Calif. woman pleads guilty in Sandra Cantu murder
By TERRY COLLINS and MARCUS WOHLSEN (AP)
May 11, 2010
TRACY, Calif. — A local Sunday school teacher's guilty plea in the killing of an 8-year-old girl has brought relief to residents of this small California city, even as disturbing questions remained — including how, where and why the girl was murdered.
Hours after 29-year-old Melissa Huckaby admitted on Monday to killing Sandra Cantu, police stood guard at the entrance to the mobile home park where both the victim and the defendant lived.
Evelyn McClelland, 61, a neighborhood resident for 26 years, believed the plea in last year's killing will bring some measure of peace to the victim's family and to a Northern California community striving to overcome the mistrust that descended after the girl's disappearance.
"The children are back outside playing again. This all closes a very painful chapter in Tracy," McClelland said.
A 10-day search after Sandra — a playmate of Huckaby's daughter — went missing in March 2009 ended when her body was found stuffed in a black suitcase pulled from an irrigation pond a few miles from the mobile home park.
Huckaby was arrested less than a week later after telling a reporter that the suitcase that contained Sandra's body was hers, but it had been stolen out of her driveway the day Sandra disappeared.
Her guilty plea in San Joaquin County Superior Court to first-degree murder with a special circumstance of kidnapping came in a deal with prosecutors.
All other charges — including two involving rape and lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14 — were dropped under the agreement, according to court spokeswoman Sharon Morris. Huckaby would have been eligible for the death penalty if convicted in a jury trial.
Morris said Huckaby now faces 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole when she is sentenced next month.
READ MORE ABOUT MELISSA HUCKABY'S GUILTY PLEA ...
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTgIBQMy%20R5y2qNQNgf0qhvaroXQQD9FKGDS00
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
SEATTLE: JIM SANDER'S WIDOW FORGIVES CRAIGSLIST KILLERS
Widow of murder victim forgives his killers
by LORI MATSUKAWA
KING 5 News / KING5.com
Posted on May 6, 2010
PUYALLUP, Wash. - Charlene Sanders is a woman of great faith who says she will carry on the mission of her late husband, Jim Sanders.
"That is my mission now," she says from Bethany Baptist Church where she worships. "To finish what my husband started with witnessing (for Christ). He wanted to see people come to Christ, even murderers."
Jim Sanders was shot and killed April 28 in front of Charlene and their two sons during a robbery in their home. Four people are in custody in what's being called the Craigslist robbery because the suspects pretended to be interested in buying a diamond ring Sanders advertised on Craigslist.
When Charlene saw the female suspect, Amanda Knight, during her arraignment Wednesday, she said it was "chilling."
"I remember thinking, 'Your phone call to my husband, the female voice, is what probably made him let his guard down,'" said Sanders.
She says she'll never forget the look on her husband's face.
READ AND WATCH VIDEO: JIM SANDER'S WIFE CHARLENE SANDERS...
http://www.king5.com/video/featured-videos/1-on-1-with-Charlene-Sanders-93033134.html
by LORI MATSUKAWA
KING 5 News / KING5.com
Posted on May 6, 2010
PUYALLUP, Wash. - Charlene Sanders is a woman of great faith who says she will carry on the mission of her late husband, Jim Sanders.
"That is my mission now," she says from Bethany Baptist Church where she worships. "To finish what my husband started with witnessing (for Christ). He wanted to see people come to Christ, even murderers."
Jim Sanders was shot and killed April 28 in front of Charlene and their two sons during a robbery in their home. Four people are in custody in what's being called the Craigslist robbery because the suspects pretended to be interested in buying a diamond ring Sanders advertised on Craigslist.
When Charlene saw the female suspect, Amanda Knight, during her arraignment Wednesday, she said it was "chilling."
"I remember thinking, 'Your phone call to my husband, the female voice, is what probably made him let his guard down,'" said Sanders.
She says she'll never forget the look on her husband's face.
READ AND WATCH VIDEO: JIM SANDER'S WIFE CHARLENE SANDERS...
http://www.king5.com/video/featured-videos/1-on-1-with-Charlene-Sanders-93033134.html
SEATTLE: CRAIGSLIST SUSPECT AMANDA KNIGHT SOBS IN COURT
Female suspect in Craigslist murder cries in court
by DREW MIKKELSEN
KING 5 News and KING5.com / Posted on May 5, 2010
TACOMA, Wash. - Twenty-one-year-old Amanda Knight cried as she made her first court appearance Wednesday, pleading not guilty to murder, assault and robbery charges in a deadly Craigslist home invasion robbery.
Bail was set at $2 million.
Knight is charged along with 22-year-old Kiyoshi A. Higashi, 20-year-old Joshua N. Reese and 23-year-old Clabon T. Berniard in the killing of Jim Sanders, who had offered a ring for sale on Craigslist.
Members of the Sanders family were in court for Knight's arraignment.
"I'm thinking, 'she's crying,' what do you think you put my family through," said Jim Sanders' wife, Charlene. "I mean, really, you guys made that choice to come to my house."
"There's consequences to every sin. You took my husband, you think I don’t cry?"
"I was supposed to be in the Dominican Republic on a beautiful vacation with some of my family and instead my vacation time turned into bereavement time," she said.
According to amended charging documents on Knight, Reese told Pierce County detectives that "he was involved in the events at the Sanders residence."
Knight also "confirmed that she was involved in the events at the Sanders residence."
Investigators also say they have linked Knight to a similar home invasion in Lake Stevens.
READ ABOUT AMANDA KNIGHT...
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Police-Edgewood-suspect-pawned-ring-taken-from-Lake-Stevens-home-92891024.html
by DREW MIKKELSEN
KING 5 News and KING5.com / Posted on May 5, 2010
TACOMA, Wash. - Twenty-one-year-old Amanda Knight cried as she made her first court appearance Wednesday, pleading not guilty to murder, assault and robbery charges in a deadly Craigslist home invasion robbery.
Bail was set at $2 million.
Knight is charged along with 22-year-old Kiyoshi A. Higashi, 20-year-old Joshua N. Reese and 23-year-old Clabon T. Berniard in the killing of Jim Sanders, who had offered a ring for sale on Craigslist.
Members of the Sanders family were in court for Knight's arraignment.
"I'm thinking, 'she's crying,' what do you think you put my family through," said Jim Sanders' wife, Charlene. "I mean, really, you guys made that choice to come to my house."
"There's consequences to every sin. You took my husband, you think I don’t cry?"
"I was supposed to be in the Dominican Republic on a beautiful vacation with some of my family and instead my vacation time turned into bereavement time," she said.
According to amended charging documents on Knight, Reese told Pierce County detectives that "he was involved in the events at the Sanders residence."
Knight also "confirmed that she was involved in the events at the Sanders residence."
