Vickie Lynn Harrell was from Linton, Indiana. She was 25 years old
and lived in Bloomington. Working as a clerk at k-mart in 1972, she was
recently divorced. Some reports mentioned that she was a mother, while
others leave no mention of her personal life.
Vickie Lynn Harrell was reported missing after not returning home on
August 12, 1972. Her roommate reported her missing. It seems as though,
in typical seventies fashion, the police immediately wrote the woman off
as a run away or that she left on her own accord. From newspaper
articles at the time, or really the lack thereof, there was no search
for the missing woman. The only one searching was her poor roommate.
The day before what would have been her 26th birthday, Vickie was
found by a member of the Owen County Highway Department. Her naked body
was discovered at 1:30 on August 14, 1972. Her clothing or any of her
belongings were not found with the body. Her car was found at a shopping
center.
The body was three miles from Spencer. It was apparent from the area
that the body had been dumped in the water filled ditch and that the
murder had not been committed in this area. Upon examination of the
body, it was determined that she had been raped and strangled. Initials
had also been carved into Vickie's torso.
As quickly as Vickie's story became news, it quickly faded from the
papers. Owen County had a lot happen that year. The investigation was
put on the back burner because the jail caught fire, there was a jail
break, and a suicide occurred at the jail. According to the "lead
investigator" the Sheriff's department was under staffed.
Yet, three other agencies were also investigating the case and made
no progress. Part of this is because Vickie was painted to be an unwed
mother who was a known drinker and the public had no sympathy. Out of
the four agencies, the Owen County Sheriff's Department, Bloomington
Police, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and the State Police, one of
them believed that Vickie's killer was already confined to a mental
facility and was untouchable as of 1974.
When Lt. Ralph Shumaker, of the Indiana State Police, took over the
case he was working on a theory. The transient theory was a favorite. It
was believed that Vickie might have fallen victim to a serial killer.
Similar murders allegedly occurred in Pennsylvania and Maryland between
1969-1971, I was unable to find these when going through newspaper
archives. The murders had the same method of killing and the victims
were all taken from college towns. The bodies all had initials carved
into them, but they were different letters.
With so much time gone, it is hard to believe and maintain hope that
Vickie's case will ever be solved. In hopes that someone knows
somethings and is ready to talk, I ask that anyone with information on
Vickie's case to call the Indiana State Police.
_____________Sources_________________
"Columnist Calls for Jury Probe." The Terre Haute Tribune. January 1974.
"Initials Carved in Woman's Body." Journal and Courier. Lafayette, Indiana. August 1972.
"ISP Detective Asks Public to Help Solve Case." Stevens, Howard. The Terre Haute Tribune. October 1972.
"Murder Victim Also Raped." Anderson Herald. Anderson, Indiana. August 1972.
"Nude, Mutilated Body of Missing Woman is Found." The Indianapolis Star. August 1972.
"Slain Woman Formerly Lived Here." Linton Daily Citizen. Linton, Indiana. August 1972.
"Young Clerk's Death Still Haunts Lawmen." The Indianapolis News. September 1973
A Study of Indiana Cold Cases
Cold cases from Indiana discussed, mapped, and brought back into public eye. In this book, every chapter is a new case with new victims. From Burger Chef to Lauren Spierer, I cover all types of unsolved cases. Theories and serial killer studies included.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Maoma Ridings
It was August of 1943 and American patriotism is at a high. With World
War II came new privileges and responsibilities for women outside of the
home. Women could hold jobs and stay single longer. While divorce
wasn't as accepted as it is now, it was more accepted than ever before.
Once Maoma was stationed at Camp Atterbury and divorced from her husband, she would frequently take a trip to Indianapolis on her weekend furloughs. She was known to carry large sums of money on these trips. Many people said that Maoma would frequent parties during these trips.
The murder remains unsolved even today. Maoma Riding's murder most likely will never be solved. Her killer is more than likely dead him or herself. Anyone who has information is still asked to contact police and authorities.
As always feel free to contact me via email at studyofindianacoldcases@gmail.com. Follow me on twitter @ColdIndiana. If you ever think that you have information related to a case please contact the proper authorities a tip made in good faith is always a positive thing. Thanks for reading and I am sorry that some of your emails did not get replied to, they were sitting in my spam folder for some reason.
During the war, the
Women's Army Corp was created. This gave women the opportunity to serve
the country in "appropriate" roles. The lovely, once-divorced Maoma
Ridings was a member of the Women's Army Corps in 1943. She worked as a
physical therapist at Camp Atterbury, just outside of Edinburgh,
Indiana.
