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. edward sullivan and tommie simmonsthe hardy family acrobats 26th February 2023 / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by Speaking to the Post, Williams stated: "If it was a white girl, the police would have found the person. It wasn't until the following day that her absence was truly noted, and suspicions began to be raised about her whereabouts. This seems to hint at some connection between Reatha, her mother, and the abduction itself. This regional employee called D.C. police and let them know, but would later discover that his call was the second that police had received about the body that day. Here was a lead, that was as promising as any thus far, which had now evaporated into nothing. Like several of the other victims, she was known for her incredibly tiny frame - standing just 4.5 feet tall and weighing around 75 pounds. As you can imagine, both of this leads led nowhere. Despite all of the tentative connections investigators had made between Askins and the Freeway Phantom crimes, there was no direct evidence connecting him. Like the first four victims, Woodard had been strangled but it appeared that her end had been a much more violent one. 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. The same coroner would state that she had been sexually assaulted before her death. Brenda Denise Woodard, whose body still had the shoes worn. Some people believe that the Phantom himself called in tips to mislead police and stall the investigation. ". Reports on this seem to vary, with some sources claiming that the call came in three hours after she disappeared, but one record listed the specific time, 9:20, so I'm going to stick with that. Most unusually, investigators would discover that Askins loved to use the word "tantamount." 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. Alias In 1971, a town hall was arranged in Congress Heights by a local antipoverty agency. She reluctantly agreed, only to discover that the the man had no intentions of taking her to her destination. This case, which has been closed and opened a number of times over its history, is currently open as a cold case in the MPDC Homicide Division. While most of the family was out-and-about, looking for the missing 10-year old, trouble began brewing at home. She ended up managing the child abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region. 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. This stood out, because he didn't live with any women - so where had he gotten these scarves? Their apathy would be noted on at least one more occasion. Of those effected by the Freeway Phantom crime spree, none were hit harder than the loved ones - whose children and siblings were taken by the unknown killer, and their lives ended way too prematurely. 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. 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. Warren was taken out of prison to specific locations, and began pointing out where victims had been abducted, killed, assaulted, and then disposed of. meadowbrook country club estates; michael mullen obituary; pamela gluckin obituary new york; antonio tonyboy floirendo jr biography In 2013, an employee at the Maryland Chief Medical Examiner's officer spoke (under the veil of anonymity), and stated that trying to find out any information about the Freeway Phantom case: It is unknown if the DNA sample from Diane Williams' clothing still exists, and if it can be tested. The serial killer dubbed the "Freeway Phantom" had strangled and stabbed five young black girls over the span of six months, before disappearing for the better part of a year. Despite their differences in beliefs regarding this case, Trainum and Jenkins agree on a number of things regarding the Freeway Phantom. Two shared the first name Brenda. Because of this decomposition, authorities had to remove the victim's fingers for fingerprinting to determine her identity. One suspect that I haven't seen discussed in any major publications was a young man named James Groom, whose name was mentioned in the October 21st, 1972 edition of the Baltimore Afro American - a regional newspaper. This angry sentiment was also shared by the sister of Carol Spinks, Evander Spinks, who stated: "You better bet that if these had been white girls, the police would have solved the cases. Heavy footsteps were heard in the background and Crockett said "I'll see you" and hung up. This has yet to be verified. With the fourth murder, the FBI had gotten involved, and investigators were now hunting a single killer a killer that now seemed to accept his nickname. He immediately recanted all prior statements and rescinded his prior confessions, calling it an "elaborate hoax" in the process. The police later recovered one of the .38 caliber pistols reported stolen by the two police officers. However, that changed in 1974, when Sellman and Simmons were arrested for the crime, and charged with murder. Investigators had now followed up several leads at this point - including Robert Askins and the Green Vega's - but had little to show for it. Her body was found just off the shoulder of Pennsylvania Avenue, in P.G. Most unusually, three of the victims shared the middle name Denise. If the killer fit this profile, and was in his 20's or 30's, it is possible that he is still alive. Carol obliged, and accepted the five dollars from her older sister. There was nothing about Carol Spinks that stood out: she seemed relatively normal, and she liked to fill up her time with friends and games - in particular, jumping rope and hula-hooping. In addition, he owned many photos of unknown girls and young women, and police even found a knife that had been used in another crime. The most intriguing testimony they could obtain was that of a neighbor, who saw Neno Yates getting into a blue Volkswagon. To police, this explained the defensive wounds on her hands, and the stab wounds themselves. [8] "A white man picked me up, and I'm heading home in a cab," Crockett told her sister, adding that she believed she was in Virginia before abruptly saying, "Bye" and hanging up. Near the access ramp to Route 202, from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Officer Norman would discover the body of Brenda Woodard. 