unsolved murders in west virginia

Friends and family call her by the name Cherice.. His body was found halfway in and halfway out of a front door. Refreshing your browser will bring different cases into view or you may browse all cases. Beverly Christensen. Thats why her son grew concerned about his mothers well-being after not hearing from her in more than a week. According to the report, Shannon Bartz sat on the bed for about 10 minutes and then called two friends before calling 911. Across the state and in Mercer, McDowell and Monroe counties,. On the evening of May 22, 1918, Jake and Andrew Maggio made a gruesome discovery. Q: What got you interested in working on this case? Saturday, 2 p.m., graveside service at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston-Salem, N.C. Hassel Norman Smith "Red" 89, of Bland, Virginia, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at home surrounded by family. A suspect vehicle was later found. The flyer says the two were last seen with Sharp at the West 76 Truck Stop near the Winfield exit. She has multiple piercings as well as a tattoo of a sun on her right shoulder and a tattoo of a scorpion on her lower back. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Edmunds has been diagnosed with dementia. If you know of a missing persons case not included in this list, please let us know below with the persons name, the details of the case and the agency leading the investigation. ATTENTION: This feature contains previously unreleased material and information concerning each case as well as never-before-published photographs, graciousl. Kenny Poston,. So, after we go through those suspects, then we talk about our experiences separately and then when we started working together. Smith was last heard from during a phone conversation with his employer. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Over 50 years ago, two freshmen coeds at West Virginia University, Mared and Karen, went missing after attempting to hitchhike back to their dorm from High Street. PLEASE SHARE:At approx. Seifs mother went to the Weirton Steel Mill where his father worked to learn he had not worked there under that name. They interviewed more than 100 people. Dec. 11, 2019, 3:37 PM UTC By The Associated Press OAK HILL, W.Va. Three people have been charged in the death of an 8-year-old West Virginia girl who was allegedly beaten, starved, forced to. Eventually, Beverly Manor was closed. SJM: Right. Poiani stays in regular contact with the Wood County Sheriffs Department, the agency which investigated the murder. Windley was last seen in Kanawha City behind the Lowes along the Kanawha River. SJM: Or when they were caught, a man was convicted of 12 attempted abductions, and were not sure how many of those were actually coeds and how many were children because technically anyone under the age of 21 was not considered an adult, so they were kind of grouped together. Kinker appeared in magistrate court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 22 but the case was continued because he did not have an attorney. All of her personal belongings were left behind. As he moved toward her she turned on the drill and pointed it toward his face. Their dying brother and his already-dead wife had been brutally butchered with an axe. He left her home on his stepfathers motorcycle and left his phone, ID and money behind. WELLSBURG Joseph Barki is carrying a full plate of murder cases into his third year as Brooke County prosecutor. GF: Yeah, Crutchley was from Clarksburg, so right down the road, and like I said, his older brother went to WVU med school and his sister was a freshman in 1970. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. According to police, her mother went to work on Aug. 20, 2019 and Cochran was nowhere to be found when she returned home, but all of her belongings were still there. Copyright News and Sentinel | https://www.newsandsentinel.com | 519 Juliana St., Parkersburg, WV 26101 | 304-485-1891, For every year that goes by, its another downer,, I hope he gets a conscience this year to bring peace to himself and peace to his family,, If theres a lead, well follow up on it,. The teen left a note. In Virginia, murder indictments were handed down post-haste for both Dulings. Water's Edge At Sandbridge Beach. Dental records showed that it belonged to Steptoe. He testified before Congress, all kinds of things. January 1975. I'm interested in (please check all that apply). This list includes the missing persons name linked to more details, often including a photo and what agency to contact with information, on an official police or government website. She was last seen being picked up at her Pinewood Village Apartments. SJM: So, if anyone has anything to say about that, contact us. Authorities still believe there are other parties involved in a 2007 murder at Pinnacle Rock State Park. . Investigators have not described how she died. Berry was last seen leaving his apartment on July 24, 1986. West Virginia police were contacted by law enforcement officials in Camden, New Jersey after inmate Eugene Paul Clawson expressed that he was prepared to confess to a crime. Her murder. Worrell, a mother of two children, had been shot and killed. Branham was last seen Feb. 7, 2017 and reported missing Feb. 15, 2017. Police were on it, but I dont know what they were