Lost In Lima Ohio - A true crime blog

Seeing as I'm in the mood to try new blog things- I figured I'd start giving you sneak peeks at what is coming up here in the near future along with odds and ends of what is going on with the crime blogging world. I hope to finish my miniseries on David Alway , I know... it's long overdue huh? Along with doing the AMW previews and peeks at crime documentaries airing on MSNBC , I hope to be bringing you a special edition related to the Duke/Nifong case- in which I'm looking to include a review of one of the first (if not the first) books out on the case. I also will be posting on some older cases- long time readers are sure to want to stop by to check out some of the unexpected updates in these. On a different note, Steve Huff, who is along with Trench Reynolds- responsible for making crime blogging what it is today, has a new blog. It's not exactly crime exclusive - but given Steve's talented method of writing interesting pieces, I expect it'll be enjoyed j

There is always the "kids will be kids" saying that is suppose to justify whatever bad acts they may commit. But, let's be honest- we don't walk around saying "50 year old adult men will be 50 year old adult men" to justify their actions. Nope, at some point we expect the children to grow up, and to use their natural ability to maintain self control. Jonathan Watts openly chose to not do that. The kids in his neighbor had been throwing rocks at his home for some time. At one point Watts had even relationated by throwing a brick back at one child. That didn't send the intended message to the children, nor did it curb Watts' need to avenge his anger. On Tuesday, when Watts was again confronted with a child throwing rocks, he didn't call the police as he had many times before. He didn't even grab another brick. Instead, Watts reached for a more deadly weapon- a loaded shotgun, and aimed at 9 year old Demotric Moore. The irritated man then did th

An undocumented (which means illegal in MSM terms) worker had been employed at country music's queen Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner show for nearly three years, gaining access to countless children who preformed in the show. Usually we don't make a fuss over a company hiring a illegal worker and allowing them around kids, but Gonzalez is "special". You know, that sick demented sort of "special". Dressed as an elf, although certainly more dangerous than one, Gonzalez used his position to prey upon and molest children. Beginning next week, Armando Gonzalez is set to stand trial on one count of aggravated sexual battery on a child under 13 for the first of the four alleged victims. No one else from Dixie Stampede or Dollywood Co. is facing criminal charges in connection with the allegations, but multimillion-dollar lawsuits are pending against the company for negligent hiring and breach of contract to care for and protect the children. Court document

It's that time again, where the best of the best- the most talented of bloggers, bring you updates to what they've been working on. This week Trench has kindly played host to the True Crime Blogs Carnival , so click over and have a read. I'm sure you'll find some interesting reads.

Imagine your child is missing, and after hours of searching- her lifeless body is found. Within a short time, police tell you they have the person responsible and a confession to the crime has been made. You pull yourself together, trying to deal with the tragic loss, sitting through all the court hearings, waiting for justice. After the verdict, after the sentencing... just when you are starting to heal, something happens that turns your life upside down again. That is the life Tom and Shari Yates have been living for over three long years. Amy Yates was just eight years old on April 26, 2004 when she decided to go for a short bicycle ride in the mobile home park that she lived in her with parents. Her parents became concerned after Amy failed to return home, and called Carrollton, Georgia police. After a desperate search, deputies found Amy's body at the bottom of a hill at the edge of a ditch; her white notebook lay five feet way. Massive bruising across Amy's chest and a

Every week, I have the pleasure of presenting you with a preview of some of the case that America's Most Wanted will be profiling, and this week is sure to be a show you'll want to catch. To see more on the cases, click on the links provided, or tune in on Saturday Night, at 9pm on your local Fox station. Canton, Ohio… JESSIE MARIE DAVIS UPDATE…The search for a missing pregnant woman in Ohio has come to a tragic end. Police found the body of Jessie Marie Davis in a national park last Saturday. Bobby Cutts, the father of Jessie’s two-year-old son and believed to be the father of her unborn child, has been charged with two counts of murder, and Myisha Ferrell, an acquaintance of Cutts’, has been charged with obstruction of justice. Cutts’ next court hearing is scheduled for July 2nd. Manhattan, New York and Miami Beach, Florida … UNKNOWN NEW YORK AND FLORIDA SERIAL RAPIST… Police are searching for a man wanted in connection with four attacks spanning from New York to Florida. One

