Jones claimed. 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.". He told me to get on the ground on my stomach. It has been 25 years since 25-year-old Carrie Smith Lawson disappeared in Walker County on Sept. 11, 1991. It was personal to them.". With that in mind, Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) is once again reminding the public that Wednesday marks the 25th anniversary of the seemingly unprovoked killing. More horrific still was the fact that Elaine had been pregnant at the time of her death. Police investigated both McLeod and Elbert Walker (Cliffs cousin, who was known to be a hothead) but decided that both men were innocent. The third victim was identified as 27-year-old James Barker. Those with information into this or any other cases are asked to call VCU at (205) 464-8690, the Tuscaloosa Police Department at (205) 349-2121, or CrimeStoppers at (205) 752-STOP (7867). The house belonged to two of the victims, 34-year-old Robert Gierse and 27-year-old Robert Hinson. "It devastated my parents. Drugs -- primarily cocaine -- helped fuel that fall. "I have no idea how he picked our family next," Lawson said. The case file on Brown remains what it is; thick, unsolved and no justice at least for now. He had a demon inside, you know, that he liked to sexually abuse women, Burch says. Twenty-four-year-old Robert Bruce Springsteen and 25-year-old Michael James Scott were the only two to go to trial, and both men were convicted on flimsy DNA evidence. Read about more disturbing unsolved murders on 10 Unsolved Murders Linked To Organized Crime and 10 Unsolved Murders With Strange Links To The Occult. If you would like to buy one, you can reach Mitchell at (843) 683-0568, or on Facebook at Charles Mitchell. Keddie, California, is an out-of-the-way kind of place. Montgomery man who disappeared is found murdered in an unused grain silo. var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); Her body was found in the remains of her . Kubiszyn, previously told AL.com McPhersons role in the disappearance has always been understated, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. ", "It was an event that brought tragedy to our community and brought a lot of attention, and it's something that still reverberates today," Adair said. Keddie, however, became infamous on the night of April 11, 1981. "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. "The fact that Bland killed himself without doing anything is incomprehensible to me.". '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. The Irish pub, which was located downtown, was known to have a rather rough reputation. You often hear people say that girls who have a loving father, it's easier for them to be Christians because they can envision a loving God, and all he's done for us is model a loving father.". Sheriff Granthum is convinced science will end up playing a huge role in solving the remaining cases. June 7, 2021: Alex Murdaugh, 53, calls 911 and reports he found his wife Margaret, 52, and son Paul, then 22, shot dead outside of their home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of. Tragically, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and random acts of violence are all too common in the United States. Early in the morning, Carolyn Elizabeth Lawson, then 25 years old, answered her phone, and was informed that she had a family member in the hospital, severely injured. "It was the next morning. I think probably in the last 10 years, he's more resigned to the fact that we probably won't find her, but if anybody calls him and says they know something, he's going to follow up on it. Crime in Jasper, Alabama (AL): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map All Cities Alabama, Alabama smaller cities, Alabama small towns Jasper main page US Crime Crime rate in Jasper, Alabama (AL) The couple got dressed and jumped into their Ford Explorer parked in the carport. DALLAS COUNTY, AL (WSFA) - Jan. 21, 2015, Kirby Brown, all of 22 years old, was found lying on his back shot to death near his home in the Pine Glen Estates off Highway 80 near Selma. If the case was easily solved, it would have not gone cold. Walker County Missing & Unsolved Deaths(Surrounding Areas)-Group Discussion . Family members demanded assurances Carrie was alive and well, and Lawson spoke to her briefly Sept. 12. Harris was found in the front room in a pool of her own blood. He still responds to tips, and continues to fight against parole for McPherson, most recently in August. A new true crime podcast is seeking answers on behalf of the family of Eric Cates, a 32-year-old whose burned remains were found inside his truck beside those of his dog behind the old Empire school in 2015. Well, it is sad to say that mass murder has been a problem for a while now. The sixth woman was also held captive but managed to survive. She even managed to put away her groceries before she was attacked. "Nobody's ever come up with a reason.". "I didn't know what to do next.". Paul Burch said on the show that Jones told investigators he needed to tell them about a hairdresser he had abducted at knife-point from a Georgia salon, drawing diagrams of where his and her cars were. She was alone with Carrie for a long time when they were holding her and she got to know her and still didnt let her go, she said. Karen McPherson, now 60, is. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The days without an arrest turned into months and then . "Macarena" by Los Del Ro was also the No. Two unsolved murders of young women from the 1970s have now been linked to one suspect through DNA and genetic genealogy, according to Northern California prosecutors. Jones said he killed Endres and threw her off a bridge into a creek 65 miles from the salon. "I went to visit him in the nursing home before he died and he said he wasn't afraid to die and he couldn't wait to see Carrie," Kubiszyn said. A search of Blands property found the majority of the $300,000 paid by her family. "I was convinced as soon as we got him the money, we were going to get Carrie back and nail this bastard," Lawson said. According to a story written by reporter Wendy Reeves and published in the Tuscaloosa News the day after the shooting, Jowers was shot in the head while walking a girlfriend to her car in the parking lot of Classics Lounge at 613 37th Street between 2:10-2:15 a.m. In 1894 in Linn County, four members of the Meeks family (Gus, Delora, Hattie and Mary) were brutally murdered by George and William Taylor, wealthy citizens of northeast Missouri. 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. Johnny Swinten, Vietnam Vet. Kennedy said the unit intends to release information concerning Jowers' death ahead of the anniversary each year until the case is solved, in the hopes that someone will come forward with new information as to the person or people responsible. An excavator scooped out the bottom of the pool but found nothing. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. After more than two decades, different potential leads in the case have grabbed headlines, but formal charges have never been brought against a single suspect. Then the phone rang at the Decatur Police Department. If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Polygraph tests backed his confessions to several murders, the AJC reported in 2005. 3. The victim, 32-year-old Joseph Todd Jowers of 103 Hargrove Rd. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Lawson said much of those first few months after Carrie's disappearance and Bland's suicide is a blur. Inside the trailer, the police found a veritable house of horrors. Upon further investigation, the employee found $500 missing, along with four other employees. Thats why law enforcement across Jasper County is asking for the communitys help. Despite being shot five times, Melissa managed to call 911. The men tasked with trying to kill him did not. 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). In fact, investigators later found that Christines shoes were coated in blood that did not belong to her. McPherson quickly pleaded guilty in November 1991 and was sentenced to life in prison. A hammer and a knife were recovered at the crime scene, while survivor Justin Sharp provided information that led to a composite sketch. 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. "It's stuff like that that gets you through. He doesn't talk about Carrie or the case much, but said not a day goes by when he doesn't think about the kindness shown to him and his and Carrie's families. Last updated January 26, 2023. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Because of this, and because of wall-to-wall media coverage of such events, it can be easy to assume that this era of mass murder is unprecedented in American history. I can see the window off the guest room. "I can still see the driveway. Miraculously, three young boys managed to sleep through the entire massacre. If you know something, SAY something. Daniel McLeod, a ranch worker at the Palmer Ranch, where Cliff Walker worked, went to the Walker home in order to grab Cliff for a planned pig-hunting excursion. "I was going to be at that house when she came walking up the driveway," she said. "Financially, my dad has spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars.". It just so happened that Smith and Hickock had driven to Florida in a stolen Bel Air. Following a negative DNA test in 2008, Springsteen and Scott were both released in 2009. "The guy just comes up with a gun. Amazon. '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); The intensity lasted for about six weeks, but ultimately the FBI and other agencies pulled out. Despite being caught off guard by her attackers, Christine managed to fight back. The next and final discovery occurred on November 19, when all four bodies were found in a rural part of Johnson County. 28 unsolved murders in 10 years in one west Alabama county and city, Pike Road head football coach resigns after 1 season, Alabama, 4 other states prevail in suit to block Equal Rights Amendment certification, Millbrook man arrested for harassing high school students, Troy University closes its Confucius Institute. For two days, police and citizen volunteers searched the area for the missing workers. Also, the killer did not seem to be motivated by lust, for none of the victims had been sexually assaulted.[7]. 6 The Burger Chef Murders. "That's the part of the story I tell as often as I can to the people who want to hear it," he said. Incomprehensible to me. `` in fact, investigators later found that Christines shoes were coated in blood did. & amp ; Unsolved Deaths ( Surrounding Areas ) -Group Discussion with a gun,! 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