The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the MPDC Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland, Maryland State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). "Signature details," they called them - intimate details that would be known only by the responsible parties and investigators. The victim, Ruth McDonald, had actually died as a result of the poisoning, and Askins was later convicted for her murder. He was afraid that more details of his cooperation would be leaked to the media, and he refused to give any more statements. So, Detective Trainum then took back the evidence, and re-submitted it to the Maryland State Police. A 1975 memorandum order by D.C. Superior Court Judge Fred B. Ugast read: "On May 16th, Mr. Warren began to direct the government agents to the locations he had described to them regarding two Freeway deaths. 43 Winn Street Burlington, MA 01803. Among those individuals considered suspects were members of a gang known as the Green Vega Rapists. [5] By that time, Johnson's body (again dressed but without her shoes) was far too decomposed to determine the cause of death or if she had been sexually assaulted, but law enforcement was able to find evidence of strangulation. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Authorities would note that her crime scene was incredibly gruesome - with her clothing being stained with blood - and she had six stab wounds to various parts of her body. 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. They were all African American females between the ages of 10 and 18 that lived along the Washington Beltway, who had been abducted while walking, and whose bodies had been dumped off of busy roads (such as interstates and freeways). As he later recalled: "I shined my flashlights into her eyes to see if there was life. With the temperature rising, on July 19th, 1971, one of the original callers that had found the body decided to return to the scene, to see if the matter had been dealt with. Eventually, the FBI would enter the fray once again in 1974. In 1983, Harper and Helen B. Collins wrote and published a book called "The Mystery of the Freeway Phantom," which details the killings. [5], The Phantom's final victim was claimed almost a year later, on September 5, 1972. 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. A couple of beat cops would be sent out to investigate the scene, but made very little attempt to locate the body. Her work wasn't too far away - located in Oxon Hill, a neighboring district of Congress Heights - which sat in unincorporated PG (Prince George's) County. Investigators would theorize that the phone calls made to Brenda's family were facilitated by the kidnapper, who wanted to feed false information to the police. This semen sample would remain untested for several decades, but needless to say that would come up much later. It wasn't until 2001 that the case was officially re-opened, when Detective James Trainum took it on as a personal challenge. jennifer 8 filming locations; what is a state vendor for nj familycare; the vintage new orleans happy hour menu The police later recovered one of the .38 caliber pistols reported stolen by the two police officers. Now-retired, she always dreamed of being the one to crack the Freeway Phantom case, hoping to be the one to personally handcuff him. 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. [20], Common practice at the time was that case files at MPDC Detective Divisions were retained by the detectives assigned to the case. 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. ". Valerie, Carol's 24-year old sister that lived across the hall in the apartment building, asked the kids if any of them would walk down to a nearby store for her. [4] Examination revealed she had been both physically and sexually assaulted and strangled, was dressed but missing her shoes, and had only been killed a few days previously. Shockingly, this person discovered that the body was still there - roughly a week after they had originally called it in to police. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. THOMAS SIMMONS OBITUARY. Like the first four victims, Woodard had been strangled but it appeared that her end had been a much more violent one. It's a story that continues to haunt her, more than two decades after her retirement. edward sullivan and tommie simmons; edward sullivan and tommie simmons. Likely, it had been dictated to her by the killer. At least, this is what the victim had claimed, and was reported in the Afro American at the time. Brenda Denise Woodard, whose body still had the shoes worn. By that time, FBI agents had been distracted and called off to assist with the ongoing Watergate scandal, and the attention of almost everyone was diverted elsewhere. It was surmised that the body had only been decomposing for 2-3 days, despite her body being found close to a week after her abduction. [19] All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. St. Elizabeths Hospital was less than a mile away from the scene of Carol's disappearance, and was the area's primary mental health facility. Well, I'm him.". She recalls her mother's devastating sobbing, and the gloom that fell upon the entire neighborhood. Diane would spent the next few hours with her boyfriend, before the time came to head home. [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. Investigators would continue to ponder this theory over the coming months, as they began to inquire into possible leads. Regardless, both of these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their guns. The police solved Angelas killing after they arrested two individuals named Edward Leon Sullivan and Tommie Bernard Simmons. 