The cases that stick with me the most are the ones that involve children, and particularly children who are betrayed by caregivers in positions of trust.
These sorry excuses for adults forgo their responsibility to work on themselves, and instead unleash their insecurities, shortcomings and inner demons on innocent children. The children they hurt have their whole lives ahead of them. They’re only discovering who they are, what they like and what the world has to offer—and what it doesn’t. And it’s all tragically cut short because the “adult” in question doesn’t take initiative to question their behaviors and seek help. Instead, they choose to express their hatred of themselves and their dissatisfaction with life on the children that stand before them.
And so it goes with the terrible death of 6-year-old Bella Elena Fontenelle.
The Murder of Bella Fontenelle
Bella was beautiful, funny and kind. She loved princesses and playing dress-up. She was a kindergartener at St. Matthew the Apostle School in River Ridge, Louisiana. The mere sight of her was enough to put a smile on someone’s face.
Bella was killed by her father’s longtime girlfriend, 43-year-old Bunnak “Hannah” Landon, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in the New Orleans, Louisiana, suburb of Harahan. She was strangled, beaten and suffered blunt-force trauma. If that isn’t horrible enough, Bunnak subsequently forced Bella’s remains into a white 10-galloon bucket used for pool chlorine. Her body was manipulated into the fetal position. She then loaded the bucket into a wagon, walked a block to Bella’s biological mother’s house, and left the bucket in her front lawn.
A home in the neighborhood caught Bunnak on surveillance around 9:35 pm. She walks steadily with calm eeriness, as if transporting a load of groceries. She’s dressed in a red-orange blouse, black pants and white knee-high boots.
An image captured from a neighbor’s surveillance camera of Bunnak Landon pulling a wagon that contains a bucket, where Bella Fontenelle’s lifeless body is stored. She leaves the bucket on the front lawn of Jennifer Zeledon, Bella’s mother. Photo from Fox 8 Live.
Michael Fontenelle, Bella’s father and Bunnak’s boyfriend, worked until about 10:30 pm that night. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) and it was the middle of tax season, so he was busy, overworked and tired. He fell right asleep on the living room couch and didn’t notice Bella and Bunnak’s absence until the next morning. When he awoke on Wednesday, April 26, Michael realized that Bunnak and Bella weren’t home. He arrived at the Hanahan Police Department in Harahan, Louisiana, around 7:30 am to report them missing. A search of the area ensued.
As part of the search, police visited the home of Bella’s mother, Jennifer Zeleden, around 8:30 am. That’s when they discovered Bella’s deceased body wedged inside the bucket. Police located Bunnak around 2 pm at a local hospital. Bunnak was taken to the hospital the night before after walking to the Harahan Police Department. She was in a slightly disoriented state and requested transportation. Bunnak was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correction Center on charges of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. The first-degree murder charges are not because the murder was confirmed to have been planned, but because it was committed on a child under 12 by an adult in a position of trust.
What series of events could have happened to lead Bunnak to betray Bella? Let’s dive into this case. (Keep in mind, this case is ongoing and many details haven’t been made available yet.)
A Family Backstory
Michael Fontenelle and Jennifer Zeledon met in college. Both of them received degrees in accounting and went on to become CPAs. The couple never married, but they remained together for several years.
Michael and Jennifer had two beautiful daughters: Bella, 6, was the youngest, and she was preceded by an older sister, Aria, now age 7. Shortly after the birth of Bella, Michael and Jennifer separated. The separation was difficult, but they maintained joint custody and kept a working relationship for the sake of their kids. Michael and Jennifer lived close by to make parenting easier. Their homes in Harahan, Louisiana, an area characterized as safe and neighborly, are only a block apart. As the girls grew older, they’d be able to walk to their parents’ homes as often as they wished.
Michael Fontenelle with his live-in girlfriend, Bunnak Landon, and daughter, Bella Fontenelle. Photo from Facebook.
Bunnak Lim Enters the Picture
Two years after Michael and Jennifer ended their relationship, Michael began dating Bunnak Lim, who goes by the aliases “Hannah Landon” and “Bunnak Landon.” For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer to her as Bunnak.
At the time of this crime, Michael and Bunnak were together for more than four years. Bunnak has a son of her own, though he lives in Florida. Not much is known about the relationship between Bunnak and her son, or her past life. However, there are claims that she once had a family that she since abandoned.
Bunnak moved into the home that Michael shared with his two daughters on Donelon Drive. Together, they shared the single-story home, and Bunnak assumed the role of a step mother.
Bunnak displayed several unusual characteristics in regards to Bella and Aria. She was known to be very jealous, particularly of Jennifer. Thus, she made it a point to convey that her, Michael, Bella and Aria were a tightknit unit. Part of this strategy involved dressing identically to the children. This wasn’t only done for holidays, but for all sorts of occasions. Friends of the family thought it was unusual, given that Bunnak wasn’t the girls’ biological mother and Jennifer was very much involved in their lives.
Bunnak doesn’t have a social media trail. She didn’t work, but was a homemaker of sorts. It’s believed that she originally emigrated to the U.S. from Thailand, though it hasn’t been confirmed. As stated, few details are known about the relationship between Bunnak and her estranged son, or about Bunnak in general.
Michael’s mother, Barbara Fontenelle, wasn’t fond of Bunnak. Rather, his side of the family found Bunnak to be strange and unsettling. She wasn’t close with anyone in Michael’s family. No one felt like they really “knew” her, despite her being with Michael for several years.
More on Bunnak Lim
So far, the details surrounding Bunnak’s life are hazy. However, there are a few facts that have come to the surface.
Bunnak’s time in Harahan, Louisiana, can be traced back to between 2018 and 2019, when she began a relationship with Michael. Prior to this, she lived in various apartments in the Mobile, Alabama, area, about 150 miles northeast of Harahan. According to sources, Bunnak moved to the Mobile area in April 2006. On May 7, 2013, Bunnak obtained a marriage license with Donald Dewayne Landon, her former spouse.
The Wrath of Bunnak’s Jealousy
Bunnak and Jennifer, the girls’ mother, didn’t get along. It’s believed that as a result of that persisting conflict, Bunnak took her frustrations out on Bella. Coincidently, Bella more closely resembled her mother.
Physical Altercations at a Child’s Swim Meet and Soccer Game
As police investigated, they unearthed a petition for a temporary restraining order, which involved physical conflicts between Bunnak and Jennifer back in 2021.
An incident occurred on June 8, 2021, when Jennifer, Bunnak, Michael, Bella, Aria and Jennifer’s sister, Evlyn Zeleden, attended a child’s swim meet at the Riverside Country Club in Harahan. Jennifer approached her daughters to hug them and bid them a job well done. Bunnak intervened and started a fuss about it being “Michael’s custody day,” even though they shared joint custody. Michael agreed to “let” Jennifer hug her daughter for “one minute,” and Bunnak took out her cell phone to record Jennifer.
Evlyn told Bunnak to stop recording and Bunnak slapped Evlyn’s hand. Evlyn told Bunnak to never do that again, and Bunnak proceeded to pull Evlyn’s hair. Michael was not present at the time, though it’s unknown why. He caught the tail-end of the altercation after a bystander intervened. Police were called and both women were interviewed. Bunnak was described in court documents as being “extremely uncooperative” and persistently blamed Jennifer and Evlyn, who had visible scratch marks on her face and hands. Bunnak refused to provide officers with any information until she was threatened with charges.
Bunnak received a municipal summons for simple battery. However, she subsequently filed a temporary restraining order against Jennifer, citing several claims against her. She also cited a second claim about another altercation on March 17, 2021. On this date, the women were attending a children’s soccer game. Bunnak claimed that Jennifer approached her, grabbed her by the arm and threatened to harm her.
The temporary restraining order was dismissed by Judge Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court on August 5, 2021. There were no grounds to verify Bunnak’s claims. No other incidents were subsequently known to police.
Updates
Shortly after Bella’s murder, her aunt, Bianca Z. Cano—another of Jennifer’s sisters—started a GoFundMe on behalf of their family, with Jennifer Zeledon listed as the beneficiary. The GoFundMe, which has since closed, raised more than $41,000.
On the GoFundMe page, Bianca writes:
Where do I start… my beautiful Bella… the world is so unjust. You were given to us for 6 amazing years. You were beyond perfection. Your beautiful little voice, your funny personality, the way you danced, the way you were so delicate and fragile, your smile, your laugh, the way expressed yourself. I can go on and on about how amazing this little soul was. My sister’s two daughters were what gave her life meaning and strength to go on each and everyday. This senseless and heinous act has forever destroyed my family. No words can describe the pain that is running through our bodies. It’s truly inhumane.
This case remains ongoing and Bunnak is set to appear in court in July. As frustrating as the details are, many of them are hazy.
A Possible Theory
There seems to have been an influx in stepparents committing violent crimes against their stepchildren. This “influx” may be the result of social media and heightened coverage, which makes it seem like these tragedies are occurring more often.
However, stepchildren may be particularly vulnerable to violence at the hands of a stepparent, according to Humanium.org. There are several reasons for this, which include:
Stepparents not feeling as connected to their partner’s children as they do their own
Stepparents bringing unresolved personal issues into their new family dynamic
Stepparents having low self-esteem or weak bonds, which are then put onto their stepchildren
The Cinderella Effect
The Cinderella effect is a nod to the 1950 animated musical fantasy by Disney, Cinderella, which depicts the main character, Cinderella, being gravely mistreated by her stepmother, Lady Tremaine. Lady Tremaine has two daughters of her own, Anastasia and Drizella, who she favors, and encourages their mistreatment of Cinderella.
Before it became a Disney classic, Cinderella started as a folktale with thousands of variants worldwide. The oldest Cinderella story dates back to somewhere between 7 BC and AD 23, and tells the story of Rhodopis, a Greek slave woman who married the Pharaoh of Egypt. The story has changed over time to depict the modern-day version of Cinderella recognized in the U.S. today.
‘Survival of the Fittest’
The Cinderella effect is a theory in evolutionary psychology that’s used to explain why stepparents are more likely to abuse stepchildren than biological children. The theory derives from an inherent bias in the wiring of the brain, which suggests that parents are naturally wired to protect and prolong the survival of their own children over children that aren’t biological. It’s a theory that’s linked to survival of the fittest.
Not all stepparents perceive their stepchildren this way. However, for those that don’t have a natural disposition that’s loving, caring and nurturing, the theory states they’re more likely to behave vindictively towards their stepchildren. These vindictive behaviors translate into emotional abuse and, in some cases, the abuse turns physical.
Repressed Emotions
Another contributing factor of the Cinderella Effect involves the stepparent’s emotions. Not all adults are able to cope with emotions in a healthy way. In this context, a stepparent may single out one of the stepchildren, in most instances, to use as a scapegoat to express their repressed emotions.
On March 7, 2023, Kouri Richins, 33, of Kamas, Utah, self-published a children’s grief book. The illustrated book, Are You With Me?, follows a young boy who wonders how his deceased father’s presence will remain in his life.
A year before, Kouri, a real estate agent and mother of three, lost her husband unexpectedly. Despite being otherwise healthy, 39-year-old Eric Richins died in his sleep on March 4, 2022. The book was borne from Kouri’s longing to help their sons, ages 10, 9 and 6, navigate the challenge of their father’s untimely passing.
“Are You With Me?” the illustrated children’s book written by Kouri Richins, a year after her husband’s death.
From the outside looking in, Kouri’s book is a mother’s effort to guide her children through a difficult time and support others in similar situations. But after the book was published, the truth was exposed…and it was far more calculated than anyone imagined.
When Eric died, he had five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his body. On May 8, 2023, Kouri was charged with aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, in connection with her husband’s death.
Let’s look into what happened.
Kouri’s Last Night With Her Husband
On the evening of Thursday, March 3, 2022, Kouri and Eric celebrated the closing of a multimillion-dollar home they planned to flip. Kouri and Eric, who co-owned a masonry company, C & E Stone Masonry, had been married for nine years at the time. Their marital home was in Kamas, a small, rural suburb 45 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, where the main industries are lumber and cattle ranching.
To mark the occasion, Kouri made her husband a Moscow Mule—an alcoholic, mixed beverage made from vodka, ginger beer, ice and lime—and gave him a THC-infused gummy around 11 pm. Kouri settled into bed but was called into one of their son’s rooms, who was having a night terror. She fell asleep next to her son and returned to bed around 3:22 am. When Kouri snuggled up to Eric, he was “cold to the touch.” She called 9-1-1.
Kouri told investigators that she left her cell phone plugged in to her bedroom wall. However, it was found that she locked and unlocked her phone multiple times when she claimed to be asleep. She also sent and received text messages, which were deleted. The phone also recorded movement, which indicated Kouri was moving through the home. Reports also state that Eric wasn’t found lying in bed, but at the foot of their bed.
An autopsy was performed on Eric’s body, which found that he had five times the lethal amount of illicit, non-medical-grade fentanyl in his system. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, and is used to treat patients with severe pain, particularly after surgery. By evaluating the contents of his stomach, it was determined that Eric ingested the fentanyl orally.
Who Is Kouri Richins?
Kouri Darden Richins was born on April, 20, 1990, in North Carolina, to Ronald Horace and Lisa Darden. She was one of four siblings, which include Ronnie Jr., Renee and Mindy Darden. Kouri and her siblings were primarily raised by their mother. Not much else is known about her childhood.
Kouri holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from Weber State University and a master’s degree in human resources from Utah State University.
Kouri was long pursuing her own dreams of becoming an entrepreneur before she met Eric. At times, she saw spurts of success. In 2011, she opened a housekeeping service, Kouri Darden Housekeeping Services, which is not defunct. She also worked for her own real estate company, Kouri Richins Realty, where she purchased, flipped and sold luxury homes. She also had brief stints in health care, having worked as an administrator at Park City Hospital and as an enhanced patient services and specialty clinic trainer at Park City Medical Center.
Who Was Eric Richins?
Eric Richins was born on May 13, 1982 in Bountiful, Utah, to Gene and Linda Carter Richins. He was the oldest of three siblings and the only son. From a young age, Eric was loving and protective of his sisters, Katie and Amy.
Kouri Richins and her late husband Eric Richins. Photo from Facebook.
Growing up, Eric dedicated much of his time to helping his father upkeep their family cattle ranch, which involved mending fences, hauling hay and feeding the animals. From these experiences, he developed a strong work ethic from a young age. Eric was also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He participated in a two-year mission trip to Mexico, where he learned how to speak Spanish fluently.
After he returning from the mission trip, Eric attended the University of Utah, where he received a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a minor in Spanish. Two years later, he founded his business, C & E Stone Masonry, with close friend and business partner Cody Wright.
Eric was a natural athlete for all his life. He enjoyed playing basketball, soccer, cross-country and baseball. He served as the head or assistant coach on all his sons’ sports teams. He was also a fervent outdoorsmen and loved hunting and archery.
In addition to running a successful business, being an involved father to three sons and a devoted husband, Eric also found time to volunteer with Summit County Search & Rescue; a
The Start of Eric and Kouri
Eric and Kouri met in the early 2010s at a local Home Depot. They were introduced through Linda King, a colleague of Kouri’s.
Kouri was known locally for being one of the most attractive young women in the town. Eric was a frequent customer of the Home Depot, where he purchased supplies for his masonry business. He was interested in Kouri, but took some time to ask her on a date. As we know, the pair ultimately hit it off.
Kouri and Eric married on June 15, 2013. They wed in the backyard of their Kamas home. It was Eric’s second marriage and Kouri’s first.
Kouri Richins, her late husband Eric Richins, and their three sons. This is the photo that’s featured on the back of her children’s book, “Are You With Me?”
At the encouragement of Eric’s mother, the couple signed a prenuptial agreement. The decision was influenced by the outcome of Eric’s divorce from his first wife, Julie Jorgenson. Eric and Julie were married from 2005 to 2009 and the divorce was taxing both emotionally and financially. Unfortunately, two years after their divorce, Julie, 26, was killed in a car accident in January 2011.
Kouri and Eric went on to have three sons, Carter, Ashton and Weston.
Kouri Develops A Habit of Stealing Her Husband’s Money
Eric first developed suspicions that Kouri was stealing money from him in 2016. To be able to flip houses and finance her personal needs, she started to withdraw large sums of money from his personal bank account. She also took out credit cards under Eric’s name without his knowledge, and began using those, too.
In 2020, Eric learned that Kouri stole more than $100,000 from his accounts and ran up credit card bills in excess of $30,000. That same year, he learned that Kouri borrowed $250,000 using a fraudulent power of attorney. She also signed Eric’s initials on the paperwork without his knowledge, which allowed her to act on his behalf.
Kouri is also under speculation for stealing at least $80,024 that was designated for Eric to pay his federal taxes, and at least $54,322 more for his state taxes.
When Eric confronted Kouri, she admitted to her wrongdoing.
In November 2020, Eric drew up a new living will. He transferred the Kamas family home, all of his personal property and his half of the masonry business under this living will. He made his sister, Katie, power of attorney without telling Kouri.
Eric believes that Kouri attempts to drug him in Greece.
In 2020, Kouri and Eric took a vacation to Greece by themselves. During the trip, Eric fell violently ill after Kouri made him a mixed drink. Eric later told his sisters, Amy and Katie, that he believed Kouri attempted to poison him.
Kouri tries to make herself the beneficiary of Eric’s life insurance policy.
In January 2022, Kouri attempted to change Eric’s life insurance policy and make herself the beneficiary.
Eric shared a life insurance policy with his business partner, Cody. The business partners had each other as beneficiary holders, because it allowed them permission to buy one another out of the business if an unexpected death were to occur. Kouri removed the men as each other’s beneficiary and listed herself as the sole beneficiary of the policy.
The insurance company notified the men of the change, and they changed it back to its original policyholders.
The 22,000 square-foot mansion in Heber City that Kouri Richins closed on the day after her husband’s passing. Photo from Google Maps, courtesy New York Post.
Kouri sets her sights on a 20,000-square-foot mansion.
Leading up to Eric’s death, Kouri had her sights set on purchasing, renovating and flipping an unfinished, 20,0000 square-foot mansion in Heber City, Utah. The $2 million home sits on 8.75 acres of land and includes 11.5 bathrooms, eight bedrooms and a separate 3,000-square-foot guest house. It also has a full-size pool, a therapy pool, a gym, a golf simulator, an indoor volleyball court and a room designed for virtual reality installations.
Eric felt the property was too expensive, and he expressed such to Kouri. But while he frowned upon the decision, Kouri became more focused on acquiring it. Eric planned to tell Kouri they were not going to purchase the home, but he never had the chance to.
He also planned to file for divorce, but died before he could do so. Eric tried to delay the inevitable because he wanted to keep an intact family for their children. In addition to their disagreements, Eric believed Kouri might have been having an affair.
“He hoped to keep his family together,” George Skordas, attorney and acting spokesperson for the Richins, told The Salt Lake Tribune. “He hoped to keep his boys in a nuclear family and he hoped that things would work out.”
Timeline of Events
Eric Richens photo from George Skordas, a Salt Lake City attorney and acting spokesperson for the Richen family.