Investigators also say they have linked Knight to a similar home invasion in Lake Stevens.
READ ABOUT AMANDA KNIGHT...
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Police-Edgewood-suspect-pawned-ring-taken-from-Lake-Stevens-home-92891024.html
Saturday, May 1, 2010
CRAIGSLIST MURDER AGAIN: 4 INVADE EDGEWOOD, WA HOME, $1000 REWARD
Reward offered in Edgewood home invasion murder
by DREW MIKKELSEN / KING 5 News
NWCN.com / Posted on April 30, 2010
EDGEWOOD, Wash. - A $1,000 reward is now being offered in the murder of an Edgewood man who was shot while protecting his family during a home invasion robbery Wednesday.
Pierce County detectives say the robbery that ended in the death of Jim Sanders has genterated a lot of tips from the public, but none of the tips have helped them find the killers. Detectives say a tip from the public will be the only way to catch those responsible.
Sanders, 43, was selling a diamond ring on Craigslist. A woman contacted the family, saying she wanted to buy it for a Mother's Day gift. The woman came to the home with three armed men wearing bandannas. The house was ransacked. The family was tied up and beaten up. Sanders was killed after he tried to defend his family, said police.
Investigators believe the same group of robbers hit a home in Lake Stevens last weekend. In that case, the homeowner was tied up and robbed after posting an ad on Craigslist for a big screen TV.
Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. All callers can remain anonymous. Call (253) 591-5959.
EDGEWOOD, WA: SEE SKETCHES OF CRAIGSLIST KILLERS...
http://www.nwcn.com/news/washington/911-tapes-released-in-Craigslist-home-homicide-92506054.html
by DREW MIKKELSEN / KING 5 News
NWCN.com / Posted on April 30, 2010
EDGEWOOD, Wash. - A $1,000 reward is now being offered in the murder of an Edgewood man who was shot while protecting his family during a home invasion robbery Wednesday.
Pierce County detectives say the robbery that ended in the death of Jim Sanders has genterated a lot of tips from the public, but none of the tips have helped them find the killers. Detectives say a tip from the public will be the only way to catch those responsible.
Sanders, 43, was selling a diamond ring on Craigslist. A woman contacted the family, saying she wanted to buy it for a Mother's Day gift. The woman came to the home with three armed men wearing bandannas. The house was ransacked. The family was tied up and beaten up. Sanders was killed after he tried to defend his family, said police.
Investigators believe the same group of robbers hit a home in Lake Stevens last weekend. In that case, the homeowner was tied up and robbed after posting an ad on Craigslist for a big screen TV.
Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. All callers can remain anonymous. Call (253) 591-5959.
EDGEWOOD, WA: SEE SKETCHES OF CRAIGSLIST KILLERS...
http://www.nwcn.com/news/washington/911-tapes-released-in-Craigslist-home-homicide-92506054.html
LAURA GARZA REMAINS ID'd: SEX OFFENDER MICHAEL MELE IN JAIL
Laura Garza's Remains Found: Michael Mele Seen Leaving Club Marquee With Aspiring Dancer Night Of Disappearance
JIM FITZGERALD / 04/26/10 / HUFFINGTONPOST.COM
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — Remains found two weeks ago in Pennsylvania have been identified as those of an aspiring dancer from Texas who disappeared after leaving a New York City night club in 2008 with a registered sex offender, state police said Monday.
A DNA analysis confirmed the identity of 25-year-old Laura Garza of Brooklyn. She had moved to New York from McAllen, Texas, five months before she disappeared.
A group of ATV riders found the remains April 11 in Mount Cobb, Pa., several miles outside of Scranton, said Capt. Wayne Olson.
A watch described as one Garza was wearing when she disappeared was found on the remains, Olson said. Forensic experts will be brought in to examine the skeleton and determine how Garza died, he said.
"We've been in mourning since Friday, when the police told us," said a cousin, Isela Villalobos of McAllen, Texas. "It has been very difficult for the family. Laura's mother was expecting for her daughter to come in the door until that dream was shattered Friday afternoon.
"All we do is think of Laura. We have moments when we cry. We have moments when we laugh," Villalobos said in a phone interview from her restaurant in Mission, Texas. "Nothing has changed in her home in McAllen."
Garza left the bar on Dec. 3, 2008, with registered sex offender Michael Mele. He has been investigated but not charged in the case.
Mele is being held at Midstate state prison in Marcy, N.Y., for an unrelated offense. A board denied him parole in March, citing his "history of sexually deviant behavior."
READ MORE: LAURA GARZA FOUND, WILL MICHAEL MELE BE CHARGED?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/27/laura-garzas-remains-foun_n_552626.html
JIM FITZGERALD / 04/26/10 / HUFFINGTONPOST.COM
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — Remains found two weeks ago in Pennsylvania have been identified as those of an aspiring dancer from Texas who disappeared after leaving a New York City night club in 2008 with a registered sex offender, state police said Monday.
A DNA analysis confirmed the identity of 25-year-old Laura Garza of Brooklyn. She had moved to New York from McAllen, Texas, five months before she disappeared.
A group of ATV riders found the remains April 11 in Mount Cobb, Pa., several miles outside of Scranton, said Capt. Wayne Olson.
A watch described as one Garza was wearing when she disappeared was found on the remains, Olson said. Forensic experts will be brought in to examine the skeleton and determine how Garza died, he said.
"We've been in mourning since Friday, when the police told us," said a cousin, Isela Villalobos of McAllen, Texas. "It has been very difficult for the family. Laura's mother was expecting for her daughter to come in the door until that dream was shattered Friday afternoon.
"All we do is think of Laura. We have moments when we cry. We have moments when we laugh," Villalobos said in a phone interview from her restaurant in Mission, Texas. "Nothing has changed in her home in McAllen."
Garza left the bar on Dec. 3, 2008, with registered sex offender Michael Mele. He has been investigated but not charged in the case.
Mele is being held at Midstate state prison in Marcy, N.Y., for an unrelated offense. A board denied him parole in March, citing his "history of sexually deviant behavior."
READ MORE: LAURA GARZA FOUND, WILL MICHAEL MELE BE CHARGED?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/27/laura-garzas-remains-foun_n_552626.html
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
LAURA GARZA: BODY IDENTIFIED, MICHAEL MELE STILL SUSPECT
Body of a Brooklyn Woman Who Vanished in 2008 Is Found
By RAY RIVERA
New York Times / Published: April 26, 2010
The authorities have identified skeletal remains found this month in a remote area of Pennsylvania as those of a 25-year-old Brooklyn woman who vanished in December 2008 after leaving a nightclub in Manhattan.
A man riding an all-terrain vehicle spotted the remains on April 11 in a wooded area near Mount Cobb, outside of Scranton.
The New York State crime lab in Albany positively identified the remains as those of Laura Garza and notified her family late last week.
