Deadly Women Premiered ‘Suspicious Minds’ on ID: Jealous Girlfriend Kimethia Coleman Fatally Stabbed Brian Spinks (October 22, 2016)

Preview: Kim Coleman had a lot going for her – except control of her own emotions. Her idea of loving Brian was completely possessing him. Love would never survive her suspicious mind. -Suspicious Minds, Deadly Women (S10, E8)

ID Go: A social worker can’t keep the lid on her possessive nature, a friendship is destroyed by jealous delusions, and young love leads to a violent end. These Deadly Women just can’t walk out… and their love won’t survive their “Suspicious Minds. -Suspicious Minds, Deadly Women (S10, E8)

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:
Former Prom Queen Wont Take No For An Answer (Preview)
Former Prom Queen Can’t Take No For An Answer: The Story Of Kim Coleman
Suspicious Minds | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S10, E8)
Suspicious Minds | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Suspicious Minds | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Suspicious Minds | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Air Force SSgt. Brian Spinks Stabbed 60+ Times by Jealous Girlfriend; Kimethia Coleman Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (January 17, 2010)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Featured

Military Policy and Legislation Considerations for the Investigations of Non Combat Death, Homicide, and Suicide of US Service Members

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Objective: Provide support to families who have lost loved ones to non combat death, homicide, and suicide. Prevent non combat death, homicide and suicide by providing an expedited transfer option to whistleblowers and those who feel like their lives may be in danger.

This is a small sample of the many soldiers that have died of non combat deaths, homicide, and suicide. It was hard for me to choose which ones to feature. Given the amount of families who have questioned a ruling of suicide while their loved one was serving in the US military, it’s fair to say that some suicide rulings should have a second look to determine if a homicide was ruled out. It’s important to note that if the cause of death is determined to be suicide, then the military never has to investigate again.

UPDATE: Moulton Introduces Brandon Act to Change DoD Mental Health Policy, Pay Tribute to Fallen Navy Sailor Brandon Caserta (June 25, 2020) *this could be the pathway to the request for an expedited transfer, their lives are more important than anything

Navy Sailor Brandon Caserta Died by Suicide at Naval Station Norfolk in 2018; Family Pushing for Suicide Prevention Legislation ‘The Brandon Act’ Focusing on Hazing & Bullying (2020)

Fort Hood Army Staff Sgt. Paul Norris Fatally Shot Spc. Kamisha Block in Murder-Suicide in Iraq in 2007; Family Requests Congressional Hearings & Investigation of Military Leadership (2020)

Washington D.C. Veteran’s Presentation on the Current Status of Forces at Fort Hood in Texas (December 12, 2017)

15 Active Duty Cases That Beg for Prevention Efforts, Military Justice Reform, and the End of the Feres Doctrine

Continue reading “Military Policy and Legislation Considerations for the Investigations of Non Combat Death, Homicide, and Suicide of US Service Members”

Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at United States Military Bases

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*Research not complete.

My experiences as a victim of crime in the United States military inspired me to do the work I do today as a military justice policy analyst. Not only did I witness first hand how a predator operates but I witnessed multiple predator types in real time while serving my country. If these people committed these acts of crimes at work in the civilian world, they would have been in jail or I would have been rich after taking my employer to civil court. Well maybe not because the deck is stacked against the accuser but we do in fact have a civilian justice system that allows us to hold others accountable, while it simultaneously protects the due process rights of the accused. This cannot be said of the military justice system. There is no guarantee a military Commander will do anything with a crime report let alone process the felony crime effectively. We do not want a justice system where one man or woman decides whether to do nothing, give a non judicial punishment for a felony crime, or railroad the accused or accuser. We do want a justice system where we can hold our employer accountable without roadblocks from the Pentagon, Congress, and the Feres Doctrine. We cannot effectively tackle the violent crime issue in the military until the victims of crimes, like sexual assault and domestic violence, feel safe enough to report. Crime victims have expressed that they do not want to report crimes to a Commander for fear of retaliation. The Department of Defense admitted that of those of who did report the crime, 62% perceived that they faced retaliation. If service members felt safe enough to report, it could help us prevent homicide, suicide, and non combat death.

