On Saturday, May 1st, 1971 - six days after the disappearance of Carol Spinks - a group of kids were playing in a grassy area behind St. Elizabeths Hospital. Unfortunately, they would be unable to link these to any particular victims. He identified the man who gave him the information, the date and location of the crime, and signature detail which was not provided to the public, but which was known only to the perpetrator, and to detectives. However, police struggled to come to grips with some other differences: such as the note found in Brenda's coat pocket - which seemed to taunt investigators - and the fact that Brenda was found still wearing her boots. An autopsy of the victim's body showed that she had been sexually assaulted before her death; in a grisly detail, police also learned that she had been sodomized. [9] As with the other cases, her shoes were missing and unidentified green fibers would also be found on her clothing. Coroners would later note that the strangulation was excessive, with the girl's esophagus having been broken. He seemed to be an amiable man, who was known for his propensity to use the word "tantamount" - seemingly at random - but a further look at Askins revealed a bit of a sketchy past. Five months after being released in April 1952, Askins strangled 42-year-old Laura Cook to death. This semen sample would remain untested for several decades, but needless to say that would come up much later. His information seemed legitimate, albeit somewhat scattered, and investigators took his words seriously. 13-year-oldCarol Denise Spinks body was discovered by the authorities six days later from the day she was reported missing on April 25, 1971. [13], The Freeway Phantom case has seen a myriad of investigators and garnered much interest over the years. In the most unusual development in the case thus far, investigators discovered what seemed to be a taunt from the culprit - which was found at the scene. [24] Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be a victim of the serial killings. REAL CRIMINAL Seven young black girls were mysteriously slain in the national capital by a killer known as the Freeway Phantom. Extensive manhunts were conducted in search of the mysterious assailant since the discovery of the probable first victim of the serial killer. This seems to hint at some connection between Reatha, her mother, and the abduction itself. In the early 1970's, a mysterious killer targeted young black girls along the Washington Beltway. Barnes's slaying, originally thought to be linked to the Freeway Phantom killings, was later solved when two former police officers, Edward L. Sellman and Tommie B. Simmons, were convicted of. They were all African American females between the ages of 10 and 18 that lived along the Washington Beltway, who had been abducted while walking, and whose bodies had been dumped off of busy roads (such as interstates and freeways). On May 16th, he took them to the areas where Brenda Woodard, a homicide victim, had allegedly been kidnapped, raped, and murdered. Both Trainum and Jenkins stick with this analysis, which provides a small insight into most serial killers - again, most serial killers, not all of them. The Ed Sullivan Show: With Ed Sullivan, Johnny Wayne, Frank Shuster, Ralph Paul. He died in April of 2010, at the ripe old age of 91, outliving his 1938 murder victim by close to a century. An aspiring model, she had just started her senior year at Ballou High School in Washington D.C. chicken of the woods ottawa; how tall was prophet idris; how much money did hercules in new york make The classic prime time variety show most famous for its vaudeville acts and rock music performances. She was the one of the few people to speak to Brenda after her abduction, and hear her crying on the other side. Edward Emerson Simmons (October 27, 1852 - November 17, 1931) was an American Impressionist painter, remembered for his mural work. She had been raped and strangled, and a scarf was knotted around her neck. The killer has been unidentified even after nearly half a century, though the police identified several suspects who might have been the said serial killer. Bryant, of Maryland, was the only victim not from the District. Court documents were found in a desk drawer in which a judge had used the word "tantamount," an uncommon word that had appeared in the note dictated by the killer of Brenda Woodward. Vicksburg. Here was a lead, that was as promising as any thus far, which had now evaporated into nothing. [18] As with other victims, her shoes were missing, but no signs of sexual assault were found although traces of semen (assumed to be from the boyfriend) were found. It appeared to be in her own handwriting, written in pencil, and seemed to be written on a piece of paper that had been torn out from her notebook. It was a word that had been used in his prior legal paperwork, during his murder trial from the 1950's and subsequent release, but had also been included in the Freeway Phantom's note. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. If he was as young as investigators believe, he would now be entering his twilight years - of retirement age, at least, or quickly approaching it. Robert Elwood Askins was a middle-aged black man that worked at St. Elizabeth's Hospital as a computer technician through the 1970's. 43 Winn Street Burlington, MA 01803. Investigators and websleuths alike have wondered if Brenda Woodard might have been targeted by a separate killer, who tried to place the blame for her death at the burgeoning "Freeway Phantom" by having the victim write a note saying as much. Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 - and the subsequent riots, which caused extensive damage to the Washington D.C. region - the area had been left reeling. He graduated from Harvard College in 1874, and was a pupil of Lefebvre and Boulanger in Paris, where he took a gold medal. She ended up managing the child abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region. Carol obliged, and accepted the five dollars from her older sister. Holland, OH Leesburg, VA Ashburn, VA West Lafayette, IN Germantown, MD State College, PA. The investigators that were handling the case at the time would continue to believe that the Green Vega's were responsible for the Freeway Phantom murders - many of them, until the day they died. hugh o'brian estate; senior analyst job description accenture. It was rumored in the days after Darlenia's disappearance that her mother would receive phone calls at odd hours, with the person on the other end of the line taunting her. Like the first victim, Carol Spinks, experts were able to find small green fibers on the clothing, which hinted at some link between the two cases. These were odd correlations that likely had no importance, but were of interest to the media at the time. All the nation's press and media, when reporting upon the story, began referring to the killer as such. However, with her body being found not too far away, just eight hours after her abduction, we can reasonably surmise that wasn't the case. He also owns a car or truck, which he would drive the distances between the stores where the victims were abducted. The Freeway Phantom targeted female children and teens ranging from 12-17 years of age. Former Washington police officers, Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons, were convicted of murdering Angela Denise Barnes, age 14. From this, the detectives hypothesized that she might have known her killer, which led to her not being under compulsion while writing the note. They didn't even get out of the car to look for the remains, before using their radio to call in "10-8" (aka "nothing to see here"). In addition to this . Nenomoshia Yates - nicknamed "Neno" by those that knew her - was a 6th grader at Kelly Miller Junior High School. She took it on in the mid-1980's, hoping to spark some kind of revival, but lacked the necessary resources and hours to do so. Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. Most of the people in the homicide unit now would know nothing at all about the Freeway Phantom." They dedicated many more man-hours to political scandals and dealing with Vietnam protests - and to the loved ones left without any answers - it seemed like detectives cared very little about six dead black girls. During this period, an election was being held in Maryland, and one of the candidates publicly announced to the press, that a break had occurred in the Freeway Phantom investigation, and provided that an inmate atLorton Prisonhad given the information. Angela fitted seamlessly into the victim profile of the Freeway Phantom she was a minor, African American, and her body was found near an abandoned road. Numerous investigative tips came from the general public by a telephone hotline operated by theMetropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia(MPDC) and information also came by way of the mail. They noted that both calls seemed to insist upon the kidnapper being a white man, who had taken Brenda to Virginia. Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home. Support Center. lawrence shankland family 8marla commercial e 1 phase 8 bahria town islamabad edward sullivan and tommie simmons. Free-way Phantom!" The conversation carried on like this for a moment, with Brenda not seeming to have any real information to give. Police had long theorized that the killer had a tie to the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington D.C. - where half of the victims had been abducted from - and here was Askins, who not only fit the bill, but worked at St. Elizabeth's Hospital where one of the bodies had been disposed of. A missing persons report was filed, and Darlenia Johnson's case was tentatively labeled an abduction. It wasn't until 2001 that the case was officially re-opened, when Detective James Trainum took it on as a personal challenge. Now, on the other side of town, another child found themselves walking along the side of the road as evening approached. She, like the majority of people in Washington DC, also happens to be black. Most unusually, investigators would discover that Askins loved to use the word "tantamount." As a result, the Freeway Phantom case files have been lost, along with the associated notes, and all investigators assigned as primary or task force have either long retired, or are deceased. Heavy footsteps were heard in the background and Crockett said "I'll see you" and hung up. Askins, who died at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland on April 30, 2010 at the age of 91,[27] remained in prison for two D.C.