Maoma was born in Warm
Springs, Georgia as Maoma Little. She worked as a therapist at the Warm
Springs Infantile Paralysis Foundation in her early adult life before
joining the Women's Army Corps. During her time at the foundation, she
had the privilege of serving as a nurse to a patient who later became a
notable figure of the time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was treated
for polio at the foundation and fell in love with Warm Springs, Georgia.
Once Maoma was stationed at Camp Atterbury and divorced from her husband, she would frequently take a trip to Indianapolis on her weekend furloughs. She was known to carry large sums of money on these trips. Many people said that Maoma would frequent parties during these trips.
On August 28, Maoma was
granted furlough and she embarked on her normal trip to Indianapolis for
a weekend of frivolity. She had scheduled a date with a Corporal
Emmanuel Fisher, that was to take place around 6 or 6:30.
Upon her arrival in
Indianapolis, Maoma purchased a fifth of whisky at a local liquor store.
It was about 4:45 in the afternoon, when the purchase was made. She
then checked into her room between 5 and 5:15. By 5:30, she was settled
in and had called for room service.
Maoma was known to be a
generous tipper, which may have been why the hotel staff seemed to
remember her well. A bellboy arrived delivering the soda pop that she
had ordered. Happy with the delivery, she tipped him 25 cents.
Shortly after this
encounter, Maoma would call and request ice. It would be delivered by
Robert Wolfington, a bellboy, at about 6:15. She also tipped him 25
cents. While delivering the ice, Wolfington claimed to have spotted a
dark-haired woman dressed in black lounging on the bed.
Corporal Emmanuel Fisher
had been running late that evening. He attempted to call Maoma's room
at 6:30, but no one answered. He had assumed that since he was running
late, she had simply found someone else to go out with for the evening.
The two weren't going steady so it wasn't a big deal.
At eight that evening, a
house keeper was doing her rounds on the seventh floor of the Claypool
hotel. She came to room 729 and knocked on the door. With no response,
she unlocked the door so that she could complete the tidying.
In no way was she
prepared for the horrendous scene before her eyes. Next to the bed, in a
pool of her own blood, was the body half-naked of Maoma Ridings along
with a quarter not far from her hand. After rushing to call an operator
so that the scene was reported to police, the housekeeper returned to
room 729 and laid a sheet over the lower half of the body to preserve
the woman's dignity.
Originally, the military
had taken control of the investigation, but decided two days later that
the case belonged to the Indianapolis Police Department. This
complicated matters and it seems that vital evidence, such as finger
prints because DNA wasn't being used yet, may have been lost or simply
not collected.
Ultimately, after some
debate, the cause of death was determined to be a blow to the head. The
blow came from the very whiskey bottle that Maoma had purchased earlier
in the evening. When an x-ray was taken, no skull fractures were found.
There were lacerations on her neck, torso, and wrists. These were
believed to have been made from the broken pieces of the whiskey bottle.
The examination revealed
that while the jugular had been cut, it had not been severed. Also, the
cuts inflicted on the victim's wrist were inflicted post-mortem. Police
thought that this may have been done to try to stage the murder to look
like a suicide. When the contents of Maoma's stomach was examined, it
showed that she had consumed approximately 10 ounces of 100 proof
whiskey shortly before her death.
The examination
determined that prior to her death Maoma had intercourse. The experts
said that they were unable to tell from the body whether or not she had
been raped or had consented to the act. Investigators like Saul Raab
believed that she had been raped prior to her death. This conclusion
mostly came from the violent way in which she was murdered and the fact
that she was found nude from the waist down.
Another possible motive
other than rape was robbery. While Maoma was known for carrying large
sums of money, only 46 cents was found in her room. This would not have
been enough to cover the cost of her room at the Claypool.
At this point the
investigation takes off and muddles itself very quickly. Police received
a note on September 1, 1943 that they originally thought was a clue,
but was later believed to just be a publicity seeker. The day after the
murder a bloody pair of trousers were dropped off at a dry-cleaners and
the shop-worker called police. The pants owner came forward and declared
that he got blood on them when he had "a friendly scuffle" with his
wife. Little pieces of information continued to pop up and blur the line
between fact and fiction.
The Six Suspects
Robert A. Watts:
Wiona Kidd and William Luallen: photographs unavailable
Jack Anderson Wilson (the black dahlia theory):
Marie Simpson (drunk woman): Photograph unavailable
Robert De Armon: photograph unavaliable
Robert Wolfington (the Bellboy):
As the investigation
into Maoma's death continued, investigators ran out of steam quickly.
Rumors swirled that the military was not cooperating and sharing
information, as if they were trying to cover something up. Meanwhile,
the federal government offered FBI lab services because President
Roosevelt had been fond of Maoma when she was his nurse while he was
being treated for Polio.