December 2021-February 2022
Sometime between December 2021 and February 2022, Kouri contacts an acquaintance, referred to in her arrest affidavit as “C.L.” She tells the acquaintance that she is interested in purchasing prescription pain medication. She says the pills are for an investor who suffered a back injury.
A few days later, C.L. supplies Kouri with hydrocodone pills; an opioid medication used to treat pain. The pills are left for Kouri at a home in Midway, Utah, that she was flipping, and which she owned from December 2021 to January 2022. Kouri left money at the home for C.L. to pick up. C.L. acquires the painkillers from a drug dealer in Ogden, Utah.
February 11, 2022
About two weeks later, Kouri contacts C.L. again, this time requesting stronger on the investor’s behalf. She asks for fentanyl and refers to it as “some of the Michael Jackson stuff.” (Note: Michael Jackson died from an overdose of propofol.) C.L. contacts the Ogden dealer on February 11, 2022, to pick up the fentanyl.
Kouri pays C.L. $900 for 15-30 fentanyl pills. She picks up the pills from C.L.’s home in Heber City.
February 14, 2022
On Valentine’s Day, Kouri and Eric have dinner at their home. After eating a sandwich that Kouri prepares for him, Eric suffers an allergic reaction and becomes violently ill after dinner. He breaks out in hives, has trouble breathing and passes out after taking Benadryl and using his son’s EpiPen. Eric later tells his business partner, Cody, he believes Kouri tried to poison him.
February 26, 2022
Kouri contacts C.L. to request another $900 worth of fentanyl pills. C.L. contacts the Ogden dealer on February 26, 2022. The pills are left at the Midway house again, nearby a firepit, at Kouri’s request. She leaves money by the firepit as well.
March 4, 2022
Eric dies from an overdose of fentanyl.
March 5, 2022
Kouri closes on the deal for the 20,000-square-foot mansion. She invites friends over and has a large party to mark the occasion. She drinks with them and celebrates.
Kouri gets into an altercation with one of Eric’s sisters, Katie Richens-Benson. Kouri becomes aware, for the first time, that Eric had removed her from his will, and made Katie power of attorney for his estate. Shortly thereafter, Kouri sues her sister-in-law for control of the estate.
Eric’s sisters allege that he didn’t tell Kouri he removed her from his will, because he believed she might “kill him for the money” and wanted to provide financial security for their children. Kouri claims that their prenuptial agreement deems her entitled to Eric’s assets. In Katie’s response to Kouri’s lawsuit, she cites a pending homicide case.
April 2023
Kouri appears in a segment on KTVX-Channel 4’s “Good Things Utah” to discuss her book, Are You With Me?, which was inspired by Eric’s passing. She describes her conceptualization of the three C’s—connection, continuity and care—which she uses to help her sons cope.
Where The Case Stands Now
Kouri was arrested on May 8, 2023, for aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. In addition to murder, Kouri is also facing charges for possession of GHB, a narcolepsy drug that’s often referred to as liquid ecstasy.
Kouri has a detention hearing scheduled for May 19, 2023.
Two years after Letecia Stauch was arrested for 1st-degree murder of Gannon Stauch, her 11-year-old stepson, the witch is FINALLY on trial. The day is almost here when Letecia, aka “Tecia” or “Tee,” will be held responsible for her crimes. And crimes, there are many.
Letecia told her ex-husband Al Stauch at least four different stories about what happened to Gannon when he went missing on Monday, January 27, 2020. Some of these tall tales involved Quincy Brown, a Colorado fugitive who’s been on the run for two years; an undocumented Hispanic construction worker named “Edguardo” or “Eduardo,” and Terrance, a getaway driver. Obviously, none of it was true.
Today is the 12th day of CO. v. Letecia Stauch, where Letecia is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Letecia’s plea signifies her admittance to killing Gannon. This means that in 2020, this 35-year-old wife, mother of one, stepmother of two and career schoolteacher, murdered Gannon (and brutally so). Then, she attempted to conceal the evidence by stuffing his body and bedding into a suitcase, and driving 1,500 miles southwest to Pace, Florida, to toss it from a highway overpass.
Yes, she’s on trial, but Letecia is guilty as sinin the eyes of public opinion. Even though she’s clearly crazy, public consensus is that she’s also SANE, and that’s the worst kind of crazy there is.
Let’s dive in to the beginning parts of what we know: who Gannon was, how Letecia met the Stauch’s, what led to this tragedy, and the general timeline up to when Gannon’s body was found.
Who Was Gannon Stauch?
Gannon Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Gannon Jacob Stauch was born on September 29, 2008, to Eugene Albert “Al” Stauch and Landen Bullard Hiott in Loris, South Carolina. He entered the world as a fighter, which is sadly how he left it. Gannon was born premature; a one-pound six-ounce baby boy.
Because of Gannon’s condition, doctors gave him a 10% chance of survival. They said if he were to survive, he would be severely mentally and physically disabled. Gannon beat all those odds.
In 2020, Gannon was a fifth-grade student at Grand Mountain School in El Paso County. He was known to be kind, shy and quiet. He loved tacos, the color blue and his Nintendo Switch, especially the game Sonic. He was in talented and gifted student programs. He had a circle of friends.
When members of the community gathered to search for Gannon, they used red ribbons to raise awareness. Students wore blue to school in honor of Gannon. Some neighbors also changed their porch lights to blue to “help Gannon find his way home.”
How Did Gannon Meet Letecia?
Al and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Al and then-wife Landen Stauch met Letecia Hardin in 2013 when they all played on a local softball team together. Al and Landen were married for almost 10 years at the time and had two children: Gannon and his younger sister Laina.
Letecia was skilled at softball, having played recreationally and competitively throughout grade school. She grew up around the area of Lumberton, North Carolina, where she attended high school. At the time, Letecia had a 12-year-old daughter, Hailey Hunt.
Al and Landen separated at some point in 2014. Before a divorce was finalized, Al and Letecia started dating. Allegedly, the Stauch’s marriage was failing and both Landen and Al cheated on each other.
By January 2015, Al and Letecia were married.
Initially, Gannon and Laina lived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with their mother Landen, who was a health and physical education teacher at the time, and her new husband Mike Hiott.
Al and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
For a few years, the kids shuffled back and forth between households for holidays and summer breaks. It was stressful all around for both sides of the family.
Over time, Al grew concerned about the children’s safety over at Landen’s home. He worried about drugs being around them, which was presumably related to Mike Hiott. At the time, Landen was pregnant with her third child, a daughter she named Novah (Gannon’s half-sister). The pregnancy was high-risk and she was hospitalized for a time because of it. Landen was also given strict orders to be on bed rest, which affected her ability to fully care for Gannon and Laina. (Landen and Mike Hiott have since divorced.)
Al and Letecia were awarded full custody of Gannon and Laina in 2018. The kids then moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to live together as a full-time family of five.
Little did they know, who they were moving in with.
Letecia’s Past
The late Chance Hunt, ex-husband of Letecia Stauch. Photograph his from his obituary.
Letecia’s criminal dates back to before she graduated from Lumberton High School in 2001. There, she excelled in sports and academics, and she also made a fake bomb threat.
Later that year, after graduation, Letecia was charged with simple assault and communicating threats, though the charges were dropped. She was also arrested for car theft and sentenced to 45 days in jail, issued a $1,000 fine and placed on an 18-month probation.
From 2002 to 2011, Letecia was in an on- and off-relationship with Chance Hunt, the father of her daughter, Harley Hunt. (Harley was born on May 1, 2002.) In 2010, Letecia was arrested for domestic violence and domestic abuse in Horry County, South Carolina. After that arrest, she went by “Tecia.” (Chance also had over 70 criminal offenses to his name.)
Harley Hunt. Letecia Stauch’s daughter. Photo from Instagram.
Letecia went on to receive a doctorate in education from Liberty University. Her teaching certificate was suspended in North Carolina and terminated in South Carolina due to several offenses.
Less than a year after she divorced Chance, Letecia and Al started dating. In 2014, Chance then, 34, died from a drug overdose. He tested positive for benzodiazepines (Xanax), THC, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and alcohol.
Letecia told her daughter Harley that Chance died during a home-invasion-gone-wrong. She learned about the real nature of his death from the Internet when she was 20 years old, during her mother’s trial. It was one of many truths that would come to light about her mom, and still more will be revealed.
Letecia Moves To Alaska With Al And Kids
Al started working for the U.S. National Guard in 2005. He is currently an operations officer in the 100th Missile Defense Brigade.
In 2017, Al was stationed in Alaska, and the family had to relocate from South Carolina. Letecia begrudgingly moved with the kids, but she hated it. In court, Harley testified that Letecia made comments about committing suicide if she had to live in Alaska any longer. Initially, Gannon and Laina spent summers in Alaska and were with their mother, Landen, during the school year.
Coincidentally, Letecia filed a claim of sexual assault on her by two of Al’s coworkers, one of whom was his captain. The motive is believed to have been to relocate Al to a different base—and it worked. In 2019, the Stauch’s returned to South Carolina and then relocated to Colorado Springs, which is in-between three military bases.
(It’s also around this time that Letecia tells Al she’s pregnant with twins. Hint: She wasn’t.)
Al Stauch and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Letecia Resents The Responsibilities Of A Stepmom
Letecia felt like a “glorified babysitter,” a term later uncovered in her Google search history. She was resentful toward Al about being the primary caretaker of Gannon and Laina. She felt Al didn’t return her affections or give her the attention she so desperately pined for. The couple fought often. Letecia frequently accused Al of being with other women.
Al’s job required him to be away from home often, anywhere from three to 14 days at a time. This meant that Letecia, who worked full time as a teacher, was often singlehandedly responsible for all three children. Letecia misdirected much of her anger at Al toward Landen, the kids’ mother, and then toward Gannon.
It wasn’t exciting. It wasn’t sexy. It wasn’t what she thought she signed up for. Life was more hectic with all three kids around, and it wasn’t so easy having a partner whose job kept him away from home.
Letecia wanted excitement. First, she started to seek it out by changing her career. Not long before these crimes occurred, Letecia started the process of becoming a flight attendant. Though it paid less than working as a teacher, the job would allow her to travel the world. In other words, it would require her to be out of the house and free from the responsibilities she didn’t want. Letecia said that Al discouraged it.
Letecia also filed two false burglary reports during the course of their marriage. Why? Who knows.
It’s also important to mention that Al allegedly started an affair with another woman toward the end of their relationship, and that Letecia was suspicious about it. (Al is now married to his third wife, Heather Whitworth, who was supposedly that other woman.)
Now bearing all this in mind, here’s a timeline of the what happened during Gannon’s disappearance and up to when his body was discovered.
Gannon Stauch: Timeline Before, During and After His Disappearance and Discovery
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Al is scheduled to go to Oklahoma for training. He allegedly spends the night at the Colorado Springs Airport, where he also brings his mother, who was visiting, to board an 8:30 pm flight. (It’s been said that he spent the night with his then-girlfriend, Heather Whitmore, who arrived home at 4:15 am.)
That afternoon, Letecia starts a string of Google searches on her phone, which later becomes evidence in Gannon’s missing person investigation. Written verbatim, that day these searches were:
12:16 pm: find real military singles
1:40 pm: parenting should be four people not one
1:41 pm: im over doing all the work for my step kids and their mom doesnt help
1:42 pm: mom advice from stepmom
1:49 pm: if you aren’t involved it (sic) your kids life you are shitty
1:50 pm: my husbands ex wife does nothing for her lids (sic)
1:51 pm: i wonder if my husbands ex wife is sending me a card since i.raise.her.kids
1:52 pm: i wonder if my husbands ex wife is sending me a valentines card since i.raise.her.kids
1:54 pm: one day some people will.wish they treated you differently
3:36pm: wjy should my husband chose.me ober family
7:57 pm: find me a rich guy who.wants me to take care of his kids
7:58 pm: find a guy who wants me to take care of.his.kids and get paid
There were also deleted search terms found on Letecia’s iPhone:
find me a new husband book
I feel like im just a nanny not a step mom
husband uses me to babysit his kids
are there any free money to move away from bad situation
my husband never post about me but does everything else
my husband only cleans up for the army not me
im jusg (sic) a glorified babysittef
find a new husband
sent my husband sexual messages and he ignores them
make my husband want me more
I feel like my husband uses me to babysit his kid
find a guy without kids
A photo of Laina, Gannon and Letecia, that was taken on Sunday, January 26, during their hike. Photo from Facebook.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
In the morning, Letecia takes Gannon and Laina on a hike at Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, a 1,341-acre public park. Harley plans to go with them, but is called in to work. (She was a receptionist at a nearby Massage Envy.)
Gannon struggles on the hike, according to Letecia. He injured his foot the night before on wooden boards left on the garage floor. His foot starts to bother him during the hike and he also starts having stomach pains. He defecates in his pants. The three of them plan to eat at Burger King but return home early so Gannon can shower.
Later that night, the “candle incident” occurs. Gannon allegedly lights a candle to conceal the smell of diarrhea, and he drops the candle and candle wax on the carpet. The candle smoke signals the smoke detector and Letecia says she saw two- to three-foot-tall flames. Al later remarks that it’s out of character for Gannon to light a candle for any reason. Letecia extinguishes the fire.
Garden of the Gods. Photo from Wikipedia.
Letecia, Gannon and Laina get into her car, a black Volkswagen Tiguan, and drive around the block to “calm down.” When they return, Letecia cuts out the piece of carpet where the candle wax fell. She plans to replace it the next day. She is allegedly very nervous about Al finding out what happened.
Gannon’s forearms are burned from the incident. Letecia says that he gets blood on the walls from his burns.
Letecia tries airing out the basement to dissipate the smell of smoke. Harley, who normally sleeps downstairs, sleeps upstairs with her mother because it’s too cold downstairs. Curiously, Gannon remains downstairs in the cold by himself.
Letecia’s Google searches from that morning include:
9:25 am: its crappy some parents dont care for their kids or buy them presents
9:27 pm: parents are those who put thwir (sic) kids before their nails
Monday, January 27, 2020
Letecia is expected to start a new job at Mountain Ridge Middle School. Curiously, instead of telling the school her stepson is sick and she needs to stay home, she lies and says her stepfather was killed in a car accident. (One of her stepfathers was hit by a car and killed, but that was many years ago.)
According to Letecia, Gannon stays home from school with a stomach ache. She doesn’t mention his burns to Al. Gannon accompanies Letecia as she visits Petco twice to buy costumes for the family dogs, because the store is having a sale. They leave home around 10:15 am and Gannon appears on a neighbor’s security footage. The way he walks suggests he is drowsy. Gannon’s phone is left behind at Petco.
Letecia also brings Gannon to meet someone she connected with on Craiglist, so she can check out a bicycle she wants to surprise Al with. They return home around 2:15 pm. In later surveillance footage, only Letecia is seen exiting the car.
Between 3-4 pm, Letecia says that Gannon leaves the home to walk to a friend’s house. She says he doesn’t communicate the name of his friend or provide her with an address. Gannon is not captured on any of the neighbors’ security cameras.
Around 5 pm
Harley returns home from work. Letecia sends her and Laina to dollar store to pick up carpet cleaner, trash bags and baking soda.
6:55 pm
Gannon Stauch. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
Letecia calls 9-1-1 to report Gannon missing. She alerts Al and he books the next available flight home. Authorities are under the impression that Gannon is a runaway.
10 pm
Deputies from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department arrives at the Stauch residence.
A six-week-long investigation effort kicks off to find Gannon. Canine units, drones, hundreds of volunteers, personnel from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Springs Police Department and the FBI are involved.
Letecia’s Google searches from that day include:
12:10 am: my son.burned the carpet how.do I fix it
12:43 am: will.humidifier.help if exposed to smoke
12:43 am: smoke affects will humidifier help
12:44 am: smoke from fire affects will humidifier help
12:56 am: Colorado law for kid stating (sic) at home
12:57 am: School is out. is it okay for my kid to stay home alone?
1:01 am: son is sick but I have to go to work
1:03 am: son sick can he stay home
4:41 am: suede repair kit for sofa
6:55 pm: el paso sheriffs office number
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Letecia picks up Al at the Colorado Springs airport at 9 am. She isn’t driving her car, but a red Kia Rio. It’s a rental.
Letecia tells Al that she’s nearing the mileage cutoff for her lease. She rented a car to avoid extra charges. She says she left her vehicle in the parking lot of a local elementary school, and a coworker drove her to Avis, a car rental chain with a store at the airport. Al finds the scenario odd. He later drives through the parking lot of the school to see if Letecia’s car is there. It isn’t.
Around 10:30 pm, Harley, picks up her mom in her own car, a white Volkswagen Jetta, and brings her back home. They stay in a nearby hotel that night.
Skipping ahead::: Investigators later determine that Letecia drove her car to the airport and parked in a short-term parking lot. She returned to the lot at 7 pm that night. It’s believed that Letecia likely hid Gannon’s body in her car to prevent Al from finding out. She may have moved the body at this time.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Letecia returns the rental car at 9 am. She only drove it for a total of 70 miles. (For the record, if you exceed lease mileage by 70 miles, it would cost less than $20.)
On Tuesday, Letecia scheduled a meeting with investigators at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office at 10 am. She arrives at two hours late. Before the interview, she goes to a car wash. Her car is seized that day.
The First Of Many Fabricated Stories
During the interview, Letecia tells investigators what “really” happened. This is story No. 1. There are at least four stories in total.
Letecia tells Lead Detective Jessica Bethel that she returned home from Petco with Gannon around 2:15 pm. They visit Petco twice that day to purchase outfits for the family dogs.
Earlier that day, Letecia said she passes by an area of her complex that was under construction. She speaks to a laborer, “Edguardo,” about paying him to replace the section of the carpet that was burned the night before. She provides him with her garage door code.
When Letecia and Gannon return home, Edguardo is still there. He is armed with one of Letecia or Al’s guns and threatens her with it repeatedly. Letecia says that Edguardo sexually assaults her and subsequently kidnaps Gannon. She doesn’t call 9-1-1 to report the assault or abduction. Instead, she cleans up the scene to prevent Harley or Laina from knowing what happened.
During the meeting, investigators seize Letecia’s cell phone and apply for a warrant to take DNA samples from her. Letecia then shoves tissues into her pants while saying that she peed herself and had chest pains. She is brought to a local hospital and evaluated. She is fine.
The plan is for Letecia to have a rape kit done. She tells the nurse that she wants to have Harley in the room for support. She goes to the waiting room to get Harley, but sneaks out of the hospital. Harley picks her up at a nearby Taco Bell. Letecia wasn’t under arrest so she cannot be charged with leaving.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
The status of Gannon’s case is changed from runway to endangered missing child. Because of the change, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is able to notify the FBI and the National Center for Miseimf & Exploited Children.