doing about it, but there was just a lot of bad people doing bad things that I wasnt aware of. I did a write-up. I dont think that really started until the 80s. It's been five years since the shooting death of Vienna resident Cindy Ball and many wonder why her case remains unsolved. GF: And I went through three boxes of Samuel Eliass papers. A warrant for kidnapping was issued for Susan on Nov. 13, 2000. The sheriffs office says two persons of interest in the 1986 Linda Sharp murder case were never identified. It was determined she died from an apparent gunshot . Authorities say Green is familiar with the rural areas of Wood, wort and Ritchie counties. NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A man is being charged with first-degree murder in Nicholas County after an argument. For some reason, he thought that was the plan. Judd was last seen by her boyfriend on Jefferson Avenue in Huntington getting into a silver SUV with an unknown Ohio registration. West Virginia State Police are investigating a new but undisclosed lead in the 1986 disappearance and death of an Oak Hill girl, State Police Cpl. Crutchley was investigated for the deaths and disappearances of 26 women in the DC/Maryland/Virginia/Pennsylvania area. May was last seen on Little Egypt Road in Gilbert. A West Ashley High School football player, Mikell McKelvey . Law enforcement witnessed Kincaid jump from the 31st Street Bridge, but no sign of him or his body were ever found. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. His father last saw him on Aug. 20, 2018 on Cherry Fork Road in Montrose in Randolph County leaving on the motorcycle with his girlfriend Jamie Deshayes. Woods was last seen by her husband. He would come to Morgantown. GF: He also said that he thought he would be let loose if he was not convicted in Morgantown. Authorities say her husband said he asked her to leave and did not know where she was. But then the anniversary comes and the sadness returns for herself and parents, who also live to see the killers brought to justice. The flyer also says he had a large beer gut and a tattoo on his right arm depicting a naked woman with a snake wrapped around her body.. In July of 1990, at 14 years of age, Fame Cooper went missing. Like every other state in the country, WV has its own share of violent crimes, including murders and missing persons believed to be dead, that date back as far as this states birth in 1863. Baker also goes by the names of Cheyenne Baker and Tiffany Cole.. Elskar Lee Hurley's murder went unsolved for six years, but as of Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, the case is finally closed. He said police believe Castillo lived with Plants in Wellsburg sometime before his death, but its not known when or for how long. Willey was last seen leaving his home in the 5200 block of Highland Ridge Road on foot, according to the property owner. 2500 Block of Arctic Avenue. Police are trying to locate 35-year-old Jammie Castillo, who is described as a girlfriend to the victim, Wesley Plants, 51, of Sanders Drive. The FBI is seeking information in the 1996 deaths of Julianne . She also learned there is no record of him in the Department of Immigration and that he had used an alias to marry her. It was scary. SJM: I guess he thought theyd shorten his sentence in New Jersey. The flyer shared by the sheriffs office describes the first person of interest is described as a white male who would have been in his mid-20s and weighed 230-260 pounds at the time with a high, receding hairline and shoulder-length, stringy light brown hair and long sideburns. In 2000 the Miyazawa family was murdered in their Tokyo home.The killer stayed in the house for hours after their deaths.He treated his wounds,ate food from the fridge, took a nap,and even used the family's PC.Police found 12,545 pieces of evidence including the killer's DNA.He has never been found. "This series is about the murder of Walter T. Smith in 1975," Dean said. He had been shot three times. Mathis was last seen at his home. And then, we start talking about some other possible suspects that there might be. We had two in the past 13 years, and now we have five at the same time, he said. Skaggs was last seen hitchhiking either to town to pay a bill or to go to work in Ohio. 1992. On June 13, 1963, Wayne Pratt was found murdered in a gas station he operated along old Highway 41 between Neenah and Oshkosh. . There was a lot of child abductions. Donald Bartz then locked the bedroom door and leaned against it to prevent her from getting back into his bedroom. Court documents reveal a vehicle matching the description of Zuccaros was seen in the vicinity of Pratz home near the time of his death and shell casings found near Pratz belonged to a type of pistol owned by Zuccaro. DeBerry was last seen leaving the Pizza Hut in Kingwood where he worked. She was reported missing in late May 2021, when HPD said they were concerned for her safety. She has not been heard from since. The prosecutor said none of the current murder cases appear to be drug related. document.getElementById( "ak_js_6" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Sgt. A scene from Jack The Ripper, 1959. Then in early March 2005, an East Street resident found an unusual object. She has several tattoos including a vine or barbed wire on her lower right wrist, a butterfly