The suspect list grew
quickly. Some suspects made the list for numerous reasons. Some fit the
"profile," while others were in the wrong place at the right time. More
bizarrely numerous individuals confessed to the crime and put themselves
and others on the list. Stranger yet is the theory that Maoma's killer
is the same man that some believe is responsible for The Black Dahlia
Murder.
The first suspect that I
wanted to talk about is Robert A. Watts. Watts appears to have made the
list because he fits the profile and it would have been easy to pin the
murder on him. He grew up in the slums of Indianapolis at the time. His
father was absent and his mother was a known drunk, according to
neighbors. Some would later attribute his long rap sheet to these
factors.
Watts confessed to the
murders of two Indianapolis women in 1948. These murders were classified
as "sex-murders," meaning that the motive was rape. Interestingly, Saul
Rabb was the judge for Watt's murder trial. Saul was also one of the
head investigators in Maoma's case. The fact that the three murders had
involved sexual assault was the connecting factor.
It was revealed upon
Watts' arrest that he had a long rap sheet for sexual assault and
attempted sexual assault. He was a city employee at the time. His
conviction was the driving force behind the city requiring
fingerprinting for all of its employees.
When Watts was found
guilty of the murder of Mrs. Mary Lois Burney, he was sentenced to
death. Hours prior to being put to death in the electric chair, Watts
ate a last meal of fried chicken and met with a spiritual advisor. He
was also questioned about the murder of Maoma Ridings at the time. He
denied any involvement. With nothing to lose, there is no reason for him
to not confess.
The next suspect I want
to cover is actually a pair. William Luallen and Wiona Kidd had been
married and in love, until William was sentenced to serve ten to twenty
years for larceny. Upon his sentencing, Wiona filed for divorce.
Fourteen months after
the murder of Maoma Ridings, William Luallen confessed to prison
officials that he had killed Maoma and his wife had been the woman in
black seen in the room at the Claypool. He claimed that they had met
Maoma at a few parties on the weekends prior to her death. When he
describing the murder to the police, he said that he did not get blood
on his clothing, but only on his hands. He stated that he wiped his
hands on the back wall of the closet in Room 729 of the Claypool hotel.
Meanwhile, Wiona Kidd
had gone back to Knoxville, Tennessee where she was from. At this time
Indianapolis Police officers had burglary charges pending against Wiona.
Police had already picked Wiona up for the burglary charge. She waived
her extradition back to Indiana.
She was quoted as saying
"if he knows so much about it, he must have done it himself," when she
was asked about what she thought of William's confession. She denied any
involvement. William would later withdraw his confession and claim his
ex-wife had not involvement. He stated that he didn't want her to be
able to run around with other men while he was locked up.
Third possible suspect
is the most unlikely in my opinion. Jack Anderson Wilson was not a
police named suspect, or at least not that I could find after hours of
research. Instead, Wilson has been the subject of many books and the
fixation of many authors since his death in 1982.
In numerous books,
Wilson has "been tied" to the Cleveland Torso Murders, the murder of
Georgette Bauerdorf, The Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short), Maoma Ridings,
and numerous others. Some authors even claimed that Wilson was a member
of the mob. Wilson became sensationalized and it is as if truth and
fiction co-mingle when telling his story.
In the book
"Corroborating Evidence," which can be found in the source list for part
one, the author claims that Wilson was a cross-dresser. His
cross-dressing allowed for him to be the woman in black that had been
seen in Maoma's hotel room just shortly before her murder. It seems like
a stretch to me, but we will never know. Wilson died in a hotel fire in
1982.
The fourth possible
suspect was Marie Simpson. Simpson admitted to the murder during a
display of public drunkenness. Marie was charged with vagrancy at the
time, so that police would be able to hold her. This charge was meant to
discourage homelessness originally, but was often abused during this
time. Police often used this charge to hold poor individuals when they
were suspects in a different crime.
She was 27 years old at
the time and admitted to knowing Robert Wolfington, one of the Claypool
bellboys, for three years. Her confession didn't match the facts or
evidence in the case. So she was removed from the suspect list.
The final two suspects
are the most compelling in my opinion. If one of these suspects
committed the murder, he was not working with the other. I simply saved
them for the end because the two were the most heavily questioned.
Robert Wolfington, the
23 year old bellboy, was a suspect of convenience. He was the last
person to admit seeing Maoma alive in her room, when he delivered ice to
the room. When police went through hotel records and didn't have
paperwork for the ice request, Robert was made a formal suspect.
In order to hold Robert,
the police charged him with vagrancy. A judge ordered that his bond be
set at $2,500. Police officers would end up grilling him in 7 hour
intervals without ceasing. It was during this type of interrogation that
it was discovered that Wolfington had attempted suicide in the year
prior to the murder. The reason for his attempt was the breakdown and
eventual end of his marriage.
