46, professional painter Offender: Crystal Mangum, 32, Navy veteran, college student Location: Durham, North Carolina Circumstances: Reginald Daye grew up in Durham, North Carolina, family described him as kind and caring and looking for a long-term relationship, he met Crystal in 2011, she was 14 years younger, Crystal’s family was low income but loving, she served in the Navy for 3 1/2 years, while in the service, Crystal met another Navy sailor and they had two children, the relationship didn’t last because he was married the entire time, Crystal was honorably discharged as a result, she returned to Durham to be closer to family, she earned a college degree in psychology and was pursuing her masters, she met another man and had a third child but this relationship ended as well, she was struggling financially and moved in with her aunt in 2010, this is where she met Reginald, Reginald asked Crystal to move in with him to help share the rent, they became romantically involved, Reggie fell quickly for Crystal, he loved her kids too, they appeared to have a good relationship, he wanted a family & love, barely a month after Crystal moved in, she stabbed Reggie after a violent confrontation, Reggie was rushed into surgery, the police walked into a crime scene of violence, the living room was destroyed, a door to the bathroom was ripped off its hinges, Reggie revealed that Crystal had stabbed him, police learned the offender was “the Crystal Mangum,” in 2006, Crystal was working as an exotic dancer for private parties, she needed the money while attending school, on March 13, 2006, Crystal got a job at an off campus party, that same night, Crystal reported she was raped by three Duke Lacrosse players, they gave her a picture of the team and she picked out three men from the photo, the DA took on the case with vigor and the media descended on Durham, NC, it was the privileged versus the low income single mom, she claimed they were drunk and abusive, the university acted quickly, cancelled the teams events and the coach was fired, it polarized the community, it split America right down the middle, it dominated the national news, but the case began to unravel, the DNA came back and none of the men she accused matched the DNA sample from the sexual assault kit, it was a case of a false accusation and these men were totally innocent, the DA was disgraced and disbarred, CM was a pariah in the community, she couldn’t get a job or an apartment because of the reputation she had, initially, the attack on Reggie stemmed from a domestic dispute with CM, police couldn’t find CM and they actively looked for her to ask her about the altercation, then the police got a mysterious phone call from a child, the boy told 911 his mom was in a fight and had to leave, they responded to the call at the neighbors apartment, CM was there, she had injuries and the police needed pictures of them, one of the detectives believed that she may have stabbed Reggie in self-defense, CM knew not to talk to the police without an attorney, she was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury (stabbing), after she was booked into jail, the police called the hospital to get a status, it appeared Reggie was going to make a full recovery, after his surgery, he gave the police a statement, Reggie told the police he introduced CM to his family at a party, when they got home, he got jealous because she was flirting with someone, once they got in the apartment, the argument escalated quickly, he went into a jealous rage and admitted hitting and jumping on CM, he forced the bathroom door open to get to CM and pulled her out of the bathroom, he finally stopped and then CM went to the kitchen, got a knife, and stabbed him in his side, but doctor’s saved him, he admitted they were fighting and he got mad which gave her what looked like a reason for self-defense, but on April 6, Reggie’s condition took an unexpected turn for the worse and he died, they were concerned he was detoxing from alcohol, ran a fever and went into cardiac arrest, he was in a coma and had substantial brain damage, the family had to make the decision to pull the life support, he died on April 13, 2011, his family was devastated, Crystal was in jail at the time Reggie passed away, Reggie’s death had dire repercussions for CM, her charges went from assault to a first degree murder charge, CM decided its time to talk directly to the DA, she said after they returned from the party, Reggie became jealous and hit her in the head once they got in the apartment, she hid in the bathroom and he kicked the door in and dragged her out by her hair, he finally relented but she said Reggie got some knives out of the kitchen and started throwing them at her, she stabbed him in the side and ran out of the apartment, the police had a chaotic scene to decipher, CM was charged with second degree murder, CM’s advocates claimed she couldn’t get a fair trial in Durham because of her high profile notorious past, 2 1/2 years later, 35 yo CM headed to trial in Durham County Courthouse, she had a lot of supporters in Durham and said it was an altercation to save her life but the prosecution said she was a dangerous and unstable woman who had a lack of self control and was on the edge, the judge did not allow the Duke Lacrosse case in the trial, but an ex-boyfriend of CM testified against her, he didn’t want to but did testify that 14 months prior to Reggie’s attack, she threatened him with a knife as well, she also set some of his belongings on fire, he called the police and they intervened, CM was arrested for arson and spent 90 days in jail, then she moved in with her aunt and met Reggie, the similarities were no coincidence, it was a pattern of abusing men, some people thought she should have been prosecuted for the false rape allegations and this was vindication for them, Crystal’s supporters see a travesty of justice Disposition: On November 22, 2014, Crystal Mangum was found guilty of second degree murder of Reginald Daye and sentenced to fourteen-eighteen years in prison, on appeal, she asked for a new trial but it was denied