Letecia’s strange interview with Spencer Wilson of KKTV.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Letecia is not yet a suspect, but she chooses to do a live interview with reporter Spencer Wilson of KKTV, a local CBS affiliate. During the interview, she has her back facing the camera, which is strikingly odd. She tells Spencer that her family has received more than 20 death threats and repeatedly proclaims her innocence. She mentions how she expects an apology from her family, and especially from Al. Letecia says that she can’t wait for Gannon to come home so he can tell everyone the truth about what happened to him; another odd statement. Spencer later testifies in her trial.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Letecia and Harley travel cross-country. The plan is to return to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Letecia feels uncomfortable staying at her marital home because Landen, Gannon’s mother and Al’s ex-wife, is currently staying there due to the ongoing investigation. She takes it upon herself to remove her and Harley from the situation instead of staying to support the effort to find Gannon.
Letecia rents a Budget van to move her and Harley’s belongings out of the home.
It’s believed that Gannon’s deceased body was inside of a suitcase, which Letecia kept in the trunk. Harley said she blasted the air conditioner for the whole trip, even when it wasn’t cold. (It was supposedly an effort to mask the smell.)
Here is a map of the route that Letecia and Harley took.
The route that Letecia and Harley drove her van on their road trip to Myrtle Beach. Photo from Crime Curious.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
A neighbor of the Stauch’s, Roderrick Drayton, comes forward with his home surveillance footage, which depicts Letecia coming and going on the day of Gannon’s disappearance. The footage shows Letecia and Gannon leaving in Al’s red Nissan Frontier around 10:15 am on Monday, January 27, 2020, but it only shows Letecia returning.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Letecia is arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She is charged with the following:
First-degree murder of a child under 12 by someone in a position of trust
First-degree murder
Child abuse resulting in death
Tampering with a deceased human body
Tampering with physical evidence
Crime of violence (8 counts)
Attempted escape
Landen Hiott (center) is comforted by her aunt, Veronica Birkenstock, and Albert Stauch, after the announcement that Letecia Stauch was arrested and charged with the 1st-degree murder of Gannon Stauch. Photo Credit: Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Gannon’s remains are located. His body is found in a pink suitcase, in the fetal position, inside of his bed sheets and comfortable. The suitcase is found underneath a bridge on the Florida Panhandle, 1,500 miles from his home in Colorado Springs.
Gannon suggested 18 stab wounds and a gunshot wound to his lower jaw.
Rest in peace, Gannon. May justice finally be served.
Resources
WTAF was going on in the Stauch Marriage? Gannon Stauch Case Update – Wicked Truth
Justice for Gannon Stauch Timeline to Trial – Fox 21 News
IF LOOKS COULD KILL: Heartbroken mother of Gannon Stauch stares down Letecia Stauch in court as she is charged with his murder – The Sun
Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 1, Jury SELECTION | Gannon Stauch Case – ICkEdMeL
INSANE AUDIO, Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 11 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch DAUGHTER TESTIFIES! HARLEY HUNT MURDER TRIAL DAY 9 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch ATTACKS OFFICER ON VIDEO! MURDER TRIAL DAY 8 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch INTERROGATION VIDEO? MURDER TRIAL DAY 7 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch BROTHER TESTIFIES! MURDER TRIAL DAY 6 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
Coroner Witness & AUDIO Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 5 | Gannon Stauch CASE | WARNING GRAPHIC – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 4 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT. 2 – ICkEdMeL
Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 4 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT. 1 – ICkEdMeL
Victim: Hazana Anderson, age 2 Date: Friday, October 19, 2018 Location: Houston, Texas Perpetrator(s): Tiaundra Kae Christon, 21, and Kenny D’Shawn Hewett, 32 Relationship to victim: mother and mother’s boyfriend Crimes in sum: Tiaundra Christon, 21, brought her daughter, Hazana Anderson, 2, on a trip to visit her boyfriend, Kenny Hewett, 32, an hour and a half from their home. The toddler took her last breaths in a Houston hotel room after Tiaundra and Kenny beat her for not eating—but they didn’t stop there.
TRIGGER WARNING: CHILD ABUSE RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE.
Hazana Anderson was a beautiful baby girl from College Park, Texas; a city in central Texas that sits midway between Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. She was a winter baby, born on January 18, 2017, Martin Luther King Day in the U.S. Her birth wasn’t planned and her death, presumed to be on Friday, October 19, 2018, was untimely. However, the actions that followed Hazana’s passing were indeed premeditated.
Hazana didn’t make it to her second birthday. She didn’t get to experience Halloween that year even though her mother already bought her a costume. Instead, on October 31, 2018, officials recovered Hazana’s remains from a Texas lake where her discarded body laid submerged for nearly 10 days.
Hazana Anderson. Photo credit: Café Mom, from KCEN News; YouTube
Tiaundra Kae Christon, 21, called 9-1-1 on the morning of Sunday, October 28, 2010, to report her only child missing. The scene was a sinister one masked by the backdrop of a bright, sunny and warm Texas day. Hazana’s mother was distraught when she spoke with dispatchers.
Through exasperated breaths and hysterical pleas, Tiaundra told the dispatcher that she and Hazana went for a walk in Gabbard Park around 8 am; a public park in College Station, Texas, and nearby Tiaundra and Hazana’s home. The two of them settled at an playground in the park.
Around 9 am, Tiaundra ran back to her car to retrieve a bottle of milk for Hazana. Her car was parked some 1,800 feet away (0.3 miles) and it was out of view of the playground. Hazana sat in her stroller, alone and unrestrained. The stroller was also about 120 feet from a pond.
When Tiaunda returned, Hazana wasn’t there. She called 9-1-1 to report her missing at 9:21 am.
At least 163 officials, including higher-ups from the Houston law enforcement scene, met with volunteers and worried friends and family to scour the park for Hazana. Divers, canines and drones aided in the search. Still, there was no sign of the 2-year-old. Police grew suspicious.
Where was baby Hazana?
An image of Gabbard Park in Houston, where Hazana Anderson was reported missing . Photo credit: Foursquare.com
Police Interrogate Tiaundra on Hazana’s Whereabouts
Tiaundra thought her account was foolproof, but police poked holes in her story.
One of their curiosities speculated on the timespan that Hazana purportedly disappeared. Police spoke with several fisherman at the park that morning and none of them reported hearing or seeing a small child, or noticing any suspicious activity.
Tiaunda’s behavior as a mother was another curiosity. Why would a mother leave her toddler unattended in a public park and run a quarter-mile to her car? At the very least, her actions demonstrated poor parenting.
A doll that resembles Hazana.
The last time Tiaundra saw her daughter, Hazana wore a green jacket, cream-colored pants and a purple beanie. So, it was ironic when investigators found a life-sized baby doll wearing a similar outfit in a dumpster across the street from Tiaundra’s parked car. The doll was located inside of a large black handbag.
The stroller that Tiaundra Christon said her daughter, Hazanna Anderson, was seated in when she disappeared on October 28, 2018, from Gibbard Park in Houston. Photo credit: Café Mom, from KCEN News; YouTube.
Tiaundra claimed to have no knowledge of the doll or its clothing. However, at this point, police had enough evidence to arrest Tiaundra on charges of filing a false police report and endangering/abandoning a child. She was booked to Brazos County Jail in Bryan, Texas.
Hazana’s missing person’s case officially became a criminal investigation.
Tiaundra Prioritizes A New Relationship Over Hazana
As standard procedure, police collected Tiaundra’s phone as evidence. From her phone records, they learned Tiaundra communicated frequently via texts and calls with Kenny D’Shawn Hewett, a 32-year-old man from Houston. She identified the man as her boyfriend.
Kenny, who was 11 years older than Tiaundra, had a lengthy criminal past that included violent behavior.
Kenny and Tiaundra dated for a few months, but loved ones already noticed changes in Tiaundra. Prior to having Hazana with ex-boyfriend Tobodrick Anderson, Tiaundra was in school for radiology. When she had Hazana, she paused her studies to dedicate herself to her daughter—for a time. After she met Kenny, Tiaundra lost all interest in her family life and baby girl.
Kenny Hewett. Photograph from Galveston County Court Records.
Tiaundra became distant. When she was physically with Kenny, she was difficult to get ahold of. Tiaundra often ignored phone calls from her parents, regardless of whether it concerned Hazana. It didn’t help that Kenny kept himself away from Tiaundra’s family. When he picked up the 21-year-old, he waited in his car. He never went out of his way to greet or get to know her parents.
On Thursday, October 18, 2018, Tiaundra took Hazana with her to visit Kenny 1.5 hours away in Houston. The three of them planned to stay at a Houston Downtowner Inn & Suites from Oct. 18-20, 2018. Although Tiaundra’s mother lived in Houston and invited them to stay with her, Kenny and Tiaundra denied her request. They wanted to be alone. On the following day, they would be.
On Friday, October 19, 2018, Kenny took Hazana with him to a taco restaurant to pick up food while Tiaundra stayed behind in the hotel. During this 30-minute outing, Hazana refused to eat and it made Kenny angry—very angry. When the two of them returned to the hotel, Hazana was crying and noticeably uncomfortable. Then, the night became especially grim.
Kenny told Tiaundra that she didn’t do a good job “disciplining” her child. He took his belt and used it to beat Hazana on her arms, legs and face, leaving behind welts. He handed Tiaundra the belt and demanded she do the same. Tiaundra used the belt to hit her 2-year-old daughter, but Kenny didn’t think it was hard enough, so he continued. Then, Kenny and Tiaundra placed Hazana in the bathtub, where Kenny waterboarded the child. As she struggled to breathe, Hazana threw up bits of food and defecated in the tub.
After the beating, Hazana started to drift in and out of consciousness. Kenny suggested she take Tylenol and a laxative. When Hazana became cold to the touch, Tiaundra put her back in the bath tub, hoping it would warm her. It didn’t. Tiaundra’s watched her daughter’s eyes roll to the back of her head.
Hazana’s condition deteriorates.
While Hazana was in the bath tub, Tiaundra noticed one detail she didn’t want to believe: her daughter’s anus was gaping. She later told investigators that Hazana’s “butt hole was so huge” and questioned again and again how it happened. Sexual abuse allegations were never confirmed nor denied.
Hazana Anderson. Photo from YouTube, credit Mamas Uncut.
After the bath, Hazana’s skin still felt cold to the touch. Instead of wrapping the toddler in blankets—or bringing her to the hospital—Tiaundra and Kenny used a hair dryer to warm her. They left the hair dryer on all night and kept it pointed in Hazana’s direction. The hair dryer did nothing but burn Hazana’s skin, thereby worsening her condition.
Noticing little to no improvement, Tiaundra tucked her daughter in to bed, hoping that somehow, some way, she would recover. Hazana’s shallow breathing grew softer and slower. Still, neither adult called 9-1-1.
When Tiaundra and Kenny woke the next morning, Hazana was dead. The medical examiner was never able to determine a cause of death, which played an adverse role in the case.
Tiaundra uses a a toy doll to impersonate Hazana.
Tiaundra and Kenny didn’t want to take responsibility for Hazana’s death. Instead, they concocted a disgraceful plan to conceal her body.
Hazana Anderson. Photo from Facebook.
With her daughter now dead, Tiaundra wrapped her body in a plastic bag. She kept that plastic bag on the passenger-side floorboard of her car for three days. She tossed clothing and other items overtop the bag to hide the body from view.
Three days later, her and Kenny purchased chicken feet to add to the bag. Then, they tied it shut with a rope, attached it to a heavy rock and dumped the body in Moses Lake near Texas City.
Why the chicken feet, you ask? Tiaundra and Kenny used it as bait for fish and other water critters. They purposely wanted to attract sea life to Hazana’s body to eliminate potential evidence.
And that’s how Tiaundra bid farewell to her daughter; her only child here on this earth. She tossed her dead body in the water with a bunch of raw chicken feet.
Tiaundra attempts to cover up Hazana’s death.
On October 20, 2018, Tiaundra returned to College Station without Hazana. To avoid questions, she dressed a life-sized doll like Hazana and walked around with the toy in a stroller.
Tiaundra went to a friend’s house, who saw the doll in the backseat and assumed it was Hazana sleeping. She told her mother, who kept asking to see her granddaughter, that Hazana was napping. Other excuses followed. She sent her friends and family old photographs of Hazana and claimed they were current. Surveillance footage from a local Wax-Mart even captured Tiaundra pushing a stroller that contained a motionless “child.”
Tiaundra Christon. Photo credit: Brazos County Sheriff’s Office.
Tiaundra and Kenny’s Sentencing
Police arrested Tiaundra on October 29, 2019 and Kenny on October 31.
On November 8, 2019, Kenny pled guilty to tampering with a human corpse. He received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He will most likely serve most of this sentence due to his prior record.
Tiaundra entered a plea of not guilty to tampering with a human corpse.
Tiaundra’s trial began on December 8, 2019. Three days later, a jury found her guilty after only 40 minutes of deliberation. Tiaundra received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Unfortunately, she may only serve three years of her sentence, or 15%, before she is eligible for parole due to state criminal laws.
Hazana’s cause of death is undetermined. Neither Kenny nor Tiaundra were charged with her murder.
My Two Cents Corner
I wonder how much Tiaundra will regret so desperately wanting to be with a man that it cost her her daughter’s life. I say “a man” and not Kenny, because considering her age, recent behavior and decision to be with a person like Kenny, I think her choices were about being with someone in general; the feeling of being wanted and needed, and it being intoxicating like a drug. It wasn’t about love.
Tiaundra had a beautiful daughter. She lived with her grandmother. She had family members willing to help her. The father of her child loved his daughter and wanted to be present in her life. He even preferred having Hazana most of the time. She was in the midst of pursuing a degree in radiology. She had opportunities at her fingertips.
Tiaundra handed over her blessings for a man and it landed her a jail sentence and the permanent label of being a mother who killed her child. I don’t think it’s an excuse, but I personally believe that Tiaundra was naïve.
Kenny had a criminal record that included felony charges. He was also 11 years older than Tiaundra, which is a red flag—no, not for every age gap relationship, but for this one. The age gap placed Kenny in a position to manipulate Tiaundra, which is what I believe happened. I won’t speak too much on Kenny’s behavior in this case, because it is absolutely disgusting in every way. A grown man should never treat a child, especially a precious little girl.
Why didn’t Kenny date a woman closer to him in age? Because he couldn’t. Women his age have more life experience and are thus less willing (or unwilling) to deal with drama. A young, naïve woman may not know better. It probably fed Tiaundra’s ego to date an older “bad boy” and it definitely fed Kenny’s ego to date a younger woman. I’m sure Tiaundra wasn’t his first.
I don’t believe this was the first time Tiaundra saw Kenny express anger violently. I also don’t believe it’s the first time he was violent towards Hazana. In the sources I read, Tiaundra never expressed that it was the first time Kenny behaved that way or that she was shocked at his actions. However, I do think—and this is only my opinion—they were both irritated at the responsibility of caring for a toddler, especially for days in a row. I think Tiaundra was also probably in denial about how toxic the relationship was, also because of naïveté. I think she was also so desperate to please him that she was willing to do anything—clearly.
Again, these are only my speculations. Regardless, it’s an incredible shame that a precious child was taken from this world at the hands of selfish, inept adults.
Victims: Bart Halderson, 50, and Krista Halderson, 53 Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021 Location: Village of DeForest, Wisconsin Perpetrator: Chandler “Chaz” Michael Halderson, 23 Crimes in sum: Chandler Halderson fabricated lie after lie because he didn’t want to assume the responsibilities of an adult. But for him to continue playing video games and living at home rent-free, he had to remove the obstacles that stood in his way: his loving and devoted parents.
This crime takes place here:
Chandler Halderson, 23, started the summer of 2021 with a shadow cast on him, or so it seemed.
For several months, Chandler, or “Chaz,” planned to move out of his parents’ home in the Village of DeForest, Wisconsin, and relocate to Titusville, Florida, with his girlfriend. He recently started working remotely for SpaceX, the renowned company owned by tech mogul Elon Musk, and needed to relocate for the position.
It was exciting news for Chandler. He was on the cusp of adulthood.
Chandler kept busy in the months leading up to the move. For nearly a year, he worked remotely for American Family Insurance. For at least two years, he volunteered for the Madison Police Department’s scuba diver search and rescue team, and assisted with many efforts. He also prepared to receive a certificate in solar panel installation from Madison Area Technical College (MATC), which he attended for the last two years.
Bart and Krista Halderson. Photo from Facebook.
Unfortunately, on June 17, 2021, Chandler suffered severe injuries after falling down the stairs at home. No one was there to witness the fall, so Chandler drove himself to the emergency room. The news was devastating: he suffered nerve damage to his spine and a brain bleed. The health complications forced Chandler to pass up the opportunity with SpaceX and cancel the move.
It looked like Chandler was right back where he started—in his parents’ house. However, his parents, Bart and Krista Halderson, didn’t realize their son planned it all along.
A Pathological Liar for a Son
Chandler lied to his parents and girlfriend of two years, Cathryn “Cat” Mellender, about everything. He never worked for American Family Insurance, he failed out of school after only a semester, and SpaceX didn’t hire him. The fall and corresponding injuries? He made that up, too.
Chandler wanted an excuse to stay homeand play video games. He used lies to stir sympathy and manipulate his loved ones into believing him. Chandler didn’t have a history of crime or malicious behavior, so he was given the benefit of the doubt. For a few years, his plan worked.
However, on Thursday, July 1, 2021, the jig was up. In light of some issues with American Family Insurance, Bart wanted to help his son find another job, but he needed a copy of Chandler’s certificate from MATC. In typical Chandler fashion, he drummed up excuse after excuse, complaining about how the school refused to send him copies of his transcript or certificate. Bart then called MATC and spoke with an enrollment advisor while impersonating his son. During the call, Bart learned there was no certificate, Chandler hadn’t attended the school since 2020, and he owed over $2,000. Bart scheduled an in-person meeting with the advisor and Chandler on July 1 to discuss the matter further.
Needless to say, Chandler and Bart didn’t make the appointment, and no one saw Bart or Krista again—at least not alive.
Chandler Halderson, left, with his father, Bart, and older brother Mitchell, on Father’s Day 2021. Photo from Facebook.
Chandler told concerned friends and family that his parents left the morning of Friday, July 2, 2021, for a long weekend at their cabin in White Lake, Wisconsin. According to Chandler, another couple picked up Bart and Krista Halderson around 6-7 am, so they could take the three-hour trip north together.
But when Chandler’s older brother, Mitchell, didn’t hear from his mom, and one of Krista’s close friends grew particularly worried, they urged him to call police. On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, he finally did. Just 32 hours later, police arrested Chandler for the murder of his parents.
Keep reading to learn about the nitty-gritty details on how it all happened.
Who is Chandler Halderson?
Chandler “Chaz” Michael Halderson was born on March 15, 1998, to parents Krista and Bart Halderson.
Bart Halderson and Krista Frater met in the early 1990s, when they worked at the same department store in a local mall. The couple married on July 30, 1994 and settled in Windsor, Wisconsin. Both Bart and Krista were native Wisconsinites and they both earned bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Chandler Halderson. Photo from Fox 47.
In 1996, the Halderson’s had their first child, a son named Mitchell, and 18 months later, they welcomed Chandler in 1998. Friends and family knew of Bart and Krista to be loving and devoted parents. Loved ones said that Krista never even raised her voice at her sons.