The discovery has renewed focus on the police’s main suspect in the case, a convicted sex offender, Michael Mele, 24. Mr. Mele is serving a sentence of one to three years at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County for violating parole in an unrelated case.
Investigators are searching for anyone who may have seen Mr. Mele in the Scranton area around the time of the disappearance.
A forensic pathologist is expected to examine the remains to try to determine the cause of death, said Capt. Wayne Olson of the New York State Police.
Ms. Garza, an aspiring dancer who was the youngest of three children, was last seen leaving a Chelsea nightclub with Mr. Mele about 4 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2008. They were spotted later that morning in Mr. Mele’s silver Infiniti S.U.V. in Newburgh, N.Y., about 60 miles north of Manhattan, the authorities said.
WHAT'S THE CONNECTION? LAURA GARZA, MICHAEL MELE...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/nyregion/27laura.html
By RAY RIVERA
New York Times / Published: April 26, 2010
The authorities have identified skeletal remains found this month in a remote area of Pennsylvania as those of a 25-year-old Brooklyn woman who vanished in December 2008 after leaving a nightclub in Manhattan.
A man riding an all-terrain vehicle spotted the remains on April 11 in a wooded area near Mount Cobb, outside of Scranton.
The New York State crime lab in Albany positively identified the remains as those of Laura Garza and notified her family late last week.
The discovery has renewed focus on the police’s main suspect in the case, a convicted sex offender, Michael Mele, 24. Mr. Mele is serving a sentence of one to three years at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County for violating parole in an unrelated case.
Investigators are searching for anyone who may have seen Mr. Mele in the Scranton area around the time of the disappearance.
A forensic pathologist is expected to examine the remains to try to determine the cause of death, said Capt. Wayne Olson of the New York State Police.
Ms. Garza, an aspiring dancer who was the youngest of three children, was last seen leaving a Chelsea nightclub with Mr. Mele about 4 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2008. They were spotted later that morning in Mr. Mele’s silver Infiniti S.U.V. in Newburgh, N.Y., about 60 miles north of Manhattan, the authorities said.
WHAT'S THE CONNECTION? LAURA GARZA, MICHAEL MELE...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/nyregion/27laura.html
Monday, April 26, 2010
LAURA GARZA BODY FOUND: DNA POSITIVE!
Garza family gets grim confirmation of Laura's fate
By Oliver Mackson
Times Herald-Record - 04/26/10
TOWN OF WALLKILL — Nicolas Garza got the call about two weeks ago. A state police investigator from New York asked if Garza's sister, Laura, was wearing a Michael Kors watch when she disappeared in December 2008.
“I told him I didn't know if that watch was hers,” Nicolas Garza said Monday from his home in McAllen, Texas. “We looked started looking in Laura's things, and we found the case for the watch, and the watch wasn't there.”
At that point, Garza thought the chances were about “5 0-50” that the remains found in outside Scranton, Pa., were those of his sister, the youngest of Elizabeth Esquivel's three children.
By Monday, DNA test results made him 100 percent sure.
Now, said Nicolas Garza, ““We just have to gather enough strength for everybody that is with us. We know it's going to be a long time before we get what we want. I don't know how we're going to hold up. We've just got to be together.”
READ ABOUT THE FAMILY SEARCH FOR LAURA GARZA...
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100426/NEWS/100429707
By Oliver Mackson
Times Herald-Record - 04/26/10
TOWN OF WALLKILL — Nicolas Garza got the call about two weeks ago. A state police investigator from New York asked if Garza's sister, Laura, was wearing a Michael Kors watch when she disappeared in December 2008.
“I told him I didn't know if that watch was hers,” Nicolas Garza said Monday from his home in McAllen, Texas. “We looked started looking in Laura's things, and we found the case for the watch, and the watch wasn't there.”
At that point, Garza thought the chances were about “5 0-50” that the remains found in outside Scranton, Pa., were those of his sister, the youngest of Elizabeth Esquivel's three children.
By Monday, DNA test results made him 100 percent sure.
Now, said Nicolas Garza, ““We just have to gather enough strength for everybody that is with us. We know it's going to be a long time before we get what we want. I don't know how we're going to hold up. We've just got to be together.”
READ ABOUT THE FAMILY SEARCH FOR LAURA GARZA...
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100426/NEWS/100429707
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
OHIO: TIFFANY TEHAN, TRE HUTCHERSON, DEAD OR RUNAWAYS
Cops Seek Missing Man in Missing Mom Case
Ohio Mother Tiffany Tehan Seen in Store Surveillance Video with Tre Hutcherson, Who's Unknown to Tehan's Family
CBSnews.com / April 21,2010
(CBS) Police in Ohio are searching for a man spotted in convenience store video with a mother who vanished Saturday.
Tiffany Tehan, 31, of Xenia, the mother of a year-old daughter, was seen several times in the convenience store this month and last with Tre B. Hutcherson, 42, of Dayton, according to the Dayton Daily News.
Authorities have dubbed him a person of interest in her disappearance.
The video is two-weeks old.
"They're in the same place and it is on more than one occasion," Xenia Police Lt. Scott Anger told reporters. " And, it appears that they know each other. This individual may have information that may be helpful to us."
On "The Early Show" Wednesday, Anger told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez, "We've been able to make a connection (between Tehan and Hutcherson). "It's not certain that they're together, but we believe there's a likelihood they're together."
Tehan was last seen withdrawing cash from n ATM, at the start of what family members say was to be a day of shopping.
When she didn't return home, her husband, David Tehan, called police.
Her family members say they don't know Hutcherson or why Tiffany she would be with him.
Police say her SUV was found Sunday at a park in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, with a flat tire and the keys locked inside.
A woman who answered the door at Hutcherson's residence and identified herself as his wife said he took $2,000 from their bank account. "Obviously they are together," she told the Dayton Daily News. "(Hutcherson) wouldn't hurt Tiffany."
READ TIFFANY TEHAN AND TRE HUTCHERSON MYSTERIOUS MISSING...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/21/earlyshow/main6417389.shtml
Ohio Mother Tiffany Tehan Seen in Store Surveillance Video with Tre Hutcherson, Who's Unknown to Tehan's Family
CBSnews.com / April 21,2010
(CBS) Police in Ohio are searching for a man spotted in convenience store video with a mother who vanished Saturday.
Tiffany Tehan, 31, of Xenia, the mother of a year-old daughter, was seen several times in the convenience store this month and last with Tre B. Hutcherson, 42, of Dayton, according to the Dayton Daily News.
Authorities have dubbed him a person of interest in her disappearance.
The video is two-weeks old.
"They're in the same place and it is on more than one occasion," Xenia Police Lt. Scott Anger told reporters. " And, it appears that they know each other. This individual may have information that may be helpful to us."
