When a deadly rumor is stirred up among friends and acquaintances, it sets off an explosion of brutal violence so gruesome that not even a house fire can hide the truth. Who could have wanted Jeffrey Wheatley dead, and what was his roomate hiding? -Valerie Nessler, Snapped (October 31, 2019)
Wendy Fishburn, sister of Jeff Wheatley, says she “absolutely does not believe in closure” in regard to her brother’s murder. In 2010, Wheatley was shot, stabbed and set on fire after a man named Robert Turner became falsely convinced Wheatley had killed his older brother more than a decade prior. -Valerie Nessler, Snapped (November 4, 2019)
Trailer: When a dancer is murdered in her Virginia home, investigators are hopeful they can crack the case. But after interviewing a series of suspects, detectives realize the case is much more complicated than previously thought. Could an unexpected tip lead them to an unlikely person? -Dateline NBC (S27,E32)
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. When NCIS questioned Robert Hickey about Meghan’s murder, he invoked his right to silence. NCIS considered Hickey a person of interest because he had a lot to gain if Meghan died. Meghan feared Hickey because he had a lot to lose. But Hickey’s DNA didn’t match the DNA collected at the crime scene and NCIS had no proof that Hickey committed the crime. Nonetheless, Hickey was given an other than honorable discharge from Navy. The police also suspected Meghan’s high school friend Donald because they dated in the past but the DNA didn’t match him either. At least 80 people volunteered DNA. Investigators sent the DNA for further testing to determine the geographic ancestry identity and learned the DNA belonged to an African American.
This changed the direction of the investigation and detectives began looking for African Americans in Meghan’s life. One person who became a person of interest was a counselor at Norfolk Naval Station but this individual wouldn’t cooperate with the investigation. Five months after Meghan’s murder, every lead dried up and fear was building in the community. Then a community member planned a memorial walk to help generate new leads. It was at this point someone came forward with Robert Barnes’ name. Investigators learned Meghan and Barnes were on the same bus and both participated in an exclusive arts program at school. Robert played the violin and was on his way to becoming a success story. Robert was described as a nice guy who blended in; he was fully committed to his violin music. A friend suspected Robert liked Meghan and when she asked him, he admitted it. Detectives went to the school to speak to Robert Lee Barnes and asked for a DNA sample. Eventually he acquiesced and gave investigators a used piece of gum.
The DNA was tested and the crime scene investigators reported the DNA submitted by Robert Barnes actually belonged to a girl; the police needed to talk to Robert again. In this interview, Robert Barnes admitted he was in Meghan’s house on the day of the murder. He said he went to Meghan’s house and climbed through the window after no one answered the door. He said he walked into a crime in progress; the perpetrator was wearing a mask and holding Meghan at gun point. Robert said the masked man asked him to have sex with Meghan, asked him to stab Meghan, and cut him to leave his DNA at the scene. The police believed that Robert Barnes was making this all up and arrested him. Robert’s DNA matched the DNA at the crime scene. Given the mountain of evidence against him, Robert’s defense attorney asked for a plea deal. Robert Lee Barnes pleaded guilty to first degree murder, attempted rape, aggravated sexual battery, abduction, and statutory burglary. In return, Barnes will be eligible for early release from prison in 42 years. Meghan’s parents were relieved there would be no trial.
27 year-old Ashley Melnyczok is a single mother. Her daughter is her life’s joy. In June 2015, Ashley is murdered in her Colorado Springs home. While hunting for clues, police hunt down a cast of dangerous characters and uncover a heinous plot. -Murder Behind Closed Doors, Grave Mysteries (S2,E3)
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.
Andrew Urdiales, U.S. Marine Corps [photo: Mirror]
Former Camp Pendleton Marine Andrew Urdiales died by suicide at San Quentin State Prison in California on November 2, 2018. His death came less than a month after he was sentenced to death for five murders of women in California. Urdiales also received a life sentence in Illinois for the murders of three other women. One of his victims Jennifer Asbenson got away in 1992 and was able to testify against him during his death penalty trial in California. Four of the murders were committed while he was an active duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton between 1986 and 1989. After Urdiales was discharged, he killed four more women in a two year span, one in California and three in Illinois, between 1995-1996.