Throughout Chandler’s childhood, Bart worked as an accountant with BDO, USA. He saw success in his position, which allowed Krista to be a stay-at-home mom. Though Bart worked long hours, Krista was “helicopter parent,” as Mitchell later told courts. She fulfilled that role proudly until her sons reached adulthood and she returned to the workforce as an administrative assistant for Zimbrick Automotive; a role she learned about from a friend. Both parents had great reputations at their jobs and were known for being overall pleasant people.
At the time of these crimes, Bart was 50 and Krista, 53.
Chandler lies about his job.
Despite working full time, Chandler never received a paycheck—in about a year. Naturally, his parents were concerned. Bart often probed his son about paying rent and asked where his money was. But not to worry, because Chandler had an answer for everything.
The logo for American Family Insurance, the employer that Chandler Halderson claimed to work remotely for. He was never employed by the company.
Chandler blamed his missing paychecks on American Family Insurance (AMI), a company founded in 1927 with more than 13,000 employees. First, he said AMI incorrectly filed him as an hourly employee instead of a salaried employee. Chandler would be paid when his paperwork was updated.
When that excuse was played out, Chandler said he mistakenly provided AFI with the wrong direct deposit information, which delayed payment further. Then, he said AFI owed him so much money that the bank flagged his paychecks as fraudulent, which delayed the process yet again.
Bart contacts Chandler’s ’employer.’
Bart became suspicious enough to take initiative. As an accountant, he didn’t want the company taking advantage of his son.
Bart communicated with AMI personnel, including an individual named Tom Sellsnick, a human resources manager. For months, their email exchanges went back and forth. Curiously, Tom misspelled his own title in his email signature as “human recourses” manager and his emails were also riddled with spelling errors.
It’s no surprise that Chandler made up the name Tom Sellsnick and the email address, a Gmail account, to correspond with his father and keep up the guise about his job.
Chandler lies about his fall.
After Chandler fell down the stairs (picture shown), he told his family and girlfriend that he suffered nerve and spinal damage, as well as a brain bleed. He said he experienced numbness in his legs and frequent lightheadedness, and was told he couldn’t drive or fly. Doctors told him the damage to his legs was likely permanent and eventually he would need brain surgery and a colostomy bag.
The staircase Chandler Halderson claimed to have fallen down. Photo presented as evidence during court. Image from The Scales of Justice 2, YouTube.
It was a trying time for the family. Shortly before Chandler fell, Krista was diagnosed with skin cancer and his brother Mitchell was admitted to to the hospital for undiagnosed diabetes. Perhaps Chandler felt that with so much going on, no one would scrutinize his health issues.
During this time, Chandler pretended to start working for SpaceX. He reassured Cat and his parents that SpaceX permitted him to work from home during the hiring process. He was eventually “fired” from SpaceX due to poor performance and too many errors after the “fall.”
In reality, Chandler was only diagnosed with a mild concussion.
Chandler lies about school.
Because of the concerning experience at Chandler’s “job,” Bart tried to help his son find another job. To do so, he needed a copy of Chandler’s college transcripts, which provided proof of his certificate. Unsurprisingly, that was also problematic.
MATC is a two-year community college and technical school, but Chandler took a bit longer to graduate. He was now in his third year. Chandler claimed that MATC refused to release his transcripts because he didn’t complete his certificate yet. Bart corresponded via email with people he believed were MATC enrollment advisors, including Alyssa Brandt and David Speith. These individuals also had Gmail accounts and were also created by Chandler.
On June 29, 2021, Bart called the school directly and pretended to be Chandler. He spoke with Omar Jobe, an actual enrollment coordinator there, who told him the truth: Chandler had an outstanding balance of $2,000, he hadn’t taken classes since the fall of 2020 and he never earned his certificate. He hardly even took any classes in his desired field. He also learned that Chandler never had an internship with American Family Insurance, which is how he “learned about the job.” Now, Bart officially became aware of Chandler’s lies.
Chandler gets ahold of a gun.
Andrew Smith and Chandler Halderson. Photo from Law & Crime.
Remember when we mentioned that Chandler loved playing video games? Chandler especially loved to play first-person shooter games. His favorite game was Escape from Tarkov.
Chandler played online with other players and formed friendships with a few of them. One of these friendships was with Andrew Smith, who later testified in court.
Chandler and Andrew, a former U.S. Army soldier, played video games together on a daily basis. When they “met” sometime in 2018 or 2019, Andrew was stationed overseas. Shortly after, he returned to his home in Kansas on an honorable discharge. Andrew suffered a head injury after being in a Humvee crash in Germany. Now that Andrew and Chandler were in the same time zone, they played together even more.
Chandler also lied to Andrew. He told Andrew he was attending school, was recently hired by SpaceX and injured his head after a fall down the stairs.
In June 2021, Andrew visited Chandler at his home in Wisconsin. During the visit, Andrew gifted Chandler a rifle and 480 rounds of ammunition. The rifle was a Russian-designed SKS rifle, which is the weapon Chandler preferred to use in the game. Andrew collected guns but didn’t particularly like that one and thought Chandler might appreciate it more. He took a photo of Chandler’s Wisconsin ID with the serial number of the rifle to document the transfer.
The Unraveling
As mentioned earlier, Bart made an in-person appointment with Chandler and enrollment counselor Omar Jobe on Thursday, July 1, 2021. At 2:15 pm that day, Bart texted Chandler, “I’m ready when you are.” After that, Bart’s phone went dark and no other activity was recorded.
Chandler texted his mother afterwards to say “Dad’s phone died,” and “Text or call and get soda on your way home, I have an extra hour of work.” Krista arrived at the Halderson home around 5:12 pm.
That was the last time anyone saw the Krista and Bart Halderson aside from Chandler.
The Weekend Getaway That Never Was
Chandler’s parents had plans for the Fourth of July weekend—at least according to Chandler. Because he was such a kind, caring son (please note the sarcasm here), he helped them pack for a weekend at the family cabin in White Lake, Wisconsin. The cabin was passed down to Krista from her father, who built it himself in the 1940s. The family of four shared many fond memories in that cabin, and Bart and Krista continued to visit several times a year.
The Halderson’s cabin on Sawyer Lake Road in White Lake, Wisconsin. Photo from Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
In the morning of Friday, July 2, 2021 around 6 am, Chandler said that another couple, friends of his parents, picked them up. His parents were going to repair a water pump and fire pit that were damaged in a recent storm, and enjoy Fourth of July festivities.
His explanation also justified why both of the Halderson’s vehicles remained in their driveway.
Out of character behavior for Bart and Krista.
Chandler said he didn’t know who who his parents went upstate with. Krista’s best friend of 30 years, Jane Hilgendorf, who she met in middle school, felt the situation didn’t make any sense. Krista told her everything and they communicated often. Jane also spent the weekend with her husband, Michael, at their cabin up north, which they would have shared in common.
Chandler said his parents brought $4,000 in cash and a significant amount of alcohol. Bart was a known penny-pincher and neither of them were drinkers, so this didn’t make sense either.
Also, neither Krista or Bart took off work that Friday, which was alarming. Krista was so meticulous with her work schedule that she requested all her vacation days for 2021 in January. For her to be a no-show without calling suggested an emergency. Krista worked with a close friend, Daniel Kroniger, who was so worried that he went to the Halderson’s house to check on her. Chandler answered the front door dripping wet and wearing only a towel, and casually told Dan about their weekend trip.
When Chandler called police on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, he said he last heard from his mom that Sunday, July 4. He said Krista texted him around 11 am to say that her and Bart were attending a Fourth of July parade in White Lake. However, that parade was held the previous day, July 3.
Krista’s best friend gets involved.
With Bart and Krista missing, investigators took a ride to the family’s cabin. Their visit proceeded with a visit from Jane and Michael Hilgendorf, who drove 88 miles from their own cabin to check on their friends. When they arrived, they noticed a large fallen tree trunk blocked the driveway, the grounds were overgrown and the inside was undisturbed. It was clear no one visited there in quite some time.
Krista Halderson.
Jane called Chandler to say that Krista and Bart weren’t at their cabin. Chandler’s responses were unsettling, as he asked Jane if she found any “bullet casings” or “blood.”
The Hilgendorfs’ twin daughters, Hailey and Hanna, were Mitchell’s age, and the children grew up together. When the twins heard that Bart and Krista were missing, they drove to the Halderson’s home to check on Chandler. The sisters immediately noticed something off about his demeanor.
Chandler enjoys his July Fourth weekend.
Even though Krista was the kind of mom who spoke to her sons throughout the day, every day, Chandler wasn’t overly concerned with his parents’ absence. In fact, despite his head and back injury, he enjoyed his weekend thoroughly. Suddenly, he felt well enough to ditch the neck brace and drive on his own.
Chandler spent his weekend swimming and watching fireworks with Cat. On July 4, he went swam at Cat’s parents’ pool, located on a small farm in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, that spans 30 to 40 acres. Kind people they are, Cat’s parents invited Chandler to use the pool whenever he needed, suggesting it might be therapeutic for him post-injury. The family was surprised when he returned by himself the very next day. Nonetheless, they welcomed him with open arms.
After an hour or so, Cat’s mother, Dulce Mellender, peeked out the window to check on Chandler. She noticed he wasn’t in the pool, but had driven his parents’ SUV into the woods behind the house. The car had its hatch open. Dulce was worried that, with so much going on, Chandler was using drugs. She later relayed this information to police.
On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, Chandler traipsed through the doors of the Dane County Police Department around 11:25 am to file a missing person’s report.
Detectives went to the Halderson home to interview Chandler that day. Immediately, they noticed areas of the floor were missing and there was an outline of what appeared to be a half-wall, now removed, near the front door.
Later that day, Chandler walked door-to-door around the neighborhood to ask neighbors if they had surveillance footage. Chandler wanted to know if their surveillance cameras captured any unknown vehicles coming or going from on July 2 between 6-7 am. Neighbors reported Chandler’s demeanor as unusual.
Police canvas the neighborhood.
While Chandler asked neighbors for their surveillance footage, police did the same. The footage revealed to investigators what everyone feared: Bart and Krista never left their home that Friday or any day afterwards. Chandler was the only person who came and went from the Halderson home, and did so at all hours.
One neighbor had a surveillance camera in his backyard that faced his pool. By enhancing the footage, flames could be seen through one of the windows of the Halderson home. The flames poured out of the fireplace and glowed wildly, which continued all night on Friday, July 2. Remember, it was early July, and there was no reason to use a fireplace. Neighbors, many of which were retired police officers, reported a smell similar to a pig roast.
Cat and Dulce speak to investigators.
Shortly thereafter, police questioned Cat and her mother Dulce. Both women were forthcoming and provided important information. Cat told them Chandler had to do chores on Friday. When she checked his location via Snapchat Map, she noticed he was in a remote area; a place in the woods they occasionally visited together near the Wisconsin River. Cat worried Chandler was there with another woman and took a screenshot of his location to confront him later. She didn’t know it then, but the screenshot played a major part in cracking this case.
Dulce told police about Chandler parking his SUV in the woods behind her home, and how it was out of character for him. Police went to Dulce’s to search the wooded area and saw turkey vultures flying overhead; birds that are attracted to the smell of decay. In this spot, they located Bart Halderson’s torso. At a later date, they also found the SXS rifle.
Chandler Halderson. Photo from Fox 47.
Chandler is arrested.
Chandler was brought in to the police station for what he believed was routine questioning. After a short time, detectives asked him to tell the the truth about his parents’ deaths. This was supposedly the first time Chandler heard about their deaths, and he hardly reacted to the news. In fact, he hardly reacted to anything.
Chandler was arrested on Thursday, July 8, 2021, the day after he reported his parents missing.
The Truth
Chandler didn’t want to fess up to his lies on Thursday, July 1, 2021, though he knew the time was near. After lying to his parents, brother, friends and girlfriend for years at this point, he foresaw the outcome of that meeting as catastrophic to his fragile ego. Chandler knew the truth, and the truth was that he achieved nothing in life.
Before him and his father could leave for their appointment, he took that SXS rifle that his friend gifted to him and shot his father two or three times in the back. Then, he waited for his mother to return home from work, and it’s presumed he shot her as well.
With the bodies in the basement just a few feet away, Chandler slept downstairs with girlfriend that night. He claimed that, because of his injuries, he had to sleep closest to the only working bathroom in the house. That was another lie meant to prevent Cat from entering the basement where his parents’ dead bodies lay in an ice-packed freezer.
On Friday, July 2, 2021, Chandler set out to get rid of the bodies. Using every tool he could find, from saws to scissors to knives and shears, he dismembered his parents. Then, he took their body parts and attempted to burn them in the fireplace. He used a fan to increase the heat of the fire to burn the bodies faster, which still wasn’t very successful. Police later found over 200 bone fragments in the ash of that fireplace, which included a knee bone, pieces of a human skull and teeth.
The next day, Chandler took what remained of his parents’ bodies and scattered them throughout the area. He dumped his father’s remains on the family farm of his girlfriend’s family, and his mother’s in a wooded area near the Wisconsin River that he frequented with Cat and friends.
The Trial and Verdict.
Despite the mountain of evidence, narcissistic and delusional Chandler pled not guilty. The trial was in the state’s favor from the start, which is quite apparent from the attorneys’ opening statements.
William Brown, attorney for the state, explained his case for 50 minutes. Speaking in a soft, inviting voice, he presented all sorts of evidence that explained why Chandler was guilty of murdering and dismembering his parents. Chandler’s attorney, Crystal Vera, spoke for about 10 minutes. It was a feeble attempt, but there was hardly anything she could say. No one spoke on Chandler’s behalf.
The jury deliberated for two hours. On March 17, 2022, Chandler was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder and dismemberment of his parents. He is on the lookout for a new attorney to appeal his conviction.
Here are his charges:
Two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson
Two counts of giving false information to police on a kidnapped/missing person
Victim: Christian Tobechukwu “Toby” Ubumseli, 27 Date: Sunday, April 3, 2022 Location: Miami, Florida Perpetrator: Courtney Taylor Clenney, aka Courtney Tailor, 26 Crimes in sum: Courtney Clenney, 26, was arrested on August 10, 2022 on second-degree murder charges, but some still believe she’s innocent. Do you agree?
Courtney Clenney, a 26-year-old social media influencer and OnlyFans model from Midland, Texas, was a guest on the comedy podcast, We In Miami, in March of 2022. In the episode, she joked about being the “crazy, toxic girlfriend.”
A month later, that remark became an ominous warning when she fatally stabbed her on-again, off-again boyfriend of two years, 27-year-old Christian Tobechukwu “Toby” Obumseli.
Unfortunately, hindsight is always 20/20.
What Happened?
The homicide occurred in the early evening on Sunday, April 3, 2022. Courtney and Christian, who went by “Toby,” lived in Apartment 2201 at the One Paraiso Residences, a 53-floor luxury high-rise in the Edgewater community of Miami, Florida. The apartment, located on the 22nd floor, has three bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, waterfront views and a private elevator. All those amenities and more cost a modest $10,000 per month.
However, within their luxury lifestyle, the couple lived in their own personal hell. Police visited their apartment at least seven times since they moved there in January 2022. This call would be the last.
Toby suffered a stab wound to the chest that penetrated three inches into his skin. The six-inch kitchen knife punctured an artery and the wound was fatal. Toby was eight shy of his 28th birthday.
Courtney Clenney and Toby Ubumseli. Photo from Instagram.
An Unlikely Story
When police questioned Courtney, she denied stabbing Toby. She said Toby charged at her and she threw the knife at him from across the room, or from about 10 feet away. Courtney said she didn’t intend to hurt Toby, but to scare him away.
However, the model, actress and personal trainer, who earned more than $3 million on OnlyFans from 2020 to 2022, didn’t think her statement through. In court, the medical examiner said that unless Courtney was a professional knife-thrower, it was impossible for the knife to have penetrated Toby’s skin in such a powerful downward motion. Rather, Toby received the fatal wound at close range.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, Hawaii police arrested Courtney on a second-degree murder charge. Courtney’s defense team asked for bail and pre-trial release.
The judge denied both requests. Expectedly, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty is preparing to play the self-defense card. She will face trial this year (2023).
Here’s the full story.
Courtney Clenney. Photograph from her Instagram: @courtneytailor.
Who’s Courtney Clenney?
Courtney Taylor Clenney, known on social media as Courtney Tailor, was born on April 21, 1996 to Deborah Bond and Kim Clenney in rural Midland, Texas. Courtney’s parents are entrepreneurs and have owned at least three small businesses, which include a professional organizing company, a roofing contractor and an energy services company. She has one younger sister, Morgan.
At age 7, Courtney and her family moved to Austin. Growing up, Courtney was competitive and actively participated in sports. Her competitiveness followed her into adulthood and drove her short-lived success.
Young Courtney participated in many sports, including soccer, basketball, swimming, gymnastics and horseback riding. As a child, she was a high-diver and considered competing in the olympics. As a teen and young adult, she transitioned into physical fitness. Courtney became a certified personal trainer and competed in a number of athletic bikini competitions, including the NPC West Coast Classic in 2016.
Courtney Clenney. Photo from FitnessVolt.com
Entering the limelight.
Courtney finished about two years of college before dropping out. School wasn’t for her. She dreamt of becoming an entertainer and certainly had the looks, physique and drive to make it happen.
Courtney began to see an acting coach and appeared as an extra in TV commercials for Pepsi, Cirrus Logic, Celebration Church and Discount Dollars. She also fulfilled small roles in American Psycho, The Lying Game, Unstalkable, Boyhood and Everybody Wants Some!!! and in the music video for G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha’s 2015 song, “Me, Myself & I.” Later that year, she posed for Playboy magazine.
In 2017, Courtney moved to Los Angeles, California, for more opportunities. Her social media presence also started to grow. She currently has more than two million followers on her Instagram page: view it here. Courtney also became a brand ambassador for BANG energy drinks, Manscaped razors and The Chive, and advertised clothing from brands including Missguided.
An OnlyFans superstar.
OnlyFans, an internet content subscription service with a reputation for adult content, launched in 2016. The following year, Courtney began selling explicit photos, videos and other content, including subscriptions, on the site. Her father, Kim Clenney, wasn’t aware of his daughter’s online presence until her arrest in 2022.
Courtney meets Toby.
Courtney and Toby met in Austin. The couple began dating sometime in 2020.
Toby was also from Texas, but he grew up in Plano, about 215 miles north of Austin, where Courtney spent her childhood.
Christian Obumseli. Photo from his GoFundMe page.
Toby was born on April 12, 1994 to his parents, Christopher Obumseli and Chio Ndiwe. His parents are from Nigeria, but Toby was born in Dallas, Texas. Toby was the youngest of three children, which includes his sister Jen Adaeze and Jeffrey Obumseli.
Growing up, Toby was an athlete; something he and Courtney shared in common. In high school, he played basketball and football, and was captain of the football team. He went on to attend Texas Tech University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies and business management. In his adult life, Toby held various sales positions, and eventually became a cryptocurrency investor and trader. He also opened his own business, Wiseman & Peachtree LLC.