On "The Early Show" Wednesday, Anger told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez, "We've been able to make a connection (between Tehan and Hutcherson). "It's not certain that they're together, but we believe there's a likelihood they're together."
Tehan was last seen withdrawing cash from n ATM, at the start of what family members say was to be a day of shopping.
When she didn't return home, her husband, David Tehan, called police.
Her family members say they don't know Hutcherson or why Tiffany she would be with him.
Police say her SUV was found Sunday at a park in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, with a flat tire and the keys locked inside.
A woman who answered the door at Hutcherson's residence and identified herself as his wife said he took $2,000 from their bank account. "Obviously they are together," she told the Dayton Daily News. "(Hutcherson) wouldn't hurt Tiffany."
READ TIFFANY TEHAN AND TRE HUTCHERSON MYSTERIOUS MISSING...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/21/earlyshow/main6417389.shtml
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
CASEY ANTHONY: JUDGE STAN STRICKLAND BIASED, LEAVES CASE
Judge takes himself off Anthony case
By Mayra Cuevas-Nazario and Beth Karas, In Session
CNN Justice / April 19, 2010
(CNN) -- The judge in Casey Anthony's murder trial took himself off the case Monday after the defense contended he was biased against her.
"Over the past 20-plus months, in between media interviews, guest appearances on television shows and press conferences, defense counsel has filed a litany of motions," Ninth Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland observed in an order recusing himself from the high-profile murder trial.
"At its core," the judge continued, "defense counsel's motion accuses the undersigned of being a 'self-aggrandizing media hound.' Indeed. The irony is rich."
The case has been reassigned to Judge Belvin Perry Jr.
Read Judge Strickland's order
"Judge Perry is a good judge; he knows the law," Cindy and George Anthony's attorney, Brad Conway, told CNN. "Stan Strickland is just as good and knowledgeable. He's also extremely patient. He lets you say what you have to say, then he rules."
Anthony is awaiting trial in Orange County, Florida, on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee, who was 2 when she disappeared in June 2008. The little girl's remains were found near the Anthony home in December 2008.
Casey Anthony has pleaded not guilty, and her murder trial has been set for May 2011.
In a motion filed 12 minutes before the court closed on Friday, Baez accused Strickland of forming a "personal relationship" with blogger Dave Knechel, who writes under the pseudonym "Marinade Dave."
Knechel's blog includes made-up legal motions with titles such as "Casey Anthony must die!" "Caylee's murder: Premeditated and pretty stupid too" and "Guilty as charged."
READ CASEY ANTHONY /CAYLEE ANTHONY UPDATE...
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/19/casey.anthony.judge.quits/
By Mayra Cuevas-Nazario and Beth Karas, In Session
CNN Justice / April 19, 2010
(CNN) -- The judge in Casey Anthony's murder trial took himself off the case Monday after the defense contended he was biased against her.
"Over the past 20-plus months, in between media interviews, guest appearances on television shows and press conferences, defense counsel has filed a litany of motions," Ninth Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland observed in an order recusing himself from the high-profile murder trial.
"At its core," the judge continued, "defense counsel's motion accuses the undersigned of being a 'self-aggrandizing media hound.' Indeed. The irony is rich."
The case has been reassigned to Judge Belvin Perry Jr.
Read Judge Strickland's order
"Judge Perry is a good judge; he knows the law," Cindy and George Anthony's attorney, Brad Conway, told CNN. "Stan Strickland is just as good and knowledgeable. He's also extremely patient. He lets you say what you have to say, then he rules."
Anthony is awaiting trial in Orange County, Florida, on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee, who was 2 when she disappeared in June 2008. The little girl's remains were found near the Anthony home in December 2008.
Casey Anthony has pleaded not guilty, and her murder trial has been set for May 2011.
In a motion filed 12 minutes before the court closed on Friday, Baez accused Strickland of forming a "personal relationship" with blogger Dave Knechel, who writes under the pseudonym "Marinade Dave."
Knechel's blog includes made-up legal motions with titles such as "Casey Anthony must die!" "Caylee's murder: Premeditated and pretty stupid too" and "Guilty as charged."
READ CASEY ANTHONY /CAYLEE ANTHONY UPDATE...
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/19/casey.anthony.judge.quits/
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
SATSUMA: COPS SEARCH RIVER FOR HALEIGH CUMMINGS, FIND BOX
Tip In Haleigh Case Prompts River Search
Girl Missing 14 Months Would Now Be 6-Years-Old
UPDATED: 3:18 pm EDT April 13, 2010
NEWS4JAX.COM
SATSUMA, Fla. -- Deputies from four counties and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were searching the St. Johns River south of Satsuma Tuesday, and authorities confirmed the search is connected to the Haleigh Cummings investigation.
Putnam County Sheriff's Office Lt. Johnny Greenwood said the search was prompted by one of over 5,000 leads received by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office since the then-5-year-old girl disappeared from her bed in her father's mobile home 14 months ago.
Video: New Search For Haleigh
The sheriff's office was not releasing the exact location of the search effort in an attempt to prevent congestion from onlookers. Channel 4's Tarik Minor said the search of an area less than 5 miles south of where Haleigh disappeared in February 2008 was prompted by a "credible tip."
"Although various resources are being utilized to conduct this search, it is just one of many operations conducted during this investigation," Greenwood said in a media release Tuesday morning. "Due to the sensitivity of this investigation, the name of the person providing the tip and the physical evidence alleged to be in this area, will not be released."
WILL HALEIGH CUMMINGS BE FOUND IN THE RIVER?
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23135405/detail.html
Girl Missing 14 Months Would Now Be 6-Years-Old
UPDATED: 3:18 pm EDT April 13, 2010
NEWS4JAX.COM
SATSUMA, Fla. -- Deputies from four counties and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were searching the St. Johns River south of Satsuma Tuesday, and authorities confirmed the search is connected to the Haleigh Cummings investigation.
Putnam County Sheriff's Office Lt. Johnny Greenwood said the search was prompted by one of over 5,000 leads received by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office since the then-5-year-old girl disappeared from her bed in her father's mobile home 14 months ago.
Video: New Search For Haleigh
The sheriff's office was not releasing the exact location of the search effort in an attempt to prevent congestion from onlookers. Channel 4's Tarik Minor said the search of an area less than 5 miles south of where Haleigh disappeared in February 2008 was prompted by a "credible tip."
"Although various resources are being utilized to conduct this search, it is just one of many operations conducted during this investigation," Greenwood said in a media release Tuesday morning. "Due to the sensitivity of this investigation, the name of the person providing the tip and the physical evidence alleged to be in this area, will not be released."
WILL HALEIGH CUMMINGS BE FOUND IN THE RIVER?
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23135405/detail.html
BRITTANEE DREXEL: CELL SIGNAL STOPS NEAR S. SANTEE RIVER
GPS tracking aids investigators in Drexel case
Apr 12, 2010
By Kyle Grainger / WMBF News.com
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Investigators in Georgetown County say that for months, they've been interviewing persons of interest regarding the disappearance of a missing teen from New York.