Police latched on to
this information because whoever killed Maoma slit her wrist after her
death to make it look like a suicide. It's important to note that
Wolfington did not slit his his wrist in his attempt. From my research,
it seems like he tried to poison himself.
Eventually, it was
established that it was common practice for the bellboys to take room
service orders directly, some of the heat was taken off of Wolfington.
He had cooperated and been extremely straight-forward with investigators
throughout the process. On September 3, 1943, he was released and no
longer classified as a "serious" suspect.
Meanwhile, in the
background of the newspaper articles, a more sinister suspect lurked.
His name was Robert De Armond. The man worked at the hotel as a steward
during the day and at a local amusement park in the evenings. On the day
that Maoma was murdered he clocked out of the hotel at 3:18pm and
didn't arrive for work at the amusement park until 7:34 that evening.
Robert's lack of an
alibi is not the only the only thing that made him a compelling suspect.
Maoma had intercourse, more than likely was raped, prior to her death.
This fit Robert's bill.
Ten years earlier, in
1934, Robert was a 30 year old school teacher at Franklin County
Schools. He was married and had a small child. Life was good. That was
until, he raped a ten year old girl in Brookville, Indiana. He was
tried, convicted,and sentenced to two to twenty years in a state prison.
In 1939, he was
transferred from the prison to a state mental hospital to serve his
sentence. The superintendent of the facility stated that Robert
responded well to treatment, but still showed "marked sexual
tendencies." One might speculate that these tendencies either involved
rape, violence, or pedophilia. Robert also escaped the same facility
during his stay, but was quickly recaptured.
In April of 1943, Robert
was released into the custody of his father. His father was required to
write and submit reports about him to the state. Robert began working
at the Claypool Hotel two months prior to the murder.
He was arrested on
September 3, 1943, on vagrancy charges, by the Indianapolis Police
Department. He was now 40 years old. The judge set his bail at $1,000.
Due to the vagrancy charge, Robert had violated his parole and was going
to go back to prison. While in custody, he escaped, but was captured
again without incident.
While in custody, Robert
was questioned about the murder of Maoma Ridings. It was observed that
he had a large cut on his left hand. He could provide no explanation of
the cut. When officers questioned him about what he had done between the
hours of 3 and 7 that afternoon, he was incoherent and evasive.
Officers even took
Robert De Armond back to the Claypool. They asked him to walk them
through what he had done on the day of the murder. He refused to take
this serious and investigators were frustrated. As of October 1943, he
was ruled out as a suspect without explanation. He was never able to
account for his time that day.
The murder remains unsolved even today. Maoma Riding's murder most likely will never be solved. Her killer is more than likely dead him or herself. Anyone who has information is still asked to contact police and authorities.
________________Source_______________________
"At Your Leisure: The
Downfall of a Landmark." Jeff Kamm. HistoricIndianapolis.com. January
2015.
http://historicindianapolis.com/at-your-leisure-the-downfall-of-a-landmark/
"Bellboy Put on the Grill For Seven Hours." The Indianapolis Star. September 1943.
"Coded Letter in
Chandelier Offers New WAC Death Clew." The Franklin Evening Star.
September 1943.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3002822/clue_found_in_maoma_ridings_case/
"Corroborating Evidence." Rasmussen, William T. 2004. Available for Purchase.
"Divorcee Is Due Today For WAC Murder Quiz." The Indianapolis Star. October 1944.
"Ghost Hunter's Guide to Indianapolis." Page 89. Sankowsky, Lorri. Young, Keri. Pelican Publishing Company 2008.
"Historic Indianapolis Crimes: Murder and Mystery in the Circle City." Fred D. Cavidner. The Historic Press, 2010.
"Indiana Unsolved: The
1943 Murder of Cpl. Maoma Ridings at the upscale Claypool Hotel remains
a
mystery." Diana Penner. The Indy Star. October 2013.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2013/10/01/indiana-unsolved-the-1943-murder-of-cpl-maoma-ridings-at-the-upscale-claypool-hotel-remains-a-mystery/2901193/
"Indiana Unsolved: Maoma
Ridings Murder at the Claypool Hotel." The Indy Star. October 2013.
https://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/news/history/retroindy/2013/10/01/indiana-unsolved-maoma-ridings-murder-at-the-claypool-hotel/2902219/
"Jack Anderson Wilson."
The Black Dahlia Murder: The 1947 Murder of Elizabeth Short.
http://blackdahlia.web.unc.edu/jack-anderson-wilson/
"Maoma Little Ridings." Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125470671/maoma-ridings#
"Question Woman of WAC Slaying." The Call-leader Newspaper. Elwood, Indiana. October 1944.