Honoring the Victims:
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January 18, 1986: Robbin Brandley, 23, Saddleback CC, California
July 17, 1988: Julie McGhee, 30, Cathedral City, California
September 25, 1988: Mary Ann Wells, 31, San Diego, California
April 15, 1989: Tammie Erwin, 18, Palm Springs, California
March 11, 1995: Denise Maney, 32, Palm Springs, California
April 14, 1996: Laura Uylaki, 25, Chicago, Illinois
July 14, 1996: Cassandra Corum, 21, Pontiac, Illinois
August 2, 1996: Lynn Huber, 22, Chicago, Illinois
In the News:
A jury recommended the death penalty for former Marine and convicted serial killer Andrew Urdiales on Wednesday. -ABC 7 (June 13, 2018)
An Orange County Superior Court jury Wednesday recommended the death penalty for a former Marine and Chicago triple-murderer who was convicted last month of murdering five women in Southern California from 1986 to 1995. -CBS Los Angeles (June 13, 2018)
A survivor was overcome with emotion as she came face to face with the monster who abducted and tortured her…It happened when she missed her bus in Palm Springs, California and Andrew Urdiales offered her a ride. He drove her to a remote desert location where he tied her with rope and her bra. -Inside Edition (June 13, 2018)
News conference following the penalty phase verdict in the case of the People v. Andrew Urdiales case featuring surviving victim Jennifer Asbenson, Tammie Erwin’s father Charles Erwin, Mary Ann Wells’ son Steve Wells, and OCDA Senior Deputy District Attorneys Matt Murphy and Eric Scarbrough of the Homicide Unit. -Orange County DA (June 14, 2018)
Serial killer Andrew Urdiales, who was convicted of the first-degree murders of five Southern California women between 1986 and 1995, was sentenced to death Friday. -ABC 7 (October 5, 2018)
The murders occurred when Andrew Urdiales was stationed at various Marine Corps facilities in Southern California. -CBS Los Angeles (October 5, 2018)
A woman who was kidnapped by an eight-time serial killer shares why she believes her life was spared and she was able to escape. -Dr. Phil (March 7, 2019)
Cuomo speaks with Urdiales on the day he’s being sent to death row and tries to understand why this madman chose to kill multiple women in cold blood. Was he insane? Did he hate women? Were there clues in his childhood? -Inside Evil with Chris Cuomo, HLN (June 18, 2019)
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
Within a month, four men in Orange County are brutally stabbed by a mysterious man. No one makes a connection to a gruesome double murder of a mother and son two months earlier except the man sitting in prison for killing his own family. -Friend of the Devil, Murder By Numbers (S2, E4)
Classification: Serial killer Characteristics: Ex-Marine Number of victims: 6 Date of murders: October 25, 2011 – January 13, 2012 Date of arrest: January 13, 2012 Date of birth: 1988 Victims profile: Raquel Estrada (53) and Juan Herrera (34) / James McGillivray (53) / Lloyd “Jim” Middaugh (42) / Paulus Smit (57) / John Barry (64) Method of murder: Stabbing with knife Location: Orange County, California, USA Status: In prison awaiting trial [Suicide]
via Itzcoatl Ocampo | Murderpedia
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.
