edward sullivan and tommie simmons. 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. They didn't want to let their lives be forever ruined because of the actions of one mad killer, and joined together to combat that. Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home. Her thoughts seemed to be scattered, and she gave concerning details about her whereabouts. The fact that this victim had been stabbed multiple times pointed to this being a separate incident - perhaps one perpetrated by an individual that wasn't connected to the first four crimes. In return, they could pick up a soda for themselves. In addition to all of these violent details, it was also discovered during this autopsy that the victim, Carol, had likely been kept alive after her disappearance (which police were now ruling an abduction). Some people believe that the Phantom himself called in tips to mislead police and stall the investigation. 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. Despite all of the tentative connections investigators had made between Askins and the Freeway Phantom crimes, there was no direct evidence connecting him. 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. 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. So he began scouring for anything that fit the bill and, surprisingly, found something. Despite our law enforcement agencies being given so many resources, this piece of evidence seemed to sit in a perpetual backlog, where both local and federal agencies were either unable or unwilling to test it. This time, the call would be answered by Brenda's mother's boyfriend, who had returned to the news of the first call. of Victims Where Are They Now. However, later that night, an employee of Safeway would state that they found those same items outside of the store, scattered along the street. 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. 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. Authorities could never conclusively link Edward and Tommie with the other killings and mark them as the Phantom Freeway killer. 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. This has yet to be verified. She told her mom that she was going to be staying the night at the rec center, as they were hosting a sleepover event for kids that would stretch into the following morning. 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. This was less than two miles away from Diane's home. especiAlly women. "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. Their mother, Allenteen - a strict disciplinarian - was heading out to visit a nearby relative. Prosecutors at the time said there was no evidence linking the pair to the other slayings. 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). She hopped on the next bus, and that is when her trail went cold. and indicating she was alone in a house with a white male. The same coroner would state that she had been sexually assaulted before her death. Want to Read. Tommy Musgrove joined the MPDC in 1972, and eventually climbed up the ranks enough to head the entire homicide unit. . Some leads were easily proven not to be viable, while others required substantial investigation. The Phantom would abduct them, usually when they were on their way to or returning from work or an errand. He walked her to a bus stop nearby, along Martin Luther King Avenue. [5] Her stepfather asked her to have the man come to the phone. She was heading home from a friend's home late at-night, in the middle of the summer, and her body was discovered the following morning, out in Waldorf, Maryland. He identified the man who gave him the information, the date and location of the crime, and signature detail which was not provided to the public, but which was known only to the perpetrator, and to detectives. There was virtually no other way, with the victim's physical features having decomposed after days of exposure to humid, swamp-like temperatures. By that point, investigators admitted that the Barnes case was not connected to the other six murders, and they did not believe that Sellman or Simmons had anything to do with the crime spree. Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. You see, not only was he a current employee of St. Elizabeth's Hospital - a psychiatric facility that focused on mental health. 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. Both Ms. Johnson and Ms. Crockett were victims of the so-called Freeway Phantom homicides.". All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. 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. He owned many scarves which belonged to women, which were described as "soiled." This conviction was overturned in 1958. 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. Police would use that hair over the coming years to test for suspect validity, but were unsuccessful in linking them to anyone. Likely, it had been dictated to her by the killer. [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. She was the region's first female homicide detective - a feat made all the more incredible when you factor in Jenkins' ethnicity. 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. Angela Denise Barnes was a 14-year old that disappeared on July 12th, 1971, just days after Darlenia Johnson had gone missing. It was only now, following the murder of Nenomoshia Yates, that the deaths of these four young black girls was officially linked. Unfortunately, they would be unable to link these to any particular victims. We know that Carol made it to the store - a 7-Eleven along Wheeler Road - because a clerk working that evening later told police that they sold the girl some items - TV dinners, bread, and some soda - before watching her leave. 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. 