If we think about violent crime committed by military personnel compared to violent crime statistics in the United States (reference above graph), at first glance it appears the military has a homicide ‘issue’ among the ranks. Please see the below links for a sample of crime on some of the U.S. military bases. All military bases worldwide will eventually be included in this research. And the research for sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, and physical assault specifically has not been conducted yet either. Because the research is far from being complete, it is too early to make any assumptions so I will put the data in one place and let you come to your own conclusions. But if military crime mirrors civilian crime statistics, one can deduce that if the military has a lot of homicide, there is even more rape. Currently the number one concern in the military is a Commander’s ability to give a non judicial punishment for a felony crime. A Commander can bypass the courts martial process simply by punishing and/or discharging the accused with a preponderance of the evidence. This does nothing to protect our military personnel and the civilians who live near our bases in America and worldwide. Predators do not discriminate. They are just as likely to harm civilians as they are military personnel. They know their rights and they know that jurisdiction issues and lack of communication among law enforcement agencies will help prolong getting caught. We need to be one step ahead.

We can’t get real violent crime numbers for the military bases unless we include those who died of non combat deaths while they were deployed. Veterans Noonie Fortin and Ann Wright inspired me to initially look into the non combat deaths of female soldiers overseas because they observed the unusually high number of female soldiers who died of non combat deaths during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their chief concern was that although the military labels a non combat death as a suicide, there are suspicions that some female soldiers were murdered, like LaVena Johnson, Amy Tirador, and Ciara Durkin. I did the research on every single female soldier who died from non combat deaths overseas and their concerns are valid. My research on non combat deaths in Iraq alone revealed that roughly 30% of female soldiers died as a result of homicide, suicide, and other unknown causes. I am working on collecting the data for male soldiers who died from non combat related injuries in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas. I started with 2010 so we can get the most recent cases but I will go back to September 11, 2001 in the next phase of data collection. The first male soldier non combat death case I found in 2010 was an unsolved homicide. His name was SSG Anton Phillips and he was stabbed to death in Afghanistan. Further research in this area has uncovered that non combat deaths of male soldiers are just as prevalent.

Learn more:
The US Military Recruited Violent Felons to Support the War Efforts
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Afghanistan)
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Iraq)
Non Combat Deaths of Female Soldiers in the US Military (Other Areas)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (US Army)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at Fort Campbell, Kentucky (US Army)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at Fort Carson, Colorado (US Army)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Violent Crime at Fort Wainwright, Alaska (US Army)
Violent Crime at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
A List of Soldiers Targeted & Murdered for the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance Benefits
Rep Nikki Tsongas & Rep Mike Turner Host Educational Caucus: Improving Treatment Resources for Male Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma
An Open Letter to the Senate and House of Representatives in Support of the Military Justice Improvement Act
Letter of Support for Save Our Heroes in Our Shared Quest for Military Justice Reform & Constitutional Rights

Cassie Jaye’s ‘The Red Pill’ Movie Premiered in New York City (2016)

The Red Pill, A Cassie Jaye Documentary

About the Film: When feminist filmmaker Cassie Jaye sets out to document the mysterious and polarizing world of the Men’s Rights Movement, she begins to question her own beliefs. Jaye had only heard about the Men’s Rights Movement as being a misogynist hate-group aiming to turn back the clock on women’s rights, but when she spends a year filming the leaders and followers within the movement, she learns the various ways men are disadvantaged and discriminated against. The Red Pill challenges the audience to pull back the veil, question societal norms, and expose themselves to an alternate perspective on gender equality, power and privilege.

Learn more about Cassie Jaye & The Red Pill Movie here.