on one shoulder, a heart on the left side of her neck and a swan on her lower back. Her car was in the driveway of her then-boyfriend, Nark Cook, who disappeared five months later. He has a tattoo that reads Dalton on his right arm. SJM: He was learning disabled, so in his mind, he had this plan to be proven that it wasnt him that killed Mared and Karen so he would be moved to another facility that was closer to where his mother lived, and it just wasnt really grounded in reality. Her body was recovered Feb. 9, 2008, in a burned out building off West Virginia 31 in Waverly on a farm owned by her father, Marvin Petty. Q: Anything else that you would like to add? She does not have a car, but could have left on foot or been picked up by someone. SJM: Its such a weird story because it wasnt planned at all, but my husband, when he was my fiance, he was going to Spain for two weeks. Authorities say he would regularly walk to his job. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Flake wasnt known to leave her house on the old No. Dominique may have traveled to the Erie, Pennsylvania area. The site displays unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and unidentified remains. Grace Smith was last seen at her fathers home in Gallipolis Ferry on Feb. 23, 2022. Jeffrey Ruggles of Huntington - Last seen Nov. 26, 2005 at 28 years old. 1982 cold case reopens after 18-year-old murder victim identified . They would give him Sodium Pentothal, and theyd prove that he didnt do it. GF: I shadowed a state trooper, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hall, back in 2006 to 2009 or 2010, and he was investigating the case. All Rights Reserved. You may opt-out anytime by clicking "unsubscribe" from the newsletter or from your account. On December 8, 1963, a group of amateur criminals hoping to strike it rich engineered one of the most infamous kidnappings in American history. Would you like to hear about the worst crime thats ever happened in Morgantown?, So I gave him the rundown on it, and he said, Do you want to make a podcast? Im like, Sure, whats a podcast? [laughs], And then, the article that I wrote did its rounds. Investigators said Kinker allegedly admitted to shaking the child in his bassinet because he was crying, saying it caused his head to strike the wall. Rocco Zuccaro, 28, of Burgettstown, Pa. will go on trial Feb. 23 for the shooting death of 30-year-old Jason Lee Pratz, who was found dead in his McKinleyville home on Feb. 19, 2013. 6 Mine Road in the small Jenkinjones community without telling her family and friends. Seifs father allegedly took him to his home country of Yemen for a two-week visit, but never returned. Sines was last seen in Kingwood, but was also known to frequent the Clarksburg area. Other pending murder cases in the county are: Christopher Devin Kinker, 21, of Follansbee is facing second-degree murder and child abuse charges after he allegedly killed his seven-week-old son. And it remains one of the most baffling cases for police - still unsolved until this day. J.R. Pauley, former district commander of the West Virginia State Police Princeton and Welch detachments. I remembered when my parents had talked about Mared and Karen, and I wanted to look into it because it just seemed so surreal. Nothing prepared her for what she found inside. Still no charges have been filed in the 2004 disappearance of Barbara Jean Flake of McDowell County. She was found behind the store's counter. And, we were pretty convinced that he didnt have anything to do with it. Category:West Virginia | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom in: United States West Virginia Category page Edit This Category is reserved for Unsolved Mysteries cases that have occurred in West Virginia. Hollenbacks family says she was last seen in March 2010, but they did have contact with her that June saying they were trying to convince her to come visit her ailing mother. Contact Anne Elgin at aelgin@bdtonline.com. Brindsley Charles Ward, 53, of the Republic of Trinidad, died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head. Actually, he took Clawsons confession and was sent up there to corroborate his confession and get his feeling about the guilt, and he said that Clawson was lying. DeMarino left his mothers home in Spencer where he had been staying at approximately 10:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2019 and drove her 2015 silver Ford Escape to Mikes Bar and Grill in Parkersburg. Crutchleys sister was going to WVU at the time and was also a freshman, and so I think we can find a connection between her and Mared and Karen. Cases are displayed at random to ensure all victims are publicized equally. GF: And a lot more details than we could talk about on the podcast about all the suspects. It just may have been the perfect murder, or maybe the perfect cover up. According to the NamUs website, Klomp was last seen when she was released from a facility. Wilson sentenced Barnhart to 50 years in prison after taking guilty pleas on one count of second degree murder and two counts of wanton endangerment. Through the information we gained at that time and since then, we feel another party or parties were involved, First Sgt. Feb. 9 will mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Judith Lynn Petty. By WSAZ News Staff. Red retired as a machinist. Authorities