Paul Thielemann, and the following men were "special" friends, who decided to share a "special" hobby. school bus driver Paul Benoit, from Milford; utility construction worker Roy Benson, from Leipsic; electrical supplies clerk Lee Blotzer, from Wilmington; swimming pool installer Frank Kesting, from New Castle; contractor Jonathan McKinney, from Wilmington; clerk Christopher Phillips, from Lewes; volunteer firefighter and paid EMT Eric Tyre, from Harrington; materials tester Carl Wilson, from Milton; and corrections officer Derek Wilson, from Dover. While normally one wouldn't care about the factors that brought such a interesting group of men together to be pals are... this time it's something that seriously needs to be know. Delaware State Police say the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contacted them in late January of this year. Police say that tip led them to Thielemann, who in turn led them to the other nine men. Court documents sho

Thomas Reilly had been previously charged with assaulting his wife in March of this year. The two separated, with his wife being granted custody of their two children, Thomas Reilly. The two young girls had been dropped off at their fathers home for visitation, but when Reilly, a building engineer and former bar owner failed to answer his phone- his estranged wife became concerned and police were sent to investigate. What they found would devastate Reilly's wife , and police: A man drowned his two young daughters in a bathtub and hanged himself at his home, authorities said. The bodies of Thomas Reilly, 5-year-old Megan, and 6-year-old Kelly were found Thursday, just hours after his estranged wife dropped off their children for a visit, police said. When one takes the cowards way out by killing themselves, but chooses to inflict even more pain by killing children first- that's more than shameful.

Readers might be interested in a special documentary from MSNBC: MSNBC Special Murder by the Sea Eric Volz is the young American accused, charged and convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, the beautiful Doris, the jewel of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Eric Volz was an American expatriate who had staked his future on a place far from home. He'd grown up in San Diego-ambitious, competitive, even driven, and an eager student of Latin America. But in a flash, he became a monster to the people in Nicaragua. The crime scene photographs show her body trussed up like some animal, and left, as if on display, on the floor of her little clothing shop by the beach. Despite a strong alibi and evidence in his defense, the Nicaraguan court convicts him. Volz was caught up in a story of jealousy, injustice and a murder so twisted; it united this nation in outrage... and revenge. Follow up in this gripping investigation of a young American accused in a foreign land. (note from Lilo: As a ne

I tell you all the time: If you are going to allow your kids on the computer, then you need to be willing to carefully watch what they are doing, who they are talking to, and where in the world wide web they are clicking to. I didn't ever imagine that I'd need to reinforce the idea that you should also be cautious on who YOU are talking too. But... clearly I do. Michael J. Kairis was a MySpace user, and in August- he met a woman online via MySpace and eventually sat up a date with her. They had a brief romance. The woman that he met had a MySpace page too. Her profile made mention of her young daughter, who was just six. One week later, the girl told her mom that Kairis had raped and groped her while in her house. Kairis, of 368½ Campbell Ave., threatened to kill the girl if she told anyone. "There couldn't be anyone more of a risk to the community than Mr. Kairis," Cook told Judge John P. Bessey. The mother, 33, was in court yesterday to see the plea. She said sh

This is the story: Dale Hutchings was arrested Tuesday and charged with 305 counts of raping a child, 356 counts of aggravated indecent assault against a child under 13, and 356 counts of indecent assault against a child under 13. Over 1000 charges. All of them against a child under 13. Now, by law- a child under 13 (regardless of the state) can not consent to sexual acts with an adult. Police began investigating Hutchings on Monday when an 11-year-old girl accused him of putting his hand down her pants as she made breakfast at his house toward the end of the school year, according to court documents. Police were led to other victims who also said they were molested. Here is a man who's sole purpose is to watch out for the safety of young children. All the while- he seems to be the biggest danger to them. And, yet. Some of the responses to the story are, well- a little unusual. Like this one by BluegrassBoy: To me it sounds like there's a whole lot to this story that's not

