ID Go: Maribel Ramos is a US army veteran with a complicated love life. When she arranges to meet an online date, she disappears, leaving family and friends desperate for news. Detectives are left to uncover a twisted tale of jealousy and rage. -Control Alt Delete, Web of Lies (S5, E6)
Date: May 2, 2013 Victim:Maribel Ramos, 33, Army veteran, college student Offender: Kwang Chol “K.C.” Joy, 53, software engineer, unemployed Location: Santa Ana, California Circumstances: Maribel was close with her family, she was positive, caring, loving, supportive and encouraging, Maribel was a Sergeant in the Army, she was in supply and logistics, she wanted to be the female that set the example, she did approximately 160 missions overseas, Maribel had PTSD, one of her fellow comrades lost his life on a mission, she had survivor’s guilt, after 8 years, Maribel left the Army and moved in with her boyfriend, being around people bothered her but she was set on a career in law enforcement, Maribel & her boyfriend broke up, she didn’t feel he was supportive, he was heartbroken, she pursued a degree in criminal justice because she wanted to be a police officer, she took her studies seriously, one month into her studies, her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer, Maribel stepped up to help her mom, 3 months after her diagnosis, Maribel’s mom died in hospice, Maribel was destroyed, it was a huge loss for the family, Maribel regrouped and bounced back, she continued her schooling so she could get her degree, she joined the student veterans association on campus at California State University Fullerton, she addressed her issues and became a veteran advocate, a student in her veterans group started stalking her, he was obsessed with her, she was not interested and he scared her, 3 years after her mom passed, Maribel grew tired of living alone and went on-line looking for a roommate, KC Joy moved in, they were very comfortable together and became great friends and roommates, Maribel was not interested in KC romantically, Maribel wanted to find love and started dating again, she went on Plenty of Fish, meanwhile Maribel’s roommate was a big hit with Maribel’s family, Maribel met Paul, after dating for a month, he started hanging out with the family, he made Maribel laugh but she had doubts about the relationship, he wasn’t that serious about making a commitment, Maribel went back on line looking for love, she met a new guy, a photographer, but Maribel’s ex-boyfriend Chris never gave up, Maribel and KC shared their apartment for 18 months when KC reported to her family that she was missing, he then called the authorities, no one had heard from Maribel, her phone was going straight to voicemail, police receive multiple phone calls from Maribel’s family and friends, she was missing, she didn’t just get up and go, the police went to her apartment to investigate, there were no signs of struggle, or a break in, but her cellphone, keys and ID were missing, KC appeared to be very worried about Maribel, the police asked KC to go back to the police department, he was cooperative, very concerned for Maribel, and he said she must have gone out on a date and didn’t return, that was his concern, the family began an active campaign to look for Maribel, the police started investigating the last people she was with, she was supposed to speak at an event and she missed it, now the police were concerned that she ran into some foul play, the first 48 hours are crucial in any investigation, they needed to act quickly but they found no trace of Maribel’s movements, there was no activity in Maribel’s life, they checked in with her ex-boyfriend Paul, he was on their radar immediately because he was the last person to speak with Maribel, he cooperated with the police and his alibi checked out, the family had an awareness walk looking for more information because they knew Maribel was in trouble, the police looked at video surveillance from the apartment complex, they saw Maribel paying her rent and then was never heard from again, someone from the student vets association called police to tell them about Raymond (the guy stalking her) but they learned he moved back to Japan and wasn’t in the US at the time of her disappearance, analysis of Maribel’s computer lead them to the photographer but he too had an alibi, they went back to roommate KC Joy, he came off as a very concerned friend, they noticed some scratches on his arms, he said he got them in a park after stumbling, the police didn’t believe him, they put him under 24 hour surveillance, they followed him to the public library where he used a public computer, detectives set up a sting across the street from the library, when he went on line, the police used special software to secretly monitor his computer activity, KC Joy was a suspect after this sting, they realized he killed her and dumped her body, he googled ‘how long does it take for a human body to decay,’ he observed Maribel’s facebook page and pulled up the location of where the awareness walk was, he then zoomed in on a remote canyon and the authorities believed KC showed them where the body was (Modjeska Canyon, California), police searched the area and within an hour reported that they found Maribel, she was buried under some small rocks, her body was badly decomposed, forensic testing confirmed it was Maribel, police were never able to determine the cause of death, but circumstantial evidence pointed to KC Joy, the detectives gave KC one last chance to come clean but they don’t let him know they found the body, he pointed to Maribel’s ex-boyfriends again and continued to deny knowing where Maribel was, he got up, walked out, and the police arrested him, but no one knows how KC killed Maribel, authorities theorized by August 2012, KC Joy had grown intense feelings for Maribel, he was obsessed, he even spent $12,000 on cosmetic surgery to make himself look younger, he was wildly jealous of Maribel’s boyfriends, by April 2013, his life was falling apart, KC Joy lost his job and told Maribel he couldn’t pay the rent, she told him if you can’t pay your rent, you have to move out, on the day Maribel disappeared, tensions were thick and they were arguing about the rent, KC Joy didn’t want to move out, Maribel wanted him to move out, she locked herself in her room and called Paul, that same night KC Joy sneaked in her room and killed her, he most likely suffocated her and then dumped her body in a remote location, if I can’t have her, no one can have her Disposition: KC Joy was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison
Source: Control Alt Delete, Web of Lies
Maribel Ramos, U.S. Army veteran
Investigation Discovery:
ID Go: In California, a woman disappears without a trace. Police suspect her roommate knows more than he claims, but without any hard evidence they become locked in a vicious game of cat and mouse. Aphrodite Jones uncovers a tale of fatal obsession and murder. -Virtual Drive-By, True Crime with Aphrodite Jones (S5, E9)
Podcasts:
On this week’s episode, a soldier goes missing but is it a kidnapping or murder? -Maribel Ramos, Queens of Crime
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.