say while at the bar, he went to the restroom but hasnt been seen or heard from since. Q: Whats the most interesting part about this case to you? It was no longer a dorm, so there was no issue with the buses not being able to get out there because it wasnt a dorm anymore, but other than that, I cant say that a lot of safety precautions were taken. It was in reports and things. The West Virginia State Police started an initiative in 2011 to take another look at cold cases in each of the agency's districts. She told police she shook the door until it came off its hinges and was able to get back into her fathers room, where she picked up his shotgun and struck him in the face with it until he stopped moving. He was described by passengers and flight. Status of Case: Unsolved Scott La Rock was fatally gunned down in 1987. There was no evidence that it had actually come because of the coed murders. We skipped school. Holcomb reportedly has Alzheimers and may have headed toward Kentucky or Ohio. He is scheduled to return at 10:45 a.m. Jan 26. It was on Facebook, it got the attention of Geoff, and we were able to connect, and we had dinner and discussed the murders, and hes like, Do you want to write a book? Im like, Sure, whats a book? [laughs]. There was a lot going on that never made the news, never was public. Published: Nov. 7, 2019 at 9:36 PM PST. Pugh was last seen in a black two-door vehicle with an older white male. Victor was last seen playing with other children in the woods near Short Mountain. Q: Given that it happened so long ago, was it difficult finding information on this case? Theresa Ann Woods. He was supposed to get on a Barons Bus that morning and arrive in Washington DC the next day, but hasnt been seen or heard from since. She then laid her gun down, grabbed the gun her father had, went into the hallway and threw it down. Sadly, her remains were found by hunters in November of that same year. He has a tattoo of lips on the right side of his neck, a skull on his right forearm and the initials CCM and JLC on one finger. Authorities believe the three cases are connected. When police found the pair, they were decapitated, and their murderer has never been found. Davis was picked up by an unknown driver, but left his phone at the location. He went missing shortly after Lynn DeBerry and Tommy DeBerry. The next unsolved mystery: November 24, 1971. Shaffer was last seen leaving St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. I think the Morgantown Police Department doesnt keep any files older than 1980. It's rather complicated too, since four people were charged at different times with the murder - but none were found guilty. Authorities say the door had been locked, so Daniel stayed in a tent in the yard. The unsolved murder of Olive Peaney On March 1, 1895, Olive Peaney was murdered in Tontogany. A friend says they saw him that day walking toward the Go-Mart in South Charleston. Jack the Ripper terrorized London. 25. . Opinion. So, thats kind of how the book progresses. They were the first victims of the person who would become known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Tulock sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene, apparently after attempting to intervene in a domestic dispute involving Barnhart and his girlfriend. Few clues were available then, and today investigators are still seeking fresh information that could lead them to who murdered 39-year-old Sandra Worrell of Bluefield. Its an incredibly heinous crime that doesnt appear to have any rational motive to it, Barki said. The motorcycle was later recovered abandoned on Hunters Fork Road in Barbour County. New DNA testing may ID severed head found at Lake Houston. We have many plans and enthusiasm to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really need your help for this. Juliette may have traveled to North Carolina or Pennsylvania. It is just a matter of timing.. In addition to the murders, there are other serious cases demanding our attention, he said. In the summer of 1991, a housekeeper at the Martinsburg, West Virginia, Sheraton hotel opened Room 517 to clean it. So, they found Mareds purse on March 1st, so the state police were already starting to look south of Morgantown before the letters came. They were all handwritten, and he was trying to correct impressions that were coming over the news about where to look, and his claims about where the bodies werehe said, for instance, they were near a stream and in the woods. Two men, Wiley Carr, 43, and Kelly Morris, 34, were found after the department's ShotSpotter led police to crime. And, I dont know, I just got this idea in my head. He enjoyed farming, gardening, and front porch s. And, in reality, when we dug into it, he confessed a bunch of times, partial confessions, and changing things all the time. Relatives said he did not answer his phone June 28 when they called for his birthday. To keep creating new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help the Murderpedia project stay alive. Judy should never have died this way.. Police believe that a dog or some other animal brought the skull to East Street, said Lt. C.S. Mitchell left his home around 10 a.m. Nov. 15, 2017 and hasnt been seen since. Some examples of unsolved child murders you can learn about in our fully visualized case files include the 1998 