Lt. Neil Johnson, spokesman for the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, says a cell phone signal is what originally led the search for 18-year-old Brittanee Drexel out of Myrtle Beach and into the Santee area of Georgetown County.
Myrtle Beach Police say the Rochester, NY, teen disappeared after she was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach. Drexel, who was 17 at the time of her disappearance, was in the area against the will of her mother.
Contact was lost between Drexel and her family in New York on April 25, 2009, the same night authorities say she disappeared. The last signal from her cell phone came the next night near the South Santee River.
Johnson says because Drexel was a heavy user of her cell phone, and in the hours after her disappearance, her cell phone signal stopped in Georgetown County. That's the exact reason why investigators believe whatever happened to Drexel occurred within Georgetown County.
READ INVESTIGATION LEADS FOR BRITTANEE DREXEL...
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=12298443
Apr 12, 2010
By Kyle Grainger / WMBF News.com
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Investigators in Georgetown County say that for months, they've been interviewing persons of interest regarding the disappearance of a missing teen from New York.
Lt. Neil Johnson, spokesman for the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, says a cell phone signal is what originally led the search for 18-year-old Brittanee Drexel out of Myrtle Beach and into the Santee area of Georgetown County.
Myrtle Beach Police say the Rochester, NY, teen disappeared after she was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach. Drexel, who was 17 at the time of her disappearance, was in the area against the will of her mother.
Contact was lost between Drexel and her family in New York on April 25, 2009, the same night authorities say she disappeared. The last signal from her cell phone came the next night near the South Santee River.
Johnson says because Drexel was a heavy user of her cell phone, and in the hours after her disappearance, her cell phone signal stopped in Georgetown County. That's the exact reason why investigators believe whatever happened to Drexel occurred within Georgetown County.
READ INVESTIGATION LEADS FOR BRITTANEE DREXEL...
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=12298443
Sunday, April 11, 2010
RODNEY ALCALA: HELP POLICE IDENTIFY ALCALA'S MURDER VICTIMS
Detectives identify some who posed for Alcala
By LARRY WELBORN / The Orange County Register
Published: April 9,2010 Updated: April 10, 2010
The photos show long-haired girls with flowers in their hair. Some are posing seductively in bikinis, bellbottoms or with bare midriffs. Others are dancing, drinking, smoking or listening to music.
The young women have one thing in common: they had their pictures taken in the 1970s by a photographer who dealt death.
The photos were recovered by Huntington Beach homicide detectives in July of 1979 from a storage locker in Seattle rented by Rodney James Alcala, a freelance cameraman who turned out to be a serial killer.
He was sentenced to death last month after he was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the sexual torture and strangulation murders of four women in Los Angeles County, and the kidnap and murder of a 12-year-old girl from Huntington Beach, during a 20-month killing spree in the late 1970s.
Huntington Beach Police released the photos to The Orange County Register one month ago after a jury voted to give Alcala the death penalty.
Detectives wanted to know: are the mostly smiling models in Alcala's photo gallery still alive? Or did they become murder victims?
They have been able to identify 21 young women in the photo catalogue after they were inundated with phone calls, e-mails and other contacts, but none matched up to a missing persons case or an unsolved homicide from the 1970s.
By LARRY WELBORN / The Orange County Register
Published: April 9,2010 Updated: April 10, 2010
The photos show long-haired girls with flowers in their hair. Some are posing seductively in bikinis, bellbottoms or with bare midriffs. Others are dancing, drinking, smoking or listening to music.
The young women have one thing in common: they had their pictures taken in the 1970s by a photographer who dealt death.
The photos were recovered by Huntington Beach homicide detectives in July of 1979 from a storage locker in Seattle rented by Rodney James Alcala, a freelance cameraman who turned out to be a serial killer.
He was sentenced to death last month after he was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder for the sexual torture and strangulation murders of four women in Los Angeles County, and the kidnap and murder of a 12-year-old girl from Huntington Beach, during a 20-month killing spree in the late 1970s.
Huntington Beach Police released the photos to The Orange County Register one month ago after a jury voted to give Alcala the death penalty.
Detectives wanted to know: are the mostly smiling models in Alcala's photo gallery still alive? Or did they become murder victims?
They have been able to identify 21 young women in the photo catalogue after they were inundated with phone calls, e-mails and other contacts, but none matched up to a missing persons case or an unsolved homicide from the 1970s.
If you know any of the people in Alcala's photos,
contact Huntington Beach Police Detective Patrick Ellis,
at 714-375-5066, or email him at pellis@hbpd.org
BRITTANEE DREXEL: POLICE SUSPECT KILLERS, NO ARRESTS...YET!
NEW LEADS IN MISSING TEEN CASE
Detectives have leads, persons of interest in Drexel disappearance
Detectives have leads, persons of interest in Drexel disappearance
WCSC TV/DT CHARLESTON, SC / Apr 10, 2010
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WCSC) - Myrtle Beach Detective Vincent Dorio said Friday investigators have developed multiple persons of interest in the case of missing teen Brittanee Drexel.
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WCSC) - Myrtle Beach Detective Vincent Dorio said Friday investigators have developed multiple persons of interest in the case of missing teen Brittanee Drexel.
He said this information developed from a tip and is confident this tip is leading them in a direction of finding who might be responsible. The search team is not releasing any information on the tips they received because they fear it might jeopardize the recently revitalized investigation.
According to Lt. Neil Johnson with the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, the break in the case is the result of months of lead-tracking.
"At this time, there is no reason to believe these people, [the persons of interest], knew Drexel directly," said Johnson.
No arrest warrants have been served yet, he said, but lie detector tests have been conducted on two of the persons of interest.
While the new leads are positive news for the search for the missing Drexel, Johnson said the information they have compiled in recent months indicate she is no longer alive.
According to Lt. Neil Johnson with the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, the break in the case is the result of months of lead-tracking.
"At this time, there is no reason to believe these people, [the persons of interest], knew Drexel directly," said Johnson.
No arrest warrants have been served yet, he said, but lie detector tests have been conducted on two of the persons of interest.
While the new leads are positive news for the search for the missing Drexel, Johnson said the information they have compiled in recent months indicate she is no longer alive.
"The police seem really confident, so there's a lot going through my head right now," said Brittanee's mother, Dawn Drexel. "You go through a lot of emotions. Where is she? Is she OK? Is she not OK?"
(snip)
(snip)
CrimeStoppers of the Lowcountry
continues to offer a reward for any information on Drexel's whereabouts.
Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Drexel is urged to contact the agency at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
WHAT CLUES DO POLICE HAVE ABOUT BRITTANEE DREXEL...
