26 of them in the city of Selma. "The whole thing was poorly handled," Kubiszyn said. MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) In 2005, suspected serial killer Jeremy Jones was convicted by a Mobile jury for the brutal murder of 44-year-old Lisa Nichols. "Financially, my dad has spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars.". Hes a stalker; he gets excited about his victims. Former Washington Post reporter Ron Kessler, in his book "The FBI: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Enforcement Agency," called the case one of the agency's "biggest failures." |, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. Then, on Wednesday, a detective answered the phone. A former investigative reporter with Bostons WNAC-TV, Kelly had been fired in November 1976 after making several threatening allegations against Mayor Kevin White. Karen McPherson, now 60, is. In fact, investigators later found that Christines shoes were coated in blood that did not belong to her. Its under my watch so its hard to sleep at night with a case thats unsolved," said Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum. The murder of the 38-year-old mother is profiled in an episode of Netflixs reboot of the classic Unsolved Mysteries that points to Alabama Death Row inmate Jeremy Bryan Jones as a possible suspect. Jeremy Bryan Jones is shown Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005 during the sentencing phase of his capital murder trial in Mobile, Ala.. Judge Charles Graddick gave him the death sentence. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; "Macarena" by Los Del Ro was also the No. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Court records don't include a defense attorney who could speak on behalf of Whited on the murder charge, but he already was awaiting trial on a methamphetamine charge with his trial scheduled for May. Kubiszyn said Carrie was the bright light in their family. Glenna and Tina Sharp would suffer the same fate, although Tinas skeletal remains would not be found until years later. "He'd never met her, but he loved her.". Both beepers, however, transmitted on the same frequency and when the drop was over, the agents -- who had air support -- unwittingly followed Lawson's vehicle instead of the money. The trunk was found by hunters nearly three years to the day later, with only the elderly brothers' suits inside. I just remember being nauseous.". She also watched over Carrie afterward, and told investigators that the last time she saw Carrie was within two days after the abduction, and that she was alive at the time. What's more, another witness in the parking lot informed police at the time of the shooting that they saw a white man wearing black clothing run behind the lounge immediately after the shot rang out. "That's the part of the story I tell as often as I can to the people who want to hear it," he said. The murders shocked the area and although the . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Tragically, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and random acts of violence are all too common in the United States. The murder was the latest in a violent year for Tuscaloosa, marking the ninth homicide investigated by the multi-agency unit in 1996. They were saying something about exculpatory evidence that needed to be cleared up. Johnny Dwight Whited called investigators saying he wanted to confess to the slaying, authorities said Thursday. Mitch McRae told the AJC then that he didnt buy Jones story of having stopped at the salon to ask for directions, but the article seems to indicate McRae suspected Jones killed Endres. Family members of McPherson have said they know Karen Lancaster McPherson did wrong, but said they feel shes been punished enough. This group was created to bring attention to the high number of people missing, suspicious deaths and unsolved murders in Walker County Alabama (Neighboring counties). All three of the victims worked in the microfilm industry. Lawson said his father had suffered recent medical issues, so at the time it seemed believable that something could be wrong with him. This booking photo provided by police in Decatur, Ala., shows Johnny Dwight Whited. Well, it is sad to say that mass murder has been a problem for a while now. Proceeds from the shirts fund the Stop the Violence event in Jasper County. "I didn't know what to do next.". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. KANSAS: In 1970, 12-year-old Kelly Lynn Albright went missing and was found dead in a field in Reno County. Authorities at the time said the note indicated the ransom money was in the attic, and that's where roughly $250,000 had been found. Given the personal nature of these stolen items, investigators theorized that the killer or killers had known the Walkers, and given that Christine had been raped, it was likely that she was the main target.