unsolved murders in jasper, alabama

You often hear people say that girls who have a loving father, it's easier for them to be Christians because they can envision a loving God, and all he's done for us is model a loving father.". And it still, in some ways, marks Walker County. Mobile County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Burch said on the show that Jones told detectives things about Endres death only someone who was there would have known. At some point, Bland's wife and the girls left the home. Authorities searched to no avail. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. They focused on his associates, and eventually turned their attention to Karen Lancaster McPherson, a wife, mother and truck driver from a close-knit, blue-collar Walker County family. Some locals insinuated, though, that the men were connected to the Mafia and had plundered clients and equipment away from Records Security. HARDEEVILLE, Sc. "We were all in the kitchen discussing what needed to be done with Jerry Bland. "I needed to start over. "He'd never met her, but he loved her.". During the stakeout, Bland, his wife and two daughters slept on mattresses in the living room, ducking when police lights bore into their windows. These cases stem from various situations, and circumstances, but all have one thing in common: people's loved ones have yet to be found. More horrific still was the fact that Elaine had been pregnant at the time of her death. Then, when the police arrived, they found two more bodies in the utility room at the back of the store. var zoneid = '30'; He doesn't talk about Carrie or the case much, but said not a day goes by when he doesn't think about the kindness shown to him and his and Carrie's families. Cold Case toll-free hotline number: (866) 419-1236. You didn't want to hear it, but you appreciated it.". The strip mall, which was located on the northwestern edge of the city, included a yogurt shop with the witty name, I Cant Believe Its Yogurt! The firefighters managed to put out the blaze, but what they found inside necessitated the involvement of the Austin Police Department. Discuss Jasper, Alabama (AL) on our hugely popular Alabama forum. She was the kindest person you've ever met," she said. Thats always been really hard for me to swallow, that anyone could get to know Carrie and then turn her over to her executioner., Years ago, McPherson agreed to meet with Lawsons father, who has since died, and give details about the crime in return for the family not protesting parole. My uncle lived in Nebraska. All three of the victims worked in the microfilm industry. This item is available in full to subscribers. There are families that need answers, and your information may be the key to solving these cases. All rights reserved. I believe hes a strong possibility for Patrices murder, Burch said. It taught me a lot about how to be a friend, and I never stop thinking about the people who took time off from their jobs, time off from school to search and cry with us.". "I have four sisters-in-law and I'm close with them, but missing a sister is so difficult. "It's stuff like that that gets you through. She was alone with Carrie for a long time when they were holding her and she got to know her and still didnt let her go, she said. Even we have a limit that you can push us to before we stand up and cry foul.". RELATED: Details About The Murder Of Arkansas Teen Dana Stidham And Why Police Have Yet To Find Her Killer Alabama. 6 The Burger Chef Murders. Amazon. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. She will be eligible for parole consideration again in five years. Please note in order for the office to follow up on any information . All three women had been attacked with a knife; the killer had slashed each of their throats. Whats going on this weekend in Savannah? When Lawson Sr. arrived at the site, however, there were about five police cars there totally unconnected to the kidnapping case, purely a coincidence. A new true crime podcast is seeking answers on behalf of the family of Eric Cates, a 32-year-old whose burned remains were found inside his truck beside those of his dog behind the old Empire school in 2015. "I was convinced as soon as we got him the money, we were going to get Carrie back and nail this bastard," Lawson said. (AL.com/File). Johnny Dwight Whited called investigators saying he wanted to confess to the slaying, authorities said Thursday. Mobile County Sheriffs Office Capt. One victim had been stabbed to death with a hunting knife, while another had been bludgeoned to death.[6]. Authorities asking public for help in unsolved murder of Jasper man. (Associated Press). Everywhere I went in Jasper, people wanted to hug me and talk about it," he said. Then, at that moment, the alleys mechanic, 26-year-old New Mexico State University student Steven Teran, arrived with his daughter and stepdaughter in tow. Its under my watch so its hard to sleep at night with a case thats unsolved," said Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The whole Jerry Bland suicide is very suspicious, and it's very possible somebody else killed him. Sells was executed in 2014. "People were drawn to her in life, and people are drawn to this story, because of her innate kindness and innate beauty. 