Friends and family described Toby as loving, carefree, compassionate and gentle-spirited, with a big, beautiful smile.
A tumultuous union.
After the murder, Toby’s family appeared on the Dr. Phil talk show to discuss their terrible experience. A friend, who wished to remain anonymous, described the couple as very much “in love” in the beginning of their relationship. But within a few months, the union became combative, unstable, hostile and tempestuous.
Courtney and Toby argued a lot. They also broke up a lot, but they always got back together. Their relationship worsened because of Courtney’s drinking. When Courtney drank alcohol, she was violent and impulsive. It was often during her drunken stupors that fights started between her and Toby.
Minor occurrences usually triggered their fights, such as Toby looking at or talking to another woman. Meanwhile, Courtney was the one with a history of infidelity toward Toby.
Form bad to worse.
The constant arguing affected Toby. Many of his friends noticed. Once upbeat, positive and full of energy, he became stressed, quiet and withdrawn. Courtney started to pull Toby away from his friends, which was accompanied by her intensifying jealousy.
Courtney Clenney pictured in her booking photo when she was arrested in July 2021 in Las Vegas for domestic battery. Photograph from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Eventually, the arguments became physical, with Courtney as both the aggressor and the abuser. Courtney started to hit Toby on the arms and chest, slap him across the face and pull his hair, all while verbally berating him. The behavior escalated to Courtney stabbing Toby in the leg on one occasion and cutting his cheek on another.
The couple first moved into a penthouse apartment together iin South Austin, Texas. Neighbors there complained about their fighting. One neighbor on the 10th floor found a tiger painting on the balcony that Courtney threw from their apartment.
After the couple moved to another penthouse in Miami, Florida, neighbors there complained about yelling, slamming of doors and breaking objects, including neighbors who lived two floors above them. The police visited the apartment often. Courtney often trashed the apartment during their fights and left shambles in her wake.
During a trip to Las Vegas in July 2021, police arrested Courtney for domestic battery against Toby. While staying at The Cosmopolitan hotel, Courtney threw a glass at Toby, barely missing his head. Toby chose not to press charges and police released Courtney the following day.
A female abuser with no accountability.
Toby made excuses for Courtney. He was quick to blame her hostile behavior on her drinking and claimed their relationship was good when Courtney was sober. Unfortunately, with her growing fame and cash flow, Courtney was sober less and less often. People in the Austin and Miami night life scenes knew about Courtney and not for good reasons.
Elevator video footage shows Courtney Clenney and Christian Obumseli in an altercation, with Courtney as the aggressor.
Friends said Toby never retaliated. Rather, he stood there “like a stick figure” and took Courtney’s abuse. He’d try to block her swings or hold her arms so she’d stop swinging, but never fought back. Instead, Toby always tried to appease Courtney and calm her down.
Friends who partied and traveled with Toby and Courtney recall Courtney often pulling Toby to the side, and starting fights with him that involved slapping, pushing, shoving and spitting on him. On at least one occasion, she yelled at him for looking at other women. On another, Courtney pushed Toby down the stairs at a house party.
Escalating violence and abuse.
There is telling video footage captured from the elevator of their Miami penthouse, that shows an altercation between Toby and Courtney. In the video, Courtney hits Toby, pulls his hair and yells at him. Toby, on the other hand, tries to calm Courtney down and shield himself from her blows. View it here.
In February 2022, two months before Toby died, Courtney cheated on him, tried stabbing him (but the knife missed and sliced his beard and cheek), called him the n***** word (which she did repeatedly) and kicked him out of the apartment several times. Toby had to get stitches in his face, which reopened several times due to Courtney slapping him.
Toby wrote text messages to Courtney, pleading for change and trying to reason with her. He never stopped trying to be on her side.
Stuck under Courtney’s grasp.
Because of Courtney’s growing success and opportunities, the couple decided Toby would work as her personal assistant. Now, Toby waited on hand and foot for Courtney, managing photo shoots and her schedule. In return, Courtney promised him a percentage of the revenue from her OnlyFans account. It’s unknown as to whether Courtney paid Toby, but it seems unlikely.
Courtney Clenney and Toby Obumseli. Photo originally from Instagram.
Sometimes, Courtney felt bad for treating Toby so poorly. Because she had the money, Courtney tried to compensate for her foul behavior with expensive gifts. On at least one occasion, Courtney threw Toby’s luggage and all his belongings off the balcony of their Miami penthouse. To make up for what she did, she bought him new belongings, along with a brand new luggage set from Louie Vuitton worth about $10,000.
Final days.
Courtney’s behavior became more unstable, aggressive and unhinged by the day.
On Friday, April 1, 2022, three days before Toby died, police visited the apartment on a domestic dispute. Courtney had bruises all over her arms and legs.
Apartment management received many complaints about the couple. The couple was also months behind on their rent. Consequently, Aleros Capital Investments, which represented their apartment building, filed a case against Courtney in Miami Court on March 21, 2022 for eviction.
A Pattern of Behavior
Courtney’s behavior towards Toby escalated over their relationship, but the young woman displayed signs of problematic behavior leading up to this point, including a history of domestic violence. Her violent past includes allegedly stabbing her previous boyfriend before Toby. And then, there’s Shawn Rhoden.
A photo of Shawn Rhoden and Courtney Tailor during a 20XX fitness competition after Courtney won the MPC Class Bikini. Photo from Muscle Insider.
Courtney’s relationship with Shawn Rhoden.
In 2022, bodybuilder Nick Trigili shared a video to his YouTube channel BodyBuilding & BS (which has over 106,000 subscribers) about Courtney physically assaulting bodybuilder Shawn Rhoden and shattering his jaw in 2017.
In 2017, Shawn, known in the bodybuilding community as Mr. Olympia, was married to his then-wife Michelle Sugar, who he also shared a child with. That same year, he started an affair with Courtney. Sadly, Shawn passed away from a heart attack in November 2021.
Courtney and Shawn trained at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California, where they met. Shawn provided Courtney with nutritional information and helped her prepare for upcoming competitions. Over time, it evolved into a sexual relationship. Courtney didn’t know about Shawn being married, but she allegedly shattered his jaw when she found out.
Shawn never pressed charges against Courtney due to it being an affair. He also never publicly discussed his broken jaw, but people presumed it was from a car accident. While recovering, Shawn had to blend his food and eat through a straw. Nick and two of Shawn’s ex-wives corroborated the story.
2018.
A woman in Austin, Texas, sued Courtney on August 30, 2018 for an incident involving a car crash. The woman accused Courtney of personal injuries, property damage and loss of use of a vehicle. The case was settled out of court and ultimately dismissed.
A photo of Courtney Clenney taken at the Hawaii Police Department after her arrest on August 10, 2022.
2020.
On September 16, 2020, police arrested Courtney, also in Texas, for driving while intoxicated. Her first DUI charge came at age 18, so this was her second. Courtney’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.30, more than times the legal limit. Police released Courtney on a $8,000 bond. As a condition of her release, Courtney had an ignition interlock device installed in her car to measure her alcohol level.
The Night of the Murder
On Sunday, April 3, 2022, Toby left their Miami apartment around 1:15 pm and returned at 4:33 pm with sandwiches from Subway for him and Courtney. At 4:01 pm, Courtney live-streamed herself on Instagram, in what seemed to be a Q&A session with fans. She wore the same outfit that police photographed her in later that day. Her behavior on that live was suggestive of her being on substances.
Courtney called Christian right before the live at 4:01 pm and again at 4:33 pm.
When he left, Courtney realized that Toby stopped sharing his location with her. Because Courtney didn’t trust Toby and was exceptionally jealous, this was a major source of contention. When Toby returned, he shared his location again with Courtney, but she didn’t do the same.
Fast-escalating and deadly.
Within the next half hour, Courtney called her mother at 4:43 pm and chatted for six minutes. Then, she called her mom again at 4:49 pm and spoke for seven minutes. At some point between 4:43 pm and 4:57 pm, Courtney stabbed Toby in the chest with a six-inch serrated kitchen knife. The knife pierced three inches into his skin, just below a tattoo of Courtney’s name, and hit an artery. Courtney’s mother, Deborah Bond, later said she heard Courtney say that Toby was “lying.”
At 4:57 pm, Courtney called 9-1-1 to ask for paramedics. At the same time, neighbors reported a disturbance to building management, who then phoned security and also called police.
To police, Courtney claimed that Toby charged at her, pushed her and attacked her in retaliation. After the stabbing, Courtney called her mother for support, while Toby bled out in the background. Thirteen minutes later, she called 9-1-1. By the time the paramedics arrived, Toby suffered excessive blood loss.
Courtney Clenney on the night of April 3, 2022. Photograph from the Miami-Date State Attorney’s Office.
When authorities came to the apartment, Courtney was covered in blood and curiously kissing her dogs in the hallway.
Courtney is hospitalized.
During the 3.5-hour police interrogation, Courtney threatened to kill herself. As a result, police followed the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971. Also known as the Baker Act, this law empowers law enforcement, health care professionals, judges and/or family members to have an individual or loved one involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for up to 72 hours to receive emergency treatment for a suspected mental health issue. Immediate crisis prevention is the main goal.
Officials held Courtney at a mental hospital for less than 48 hours. She walked free under the guise of innocence and with minimal investigation outright.
Five days after the stabbing, a member of the public spotted Courtney at a hotel bar in Miami. Courtney was with her father, ordering alcohol beverages at the bar. The member of the public told Courtney to leave because she just killed her boyfriend. Courtney turned to this individual and said, “He lied to me,” referring to Toby.
The blood-soaked pants that Courtney wore on the night of Christian’s murder. Photograph from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Courtney remains free, for now.
Because of Courtney’s wealth, she got ahold of an elite lawyer who painted a picture of domestic violence, with Courtney on the receiving end of that violence. So, she was free to go. She didn’t spend time in jail and she continued to drink excessively, which worsened after the murder.
In June 2022, three months after killing Toby, Courtney moved back to Austin, Texas, to be closer to her parents. She purchased a lavish, 3080-foot, $1.35 million-dollar home in Lake Pointe, Texas, located in the Bee Cave community of Austin. The home had four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a media room, a game room, a hot tub and three large deck areas. She also transferred $1.5 million into her father’s bank account for him to oversee as her mental health continued to decline.
Toby’s family fights for justice.
Toby’s mother, Chio Ndiwe, learned about her youngest son’s death the following day, Monday, April 4, 2022. While she was at work, Chio received a call asking about Toby’s status as an organ donor. She hadn’t heard anything about his murder the day before.
His family went onto the Dr Phil talk show to share their side of the story. They also created a GoFundMe page to help pay for Toby’s funeral expenses, and hired a lawyer to fight against the case. The amount of evidence against Courtney is insurmountable, and with the help of eye-witness accounts, 12,000 text messages, the footage from the elevator of Courtney attacking Christian, and letters, audio recordings and photos, Toby’s team put together an unshakeable case.
Courtney Clenney. (Image via Miami Herald/ Getty Images)
Five months later,police detained Courtney on August 10, 2022, in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii. She flew to Laupahoehoe to attend rehabilitation for substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She returned to Florida on August 11 and was arrested on second-degree murder charges.
Courtney entered a plea of not guilty and will remain incarcerated until her trial and subsequent sentencing date this year.
My Two Cents Corner
I’ve done a lot of research into this case and listened to quite a few audio recordings that Toby Obumseli took of him and Courtney’s arguments. In one of these arguments, Courtney calls him the n***** word, while screaming at the top of her lungs and threatening to slap Toby. The reason for this behavior was because Toby said “hello” to another woman that passed him while he was riding a bike, and that he heard her and Courtney were doing a “live” (meaning if they were going to be live-streaming content on social media together.)
If this isn’t the most insecure-sounding woman out there, than I don’t know who is. It’s both ironic and sad that someone who put so much effort into her looks and also made so much money off of them, had so little self-esteem that it turned her into a monster. In my opinion, it sounded like Courtney used her looks as leverage and her high-paying and recent fame to imagine herself superior to Toby, and also to others. Her “success” gave her permission to behave ever-more inexcusably and do so without accountability. Courtney used her wealth to physically and mentally abuse Christian, and as a way to control him during her arguments.
Inside, it sounds like Courtney was an empty shell looking for some sort of constant gratification or escape. She never held herself accountable and neither did many people in her life (or so it seems). She truly believed that she would be able to use her looks, wealth and status as a young and beautiful white woman, to escape the consequences of her actions, which robbed family and friends of their beloved Toby. Considering the pattern of her behaviors, I believe it was only a matter of time until Courtney committed some sort of tragic offense if she continued on this path without changing her behaviors.
In Part I, we left off with Taylor Rene Parker, 29, receiving the death penalty in November 2022. Taylor was charged with the murder of Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock, and for kidnapping her unborn fetus. The crimes occurred on Sunday, October 9, 2020, the same day of Taylor’s scheduled induction. She was nearly 10 months pregnant.
Well, that appointment was a big problem for Taylor, because she wasn’t pregnantand never was.
A photo of Wade Griffin and Taylor Parker taken during a “maternity” photoshoot Taylor arranged in August of 2022.
It’s hard to imagine what might provoke a 29-year-old, twice-divorced woman and mother of two to fabricate a third pregnancy with a man she barely knew. But in February 2020, Taylor did just that and told Wade she was pregnant—for the second time. The first pregnancy announcement was only weeks after Taylor and Wade started dating—and that was a lie, too.
What’s more, is Taylor didn’t have custody of the two children she already had. By many accounts, she was especially neglectful towards her son, her youngest child. So, why a third?
As we’d come to find out, Taylor wasn’t after the prospect of another baby or experiencing motherhood for a third time. She only wanted Wade. A master manipulator, Taylor created fake scenarios to present herself as a totally different person. She wanted Wade to find her utterly irresistible, so he would never leave her.
And she was willing to do anything to keep him around, including murder.
Bottled Blonde Meets Country Boy
On Thursday, July 25, 2019, a typical humid summer’s day in East Texas, Taylor met Wade Griffin, 27, at a rodeo. The Annual Naples Rodeo & Watermelon Festival, held at the Naples Rodeo Club, is a big to-do in Texarkana. Then in its 81st year, the event features barrel racing, steer wrestling and team roping, along with a king and queen crowning and mounds of fresh and delicious watermelon.
The rodeo was held three weeks after Taylor divorced her second husband, Hunter Parker. She was officially single and ready to mingle. And that’s when she ran into Wade, a tall, burly, red-haired country boy.
Wade worked hard and long hours. Never married and without children, he had a reputation for being a hard worker and an all-around good guy. Wade was a roofing supervisor, and he also bought and sold wild hogs to a meat-processing plant. He lived in a modest cabin in Simms, a small town in Bowie County that’s home to some 1,400 residents. He enjoyed a simple, quiet life.
Wade had no idea what he signed up for when he met Taylor.
Where Control Meets Psychopathy.
Every relationship is different…obviously.
Some people are slow to warm up to each another, while others jump headfirst into intense, can’t-live-without-you romances seemingly overnight. Over the course of our lives, some of us will experience both kinds of relationships—from the perspective of others as well as our own. Taylor has a tendency to rush, but Wade didn’t reciprocate fast enough for her liking. So, she manipulated everything about their relationship from the start, without giving it a fair chance to grow.
Less than a month into dating, Taylor decided she wanted to live with Wade. She decided, because he wasn’t allowed much input at all. Instead of them of making a shared decision, Taylor fabricated a completely outlandish story to manipulate Wade into inviting her to stay. She gave him no choice. And what do you know—it worked.
It was the first of many lies she told and continues to tell.
Making Her Mother The Villain.
Taylor Parker and Wade Griffin. Photo from Facebook.
Theatrically, which is typical of Taylor’s behavior, she told Wade she feared for her life. She explained that her mother, Shona Prior, hired a hitman to murder her. Shona wanted to access a bank account in Taylor’s name—that had $6 million in it.
Having Taylor killed was the fastest way for Shona to get ahold of the money, she said.
Here’s the story Taylor told Wade:
Taylor explained that her family owned a significant amount of oil-producing land throughout Texas. Her family leased their land to companies and collected weekly royalty checks from theses oil and gas leases. The money accrued from the royalty checks made-up her family’s multi-million-dollar fortune.
Recently, Taylor’s grandparents transferred $6 million to her bank account. Taylor’s grandparents wanted her to maintain a property known as Nolan Place, which they could no longer maintain themselves. The large sum of money was exclusively to upkeep Nolan Place.
Distraught over not having access to the account, Shona hired a hitman to murder Taylor. Just in time, Texas police caught up with the hired hitman and a shootout ensued between him and the Mexican Mafia. Shona was arrested and jailed, where she committed suicide while awaiting trial. The crimes weren’t covered by local media because it was “under wraps,” Taylor said.
None of this was true.
There was no family fortune. There is no oil-producing land, leases or royalty checks. Shona did not hire a hitman to murder her daughter. Taylor’s mother was completely oblivious to all the slanderous lies her daughter said about her.
Holding On By A Thread.
When Wade’s mother, Connie Griffin, learned Taylor didn’t have custody of her own kids, it rubbed her the wrong way. She and many others wondered, why? What happened?
What happened, is that Taylor is pathological. She lies and lies, and then creates more lies to backtrack out of lies. She uses these lies to emotionally enrapture the people around her and garner control over them. As they say, there’s nothing like a mother’s intuition, and Connie was spot-on about there being something “off” about Taylor.
Not long after Taylor lied about her and Wade’s first pregnancy, she lied again and claimed to suffer a miscarriage. Taylor felt the “experience” brought them closer together.
Because of Wade’s busy schedule, he wasn’t home too much. When he was home, he expressed little interest in Taylor’s drama, personal and family-related. He didn’t know her for long, so he trusted her that Shona, Taylor’s mom, was “crazy.” Whenever something went wrong, Taylor seemed to connect it back to Shona. Besides, why would Taylor lie about something so ridiculous?
In the beginning of their relationship, Taylor was a decent houseguest. She made herself constantly available to Wade, after all. While he worked, Taylor cared for his property and livestock. He looked forward to steamy, home-cooked meals that she prepared every night for dinner. He thought she was one of the best cooks around.
Taylor Parker. Photo credit: Tyler Paper.
A Crisis Waiting To Happen.
Try as she might, Wade wasn’t in love with Taylor. While she was head-over-heels, Wade was hardly invested. He told his mother he cared for Taylor, but he didn’t love her.
Connie wasn’t happy to see her son settling, but he cruised along. Taylor fed Wade promise after promise of land, lucrative business opportunities, a family estate, after all. Eventually, the news came of “another” pregnancy. Wade stuck around to eventually find himself “stuck” with Taylor.
As time wore on, Taylor felt the space growing between her and Wade. It rattled her nerves. Taylor’s constant drama turned Wade off from the relationship and from Taylor in general. He wanted to disengage.
Taylor complained to Wade about their lack of intimacy. Despite her pleading, he still hardly reciprocated . So, you can imagine Wade was less than enthused when Taylor turned up pregnant “again” in late February 2020.