7 The Alphabet Killer Photo Credit: calafellvalo / Flickr Like the case of Dr. how many inches of rain did lincoln nebraska get; jojo script in japanese; 21 day weather forecast lanzarote puerto del carmen; He would spent the next several years inside an actual prison, until he was released in January of 1958 - due not to a completion of his sentence or any kind of parole, but a legal snaffu that resulted in his freedom. From this, the detectives hypothesized that she might have known her killer, which led to her not being under compulsion while writing the note. That year, a 24-year old woman was abducted at gunpoint by Robert Askins, and taken back to his home. The Freeway Phantom has been described as a loner motivated by rage that was focused on overall society. It's the story of six black girls, who were all abducted and brutally murdered over the span of a year-and-a-half. Diane Williams's slaying in September 1972 was believed to have been the last. Robert Elwood Askins was a middle-aged black man that worked at St. Elizabeth's Hospital as a computer technician through the 1970's. Where Are They Now? Unfortunately, an autopsy of the remains wouldn't be very efficient at locating any specific details. After having dinner with a high school classmate on November 15, 1971, Woodard,[10] 18, from Baltimore boarded a city bus around 11:30 pm to return to her Maryland Avenue home. Hours after the body had been discovered, when police had roped off the scene, she would unknowingly stumble upon the commotion. 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. After all, Brenda had asked specifically "Did my mother see me?" They didn't even get out of the car to look for the remains, before using their radio to call in "10-8" (aka "nothing to see here"). 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 . Despite happening just a few years after the Freeway Phantom murders, the case of the Lyon sisters was worked on constantly over the years, and everything regarding the case was well-documented and preserved a far cry from the haphazard way the Freeway Phantom crime spree was investigated. A 17-year-old Ballou High School senior, Williams cooked dinner for her family and then visited her boyfriend's house. Nonetheless, doubt continues to linger over the case, and the potential involvement of the Green Vega Rapists. Despite their differences in beliefs regarding this case, Trainum and Jenkins agree on a number of things regarding the Freeway Phantom. Infuriated, this caller called their boss and let them know about the police inactivity. Winona. 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. Like the first victim, Carol Spinks, experts were able to find small green fibers on the clothing, which hinted at some link between the two cases. 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. Investigators would continue to ponder this theory over the coming months, as they began to inquire into possible leads. Yazoo City. The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb. Like the other murder victims, Neno had been strangled to death. Despite more than 25 D.C. police officer being handed over to the investigative effort at one point, this sentiment is shared by at least one high-ranking police officer - who worked for the department at the time of the murders. There, she was sexually assaulted and beaten, before being freed by her kidnapper. wheN you cAtch me iF you cAn! Here was a lead, that was as promising as any thus far, which had now evaporated into nothing. [23] Logical investigation and intimate knowledge of the modus operandi of the Green Vega Gang brought them to the forefront. 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. We found 15 records for Tom Sullivan in Maumee, Holland and 10 other cities in Ohio. After that announcement, the inmate who provided the information declined any further interviews, and denied that he had ever provided any information. He didn't want to be left in the dust, but agreed to speak to investigators only if they kept his name out of it. Coroners would later note that the strangulation was excessive, with the girl's esophagus having been broken. Edward Simmons in North Carolina We found 46 records for Edward Simmons in Charlotte, Tarboro and 29 other cities in North Carolina. The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be verifiable. To police, this explained the defensive wounds on her hands, and the stab wounds themselves. ". Numerous investigative tips came from the general public by a telephone hotline operated by theMetropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia(MPDC) and information also came by way of the mail. Regardless, both of these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their guns. [17] A few hours later, her strangled body was discovered dumped alongside I-295, just south of the District line. I can only guess if police investigated him for any involvement in the Freeway Phantom crimes, but it was theorized in the same article that he wasn't the real killer - just perhaps taking the credit to scare his victim. This seems to hint at some connection between Reatha, her mother, and the abduction itself. A missing persons report was filed, and Darlenia Johnson's case was tentatively labeled an abduction. This was beyond the date of the known killer's crime spree, and was ruled out as a possible connection due to a lack of evidence, but remains a real possibility. It was around 9:20 PM that this call came in, approximately two or so hours after Brenda had left for the store. Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, List of fugitives from justice who disappeared, List of serial killers in the United States, "DNA discovery could solve 1972 Freeway Phantom slaying", "Up to $150,000 Reward "Freeway Phantom" Murders", "Why the Freeway Phantom Still Hasn't Been Caught", "Black Ex-Cops Arrested In. godzilla, mothra twins. They were identified as rookie cops who had resigned from the force during their one-year probationary period. A second call would be received at the family's home a short time later, at around 10:00 PM. County, Maryland. During these interviews, one gang member initially implicated another gang member, who he said told him he was involved and gave information as to one of the beltway homicides. But ours have been forgotten.". During their correspondence, Askins continued to deny having any part in the Freeway Phantom murders, stating that he did not have: " the depravity of mind required to commit any of the crimes.". james liston pressly; Tags . D.C. Phantom Murder", "Six black girls were brutally murdered in the early '70s. As you can guess, this early nickname would stick and soon, the killer himself seemed to embrace it. 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. 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. 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. [9] As with the other cases, her shoes were missing and unidentified green fibers would also be found on her clothing. Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons Sullivan and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. 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. Askins remains one of the most popular suspects in the media, and many of the original detectives heavily favored him as the Freeway Phantom. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. In the middle of July 1971, an employee of the D.C. Department of Highways and Traffic began experiencing car troubles. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by MPDC Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, atLorton Prisonin Virginia, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with the successful prosecutions of those crimes in theSuperior Court of the District of Columbia. Detective James Trainum last worked on the case in 2009, and as far as he knew, Maryland State Police had received the evidence but done nothing with it. The conversation carried on like this for a moment, with Brenda not seeming to have any real information to give. Since then, the police department found the bodies of 6 more minor black girls, all of whom were strangled, assaulted, and shoes missing. 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. They both believe that the killer was a young black man, who was able to fit into the neighborhood he committed his abductions. Not only was Johnson's body found incredibly close to the area that Spinks had been recovered - their bodies had been found a grand total of fifteen feet apart from one another. It's very possible that he had nothing to do with the Freeway Phantom crimes, but his name is one I haven't seen mentioned before, and thought it worth bringing up. No. "She had said she wanted to be a model," Harper, now 81, said of her niece. An examination of Brenda's clothing would find two different hair samples: one of which, authorities stated, belonged to a Caucasian man. This is tantamount to my insensitivity to people, especially women. Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons. Yeah, that came back into play roughly 30 years later, in 2002, when Trainum submitted that piece of evidence for forensic testing. It's even possible to imply that Brenda's last words in the phone call - the reflexive "I'll see you" comment - were indicative of her being close to home. Death Notices and Obituaries in the Buffalo News 2010 by Name He would receive a life sentence, and ended up spending several decades inside a penitentiary. In April 1939, Askins was found criminally insane and committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. There were also cuts to various parts of her body: in particular, her face, torso, and arms. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled, her body dumped about 200 yards south of the Suitland Parkway near Interstate 295. Brenda's 7-year old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood. Freeway Phantom If the killer fit this profile, and was in his 20's or 30's, it is possible that he is still alive. It was rumored in the days after Darlenia's disappearance that her mother would receive phone calls at odd hours, with the person on the other end of the line taunting her. This was just a stone's throw away from the first two abduction scenes - those of Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson - from more than a year beforehand. The Freeway Phantom case has seen a myriad of investigators and garnered much interest over the years. As it was with all of the other murdered girls, she simply did her best to stay in-the-loop, and watched the investigation unfold from afar. Union. Male Pathology Likewise, Lewis Crockett - Brenda's father - states that he was never able to emotionally recover from the death of his daughter. I will Admit the others 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. [20], Common practice at the time was that case files at MPDC Detective Divisions were retained by the detectives assigned to the case. All had been killed by a mysterious killer - or group of killers - who seemed to embrace the nickname that the media gave them. She had been killed in 1971 - wedged in-between the 2nd and 3rd murders - but unlike the others, she had been murdered via gunshot. 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. These were the type of cases that her male colleagues tried to avoid. She, however, had been 18 years old, and likely much more aware of what was happening to her. However, the scarf that had been used to do so was still wrapped around her neck, knotted in the middle. Brenda Faye Crockett was a 10-year old girl that lived with her family in Northwest, about a block away from Cardozo High School. His information seemed legitimate, albeit somewhat scattered, and investigators took his words seriously. Homicide detective Lloyd Davis proceeded to question Askins and learned that he had been charged with murder on several previous occasions. They made appearances at public events, and tried to keep up with the investigation, hoping to bolster one another and present a brave face. Robert Askins would be sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital shortly thereafter, until he was mentally fit enough to stand trial. In her teenage years, as a result of her sister and best friend's tragic death, she ended up turning to drugs as an escape - a rabbit hole she would struggle to escape over several years of her life. She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. Note: The note left in Woodward's pocket claimed that the Phantom killed additional victims. Organized Trainum was able to recover many of the documents from the Maryland State Police - who had carefully stored the files - but had no idea what had been lost in the preceding decades. edward sullivan and tommie simmonsmark anthony ontario. This statement seems to imply that the investigators had either not properly expressed their investigation to the loved ones of the victims, or had simply failed to take their feelings into account. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! In addition, Darlenia Johnson - just like Carol Spinks - had been found in the clothes she was wearing when she went missing, but was missing her shoes. When he returned nearly a year later - in September of 1972 - he had lashed out at another victim in the neighborhood of Congress Heights. Read. 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