"Sheriff Studies His Confession." Wildhack, William H. The Indianapolis News. October 1944.
"#TBT: August 8, 1943-
The Corporal Maoma L. Ridings Murder; Case #24670-A." IMPD NEWS Facebook
Page. https://www.facebook.com/IMPDNews/posts/954165531301345
"The Kingsbury Run
Murders: a.k.a The Torso Murders." The Cleveland Police Museum.
http://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/
"WAC Death Tale Denied." The Times. Munster, Indiana. October 1944.
"Woman Held as Slaying
Suspect." The Daily Banner. October
1944. https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=TDB19441026-01.1.1
"7 Hotel Mysteries That
Will Send Chills Down Your Spine." Janmejai Singh Rathore. Storypick.
September 2015. http://www.storypick.com/unsolved-hotel-mysteries/
"Attempt at Suicide by Wolfinton, WAC Slaying Suspect, Is Disclosed." The Indianapolis Star. September 1943.
"Bellhop is Grilled in WAC Slaying." The Franklin Evening Star. September 1943.
"Court Guards Increased as Escape Tip is Given." The Indianapolis News. January 1948.
"'Drunk' Woman Who Admitted to WAC Slaying Is Questioned." The Franklin Evening Star. September 1943.
"Hotel Employe Questioned In Slaying of WAC." The Times. Munster, Indiana. September 1943.
"Jack Anderson Wilson."
The Black Dahlia: The 1947 Murder of Elizabeth Short.
http://blackdahlia.web.unc.edu/jack-anderson-wilson/
"Judge Orders Slaying Case to Open Monday." The Indianapolis News. January 1948.
"Murder Mase is Still Big News in Capitol City." The Tipton Daily Tribune. September 1943.
"Paroled Rapist, Sentenced at Brookville, WAC Slaying Suspect." Palladium-Item. Richmond, Indiana. September 1943.
PODCAST:
The Trail Went Cold. Minisode 21. Maoma Ridings.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Trisha Meredith
On his twelfth birthday, Brandon Meredith buried his older sister. The event would forever set the tone of his birthdays. The loss of his sister forever changed Brandon's family.
A year later, Brandon lost his mother. His mother died due to a heart attack. Brandon claimed that it was caused by a broken heart. Their mother was unable to heal after the loss of her daughter.
April 7, 1989 was beautiful day in Indianapolis, Indiana. So nice that a group of people were playing golf on the west side of the city, not far from the Springhill Apartments. Sadly, the peaceful day would not stay that way.
Trisha Meredith was 19. Two weeks prior, she had moved into her first apartment with her boyfriend. She was looked up to by her siblings and other young girls in her neighborhood. Everyone who attended Ben Davis High School with Trisha only had good things to say about her.
At about 6 pm that night, Trisha and her boyfriend left their apartment and walked to the shared laundry facility at the apartment complex. The laundry facility is building one of the complex and has large bay windows, leaving the facility open to the view of the public. Trisha and her boyfriend placed their laundry into a washer.
While waiting on the laundry in the washer, which would take approximately 20 to 25 minutes, Trisha had her boyfriend return to the apartment to complete part of his "honey do list." While he was at the apartment, a relative called and he spoke the relative for about 30 to 45 minutes. Once he was off the phone, he decided to return to the laundry room. It appears as though it was so that Trisha would not have to carry the laundry back to the apartment alone.
Trisha's boyfriend immediately knew something horrible had occurred when he entered the laundry room. The linoleum floor was covered in blood. All of the blood led to a small utility closet, when he opened it, he found Trisha's body inside.
Bill Reardon was one of the first detectives on the scene and assigned to the case. Reardon noted that it appeared that Trisha had attempted to get away from her attacker by squeezing behind washing machines. The scene was heartbreaking.
Upon medical examination, it was determined that Trisha's murder was excessive. She had been stabbed approximately 24 times and her throat had been slit. She had not been sexually assaulted, but the manner in which her clothing was found suggests that it was the original intention of her attacker.
Bill Reardon has had two key suspects over the years. Originally, the boyfriend was a suspect, but he was quickly cleared leaving two suspects. Both suspects were men that lived in the apartment complex. One man was outside working on his vehicle. The other was seen on his balcony over looking the scene watching the investigation unfold. Both suspects have given statements putting themselves in laundry near the time of Trisha's murder, but neither has confessed.
With both of these suspects living in the complex, it would easily explain away any physical evidence attached to them being found in the laundry room. While DNA was not readily tested in 1989, investigators did follow up on it prior to 2012. With over 100 pieces of evidence, hope that the case would be solved was strong. Sadly, nothing came of it.