Source: ‘Crystal Mangum’ Snapped
Crystal Mangum’s name became synonymous with scandal and was known throughout Durham, North Carolina. -Snapped (S24, E7)
Friend of Crystal Mangum, Jacqueline Wagstaff, expresses Crystal didn’t receive a fair trial. -Snapped (S24, E7)
Law enforcement, friends and reporters describe their opinions of the verdict of Crystal Mangum. -Snapped (S24, E7)
In the News:
Duke Lacrosse Rape Case Dismissed – False Rape Allegations, David R. Usher, Extra Edition
Ed Bradley of “60 Minutes” speaks with Hannah Storm about his exclusive interview with Duke University lacrosse players accused of raping an exotic dancer. -CBS News
The woman who prosecutors determined falsely accused three Duke lacrosse players of rape maintains in a new memoir that she was attacked, a claim that provoked an angry lawsuit threat from one player’s family. -Associated Press
Crystal Mangum found guilty of 2nd-degree murder. -The News & Observer
Duke Lacrosse Rape Accuser Crystal Magnum Found Guilty Of Murder. -The Advise TV Show
Crystal Gail Mangum made headlines for falsely accusing members of the Duke University men’s lacrosse team of rape. A few years later, Mangum is charged with attempted murder. -Corrupt Crimes, True Crime Network
Presumed Guilty: Due Process Lessons of the Duke Lacrosse Case. -The FIRE Org
Join Chuck Woolery as he revisits Crystal Magnum and how she falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006. -Blunt Force Truth
Investigation Discovery:
Crystal Mangum, Stripped to the Bone, Wives with Knives
ID Go: After Christmas in 2003, on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington State, Russel Douglas is found shot in the head, in his car along a deserted road. It’s the start of a case that will take a decade to solve, and leave many with lingering questions. -Whidbey Island Mystery, The Perfect Murder (S5, E6)
Russel Douglas was found dead in his car on Whidbey Island in Washington on December 26, 2003. It turns out Navy veteran Peggy Sue Thomas lured him to his death. Both Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden conspired to murder Russel Douglas for revenge. Investigators suspect that the duo committed the murder for Peggy’s friend Brenna, who alleged abuse, but there was never enough evidence to charge Brenna Douglas with any crimes. Jim Huden was convicted and sentenced to eighty years in prison. Peggy Thomas agreed to a plea bargain in exchange for a reduced sentence. Thomas was sentenced to four years for her role in the murder. Peggy Thomas continues to deny any involvement in the murder and claims she didn’t know that her boyfriend at the time was going to kill Douglas (despite being the last to text him shortly before he was murdered). Peggy Thomas was released from prison in 2016.
In the News:
From pageants to famous husband to prison, murder suspect allowed to visit NM. -KRQE (October 7, 2011)
48 Hours:
How did a former beauty queen end up at the heart of a murder case? -48 Hours
The true-crime author of over two dozen New York Times bestsellers tells “48 Hours” she couldn’t help but write about the Russel Douglas case. -48 Hours
Gail O’Neil shares memories of her son, Russel Douglas, who was murdered on Sept. 26, 2003, on Whidbey Island, Wash. -48 Hours
Jim Huden’s former band mates talk to “48 Hours” correspondent Peter Van Sant about what it was like to find out their one-time lead guitarist was accused of murder. -48 Hours
Detectives allege Jim Huden and Peggy Thomas lured Russel Douglas to his death by asking to drop off a present for Russel’s wife, Brenna. Both Jim and Peggy claim the present was delivered to Russel days before the murder. When investigators surprise their suspects with simultaneous separate interrogations, they discover discrepancies. Do you think Jim and Peggy are making up a story to throw off investigators? -48 Hours
Oxygen:
A Las Vegas red haired siren and her millionaire boyfriend become suspects in a murder, hundreds of miles away. -Peggy Sue Thomas & Jim Huden, Snapped: Killer Couples
Killer Couples: S8 E4 After the Verdict – Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden | Oxygen
A Las Vegas red haired siren and her millionaire boyfriend become suspects in a murder, hundreds of miles away. -Peggy Thomas & Jim Huden, Snapped: Killer Couples (S8, E4)
Investigation Discovery:
ID Go: On tiny Whidbey Island, Washington, beauty queen Peggy Sue Thomas seems to be a perfect wife and mother. But when her best friend’s husband is shot to death, Peggy finds herself on center stage of a murder investigation. -If Looks Could Kill, Beauty Queen Murders (S1, E5)
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.
