James Trainum - the retired homicide detective that resurrected the case more than a decade ago - continues to believe that the killer lived in the neighborhood of the first two victims: Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson. He owned many scarves which belonged to women, which were described as "soiled." edward sullivan and tommie simmons. Part of me was just killed. episode Paradise . The most intriguing testimony they could obtain was that of a neighbor, who saw Neno Yates getting into a blue Volkswagon. She told her mom that she was going to be staying the night at the rec center, as they were hosting a sleepover event for kids that would stretch into the following morning. All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. [11] Unlike the other victims, she was still wearing her shoes, and a coat had been placed over her chest. The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the MPDC Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland,Maryland State Police, and theFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI). Court documents were found in a desk drawer in which a judge had used the word "tantamount," an uncommon word that had appeared in the note dictated by the killer of Brenda Woodward. Unlike the rest of the Freeway Phantom victims, she had been shot in the head, but her case was linked to the others in the immediate aftermath. Not only were the case files lost - they were altogether missing. Post author: Post published: January 24, 2023 Post category: what channel is nbc on directv in arizona Post comments: ae funeral services shawnee ok ae funeral services shawnee ok The conversation carried on like this for a moment, with Brenda not seeming to have any real information to give. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by MPDC Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, at Lorton Prison in Virginia, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with the successful prosecutions of those crimes in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. . The bottom of her shoes bore her first name, "DIANA," in big bold letters. When Brenda left, she was wearing curlers in her hair and did not seem to be wearing shoes. Morbidly, the body of Brenda Woodard had been disposed off of another busy road, near a bus-stop that Brenda's mother used almost every single day. Askins remains one of the most popular suspects in the media, and many of the original detectives heavily favored him as the Freeway Phantom. January 28, 2023 tim o'neill goldman sachs net worth . No physical evidence was obtained and Askins was not charged in connection with the Freeway Phantom killings. Angela Denise Barnes was a 14-year old that disappeared on July 12th, 1971, just days after Darlenia Johnson had gone missing. Some leads were easily proven not to be viable, while others required substantial investigation. [7], On July 27, 1971, 10-year-old Crockett from Northwest failed to return home after having been sent to the store by her mother. The prior decade had seen some major pieces federal legislation - such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 - and the racial divide was still fresh in everyone's mind. According to investigators at the time, Warren had begun providing details beyond what was reported in the media. Despite being just seven years old at the time, she continues to describe the day she learned of Brenda's death as the "most devastating" day of her life. and indicating she was alone in a house with a white male. An aspiring model, she had just started her senior year at Ballou High School in Washington D.C. Holland, OH Leesburg, VA Ashburn, VA West Lafayette, IN Germantown, MD State College, PA. Edward Sullivan et Tommie Simmons Freeway Phantom taient-ils ? The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. In another striking similarity to the other crimes, green fibers would be found on her clothing. Facebook gives people the power. The details of this confession were leaked to the press by P.G. The investigations resulted in 53 individual charges of selling heroin, and 43 individual charges of selling crack cocaine, among other charges. However, it's end was just as tragic as the first two abductions. [21] Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be a victim of the serial killings. Prosecutors at the time said there was no evidence linking the pair to the other slayings. This was less than two miles away from Diane's home. That is the hope of the families of the other girls who were slain from 1971 to 1972 in a string of killings that stunned the city and sparked an unprecedented police homicide investigation. She was the region's first female homicide detective - a feat made all the more incredible when you factor in Jenkins' ethnicity. Regardless, both of these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their guns. It wasn't until the following day that her absence was truly noted, and suspicions began to be raised about her whereabouts. Perhaps she knew her abductor, and wasn't too far away from her family's home at the time of the call. He also could've complained about how society was wronging him, and probably tried contacting a person of power by some means; however, said person presumably refused to listen to him, further fueling his anger and leading to the murders. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. Warning: set_time_limit() has been disabled for security reasons in /data/web/virtuals/167612/virtual/www/index.php on line 63 They didn't care about us. This lead seemed to be going places which is why it pains me to say that it eventually fell off the rails. Unknown. Many theorize that the Maryland State Police have since lost the evidence, but are unwilling to admit it providing an already-aggravating story the most unfortunate ending possible. When investigators announced that the Freeway Phantom killer was most likely a black individual, this animosity towards the local police force began to turn into widespread distrust. Common practice at the time was that case files at MPDC Detective Divisions were retained in files maintained by the detectives assigned to the case. On December 28, 1938, Askinsthen a 19-year-old student and member of the science club at Miner Teachers Collegeserved cyanide-laced whiskey to five prostitutes at a brothel, resulting in the death of 31-year-old Ruth McDonald. The Phantom after abducting his victims is assumed to have taken them to abandoned houses where he proceeded to rape the victims multiple times before killing them. Robert Askins would later be convicted on kidnapping and rape charges, stemming from two separate incidents - including the one that had put him on the investigators' radar. The area that these crimes unfolded - primarily, Washington D.C. - held a predominant black population. edward sullivan and tommie simmons. In the fall of 1971, she began taking night classes at Cardozo High School, hoping to improve her working skills (such as typing). Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as: names, dates, place of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. Still, she believes the greatest hope lies in keeping the memory of the slain girls alive. Lewis Crockett, 39, was 14 when his 10-year-old sister, Brenda Fay Crockett, disappeared and was found dead a day later. Most unusually, three of the victims shared the middle name Denise. [5] About two hours later (around 9:20 pm) the Crocketts' phone rang and was answered by her 7-year-old sister, who had waited at home while her family searched the neighborhood. Both were ex-cops that were arrested in relation to the 1971 murder of Angela Barnes. Remember when I told you that police had initially found semen on Diane Williams' clothing, and ruled it out as her boyfriend's? edward sullivan and tommie simmons; edward sullivan and tommie simmons. They didn't want to let their lives be forever ruined because of the actions of one mad killer, and joined together to combat that. She began walking down the street, towards the 7-Eleven. A police department spokesman said the cases have been assigned to the cold case squad, which will review the files periodically and investigate any new leads actively. This was just a stone's throw away from the first two abduction scenes - those of Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson - from more than a year beforehand. Nenomoshia Yates had been sent by her family to a Safeway grocery store, which was just down the street from their apartment - literally less than a block away. So, Trainum took back the evidence, and submitted it to the FBI forensic database where the same thing happened. Darlenia Denise Johnson was a 16-year old girl that lived in Congress Heights - the same neighborhood that Carol Spinks and her family had been living in. While the Freeway Phantom was never directly mentioned or referenced, he appears to have been an inspiration for the following unsubs: Criminal Minds Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. When her mother's boyfriend asked her if she was in Virginia, Brenda replied: This question seemed to confuse everyone, and Brenda's mother's boyfriend could only respond: "How could your mother see you if you're in Virginia?". Following this alleged sexual assault, the man had then driven the victim away from the scene, telling her at one point: "Have you ever heard of the Baltimore-Washington Expressway Phantom? "I think what has happened is the community has forgotten, the police department has forgotten," Jenkins said. Less than three hours after her mysterious disappearance, the remains of Nenomoshia Yates would be found. It was discovered that the victim had been found in the same clothing that she had disappeared in - a red sweater, blue shorts, and brown socks - but most unusually, her shoes were missing. She ended up managing the child abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region. It wasn't until 2001 that the case was officially re-opened, when Detective James Trainum took it on as a personal challenge. We know that this article of clothing was not tested for DNA by either the Maryland State Police or the FBI, but it was last in the possession of the Maryland State Police - who have not confirmed that they actually have the