edward sullivan and tommie simmons
Coroners would later note that the strangulation was excessive, with the girl's esophagus having been broken. As you can imagine, both of this leads led nowhere. 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. If you may know anything, please contact Washington D.C. authorities or the FBI. Where Are They Now. Both Trainum and Jenkins stick with this analysis, which provides a small insight into most serial killers - again, most serial killers, not all of them. Dumping his victims next to the freeway It wasn't until 2001 that the case was officially re-opened, when Detective James Trainum took it on as a personal challenge. Join Facebook to connect with Edward Sullivan and others you may know. They were giving the Freeway Phantom credit for six murders: those of Carol Spinks, Darlenia Johnson, Brenda Crockett, Nenomoshia Yates, Brenda Woodard, and now Diane Williams (in that order). January 28, 2023 tim o'neill goldman sachs net worth . Police quickly zeroed in on Askins as their suspect, but it wasn't until D.C. detective Lloyd Davis began interviewing Askins, and learned about his past, that he began to connect the man to the unsolved Freeway Phantom murders. "Signature details," they called them - intimate details that would be known only by the responsible parties and investigators. Detective Romaine Jenkins would later theorize that the kidnapper was someone that knew Brenda's mother, who wanted to make sure that they had not been spotted with Brenda. The Freeway Phantom is an unidentified pedophilic and ephebophilic serial killer, rapist, and abductor active in Washington, D.C. from April 1971 through September 1972. "She had the shape and the beauty to be that. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! On the evening July 27th, 1971, at around 8:00 PM, many of the kids in Brenda's neighborhood were settling in for a movie night. James Groom was later arrested for the incident, and charged with both kidnapping and sexual assault. That year, a 24-year old woman was abducted at gunpoint by Robert Askins, and taken back to his home. Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. Askins, who died at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland on April 30, 2010 at the age of 91,[27] remained in prison for two D.C.-area abductions and rapes in the mid-70s, and had been contacted by both Davis and press regarding the Freeway Phantom slayings. He mentioned a cooperating inmate at Lorton Prison, who had recently confessed to investigators, and was currently singing like a bird. However, other detectives that have handled or examined the case in the years since have pointed out that most of the information Morris Warren provided was all stuff he could have gotten from news coverage of the murders. Tommy served on the USS INTREPID CVA-11 US Navy, four years MM3 [7], A short time later, the phone rang again and was this time answered by the stepfather of Crockett. insensititivity [sic] to people Listen to "The Freeway Phantom" on Spreaker. Her body was found November 26, 1972, under a bridge in the 4000 block of Bladensburg Road NE. As you can imagine, this was as frustrating to the victims' loved ones as it was to the investigators. Right? During her time as a homicide detective, Jenkins mainly investigated the deaths of children and babies. An examination of Brenda's clothing would find two different hair samples: one of which, authorities stated, belonged to a Caucasian man. Where Are They Now? The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be verifiable. 7 The Alphabet Killer Photo Credit: calafellvalo / Flickr Like the case of Dr. If he was as young as investigators believe, he would now be entering his twilight years - of retirement age, at least, or quickly approaching it. The killer may have military experience due to the skill displayed during the abductions and the lack of evidence at the crime scenes. After all, Washington D.C. would not establish home rule until 1973, meaning that the local residents had no real representation of their own at the time of the Freeway Phantom murders. This boogeyman would become known as the D.C. region's "first profiled serial killer," and their crimes continue to haunt investigators and loved ones close to half-a-century later [6] Eleven days later, her body was located only 15 feet (4.6 meters) from where Spinks had been found[4] even though police had been notified of the location of the corpse nearly a week earlier by an anonymous caller who had details only her killer could have known. Sullivan and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. Death Notices and Obituaries in the Buffalo News 2010 by Name Valerie Moore - the older sister that had sent Carol Spinks to the 7-Eleven down the street to fetch some soda and TV dinners - was wracked with guilt. A missing persons report was filed, and Darlenia Johnson's case was tentatively labeled an abduction. 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. Infuriated, this caller called their boss and let them know about the police inactivity. The investigators agreed. Lewis Crockett, 39, was 14 when his 10-year-old sister, Brenda Fay Crockett, disappeared and was found dead a day later. Approximately eight hours after Brenda's disappearance - the early morning hours of July 28th, 1971 - a hitchhiker that was traveling on U.S. Route 50 (near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in P.G. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by MPDC Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, atLorton Prisonin Virginia, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with the successful prosecutions of those crimes in theSuperior Court of the District of Columbia. The Freeway Phantom targeted female children and teens ranging from 12-17 years of age. Like the first four victims, Woodard had been strangled but it appeared that her end had been a much more violent one. With the temperature rising, on July 19th, 1971, one of the original callers that had found the body decided to return to the scene, to see if the matter had been dealt with. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. The most intriguing testimony they could obtain was that of a neighbor, who saw Neno Yates getting into a blue Volkswagon. "Whoever did it has gotten away. It's even possible to imply that Brenda's last words in the phone call - the reflexive "I'll see you" comment - were indicative of her being close to home. She was the region's first female homicide detective - a feat made all the more incredible when you factor in Jenkins' ethnicity. She read the case notes and offered insight whenever possible, but that was really all she could do. These members included men such as Morris Joseph Warren, Paul Fletcher, John Davis, and Paul Brooks - whose exploits you can find in detailed newspaper archives. Perhaps she knew her abductor, and wasn't too far away from her family's home at the time of the call. She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. A vote in favor is a vote to end debate and move to a vote on the issue itself, while a vote against is a vote to prolong debate or to filibuster. Police were unable to uncover much evidence other than what I've just described, but noted that the victim had been strangled to death, just like the first two cases. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. saving. I have not read anything that indicates she made it to the store, so I can just assume that on her way to Safeway, Brenda was abducted. Likely, it had been dictated to her by the killer. In this meeting of more than 100 people, residents expressed their disdain for the police response to the murders. County's State's Attorney Arthur A. Marshall, who was running for reelection at the time. The conversation carried on like this for a moment, with Brenda not seeming to have any real information to give. Want to Read. 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. She recalls her mother's devastating sobbing, and the gloom that fell upon the entire neighborhood. Even though most of the evidence had been poorly-preserved - if it was preserved at all, and wasn't just missing - Trainum hoped that advancements in DNA technology would allow for a closer look at the Freeway Phantom killer. D.C. Phantom Murder", "Six black girls were brutally murdered in the early '70s. 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. With the cooperating inmate no longer speaking, this lead quickly wilted. When she failed to return home in a timely manner, her mother called the police and was able to file a missing persons report that night. 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. Warren was taken out of prison to specific locations, and began pointing out where victims had been abducted, killed, assaulted, and then disposed of. All were black. Yazoo City. All of these victims had a number of traits in common. It wasn't until the following day that her absence was truly noted, and suspicions began to be raised about her whereabouts. jennifer 8 filming locations; what is a state vendor for nj familycare; the vintage new orleans happy hour menu The Sullivans: With Paul Cronin, Steven Tandy, Reg Gorman, Vikki Hammond. Some had been sexually assaulted, and some of whom were found with very little evidence for investigators to chew over. It's really infuriating, knowing that investigators might have come so close to solving at least one of the major mysteries in this case, but it got lost in a sea of bureaucracy and legalities. All suspects are charged with state drug offenses and were cited and released with future dates to appear in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Courts across the state. He tried to be more forceful on the phone than Bertha had been, but received most of the same information from Brenda: that a white man had picked her up, and she was going to head home in a cab. 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. On Saturday, May 1st, 1971 - six days after the disappearance of Carol Spinks - a group of kids were playing in a grassy area behind St. Elizabeths Hospital. In December of 1938 - when Askins was a much younger man - he had poisoned a sex worker in Washington D.C with potassium cyanide. They didn't believe him to have any real insider information, and remain doubtful that this gang of perverts was responsible for a serial murder spree. meadowbrook country club estates; michael mullen obituary; pamela gluckin obituary new york; antonio tonyboy floirendo jr biography [17] A few hours later, her strangled body was discovered dumped alongside I-295, just south of the District line. Investigation revealed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. As of this episode's recording, the storeis of Carol Spinks, Darlenia Johnson, Brenda Crockett, Nenomoshia Yates, Brenda Woodard, and Diane Williams remain unresolved. 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. Ed Sullivan's show, which aired on CBS from 1948 to 1971, was straight out of old vaudeville, featuring brief acts of every description, from slapstick comedy to operatic arias. It wasn't until September of 1972 that investigators would declare him active once again. Mr .. Tommie Simmons in Connecticut 34 people named Tommie Simmons found in Hartford, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and 2 . She had been killed in 1971 - wedged in-between the 2nd and 3rd murders - but unlike the others, she had been murdered via gunshot. They dedicated many more man-hours to political scandals and dealing with Vietnam protests - and to the loved ones left without any answers - it seemed like detectives cared very little about six dead black girls. Freeway Phantom They didn't even get out of the car to look for the remains, before using their radio to call in "10-8" (aka "nothing to see here"). I will Admit the others A privilege that the family members of the Freeway Phantom victims have been waiting for for close to half-a-century. He claimed at least one specific gang member in the murders, and began giving details of specific dates, times, and locations. Like the first victim, Carol Spinks, experts were able to find small green fibers on the clothing, which hinted at some link between the two cases. Two days later, police discovered the body of Angela Denise Barnes, 14. This conviction was overturned in 1958. Considr comme le premier tueur en srie de Washington, D.C., ce meurtrier qui n'a pas encore t identifi tait responsable du meurtre d'au moins 6 filles mineures Washington, D.C. d'avril 1971 septembre 1972. Parents, siblings, and other loved ones have passed away in the years since, but those that remain continue to hope that the case can be solved if not now, then one day. [21][2] With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. Gender 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. They were charged with Angelas murder and were held by Washington, D.C. police in Charles County jail in Maryland. During this encounter, the man also told the victim that he had recently returned from Vietnam, was lonely, and was sick of no one understanding him. Brenda Faye Crockett was a 10-year old girl that lived with her family in Northwest, about a block away from Cardozo High School. 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. She was the one of the few people to speak to Brenda after her abduction, and hear her crying on the other side. 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