New information has been published that the FBI has put out a $10,000 reward for information in the ongoing case of the disappearance of Jesse Davis. CANTON The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone with information that leads investigators to find Jessie Marie Davis, the pregnant mother who hasn’t been heard from in nearly a week. At a press conference that ended minutes ago at the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Deputy Rick Perez said the department’s Web site has been inundated with approximately 500 tips — and some of those tips report possible sightings of Davis In other news on the case, the FBI has also questioned Jessie Davis' boyfriend , Bobby L. Cutts Jr. searching his home for her cell phone, quilt and other possible evidence. Cutts, who is a Canton Ohio police officer and the father of Jesse's two children (one of which she is pregnant with) has stated to news outlets that while police have told him he is not a suspect, he'

America's Most Wanted airs at 9pm on your local Fox station every (or almost every) Saturday night. This week's episodes will be highlighting the following cases: Northern New Jersey… UNKNOWN NEW JERSEY MAD HATTER UPDATE...Cops in New Jersey say the Mad Hatter has a red face -- but not because he's embarrassed. The serial bank robber who's been stalking their state since September tried robbing his 17th bank, but a teller slipped a dye pack in with the stolen cash, and cops say it literally exploded in the Mad Hatter's face as he ran from the bank. Phoenix, Arizona… MIKHAIL DRACHEV CAPTURE…When Mikhail Drachev finally told his fiancée his real name, it led to his capture. The five-year manhunt came to an end thanks to dogged detectives, and a courageous woman who found out the truth on amw.com. Hialeah, Florida… RICARDO OLMEDO…Police say Ricardo Olmedo got away with horrible crimes against children for years -- until one day, when two victims came forward. Orlando,

I'm told there are 53 players on a football team roster. The average Super Walmart employs around 300 people. There are in 535 Members of Congress. I'm just short on ideas of examples where there are 700 people. But, I suppose I could tell you to imagine the House of Representatives next to the employees of a SuperWalmart. Yeah, I suppose that will work. Okay, imagine the House of Representatives next to the employees of a SuperWalmart. now, imagine seeing the amount of people swapping child porn. Sickening? Okay, then I'll give you a better image to work with- think of those (roughly) 700 people locked up in jail. The child porn people, not the the House of Representatives and employees of the SuperWalmart. British police, with aid from U.S. investigators, have shattered a global Internet pedophile ring, rescuing 31 children and rounding up more than 700 suspects worldwide, authorities said today. Some 200 suspects are based in Britain, said the Child Exploitation and Onli

The Ohio mother ( name withheld by press ) charged and convicted of including her 15-year-old daughter in a sex contract with her boyfriend (the woman wanted to ensure that he had sex while she was recovering from a medical condition) has been sentences to 12 to 22 years. Her best defense for this horrid behavior was that she was concerned with the idea that her loser boyfriend might leave her. Which, I suppose is a valid excuse. Except for the fact that it's illegal, immoral, and just plain sick. Not to mention the small point that if the man you are dating is that big of a scumbag that he would require sex with your child to ensure that he doesn't roam around while you are recovering... then he's not really worth being with to begin with. The boyfriend is currently sitting where he should be, in jail. Michael Fitzgibbon was sentenced to up to 15 years on each of four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct AND sentenced to 12 to 25 years for each of two other cases

Let's just be frank for a moment- those are things that are perfectly normal, and acceptable, and often encouraged. But there are limits to when "kissing, touching each other while naked and exposing private parts" is acceptable behavior, and it seems that someone might have forgotten to inform a 38-year-old Prescott School District substitute teacher of when it is appropriate, and when it's not. The woman, whose name has not been released pending a criminal investigation was engaged in these activities with the most inappropriate person- her 13 year old daughters boyfriend, who happens to be a 7th grader. The investigation began after the student’s father filed a civil restraining order on behalf of his son against the woman following an incident that allegedly took place on May 17, said Sorenson, who is in charge of the investigation for Pierce County. That evening, the father said he found the two having a “middle of the night rendezvous” together at the teacher’s

For those intested in True Crime, whether it's as a blogger, author, journalist or just a reader- I've slowly been working on a new community network. The site will allow for members to participate in forums, writing blog posts, and more. There are a lot of valuable features that take advantage of things like YouTube (you can use it to post videos within the group), almost any type of file attachments that you might need. My intent is for it to be a more user friendly place that provides better ways to discuss cases and share ideas. So, if you get time, and you're interested- check out tcblogs.ning.com   Membership is needed to intereact with others- but it's a rather painless process I promise. (link fixed)