Saturday, April 3, 2010
MISSING IN GREELEY: KAYLEAH WILSON 2010, JONELLE MATTHEWS 1984
Kayleah Wilson case: Search evokes 25-year-old dashed hopes
Mike Peters / The GreeleyTibune / April 2, 2010
As days go by and the disappearance of 12-year-old Kayleah Wilson continues to be a mystery, it brings back haunting memories for the police officers involved in another child disappearance in Greeley 25 years ago.
On Dec. 20, 1984, Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old middle school student, disappeared from her west Greeley home. She has never been found.
The search for Jonelle became a national story. Numerous ground searches were organized to look for her, and her parents, Jim and Gloria Matthews, appeared on national television to plead for Jonelle's return. President Reagan mentioned Jonelle in his State of the Union speech.
While there is no connection to Wilson's disappearance, the ages of the girls and the mysterious circumstances remind police of what happened 25 years ago.
“There, of course, are similarities between the cases, primarily because of the ages of the girls,” said police spokesman Sgt. Joe Tymkowych. “Because of that, the case has crossed our minds in the past few days.”
In the early days of the Matthews investigation, police learned that Jonelle was brought home that night by family friends. She sang in the Franklin Middle School choir, which had performed Christmas carols at a nursing home.
Because of all family activities that night, Jonelle knew the house would be empty. Her father, an elementary school principal, was at Jonelle's older sister's basketball game, and her mother was visiting relatives out of the state.
Police determined Jonelle arrived home and went to the family room in the basement, where she set up a space heater to keep warm and sat on the floor to watch TV.
When her father came home about an hour later, he found the space heater and her shoes on the floor, but Jonelle was gone. Police were called and a search was launched, but she was never found. Police found scuffmarks and footprints in the snow outside the house.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100402/ NEWS/100409918/1002&parentprofile=1001
HELP FIND THE MISSING. HELP FIND JONELLE MATTHEWS
http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?p=704751
Mike Peters / The GreeleyTibune / April 2, 2010
As days go by and the disappearance of 12-year-old Kayleah Wilson continues to be a mystery, it brings back haunting memories for the police officers involved in another child disappearance in Greeley 25 years ago.
On Dec. 20, 1984, Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old middle school student, disappeared from her west Greeley home. She has never been found.
The search for Jonelle became a national story. Numerous ground searches were organized to look for her, and her parents, Jim and Gloria Matthews, appeared on national television to plead for Jonelle's return. President Reagan mentioned Jonelle in his State of the Union speech.
While there is no connection to Wilson's disappearance, the ages of the girls and the mysterious circumstances remind police of what happened 25 years ago.
“There, of course, are similarities between the cases, primarily because of the ages of the girls,” said police spokesman Sgt. Joe Tymkowych. “Because of that, the case has crossed our minds in the past few days.”
In the early days of the Matthews investigation, police learned that Jonelle was brought home that night by family friends. She sang in the Franklin Middle School choir, which had performed Christmas carols at a nursing home.
Because of all family activities that night, Jonelle knew the house would be empty. Her father, an elementary school principal, was at Jonelle's older sister's basketball game, and her mother was visiting relatives out of the state.
Police determined Jonelle arrived home and went to the family room in the basement, where she set up a space heater to keep warm and sat on the floor to watch TV.
When her father came home about an hour later, he found the space heater and her shoes on the floor, but Jonelle was gone. Police were called and a search was launched, but she was never found. Police found scuffmarks and footprints in the snow outside the house.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100402/ NEWS/100409918/1002&parentprofile=1001
HELP FIND THE MISSING. HELP FIND JONELLE MATTHEWS
http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?p=704751
GREELEY: KAYLEAH WILSON, 12, "WE HAVE TO ASSUME THE WORST."
Investigators question drivers in case of missing 12-year-old
Matt Clough written by: Jeffrey Wolf
COLORADO 9NEWS.COM / KUSATV / April 2,2010
GREELEY - While making a plea to the public for help on Friday afternoon, the FBI and Greeley Police Department say they do have some leads in the disappearance of a missing 12-year-old girl.
"We have to assume the worst. That's our job. We assume the worst and hope for the best. And that's the way we're proceeding with this investigation," FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Davis said during a news conference.
Kayleah Wilson has not been since Sunday around 3:40 p.m. when she left her house to walk to a birthday party. The walk was supposed to only be eight to 10 blocks, but Kayleah never arrived at the party. Friday night, 9NEWS spoke with April Wilson, Kayleah's mother, who says several of her friends were out posting fliers, although she would not say where.
Investigators say they do not believe this is a runaway situation, but have also found no signs of foul play.
Greeley Police Chief Jerry Garner says they are going through "foot-slogging police work" to try and find the girl.
"We've been working this case pretty much around the clock since Sunday night," Garner said. "We have a huge amount of leads in this case. Every single one of them has to be tracked down."
(snip)
Kayleah is described as 5-foot, 1-inch tall, 145 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white and pink shirt over a white tank top, blue jeans and white and red shoes. She is a student at Brentwood Middle School.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact
READ DETAILS OF KAYLEAH WILSON'S DISAPPEARANCE...
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=135843&catid=339
Matt Clough written by: Jeffrey Wolf
COLORADO 9NEWS.COM / KUSATV / April 2,2010
GREELEY - While making a plea to the public for help on Friday afternoon, the FBI and Greeley Police Department say they do have some leads in the disappearance of a missing 12-year-old girl.
"We have to assume the worst. That's our job. We assume the worst and hope for the best. And that's the way we're proceeding with this investigation," FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Davis said during a news conference.
Kayleah Wilson has not been since Sunday around 3:40 p.m. when she left her house to walk to a birthday party. The walk was supposed to only be eight to 10 blocks, but Kayleah never arrived at the party. Friday night, 9NEWS spoke with April Wilson, Kayleah's mother, who says several of her friends were out posting fliers, although she would not say where.
Investigators say they do not believe this is a runaway situation, but have also found no signs of foul play.
Greeley Police Chief Jerry Garner says they are going through "foot-slogging police work" to try and find the girl.
"We've been working this case pretty much around the clock since Sunday night," Garner said. "We have a huge amount of leads in this case. Every single one of them has to be tracked down."
(snip)
Kayleah is described as 5-foot, 1-inch tall, 145 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white and pink shirt over a white tank top, blue jeans and white and red shoes. She is a student at Brentwood Middle School.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact
the Greeley Police Department at 970-350-9600.
Or you can call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
READ DETAILS OF KAYLEAH WILSON'S DISAPPEARANCE...
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=135843&catid=339
SF TECHNICIAN STEALS DRUGS FROM EVIDENCE LAB
SF crime lab scandal strains justice system
AP / FOXNEWS / April 2, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — The first hint of scandal at the San Francisco crime lab came in December when officials received a tip that a technician might be stealing cocaine used as evidence.