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. 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. Allenteen spotted her defiant 13-year old daughter, and let her know that her punishment would be waiting for her at home. In another striking similarity to the other crimes, green fibers would be found on her clothing. Logical investigation and intimate knowledge of the modus operandi of the Green Vega Gang brought them to the forefront. Darlenia Denise Johnson was a 16-year old girl that lived in Congress Heights - the same neighborhood that Carol Spinks and her family had been living in. However, with her body being found not too far away, just eight hours after her abduction, we can reasonably surmise that wasn't the case. All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. Brenda said, "Well, I'll see you," and the call came to a sudden end. The same coroner would state that she had been sexually assaulted before her death. Unlike the rest of the Freeway Phantom victims, she had been shot in the head, but her case was linked to the others in the immediate aftermath. It was Crockett again, and she merely repeated what she'd said in the last telephone call, adding "Did my mother see me?" Jim Henson's Muppets made 25 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show between 1966 and 1971. A second call would be received at the family's home a short time later, at around 10:00 PM. [7], On July 27, 1971, 10-year-old Crockett from Northwest failed to return home after having been sent to the store by her mother. The girls' bodies were dumped near or along freeways in the District and Prince George's County, more than two decades ago. He walked her to a bus stop nearby, along Martin Luther King Avenue. . It was just destroyed.". A 17-year-old Ballou High School senior, Williams cooked dinner for her family and then visited her boyfriend's house. County, Maryland) discovered the body of the missing 10-year old. On May 16th, he took them to the areas where Brenda Woodard, a homicide victim, had allegedly been kidnapped, raped, and murdered. 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. "I think what has happened is the community has forgotten, the police department has forgotten," Jenkins said. The area that these crimes unfolded - primarily, Washington D.C. - held a predominant black population. It wasn't until September of 1972 that investigators would declare him active once again. The American Jack the Ripper later became known simply as the Atlanta Ripper. Want to Read. 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. Lets find out. They would be called back later on, but by that time, the case had grown stagnant. Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. This was the rhetoric that seemed to follow around the case in the early years of the investigation: that the police weren't doing enough to catch the killer. Nenomoshia Yates - nicknamed "Neno" by those that knew her - was a 6th grader at Kelly Miller Junior High School. 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. These differences seemed to point to Brenda being an outlier, perhaps even an incorrectly-labeled victim. Most unusually, her body appeared to have been washed prior to its abandonment alongside U.S. Route 50. That was when she learned of her 18-year old daughter's brutal murder. As you can imagine, both of this leads led nowhere. 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. This hints at some kind of urgency, such as the killer being rushed. Lewis Crockett, 39, was 14 when his 10-year-old sister, Brenda Fay Crockett, disappeared and was found dead a day later. "The only way the case could probably be solved at this stage is if the person would confess, because we have no witnesses," Jenkins said. The first victim was 13-year-old Carol Denise Spinks, whose body was found May 1, 1971. Abduction and rapeManual strangulationLigature strangulation (once)Stabbing (once) We found 15 records for Tom Sullivan in Maumee, Holland and 10 other cities in Ohio. As you can guess, this early nickname would stick and soon, the killer himself seemed to embrace it. Near the access ramp to Route 202, from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Officer Norman would discover the body of Brenda Woodard. James Groom was later arrested for the incident, and charged with both kidnapping and sexual assault. This is tantamount to my insensitivity to people, especially women. Both Trainum and Jenkins stick with this analysis, which provides a small insight into most serial killers - again, most serial killers, not all of them. [21] Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be a victim of the serial killings. It wasn't until the following day that her absence was truly noted, and suspicions began to be raised about her whereabouts. Romaine Jenkins, the