[2]. "Thousands of people sympathized, empathized with their family. ", "That doesn't happen to people. "And her lawyers called that night and said she was taking her story back. Police even managed to obtain the killers voice on the emergency phone call. On Sept. 13, another meeting was arranged and Lawson delivered $300,000 at a service station on the outskirts of Jasper. There are families that need answers, and your information may be the key to solving these cases. He told me to get on the ground on my stomach. Click here to create a free account which will allow access to 5 stories every 30 days. Jasper, AL 35501 205-221-2840 Follow us. They were able to tentatively identify him by his voice after releasing audiotapes of his ransom demands. Lawson said he managed to free himself. If your interested in cold cases, you may find yourself wondering about how many unsolved murders in US a year. Jack Kelly, Charles Magarian, Peter Meroth, Freddie Delavega, and Vincent Solmonte were shot several times by a 12-gauge shotgun and a .25-caliber automatic in what appeared to be a robbery gone wrong.[11]. "We all went to bed that night thinking they were going to arrest him then," Kubiszyn said. Tony Lynn Dobbins said he was there when Carrie was murdered. I know my sister, and if she had any inclination that there was going to be harm done to Carrie, she wouldnt have done this.. Police have never revealed her name. A ransom demand was made, and paid, but Carrie Lawson was never found. Looks like they had a party. Daniel immediately informed the police of his gruesome discovery. With great haste, Carolyn and her husband got dressed, and headed out to the driveway of their Jasper, Alabama home. HARDEEVILLE, Sc. "In my mind, I'm thinking simple robbery and that I couldn't believe we fell for this," he said. These cases are solvable, but we need your help. Throughout the county and city, similar stories of prolonged grief are being played out; 28 unsolved homicides since 2009. 2020 The Associated Press. Other clues at the crime scene included the position of the bodies. Walker County Missing & Unsolved Deaths(Surrounding Areas)-Group Discussion In 2002, a tip led searchers near the Tuscaloosa County community of Samantha, where crews used a backhoe to try to unearth new information about Carrie's remains. //]]>-->, Copyright 2023, Cleveland Newspapers, Inc., operating as the Daily Mountain Eagle. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Namely, members of Bostons underworld frequented Blackfriars, and on the night in question, several men in the bars basement were busy playing a game of backgammon when they were fired upon. The woman claimed to be a nurse at Walker Regional Medical Center. "He has not mentioned anything about this other matter to me," Belser said. The first discovery was a vehicle belonging to one of the abducted four. Kubiszyn was on a business trip in Cincinnati. According to our research of Alabama and other state lists, there were 61 registered sex offenders living in Jasper, Alabama as of March 01, 2023. var width = $(window).width(); The Boston police believed that the massacre may have been motivated by the mob, and two mobstersdrug dealer William Ierardi and Robert Italianowere arrested and tried for the crime before being acquitted in 1979. Detectives theorized at the time that the killer or killers had run out of ammunition. Then the phone rang at the Decatur Police Department. In one case, two victims died when their home was intentionally set on fire in Selma. "I was 26 years old, and I still had to work and earn a living somehow.". Kubiszyn stayed in the guest room at her sister's house that had a window on the front side of the home. "No matter how old your child is, you want to protect your child. Thirty years ago . The killer or killers had also left each corpse in separate rooms. Churches would cook for all of the search groups," Kubiszyn said. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At around 2:00 AM on June 29, 1978, three gunmen entered a Boston bar called Blackfriars. One of the voices was determined to be Jerry Bland, and the other McPherson. The house belonged to two of the victims, 34-year-old Robert Gierse and 27-year-old Robert Hinson. