The victim, a 17-year old waitress, had been waiting at a bus stop when a young white man pulled up in his vehicle and asked for directions. 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. Many theorize that the Maryland State Police have since lost the evidence, but are unwilling to admit it providing an already-aggravating story the most unfortunate ending possible. Four victims had their bodies left in Prince George's County, Maryland, while another two were disposed of inside Washington D.C. Investigators believed that this might have been done intentionally, with the killer trying to muddy the waters of the investigation by overlapping jurisdictions. One of which began talking: Morris Joseph Warren, who had begun to grow fearful that another member of the gang would turncoat before he did. This conviction was overturned in 1958. If you may know anything, please contact Washington D.C. authorities or the FBI. Starkville. County's State's Attorney Arthur A. Marshall, who was running for reelection at the time. The victim, Ruth McDonald, had actually died as a result of the poisoning, and Askins was later convicted for her murder. 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. Why do they think the person was black? This was also supported by the contents of her stomach, which included some kind of citrus fruit. Even though most of the evidence had been poorly-preserved - if it was preserved at all, and wasn't just missing - Trainum hoped that advancements in DNA technology would allow for a closer look at the Freeway Phantom killer. County, Maryland. They said they had arrest warrants for another 26 people. Authorities later determined that Barnes was not a victim of the Freeway Phantom and resumed their investigation on the murders. However, by the time the 1980's had rolled around, the case was still unsolved. Tommy served on the USS INTREPID CVA-11 US Navy, four years MM3 [11] Unlike the other victims, she was still wearing her shoes, and a coat had been placed over her chest. The local newspaper "The Evening Star" hoped to inspire tips with a reward, announcing $5,000 for anyone that provided information which led to an arrest. Brenda Faye Crockett was a 10-year old girl that lived with her family in Northwest, about a block away from Cardozo High School. "She had the shape and the beauty to be that. The cause, he said, was revenge: for him contracting a venereal disease from another sex worker earlier that year. 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.". In the middle of July 1971, an employee of the D.C. Department of Highways and Traffic began experiencing car troubles. 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. 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. In 1974, two more names were entered into the suspect fray: Edward Sellman - sometimes referred to as Edward Sullivan in reporting of the case - and Tommie Simmons. According to investigators at the time, Warren had begun providing details beyond what was reported in the media. Shockingly, this person discovered that the body was still there - roughly a week after they had originally called it in to police. The other, they claimed, belonged to an African American man. lawrence shankland family 8marla commercial e 1 phase 8 bahria town islamabad edward sullivan and tommie simmons. The other victims had had their shoes taken from them. Robert Askins would later be convicted on kidnapping and rape charges, stemming from two separate incidents - including the one that had put him on the investigators' radar. Unfortunately, an autopsy of the remains wouldn't be very efficient at locating any specific details. In the early morning of November 16th, 1971 - just hours after Brenda Woodard was last seen by her classmate - Cheverly city police officer David Norman happened to be driving in the region near Prince George's County Hospital. As the decades have gone on with no answers, the number of participants in this group have continued to dwindle. 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. Carol was allowed to continue her small grocery run on this Sunday evening. Today, Williams and other relatives of the victims will hold a memorial service in honor of the girls, whose slayings, with the exception of one, remain unsolved. Now-retired, she always dreamed of being the one to crack the Freeway Phantom case, hoping to be the one to personally handcuff him. Gender Police had openly speculated that the Freeway Phantom was a black man, and James Groom was white. Authorities could never conclusively link Edward and Tommie with the other killings and mark them as the Phantom Freeway killer. Abduction and rapeManual strangulationLigature strangulation (once)Stabbing (once) The Freeway Phantom has been described as a loner motivated by rage that was focused on overall society. The Freeway Phantom is a self imposed nickname for an unidentified serial killer who was active in Washington, D.C. from April 1971 through September 1972. Edward Emerson Simmons (October 27, 1852 - November 17, 1931) was an American Impressionist painter, remembered for his mural work. However, in all of these cases, one kept Romaine Jenkins up at night. 13-year-oldCarol Denise Spinks body was discovered by the authorities six days later from the day she was reported missing on April 25, 1971. The killer may have military experience due to the skill displayed during the abductions and the lack of evidence at the crime scenes. Remember when I told you that police had initially found semen on Diane Williams' clothing, and ruled it out as her boyfriend's? Now, on the other side of town, another child found themselves walking along the side of the road as evening approached. However, other detectives that have handled or examined the case in the years since have pointed out that most of the information Morris Warren provided was all stuff he could have gotten from news coverage of the murders. Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons Sullivan and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. [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. Two former police officers, Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons, were also questioned, but they were only suspected in the murder of Angela Denise Barnes, a victim not included in the Freeway Phantom series. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. Two days later, police discovered the body of Angela Denise Barnes, 14. He was afraid that more details of his cooperation would be leaked to the media, and he refused to give any more statements. A number of these grisly cases were heartbreaking, consuming much of Jenkins' time with tragedy. Considr comme le premier tueur en srie de Washington, D.C., ce meurtrier qui n'a pas encore t identifi tait responsable du meurtre d'au moins 6 filles mineures Washington, D.C. d'avril 1971 septembre 1972. The Sullivans: With Paul Cronin, Steven Tandy, Reg Gorman, Vikki Hammond. 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 hints at some kind of urgency, such as the killer being rushed. Investigators would later theorize that this note was written by Brenda herself; with the FBI later linking it to other writings from her. Like the other two victims, she had been strangled. In 1971, a town hall was arranged in Congress Heights by a local antipoverty agency. These men drove around in a Green Chevy Vega, which they used to kidnap and rape young women. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. So, Detective Trainum then took back the evidence, and re-submitted it to the Maryland State Police. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as: names, dates, place of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. Male Coroners would later note that the strangulation was excessive, with the girl's esophagus having been broken. Organized In the fall of 1971, she began taking night classes at Cardozo High School, hoping to improve her working skills (such as typing). Likewise, Lewis Crockett - Brenda's father - states that he was never able to emotionally recover from the death of his daughter. During this period, an election was being held in Maryland, and one of the candidates publicly announced to the press, that a break had occurred in the Freeway Phantom investigation, and provided that an inmate atLorton Prisonhad given the information. Investigators had created a timeline of events, which they forced themselves to adhere to. She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. Robert Askins would be sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital shortly thereafter, until he was mentally fit enough to stand trial. Join Facebook to connect with Edward Sullivan and others you may know. 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. Police would use that hair over the coming years to test for suspect validity, but were unsuccessful in linking them to anyone. We know that this article of clothing was not tested for DNA by either the Maryland State Police or the FBI, but it was last in the possession of the Maryland State Police - who have not confirmed that they actually have the evidence. To residents, the murder of six girls in their community was a travesty. In face, the case of the Lyon sisters was reported on frequently in the media, and in 2017 - just a year or so ago - the case was finally resolved after more than 40 years. That was when she learned of her 18-year old daughter's brutal murder. 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. wheN you cAtch me iF you cAn! 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. While at home, anxious and slightly unaware of the situation's severity, the phone rang. It was discovered that the victim had been found in the same clothing that she had disappeared in - a red sweater, blue shorts, and brown socks - but most unusually, her shoes were missing. The body also had a coat on its chest, in the pockets of which was a note with a poem . As you can imagine, she never made it home. Despite being just seven years old at the time, she continues to describe the day she learned of Brenda's death as the "most devastating" day of her life. The only notable exception wasBrenda Denise Woodard, whose body still had the shoes worn. At 5:50 am the next day, a hitchhiker discovered Crockett's shoeless body in a conspicuous location on U.S. Route 50, near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Prince George's County, Maryland. Nenomoshia Yates - nicknamed "Neno" by those that knew her - was a 6th grader at Kelly Miller Junior High School. They moved their investigation inside Lorton Prison, and began speaking to individual members of the Green Vega gang. 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. Serial KillerSerial RapistAbductorPedophileEphebophile Maryland State Police have not admitted they have the evidence, but they also refuse to comment about it outright. According to at least one person familiar with the family, this unknown caller even made the claim: In the days after the disappearance of Darlenia Johnson, it became apparent that police didn't seem very interested in the case. A couple of beat cops would be sent out to investigate the scene, but made very little attempt to locate the body. [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. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. They were giving the Freeway Phantom credit for six murders: those of Carol Spinks, Darlenia Johnson, Brenda Crockett, Nenomoshia Yates, Brenda Woodard, and now Diane Williams (in that order). Morris Warren actually heard this on the radio while being driven back from an alleged crime scene, and following this break in the story, he fell silent. Why don't they investigate whites as well?". All but one are still considered victims of the "Freeway Phantom Murderer. Free-way Phantom!" 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. 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). She told the children that they weren't allowed to leave go out, and would stay in until she got home. While most of the family was out-and-about, looking for the missing 10-year old, trouble began brewing at home. The most notable thing about the discovery was that the body was dressed except for the missing shoes. Following this alleged sexual assault, the man had then driven the victim away from the scene, telling her at one point: "Have you ever heard of the Baltimore-Washington Expressway Phantom? Unknown The FBI had begun assisting in the investigation following the fourth murder - that of Nenomoshia Yates - when it became clear that this was a repeat offender targeting multiple young victims. edward sullivan and tommie simmons; edward sullivan and tommie simmons. Most of the people in the homicide unit now would know nothing at all about the Freeway Phantom." Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 - and the subsequent riots, which caused extensive damage to the Washington D.C. region - the area had been left reeling. 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. Mr .. Tommie Simmons in Connecticut 34 people named Tommie Simmons found in Hartford, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and 2 . As you can guess, this early nickname would stick and soon, the killer himself seemed to embrace it. However, along the way, she encountered her mother, who just-so-happened to be returning home. It was just about half-a-mile away from home across the state border, in Maryland's Prince George's County (also known as "PG County" to locals). There were a number of noticeable differences that set it apart. Various conspiracy lovers later alleged that some of the sympathetic police officers had covered up the evidence; no proof of it was ever recovered. The first victim was 13-year-old Carol Denise Spinks, whose body was found May 1, 1971. It had been more than two months since the discovery of Brenda Crockett's remains off of U.S. Route 50. This stood out, because he didn't live with any women - so where had he gotten these scarves? The "Freeway Phantom" was a nickname given by a regional tabloid, but the name seemed to stick. Not only did Askins seem to commit a similar crime in the vicinity of the abductions, but he lived and worked in the region. 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. On December 28, 1938, Askinsthen a 19-year-old student and member of the science club at Miner Teachers Collegeserved cyanide-laced whiskey to five prostitutes at a brothel, resulting in the death of 31-year-old Ruth McDonald. Askins remains one of the most popular suspects in the media, and many of the original detectives heavily favored him as the Freeway Phantom. 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. He would probably be masked and not want to show his victims his face. The body was too severely decomposed by the time officials got to it, and medical examiners would be unable to determine if the victim had been sexually assaulted before her death. All suspects are charged with state drug offenses and were cited and released with future dates to appear in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Courts across the state. There, she was sexually assaulted and beaten, before being freed by her kidnapper. 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. They were all of a similar build - small and petite - which led investigators to believe that the killer might have mistaken all of them for being in the same age range. 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. The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be verifiable. Ph: (781) 272-0050 "And this is probably one of the most massive and extensive investigations that was ever conducted in D.C.". No physical evidence was obtained and Askins was not charged in connection with the Freeway Phantom killings. [7], A short time later, the phone rang again and was this time answered by the stepfather of Crockett. She had also been fully clothed, minus her shoes (which were missing). Brenda was still wearing her black boots, which stood in direct contrast to the first few victims. She ended up managing the child abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region. Immediately, the case showed some prominent similarities to that of Carol Spinks, another teenager that had been murdered a few months prior. 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. [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. In 1983, Harper and Helen B. Collins wrote and published a book called "The Mystery of the Freeway Phantom," which details the killings. They rode together on a bus for a few blocks, but eventually had to split up. 