Related Links:
“The Red Pill” Premiere NYC 10/7/2016
The Red Pill – A Cassie Jaye Documentary
The Red Pill” documentary extended sneak preview
A List of Soldiers Targeted & Murdered for Military Survivor and Life Insurance Benefits (2016)
Violent Crime, Non Combat Death & Suicide at United States Military Bases (2016)
Are More Male’s Victims of Violent Crime in the US than Females? (2017)
August: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report from September 11, 2001 to Present (2017)
September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report from September 11, 2001 to Present (2017)
78 Fort Hood Soldiers Died Since January 2016: 7 Overseas Deaths, 3 Non Combat; 71 Stateside Deaths, 37 ‘Suicides’, 1 Unsolved Homicide (2018)
MJFA Honors Cassie Jaye, Director of The Red Pill Movie, on International Women’s Day (2018)

Deadly Women Premiered ‘Cling ‘Til Death’ on ID: Vegas Bray Killed Navy Veteran Victor Saucedo Because He Dumped Her (September 17, 2016)

Preview: A young Navy recruit falls for a fellow officer, but becomes overwhelmed by jealousy when she learns he is friendly with the mother of his child. -Cling ‘Til Death, Deadly Women (S10,E4)

These Deadly Women won’t let their men go… they “Cling ‘Til Death.” -Cling ‘Til Death, Deadly Women (S10,E4)

Oxygen:

There’s a gun lying next to the victim. Is it suicide or murder? -Vegas Bray, Snapped, Oxygen (May 9, 2017)

An attractive woman witnesses her ex-boyfriend’s shooting, but can’t remember what happened, raising questions about suicide, stalking and split personalities. -Vegas Bray, Snapped, Oxygen (May 9, 2017)

Vegas Bray is convicted of murder and sentenced 25 years to life in prison. A friend of Vegas’s, Kevin Oseguera says “the monster inside of her” shot Victor, not his friend. -Vegas Bray, Snapped, Oxygen (May 14, 2017)

Vegas Bray says it’s hard to talk about what happened to her. She shows no remorse. -Vegas Bray, Snapped, Oxygen (May 15, 2017)

An attractive woman witnesses her ex-boyfriend’s shooting, but can’t remember what happened, raising questions about suicide, stalking and split personalities. -Vegas Bray, Snapped, Oxygen (S20,E2)

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:
Ex-Lover Jealousy Turns Lethal: The Vegas Bray Story (Preview)
Cling ‘Til Death | Deadly Wonen | Investigation Discovery (S10,E4)
Cling ‘Til Death | Deadly Wonen | Investigation Discovery (website)
Cling ‘Til Death | Deadly Wonen | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Cling ‘Til Death | Deadly Wonen | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Snapped: S20 E1 Sneak Peek – Vegas Bray Calls 911 | Oxygen
Snapped: S20 E1 Preview – Vegas Bray | Oxygen
Snapped: S20 E1 Bonus Clip – Stalking is Serious | Oxygen
Snapped: Vegas Bray Interrogation (Season 20, Episode 1) | Oxygen
Vegas Bray | Snapped | Oxygen (S20,E2)
Navy Veteran Victor Saucedo Shot and Killed in Home by Ex-Girlfriend; Navy Veteran Vegas Bray Sentenced to 50 Years to Life in Prison (October 16, 2012)
Snapped Premiered ‘Vegas Bray’ on Oxygen: Controlling Crazy Ex Stalks Victor Saucedo, Kills Him Because He Rejected Her (May 14, 2017)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Killer Couples Premiered ‘Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden’ on Oxygen: Russel Douglas Found Shot Execution Style on Whidbey Island the Day After Christmas (August 27, 2016)

Russel Douglas
Russel Douglas, Whidbey Island, Washington

Russel Douglas was found murdered in his car in a remote location on Whidbey Island in Washington on December 26, 2003. Russel was shot execution style in the head and there were few clues at the scene but the police knew it was a murder because they couldn’t find the gun. It took the police a few years but eventually they got a phone call from someone who said they had information about a murder. Investigators learned that a man by the name of Jim Huden admitted that he wanted to kill someone and did in fact kill someone. Through the course of the investigation, they also learned that Jim, who was married, had been having an affair with Peggy Thomas, a Navy veteran and former beauty queen in Washington. Peggy was the connection to Russel Douglas because she once worked with his wife Brenna at a hair salon and Russel’s wife was renting a home from her on Whidbey Island. When Jim Huden and Peggy Thomas were interviewed by the police, they didn’t admit to anything and would not cooperate. Therefore, detectives didn’t have enough evidence to arrest them.