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Authorities remove the body of Jerry Bland from his Jasper home on Oct. 1, 1991 after he committed suicide while FBI agents surrounded his home. Keddie, California, is an out-of-the-way kind of place. He said he and another man guarded Carrie at an abandoned house in Marshall County and then she was taken to Jackson County and strangled. The murder occurred after Gus agreed to testify in court about the Taylor brothers' dishonest money-making schemes. He was killed outside, a party with at least 20 to 50 residents. Authorities searched to no avail. [McPherson family speaks out: 2016] The Smith and Lawson families signed an agreement with McPherson that if she would meet with Carrie's father and tell them everything she knew about the abduction, they would not oppose parole after 10 years. The victims were 37-year-old Connie R. Woolfolk of Flossmoor, Illinois; 22-year-old Sarah Szafranski of Oak Forest; 42-year-old store manager Rhonda McFarland of Joliet; 33-year-old Carrie Hudek Chiuso of Frankfort; and 34-year-old Jennifer Bishop of South Bend, Indiana. Dobbins led searchers to where he said her body was left, but again the tip led nowhere. These rumors provided investigators with their first major theory. It taught me a lot about how to be a friend, and I never stop thinking about the people who took time off from their jobs, time off from school to search and cry with us.". They reportedly found some of the ransom money -- which had been documented by serial numbers -- in a truck on his property. In response to the murders of 17-year-old Ruth Shelton, 20-year-old Jayne Friedt, 16-year-old Mark Flemmonds, and 16-year-old Daniel Roy Davis, Burger Chef offered the public a $25,000 reward for any clues that could lead to an arrest. Years later, in 2000, the daughter of a man named Fred Harbison told the local media that her father had written a deathbed confession claiming to have carried out the triple homicide as part of a contract killing drawn up by Uland.[8]. Friends, family and federal agents descended upon the small town. The three men were reputed to be very hard workers. They cried with us. The next and final discovery occurred on November 19, when all four bodies were found in a rural part of Johnson County. The woman who found Dorothy Harriss body described seeing the cases only suspecta strange young male described as wearing a long, dark jacket (maybe a Western duster) and a black hat that may have been a top hat or fedora and carrying some kind of object in his hands. She had taken the bar exam but disappeared never knowing she had passed. He and his wife, Carrie, had received an urgent call after midnight claiming Lawson's father was gravely ill. When she entered the salon, she first saw the corpse of 62-year-old Dorothy Harris. The case of Jack Kelly made things a little interesting. You have no idea what God can do.". He wasn't arrested then, however, but FBI instead staked out the house throughout the weekend. Lawson said much of those first few months after Carrie's disappearance and Bland's suicide is a blur. '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); Christmas is usually a time of good cheer, good food, and good times spent with family. Jones claimed to have killed 21 women in five states in 12 years, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported in 2005. 'Unsolved Mysteries' linked to Alabama Jones was also implicated in the deaths of Amanda Greenwell, 16, of Douglasville, Ga. and Katherine Collins, 45, a New Orleans sex worker. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The third victim was identified as 27-year-old James Barker. If you come across them, do not attempt to apprehend them yourself. First of all, Sheriff Perry Johnson told the press that the scene inside of the Hair Gallery was horrific and that all three victims throats had been cut deeply. var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'? Robbery is one potential motive floated to the public by investigators, as police speculate Jowers may have been robbed of cash earned at his other jobs as a carpenter and handyman after he had been shot. They cared, and tried their very hardest. Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. You'd go to location A, and then he'd call you on that payphone and tell you to go to location B, which might be 20 miles down the road," Lawson said. Authorities asking public for help in unsolved murder of Jasper man. / AP. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Johnny Swinten, Vietnam Vet. She was also Bland's cousin by marriage, and the two were close. Sheriff Granthum is convinced science will end up playing a huge role in solving the remaining cases. The WCSO currently has two Cold Case investigators that work 40+ hours a week solely on cold cases. The case. document.write (document.charset ? Uland had taken out a life insurance policy on both Gierse and Hinson worth $150,000. "I had every hope in the world there was going to be a good ending to this.". Most of the victims in the 28 cases were shot. (WSAV) There are 42 unsolved murder cases in Jasper County dating from 1979 to 2018. "It's obvious we're not happy with the result of the kidnapping investigation and I was in charge of it," former FBI Special Agent in Charge Allen P. Whitaker said in 1993. To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. Twenty-five years of her life are gone. document.write ("