Newer post here. Jesse's body found, Bobby Cutts Jr to be charged with two counts of murder. Around 9 pm Thursday night, Jesse Marie Davis' (also spelled Jessie Davis) mother spoke with her on the phone. At the time, nothing seemed out of ordinary and there was no reason for any concern. But Friday, all of that changed. (Another news source gives the dates differently, Wednesday, June 13 was the last phone conversation, and Thursday she was missing. When I get the correct dates, I'll post it.) Okay, to clarify this, last conversation was the 13th, she was found to be missing on the 15th. Jesse's mother went over to her house but instead of finding her pregnant 27 year old daughter, she discovered Jesse's 2 year old son home alone. Now, police are investigating the disappearance, and searching frantically for the 9 months pregnant woman. Mansfield News- There were no signs of forced entry and authorities say Davis's car and purse were left at the home. However,

Thanks to a commenter for this: SOURCE- A Canadian citizen convicted of molesting a young girl in Kentucky has fled the country while free on bail to avoid a 40-year prison sentence, the FBI said. Meldrum Greg Harvey, 52, fled to Canada in December about a week after his appeal of his conviction in Muhlenberg County was denied by the Kentucky Supreme Court, the FBI said Friday. Harvey was convicted in 2005 of molesting an 8-year-old girl while she visited his home in Sacramento in Western Kentucky. I can not begin to imagine why on earth this child rapist (yes- it went beyond molesting her) was out of jail to begin with. Appeal or no- he should never have been a candidate for bond, and should have sat in a jail cell awaiting his appeal rather than being able to flee the country. Harvey was convicted of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy of a child under 12 in April 2005 and sentenced to 20 years in prison on each count, with the sentences to be served back-to-back. In August 200

I really dislike the idea of moving trials. My personal opinion is that if someone doesn't want to sit in a courtroom in one county- then they should avoid committing crimes in that county. Source- If attorneys for David Edenfield and his wife, Peggy Edenfield, get their wish, their clients will not be tried in Glynn County. The attorneys for David Edenfield, one of the accused murderers of 6-year-old Christopher Michael Barrios Jr., filed a motion May 14 asking for a change of venue for his trial. David Edenfield, his wife, Peggy Edenfield, and their son, George Edenfield, are charged in the March 8 kidnapping, sexual assault and death of the C.B. Greer Elementary School kindergartner. The District Attorney's office is seeking the death penalty for all three. Personally, with a case that was watched as much as this one, with the shocking and tragic end- I don't think it would matter if they moved the trial out of state.... these three are looking at the bad end of the need

Whether it was an act of revenge, or an attempt at humor - it was certainly meant to grab someone's attention... and it worked. Real Estate agent Charles Bowgren's daughter was at home when a neighbor brought over the damning piece of paper- a forged flier that listed Bowgren as a resistered sexual offender. The flier, which had a doctored logo of the state Department of Corrections, also featured his home address and a photo of him. eneva Police Commander Joe Frega said the flier looks like a total fabrication. He said police haven't yet determined a motive. "I would guess there was malicious intent," Frega said. "If it's a joke, it's not very funny." Bowgren, who lives with his daughter and granddaughter, called the incident "nerve-wracking" but said his neighbors are rallying behind him. Honestly, what the heck is wrong with people? Don't we have enough real sexual offenders out there as it is? Do we really need to start creating

This week, America's Most Wanted will be sharing the following cases, and hoping that you may be able to assist in solving them. Sherman Oaks, California … DAVID WEIR…Victoria Ramirez and David Weir first met during Victoria's sophomore year in high school -- and though they later broke up, they eventually reunited and moved in together. Police say the relationship was on the rocks due to Weir's alleged infidelity and dalliance with drugs. But before 22-year-old Victoria could break up with Weir, police say he took matters into his own hands. Newport News, Virginia … ANTHONY EASON…Private First Class Jamel Bennett has seen war firsthand, serving his country in Iraq. But he was only home in Newport News, Virginia a few months when he found himself under fire again -- and this time, the battlefield was his own backyard. Police say Jamel ended up staring down the barrel of a gun, and now authorities want to find alleged shooter Anthony Eason. Lancaster, Pennsylvania … CHARLES