After being questioned by police, Jim Huden started drinking more and fled to Mexico; Peggy Thomas got married and divorced; and the police continued investigating Russel Douglas’ murder. And then the unexpected happened. Jim’s estranged wife was arrested for drugs and check fraud. Detectives offered her a deal and promised if she gave them information about the Russel Douglas’ murder and where Jim was located, they would drop the charges against her; she gave them the information. Investigators began developing a theory based on the witnesses they had interviewed and the evidence they gathered. They believed the end game was money for Peggy and she was the one that put things in motion. Russel and his wife were having marital problems and investigators believe that Peggy offered to help Brenna murder her husband in return for some of the life insurance pay out. They theorized that Peggy convinced Jim that Russel was abusive so he would want to kill him. Jim was abused as a child so he was easily manipulated to believe that Russel deserved to die. In the end, both Peggy and Jim conspired to murder Russel Douglas for different motives.

Jim Huden wanted revenge for his childhood abuses and Peggy Thomas wanted cash. Investigators suspected the duo committed the murder for Brenna who claimed Russel abused her but there was no past history of domestic violence or child abuse on record; Jim didn’t know that and most likely went on the word of Peggy who used it to manipulate him. In court, Brenna testified that Russel mentally abused her but never admitted to any physical abuse. Unfortunately, police didn’t have enough evidence to charge Brenna Douglas with any crimes because both Jim and Peggy refused to talk. Jim Huden and Peggy Thomas were charged with Russel Douglas’ murder. In July 2012, Jim Huden was found guilty and sentenced to eighty years in prison. A month later, Peggy Thomas agreed to a plea deal in exchange for a reduced sentence and was given four years in prison for her role in the murder. Jim refused to testify against Peggy and pleaded the fifth at her trial. Peggy continues to deny any involvement in the murder and claims she didn’t know Jim was going to kill Russel. Peggy Thomas was released from prison in 2016.

Killer Couples (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

Killer Couples: S8 E4 Bonus Clip – Peggy’s New Self | Oxygen

Full Episode: 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)

In the News:

From pageants to famous husband to prison, murder suspect allowed to visit NM. -KRQE (October 7, 2011)

Related Links:
Peggy Sue Thomas: Drop-Dead Gorgeous
Documents show victim’s wife is suspect in murder
Washington jury says ‘guilty’ in Russel Douglas murder
Former Washington beauty queen pleads guilty to lesser charge in murder case
Ex-beauty queen gets 4-year sentence in killing
Ex-beauty queen sentenced for role in Whidbey Island murder
48 Hours: Tracing a fugitive killer’s footsteps in Mexico
Man lured to his death by beauty queen and wannabe rockstar on Boxing Day
‘I’m giving up four years of my life for something I didn’t do’: Ex-beauty queen jailed for helping her lover carry out 2003 murder claims she is an innocent ‘victim’
Peggy Sue got released: TV show recounts sensational Whidbey Island murder
Peggy Thomas, Jim Huden: ‘Snapped Killer Couples’ Details Whidbey Island Murder Case Involving Sultry Beauty Queen and Rock Star Lover
Murder of Russel Douglas by Jim Huden spotlighted on The Perfect Murder
Pageants to Famous Husband to Prison
If Looks Could Kill | Beauty Queen Murders | Investigation Discovery (S1, E5)
Snapped: Killer Couples ‘Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden’
Sneak Peek: Dangerous Beauty | 48 Hours
Why Ann Rule was intrigued with the Russel Douglas murder case | 48 Hours
Remembering Russel Douglas | 48 Hours
Band mates open up about rocker, murder suspect | 48 Hours
Suspects surprised with simultaneous, separate interrogations | 48 Hours
Whidbey Island Mystery | The Perfect Murder | Investigation Discovery (S5, E6)
Russel Douglas Found Murdered on Whidbey Island in Washington; Navy Veteran Peggy Thomas & Lover Jim Huden Convicted For Their Roles in the Homicide (December 26, 2003)
The Perfect Murder Premiered ‘Whidbey Island Mystery’ on Investigation Discovery: Peggy Sue Thomas Manipulated Jim Huden to Kill Russel Douglas (August 30, 2018)