28 unsolved murders in 10 years in one west Alabama county and city, Pike Road head football coach resigns after 1 season, Alabama, 4 other states prevail in suit to block Equal Rights Amendment certification, Millbrook man arrested for harassing high school students, Troy University closes its Confucius Institute. Hinsons body was located in the front bedroom, Gierses was located in a back bedroom, and Barkers corpse was found in the bathroom that lay between both rooms. Both beepers, however, transmitted on the same frequency and when the drop was over, the agents -- who had air support -- unwittingly followed Lawson's vehicle instead of the money. "Thousands of people sympathized, empathized with their family. And then, Day 2, they told you again. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Montgomery man who disappeared is found murdered in an unused grain silo. It was like the movies," Kubiszyn said. HARDEEVILLE, Sc. Friends, family and federal agents descended upon the small town. He said he and another man guarded Carrie at an abandoned house in Marshall County and then she was taken to Jackson County and strangled. Barker worked for the large corporation Bell and Howell. [McPherson family speaks out: 2016] The Smith and Lawson families signed an agreement with McPherson that if she would meet with Carrie's father and tell them everything she knew about the abduction, they would not oppose parole after 10 years. Furthermore, on February 11, 2008, a composite sketch of the killer was released showing a young black male with tight and thick cornrows. To complicate matters, the woman with Jowers was unable to provide a description of the suspect. According to the newspaper's account, the girlfriend "heard a pop" and turned to see Jowers on the ground near his car, roughly 40-50 feet away. I'm not even sure I had cranked the vehicle," Lawson said. 'https://mountaineaglebanners.creativecirclemedia.com/www/delivery/ajs.php':'http://mountaineaglebanners.creativecirclemedia.com/www/delivery/ajs.php'); The case remains one of the worst mass murders in Massachusetts history. Mike Everett as wearing some type of covering on their head "like a cap" and was of average height and build. Then they got in my car and they left.". We tracked down the lady Brown was dating at the time and she declined to be part of this story. Shorter, AL. They cared, and tried their very hardest. Thousands of people -- friends, family and strangers -- carried out massive searches over several counties. On November 6, 2001, at approximately 11:00 AM, a woman arrived for an appointment at the Hair Gallery, located in Florence, Montana. Court records don't include a defense attorney who could speak on behalf of Whited on the murder charge, but he already was awaiting trial on a methamphetamine charge with his trial scheduled for May. Inside the trailer, the police found a veritable house of horrors. Others suggested that drug addicts had killed the Dardeen family in order to hock their possessions for drug money. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. People who may have evidence or clues about cold case sexual assaults and murders are encouraged to call or email the Attorney General's Office and share this information. "I couldn't help but think that anybody would tell, or leave a note, about where she was," Lawson said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). They came to this conclusion because a local bank revealed that Dorothy Harris had visited them 30 minutes prior to the murders. A ransom demand was made, and paid, but Carrie Lawson was never found. Mitch McRae told the AJC then that he didnt buy Jones story of having stopped at the salon to ask for directions, but the article seems to indicate McRae suspected Jones killed Endres. The sixth woman was also held captive but managed to survive. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. "The FBI was taping the call, but the tape recorder was turned off," Kubiszyn said. The show includes interrogation footage of Jones from Jan. 19, 2005. document.write ("?zoneid="+zoneid+"&block=1&blockcampaign=1"); McPherson quickly pleaded guilty in November 1991 and was sentenced to life in prison. It wasn't long before the kidnapper -- later identified as 49-year-old Jerry Bland, a former strip mine operator -- contacted Lawson and demanded a $300,000 ransom for Carrie's safe return. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Five years later, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Springsteens conviction. and last updated 2018-11-20 09:26:20-05. Then the phone rang at the Decatur Police Department. While never closed, the case went cold without new evidence. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. As of April 1, there were around 19 reported murders in Alabama in 2021. Endres vanished the same month Greenwell was found dead. "I can still see the driveway. The 2001 murder of Sherwin Gittens and the 1988 murder of Malakia Logan, as well as a handful of strange disappearances and abductions, including the 1985 disappearance of Jeremy Grice, the 1986 abduction of Jessica Gutierrez, and the 2011 disappearance of Amir Jennings, are just a few of the most infamous South Carolina murders and BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The days without an arrest turned into months and then . No arrests have been made in the case, although one tantalizing suspect, 36-year-old convicted rapist Donald Ray Forrester, did confess to crime before recanting. Let's just arrest him on a drug charge, get him in jail.' Kubiszyn, previously told AL.com McPhersons role in the disappearance has always been understated. All told, bar manager John A. Two unsolved murders of young women from the 1970s have now been linked to one suspect through DNA and genetic genealogy, according to Northern California prosecutors. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. . The case file on Brown remains what it is; thick, unsolved and no justice at least for now. If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. The federal agents said as soon as they identified Bland's voice, they obtained a local search warrant and carried out a search of the home, where they recovered part of the ransom money. He drove away with Carrie as Lawson assured himself she would be OK. She had to be OK. "Back in 1991, nobody got kidnapped. Private investigator W.W. "Red" Self sits in his Pinson office in this 2002 file photo. But it wasn't one of our shining successes. The bodies were not found until the following day. Kubiszyn, previously told AL.com McPhersons role in the disappearance has always been understated, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. But everyone that knew her felt like they were loved by her, and that was extraordinary.". ", "It was an event that brought tragedy to our community and brought a lot of attention, and it's something that still reverberates today," Adair said. This man served his county, came home, and Last updated January 26, 2023. "I fully expected when we got down there, they would have found her and it would be over. Lawson said he managed to free himself. Polygraph tests backed his confessions to several murders, the AJC reported in 2005. That book claimed, in part, that agents had the authority to search Bland's home without a warrant. ", In that same interview, Frank Evans, a supervisory special agent, said, "It is so patently inaccurate, we felt an obligation to say wait a minute. Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Karen McPherson, left, is serving a life sentence in the 1991 disappearance of Walker County lawyer Carrie Lawson, whose body has never been found. [4] All victims were shot in the head before the two criminals set fire to the bowling alley. If you know anything about these persons, or their last known locations, please call 205-302-6464. Daniel immediately informed the police of his gruesome discovery. As a result, all three were wealthy and successful bachelors. There weren't a lot of murders in Jasper," Lawson said in a recent interview, his first about the case in more than 20 years. Many, if not most should be considered armed and dangerous. Those with information into this or any other cases are asked to call VCU at (205) 464-8690, the Tuscaloosa Police Department at (205) 349-2121, or CrimeStoppers at (205) 752-STOP (7867). And, of course, there were people who thought Lawson was somehow involved in Carrie's abduction. Additionally, the homicide unit commander at the time of the murder said investigators believed that several other people were in the parking lot at the time of the shooting and were reluctant to come forward. Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. With great haste, Carolyn and her husband got dressed, and headed out to the driveway of their Jasper, Alabama home. For two days, police and citizen volunteers searched the area for the missing workers. I think probably in the last 10 years, he's more resigned to the fact that we probably won't find her, but if anybody calls him and says they know something, he's going to follow up on it. In 1999, high school seniors J.B. Hilton Green Beasley and Tracie Jean . Carrie Lawson was declared dead two years after her disappearance. That is the only person who shares your story. The Smith family kept at it, though, offering a $100,000 reward and privately funding searches that continue to this day. The victim, 32-year-old Joseph Todd Jowers of 103 Hargrove Rd. She even managed to put away her groceries before she was attacked. The victims hands were bound, and their throats had been so deeply slit that they had all nearly been decapitated. U.S. Alabama murder case goes unsolved for 25 years. Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts. "This case affected our community," District Attorney Bill Adair said, noting hundreds of people carried out searches and held prayer vigils. Authorities remove the body of Jerry Bland from his Jasper home on Oct. 1, 1991 after he committed suicide while FBI agents surrounded his home. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. It was kind of crazy.". Christmas is usually a time of good cheer, good food, and good times spent with family. First published on November 20, 2020 / 6:33 AM. 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