evidence. He claimed at least one specific gang member in the murders, and began giving details of specific dates, times, and locations. The body was too severely decomposed by the time officials got to it, and medical examiners would be unable to determine if the victim had been sexually assaulted before her death. Among those individuals considered suspects were members of a gang known as the Green Vega Rapists. The Phantom would then rape, strangle them (usually manually), and dump their bodies in grassy areas near freeways, hence the name. While at home, anxious and slightly unaware of the situation's severity, the phone rang. Well, I'm him.". They noted that both calls seemed to insist upon the kidnapper being a white man, who had taken Brenda to Virginia. It appeared to be in her own handwriting, written in pencil, and seemed to be written on a piece of paper that had been torn out from her notebook. This is the story of Washington D.C.'s first known serial killer, the Freeway Phantom. Freeway Phantom Note: The note left in Woodward's pocket claimed that the Phantom killed additional victims. One of the known acquaintances of the Green Vega's was interviewed by police. The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the MPDC Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland, Maryland State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). His information seemed legitimate, albeit somewhat scattered, and investigators took his words seriously. He was indicted for this murder in 1954, accused of several other assaults of similar circumstance, and re-tried for the 1938 murder, it having been determined that he was indeed sane upon committing the act. The 12-year old girl lived with her father and stepmother in an apartment in Northeast, along Benning Road. During these interviews, one gang member initially implicated another gang member, who he said told him he was involved and gave information as to one of the beltway homicides. These were the type of cases that her male colleagues tried to avoid. When she failed to return home in a timely manner, her family began conducting a search for her throughout the neighborhood, knocking on doors and making calls to anyone that Brenda knew. He would probably be masked and not want to show his victims his face. According to most behavior analysts - such as John Douglas, the grandfather of the study of serial killers, who wrote the popular book "Mindhunter" - most serial killers tend to target those in their own racial demographics. Vicksburg. Since he wasn't incarcerated at the time, I'll refrain from using his name, but he spoke to police and - over the span of a lengthy interview - was able to positively identify three of the murder victims from a photo lineup. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The investigators agreed. If the killer fit this profile, and was in his 20's or 30's, it is possible that he is still alive. Throughout the summer, Diane had fallen in love with her boyfriend, and she had spent a good chunk of the time off from school with him. This case is open as a cold case in the MPDC Homicide Division as of September 2018. Allenteen spotted her defiant 13-year old daughter, and let her know that her punishment would be waiting for her at home. Infuriated, this caller called their boss and let them know about the police inactivity. There is no closure," Williams said. One such suspect was the rookie police officers duo Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons. However, along the way, she encountered her mother, who just-so-happened to be returning home. "It's in the past, plus personnel in the police department has changed. She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. Likely, it had been dictated to her by the killer. Diane would spent the next few hours with her boyfriend, before the time came to head home. The perpetrator might have served in the Army during the Vietnam War and may have been responsible for some war crimes such as rape and murder during massacres. "From that moment on, our lives were never the same," said Williams, 40, who is a police officer. ng bi lc Thng Mt 19, 2023. O 'cine d'aventuras ye un chenero cinematografico caracterizau por a presencia d'un heroi (ficticio u real) inspirador d'un mito, a on gosa haber-ie scenas d'aventuras y batallas, asobn de tipo caballeresco y que gosa tamin estar ambientau en epocas pasadas que se presentan de forma exalzadora, en presentando sin profundizar masiau o scenario de l'accin d'a cinta, que mesmo puet estar . saving. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. Jury Convicts Man Accused in Green Vega Rapes, Talk Murder With Me - The Freeway Phantom Murders, Baltimore Afro American - Is he the Freeway Phantom (October 21st, 1972 issue), Indiana Evening Gazette - Washington, D.C. Police Seek Clues To Freeway Phantom (November 19th, 1971 issue), Santa Ana Register - 5-Man Gang Tied To Rapes, Killings (July 9th, 1975 issue), Two ex-cops from Washington held for Freeway Phantom murder of girl', Kimberly Riley & Jeremy Britt-Bayinthavong, Paul Skiba, Sarah Skiba, and Lorenzo Chivers, June & Jennifer Gibbons (The Silent Twins). Brenda's 7-year old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood. This linked it to the Carol Spinks and Brenda Crockett murders. In the early morning of November 16th, 1971 - just hours after Brenda Woodard was last seen by her classmate - Cheverly city police officer David Norman happened to be driving in the region near Prince George's County Hospital. Want to Read. A privilege that the family members of the Freeway Phantom victims have been waiting for for close to half-a-century. She remained permanently scarred after the death of her sister, and later became a Washington D.C. police officer as a result. Members of this gang were collectively responsible for numerous Washington D.C. and surrounding Maryland vicinity rapes and abductions that occurred near theWashington Beltway. Sadly, Darlenia Johnson never made it to work that day. In the second case - Darlenia Johnson - her remains were too decomposed to tell how quickly she had been killed or disposed of. Numerous investigative tips came from the general public by a telephone hotline operated by theMetropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia(MPDC) and information also came by way of the mail. Support Center. [9] As with the other cases, her shoes were missing and unidentified green fibers would also be found on her clothing. They started a task force, which included more than 100 detectives and federal agents and had involvement from the following law enforcement agencies: the MPDC Homicide Division and Sex Squads, detectives from Maryland's P.G. One of the original Freeway Phantom detectives, who long suspected Askins to be the killer, continued corresponding with the convict until his death in 2010. [17] A few hours later, her strangled body was discovered dumped alongside I-295, just south of the District line. The Sullivans: With Paul Cronin, Steven Tandy, Reg Gorman, Vikki Hammond. She reluctantly agreed, only to discover that the the man had no intentions of taking her to her destination. This inmate - Morris Warren - began feeding investigators information about the Freeway Phantom crimes, which he alleged were perpetrated by a member of the Green Vega's. He also owns a car or truck, which he would drive the distances between the stores where the victims were abducted. The classmate of Brenda's usually drove them whenever they hung out, but with his car in the shop temporarily, they had to take the city's buses home. Investigators and websleuths alike have wondered if Brenda Woodard might have been targeted by a separate killer, who tried to place the blame for her death at the burgeoning "Freeway Phantom" by having the victim write a note saying as much. The children knew that failure to comply would result in a severe punishment - such as being hit with a switch or a belt - but that did not deter young Carol Spinks. Through the 1960's and 1970's, more than 70% of the region's population was African American, who had had to endure an entire lifetime of racial tension and struggles. This was roughly a month after the last crime attributed to the Freeway Phantom, and Groom - who lived in Northwest Baltimore - had just been arrested for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a young woman. [5] Her stepfather asked her to have the man come to the phone. Before her death, it appeared that the victim had been brutalized, having been hit in the face more than once. Investigators would later theorize that this note was written by Brenda herself; with the FBI later linking it to other writings from her. Read More: Are Green Vega Rapists Freeway Phantom? The cause-of-death, though, appeared to be strangulation. The killer has been unidentified even after nearly half a century, though the police identified several suspects who might have been the said serial killer. insensititivity [sic] to people That ended up being 13 years later, in 1952, when he was re-indicted and convicted of the murder charges. However, in an unusual twist of fate, they were resting right next to her body, as if they had been gently placed there by the killer after he disposed of her body. As you can imagine, she never made it home. Written, hosted, and produced by Micheal Whelan, Borrtex - "Black Out"Blue Dot Sessions - "Arbic Tallow"Graham Bole - "Lurking"Percival Pembroke - "Pembroke-Schaffer Manifold (Parts 1 & 2)"Vitus Von Degen - "Pieta"Rest You Sleeping Giant - "Dead Waters"ROZKOL - "If These"Sann Gusmao - "Reescrever Fotografias Sobre Dias Que Me Rasgam"Organoid - "Cassini"Krackatoa - "Under An Ending Sun", Other original music created and composed by Ailsa Traves, Unsolved Child Murders: Eighteen American Cases 1956 - 1998 by Emily G. Thompson, The Washington Post - Six black girls were brutally murdered in the early 70s. She didn't do anything.". edward sullivan and tommie simmons. This semen sample would remain untested for several decades, but needless to say that would come up much later. Unfortunately, they would be unable to link these to any particular victims. We found 15 records for Tom Sullivan in Maumee, Holland and 10 other cities in Ohio. 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