A Fake Pregnancy And No Intent To Come Clean
Taylor told friends, family, Facebook followers and Wade that their baby was due September 28, 2020. As the date drew closer, she announced they were having a girl they’d name Clancy Gail.
Physically, Taylor progressed in her pregnancy as well—which was yet another lie.
Taylor wore maternity clothes and regularly posted detailed updates about her pregnancy on Facebook. In these posts and to whoever asked, she shared sonogram photos of her growing baby; fake images she purchased from fakeababy.com. She customized the baby’s gender and gestational period, as well as the clinic and physician’s name.
A photo of the Moon Bump Silicone Fake Pregnancy Belly – 20 to 25 Week Stage Baby Bump sold on fakeababy.com, and an example of the fake pregnancy belly worn by Taylor Parker.
To dissuade growing suspicions, Taylor ordered a silicon pregnancy belly from that same website. She wore it during her and Wade’s maternity photoshoot in August of 2020, and also for her gender reveal party and baby shower.
Conveniently, because Taylor was “pregnant” during the pandemic, she met with her doctors alone while Wade waited outside. No one accompanied her due to coronavirus safety precautions. Privacy laws, like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), also kept everyone, including Wade, from accessing her medical information. He called the OBGYN for updates with no such luck.
Obviously Taylor’s OBGYN doctor knew she was faking a pregnancy, and office staff assumed she would claim a miscarriage. Her family did, too. Taylor was ballsy enough to invite her doctor to her “gender reveal” party, despite her knowing the truth. The OBGYN office eventually discontinued their patient-provider relationship with her.
Taylor’s due date came and went, and all eyes were on her to explain herself or turn up with a baby. She was unwilling to sacrifice her pride, worried she could lose Wade. Taylor was determined to preserve her relationship; it was more important to her than anything else.
An Ex-Husband’s Ominous Warning.
Taylor’s first husband, Tommy Wacasey, with whom she shares a son, learned Taylor was “pregnant.” He knew without communicating with Taylor, that it was a lie. He texted Wade to warn him about Taylor’s tendencies.
Her ex told Wade that area hospitals were on “high alert,” because of concern that Taylor might attempt to kidnap a newborn from a maternity ward.
He told him something else, but keep reading to find that out.
A Plan For Murder.
Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock with husband Homer Hancock and daughter Kynlee. Photo from Facebook.
On the day of Taylor’s scheduled delivery, she unfriended her mother from Facebook, as well as Homer Hancock, the husband of Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock. But it was three days before that, on September 14, 2020, that Taylor’s internet search history revealed her premeditated plan.
Scouting Her Victims.
On this Monday, Sept. 14, Taylor searched the web for local placesthat pregnant women frequent. Results turned up for maternity consignment stores and OBGYN clinics throughout East Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana. Taylor made appointments at these clinics and was seen both outside and inside. At some of the clinics, she sat outside for a time, observing pregnant women come and go.
Taylor wrote down the license plates of these women and later searched them in Google to locate their addresses. Less than 10 days before the murder of Reagan Hancock, she looked up teen pregnancy support groups in Texarkana and allegedly attended a meeting.
Fortunately for investigators, Taylor used her phone for all her research. These searches helped incriminate her.
Taylor’s phone revealed searches for information on midwifery certification and private adoptions. While deciding on a plan, it’s believed Taylor considered posing as a midwife to gain access to a newborn. She also searched for instructions on how to complete an out-of-hospital birth certificate, and watched YouTube videos on vaginal and C-section births. Some of the videos discussed performing C-section deliveries and delivery of the placenta.
On October 7, Taylor searched Reagan’s current and former addresses, and the address of Reagan’s OBGYN office. On the morning of October 9, she looked up information about giving birth vaginally at 35 weeks and also how to perform a physical exam of a 35-week infant.
And she kept going, despite all the evidence she left in her wake.
Arson And A Bomb Threat.
Remember, Taylor’s due date was scheduled for September 28, 2020, but she didn’t “give birth” on this day. She had to think fast to find an excuse to prolong her birth.
The fire on October 5, 2020 caused pipe damage, which prevented the home from having running water or power. Fortunately, State Farm, Wade’s home insurance, hired a fire analyst to investigate the origins of the fire. The analyst determined the fire was not electrical, as originally believed, but it was intentionally set using a lighter. Investigators ultimately connected Taylor to the arson.
The following day, Taylor was scheduled to be induced again, but couldn’t because someone called in a bomb threat to Titus Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, Texas, around 5 am. That “someone” was obviously Taylor, but the false alarm required hospital staff to evaluate more than 100 patients. She used a voice-changing app to disguise her voice by sounding masculine.
And If That Isn’t Enough…
What makes this case even crazier, is that Taylor couldn’t pregnant, even if she wanted to. Taylor worked at an OBGYN clinic in 2014, and not long after she gave birth to her son, she had her tubes tied. A subsequent and unrelated medical complication resulted in Taylor having a full hysterectomy in 2015—and other people were aware of this, like Taylor’s entire family.
In August of 2015, Taylor received care for pelvic pain and bleeding. The doctor found that Taylor suffered an ectopic pregnancy, and that she also had endometriosis. Because of the condition of her uterus, the doctor suggested a full hysterectomy for her safety and wellbeing. While Taylor was still under anesthesia, Shona allegedly gave the doctor permission to perform the hysterectomy. Taylor blamed her mother for years, but she voluntary underwent a surgery in 2014 to have her tubes tied.
This is the information her ex-husband, Tommy, relayed to Wade via text. Wade didn’t believe him.
Stay tuned for Part III, where we delve into Taylor’s financial frauds against Wade and the trouble she stirred with her own employers.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to read Part I of this case coverage, here.
Name(s) of victim(s) + age(s): Linda Rae Fitzpatrick, 18, and James Leroy Hutchinson, aka “Groovy,” 24 Date(s) of crime(s): Sunday, October 8, 1967 Location of crime(s): East Village, New York Perpetrator(s)s: Donald Ramsey, 26; Thomas Dennis, 26; and Fred Wright, 31 Relationship to victim(s)s: customers of James, who was a drug-dealer Crime(s) in sum: Linda Baker, a shy, 18-year-old young woman from ritzy Greenwich, Connecticut, ditched her plans for school to move to New York’s East Village and paint—that’s what she told her family, at least. It was 1967 and Linda immersed herself in a hippie lifestyle and drug culture that brought her to panhandling on the streets of New York, and eventually led to her early demise.
Everyone thought of Linda Fitzpatrick as “the good girl.” Raised in a wealthy family in upscale Greenwich, Connecticut, 18-year-old Linda had enjoyed a privileged upbringing.
She was shy and reserved but excelled as a student and showed creative promise as an artist. Linda was also a skilled athlete, known to prefer talking about sports over socializing and dancing, like most of her peers.
Linda was born and raised in Greenwich, some 30 miles outside of New York City and known as one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S. Located in Fairfield County, growing up in Greenwich in the ’60s was picturesque for Linda. The time was one of the Vietnam War and Beatlemania, transformation and liberation—and gas cost just $0.25 a gallon. (Imagine that?)
To her friends and family, Linda, who they adoringly called “Fitzpoo,” was creative, spirited and talented. She wasn’t known to make impulsive, rash choices, and stayed in the parameters of the rules at school. You can only imagine the shock that followed when on Sunday, October 8, 1967, Linda was found dead in a boiler room in New York’s East Village. She laid naked next to the body of 24-year-old James L. Hutchinson, a local drug-dealer nicknamed “Groovy,” also naked, both of them on an old cot. Their heads had been bashed in with bricks and they suffered brutal deaths.
Linda’s parents and friends Greenwich were clueless. Linda was living in New York’s East Village for 10 weeks. She told her friends and family that she moved there to pursue work as a painter, and she was living with a female roommate at a “nice hotel.” But it turns out, this picturesque version Linda created to put her family and friends at ease wasn’t accurate at all. Linda was living a life of the exact opposite, and a wild one at that.
Painting A Picture Of New York In The ’60s
Young, finally legal (the drinking age was 18 then) and without adult supervision, Linda moved to New York and specifically to the East Village at a time when it was seedy and gritty. Crime was at an all-time high and many New Yorkers feared the city was out of control. (Just to avoid confusion here, East Village is an area located within Greenwich Village on the west side of Lower Manhattan.)
To paint a picture for you as to how different Linda’s “lives” were, I’ll have to describe the scene of New York’s East Village in the 1960s. The East Village was something of a go-to destination for people creating, wandering or soul-searching, or those who simply wanted to experiment with drugs and live a nomadic lifestyle. Area drug culture flourished and hallucinogens, like LSD and acid, as well as marijuana, were especially popular. Mostly everyone who lived in or visited this area was using substances at this time. Most, if not all, of the local bars, nightclubs and shops there were owned by organized crime families.
The migration of this niche group of people into the East Village was inspired by the Beatniks, or the Beat Generation; a stereotype created by the media and used from the late ’40s to the mid-1960s to reference the anti-conformist literary movement taking place among writers born between 1928 and 1945. Popular beatnik writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, who were all known to visit and occasionally live in the East Village. Themes in beatnik writing included pseudo-intellectualism, drug use and the depiction of people in a cartoonish way.
At this time, TV, internet and social media obviously weren’t relevant, so those setting the “trends” and adding the “shock factor,” media-wise, were often writers.
Now, like anything else in the U.S. and in New York City, especially, the East Village is a costly place to live. According to Zumper, an online rental marketplace, the average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,800, up 34% from 2021. (Yikes.) In the 1960s, rent here was about $200 a month.
At the same time, the United States as a whole embraced a hippie culture. Tie-dye, lava lamps, flower power, smiley faces, psychedelic art and peace signs were all popular. In 1967, Americans celebrated the Summer of Love and hippies flocked to urban communities and cities to dance, experiment with drugs, sleep in parks and do whatever they wanted to feel liberated. (In attendance was the infamous cult leader Charles Manson.) Antiwar protests and political mayhem were the norm. People wore bright colors and women donned unbelievably short skirts and mini dresses with go-go boots. Everyone wore bell bottoms.
Linda absorbed into the underbelly of the East Village (which probably wasn’t hard considering her age and the times). She partied with hippies and essentially became one. She spent nights on end tripping on acid and was known to give LSD to people she didn’t know. When she felt inspired, she created psychedelic art. When she felt tired, she passed out wherever she was. Life was a party for 18-year-old Linda.
A photo from the 1967 Summer of Love in New York. Photo credit: 6sqft.com.
Being exposed to so much temptation that she was totally shielded from in Greenwich, Linda embraced it, and perhaps too much. But I’m sure we can all agree that she had no idea it would lead to such a devasting and early end.
Linda Fitzpatrick, Pre-New York
Linda’s upbringing was stable, structured and designed to lead to a promising future. She was raised in a 30-room mansion on Doubling Road in Greenwich, a mile from Greenwich Country Day School, a private school she attended as a child.
She stood out as an athlete at a young age. In field hockey, Linda earned the position of center-forward on the Stuyvesant Team, which consisted of female field hockey players all from Fairfield County, Connecticut, and she received awards for horse-riding and swimming. Around age 14, she went on to attend Oldfields School, an all-girls private school in Glencoe, Maryland.
Linda kept to herself. She was more interested in talking about painting and sports than she was in socializing and dancing. Her favorite colors were red and white, a pattern reminiscent of candy canes, and her room at home was decorated as such. She was blonde and pretty, though an article by The New York Timesdescribes Linda as the less-attractive out of her older sister, Cindy, and her mother, Dorothy Ann Rush, who was a model and covergirl in her thirties.
Before Linda left for New York, she spent the last few months at home as she normally would. In the middle of June she returned home for the summer from Oldfields School, where she was elected art editor of the yearbook. After a few weeks in Greenwich, Linda and her family vacationed in Bermuda for a month.
Linda’s family was blended and included her mother, Dorothy Ann Fitzpatrick, and her father, Irving Fitzpatrick, a spice importer, and their seven children. There was Linda and her sister, 9-year-old Melissa, or “Missy,” from Dorothy Anny and Irving. Then, there was Perry, 32; Robert, 30; Carol, 27; and David, 25, all Linda’s half-siblings from her father’s first marriage, which ended in divorce. There was also Linda’s older, half-sister Cindy, from Dorothy Ann’s first marriage, which also ended in divorce. On the Bermuda trip were Linda’s parents and sisters Missy and Cindy, and Cindy’s husband. The family returned to Greenwich on July 31.
East Village, New York, where this case takes place.
While Dorothy Ann told The New York Times about a Bermuda trip of family-fun in the island’s crystal sands and clean beaches, Linda told her friends in the East Village something. According to Susan Robinson, who is described by TheNew York Times as a “small, shy hippie” who ran away from her home in Cape Code, Massachusetts, a year prior, Linda told her that she took LSD and smoked marijuana several times in Bermuda.
Linda met Susan and her husband, David Robinson, sometime in early August 1967, when Linda was in the East Village. At the time, Susan and David’s two-bedroom apartment served as a flophouse of sorts for homeless, wandering hippies. Susan said one day, Linda came to the apartment with a man named “Pigeon,” who she bought acid for. They stayed for a few hours and then left. A few nights later, she returned with a man from Boston, who she also gave LSD to. Susan said that on weekends, Linda carried an extra $30-$40 in her pocket so she could buy acid for anyone who wanted some.
A Change Of Plans
Another image of New York’s East Village in the 1960s. Photo credit: The New York Times.
Eleven days were left until Linda would return to Oldfields School. Her mother took her shopping and bought her a brand-new wardrobe. She also took Linda to get a haircut; something she didn’t want but agreed to. With her hair now short, Linda went to New York on Friday, September 1, 1967, and stayed overnight. When she returned to Greenwich the next day, she told her family that she no longer wanted to attend Oldfields School. She wanted to move to the East Village and paint instead.
The proclamation came at a time when Linda was at a standstill. The school already set up special courses for her to take because she’d taken everything. Linda protested that she couldn’t bear the idea of returning to school if her favorite teachers weren’t there, and her favorite teachers were, indeed, away in Europe.
That Sunday night, Linda’s parents reluctantly gave her permission to move to the East Village. That was the last time any of them saw her.
“After all, Linda’s whole life was art,” Dorothy Ann Fitzpatrick told The New York Times. “She had a burning desire to be something in the art world. I knew how she felt. I wanted to be a dancer or an artist when I was young, too.”
Linda told them not to worry, because that she already arranged her living situation. She said she was going to live at the Village Plaza Hotel, a historical, eight-story building built in 1915. Linda mentioned a doorman and a TV in her room, and that she’d be living with a female roommate, 22-year-old Paula Bush, who came from a good family and worked as a receptionist. They believed her.
All Lies And No Truth
Linda said she moved in with Paula Bush, but Paula Bush didn’t exist. There also wasn’t a doorman or a TV, unless you were willing to rent one, and the place was dull, dingy and run-down. The hallways reeked of marijuana and the elevator was out of order more often than it worked.
Realistically, Linda moved in with a man named Paul Bush and another male roommate Bob Brumberger; two hippies she met a month before and barely knew. Paul, 19, was from Holly, Michigan, and he was the son of a TV repairman. TheNew York Times wrote that his friends described him as “a real drifter, a way-out hippie.” Around his neck, he wore some sort of a lizard fixture that he called Lyndon. Bob was from New Jersey.
Paul met Linda at the Robinson’s apartment between August 18-19, 1967, and agreed to be her roommate, and that he would let Bob know. Linda told Paul about her plan to tell her parents she was living with “Paula.”
Linda paid the whole month’s rent, $120, upfront. The front clerk said Linda always had grungy, hippie men coming into the room, No. 504, at all hours of the day and night.
Linda reassured her parents by telling them she was hired to create posters for “Poster Bazaar” and earned $80 a week doing so; the equivalent of $690 a week today. This was hardly true. The store wasn’t called Poster Bazaar, but Fred Leighton’s Mexican Imports, Ltd.. Linda worked there for three days, earning $2 an hour selling dresses. She was there from Sept. 11-13, 1967, after which she was fired for coming in late. When she was let go, she asked the manager not to tell her parents if they called.
At this point, Linda, a young girl from a wealthy Greenwich family, started panhandling in Washington Square Park to support herself. Her mother also gave her money from time to time to help her out.
A week or so after moving in with Linda, Paul and Bob moved out and another roommate moved in, this time a tall, thin, hippie with a long beard identified as “Ed,” and who was also known to frequent the Robinson’s. After Ed moved out, James Leroy Hutchinson, aka “Groovy,” moved in, and that’s where Linda’s story soon ends.
Surfacing Concerns
Susan Robinson recalled Linda feared she was been pregnant and worried about the effects of LSD on pregnancy, since she took the drug so often. She said they spoke about the topic a lot.
At the same time, while living a very hippie-like lifestyle, Linda kept up appearances with her family. She spoke on the phone with her father, who expressed his disdain for San Francisco hippies, and she even agreed with him.
Now, things start to get a bit sporadic.
During the first week of October, Linda’s parents received a postcard sent from Knightstown, Indiana, a small town 30 miles east of Indianapolis. The card, from Linda, read, “I’m on my way to see Bob. Offered a good job painting posters in Berkeley. I love you. I will send you a poster. Love, Linda.” (Bob is Linda’s stepbrother, who was a Los Angeles-based lawyer.) This same week, a woman who identified herself as Linda called Bob’s office in LA, but was informed he was in San Francisco. She never called again.
Susan also saw Linda on October 1, 1967, and that day Linda told Susan she had two warlocks, or male witches, waiting for her in California and she had to bring them back to New York. A comment like this seems bizarre, but Susan said Linda often referred to herself as a witch.
“Linda told me several times she was a witch,” Susan Robinson told The New York Times. “She said she had discovered this one day when she was sitting on a bench and wished she had some money. Three dollar bills floated down from heaven.”
“Linda told me she met these two warlocks out there and that they could snap their fingers and make light bulbs pop,” Susan said. “She said one of the warlocks took her mind apart and scattered it all over the room and then put it together again. Ever since, she said, she felt the warlock owned her.”
Another encounter was recounted by a man who referred to himself as “Pepsi,” and who met Linda that summer. He said he was one of the people who drove Linda from Indianapolis to the East Village. A self-proclaimed warlock, Pepsi was in his 20s and had long, sandy hair, a scruffy beard and tattooed arms, and wore wire-rimmed glasses and long, suede, Indian boots.
Pepsi said that him and his friend met Linda in a club in Indianapolis called the Glory Hole. “You could see right away she was a real meth monster—that’s my name for a speed freak, somebody hooked on speed,” he told The New York Times. The last time Pepsi saw Linda was at 10 pm on the night of October 8, a few hours before they were found dead. Pepsi told investigators that Groovy and Linda were high and that Linda told him she took a grain-and-a-half of speed.
Enter James L. Hutchinson, aka ‘Groovy’
James L. Hutchinson, aka Groovy. Photo credit: Gothamist.