-area abductions and rapes in the mid-70s, and had been contacted by both Davis and press regarding the Freeway Phantom slayings. james liston pressly; Tags . Another witness would state that they had seen Johnson driving around with an older African-American male, in the time period after her supposed abduction. Edward Emerson Simmons (October 27, 1852 - November 17, 1931) was an American Impressionist painter, remembered for his mural work. If the killer fit this profile, and was in his 20's or 30's, it is possible that he is still alive. "And this is probably one of the most massive and extensive investigations that was ever conducted in D.C.". Many theorize that the Maryland State Police have since lost the evidence, but are unwilling to admit it providing an already-aggravating story the most unfortunate ending possible. Likely, the inmate he was implicated in the Freeway Phantom murders. These men drove around in a Green Chevy Vega, which they used to kidnap and rape young women. He claimed at least one specific gang member in the murders, and began giving details of specific dates, times, and locations. Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons. 3.90 avg rating 40 ratings published 2007. edward sullivan and tommie simmons. It was believed that these had come from a vehicle or a carpet/rug of some kind, but would provide police a very minuscule lead as the investigation began to stretch out over several weeks. Trainum was able to recover many of the documents from the Maryland State Police - who had carefully stored the files - but had no idea what had been lost in the preceding decades. Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home. With the fourth murder, the FBI had gotten involved, and investigators were now hunting a single killer a killer that now seemed to accept his nickname. During this encounter, the man also told the victim that he had recently returned from Vietnam, was lonely, and was sick of no one understanding him. I have not read anything that indicates she made it to the store, so I can just assume that on her way to Safeway, Brenda was abducted. Police had openly speculated that the Freeway Phantom was a black man, and James Groom was white. Carol Denise Spinks body was discovered by the authorities six days later from the day she was reported missing on April 25, 1971. It's the story of six black girls, who were all abducted and brutally murdered over the span of a year-and-a-half. Shockingly, this person discovered that the body was still there - roughly a week after they had originally called it in to police. Authorities later determined that Barnes was not a victim of the Freeway Phantom and resumed their investigation on the murders. All of this created a lot of animosity towards the local police department - the MPDC - who hired almost exclusively white officers. Like the other two victims, she had been strangled. . Tommy served on the USS INTREPID CVA-11 US Navy, four years MM3 You have a whole generation of family members who would like to see someone brought to justice.". edward sullivan and tommie simmons. As you can imagine, both of this leads led nowhere. Want to Read. Winona. Despite happening just a few years after the Freeway Phantom murders, the case of the Lyon sisters was worked on constantly over the years, and everything regarding the case was well-documented and preserved a far cry from the haphazard way the Freeway Phantom crime spree was investigated. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister. Her education policy was cashed in to bury her.". Her body was found just off the shoulder of Pennsylvania Avenue, in P.G. This boogeyman would become known as the D.C. region's "first profiled serial killer," and their crimes continue to haunt investigators and loved ones close to half-a-century later So, Trainum took back the evidence, and submitted it to the FBI forensic database where the same thing happened. The cause-of-death, though, appeared to be strangulation. This did inspire plenty of tips - primarily through telephone hotlines and mail correspondence - but none of them would prove useful to investigators. However, that changed in 1974, when Sellman and Simmons were arrested for the crime, and charged with murder. A search warrant was eventually obtained, and investigators dug through Askins' backyard. She had also been fully clothed, minus her shoes (which were missing). fisher funeral home portsmouth, va obituaries ABOUT US; IFR WORKWEAR. During their correspondence, Askins continued to deny having any part in the Freeway Phantom murders, stating that he did not have: " the depravity of mind required to commit any of the crimes.". This neighbor had thought nothing of it at the time, since one of her family's friends drove a similar car. When Brenda Woodard's body had been found, her coat had been found draped over her body. Trainum believes that the killed lived in Congress Heights, just south of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and had likely begun branching once he started to fear being seen or recognized. Male This, at least, provided investigators with some kind of a lead, but finding the driver of a blue Volkswagon - in 1971 - was like finding a needle in a haystack. Investigators had now followed up several leads at this point - including Robert Askins and the Green Vega's - but had little to show for it. After the 1978 rape charge, Askins' home was searched by police in connection with the Freeway Phantom murders. She felt responsible for the brutal murder of her little sister, and in return, would often end up walking the same route that Carol had simply hoping to be approached by the same mysterious man that had taken her sister. Angela Denise Barnes was a 14-year old that disappeared on July 12th, 1971, just days after Darlenia Johnson had gone missing. godzilla, mothra twins. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! The remains of this young victim were brought in for an evaluation and autopsy. Currently Reading. Some leads were easily proven not to be viable, while others required substantial investigation. ", Following this development, it was announced that the FBI would be getting involved in the investigation. The case was investigating primarily by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia - more commonly abbreviated as the MPDC. County, Maryland. St. Elizabeths Hospital was less than a mile away from the scene of Carol's disappearance, and was the area's primary mental health facility. She was asking for some groceries - all of which could be picked up from a 7-Eleven convenience store just down the street. They had cataloged the evidence, and kept it all in-storage. As the group of kids were playing in this area, just off of Interstate 295's northbound lanes, an 11-year-old boy wandered off. Less than three hours after her mysterious disappearance, the remains of Nenomoshia Yates would be found. Maryland State Police have not admitted they have the evidence, but they also refuse to comment about it outright. In the middle of July 1971, an employee of the D.C. Department of Highways and Traffic began experiencing car troubles. The other, which Detective Romaine Jenkins believes might be related, was the murder of Teara Ann Bryant, who was killed in November of 1972 - two months after the last known Freeway Phantom murder. Described as both shy and petite, Carol had just cracked five feet tall, and was near the end of her seventh grade year at Johnson Junior High School. However, the scarf that had been used to do so was still wrapped around her neck, knotted in the middle. The body was found by a 16-year old hitchhiker, that had stumbled upon it through mere happenstance. Many of the original detectives had been long-retired, or were even deceased, when Trainum took on the case. In the fall of 1971, she began taking night classes at Cardozo High School, hoping to improve her working skills (such as typing). Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. 7 The Alphabet Killer Photo Credit: calafellvalo / Flickr Like the case of Dr. Police investigators initially linked a total of seven slayings, including that of Barnes, to the same killer. All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. In December of 1938 - when Askins was a much younger man - he had poisoned a sex worker in Washington D.C with potassium cyanide. This particular inmate was also serving a sentence at Lorton Prison for the Green Vega convictions. You see, not only was he a current employee of St. Elizabeth's Hospital - a psychiatric facility that focused on mental health. [5], On July 8, 1971, Johnson, 16, from Congress Heights was abducted while on route to her summer job at Oxon Hill Recreation Center. Regardless, both of these retired homicide detectives continue to stick to their guns. [4] A reward of $150,000 remains open as well.[5]. The Freeway Phantom case has seen a myriad of investigators and garnered much interest over the years. He might have received some kind of psychiatric treatment to help deal with negative emotions, like depression and anger towards women. Tommy Musgrove joined the MPDC in 1972, and eventually climbed up the ranks enough to head the entire homicide unit. Investigators hypothesized that the killer left her shoes because her name was inscribed on the pair. This lead seemed to be going places which is why it pains me to say that it eventually fell off the rails. Pathology THOMAS SIMMONS OBITUARY. Brenda Denise Woodard, whose body still had the shoes worn. This statement seems to imply that the investigators had either not properly expressed their investigation to the loved ones of the victims, or had simply failed to take their feelings into account. However, later that night, an employee of Safeway would state that they found those same items outside of the store, scattered along the street. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can! In fact, Maryland police claimed there were no similarities between Angelas death and the murder of six other girls in D.C. Police would use that hair over the coming years to test for suspect validity, but were unsuccessful in linking them to anyone. The Sullivans: With Paul Cronin, Steven Tandy, Reg Gorman, Vikki Hammond. It had housed everyone from psychotic killers to returning Vietnam veterans suffering from undiagnosed PTSD. Of those effected by the Freeway Phantom crime spree, none were hit harder than the loved ones - whose children and siblings were taken by the unknown killer, and their lives ended way too prematurely. Investigators would later theorize that this note was written by Brenda herself; with the FBI later linking it to other writings from her. Touted as Washington, D.C.s first serial killer, this yet-to-be-identified murderer was responsible for killing at least six minor girls in Washington, D.C., from April 1971 to September 1972. Furthermore, colleagues at the National Science Foundation where Askins was employed reported that "tantamount" was a word that frequently cropped up in his speech. Why do they think the person was black? However, following the murder of Brenda Woodard, the so-called "Freeway Phantom" would disappear