True Crime thread

[HungryLion]

Recently there was a documentary on the History Channel about “The Pittsburgh 6”

a group of people who escaped a maximum security prison in Pittsburgh, PA.

https://triblive.com/aande/movies-t...prison-break-hawkeye-and-the-hot-zone-sequel/


It was an interesting watch.

One of my best friends who I have been friends with since childhood, is actually the cousin of the guy who masterminded the prison break. Nuno Pontes.

I remember my friends dad frequently sending letters back and forth with Nuno until he was released from prison finally.


Now Nuno goes around and does a lot of speaking about criminal justice reform and the use of solitary confinement. He spend over a decade in solitary confinement after the attempted prison break.


https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/centres-in...02/personal-accounts-us-prison-system-insight

 

[Big_D]

Recently there was a documentary on the History Channel about “The Pittsburgh 6”

a group of people who escaped a maximum security prison in Pittsburgh, PA.

https://triblive.com/aande/movies-t...prison-break-hawkeye-and-the-hot-zone-sequel/


It was an interesting watch.

One of my best friends who I have been friends with since childhood, is actually the cousin of the guy who masterminded the prison break. Nuno Pontes.

I remember my friends dad frequently sending letters back and forth with Nuno until he was released from prison finally.


Now Nuno goes around and does a lot of speaking about criminal justice reform and the use of solitary confinement. He spend over a decade in solitary confinement after the attempted prison break.


https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/centres-in...02/personal-accounts-us-prison-system-insight

I watched that also. They made it all the way to Houston and one of them checked himself into the hospital. That’s how they were able to pinpoint their location or they might have made it into Mexico!

 

[HungryLion]

I watched that also. They made it all the way to Houston and one of them checked himself into the hospital. That’s how they were able to pinpoint their location or they might have made it into Mexico!

Yes indeed. They came razor close to making it out of the country.

I suppose slip ups like that happen when you allow drug addicts and not so smart criminals be part of the team.

 

[Big_D]

Yes indeed. They came razor close to making it out of the country.

I suppose slip ups like that happen when you allow drug addicts and not so smart criminals be part of the team.

seems like once you go with more than 2 people your destined to fail. Although the Alcatraz escape was 3. But no one knows if they ever made it out alive.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

In Casper, Wyoming:1973. 11 year-old Amy Burridge rides with her 18 year-old sister, Becky, to the grocery store. When they finish their shopping, Becky’s car gets a flat tire. Two men politely offer them a hand. But they were anything but Good Samaritans. The girls would suffer unspeakable crimes at the hands of these men before being thrown from a bridge into the North Platte River. One miraculously survived. The other did not.

Amy died from while Becky "bounced" off a rock cliff (breaking her pelvis and broken ribs) and landed in some fairly deep water where she was able to dog-paddle to shore.

The night was fairly cold (about 32 degrees) and she was only dressed in a pink blouse (naked otherwise) and she couldn't walk. She crawled to the area where she was found the following morning by an elderly couple coming out for some early fishing.

Casper was not a big place in 1973 and based upon Becky's description of the two, the local police knew exactly who the two suspects were and they were quickly arrested.

The two were found guilty and initially sentenced to death originally and later life in prison.

Would like to say this story had somewhat of a happy-ending but that was not to be...

Becky went through mental "hell" for the next 19 years and apparently committed suicide by jumping off the bridge she was thrown off in 1973.

Just a horrible, horrible story.

Below is a pic of Amy, Becky and their mother:

Below is the bridge Amy and Becky were thrown from in 1973 and ultimately the bridge Becky appears to have jumped off of in 1992:

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Another case of a submerged car being recovered and a possible missing person's case solved...

https://news.yahoo.com/cold-case-divers-apparently-missing-113300338.html

Love seeing these get solved.

 

[jnday]

Another case of a submerged car being recovered and a possible missing person's case solved...

https://news.yahoo.com/cold-case-divers-apparently-missing-113300338.html

Love seeing these get solved.

I have watched several You Tube videos on these groups that helps locate the missing people and cars that went off the road into their watery grave. These groups that spend their own time and money to find these people are some great human beings.

 

[SlammedZero]

Another case of a submerged car being recovered and a possible missing person's case solved...

https://news.yahoo.com/cold-case-divers-apparently-missing-113300338.html

Love seeing these get solved.

I went down the rabbit-hole of a group that does these search/recovery dives. Like you, I absolutely love seeing them get solved, but as a person who jetskis it absolutely horrifies me at the amount of missing people found in bodies of water. I may never fall off my ski ever again! lol

 

[MichaelWinicki]

A case from 1972 (known as the "Durham Family Murders" that did not look like it was every going to be solved–may have been...

https://news.yahoo.com/family-found-dead-bathtub-50-223305801.html

 

[VaqueroTD]

In Casper, Wyoming:1973. 11 year-old Amy Burridge rides with her 18 year-old sister, Becky, to the grocery store. When they finish their shopping, Becky’s car gets a flat tire. Two men politely offer them a hand. But they were anything but Good Samaritans. The girls would suffer unspeakable crimes at the hands of these men before being thrown from a bridge into the North Platte River. One miraculously survived. The other did not.