Oxygen:
Peggy Sue got released: TV show recounts sensational Whidbey Island murder
Peggy Thomas, Jim Huden: ‘Snapped Killer Couples’ Details Whidbey Island Murder Case Involving Sultry Beauty Queen And Rock Star Lover
Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden (Oxygen website)
Killer Couples: S8 E4 Preview – Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E4 After the Verdict – Peggy Thomas and Jim Huden | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E4 Bonus Clip – Peggy’s New Self | Oxygen
Peggy Thomas & Jim Huden | Snapped: Killer Couples | Oxygen (S8, E4)

Deadly Women Premiered ‘Killer Cougars’ on Investigation Discovery: Two Teenagers Promised Money if They Killed Kevin Spann (August 26, 2016)

Some women can’t resist boy toys. But fur flies when these Deadly Women reveal they’re “Killer Cougars.” -Deadly Women (S10,E1)

Kevin and Gina Spann know that life in the military is anything but easy. But when Kevin goes away, Gina plays. Adam Kostewicz and Grace Pianka are trying to live the American dream. But when that dream turns into a nightmare, someone ends up dead. -Special Delivery, Deadly Affairs (S2,E9)

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:
Murderpedia: Gina Lynn Spann
The Mother’s Day Murder by Wensley Clarkson
Killer Cougars | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S10,E1)
Killer Cougars | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Killer Cougars | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Killer Cougars | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Special Delivery | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (S2,E9)
Special Delivery | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (website)
Special Delivery | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Army Soldier Kevin Spann Fatally Shot by Two Teenagers at Front Door of Georgia Home; Wife Gina Spann Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (May 11, 1997)
Deadly Affairs Premiered ‘Special Delivery’ on ID: Gina Spann Manipulated Teenagers to Kill Her Husband (September 28, 2013)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

The Perfect Murder Premiered ‘Curtain Call’ on ID; Sam Herr & Julie Kibuishi Murdered in Costa Mesa, California by Unusual Suspect (August 24, 2016)

California student Julie Kibuishi is found dead in the bed of her friend, Sam Herr, a decorated war hero. But Sam is nowhere to be found. As police hunt for their prime suspect, they’ll find this case is far more complicated than it first appeared. -Curtain Call, The Perfect Murder (S3,E13)

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:
Curtain Call | The Perfect Murder | Investigation Discovery (S3,E13)
Curtain Call | The Perfect Murder | Investigation Discovery (website)
Curtain Call | The Perfect Murder | Investigation Discovery (Prime Video)
Daniel Wozniak Murdered Army Veteran Sam Herr & Stole $50,000 to Pay for Wedding; Sentenced to Death in California for Two Murders (May 21, 2010)
Unusual Suspects, Deadly Intent Premiered ‘Final Curtain’ on ID: Sam Herr & Julie Kibuishi Murdered in Costa Mesa, California (November 1, 2017)

Army Veteran Brandon Ransom Charged with Shooting Death of Christopher Bailey in Alabama Parking Lot; Lack of Witness Cooperation Leads to Dismissal of Murder Case (July 30, 2016)

Brandon Ransom
Brandon Ransom, U.S. Army Veteran (Alabama)

Steensland said his client is a disabled veteran of the U.S. military: “It’s my understanding he’s 100 percent disabled, and diagnosed with PTSD,” Steensland said. “I believe he served a 15-month tour in Iraq, and served approximately eight years in the Army.” Read more from Dothan Eagle here.

Related Links:
Plum’s Lounge shooting suspect surrenders to police
Dothan Police Release Identity of Suspect in Weekend Murder
Attorney: Dothan murder suspect an Army veteran diagnosed with PTSD
Attorney seeks to get accused killer out of jail
Bond cut for man accused of fatal shooting in Dothan parking lot
Man charged in fatal shooting outside nightclub: ‘It was an execution’
Lack of witness cooperation leads to dismissal of Brandon Ransom’s murder case
Dothan Eagle: Lack of Witness Cooperation Leads to Dismissal of Army Veteran Brandon Ransom’s Murder Case (October 1, 2018)