In the News:
A serial killer is terrorizing the homeless community in Orange County, California. -CNN (January 10, 2012)
OC transients warned about serial killer -TheRealHomelessOCRM (January 18, 2012)
Itzcoatl Ocampo, the 23 year old Iraq War Veteran accused of fatally stabbing four homeless men in a serial killing spree in Orange County is behind bars, and the District Attorney is now characterizing him as a brazen, vicious killer who enjoyed getting media attention. -Garden Grove TV3 (January 19, 2012)
Friends of John Berry, the alleged victim of accused serial kill Itzcoatl Ocampo, braved a steady rain to remember the homeless man. Dozens of marchers took the one-mile route along the Santa Ana River Trail where Berry often stayed. Marisol Gonzalez reports on the impact John Berry had on his community. -Garden Grove TV3 (January 21, 2012)
Investigators with a multi-agency task force announced on Thursday that accused serial killer Itzcoatl Ocampo is being investigated in the murder of Juan Herrera and his mother Raquel in their Yorba Linda home last October. The two were stabbed to death according to Lt. Julian Harvey with the Homeless Homicide Task Force. Harvey also confirmed Ocampo is “associated” with a man already in custody for the two murders. He is Eder Giovanni Herrera – brother and son to the victims. Ocampo is accused of planning, stalking and then killing four homeless men during December 2011 and Janurary 2012. -Garden Grove TV3 (February 3, 2012)
The Anaheim Police Department, the OC Rescue Mission and the Vineyard Christian Fellowship joined together for a community event in the wake of serial killings that terrorized North Orange County. With a suspect now in custody, volunteers want to mobilize the community to help the Homeless. Marisol Gonzalez has the story plus an update on new charges leveled against accused serial killer Itzcoatl Ocampo. -Garden Grove TV3 (February 4, 2012)
Itzcoatl “Izzy” Ocampo, 23, held in the deaths of four homeless men, will be arraigned March 16 in the case involving the stabbing deaths of a classmate’s brother and mother. -Orange County Register (February 6, 2012)
Itzcoatl Ocampo is heard from beyond the grave. He explains to an investigator what made him kill. -CBS Los Angeles (May 1, 2014)
Itzcoatl Ocampo, the suspect in a brutal string of slayings of four homeless men had his arraignment delayed until Feb. 17. After the court appearance, Ocampo’s attorney spoke with reporters. -Orange County Register (September 1, 2015)
Trailer: A murder case considered closed by North Dakota detectives is suddenly reopened when a confidential informant comes forward with a tip about an unlikely suspect. -Dateline NBC (S26,E51)
Dateline featured ‘Prairie Confidential’ on August 13, 2018. It was a 2015 homicide case out of Minot, North Dakota. Nursing student and mom of three Angila Wilder didn’t show up for an important exam at school and her professor knew something was wrong. Angila was discovered stabbed to death in her bedroom in her North Dakota home. The crime appeared personal so the police started their investigation with Angila’s boyfriend and ex-husband. When Angila’s boyfriend Chris Jackson was interviewed, he pointed the finger at her ex-husband Richie Wilder, Jr. Angila met Richie in high school and soon after they married, they had a couple children together. Richie joined the Air Force and was stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. But during their time there, things went awry with the marriage. Richie was court-martialed and convicted of domestic abuse. As a result, he was discharged from the Air Force and soon divorce followed. Richie remarried Cynthia, a kindergarten teacher, and they had a child together. Angila also moved on with Chris Jackson and they too had a child together. Angila was pregnant at the time of her murder.
Investigators found Angila’s blood in Richie’s car and Richie’s DNA was found under Angila’s fingernails. As a result, Richie Wilder was charged with murder and ordered to pre-trial confinement on a 2 million dollar bond. After a couple days in jail, Richie came forward with a “confession.” Richie told police he and Chris learned Angela was cheating on Chris and they hoped to catch her in the act so they could then have custody of their children. Richie said he picked up Chris at his place of employment, drove to Angila’s home, killed her together (an attempt to minimize his involvement yet explain DNA), and then dropped Chris back off at Wal-Mart. But the police looked at the video at Wal-Mart and it blew Richie’s “confession” out of the water. Chris was at work all night and never left the property. In December 2016, Richie Wilder Jr. was convicted of Angila’s murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In May 2018, Cynthia Wilder took an Alford plea hoping the judge would go lenient on her but she was sentenced to life in prison without parole for conspiracy to commit murder. In the course of the investigation, police learned Cynthia and Richie Wilder planned Angila’s murder for two years.
Full Episode: When a woman covered in blood shows up on her neighbor’s doorstep, Georgia police commence a home invasion investigation that leads them to uncover more twists than they could have ever imagined. -Ashley Schutt, Snapped (S23, E27)
On July 25, 2009 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Ashley Schutt called the police and told them a black man raped her and killed her husband Gregg Schutt. Gregg was a described by friends and family as a gentle giant and very sweet mannered. Gregg met Ashley at his place of employment; she was a customer. Ashley was described as quiet, timid, withdrawn, and scared to talk. But for some reason, Gregg drew Ashley out of her shell and they started dating. And in the spring of 2000, Ashley and Gregg decided to get married. Ashley graduated from high school and the two got married within a week of her graduation. Gregg wanted to provide for his family so he decided to enlist in the Army in the winter of 2001. After graduating basic, he went to San Antonio for training as a veterinary tech. He loved his job and Ashley liked being an Army wife. Over the next few years, his job would take them all over the world. They were stationed in Nebraska, Kansas, and Japan. Gregg did really well in the military and was looking forward to a great future in the military. But then Ashley’s health took a turn for the worse.