James L. Hutchinson, 24, was from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. His mother Esther Hutchison and her family was Portuguese, and he was greatly influenced by them in his life, though he grew up without his father. James’s mother was one of 14 children and he had many aunts, uncles and cousins. James was one of five children by Esther; he had an older brother, George Carbary, who was adopted as an infant, and three siblings from a subsequent marriage. He had a relationship with all of them.
James received less media coverage in regards to the case than Linda did, and we can unfortunately assume why. Linda came from a privileged background and James was regarded as a drifter who was tattooed, unkempt and without direction—but he was more than that. He had a story, too.
In 1951, James’s family was living in Central Falls, Rhode Island, when James started first grade at Kendall Street School, now Captain G. Harold Hunt Elementary School, also in Central Falls. It was the following year, when he was in first grade, that James started having problems with learning. He repeated first grade and then moved again to Pawtucket, Rhode Island and again changed schools. He continued to underachieve.
Moving back to Central Falls in 1956, James was placed into a special “ungraded class” that taught students at their pace and didn’t place them in regular classrooms until they caught up. James remained in that class for five years.
“Jimmy, poor Jimmy, was emotionally disturbed, a badly upset boy—and that came out in a severe reading problem as well as some behavioral problems,” Sara Kerr, principal and school psychologist at the Hadley Avenue School, where James attended school, told Esquire. “He had no motivation, no desire to learn and he was always disturbing the classes. I never found any meanness in him. We had some kids who killed flies and tortured them. Jimmy never did anything like that. He was just clowning. But the teachers couldn’t put up with his capers so they’d send him to me.”
Nonetheless, James was always impeccably dressed.
The teachers at the Hadley Avenue School tried to provide James with whatever supports he needed, but as he grew bigger than the other students and more aggressive, his behavior continued to escalate and a new solution was needed. The solution was to send James to Central Falls Trade School, but first he was to complete outpatient psychiatric treatment at Butler Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. He bounced in and out of treatment for the next year.
During James’s second year at Hadley Avenue School, he met a few close friends, which became something of a small gang. James picked up nicknames left and right, like Groovy, which was given to him by a casual friend in New Orleans,. Other nicknames for James included “Jungle Jim,” given to him after he cut another kid with a machete; “Gander,” “because he used to goose guys”; and Steve Ribs, borne from a funny moment when he laid overtop something, exposing his ribs, and let out a Tarzan-esque yell. One night he gave himself the nickname Rock Hutchinson.
To his friends, James was funny. Better yet, he was hilarious. He was the type of person who went under the radar for a few days only to appear somewhere suddenly, ready to do something outrageous. He was impulsive and rowdy, and he loved drinking Ruppert’s beer, the most-popular beer at the time. He also had a childlike innocence and happiness about life, which may or may not have been influenced by his drugs use.
Ernie St. Angelo, one of James’ closest friends, told Esquire, “Sure, he was a clown. He was half-clown, half-nut and all hot. Why did he act that way? I don’t know. Maybe down deep he might have thought he was really a fool. He probably was hiding something, a bad feeling inside, a feeling that no one really liked him cause he was a fool. So he was going to be a bigger fool than even they thought.”
Looking Deeper Into Groovy’s Recent Past
James’s mother, Esther, tried her best. She stopped working in jewelry factories, which she did to support her family for many years, and was now collecting Aid to Dependent Children. Together with James and his other siblings, they lived in a cramped, five-room apartment on the third floor of a building in Central Falls, Rhode Island. James had his own room, which he decorated with posters of Elvis Presley and James Brown, and adorned with model cars, music records, handmade model airplanes and comic books.
James often babysat his younger sister Brenda and Esther said he never spoke about the hippie lifestyle at home. In fact, he was always so clean cut and well dressed, that she couldn’t imagine him living that way and with that mentality.. She also told Esquire that James was happy.
Fast forward a few years and after working for a short time for Tappet Screw Company in Central Falls, now Eastern Screw Co., a screw and fastener supplier in Cranston, James was now with the New England Paper Tube Co., a paper distributor in Pawtucket. He had a reputation for being a hard-worker.
In 1966, at the age of 20, James became a baler, working days and into the nights. He invested all his earnings, which amounted to $87 a week, equivalent to $772 a week today, into a credit union. His first goal was to purchase a car and then a motorcycle. Both vehicles were totaled shortly after he purchased them.
James did his best to stay out of trouble but he ran into trouble nonetheless. As a result, he expressed a desire to leave Central Falls for a good while. In April 1966, he told his older brother George that he was leaving. James withdrew all his money from the credit union and purchased a car with Dave Quebec, one of his closest friends. He packed a small suitcase with a few outfits and gave his record player and record collection to his Brenda. He set April 22, 1966, as his last day at the New England Paper Tube Co. and then drove to New York with Dave. He sent a postcard to his mother to let her know they arrived safely.
While In New York…
Not long after James and Dave arrived in New York, they found work for a traveling carnival, known as Amusements of America, a Manalapan Township, New Jersey, company that tours throughout the Eastern Seaboard with rides like merry-go-rounds and Ferris wheels. On different occasions, James told his brother that he helped disassemble tents and sold tickets to a freak show. It’s unknown as to what his position was, but he may have been an on-hand helper or maintenance worker.
Over the next few months, James sent postcards to his mother from random places. One came from Hagerstown, Maryland, and another from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then back and forth between New Jersey and New York, and then one from Ottawa, Canada. When he returned to the U.S., James stopped working for that company and started with a smaller carnival that ran out of Miami, Florida. He later sent his mother a postcard from Enfield, North Carolina.
His last stop with the carnival was in Hollywood, Florida, after which he left to experience the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, on his own. He continued sending his mother postcards. James stayed in New Orleans for a bit, working odd jobs and hoping to pick up work for another carnival. During that time, he let loose and had fun, meeting friends, getting at least four new tattoos and acquiring a newfound methamphetamine addiction. He was known for being a “wino” back home in Central Falls, a friend, identified as Galahad, told Esquire, and was known to occasionally sniff glue. By then, James was taking LSD regularly.
A photo of the Peace Eye Bookstore in 1968. Photo credit: The Fugs.
Not too long after, the pair hitchhiked back to New York, which took them about a week. They arrived in the Big Apple on April 1, 1967, and ran to into other young people who were high on LSD. James and Galahad asked the young people where they should go, and they directed James and Dave to The Peace Eye, a hippie-esque bookstore in the East Village. James and Galahad headed there and remained in the East Village where they wandered about for a few weeks.
A Crash Pad ‘Business’
James told Galahad that he wanted to open a “crash pad,” or a place where homeless people could squat, or spend the night. The pair met a young woman who was living in an apartment with her boyfriend, and allowed them to use the space so long as they paid the $35-per-month rent. For the next three months, Esquire said it was “as the most renowned of the East Village’s crash pads, where the homeless and the friendless could stay as long as they’d liked.”
It all worked out at first. James and Galahad even returned runaway children who escaped to the crash pad from time to time. They received money or valuables, like a TV, from the children’s parents. More often, however, there were 20 to 30 hippies staying there at any given time. Curiously, there was always a policeman or two in the group. Officers were appointed to remain watchful of the crash pad because of the amount of problems it caused in the area.
A lot of chaos came with the crash pad, as police raids happened often and vagrants were sought there. Nonetheless, Groovy stayed positive. He was always happy and upbeat, still in a childlike way. He gave away items on the street to those who needed them, including drugs, especially LSD, speed or marijuana. In the the summer of 1967 he left for Woodstock, where he stayed for about a month, sleeping in fields and barns with his friends. Unsurprisingly, James did a short a jail stint for trespassing. James returned home, having hitchhiked back to New York again, and spoke of starting a secluded commune up north.
James was still doin a lot methamphetamine. He was skinny as ever and his face was sunken in, and he became increasingly more frantic. He was always coming and going, but could never stay put.
It was at this vulnerable point for them both that James Hutchinson and Linda Baker crossed paths.
When Linda Met James
Linda and James were both addicted to substances when they met. Both of them lived a vagrant lifestyle that lacked stability, and were acting in ways they normally wouldn’t.
Media sources refer to James and Linda as “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.” She met him a month before when she moved into the city. Others said James took Linda under his wing. Acquaintances in the East Village described her as “different” and “more paranoid.” She was new and not everyone knew her yet, but everyone knew Groovy. I imagine Groovy made Linda laugh so hard that she cried..
A screenshot of a Google Maps street view of 169 Avenue B in New York’s East Village.
On Sunday, October 8, 1967, in the early-morning hours, the bodies of Linda Fitzpatrick and James L. Hutchinson were found in a boiler room at 169 Avenue B in the East Village. Both their bodies were naked and their heads had been beaten with bricks. The intensity of their murders was startling, but they weren’t in that boiler room randomly.
The boiler room where their bodies were found was a popular meeting point for drug sales. It’s suspected that James and Linda were either high on methamphetamine, or had it in their possession to take later with the intent to have sex. Perhaps they planned to do so in that boiler room, but so much will remain unknown.
There were three or four other men in the boiler room with them, according to Timemagazine. Time magazine also writes that because James was a drug-dealer, the other men were most likely clients. All of them were high on methedrine, or methamphetamine, which James sold.
Subsequently, it’s possible that, under the influence of methamphetamine, which produces an intense rush with heightened, sometimes uncontrollable sexual desire as a side effect, the men also wanted to have sex with Linda and demanded to do so. If this were the case, James probably tried defending Linda and was then hit in the face with a brick taken from a wall in the boiler room. His face was crushed.
Linda was raped four times and then killed in the same way as James. Their bodies were found on the floor, but their clothing was neatly placed in a small pile in a corner of the room.
Here Come The Cults…
In late October 1967, three men were arrested for the murders of Linda Fitzpatrick and James Hutchinson. These men, all African American, were Donald Ramsey, 26; Thomas Dennis, 26; and Fred Wright, 31. Now, the fact that these men are African American wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but in this case it’s important; these men were part of a Black nationalist cult.
Donald wore a fez, a soft, hand-woven cloth worn by the Yoruba people of West Africa. The Yoruba religion is called Ìṣẹ̀ṣẹ, which also pertains to the traditions associated with Yorùbá culture. (Note: Donald Ramsey’s actions do not reflect that of the Yoruba sect or religion.) Donald lived in an apartment on the fifth floor of the apartment building where James and Linda’s bodies were found, and the walls of his home were decorated with “Black power” posters. Donald told police that he was “flying” at the time of the murders and seeing “lights and colors.”
Fred worked as an assistant janitor in the building and lived in a small room adjacent to the basement. He possessed the keys to the cellar. Just hours before the murders, Fred was incarcerated for the rape and robbery of a woman, another hippie. Thomas, on the other hand, is described by Time magazine as a “pot-smoking wino” who was vocal about racial violence.
What Cult Was This?
In Brooklyn, New York, in 1967, an American new religious movement was founded by Dwight York, known as Malachi Z. York, and unsurprisingly its teachings revolved around its founder. Followers comprised of Black Muslim groups, which grew larger and more widespread over time. The cult was called Nuwaubian Nation. (In doing my research, this is the only associated cult I could find with this story.)
Malachi’s teachings focused on tidbits of everything, from ancient Egypt to cryptozoology, UFO religions, conspiracy theories and Black nationalism. Dwight was ultimately arrested in May 2002 and pled guilty in 2003 to child sex abuse charges after being indicted on 197 counts of child molestation, which included sex-trafficking minors across state lines, and some of them as young as eight.
The “Tama-Re” compound as it stood in 2002. Tama-Re is a compound in Putnam County, Georgia, referred to those in the Nuwaubian Nation as “The Golden City,” that was purchased by Dwight York. Photo credit: Wikipedia.
An excerpt from a letter that Dwight wrote, which dated November 10, 2004, read:
“The Caucasian has not been chosen to lead the world. They lack true emotions in their creation. We never intended them to be peaceful. They were bred to be killers, with low reproduction levels and a short lifespan.”
A lot went on with Nuwaubian Nation, but most of it happened after 1967, when this case took place. This attack appeared to have been a very early case of an attack from members of this cult, and one that was obviously drug-induced.
Closing Remarks
A funeral was held for James “Groovy” Hutchinson in Pawtucket, Rhose Island, where he spent his childhood. During the services, his friend, Galahad, played a song on his harmonica in James’ honor. In Greenwich, Connecticut, a funeral service was held for Linda Fitzpatrick on a chilly, fall day. She is buried in a cemetery close by where she used to horseback-ride.
An extra tidbit: In 2013, American alternative rock band Chelsea Light Moving, released a song inspired by the Groovy murders, aptly called, “Groovy & Linda.”
Name(s) of victim(s) + age(s): Joseph McStay, 40; Summer McStay, 43; Gianni McStay, 4; Joseph Jr. McStay, 3 Date(s) of crime(s): on or around February 4, 2010 Location(s) of crimes: Fallbrook, California Perpetrator(s): Charles “Chase” Merritt, 53 Relationship to victims: business associate Crime(s) in sum: A family of four vanishes from their Fallbrook, California, home in 2010, and when their bodies are discovered four years later, one trusted associate is placed under the scope.
THIS CRIME TAKES PLACE HERE:
Fallbrook, California, where this crime takes place.
It was winter of 2010 in Southern California and the McStay family was together in their cozy Fallbrook home; a five-bedroom abode nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in Avocado Vista; an area that sits at the foot of an avocado tree-covered mountain. .
The family consisted of 40-year-old Joseph McStay, a businessman and entrepreneur who owned Earth Inspired Products, a local, indoor fountain-installation company, and his wife Summer, a 43-year-old licensed real estate agent. Summer had taken time off to focus on raising their young sons, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. The family also had two dogs, which included an Akita named Bear. (The other isn’t referenced by media sources.) They lived in Fallbrook, a community in northern San Diego County and 55 miles north of San Diego.
The McStay’s were known as a warm, loving family that was surrounded by loved ones and friends, but like anyone else, the couple faced personal challenges. Joseph and Summer met in 2004 and married in 2007. When they met, it was described as “love at first sight,” however, at the time of their disappearance, there was trouble brewing between the couple, which was visible in heated text messages and email exchanges.
Summer was fiery and hot-tempered and Joseph was mild-mannered. Joseph often described his father, Patrick, as one of his best friends, but Summer wasn’t close with her family. Joseph enjoyed surfing and playing soccer, and was known socially around town. He also shared a close bond with his teenage son, Jonah, from a previous relationship. He was known for keeping his promises and showing up for his loved ones. Summer had more of a shy outward demeanor and preferred to keep to herself, though she loved to shop. Ross Dress for Less was one of her favorite stores and she frequented it often.
The McStay family home in Fallbrook, California. Photo credit: Lenny Ignelzi / AP
It was the beginning of February; a pleasant time climate-wise in Fallbrook. Temperatures traditionally hover around 67-degrees Fahrenheit, bringing in days that are chilly on the coast and absent of humidity, and cool nights.
Fallbrook, which sits 70 miles north of Tijuana, Mexico, is known as The Friendly Village. The area is riddled with avocado groves and the community celebrates an annual Avocado Festival each summer. It was a place the McStay’s were happy to be, but they were also getting used to it. The family only moved to Fallbrook from San Clemente three months earlier, around Thanksgiving weekend. On January 31, the family celebrated Joseph Jr.’s third birthday, and at the time this crime took place, they had his birthday party planned for the coming weekend.
The Disappearance
Nothing was unusual with the McStay’s, which made the investigation difficult at first.
The day before they went missing, February 3, 2010, a search was made on the family computer for how to create invitations for a child’s birthday party. Sometime that afternoon, a family friend came over to help paint (the family had recently moved into their Fallbrook home) and agreed to return a few days later to finish up. The friend interacted with Summer and the boys. Also that day, Summer used her credit card to purchase about $66 worth of educational toys from a Ross Dress for Less store in Vista.
On the afternoon of Thursday, February 4, 2010, Joseph McStay spoke to his father Patrick over the phone and said he was rushing to a lunch meeting with an employee in Rancho Cucamonga. Sometime that day Summer spoke with her sister Tracy, who recently had a baby, and made plans to visit them the following week. She also used her credit card to purchase beach bags, infant pajamas and a jacket from the same Ross Dress for Less store in Vista. She also used the home computer to search Craigslist for children’s toys.
Curiously, Summer also placed a call at 2:11 pm to an herbal medicine company to request a medication called “Anger,” even though the company didn’t sell a product that matched this description.
The McStay’s. Photo from Oxygen.
The last outgoing call made from the McStay’s home was placed at 4:25 pm to Joseph’s cell phone. Text messages continued between Joseph and Summer from 5 pm to 5:45 pm, when all communication stopped.
That night around 7:47 pm, a neighbor’s surveillance system captured what appeared to be the family’s vehicle, a mid-size SUV, specifically a white Isuzu Trooper, leaving their driveway. The camera only captured the bottom 18 inches of the vehicle, so they could not determine who was driving. Less than an hour later, a call was placed from Joseph’s cell phone to his business associate, 52-year-old Charles “Chase” Merritt,” at 8:28 pm. Chase told investigators he let the call go to voicemail because he was watching a movie. Joseph’s phone pinged a tower in Fallbrook at this time.
Over The Next Few Days…
When no one had heard from the family, loved ones desperately tried to gain contact with them, but to no avail.
On February 8, the McStay family car was found abandoned in the parking lot of a strip mall in San Ysidro, San Diego, two blocks from the Mexican border. The vehicle is believed to have been parked there between 5:30-7 pm that evening. Its location from February 4 to 8 was unknown. It was towed to an impound lot and its interior i didn’t turn up any clues.
On February 13, Joseph’s brother, Michael McStay, grew so worried that he went to the family’s Fallbrook home to search for clues. He climbed through an open window in back of the home and still, there was no trace of them. The family dogs were left outside in the fenced backyard.
Missing persons information released on the McStay family.
It was clear to him, however, that the McStay’s left in a hurry. A carton of now-rotting eggs laid on the counter and two, now-stale, half-eaten, child-sized bowls of popcorn sat untouched in the living room. Summer’s prescription sunglasses were left on the counter.
Two days later, Michael filed a missing person’s report with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSD). An official search of the home turned up little information.
Media speculated that the family fled to Mexico. On the family computer, searches were made for “What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?” and information about Spanish language lessons. The International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, was alerted to keep a lookout for the McStay family, and there was one suspected sighting, but nothing was confirmed.
Remains Are Found Four Years Later
On November 11, 2013, nearly four years after the McStay’s disappeared, a motorcyclist came upon human remains in the desert near Victorville, California. Investigators located two shallow, unmarked graves, each containing the remains of multiple bodies. Located nearby was a rusty, three-pound sledgehammer, a pair of child’s pants and a diaper. The remains were confirmed to be those of all four members of the McStay family and the site was some 100 miles north of their Fallbrook home.
Distance from Mojave Desert to Fallbrook, California.
The remains were not far from Interstate 15, which connects the area of Victorville to Las Vegas. The McStay’s deaths were ruled as homicides due to blunt-force trauma. The murders are believed to have taken place in their home and the bodies were subsequently brought to this site and dumped. It was later determined that Summer may have been raped prior to her murder, as her pants were found discarded near her head and her underwear was tucked into her pants. Her bra was also damaged in a way that suggests it was cut off.