“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.
Law protecting military victims of sexual assault discussed. -WDTN-TV (May 1, 2018)
“In civilian life you have complete control of your movements, and if you’re in an unsafe situation you can remove yourself. In military life, the victim needs permission to take even basic self-preservation actions.” (Rep. Mike Turner, December 25, 2011)
“It’s been almost ten years since that law for expedited transfers on base for sexual assault victims was changed. But today Congressman Turner and Mary Lauterbach both say there’s still more work to be done. Now backtracking to 2007 when Maria Lauterbach reported her sexual assault, the Vandalia Marine requested a base transfer and it was denied, leaving her in close proximity to her assaulter. Since her death, her mother has worked with Turner to get that law changed where victims can now seek that expedited transfer…Today, Turner’s saying even with that law passed those who report sexual assault in context of domestic violence have not been permitted expedited transfer, bringing forth the persist against Military Sexual Trauma Act. ‘We have drawn legislation that would close that loophole and make certain that those who are subject to domestic violence also have the ability, as victims of sexual assault, to seek the expedited transfer’ (Rep. Mike Turner). This will be included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which will pass the House of Representatives next week.” –WDTN-TV (May 1, 2018)
In the News:
Critics say the military needs to do more about domestic violence against women. A CBS News investigation found more than 25,000 women have been victimized over the past decade. -CBS Evening News (January 28, 2009)
Rep. Bruce Braley introduces the Holley Lynn James Act — a bill to help victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in the military get justice. The bill is named after Holley Lynn James, a constituent of Rep. Braley who was killed by her husband while both were in the service. -[Former] Representative Bruce Braley (April 12, 2011)
The man found dead in Germantown is ID’s as Adam Anthony Arndt; teen ID’d as Michelle Miller. -ABC 7 WJLA (April 8, 2013)
New provisions handed down from the Department of Defense are giving sexual assault victims in the military rights they never had before. It’s all thanks to the fight from Congressman Mike Turner and a local mother Mary Lauterbach. The provisions make certain that a victim has legal counsel throughout the whole process so they understand what their legal rights are and how to protect themselves. The provisions also remove the accused from the situation and not the victim. -WKEF/WRGT (August 15, 2013)
A major hurdle cleared for sexual assault victims in the military. Congress passed a bill that would give victims rights and protection they never had before. The push came after the tragic murder of local marine Maria Lauterbach and her unborn son. Congress approved a bill that would give military sexual assault victims legal counsel and criminalize retaliation against any victim. “If Maria had had this, she would be alive today, it’s very important.” The bill now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature. -WKEF/WRGT (December 20, 2013)
Morris’ death in 2012 was ruled a suicide. -WMAR-2 News (August 10, 2015)
First Class Private Shadow McClaine’s body was discovered earlier this week and investigators arrested two fellow soldiers. -CBS Sacramento (January 28, 2017)
The family learned Kamisha Block was shot and killed while serving in Iraq. The Department of Defense told the Block family Kamisha was shot in the chest by friendly fire. It would take the family a grueling six months to learn the truth. The petition to ask for a congressional hearing set up by Shonta on change.org says: “I am begging for justice. I want the army to be held accountable.” -12 News Now (February 12, 2019)
A Marine colonel’s wife mourns her husband’s death in the Iraq war. Authorities said it was suicide, but she said he was murdered. -CBS News (March 29, 2019)
As Terri Caserta entered her son’s bedroom in their Peoria home, she broke down. It’s an emotion that Terri and her husband Patrick Caserta will always carry with them. Their son Brandon was in the United States Navy from 2015 to 2018. However, at just 21, Brandon would take his own life. -ABC 15 Arizona (June 14, 2019)
“Killing Versace: The Hunt For A Serial Killer” re-examines the infamous manhunt for Cunanan through new and revisited expert insider interviews. Watch new episodes of Killing Versace, premiering February 11th at 7/6c, only on Oxygen.
1) Jeffrey Trail was [Andrew] Cunanan’s friend.
According to Newsweek, Cunanan told friends in April 1997 he was headed to Minneapolis “to visit an old friend with whom he had unfinished business.” The old friend was Trail, who had previously been a naval officer. Vanity Fair reports Cunanan described Trail as his best and “my brother.”
CBS News reported Trail was a Gulf War veteran and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Friends called him “an upbeat, fun-loving, compassionate man.” Trail’s father told The Washington Post in July 1997, “Jeff was the kind of guy who was always trying to help people out… He went out of his way to be helpful to people.”
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
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