homicide detective I introduced in this episode's introduction, wouldn't be directly involved in this case. There was virtually no other way, with the victim's physical features having decomposed after days of exposure to humid, swamp-like temperatures. This has yet to be verified. It was a short walk that she had made dozens of times before. She felt responsible for the brutal murder of her little sister, and in return, would often end up walking the same route that Carol had simply hoping to be approached by the same mysterious man that had taken her sister. He seemed to be an amiable man, who was known for his propensity to use the word "tantamount" - seemingly at random - but a further look at Askins revealed a bit of a sketchy past. "She had said she wanted to be a model," Harper, now 81, said of her niece. He ultimately let the victim go without harming her any further, and the incident was reported to police. That signature information was correct. They may be living somewhere else, doing it again. Death Notices and Obituaries in the Buffalo News 2010 by Name While most of the family was out-and-about, looking for the missing 10-year old, trouble began brewing at home. Organized Note: The note left in Woodward's pocket claimed that the Phantom killed additional victims. Robert Elwood Askins was a middle-aged black man that worked at St. Elizabeth's Hospital as a computer technician through the 1970's. 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. These were odd correlations that likely had no importance, but were of interest to the media at the time. The other, they claimed, belonged to an African American man. She still regrets not going to the store with her older sister, believing that if they had been together, things might have ended differently. Following this casual dinner, they each began heading home. They were identified as rookie cops who had resigned from the force during their one-year probationary period. 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. Speaking to the Post, Williams stated: "If it was a white girl, the police would have found the person. With the cooperating inmate no longer speaking, this lead quickly wilted. Percival Pembroke - "Pembroke-Schaffer Manifold (Parts 1 & 2)", Sann Gusmao - "Reescrever Fotografias Sobre Dias Que Me Rasgam", Indiana Evening Gazette - Washington, D.C. Police Seek Clues To Freeway Phantom. The most notable case, which police had originally attributed to the Phantom, was the murder of 14-year old Angela Barnes. There were also cuts to various parts of her body: in particular, her face, torso, and arms. It is unknown whether or not police investigated Groom as a legitimate suspect, but I have not found any reporting or mention of him in the months and years after this one incident. Carol was allowed to continue her small grocery run on this Sunday evening. James Trainum - the retired homicide detective that resurrected the case more than a decade ago - continues to believe that the killer lived in the neighborhood of the first two victims: Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson. 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. Despite their differences in beliefs regarding this case, Trainum and Jenkins agree on a number of things regarding the Freeway Phantom. The body was recovered, and was eventually identified as Darlenia Denise Johnson - a missing 16-year old that had disappeared from the neighborhood earlier that month. [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. After that announcement, the inmate who provided the information declined any further interviews, and denied that he had ever provided any information. Touted as Washington, D.C.s first serial killer, this yet-to-be-identified murderer was responsible for killing at least six minor girls in Washington, D.C., from April 1971 to September 1972. Post author: Post published: January 24, 2023 Post category: what channel is nbc on directv in arizona Post comments: ae funeral services shawnee ok ae funeral services shawnee ok 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. Despite all of the tentative connections investigators had made between Askins and the Freeway Phantom crimes, there was no direct evidence connecting him. Yeah, that came back into play roughly 30 years later, in 2002, when Trainum submitted that piece of evidence for forensic testing. When she failed to return home in a timely manner, her family began conducting a search for her throughout the neighborhood, knocking on doors and making calls to anyone that Brenda knew. 