Almost a year afterthe McStay’s remains were found, Charles “Chase” Merritt, a metal worker and business associate of Joseph McStay’s, was arrested and charged for the murders of Joseph, Summer, Gianni and Joseph Jr. McStay. On January 21, 2020, Chase was sentenced to death for the murders and is currently one of more than 715 inmates serving on San Quentin Death Row.
Charles “Chase’ Merritt.” Photo credit: California Department of Motor Vehicles
Joseph operated a fountain installation and manufacturing business, and he managed all aspects of his business, from day-to-day running of the business to customer service, pricing, invoices, procurement of the foundations and selling. However, Joseph’s company didn’t create the fountains themselves. Joseph was self-employed as a standalone business, but he hired independent contractors to help him out. Chase was one of these workers.
It turned up that Chase owed Joseph $32,000 prior to the family’s disappearance and Joseph planned to fire him. DNA was also found on the steering wheel and gear shift of the McStay’s family car, which was confirmed to be Chase’s DNA. He was identified as having a motive and he was placed at the scene of the crime. Still, Chase proclaimed his innocence.
More On Chase Merritt
Another thing about Chase that’s getting in the way of his “innocence” plea, is his lengthy rap sheet. Chase, who was 52 years old when he committed this crime, had lived in Los Angeles, Victorville and surrounding areas since he was in his 20s. Because of this, he knew the landscape well. He also was a convicted felon with his most recent felony charge in 2001 involving a burglary and receiving stolen property, and followed with a six-month jail stint. The stolen property was $32,000 worth of welding and drilling equipment from San Gabriel Ornamental Iron Works in Monrovia, California, showing a behavior that was similar to the situation between him and Joseph McStay.
Some of Chase’s earlier convictions include:
’77, burglary of a home and another charge for petty theft, 60 days in jail for each
’78, criminal trespassing, 30 days in jail
’78, burglary, two years in prison
’85, receiving stolen property, one year in jail
’87, receiving stolen property, 16 months in prison
’88, receiving stolen property, 14 days in jail
’88, parole violation
’01, burglary and grand theft, six months in jail
Still, for some reason, no one wanted to believe that Chase was the culprit. Despite his history, none of his crimes were violent in nature. Chase also took a polygraph test, which he passed. When asked what he thought of Chase as a suspect, Patrick McStay, Joseph’s father, told CBS8:
“I have to have faith in Chase because I have to have faith in my son. I believe that [Joseph] trusted Chase and believed in Chase. Do I think Chase is involved? I don’t think so, and I truly hope not.”
In addition to Chase’s history of criminal behavior, the trial caste light on his gambling addiction. In the days after the McStay’s disappeared, he wrote checks from Joseph’s business account which totaled more than $21,000. He then went on a gambling spree, frequenting nearby casinos and losing thousands of dollars.
In January 21, 2020, Chase, then 63, was sentenced to death for the murders of Joseph, Summer, Gianni and Joseph Jr. McStay. He is still serving on San Quentin Death Row.
Name(s) of victim(s) + age(s): Nicole Elizabeth Snyder, 6, and Jasmine Jean Snyder, 4 Date(s) of crime(s): on or around May 10, 2016 and on or around August 11, 2017 Location: Hepburn Township, Pennsylvania, and Williamsport, Pennsylvania Perpetrator(s) + age(s): Marie Sue Snyder, 32, and Echo Butler, 26 Relationship to victim(s): Marie Sue Snyder is the mother of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder, and Echo Butler is the girlfriend of Marie Sue Snyder Crimes in sum: Five years passed before authorities were alerted to the disappearance of 6-year-old Nicole Snyder and her sister, 4-year-old Jasmine Jean Snyder, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t that no one noticed their absence before, but their mother, 32-year-old Marie Sue Snyder, had far more involvement than she let on. Reader discretion: TRIGGER WARNING.
Trigger warning: This case involves severe child abuse.
This blog is several years in the making—the result of starting, stopping and then starting again, with some overthinking sprinkled in between.
I was moved to finally get this blog going because I couldn’t shake this case. Being interested in true crime, I’ve read about all sorts of cases involving the most horrendous of circumstances, but none have caught my attention more recently than the senseless murders of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder. This post, the first post of this blog and the push to finally start this long-term project, is to raise awareness about this case.
WHERE THIS CRIME TAKES PLACE: Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The Worst Case I’ve Read In A While
The short lives of 6-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Snyder and her sister, 4-year-old Jasmine Jean Snyder of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, were filled with more evil than most people see in their lifetimes.
Nicole Snyder, right, and her sister Jasmine, taken in the spring or summer of 2015 by their grandfather Robert Snyder. Photo credit: PennLive.
These precious little girls were traumatized for most of their lives. They were kept from their father and abused by their mother’s partner, and their mother enabled it.
It is absolutely unthinkable to imagine these smiling, blonde-haired babies being exposed to such horrendous treatment. It is a parent’s God-given right to protect their children at all costs, and the girls’ mother, 32-year-old Marie Sue Snyder, failed at that job and devastatingly so.
This is not an easy case to get through. TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains descriptions of severe child abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
What Started This?
Marie Sue Snyder married Joshua Snyder in 2009 and the couple moved to Lititz, Pennsylvania; a small town in Amish Country some 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia. In the next few years, Marie and Joshua had three children, two girls and a boy: Nicole Elizabeth, Jasmine Jean andJesse.
The couple later moved to the historic small town of Hughesville, Pennsylvania, less than 20 miles outside of Williamsport. Their marriage remained intact through 2014 but only on paper. Marie Sue, then 25, left the martial home with all three children–Jesse was a newborn at the time–and moved in with her friend Echo Butler, 21, and her parents in Williamsport. Echo and Marie had a friendship that quickly escalated into a romantic partnership after the move.
Marie and Joshua officially separated in 2015 and subsequent actions suggest–in my own opinion–that Marie tried to get Joshua out of the picture. Marie filed for primary custody of the children and filed two protection-from-abuse (PFA) orders against Joshua. In the first, Marie said Joshua touched one of the girls inappropriately; a claim that was never confirmed. In the second, Marie said Joshua pulled a gun on her and she feared for her life. Because of the allegations against him, Joshua could only see his children during supervised visits for 12 hours on Fridays.
Around when the second PFA was issued, Joshua went to assist a relative in Maine. Because he was out of town, Joshua was unaware of the second PFA hearing. When he returned to Pennsylvania, he learned he was prohibited from seeing his children, because he didn’t attend the hearing. Joshua repeatedly attempted to gain contact with Marie but to no avail. This was the last time he saw his daughters alive.
Jasmine Snyder, 4, and her sister Nicole Snyder, 6, in the background, playing in the snow.. Photo by her father, Joshua Snyder. Photo credit: PAhomepage
In the meantime, the children continued living with their mother, Echo–who was now their mother’s girlfriend–and her parents, Michele Butler, 46 and Ronald Butler, 50. They all shared a home in Hepburn Township, a rural area four miles north of Williamsport.
Long ago, in the late 1800s, Williamsport was booming due from the success of its lumber industry, and home to the country’s most millionaires. Since then it’s lost about a third of its population.
When the children moved in with Echo and her family, Marie told investigators they were healthy. Joshua told PAhomepage he continued paying child support. He also continuously requested visits with and wellness checks on them, but received no response. Joshua said when he didn’t hear from Marie, he assumed his daughters were safe and they’d reach out to him when they were older. He told PAhomepagehe never imagined something like the outcome that transpired.
A Motive Unthinkable
It wasn’t long after Marie in with Echo, that Echo started abusing Nicole and Jasmine. While Marie worked at a nearby nursing home–which is also quite worrisome, if you ask me–Echo was responsible for caring for Nicole, Jasmine and Jesse. The opportunity to be alone with them for so many hours afforded the girls little protection from their tormentor, and their mother was no mother at all.
Echo said she “hated” the girls, so she harmed them daily. She withheld from from them, only delving out spoonfuls of peas or bites of cereal at a time, along with sips of water. Eventually, they weren’t fed at all anymore.
Nicole and Jasmine were physically beaten by Echo, which included being choked, having their hands tied behind their backs and being hit with closed fists. They were sometimes forced to stand in the corner of a room with their faces to the wall from daybreak to nightfall, and made to take cold baths because Echo said they “didn’t deserve” the hot water. The girls were constantly screamed at, pushed and shoved around.
Marie Sue Snyder, 32, and Echo Lane Butler, 26.
Jasmine was often left in a car seat in the home and restrained for hours at a time. Nicole was often bound. Both girls were left sitting in soiled diapers for hours or even days. If they defecated in their diapers or had an accident, Echo smeared feces and urine on their faces.
When their mother, Marie, was asked why her and Echo withheld food from them, she answered coldly, “We starved them so they would die.”
Lisa Shoemaker, Echo’s aunt, came forward as witnessing Echo trying to “sell” Jasmine to a Lycoming County couple for $1,000. Echo refused this claim and stated that Marie didn’t want her ex-husband, Joshua “to know.” It was in 2015 when Lisa also first approached Marie about Echo’s harsh methods of discipline and noticed marks and bruises on the girls’ bodies.
Dale Fisher, a neighbor of the Butler’s from 2014 to 2017, told investigators that while visiting on at least one occasion, he saw Nicole and Jasmine being fed spoonfuls of peas and some water while everyone else had pizza. He described the girls as “skinny” and saw them bound to a wall.
Dale told investigators that during one visit, he heard a “bloodcurdling scream” after Echo brought Nicole to the bathroom to give her a bath. After another visit, Dale and his wife phoned the Children and Youth Services Agency (Children and Youth) and filed a report.
The abuse inflicted on the children was harsh and prolonged. There was no escape for Nicole or Jasmine. As a result of subsequent abuse at the hands of her caregivers, Nicole died on or around May 10, 2016, and Jasmine died on or around August 11, 2017.
For over a year, Jasmine continued living in the home with her abusive caregivers, knowing that her sister died as a direct result. “Fear” is a poor description to explain what Jasmine, who was only four years old, felt during the aftermath of her sister’s death. As if that wasn’t earth-shattering enough, Echo abused Jasmine more harshly after Nicole died.
How The Lies Came To Light
From the last time Joshua saw his daughters in 2015 through the beginning of November of 2021, he believed they were okay. But early that month he learned the bodies of Nicole and Jasmine, his baby girls, were recovered between November 5 and 6, 2021. Nicole had been deceased for five years and Jasmine, for four years.
Nicole and Jasmine’s bodies were found in shallow graves near a trailer home at the end of Livermore Road. The Butler’s lived at 653 Livermore Road in Hepburn Township (shown). Their emaciated bodies were placed in tote bags and hidden behind a shed.
A Google Image photo of the area where Nicole and Jasmine’s bodies were found.
Despite having passed years before, their condition made the abuse they suffered jarringly apparent–especially as more information was discovered.
When Nicole passed away, she weighed 10 pounds, despite being six years old. Investigators also learned that all three adult women in the household were present during her passing, which included Echo, her abuser, her mother Marie and Echo’s mother Michele. They watched as she took her last breath.
At this same moment, Marie called 9-1-1 but hung up when Echo and Michele told her to do so. When 9-1-1 called back, she told them the call was a mistake.
Echo and Marie then placed Nicole’s body on a bed and covered it with a blanket, to appear like she was sleeping. Then, they took a drive to a nearby store, discussing what to do next. When they returned, they’d decided on moving Nicole’s body to the shed, where it remained for several days. Eventually, Echo grabbed a shovel and dug a hole at the back of a shed on their property and placed Nicole’s body inside. Marie dropped moth balls around it to cover up any possible odor.
Marie told investigators that when Nicole passed away in May 2016, Jasmine had been living with a neighbor, Lisa Shoemaker, who was identified earlier as Echo’s aunt. Marie said that she, Echo and Jesse subsequently moved into their own apartment on Catherine Street in Williamsport after Nicole’s death. The truth was that Jasmine lived in the apartment with them, albeit only for a short time.
Marie said Jasmine was treated “well” at first. She told Echo she couldn’t bear the pain of losing another daughter. An official stopped by their apartment during this time and saw Jasmine playing with toys on the floor. All appeared well from a distance. A year later, Jasmine died as a result of the same abuse inflicted on her older sister. Her body was placed in the trunk of Marie and Echo’s car and brought inside the Livermore Road shed, where Nicole’s body was held. She was ultimately buried alongside her sister.
From then, Marie and Echo made a pact that if anyone asked, they would say Nicole and Jasmine were living with their father, Joshua. Marie and Echo burned all Nicole and Jasmine’s toys and belongings.
What Cracked This Case Open?
Police became concerned with the whereabouts of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder not because they were identified missing, but because their younger brother Jesse, now 7, was missing school. The search for Jesse prompted the involvement of Lycoming County Children and Youth Services. When they made contact with Jesse, authorities saw that he couldn’t use the bathroom independently and couldn’t count beyond 10. Marie claimed she was homeschooling him.
Police then realized Nicole and Jasmine were nowhere to be found. No one but the family claimed to see the girls in six years, and they were suspicious.
Marie was brought in for questioning on September 15, 2021 and again on September 25, 2021. On September 26, Echo and Marie packed their belongings, took Jesse and fled Hepburn Township, promising to never return. They hopped from hotel to hotel for several weeks until police caught up with them. When asked why they ran, Marie and Echo said it was because they didn’t want Jesse to be taken from them. Despite the ongoing abuse toward Nicole and Jasmine, Marie and Echo claimed Jesse wasn’t abused. (I certainly believe his emotional and developmental delays can be considered a result of abuse. Imagine what that little boy has seen and been exposed to?)
On October 22, authorities made contact with Butler’s neighbors, who said they never saw two girls, but only Jesse. On November 5, Echo was taken into custody and admitted to knowing the whereabouts of all three children.
Marie Snyder exists the Lycoming County courthouse where she testified that she and her female partner, Echo Butler, intentionally starved to her two daughters to death. At right is Old Lycoming Twp. Detective Robert Mausteller. Photo credit: PennLIVE.
Marie was taken into custody a day earlier on November 4, 2021. Initially, she told police the girls were staying with a friend and being homeschooled there because she didn’t have enough room for them. However, Marie didn’t provide information on who or where the friend was. Soon after, Nicole and Jasmine’s remains were located on the Williamsport property.
In an interview with PennLive, Robert Synder, the paternal grandfather of Nicole and Jasmine, said Marie never wanted to keep her daughters; she only wanted custody of her son. Nicole and Jasmine’s father, Joshua Snyder, remains committed to finding out exactly what transpired and seeking justice for his late daughters.
While searching the Butler family home, authors found handwritten letters from Marie to Echo, written over the years. In at least one letter, Marie said she never wanted to have children and instead wanted to abort them, but was encouraged otherwise from Joshua and his family. She also apologized to Echo in a December 2015 letter where she wrote, “I’m sorry about these fucking bitches,” referring to her daughters. “If you want them gone, they’re gone.” In January 2017, another letter from Marie to Echo stated, “I know you don’t like Jasmine and never liked Nicole.”
For up to five years following the death of both daughters, Marie and Echo continued to collect more than $70,000 in benefits from the Lycoming County Assistance Office and the Domestic Relations Office.
Joshua Snyder, father of Nicole Elizabeth and Jasmine Jean Snyder, and his father, speak to WNEP16.
The Lycoming County district attorney referred to the Butler’s home as the “trailer of horrors.” In an unsealed police affidavit, Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner said:
The conditions, unfortunately, these two beautiful little girls were subjected to prior to their deaths, is some of the worst that I have ever seen by far. In speaking with law enforcement, hands down, it is the worst that they have seen as well in their storied 30-plus-year careers.
Ryan Gardner, Lycoming County District Attorney
In an interview with Northern Pennsylvania news station WNEP16, Joshua said, “If something happens, you call the police. You call if something happens to a child. They come out and they investigate. You don’t hide something.”
And If That’s Not Evil Enough…
Echo’s parents, Ronald and Michele, lied to cover up what happened. Michele said she had not seen the girls in more than six years,and didn’t know where they were. Not only were they aware of what happened, but they participated in the abuse, indicating a total of four adults directly involved in Nicole and Jasmine’s murders.
Charges Faced
Michele Butler, 49, pled guilty to third-degree murder charges in mid-April 2022.
Robert Butler, 53, pled guilty on two third-degree felony counts of child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge for obstruction for allegedly telling false information to child protective services.
Marie Sue Snyder and Echo Butler are both facing 40 combined felony and misdemeanor charges, which include criminal homicide, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person. unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury, death by deception-fail to correct, concealed death of a child, endangering the welfare of children, obstruction, abuse of a corpse and conspiracy. Echo is currently being held in Lycoming County Prison and Marie Sue is being held at Center County Correctional Facility.
(Updates to come on sentencing.)
My-Two-Cents Corner ⤵
Blog posts will follow with my two cents, not with every case, but only if I feel it necessary.
PLEASE keep in mind that this is my personal blog with my personal thoughts. What I think is not necessarily true, though I will base my opinion on facts. I
Point No. 1: Why didn’t anyone look for Nicole and Jasmine earlier? Five years?
Even though Marie claimed to be “homeschooling” her children, there really should be a system in place to check on children who are being homeschooled, their wellbeing and the environment in which they’re being educated (and raised). This situation is ripe for abusers to isolate young victims and with no check-in practices in place, children can truly wind up anywhere and in the care of anyone. I’m not aware of the legal side to homeschooling and child welfare, but this is the main problem that stands out to me. If Marie and Echo were intending to abuse Jesse, Marie’s youngest son, there would have been plenty of time to do so before anyone could intervene, as was the case with Nicole and Jasmine.
Point No. 2: Abusers having professional caretaker roles?
I also have to point out a pattern here and that is abusers being entrusted in caregiver positions. Marie worked at a local nursing home. She would go home and allow the continued abuse of her two eldest daughters, her only daughters, ages 6 and 4. Then, she’d go to work and leave her daughters in the care of her vicious, violent partner, and administer care for elderly folks.
I can’t help but assume here that Marie may have abused her patients, at some point or another–especially if she didn’t particularly “like” them, which is what happened in part with Nicole and Jasmine. The girls’ paternal grandfather, Robert Snyder, told PennLive that Marie never wanted the girls; she only wanted Jesse. If she acted on something so senseless in her own home, there’s no reason to assume her patients were safe either.
Point No. 3: How was this allowed to continue with four adults involved?
We’re obviously discussing four adults who are not in their right minds, but there were four people involved, including Nicole and Jasmine’s mother, which makes this even more outrageous.
Cycles of abuse often perpetuate in families, unfortunately. There’s not enough information on the backstory of the Snyder’s or the Butler’s to make this connection, but I will make this assumption myself. However, the difference here is that even if Echo Butler was abused by her parents growing up, it was not severe enough to result in death. Echo is currently incarcerated and still very much alive. So if these behaviors weren’t perpetuated to a current extent, how were they enabled by those around Echo? Another conclusion I have to make here is that the others feared Echo to an extent.
What Do You Think?
Comment your thoughts and options down below, but please be respectful of your community members and the innocent parties involved.