kidnapping and murder of Brittany Locklear, the 1997 murder of Georgia Lee Moses, the 2017 double-murder of Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German, and the 1960 murder of Nancy Eagleson. Adkins was fishing in the Ohio Fiver with his brother when their boat had an engine failure and capsized after passing a barge that caused a large series of waves. A court-ordered psychological evaluation of Zuccaro found he is mentally ill, but competent to stand trial. Little evidence was presented to the grand jury. Known as "The Babysitter", this unidentified serial killer is known to have murdered at least four children, possibly more, between 1976 and 1977. There was reportedly a severe flood at the time Shinn was last seen. This website was developed to assist Virginia State Police investigators and local law enforcement in soliciting tips on unsolved cases throughout the Commonwealth. Her parents visited the next morning but she wasnt home. Timothys vehicle was found abandoned in Peterstown. To provide information about these unsolved homicides, call Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111 or go to 5541111.com. 10 Notre Dame to reach ACC finals, Taylor scores 28, leads No. If you have information on any of these unsolved homicide cases, you are asked to contact CCHU using one of the following methods: Fill out the tip sheet (gives you the option to remain anonymous), or Send an email to cchu@vbgov.com, or Call the Crime Solvers Tip Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887). Her vehicle was later found abandoned in the vicinity of Wyoming Street and Beuhring Avenue in Charleston. He had embarked on his Appalachian journey as a path to self-discovery and finding himself as well as visiting the Civil War battlefields. She was returning books at the library and was seen near 36th Street and Emerson Avenue. If you have any information that could help solve one of these cases, please use the Submit a Tip form on each page or contact the reporting agency directly. Local police departments and county sheriffs departments also continue to seek new leads in their cold case investigations. Her glasses and shoes were found on the lawn of her apartment two days later. . Many people thought they knew him; he was a local handyman - described as friendly by his neighbors and local police. Fiano was last known to be living in Fairmont or Morgantown. Enicks may have been driving a gray Ford Taurus. The case started at 7 a.m. on Jan 29, 1989, when Trooper K.J. Prosecutors maintained Carroll had arranged for the murder of Cathy Faye Carroll, his estranged wife, on April 22, 1986 at her home in Montgomery Heights. Unsolved cases are submitted to the Cold Case Database on a voluntary basis. There was a lot of people doing bad things, especially to women in Morgantown. She was supposed to meet a relative to pick up money, but never called to tell them where to meet her. Johnny Depp plays Frederick Abberline, the real-life investigator of the Ripper murders. She has a scar on her nose. So, when we found this Crutchley fellow and discovered that he had a whole stash of necklaces, we thought there might beso, we were in communication with the lead investigator down there. London's most notorious serial . Hurt was last seen leaving her sons home and drove to her Kanawha Terrace apartment. Police identified a person of interest in the case, but no charges have been filed to date. Moreland left her fathers home on Oct. 23, 1987 and was last seen late that night at the former Highs gas station in Paw Paw. Amber Saunders of Huntington - Last seen Aug 20, 2021 at 16 years old. What got you interested in this case? The vehicle was found at a Loves Truck Stop in Conneaut, Ohio on Feb. 8, 2015, where employees said it had been for about three or four days. The source suggests these women were homeless. He had an involvement in the case. According to the flyer, Sharp had gunshot wounds on her head and the base of her neck when she was found. Shannon then took possession of the shotgun and began beating him in the head with the butt end. So, I started to do some research into it, and I found out theres a whole lot to the story that I had never even been told. Billy Flake searched for his mother on Tuesday, April 9, 2002, only to find an empty and undisturbed house. GF: One of the things that [Sarah] said, one of the first times we got together, was that Morgantown mustve been really scary in the 70s, and I thought, I grew up here, I didnt think it was scary at all. All the victims and wrongfully convicted people are listed by their last name. GF: There was another time that the magistrate fined the guy some small amount, 30 bucks or some kind of small amount of money for an assault. Her body was recovered Feb. 9, 2008, in a burned out building off West Virginia 31 in. Willis was last seen at a restaurant near Speedway Avenue. - Christopher Devin Kinker, 21, of Follansbee is facing second-degree murder and child abuse charges after he allegedly killed his seven-week-old son. But despite the murders leading the company to recall 31 million bottles and to manufacturers changing packaging forever, police never found who did it. Her parents said they believed she was spending the night with her friend. The site displays unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and unidentified remains.