Ashley was diagnosed with diabetes and it was hard to control so she had to take insulin shots. She also gained a significant amount of weight and was having problems with her heart. She was literally on the verge of having a heart attack. Ashley’s was sent to Hawaii for specialized care and the doctors were concerned about her long term medical well-being. They thought she would be better off if she stayed in the United States where she could get treatment. Ashley moved to Atlanta, Georgia in July 2004 and after Gregg was discharged from the Army in December 2004, he moved to Atlanta to be with Ashley. The couple used their savings and purchased a home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. But Gregg struggled to find steady civilian work and Ashley’s medical bills were piling up. Gregg was depressed because he couldn’t provide for his family the way he wanted to. In order to make ends meet, the couple rented out one of their rooms to a young woman named Deidre. The rent money helped stabilize their money problems. Then in 2008, Gregg found work at a nearby veterinary clinic and a few months later Gregg received a small inheritance after his grandmother passed.
The money came just in time for Ashley because doctors said she needed radical weight loss surgery to solve some of her healthcare issues. Gregg didn’t hesitate to pay for the surgery and Ashley lost a lot of weight. Ashley literally transformed and was half the size she was before. She felt more confident and outgoing. Over the next several months, Ashley and Gregg’s life appeared to improve. Gregg still loved his job and Ashley’s health finally stabilized. After Ashley found a steady job at a call center, the pair was ready for their roommate to move out. They saved some more money and Ashley was ready to have a child. But on July 25, 2009, Gregg was murdered. When police arrived, they found Ashley covered in blood. She was able to give a brief statement but it appeared she had just gone through a traumatic event. Ashley told the police the attack began shortly after 3 a.m. and the suspect was an unknown black male. She said Gregg told her someone was in the house. And then a black male entered their bedroom and immediately started stabbing Gregg. Ashley also said the man raped her and made her watch as he killed her husband.
The police’s primary concern was Ashley’s safety and medical status. While Ashley was being treated, police intensified their search for the attacker and examined the crime scene. Gregg was stabbed multiple times and beat in the head with a hammer. His wrists and throat were also cut. This was a prolonged, sustained attack on him and his body was in horrible condition. There was a lot about the crime scene that didn’t make sense. There was no ransacking of drawers or evidence that anyone was looking for anything of value. The entire room was also drenched in water. They found the cell phones hidden in the microwave so if Gregg did escape, he wouldn’t be able to find his cell phone. This was not a normal crime for this particular neighborhood. There were no witnesses to the events and nobody saw anything unusual. Meanwhile, Ashley’s condition improved and she wanted to amend her initial statement. This time, she said there were two black men who entered the home. The two men were wearing yellow hoodies and grabbed knives from the kitchen. Gregg started fighting with the guys to protect Ashley.
Ashley began to provide more detail in her second statement. She said two black men stormed the house and brutally murdered her husband and raped her. She claimed the two black men used Gregg’s sex toys to rape her and they kept stabbing Gregg while they were raping her. She said the attackers asked Gregg how he wanted to die. Then they made her fill a bucket of water and forced her to dump it down Greg’s throat in an attempt to drown him. Ashley says after hours of painful torture, they decided to finish Gregg off with a claw hammer. Ashley said she had to witness Gregg die and described in detail what she observed as he was dying. She thought they were going to kill her next but they spared her life because they didn’t murder women. The police had to ask themselves why were Ashley and Gregg targeted to begin with? They know crime can happen anywhere but it didn’t make sense why the suspects chose this house, this time of day, and this family to terrorize. The detectives know they always have to consider alternative theories because if you get stuck on one theory and don’t give possibility to the others, you may be doing an injustice.