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. The Freeway Phantom case has seen a myriad of investigators and garnered much interest over the years. That year, a 24-year old woman was abducted at gunpoint by Robert Askins, and taken back to his home. As you can imagine, she never made it home. By the time the 1980's had come around, the case was already dormant, and it would remain that way for more than two decades. Regardless, both of these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their guns. Pathology episodes A Trout in the Milk, Adapt or Die, The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D, After, Before, As I Have Always Been, Stolen, Brand New Day, The End is at Hand and What We're Fighting For. Investigation revealed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. They made appearances at public events, and tried to keep up with the investigation, hoping to bolster one another and present a brave face. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled, her body dumped about 200 yards south of the Suitland Parkway near Interstate 295. Romaine Jenkins is a retired police officer, who - during her tenure in law enforcement - became a pioneer. [18] As with other victims, her shoes were missing, but no signs of sexual assault were found although traces of semen (assumed to be from the boyfriend) were found. In 1971, Carol Denise Spinks was a thirteen-year old that lived in Washington, DC. Namely, the fact that this was the first case that the victim had been stabbed multiple times, but investigators excused this with the notion that the victim was much older - the killer had almost exclusively targeted children prior to Brenda Woodward. As he later recalled: "I shined my flashlights into her eyes to see if there was life. This returned him to the scene of the first two crimes, and police would determine that this most recent victim, Diane Williams, had been abducted not too far away from where Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson had been kidnapped from. Now, on the other side of town, another child found themselves walking along the side of the road as evening approached. Police would eventually rule her out entirely, when they solved the case and arrested two ex-police officers for the crime - who were both later convicted. Her body was discovered behind St. Elizabeths Hospital on a grassy embankment next to the northbound lanes of I-295, about 1,500 feet south of Suitland Parkway. 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. In the fall of 1971, she began taking night classes at Cardozo High School, hoping to improve her working skills (such as typing). The Freeway Phantom targeted female children and teens ranging from 12-17 years of age. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Jenkins joined the Washington D.C. police force. Vicksburg. It had housed everyone from psychotic killers to returning Vietnam veterans suffering from undiagnosed PTSD. 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. On September 5th, 1972, Diane cooked dinner for her family, and then set off to visit her boyfriend for the evening - just as she had done several times over the summer. To residents, the murder of six girls in their community was a travesty. 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. 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. 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. Her thoughts seemed to be scattered, and she gave concerning details about her whereabouts. 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. The investigation into the Freeway Phantom has long been considered a "cold case." I don't believe that police followed the leads they had. [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. Post author: Post published: January 28, 2023 Post category: kennings for tree kennings for tree edward sullivan and tommie simmons. jennifer 8 filming locations; what is a state vendor for nj familycare; the vintage new orleans happy hour menu Want to Read. 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. Organized The case was investigating primarily by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia - more commonly abbreviated as the MPDC. edward sullivan and tommie simmons. There were also cuts to various parts of her body: in particular, her face, torso, and arms. 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. [21][2] With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. These were the type of cases that her male colleagues tried to avoid. The victim, a 17-year old waitress, had been waiting at a bus stop when a young white man pulled up in his vehicle and asked for directions. [16] She was last seen boarding a bus at 11:20 pm near his house. [3] On her way home from the store, Spinks was abducted; her body was found six days later at 2:46 pm behind St. Elizabeths Hospital on a grassy embankment next to the northbound lanes of I-295, about 1,500 feet south of Suitland Parkway. 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. One witness reported having seen Johnson in an old black car, driven by an African-American male, shortly after her abduction. Danh mc . On May 16th, he took them to the areas where Brenda Woodard, a homicide victim, had allegedly been kidnapped, raped, and murdered. Occupation Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! A privilege that the family members of the Freeway Phantom victims have been waiting for for close to half-a-century. That signature information was correct. The other victims had had their shoes taken from them. In fact, Maryland police claimed there were no similarities between Angelas death and the murder of six other girls in D.C. These family members banded together in 1973, to form the Freeway Phantom Organization - a grouping of loved ones, who wanted to support one another in the wake of this tragedy. In the case of the third victim, Brenda Crockett, the Phantom forced her to call her family twice, likely as a way to both taunt them and throw the Police of the trail, very similar to the way The Gilgo Beach Killer taunted his victim's families with phone calls. 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). Dumping his victims next to the freeway "She had said she wanted to be a model," Harper, now 81, said of her niece. This was a vote on "cloture" in the Senate, which means to end debate so that an up-or-down vote can be taken. Where Are They Now? In addition to the stab wounds, investigators considered it bizarre that the victim was found with her shoes. Yazoo City. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. [5] Her stepfather asked her to have the man come to the phone. Free-way Phantom!" "From that moment on, our lives were never the same," said Williams, 40, who is a police officer. For the next twenty or so years, Askins seemed to make a conscious effort to become a productive member of society. Sullivan and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. Early 1970's newspaper reports hint at a perceived hatred of those names by the killer, but police have not stated that this was a belief of theirs. wheN you cAtch me iF you cAn! 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. The Phantom also most likely lives in the Washington area, as he seems to have knowledge of the region, especially the local stores. In the first murder attributed to this spree - that of Carol Spinks - it was discovered that she had been held captive for some time before her death. Now, the victim was found just hours after going missing. Upon his arrest, Askins declared to police that he was a "woman hater" and was placed under mental observation at Washington, D.C.'s Gallinger Hospital. 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. However, it's end was just as tragic as the first two abductions. He would probably be masked and not want to show his victims his face. 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. He mentioned a cooperating inmate at Lorton Prison, who had recently confessed to investigators, and was currently singing like a bird. Listen to "The Freeway Phantom" on Spreaker. Like any kid would, she answered it only to hear her sister on the other end of the line. The police later recovered one of the .38 caliber pistols reported stolen by the two police officers. County, Maryland) discovered the body of the missing 10-year old. 43 Winn Street Burlington, MA 01803. So, Trainum took back the evidence, and submitted it to the FBI forensic database where the same thing happened. Investigators would continue to ponder this theory over the coming months, as they began to inquire into possible leads. Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be a victim of the serial killings. Edward Emerson Simmons (October 27, 1852 - November 17, 1931) was an American Impressionist painter, remembered for his mural work. Unfortunately, this began a really frustrating period of time, in which the Maryland State Police held the item in a backlog, but were unable to test it in a timely manner. This, at least, provided investigators with some kind of a lead, but finding the driver of a blue Volkswagon - in 1971 - was like finding a needle in a haystack. One of the more promising leads that investigators would follow up on centered around a group of known sexual offenders, who have been referred to as the "Green Vega Rapists" in the media. If you may know anything, please contact Washington D.C. authorities or the FBI. Why don't they investigate whites as well?". Read More: Are Green Vega Rapists Freeway Phantom? Barnes's slaying, originally thought to be linked to the Freeway Phantom killings, was later solved when two former police officers, Edward L. Sellman and Tommie B. Simmons, were convicted of her killing. James Groom was later arrested for the incident, and charged with both kidnapping and sexual assault. "It's in the past, plus personnel in the police department has changed. In the aftermath of this most recent discovery, police struggled to come to terms with the idea that Brenda Woodard had been killed by the same person that murdered Carol Sprinks, Darlenia Johnson, Brenda Crockett, and Nenomoshia Yates. She was sent to buy groceries at a 7-Eleven located a half-mile away from her home by her older sister, but she never returned. In 1974, two more names were entered into the suspect fray: Edward Sellman - sometimes referred to as Edward Sullivan in reporting of the case - and Tommie Simmons. One of the known victims didn't have green fibers, and because of the investigation's scarce reporting, I have struggled to determine who the outlier is or was. Their mother, Allenteen - a strict disciplinarian - was heading out to visit a nearby relative. Why was this case never solved?, The Washington Post - Would the Freeway Phantom case already be solved if the victims werent black?, The Washington Post - The Freeway Phantom Revisited (Youtube video), Washington Examiner - DNA discovery could solve 1972 Freeway Phantom slaying, The Washington Post - Freeway Phantom Slayings Haunt Police, Families Six Young D.C. 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 . Her education policy was cashed in to bury her.". The usage of the word 'tantamount' had often stood out to investigators, and here was a prime suspect that seemed to use the word regularly - as verified by his coworkers, who said as much. The killer may have military experience due to the skill displayed during the abductions and the lack of evidence at the crime scenes. FRee-wAy PhanTom. 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. However, police struggled to come to grips with some other differences: such as the note found in Brenda's coat pocket - which seemed to taunt investigators - and the fact that Brenda was found still wearing her boots. 4 distinct works. Various conspiracy lovers later alleged that some of the sympathetic police officers had covered up the evidence; no proof of it was ever recovered. However, upon receiving the case, Trainum realized how much of an uphill battle it would be. Touted as Washington, D.C.'s first serial killer, this yet-to-be-identified murderer was responsible for the killing of at least 6 minor girls in Washington, D.C. from April 1971 through September 1972. In the coming years, detectives would theorize that this implies some connection to the neighborhood Brenda Crockett lived in. However, he traces the killer's origins to the neighborhood of Congress Heights, where, as Trainum states: "He felt safe there, he felt he could do his dirt and get away with it.". 