‘Reversal of Fortune’ | An American Murder Mystery: The Staircase
Michael Peterson appears to have it all – a doting wife, a loving family and a successful literary career – but, that all changes on December 9, 2001, when Michael’s wife, Kathleen, is found dead in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in their home in Durham, North Carolina. Michael claims it was a tragic accident. Investigators, however, fear something far more sinister is at play and direct their attention to him. Did Michael Peterson murder his wife? Investigation Discovery (ID) delves into one of the most fascinating cases in criminal history in AN AMERICAN MURDER MYSTERY: THE STAIRCASE. Premiering Sunday, April 8 at 10/9c, the three-part special event provides a unique and comprehensive look at the death of Kathleen Peterson, exploring the shocking theories, critical evidence and surprising secrets that thrust this case into the national spotlight.
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.
With the knowledge of the criminal evidence against him, Aphrodite Jones speaks with convicted murderer, Michael Peterson, about the murder of his wife and his bisexual affair. -True Crime with Aphrodite Jones
Preview: A former marine, who once was the hero for a woman in an abusive marriage, is back on ‘Dateline.’ But this time, has his desire to help gone too far? -The Night of the New Moon, Dateline NBC
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)
Melissa Holland was certain that her high school boyfriend, Michael Overstreet, was the man she’d always dreamed of. But only after they were married did she begin to realize that her determination to live happily ever after had put her in mortal danger. -First Love, Forever Evil, Evil Lives Here (S3,E6)
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.
“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.”
Today U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David J. Shulkin announced that VA has begun publicly posting information on opioids dispensed from VA pharmacies, along with VA’s strategies to prescribe these pain medications appropriately and safely.
With this announcement, VA becomes the only health-care system in the country to post information on its opioid-prescribing rates.
The disclosure is part of VA’s promise of transparency to Veterans and the American people, and builds on VA’s strong record of transparency disclosures — including on wait times, accountability actions, employee settlements and the Secretary’s travel — under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump over the past year.
“Many Veterans enrolled in the VA health-care system suffer from high rates of chronic pain and the prescribing of opioids may be necessary medically,” Secretary Shulkin said. “And while VA offers other pain-management options to reduce the need for opioids, it is important that we are transparent on how we prescribe opioids, so Veterans and the public can see what we are doing in our facilities and the progress we have made over time.”
Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said, “Declaring the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency was a call to action by the president. His administration is exploring all tools and authorities within their agencies to address this complex challenge costing lives. Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. Shulkin is heeding that call; the VA is now the first hospital system in the country to post information on its opioid prescribing rates. This is an innovative way to raise awareness, increase transparency and mitigate the dangers of over-prescribing.”
The interactive map shows data over a five-year period (2012-2017) and does not include Veterans’ personal information. The posted information shows opioid-dispensing rates for each facility and how much those rates have changed over time.
It is important to note that because the needs and conditions of Veterans may be different at each facility, rates may also be different for that reason, and cannot be compared directly.
The prescribing rate information will be updated semi-annually, on January 15 and July 15 of each year.
As a learning health system using the current best evidence to learn and improve, VA continually develops and refines best practices for the care of Veterans. Releasing this data will facilitate the sharing of best practices in pain management and opioid prescribing among doctors and medical center directors.
Highlights from the data include:
A 41-percent drop in opioid-prescribing rates across VA between 2012 and 2017
Ninety-nine percent of facilities decreased their prescribing rates.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cleveland, Ohio, top the list of medical centers with the lowest prescribing rates, at 3 percent.
El Paso, Texas, and Fayetteville, North Carolina, are most improved, and decreased prescribing rates by more than 60 percent since 2012. El Paso’s prescribing rate decreased by 66 percent, and Fayetteville’s decreased by 65 percent.
VA currently uses a multifaceted approach to reduce the need for the use of opioids among Veterans. Since 2012, the Opioid Safety Initiative has focused on the safe use and slow and steady decrease in VA opioid dispensing. VA also uses other therapies, including physical therapy and complementary and integrative health alternatives, such as meditation, yoga and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Information about the VA Opioid Safety Initiative may be found here. A link to the interactive map on VA’s opioid use across the nation may be found here.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 