Police theorized this crime could have been drug-related if they were looking for cash and it also could have been some marital strife where an outside party is involved. Detectives started looking into Gregg and Ashley’s inner circle to see if they could find some leads. They started with the roommate and found out the roommate did drugs but Gregg and Ashley weren’t happy about having drugs in their home. Ashley and Gregg together decided Deidre needed to move out and Deidre wasn’t happy about it. She felt betrayed because her and Ashley were friends. Deidre admitted leaving the house on bad terms but after a few months Deidre and Ashley made up and became friends again. Deidre told detectives if they were looking for answers, they needed to look at Gregg. She said Gregg was physically and verbally abusive to Ashley when she was living with them. He was also very aggressive and impatient. Detectives checked the records to see if there were any domestic disputes on file but found no documented physical abuse. Although fear of the abuser and what it will do to the family often prevents victims from reporting.
When police spoke to Ashley’s parents, they confirmed there was trouble in the relationship from the beginning. They said Gregg was controlling and didn’t want Ashley to do her hair or make up or even leave the house. They said Ashley told them he said she was fat and ugly and no one wanted her. As the years went on, the abuse seemed to get worse. Ashley was having frequent suspicious “accidents” and they felt a lot of her health problems were because of Gregg. They said she lost hair because of the stress and gained the weight because of the way he treated her. According to Ashley’s parents, two weeks before Gregg died, Ashley said she wanted to leave Gregg but was afraid of what he would to do her. Ashley claimed Gregg told her if she tried to leave, he would slit her throat before she cleared the garage door. Ashley’s dad told her to call a divorce attorney and make sure she didn’t say anything to him. Ashley’s dad didn’t want her to pay the price because he wasn’t sure what that price may be. The police had to ponder was Gregg’s death a result of Ashley’s growing fear of Gregg and this somehow pushed her over the edge.
Ashley told one of her friends that she was definitely afraid and felt like she couldn’t leave. The detectives knew from experience that married couples sometimes don’t get along and there was a good possibility that Ashley was the suspect. Less than 24 hours after Greg was found dead, the detective’s focus was beginning to change. Ashley was changing her story, there was no forced entrance, the doors were locked from the inside, the crime scene was confined to the master bedroom, and there were no valuables taken. The crime scene didn’t match the story. They also found wedding bands and a torn picture of the couple on the floor. They thought maybe they found their motive so they went to the hospital and met with the trauma nurse who treated Ashley. Here they learned that there was no trauma and Ashley wasn’t raped. The detectives wanted to meet with Ashley again and this time she admitted her initial statements were fabricated. She told the detectives she was a battered wife and she killed Gregg. She said after she returned home from work, he was going to hit her and she told him if you hit me, this is going to be the last time.
Ashley said she threw her rings on the floor and started packing her bags. She said Gregg came at her with a knife in hand so she grabbed a claw hammer sitting on the dresser and fought back. She said she hit him on the head until he dropped the knife. She then grabbed the knife and ran, and when he came at her, she accidently stabbed him. She then admitted after years of pent of rage, she lost control and stabbed him multiple times. Now police were tasked with investigating if this was a justified act of self defense. They checked the cellphone records to see if they could learn more. They learned that moments before the attack, Gregg was online with one of his friends. The friend said Gregg told him Ashley was home so he had to go. Everything appeared normal. Gregg’s friend also said if anyone was abusive, it was Ashley. He said after Ashley lost her weight, she was pushy and overbearing with Gregg. She also controlled his time and what he was allowed to do. Greg’s friend said she was not a very pleasant person. The police theorized boredom rather than abuse may be what was driving her away from Gregg.
The police learned that Ashley had been dating Gregg since high school. They thought maybe she wanted to start over with her new body and be single. Honestly, the cops were not sure what the real motive was. When the autopsy results were released, it showed that Gregg didn’t have any defensive wounds, therefore Gregg was most likely asleep at the time of the attack. Gregg also had a high dose of Ambien in his system but Ashley was the one with the prescription, not Gregg. Police theorized that after Gregg passed out, she killed him while he was most vulnerable and unable to defend himself. The autopsy results revealed that Gregg was stabbed almost 40 times and beaten about the head with a hammer. The police now had evidence of a premeditated attack and as a result, Ashley was charged with first degree murder. News of the arrest was polarizing. Some knew immediately she did it. Her parents weren’t shocked by the news but didn’t believe she was guilty of murder. On April 25, 2011, Ashley Schutt’s trial for the death of her husband in 2009 started in a Gwinnett County courtroom. Ashley was facing life in prison.