for close to an entire year. This angry sentiment was also shared by the sister of Carol Spinks, Evander Spinks, who stated: "You better bet that if these had been white girls, the police would have solved the cases. Unfortunately, their questions regarding her fate would be answered less than a week later. Some people believe that the Phantom himself called in tips to mislead police and stall the investigation. edward sullivan and tommie simmonsthe hardy family acrobats 26th February 2023 / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by The 12-year old girl lived with her father and stepmother in an apartment in Northeast, along Benning Road. [5] About two hours later (around 9:20 pm) the Crocketts' phone rang and was answered by her 7-year-old sister, who had waited at home while her family searched the neighborhood. Criminal profiling was still in its infancy, but the FBI was eager to help solve this case, which they had labeled the work of a "repeat offender.". Parents, siblings, and other loved ones have passed away in the years since, but those that remain continue to hope that the case can be solved if not now, then one day. Not only was Johnson's body found incredibly close to the area that Spinks had been recovered - their bodies had been found a grand total of fifteen feet apart from one another. Police were called to the scene, and it was immediately theorized that Diane was a victim of the dormant Freeway Phantom. During his trial, it was revealed that he'd been a police informant, aiding law enforcement in the arrests of prostitutes. At least, this is what the victim had claimed, and was reported in the Afro American at the time. This is tantamount to my insensitivity to people, especially women. I don't believe that police followed the leads they had. Now, the victim was found just hours after going missing. This was roughly a month after the last crime attributed to the Freeway Phantom, and Groom - who lived in Northwest Baltimore - had just been arrested for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a young woman. The body was recovered, and was eventually identified as Darlenia Denise Johnson - a missing 16-year old that had disappeared from the neighborhood earlier that month. During this period, an election was being held in Maryland, and one of the candidates publicly announced to the press that a break had occurred in the Freeway Phantom investigation, and provided that an inmate at Lorton Prison had given the information. He owned many scarves which belonged to women, which were described as "soiled." The most notable thing about the discovery was that the body was dressed except for the missing shoes. Four victims had their bodies left in Prince George's County, Maryland, while another two were disposed of inside Washington D.C. Investigators believed that this might have been done intentionally, with the killer trying to muddy the waters of the investigation by overlapping jurisdictions. He would spent the next several years inside an actual prison, until he was released in January of 1958 - due not to a completion of his sentence or any kind of parole, but a legal snaffu that resulted in his freedom. In her teenage years, as a result of her sister and best friend's tragic death, she ended up turning to drugs as an escape - a rabbit hole she would struggle to escape over several years of her life. Alias That year, a 24-year old woman was abducted at gunpoint by Robert Askins, and taken back to his home. More than two months had passed since the 13-year old had gone missing and her remains were found, and the story was a blip on the radar for 16-year old Darlenia. Not only were the case files lost - they were altogether missing. It stuck with him forever - a sentiment shared by Margaret Williams, the mother of Diane Williams, who was not the same following the 1972 murder. The details of this confession were leaked to the press by P.G. We know that this article of clothing was not tested for DNA by either the Maryland State Police or the FBI, but it was last in the possession of the Maryland State Police - who have not confirmed that they actually have the evidence. "Whoever did it has gotten away. After kissing her boyfriend goodbye, Diane Williams was last seen boarding a city bus, directed towards her family's home in Halley Terrace. In addition, he owned many photos of unknown girls and young women, and police even found a knife that had been used in another crime. We know that Carol made it to the store - a 7-Eleven along Wheeler Road - because a clerk working that evening later told police that they sold the girl some items - TV dinners, bread, and some soda - before watching her leave. Police quickly zeroed in on Askins as their suspect, but it wasn't until D.C. detective Lloyd Davis began interviewing Askins, and learned about his past, that he began to connect the man to the unsolved Freeway Phantom murders. On May 17th, he showed them the alleged locations dealing with Darlenia Johnson, although while showing them where her body was abandoned, he took them to the place where Brenda Crockett's body was found. In 2013, an employee at the Maryland Chief Medical Examiner's officer spoke (under the veil of anonymity), and stated that trying to find out any information about the Freeway Phantom case: It is unknown if the DNA sample from Diane Williams' clothing still exists, and if it can be tested. 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