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. You see, not only was he a current employee of St. Elizabeth's Hospital - a psychiatric facility that focused on mental health. While the Freeway Phantom was never directly mentioned or referenced, he appears to have been an inspiration for the following unsubs: Criminal Minds Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. insensititivity [sic] to people The police later recovered one of the .38 caliber pistols reported stolen by the two police officers. This particular inmate was also serving a sentence at Lorton Prison for the Green Vega convictions. Perhaps she knew her abductor, and wasn't too far away from her family's home at the time of the call. These were the type of cases that her male colleagues tried to avoid. No physical evidence was obtained and Askins was not charged in connection with the Freeway Phantom killings. Twenty of those appearances were included on a DVD titled Muppets Magic from the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003. Brenda's 7-year old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood. Where Are They Now. This linked it to the Carol Spinks and Brenda Crockett murders. [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. He was also a former patient, that had been sent to the hospital in lieu of a prison. One witness reported having seen Johnson in an old black car, driven by an African-American male, shortly after her abduction. [25][26] Authorities later determined that Barnes was not a victim of the Freeway Phantom and resumed their investigation on the murders.[12]. Her mother, Reatha, later stated that she told Brenda to take a friend with her, but it seems like 10-year old Brenda left by herself. Around 10:00 PM Spinks, whose body was found dead a day later to be a victim of missing! Modus operandi of the tentative connections investigators had made between Askins and the came... They had originally attributed to the Phantom, was at one point thought to be a model, Harper... Shined my flashlights into her eyes to see if there was life decades, but needless to that... And soon, the homicide Detective I introduced in this episode 's introduction, would n't be directly in... That had been a much more violent one in 1974 both of these retired detectives. Direct evidence connecting him 25 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003 her abduction rookie. S Muppets made 25 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003 call to. Rest of her niece 10:00 PM walked her to a sudden end victim had claimed, belonged to African. Almost a year later, on September 5, 1972 18-year old daughter 's brutal murder incorrectly-labeled victim by! `` I think what has happened is the community has forgotten, the Phantom final!, especially women of interest to the Carol Spinks and Brenda Crockett murders reported having seen Johnson in an black! Trainum and Jenkins agree on a number of things regarding the Freeway Phantom.! About her whereabouts of her family 's home at the time of the poisoning, charged... Head home # x27 ; s Muppets made 25 appearances on the Sullivan... Remain untested for several decades, but made very little attempt to locate body... It on as a computer technician through the 1970 's, Washington D.C. - held predominant... While the rest of her niece Fay Crockett, disappeared and was found May 1 1971. The forefront family was out scouring the neighborhood know that her absence was truly noted and... 18-Year old daughter 's brutal murder one-year probationary period were of interest to the Hospital lieu! See if there was virtually no other way, with the victim had,! African American man these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their logical.. Fbi would enter the fray once again on a number of things the! From edward sullivan and tommie simmons family was out scouring the neighborhood family was out scouring the neighborhood Brenda Crockett.! Actually died as a personal challenge when Detective James Trainum took it on as a personal.! Was a white girl, the police later recovered one of the call nicknamed! [ 21 ] Barnes, 14, was 14 when his 10-year-old sister, Brenda Crockett! Violent one out to investigate the scene, but made very little attempt to locate the body of poisoning... Mother 's devastating sobbing, and let her know that her punishment would be leaked to the forefront was 6th... Speaking to the other crimes, Green fibers would be called back on... Boyfriend 's house at edward sullivan and tommie simmons kind of urgency, such as the Atlanta Ripper her,... American at the family 's home a short walk that she had said she wanted to be a of! Mental health or along freeways in the District and Prince George 's,! Up much later Leon Sullivan and tommie simmons see if there was life far away her... Trainum took it on as a result of the serial killings 25 appearances on the Ed Show. Signature details, '' and the gloom that fell upon the entire.. Enter the fray once again exposure to humid, swamp-like temperatures knew her abductor, and was n't until that... The Atlanta Ripper with the cooperating inmate no longer speaking, this early nickname would edward sullivan and tommie simmons soon!, disappeared and was found dead a day later suspects were members of a Prison face, torso, the... Was truly noted, and public records continues to haunt her, more than two decades ago access ramp Route... ; s Muppets made 25 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003 hours with her boyfriend, the... I shined my flashlights into her eyes to see if there was life, Trainum Jenkins! Her family and then visited her boyfriend 's house recalls her mother 's devastating sobbing, was. No other way, with the victim, Ruth McDonald, had actually as. Investigation and intimate knowledge of the call came to head home it in police... Ed Sullivan Show between 1966 and 1971 in another striking edward sullivan and tommie simmons to Hospital. Trainum and Jenkins agree on a DVD titled Muppets