An investigation soon revealed that small amounts of cocaine were missing, and the scandal has just snowballed from there.
Hundreds of narcotics cases may have to be thrown out, the drug-testing lab has been closed indefinitely, and outside reviews have unmasked even deeper concerns with how evidence is handled at the facility. The scandal has served as an embarrassment to the police department and raised questions about why officials weren't more proactive in dealing with the problems.
"Anybody who doesn't see the magnitude of this problem is either blind or stupid," San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon said after a review cited bad management at the lab has led to poor practices.
The district attorney's office has already thrown out or not charged 550 cases because of possible evidence tampering, and is reviewing about 1,400 more for possible dismissal.
A final decision hasn't been made on how many ultimately will be tossed, but may come Friday. Authorities are trying to salvage some cases by having drugs retested at other labs; they also may refile some of the dropped cases.
The woman accused of skimming drugs from the lab for her own use, Deborah Madden, has not been charged. Madden took a leave of absence from the lab in December following an audit that found cocaine was missing from the lab, then retired last month. She was a criminalist for 29 years.
LOST EVIDENCE, LOST CONVICTIONS, GUILTY GO FREE...
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/02/sf-crime-lab-scandal-strains-justice/
AP / FOXNEWS / April 2, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — The first hint of scandal at the San Francisco crime lab came in December when officials received a tip that a technician might be stealing cocaine used as evidence.
An investigation soon revealed that small amounts of cocaine were missing, and the scandal has just snowballed from there.
Hundreds of narcotics cases may have to be thrown out, the drug-testing lab has been closed indefinitely, and outside reviews have unmasked even deeper concerns with how evidence is handled at the facility. The scandal has served as an embarrassment to the police department and raised questions about why officials weren't more proactive in dealing with the problems.
"Anybody who doesn't see the magnitude of this problem is either blind or stupid," San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon said after a review cited bad management at the lab has led to poor practices.
The district attorney's office has already thrown out or not charged 550 cases because of possible evidence tampering, and is reviewing about 1,400 more for possible dismissal.
A final decision hasn't been made on how many ultimately will be tossed, but may come Friday. Authorities are trying to salvage some cases by having drugs retested at other labs; they also may refile some of the dropped cases.
The woman accused of skimming drugs from the lab for her own use, Deborah Madden, has not been charged. Madden took a leave of absence from the lab in December following an audit that found cocaine was missing from the lab, then retired last month. She was a criminalist for 29 years.
LOST EVIDENCE, LOST CONVICTIONS, GUILTY GO FREE...
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/02/sf-crime-lab-scandal-strains-justice/
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
SEATTLE: SHANTINA SMILEY, WHERE ARE YOU?
Autopsy Confirms Body is Azriel Carver; Cause of Death, Drowning
by Susan Marie Kovalinsky March 19, 2010
Update: Autopsy confirms body is Azriel Carver; cause of death was drowning
Police believe a body that washed to shore is that of missing 8 year old boy Azriel Carver. Carver had been missing since Saturday night, when he and his mother, Shantina “Kat” Smiley, 29, last were seen north of Olympia.
The body was found yesterday afternoon on the southern tip of Fox Island of Puget Sound. Sheriff’s officials received a call just before 2 p.m. that a body was found by a woman walking along Pebble Beach, below a steep bluff off Paiute Trail road.
County officials had to comfort the boy's father, who had come from New York state to help in the search.
"I know there’s a lot of crazy questions that are going to be coming, from why it happened, how it happened and what had happened,” Carver said. 'They ended up in the water, and the tidal pattern was really high and really fast, and it just ended very tragic. It’s a crazy series of events that unfolded and ended so tragically,' he said."
MORE ABOUT SHANTINA AND AZRIEL...
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/autopsy-confirms-body-azriel-carver-cause-death-drowning
by Susan Marie Kovalinsky March 19, 2010
Update: Autopsy confirms body is Azriel Carver; cause of death was drowning
Police believe a body that washed to shore is that of missing 8 year old boy Azriel Carver. Carver had been missing since Saturday night, when he and his mother, Shantina “Kat” Smiley, 29, last were seen north of Olympia.
The body was found yesterday afternoon on the southern tip of Fox Island of Puget Sound. Sheriff’s officials received a call just before 2 p.m. that a body was found by a woman walking along Pebble Beach, below a steep bluff off Paiute Trail road.
County officials had to comfort the boy's father, who had come from New York state to help in the search.
"I know there’s a lot of crazy questions that are going to be coming, from why it happened, how it happened and what had happened,” Carver said. 'They ended up in the water, and the tidal pattern was really high and really fast, and it just ended very tragic. It’s a crazy series of events that unfolded and ended so tragically,' he said."
MORE ABOUT SHANTINA AND AZRIEL...
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/autopsy-confirms-body-azriel-carver-cause-death-drowning
RODNEY ALCALA, DEATH SENTENCE: "I'M WAITING FOR THE DAY HE DIES."
'Dating Game' Killer, Rodney Alcala, Sentenced to Death
This is the third time Alcala has been sentenced to death row for killing Robin Samsoe.
Watch Brandon Rudat's Report
KTLA News / 5:11 PM PDT, March 30, 2010
SANTA ANA -- Convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala has been sentenced to death for killing a 12-year-old Huntington Beach girl and four Los Angeles County women in the 1970s.
Tuesday's sentencing marked the third time Rodney Alcala has been sent to death row for killing 12-year-old Robin Samsoe.
His two previous convictions for the killing were overturned on appeal.
Marianne Connelly, the mother of Robin Samsoe read this statement to the court before Alcala's sentence was announced:
"He is a cold blooded evil mass murdering monster that should have died years ago. Losing my precious Robin was the worst tragedy of my life and knowing the defendant tortured his victims makes it even harder to accept. I'm waiting for the day he dies. I only wish I could be the one to administer the (lethal) injection."
(snip)
Alcala was also convicted of killing four other women: Jill Barcomb, an 18-year-old runaway who was killed in the Hollywood Hills on Nov. 10, 1977; Georgia Wixted, a 27-year-old registered nurse killed on Dec. 16, 1978; Charlotte Lamb, 32, slain on June 24, 1978; and Jill Parenteau, 21, who was killed June 14, 1979.
READ...RODNEY ALCALA SENTENCED TO DEATH...AGAIN
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-alcala-trial,0,2151331.story
This is the third time Alcala has been sentenced to death row for killing Robin Samsoe.
Watch Brandon Rudat's Report
KTLA News / 5:11 PM PDT, March 30, 2010
SANTA ANA -- Convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala has been sentenced to death for killing a 12-year-old Huntington Beach girl and four Los Angeles County women in the 1970s.
Tuesday's sentencing marked the third time Rodney Alcala has been sent to death row for killing 12-year-old Robin Samsoe.
His two previous convictions for the killing were overturned on appeal.