Despite this, Brandon Meredith vowed that he would not stop hunting for his sisters killer until he died. Bill Reardon, who is now the police chief at the Indianapolis International airport, also stated that he would never let the case go. In fact, he still keeps her file on his desk. Reardon covered more than 100 homicides in his years, but none stuck with him the way Trisha's did.
In 2012, Brandon Meredith passed away. Reports I read, stated that he died due to a heart attack and was found in his sisters home. With Brandon's passing it seems as though, Trisha's case has been forgotten by all, but Bill Reardon.
Reardon believes that someone knows something. In the words of Brandon Meredith, "you don't commit these types of crimes and never talk about it again...brag about it." Over the years people confide in others and relationships change. Hopefully someone the killer confided in, no longer is close to the monster and will turn him in.
Anyone with Information is asked to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at (317) 327-3811. You can also contact crime stoppers at (317) 262-8477.
______________Sources____________________________________
"Brandon Meredith." Youtube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9BbUrpnfcPaQ4hGQN-4Qw
"Brutal Murder of City Woman Subject of Crime Stoppers." Indianapolis Recorder. August 1986. http://indiamond6.ulib.iupui.edu/cdm/ref/collection/IRecorder/id/48696
"Cold Case: Westside Homicide remains unsolved 25 years later." Courtney Essett. The Flyer Group. http://www.flyergroup.com/news/local_news/cold-case-westside-homicide-remains-unsolved-years-later/article_4d4875b6-cc73-54e8-bf44-07f9ead1908f.html
"Detective Still Investigating 1989 Murder of Indy Teen." Russ McQuaid. Fox 59 News. http://fox59.com/2016/07/13/detective-still-investigating-1986-murder-of-indy-teen/
"Trisha Key Meredith was stabbed more than 20 times." Diana Penner. The Indianapolis Star. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/107933714/
Thursday, January 25, 2018
A House Fire
On October 31, 2008,
family and friends gathered at an Indianapolis funeral home to bury a
loved one, who at only 30 years old was gone too soon. Angela Fulcher
left behind her parents and a daughter. She was permanently taken from
her family on October 10, 2008.
In the early morning
hours of October 10th, firefighters responded to a house fire on the
East side of Indianapolis. The house was believed to be empty, until
neighbors informed responders that an individual might be inside. It was
then that the firefighters found the body of an approximately
six-months pregnant woman.
Police believed early
into the investigation that Angela, who had yet to be identified, was
the victim of homicide. When K-9's were brought into the house it was
indicated that a accelerant had been used.
It would be almost two
weeks after the fire before investigators would announce that the
remains had been identified as those of Angela Fulcher. DNA test were
conducted to see if Angela was the victim after family came forward.
Family members contacted police after they had lost contact with Angela
and seeing news coverage of the finding of the remains.
It was later determined
that Angela Fulcher had been strangled prior to the home being set on
fire. The fire was more than likely a means of covering up the murder.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Indianapolis Metro-Police Department. You can reach them at (317) 327-3375.
_____________Sources______________________________________________________
"Angela Fulcher." Obituary. The Indianapolis Star. October 29, 2008.
"Angela Fulcher." Indiana Cold Cases & Missing Persons. RTV 6 The Indy Channel.
"Body of Pregnant Woman Found in Burned House." October 10, 2008. The Indy Channel RTV6.
"Pregnant Woman Identified as Fire Victim." October 24, 2008. WTHR 13.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Nancy Lyons
On June 17, 2002,
Beverly Tallent-Lyons got a call she would never forget. She was at her
home in Louisville, Kentucky when she received a call that her younger
sister, Nancy Lyons who was 46 at the time, missing. Her younger
sister's car had been found on a rural road in Indiana.
The car had been found
at the corner of County Road 700 west and County road 500 north in Rush
County. Idling in park, the car had been abandoned. One tire on the
vehicle was flat and the car was unlocked. Nothing in the vehicle looked
to be disturbed.
Nancy's purse, ID, and
cellphone were present. Along with her personal affects, the recent
purchases she had made from Wal-Mart were still in the car. Nancy was
the only thing missing.
The family, community,
and police began searching for Nancy immediately. Within the first two
weeks, no progress was made. Cadaver dogs were brought in to the area
where the vehicle had bee located, but they were unable to locate any
traces of Nancy.
It would be October of
2002 before the family would hear anything about where Nancy might be.
On October 2 in Bartholomew County, a farmer reported to police that he
had found skeleton remains in his soybean field. The field was
approximately 30 miles from where her car had been located months
earlier.
These remains would
later be identified as those of Nancy Lyons. Upon further examination of
the remains, it was apparent that she had succumbed to blunt force
trauma to the skull. It was not apparent as to whether or not sexual
assault had occurred. This might have been due to the advanced stages of
decomposition of the remains.