1971-1972 She was asking for some groceries - all of which could be picked up from a 7-Eleven convenience store just down the street. [7], A short time later, the phone rang again and was this time answered by the stepfather of Crockett. Signature Tommy served on the USS INTREPID CVA-11 US Navy, four years MM3 The Ed Sullivan Show: With Ed Sullivan, Johnny Wayne, Frank Shuster, Ralph Paul. Investigators would later theorize that this note was written by Brenda herself; with the FBI later linking it to other writings from her. We do know that several investigators were working hard on the case, but simply had very little to work with - this was the 1970's, after all, and barring some kind of explosive eyewitness testimony, there was little for detectives to work with. Investigators hypothesized that the killer left her shoes because her name was inscribed on the pair. 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. Like whoever had been carrying them had disappeared into thin air. THOMAS SIMMONS OBITUARY. Tom Sullivan in Ohio. She had also been fully clothed, minus her shoes (which were missing). Were Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons Freeway Phantom? There were long gaps between the crimes (sometimes as long as 2.5 months between each), but five young women had been killed over the span of 1971. Despite seeming to know specific details about the various murders, this inmate - Morris Warren - had alibis for the days of several crimes, so investigators began to surmise that he had gotten his information from elsewhere. Diane Denise Williams was a 17-year old was known for her impeccable fashion sense. "My family was separated and weakened by that loss," said Crockett, who will attend today's service. The FBI profile of the Phantom Killer stated that the killer would likely: - Have at least a high school education, with either "average or above-average intelligence", - Be a charming young man, who often struggled to maintain healthy relationships, - Likely lived alone or with an older woman (creating some kind of resentment towards females), - Having known the neighborhood that he committed his crimes in. Nothing seemed to link him to the six victims, and a comparison of the green fibers that had been found on 5 of the 6 victims' clothing didn't match anything that Askins owned. Askins also seemed to match the criteria that investigators had established the Freeway Phantom would have: he was a middle-aged black man that lived in the neighborhood, had a proclivity for targeting similar victims, and harbored a violent grudge against women. Investigators analyzed the notes handwriting to determine that Brenda herself wrote the message, and the writing showed no signs of distress. More than two months had passed since the 13-year old had gone missing and her remains were found, and the story was a blip on the radar for 16-year old Darlenia. The Phantom also strangled her with a scarf. She, however, was sent by her mother to a nearby Safeway grocery store to pick up some bread and some food for the family's three dogs: Ringo, Rex, and Romeo. 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. You see, not only was he a current employee of St. Elizabeth's Hospital - a psychiatric facility that focused on mental health. All of these victims had a number of traits in common. Less than three hours after her mysterious disappearance, the remains of Nenomoshia Yates would be found. This was also felt by Patricia Williams, the sister of Diane. A 17-year-old Ballou High School senior, Williams cooked dinner for her family and then visited her boyfriend's house. Note: The note left in Woodward's pocket claimed that the Phantom killed additional victims. She was the region's first female homicide detective - a feat made all the more incredible when you factor in Jenkins' ethnicity. If those girls had been white, they would have put more manpower on it, there's no doubt about that.". While there, he broke free of his restraints and assaulted three orderlies with a chair before being subdued. Follows the Sullivan family during the Second World War. However, as I already hinted at, the FBI cooperation had quickly evaporated, when it became clear that the Watergate scandal wasn't going away anytime soon. This time, the call would be answered by Brenda's mother's boyfriend, who had returned to the news of the first call. 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. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. [5] Her body was found within three hours of her abduction, just off the shoulder of Pennsylvania Avenue in Prince George's County, Maryland. Another witness would state that they had seen Johnson driving around with an older African-American male, in the time period after her supposed abduction. On May 17th, he showed them the alleged locations dealing with Darlenia Johnson, although while showing them where her body was abandoned, he took them to the place where Brenda Crockett's body was found. During this search, they began looking for those that knew the victim, and were able to quickly link this case to the missing 13-year old that had disappeared less than a week beforehand. He died in April of 2010, at the ripe old age of 91, outliving his 1938 murder victim by close to a century. Perhaps she knew her abductor, and wasn't too far away from her family's home at the time of the call. She had been sent to buy sugar, flour, and paper plates, and all indications would point to her having done so. [5], Authorities quickly concluded that Crockett likely called her home at the behest of the killer, who fed her inaccurate information in order to buy the necessary time to perpetrate the crime, and to hamper the investigation. However, one of the victims was too decomposed for authorities to rule out it out, and another was found with semen on her clothing - raising the possibility that five had been the victim of sexual assault. Jim Henson's Muppets made 25 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show between 1966 and 1971. A couple of beat cops would be sent out to investigate the scene, but made very little attempt to locate the body. To this day, many believe that police did not give the investigation the necessary resources or manpower. Detective John Rossi, when speaking to the media about the most recent murder and its possible connection to abductions from earlier that year, stated: " there is some reason to believe that there is some connection to some similar deaths.
Andrea Mitchell Husband Gil Jackson,
Martin Schmidt Rpi Fraternity,
Articles E