Marianne Connelly, the mother of Robin Samsoe read this statement to the court before Alcala's sentence was announced:
"He is a cold blooded evil mass murdering monster that should have died years ago. Losing my precious Robin was the worst tragedy of my life and knowing the defendant tortured his victims makes it even harder to accept. I'm waiting for the day he dies. I only wish I could be the one to administer the (lethal) injection."
(snip)
Alcala was also convicted of killing four other women: Jill Barcomb, an 18-year-old runaway who was killed in the Hollywood Hills on Nov. 10, 1977; Georgia Wixted, a 27-year-old registered nurse killed on Dec. 16, 1978; Charlotte Lamb, 32, slain on June 24, 1978; and Jill Parenteau, 21, who was killed June 14, 1979.
READ...RODNEY ALCALA SENTENCED TO DEATH...AGAIN
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-alcala-trial,0,2151331.story
Saturday, March 27, 2010
SOMER THOMPSON: WHY WAS JARRED HARRELL ARRESTED FOR MURDER
Somer Thompson's Mom's Message to Accused Murderer: 'We Got You'
Cops: Jarred Harrell's Brutal Killing of Somer Thompson Was Likely 'Crime of Opportunity'
By LEE FERRAN / ABC NEWS
March 26, 2010
Praising the murder charges against the suspect in the death of 7-year-old daughter Somer, Diena Thompson today addressed the accused killer to say, "We got you."
"I stood here ... and said, 'We're coming to get you, we will get you,'" an emotional Thompson told a Florida news conference of her previous statements. "And I'd like to take this opportunity to say to you, Jarred Harrell, we got you."
Clay County police chief Rick Beseler was applauded earlier today when he announced the first-degree murder charge against Harrell from under a banner that read "Justice for Somer." He was also charged with sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12.
Calling Harrell a monster, Thompson said she was glad "some one is finally going to pay for this horrific crime."
Police said they believe Harrell, 24, encountered Somer as she walked by his house on her way home from school. Beseler said police have evidence that Harrell then assaulted Somer, killed her and disposed of her body. Two days after her death, Somer's body was found in a landfill in Georgia. She died, police said, by asphyxiation.
(snip)
Neighbors described Harrell as antisocial and withdrawn, and said they saw Thompson occasionally stop to pet a little white dog near his former home.
READ ABOUT SOMER THOMPSON CASE...
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/sources-suspect-jarred-harrell-charged-connection-somer-thompson/story?id=10208882
Cops: Jarred Harrell's Brutal Killing of Somer Thompson Was Likely 'Crime of Opportunity'
By LEE FERRAN / ABC NEWS
March 26, 2010
Praising the murder charges against the suspect in the death of 7-year-old daughter Somer, Diena Thompson today addressed the accused killer to say, "We got you."
"I stood here ... and said, 'We're coming to get you, we will get you,'" an emotional Thompson told a Florida news conference of her previous statements. "And I'd like to take this opportunity to say to you, Jarred Harrell, we got you."
Clay County police chief Rick Beseler was applauded earlier today when he announced the first-degree murder charge against Harrell from under a banner that read "Justice for Somer." He was also charged with sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12.
Calling Harrell a monster, Thompson said she was glad "some one is finally going to pay for this horrific crime."
Police said they believe Harrell, 24, encountered Somer as she walked by his house on her way home from school. Beseler said police have evidence that Harrell then assaulted Somer, killed her and disposed of her body. Two days after her death, Somer's body was found in a landfill in Georgia. She died, police said, by asphyxiation.
(snip)
Neighbors described Harrell as antisocial and withdrawn, and said they saw Thompson occasionally stop to pet a little white dog near his former home.
READ ABOUT SOMER THOMPSON CASE...
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/sources-suspect-jarred-harrell-charged-connection-somer-thompson/story?id=10208882
SOMER THOMPSON: HOW THEY CAUGHT JARRED HARRELL
Ex-Roommate of Jarred Harrell Left Town Before Somer Thompson Announcement
Taren Reed / FIRSTCOASTNEWS.COM
3/26/2010
ORANGE PARK, Fla. -- The stepfather of one of Jarred Harrell's ex-roommates who turned Harrell's computer over to police after finding child pornography on it said the ex-roommates left town when they heard about the charges.
Harrell was arrested and charged with premeditated murder in the death of Somer Thompson today.
MORE ABOUT HARRELL'S ARREST, CHARGES
Rod Buchanan's stepdaughter lived with her fiance and Harrell in an apartment on Wells Road in Orange Park. In August 2009, Buchanan said Harrell's computer was turned over to police.
According to the State Attorney General's office, Harrell's computer arrived at its cyber crime unit on Sept. 25, 2009. The unit wasn't able to start taking the computer apart to do forensic testing until Oct. 9, when an official search warrant was received. The testing was completed Nov. 10, nearly a month after Somer was killed.
JARRED HARRELL'S COMPUTER PROCESSING TIMELINE
Buchanan didn't give his stepdaughter's name, but said she knew an arrest and announcement would be made today so she packed up and left Orange Park. Buchanan said the roommates won't be speaking with the media.
When Somer Thompson disappeared in October 2009, he and his wife saw how close Harrell lived to Somer and reminded police about his computer that was turned over in August. Buchanan said they pointed detectives in the right direction.
READ ABOUT SOMER THOMPSON AND KILLER JARRED HARRELL...
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=153882&catid=3
Taren Reed / FIRSTCOASTNEWS.COM
3/26/2010
ORANGE PARK, Fla. -- The stepfather of one of Jarred Harrell's ex-roommates who turned Harrell's computer over to police after finding child pornography on it said the ex-roommates left town when they heard about the charges.
Harrell was arrested and charged with premeditated murder in the death of Somer Thompson today.
MORE ABOUT HARRELL'S ARREST, CHARGES
Rod Buchanan's stepdaughter lived with her fiance and Harrell in an apartment on Wells Road in Orange Park. In August 2009, Buchanan said Harrell's computer was turned over to police.
According to the State Attorney General's office, Harrell's computer arrived at its cyber crime unit on Sept. 25, 2009. The unit wasn't able to start taking the computer apart to do forensic testing until Oct. 9, when an official search warrant was received. The testing was completed Nov. 10, nearly a month after Somer was killed.
JARRED HARRELL'S COMPUTER PROCESSING TIMELINE
Buchanan didn't give his stepdaughter's name, but said she knew an arrest and announcement would be made today so she packed up and left Orange Park. Buchanan said the roommates won't be speaking with the media.
When Somer Thompson disappeared in October 2009, he and his wife saw how close Harrell lived to Somer and reminded police about his computer that was turned over in August. Buchanan said they pointed detectives in the right direction.
READ ABOUT SOMER THOMPSON AND KILLER JARRED HARRELL...
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=153882&catid=3
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