Amy died from while Becky "bounced" off a rock cliff (breaking her pelvis and broken ribs) and landed in some fairly deep water where she was able to dog-paddle to shore.

The night was fairly cold (about 32 degrees) and she was only dressed in a pink blouse (naked otherwise) and she couldn't walk. She crawled to the area where she was found the following morning by an elderly couple coming out for some early fishing.

Casper was not a big place in 1973 and based upon Becky's description of the two, the local police knew exactly who the two suspects were and they were quickly arrested.

The two were found guilty and initially sentenced to death originally and later life in prison.

Would like to say this story had somewhat of a happy-ending but that was not to be...

Becky went through mental "hell" for the next 19 years and apparently committed suicide by jumping off the bridge she was thrown off in 1973.

Just a horrible, horrible story.

Below is a pic of Amy, Becky and their mother:

Below is the bridge Amy and Becky were thrown from in 1973 and ultimately the bridge Becky appears to have jumped off of in 1992:

Damn, what a horrible story. Where the hell is the ‘unlike’ button?

Only good thing that comes from this for me is the knowledge that people were just as evil and screwed up in the ‘good old days,’ they just didn’t have 300 cable channels, regular and satellite radio plus an entire free domain of internet news and apps dishing out the murder and crazy news 24/7.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Damn, what a horrible story. Where the hell is the ‘unlike’ button?

Only good thing that comes from this for me is the knowledge that people were just as evil and screwed up in the ‘good old days,’ they just didn’t have 300 cable channels, regular and satellite radio plus an entire free domain of internet news and apps dishing out the murder and crazy news 24/7.

It is a horrible story.

I had never heard of it until I came across a book on case.

You look at the numbers and violent crime was much worse during the 70's & 80's than it is now–It just seems worse now because of the constant news, media attention and social media.

 

[SlammedZero]

My daughter enjoys true crime as well. We were talking the other day about the frequency of murder. That it's almost unreal how often it happens around the country. It's sad, really.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

My daughter enjoys true crime as well. We were talking the other day about the frequency of murder. That it's almost unreal how often it happens around the country. It's sad, really.

Agreed.

1 murder is too many.

 

[SlammedZero]

Great news is that forensic science is getting really good at catching monsters. I watched a show last night where a guy flew to Columbus, Ohio. He rented a car and started to use his credit card around the city to give himself an alibi. Then, he drove overnight from Columbus, Ohio to Bakersfield, Ca to murder his ex, her mom, and his 2 kids. Then drove back. The detectives ruled him out early due to his credit card alibi, but then later into the investigation they got suspicious when he became standoff-ish about helping them solve it. They flew to Ohio, got the rental car, and took the radiator to an entomologist (person who studies bugs). The entomologist made a map of how he drove back to California based on the type of bugs situated on the radiator. Crazy stuff!! They eventually got more evidence against him, but those bugs were a huge part of the case.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Great news is that forensic science is getting really good at catching monsters. I watched a show last night where a guy flew to Columbus, Ohio. He rented a car and started to use his credit card around the city to give himself an alibi. Then, he drove overnight from Columbus, Ohio to Bakersfield, Ca to murder his ex, her mom, and his 2 kids. Then drove back. The detectives ruled him out early due to his credit card alibi, but then later into the investigation they got suspicious when he became standoff-ish about helping them solve it. They flew to Ohio, got the rental car, and took the radiator to an entomologist (person who studies bugs). The entomologist made a map of how he drove back to California based on the type of bugs situated on the radiator. Crazy stuff!! They eventually got more evidence against him, but those bugs were a huge part of the case.

Oh gosh yes!

I look at the various spree killers and serial murderers of the 70's & 80's that ended up being caught and quite often they were caught based on a mistake they made (such as telling someone about it) or simply gave themselves up. It was brutally hard for the police to capture killers that were smart & careful about committing their crimes. Plus there jurisdictional issues between agencies and no clearing house for data.

Bundy was pulled over and on a search of his vehicle, the officer found Ted's "kill kit". But what were the chances of him being pulled over?

Ed Kemper gave himself up.

Richard Ramirez was "caught" by a crowd of people where he was recognized based on a sketch.

The Hillside Stranglers were caught because one of the two killers murdered two women the same night and one of the women left a record of whom she was going to meet that evening.

The "Candyman" Dean Corll was shot and killed by one of his accomplices.

Gacy got sloppy and left a trail of evidence.

But so many got away (at least for a while) because they were smart or simply got lucky like BTK, the Zodiac, the Oklahoma Girl Scout Killer, the Oakland Child killer(s), the Parkway killer, the Green River Killer and the Aurora Hammer murders.

And DNA evidence is just part of the story. Like you pointed out "bug science" helped solve a murder. Then you have the ability to track folks using their cell phones. And then you have video camera's everywhere now.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Oh gosh yes!