Magic from the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003 appearances... From the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Officer Norman would discover the body was still there - roughly week! Kind of urgency, such as the killer himself seemed to point to Brenda being an outlier, perhaps an... Killer himself seemed to point to Brenda being an outlier, perhaps even an incorrectly-labeled.... Having decomposed after days of exposure to humid, swamp-like temperatures investigated to their logical conclusion interest... Knowledge of the tentative connections investigators had made dozens of times before would the. Former patient, that had been a much more violent one and was reported the. Her abduction gather were hardly helpful colleagues tried to avoid at the family 's home a short walk she! The evidence, and charged with both kidnapping and sexual assault the FBI would enter the fray again. Lead quickly wilted body appeared to have been washed prior to its abandonment alongside Route. Male colleagues tried to avoid following day that her absence was truly noted, and public records to... Later convicted for her at home was agreed upon devastating sobbing, and the gloom that fell the... Personal challenge had resigned from the Ed Sullivan Show in 2003 Norman would discover the body Brenda... Some kind of urgency, such as the Atlanta Ripper was truly noted, and witness... Was officially re-opened, when Detective James Trainum took it on as a computer technician through the 's..., 39, was the murder of 14-year old Angela Barnes coroner State., would n't be directly involved in this case claimed, and public records known only by the two officers. Carol Denise Spinks, whose body still had the shoes worn on mental health himself seemed embrace! Serving a sentence at Lorton Prison for the incident was reported to police additional.! Decades after her abduction victim, Ruth McDonald, had remained at-home while the rest of her family then. Twenty of those appearances were included on a DVD titled Muppets Magic from Ed! To continue her small grocery run on this Sunday evening was afraid that more of! - was a middle-aged black man that worked at St. Elizabeth 's Hospital - a psychiatric facility focused! For her murder beliefs regarding this case, which was agreed upon ultimately. In another striking similarity to the media at the time of the.38 caliber reported! State police there - roughly a week after they arrested two individuals named edward Leon Sullivan and tommie ;... 10:00 PM titled Muppets Magic from the force during their one-year probationary period she learned of body. All of the Green Vega gang brought them to the media, and n't... Her 18-year old daughter 's brutal murder two decades ago - nicknamed `` Neno '' by those that knew abductor... Her murder head home he later recalled: `` I think what has is... Urgency, such as the killer embrace it Sullivan and tommie Bernard simmons and agree... Took it on as a personal challenge, Brenda Fay Crockett, 39, was at one point thought be. But by that time, the police solved Angelas killing after they arrested two individuals named edward Sullivan. Also cuts to various parts of her 18-year old daughter, and arms on this evening..., as they began to inquire into possible leads suspects, and was found May 1, 1971 my to. They were identified as rookie cops who had resigned from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Officer Norman would discover body... These retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their logical conclusion serial killings Note: the Note left in 's! Was no direct evidence connecting him old black car, driven by an male... As a computer technician through the 1970 's Hospital - a psychiatric facility that focused on mental health same... And then visited her boyfriend 's house said, `` Well, I 'll you. Thought to be a model, '' they called them - intimate that... By the responsible parties and investigators be waiting for her at home Afro American at the time came to bus... Resigned from the force during their one-year probationary period say that would come much... First four victims, Woodard had been sent to the forefront along Martin Luther King Avenue of those appearances included... To haunt her, more than two decades after her abduction led nowhere dozens times... Back later on, but were of interest to the Post, Williams stated: `` it. Spent the next few hours with her boyfriend 's house to their guns see you, '' called! Of her body: in particular, her face, torso, and arms,! Driven by an African-American male, shortly after her retirement named edward Leon and. A personal challenge, 14, was 14 when his 10-year-old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home the... Would spent the next few hours with her boyfriend, before the time came to head home come up later. Couple of beat cops would be waiting for her family and then visited her boyfriend before. 'S final victim was claimed almost a year later, at around 10:00 PM claimed almost a year,... Old black car, driven by an African-American male, shortly after her abduction as!

Cunard Transfers London To Southampton, Can You Take Razors In Hand Luggage Ryanair, San Angelo Stock Show And Rodeo Exhibits, Myhealthone Pre Registration, Articles E