Beverly began to feel
that the investigation had been hindered. She made it known that
believed that mistakes early in the investigation led to the case not
being solved in a more timely manner. In order to draw attention to her
cause she launched a letter writing campaign. Over 500 letters were
written according to my research. The letters were sent to politicians
and people of power all over the United States. One of these letters
even was sent to Canadian authorities.
Beverly won the time of
the State Police in late 2006 or early 2007. State Police turned over
evidence to the FBI's crime lab for investigation. They had hoped that
by getting assistance with the case, the case would be solved. Upon the
return of the results, Beverly was scheduled to meet with investigators
and the prosecutor, nothing came from this meeting.
No person of interest
has been publicly named in the case and the case is still considered
active by State Police. Anyone with information is asked to contact the
Indiana State Police. They can be contacted at 1-812-689-5000
or 1-765-778-2121.
________________Sources___________________________
"6 Years Later, Family Hopes Woman's Killer Will be Caught." RTV 6. June 12, 2008. https://www.theindychannel.com/news/6-years-later-family-hopes-woman-s-killer-will-be-caught
"Cold Cases: Lyons Homicide not only unsolved investigation." Caitlin VanOverberghe. Daily Reporter. June 27, 2017. http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/2017/06/28/cold_cases/
"Family Hopes for Break in Case." Jeff Eakins. The Banner. June 27, 2007. http://thebanneronline.com/archive_news/2007/06/27/family-hopes-for-break.htm
"Family Marks Anniversary of Unsolved Slaying." Caitlin Overberghe. Greenfield Daily Reporter. June 27, 2017. http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/2017/06/28/still_searching-2/
"Nancy Lyons." Indiana State Police Database. http://www.in.gov/isp/2620.htm
"The Nancy Lyons Project." Frank Denzler. Rushville Republican. June
13,
2012. http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/news/local_news/the-nancy-lyons-project/article_a467cef1-c4f5-54ef-a540-d4548afa4992.html
When Does Existence End?
On September 5, 1988 at
three in the morning, it was about 57 degrees. The quiet early morning
hours in Washington, Indiana were interrupted by a house set a blaze.
Oak Grove Road runs through the town and into the rural area around the
town.
The house that was on
fire was rented by 22 year old Steven Hendricks. Steven had moved his
girlfriend into the home approximately two weeks prior to the morning in
question. His girlfriend was Rebecca Harvey who was 18 at the time.
Upon responding the
fire, authorities found that the house was burning at such a high
temperature that it scorched and caused the paint on the vehicles in the
driveway to crack and pop. Steven's vehicles were all accounted for in
the driveway.
The presence of the
vehicles and the lack of anyone being outside the home led authorities
to looking for individuals in the home that was on fire. Once the fire
was put out, a single set of remains were found inside the home.
The remains that were
found on the bed in the bedroom of the home belonged to Rebecca Harvey.
Upon further examination it was determined that she had been doused with
gas prior to the fire being set and her death. Ultimately, it was
determined that Rebecca was killed due to injuries from the fire.
Investigators were able
to determine that the fire that had called them to the home in the early
morning hours of September 5 of 1988 was arson. The fire was started
under the bed where Rebecca's remains were found.
Steven was not found in
the home; meanwhile, all of his personal belongings were found in the
home. His wallet, boots, and clothing was in the home at the time of the
fire. None of Steven's vehicles were missing. He never showed up to
collect his last check from the body shop where he worked or to collect
his tools.
Police believe that
Steven is a victim of foul play. My first instinct with this case is
that the Steven should be looked at as a suspect, but the more research I
did (with very few resources) I realized that officers must be keeping a
crucial piece of information close to the vest when it comes to
determining Steven's involvement or lack thereof.
The more puzzling piece
of this case is the lack of articles, television news coverage, and
family interviews. I found two interview statements total for the case.
Both were about Steven Hendricks.
One of the statements
was given by Mr. Hendrick's boss. He said that Steven was a hard worker
and never caused problems. Steven's cousin years later gave the only
other statement I could find. She begged that anyone with information
come forward so that the family could find out what had happened with
Steven.
None of Rebecca's family
gave statements that appeared in newspapers in the time or even years
later. In fact, even using the genealogy information I was able to
gather, I couldn't find any relatives. I found one woman who might have
been her mother, but she passed away in 2001.
It was like these young
people popped up for two weeks in 1988 Washington, Indiana and ceased to
exist after the last article ran on September 8, 1988. With most
stories, you can find stories from friends that the victims knew from
high school or even a sibling that misses them dearly. Instead, it is
like everyone has forgotten that these young people existed, let alone
murdered.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Indiana State Police. You can reach them at (812) 482-1441.