In their opening statements, prosecutors asserted after Ashley’s life changing weight loss surgery, she yearned to start a new life without Gregg. But instead of filing for divorce, Ashley drugged him and killed him to be free of him forever. Ashley testified in her own defense and said she was a battered wife who killed in self defense. She said she went through years of hell with a controlling and domineering man who would rather see her dead than leave him. On cross examination, prosecutors asked Ashley about the sleeping pills found in Gregg’s system and the lack of defensive wounds. Ashley’s demeanor began to change while she was on the stand and all of a sudden she was snapping back. The jury agreed that Ashley killed Gregg with cold hearted premeditation and she was found guilty on all counts. Ashley Schutt received a life sentence with parole after thirty years. She was also given an additional 35 years for aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, and false statements. As of 2018, Ashley’s appeal for a new trial has been denied twice. She is currently appealing her case to the Georgia Superior Court for the third and final time.
Source: ‘Ashley Schutt’ Snapped
Ashley and Gregg Schutt shared a seemingly happy life until a brutal murder exposed the dark underside of their relationship. -Ashley Schutt, Snapped (S23, E27)
Gwinnett police officers describe the events of July 25, 2009, when Gregg Schutt was found dead in his own home. -Ashley Schutt, Snapped (S23, E27)
During interrogation, murder suspect Ashley Schutt claimed that her late husband Greg was an abusive spouse. -Ashley Schutt, Snapped (S23, E27)
Two neighboring bachelors start out as friends. Harmless banter turns into threats eventually igniting an escalating war. The violence ends with a murder so shocking it is almost beyond belief. -Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery (S5,E3)
Brett Smith was found murdered in his home on October 3, 2008 in North Canton, Ohio. Brett was found with a knife in his chest and dismembered; his head was found burning in the oven of his own home. It didn’t take long for police to determine that Brett’s neighbor, William Perry, was the suspect in the case. William Perry served in the Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm and was suffering from what sounds like Post Traumatic Stress. He was taking medications because he saw a lot of terrible things but he didn’t want to talk about it; the medications helped mitigate flashbacks, nightmares and other symptoms like lack of concentration that interfered with daily living. William and Brett were both fixing up their homes, helping each other out, and sharing tools.
At some point, William became jealous of Brett’s home improvement efforts and all the help he appeared to get from his family. William was struggling financially to fix up his place and this bothered William because he wanted a nice place for his children when they came to visit him. William and Brett tried to make the relationship work but the two had an on again and off again kind of relationship. Brett couldn’t drink because he took medication for epilepsy and he was uncomfortable around William after he had a few drinks of alcohol. The two got confrontational when William was drinking and Brett tried to confront William about vandalism on his property including slashed tires and an oil spill that cost William thousands of dollars to remedy. Brett’s mom Judy was getting concerned and wanted him to move out of there because the fighting was escalating.
William Perry was stressed. His girlfriend Susanna Lockard shared that he owed child support and if he didn’t pay it, he was going to jail. At the same time, William decided to stop taking his medication. He said they made him feel foggy and he wanted a clear head. Susanna was concerned he would get depressed or downward spiral. And then one day, William and Brett got into an altercation in the yard and William lost control and started beating Brett with a board. The neighbors thought William was a “psycho” after this encounter and so did Brett. The neighbors were really concerned that this situation was escalating and getting dangerous. Brett reported William to the North Canton Police Department but there was no evidence of the physical encounter so there was nothing the police could do. They told him to stay away from him. Brett was confused about why William hated him so much; he didn’t know what he was doing wrong.
Susanna was leaving the home for the night so William could spend some time with his kids. When she arrived to pick up some clothes, she found William home and he didn’t look well. She learned his plans with his children had been cancelled and he was upset. William was brandishing a gun in front of his girlfriend and her daughter while asking them to leave. William was living with his girlfriend but he broke up with her and kicked her out and never explained why. Later that night, the neighbors noticed William on Brent’s porch and they were arguing. When Brett’s mom showed up to his place the next day, she got no answer and smelled smoke. Brett’s mom turned to a friend and asked him to break into Brett’s house because she was concerned. The living room was in disarray, the contents of Brett’s wallet were strewn about, and there was also paint spilled everywhere. They found Brett in the bathroom laying on the floor with a knife in his chest. He had been strangled and beheaded. The police processed the home and found paint mixed with blood everywhere.