I look at the various spree killers and serial murderers of the 70's & 80's that ended up being caught and quite often they were caught based on a mistake they made (such as telling someone about it) or simply gave themselves up. It was brutally hard for the police to capture killers that were smart & careful about committing their crimes. Plus there jurisdictional issues between agencies and no clearing house for data.

Bundy was pulled over and on a search of his vehicle, the officer found Ted's "kill kit". But what were the chances of him being pulled over?

Ed Kemper gave himself up.

Richard Ramirez was "caught" by a crowd of people where he was recognized based on a sketch.

The Hillside Stranglers were caught because one of the two killers murdered two women the same night and one of the women left a record of whom she was going to meet that evening.

The "Candyman" Dean Corll was shot and killed by one of his accomplices.

Gacy got sloppy and left a trail of evidence.

But so many got away (at least for a while) because they were smart or simply got lucky like BTK, the Zodiac, the Oklahoma Girl Scout Killer, the Oakland Child killer(s), the Parkway killer, the Green River Killer and the Aurora Hammer murders.

And DNA evidence is just part of the story. Like you pointed out "bug science" helped solve a murder. Then you have the ability to track folks using their cell phones. And then you have video camera's everywhere now.

Even with a media that loves to sensationalize these things, you do rarely hear about new serial killers these days. Or they stop them much faster. The days are probably gone where these loons could mow down 20+ victims before law enforcement wisened up to their ways. The science has caught up. Sadly, the new serial killer is the lone gunman. Law enforcement has improved on the obvious ones like the crazies who post on social media or the high school kids who draw their plans or write a paper in class on it. LOL But I’m pretty sure it scares the hell out of detectives that no science can predict yet who the average guy is who will just say “#$@! it” one day, either spontaneous or planned, and shoot up the place. People like the Las Vegas hotel shooter.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Even with a media that loves to sensationalize these things, you do rarely hear about new serial killers these days. Or they stop them much faster. The days are probably gone where these loons could mow down 20+ victims before law enforcement wisened up to their ways. The science has caught up. Sadly, the new serial killer is the lone gunman. Law enforcement has improved on the obvious ones like the crazies who post on social media or the high school kids who draw their plans or write a paper in class on it. LOL But I’m pretty sure it scares the hell out of detectives that no science can predict yet who the average guy is who will just say “#$@! it” one day, either spontaneous or planned, and shoot up the place. People like the Las Vegas hotel shooter.

Nail on the head.

That's exactly what happened.

The "serial killer" of the 70's & 80's is now the mass shooter.

 

[SlammedZero]

Oh gosh yes!

I look at the various spree killers and serial murderers of the 70's & 80's that ended up being caught and quite often they were caught based on a mistake they made (such as telling someone about it) or simply gave themselves up. It was brutally hard for the police to capture killers that were smart & careful about committing their crimes. Plus there jurisdictional issues between agencies and no clearing house for data.

Bundy was pulled over and on a search of his vehicle, the officer found Ted's "kill kit". But what were the chances of him being pulled over?

Ed Kemper gave himself up.

Richard Ramirez was "caught" by a crowd of people where he was recognized based on a sketch.

The Hillside Stranglers were caught because one of the two killers murdered two women the same night and one of the women left a record of whom she was going to meet that evening.

The "Candyman" Dean Corll was shot and killed by one of his accomplices.

Gacy got sloppy and left a trail of evidence.

But so many got away (at least for a while) because they were smart or simply got lucky like BTK, the Zodiac, the Oklahoma Girl Scout Killer, the Oakland Child killer(s), the Parkway killer, the Green River Killer and the Aurora Hammer murders.

And DNA evidence is just part of the story. Like you pointed out "bug science" helped solve a murder. Then you have the ability to track folks using their cell phones. And then you have video camera's everywhere now.

The BTK killer cracks me up how he was caught.

BTK "Hey cops, if I send you a disk, can you trace it back to me?"
Cops "Nope. Sorry we don't have the technology!"
BTK "Oh ok! Cool!"
BTK *send disk
Cops *dig deep into disk. Find name
Cops *start following BTK. Find way to get DNA
Cops *arrest BTK
BTK "but how?"



I mean, I'm glad the idiot messed up, but just wow.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The BTK killer cracks me up how he was caught.

BTK "Hey cops, if I send you a disk, can you trace it back to me?"
Cops "Nope. Sorry we don't have the technology!"
BTK "Oh ok! Cool!"
BTK *send disk
Cops *dig deep into disk. Find name
Cops *start following BTK. Find way to get DNA
Cops *arrest BTK
BTK "but how?"



I mean, I'm glad the idiot messed up, but just wow.

And the thing is he had gotten away with it for years...

 

[MichaelWinicki]

A rape and murder of a 9 year-old girl in 1964 solved...

https://news.yahoo.com/police-solve-1964-rape-murder-131539148.html

I applaud the police who originally investigated the case carefully saving the evidence.

Great that a volunteer donated their time and expertise to helping solve the case and the police in allowing a civilian into their "world". Cooperation. It's tough to beat.

The DNA "donor" was 22 at the time and died when they were 38... Hard to believe he only killed 1 when he was doing this at such at early age.

Yeah, 1964. There have always been "monsters" among us.