Rebecca has been laid to
rest in the Providence Cemetery located in Francisco, Indiana. Rebecca
was born in Princeton, Indiana on June 30, 1970. I lived in Princeton
for a short period of time in the late 1990's to early 2000's. The local
community is small.
___________________Sources______________________________________
"Fire Killed Teen: boyfriend still sought." Evansville Press. September 7, 1988. local.evpl.org/views/viewarticle.asp?ID=583210
"Queen of Clubs." Indiana State Police Card Deck. www.in.gov/idoc/files/2ndEditionCLUBS.pdf
"Steven W. Hendricks." The Charley Project. June 26, 2011. www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/hendricks_steven.html
"Steven Hendricks: Missing from Indiana since 1988." Missing Persons of America. February 1, 2014. www.missingpersonsofamerica.com/2014/02/01/steven-hendricks-missing-from-indiana-since-1988/
"Rebecca Harvey." Indiana State Police Cold Case Database. www.in.gov/isp/2610.htm
"Fire Death Being Investigated." The Indianapolis Star. September 8, 1988. Page 22. www.newspaper.com/newspage/05949833/
'3923 DMIN- Steven W. Hendricks." The Doe Network. March 17, 2017. www.doenetwork.org/cases/3923dmin.html
"Washington, Indiana." American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau. factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productive.xhtml?src=bkmk
"Rebecca Sue "Becky" Harvey." Grave location. www.findagrave.com/memorial/173800994/rebecca-sue-harvey
"Hendricks, Steven 9-4-1988 IN." Porchlight International for the Missing and Unidentified. October 12, 2008. z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/ar/t38422.htm
"Weather History For Washington, IN." The Old Farmer's Almanac. September 5, 1988. www.almanac.com/weather/history/IN/Washington/1988-09-05
Friday, December 1, 2017
Daniel Reaves, 4 a.m. Hike
On May 3, 2008, Daniel
and his girlfriend Sara were having a quiet night in. After seven years
together, they were enjoying a date night watching a movie at Sara's
house in Madison, Indiana. Sara dosed off at approximately midnight (May
4).
Daniel had been wearing
either a light blue or white t-shirt, long tan shorts, and brown suede
tennis shoes. He might have been wearing a black, leather-like jacket.
Sara awoke around 4 am on May 4. She had received a text from Daniel saying that he loved her.
Within five minutes of receiving his text, she tried to call him back, but he did not answer. This was the last contact anyone had with Daniel.
A week later, Daniel's 1999 Gold Chrysler Sebring Convertible was found on Green Hill Drive. Greenhill Drive is located near Clifty Falls State Park. The park is a great place for hiking and many students from the local college hike the area during the early fall and spring months.
Daniel was raised in the
area and was believed to know the area well. So he was known to have
hiked the area in the past. Why would Daniel go hiking at 4 in the
morning? It would have been about 42 degrees at this time in the morning
and hiking in shorts would be uncomfortable.
The car was not locked
when the car was found. Daniel's wallet, credit cards and Identification
were found in the vehicle. Meanwhile, his keys and cellphone were not
found in the vehicle. Daniel's parents said that it was out of character
for Daniel to leave his car unlocked. Daniel would even lock his car
even if it was parked in the driveway of their home.
The car was gone through
by Indiana State Police crime scene investigators, but no evidence was
found in the car that could lead to figuring out what happened to Daniel
Reaves.
A search of Clifty Falls
State Park was conducted on May 10 of 2008. The park is filled with
caves, railroad tunnels, and waterfalls that make the area treacherous.
The park covers approximately two square miles.
Authorities found
nothing in the park that was tied to Daniel Reaves. They believe that
someone knows what happened to Daniel Reaves. Anyone with information is asked to contact one of the following:
Jefferson County
Sheriff's Department
812-265-2648
Indiana State Police
812-689-5000
__________________Sources___________________________
"Daniel Reaves: No Clues
in Disappearance." Courier Staff Reporter. May 3, 2012. Madison
Courier.
https://madisoncourier.com/Content/News/News/Article/Daniel-Reaves-No-clues-into-disappearance/178/961/69420
"Daniel Reaves." Indiana State Police. http://www.in.gov/isp/2882.htm
Daniel Reaves. The Charley Project. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/reaves_daniel.html
"Family Still Hopeful 4
Years After Disappearance." RTV6 The Indy Channel. April 30, 2012.
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/family-still-hopeful-4-years-after-disappearance
"S. Indiana Man Missing
for Nearly 3 Weeks." Radio. WDRB.
http://www.wdrb.com/story/8362484/s-indiana-man-missing-for-nearly-3-weeks?clienttype=printable
Weather. https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/madison/indiana/united-states/usin0386/2008/5
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