When the police opened the oven, they found Brett’s head burning inside. Brett’s mom had a very hard time accepting her son was dead and that he had been murdered in this way. William Perry was a suspect right away. There was no doubt that William had done this and he tried to cover up the crime. Initially, William was arrested for vandalism, a felony crime, and sent to jail. While there, he wrote a letter to a friend admitting to killing Brett. He said the night he killed Brett, it started with words and escalated to physical fighting. He spent the night trying to clean up the scene and attempted to dismember Brett but gave up after he cut off his head. He tried to erase all signs that he was in Brett’s house. He was charged with murder and faced the death penalty but it never went to trial. In October 2009, William Perry made a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The prosecutor had no rational explanation for why he did this.
“It could have been anything, anything could have triggered it. It could have been trauma, it could have been something from childhood, it could be not seeing your kids as much as you want, it could just be all the pressures building up and it just sets a chain reaction.” -Susanna Lockard (Brett’s girlfriend)
A neighbor describes finding the grisly remains of Brett Smith, who had been beheaded in his North Canton mobile home. -CantonRep.com
Employees of LA Office Solutions in North Canton, Ohio, tell how they felt threatened during an encounter with William D. Perry, a suspect in the beheading of Brett W. Smith, a week before Smith’s death. -CantonRep.com
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.
Fabio Sementilli, 49, was found dead around 5 p.m. Monday at his home on Queen Victoria Road. -CBS Los Angeles
Monica Sementilli is accused of killing her husband, hairstylist Fabio Sementilli. -CBS Los Angeles
Police have arrested the wife of hairdresser Fabio Sementilli for his murder. Sementilli was stabbed and killed in his Woodland Hills home in January. -CBS Los Angeles
The wife of the late hairdresser Fabio Sementilli has been arrested in connection with his murder. A second person has also been detained, police said Friday. -CBS Los Angeles
Police said the woman and her lover conspired to kill Sementilli for his insurance money. -CBS Los Angeles
Fabio Sementilli was a beloved hairstylist and beauty company executive living the good life in Los Angeles. That all ended when he was brutally murdered while relaxing near his pool. Why would anyone want to kill him? -CBS News
A well-known Los Angeles hairdresser is stabbed to death by the pool at his home in the Hollywood Hills. “CBS This Morning: Saturday” co-host Michelle Miller joined CBSN to discuss “Who Killed Fabio?” -CBS News
Police have discovered an unexpected twist in the murder of well-known beauty executive Fabio Sementilli. His killers were thought to be part of a notorious group of home invaders targeting Hollywood celebrities but there is evidence that has transformed the case. -CBS This Morning
This week’s “48 Hours” investigates a famed Los Angeles hairstylist murdered in his backyard. Was it a robbery gone wrong or the result of a twisted plot? Michelle Miller investigates. -CBS Evening News
It’s a story right out of a prime time drama — only it’s for real. -CBS New York
A famed Los Angeles hairstylist is killed in his backyard — was it a robbery gone wrong by thugs called the knock-knock burglars or a twisted plot no one could believe? -Who Killed Fabio?, 48 Hours
Fabio Sementilli was not just a beloved hairdresser and beauty executive, he was also father to Luigi Sementilli and his two younger stepsisters. Watch as Luigi fondly remembers his charismatic dad. -Who Killed Fabio?, 48 Hours
Whenever he had the chance, Fabio Sementilli loved to record videos called Fabstyle Fridays for his YouTube channel. Fueled by his larger-than-life personality, he discussed different topics, providing advice and motivation for people working in the beauty industry. -Who Killed Fabio?, 48 Hours
Crime Watch Daily:
Monica Sonia Sementilli and her boyfriend Robert Baker were charged with the murder of stylist Fabio Sementilli, Monica’s husband. He devoted his life to mentoring thousands of aspiring hair stylists and is remembered as a loving family man. Crime Watch Daily’s Pat LaLama has the story on the beloved stylist’s tragic ending. (March 2, 2018)
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 