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. On April 25th, 1971 - a Sunday, which was described as being unusually warm for the springtime - Carol and her siblings were shut up inside their apartment, in Washington D.C.'s Congress Heights. Described as both shy and petite, Carol had just cracked five feet tall, and was near the end of her seventh grade year at Johnson Junior High School. episodes A Trout in the Milk, Adapt or Die, The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D, After, Before, As I Have Always Been, Stolen, Brand New Day, The End is at Hand and What We're Fighting For. Signature When Brenda left, she was wearing curlers in her hair and did not seem to be wearing shoes. chicken of the woods ottawa; how tall was prophet idris; how much money did hercules in new york make School was out for the summer, and she was occupying her time with her friends, her boyfriend, and her summer job: working as a counselor at a nearby rec center. In April 1939, Askins was found criminally insane and committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. Brenda's 7-year old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood. Sullivan and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. meadowbrook country club estates; michael mullen obituary; pamela gluckin obituary new york; antonio tonyboy floirendo jr biography 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. edward sullivan and tommie simmonsmark anthony ontario. The area that these crimes unfolded - primarily, Washington D.C. - held a predominant black population. As the group of kids were playing in this area, just off of Interstate 295's northbound lanes, an 11-year-old boy wandered off. They started a task force, which included more than 100 detectives and federal agents and had involvement from the following law enforcement agencies: the MPDC Homicide Division and Sex Squads, detectives from Maryland's P.G. He wanted to tout his record for voters, and announced to the media that he was closing in on an arrest for the Freeway Phantom cold case. Hence their nickname, the "Green Vega's.". The case of the Freeway Phantom remains open in the MPDC Homicide Division, but it is considered a cold case with no active lines of investigation. The bottom of her shoes bore her first name, "DIANA," in big bold letters. Police would eventually rule her out entirely, when they solved the case and arrested two ex-police officers for the crime - who were both later convicted. THOMAS SIMMONS OBITUARY. Danh mc . They operated in Washington, D.C., between April 1971 and September 1972 and claimed at least six victims. This boogeyman would become known as the D.C. region's "first profiled serial killer," and their crimes continue to haunt investigators and loved ones close to half-a-century later This is tantamount to my insensitivity to people, especially women. He ultimately let the victim go without harming her any further, and the incident was reported to police. In fact, Maryland police claimed there were no similarities between Angelas death and the murder of six other girls in D.C. Investigators analyzed the notes handwriting to determine that Brenda herself wrote the message, and the writing showed no signs of distress. 3.90 avg rating 40 ratings published 2007. Common practice at the time was that case files at MPDC Detective Divisions were retained in files maintained by the detectives assigned to the case. The Phantom also strangled her with a scarf. Prosecutors at the time said there was no evidence linking the pair to the other slayings. [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. 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. It was only now, following the murder of Nenomoshia Yates, that the deaths of these four young black girls was officially linked. After that announcement, the inmate who provided the information declined any further interviews, and denied that he had ever provided any information. Investigation revealed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. 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 After all, Washington D.C. would not establish home rule until 1973, meaning that the local residents had no real representation of their own at the time of the Freeway Phantom murders. He may have begun with a series of attacks dubbed the "Green Vega Rapes" which occurred from 1968 to 1970. This was roughly a month after the last crime attributed to the Freeway Phantom, and Groom - who lived in Northwest Baltimore - had just been arrested for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a young woman. This was less than two miles away from Diane's home. This seems to hint at some connection between Reatha, her mother, and the abduction itself. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! The bail bond for the alleged perpetrators was set at $250,000. This was a vote on "cloture" in the Senate, which means to end debate so that an up-or-down vote can be taken. Criminal profiling was still in its infancy, but the FBI was eager to help solve this case, which they had labeled the work of a "repeat offender.". 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. One of the more promising leads that investigators would follow up on centered around a group of known sexual offenders, who have been referred to as the "Green Vega Rapists" in the media. Union. He drove her to a secluded area, where she was then sexually assaulted. She remained permanently scarred after the death of her sister, and later became a Washington D.C. police officer as a result. A vote in favor is a vote to end debate and move to a vote on the issue itself, while a vote against is a vote to prolong debate or to filibuster. Morbidly, the body of Brenda Woodard had been disposed off of another busy road, near a bus-stop that Brenda's mother used almost every single day. 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