Those of you that recall the Anthony Stockelman case, might also remember the name Charles James "Chuckie" Hickman. Hickman was the first person charged with the murder of 10 year old Katie Collman- after he confessed to her murder. Police eventually determined that Hickman's confession about the Crothersville, Ind., girl's murder wasn't true, and Anthony Stockelman was convicted in the case. "There is no evidence of any connection between Hickman and Stockelman," then-prosecutor Stephen Pierson said when he dismissed the murder charge against Hickman. Confessing to a horrid crime such as Katie's murder, was always strange- given the fact taht DNA evidence pointed elsewhere. And many people questioned his motives for doing so. Other's questioned what crimes could have been hidden away in his closet that would prompt him into confessing. Well, today we know. ...in an interview after Katie disappeared, Hickman volunteered to investigators that, wh

Vincent Ledoux , who was featured on AMW was captured this last week, in Livingston TX. Ledoux had been a wanted sexual predator for the last ten years . A few weeks ago he was profiled on America's Most Wanted, soon after a tip was called in. A tip that came from someone in Livingston who worked close by him. That is what led US Marshals to him and ended the long chase. The people of Livingston knew him as Eli Wolfe, just one of his many aliases. He worked in a computer shop right across the street from the Polk County Courthouse, and just a block from the police department. People who worked just doors down say they were shocked. Joe Roth said, "I was surprised. Who wouldn't be to find out that the guy who runs the computer shop two doors down from you is a fugitive from justice." But now, Vincent Ledoux is in the Polk County Jail. He will eventually be transferred back to Oklahoma where he was charged with the crime. Residents in the area say it's def

Dana McGee should never have made it out of prison to begin with, and he proved that point when he molested a young girl while out on parole . A man who served nearly 19 years in prison for murdering a gas station attendant was sentenced yesterday to 60 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl while on parole. Dana McGee, 48, of Palmyra was convicted in January of three counts of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was acquitted of single counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. In all likelihood, McGee will die behind bars. He must serve 51 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Jason Hill cried and told the court how what he'd done had "ruined a lot more than" his life. He said he was sorry, that he wished it had never happened. Of course, that's all easy for him to say now. He's already been caught. Leaving the rest of us to wonder if it's that he is sorry for what he did, or just sorry that he didn't scare her enough to keep her silent. Jason Hill, 31, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to having sexual contact with a child and counselling a child to sexually touch him. Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brian Burrows said it was aggravating that the abuse went on for a long time and involved sexual acts on the "extreme end" of the scale. The judge also found it aggravating that Hill had showed pornography to the child prior to assaulting her and had told her not to tell anyone what had happened. ... According to agreed facts, the sexual abuse happened between June 2003 and

I am not into celeb crimes. I really couldn't care less if I ever see Paris Hilton on the news again or not. I'm not impressed by her, by her lack of brains, or by her ability to get out of jail just because someone believes that being a spoiled selfish brat is a "medical condition". Sadly, the MSM has forgotten that there are other things happening in the news, other crimes, other topics of MORE importance. Thankfully, I have a full range of blogs that aren't as dense- and that understand that I really don't want to spend the day reading/hearing/ or staring at things about Paris Hilton. So, for those of you who are like me and are in need of some real news... feel free to check out the great writings brought to you by the members of the True Crime Blogroll: 1947 project Blogging the Unsolved CLEWS Crime in Charlotte Crime Interrupted Crime News Crime Rant Crime Scene Blog crimeblog.us CrimeNe.ws Room CrimeShadows News Criminal Conduct Dreamin' Demon FALL

My little ones have not yet been hit with the texting bug. They are quite capable IMers, although it's done in plain English- thankfully because their grandmother would be lost on the "SMHID" sort of typing. Which is sort of the point, the texting IMing lingo is designed to leave most of us a tad confused. And it's working. Not for long though, as America's Most Wanted has sort of a text to English translation guide. Click here for the pdf. I recommend printing it off while you have it open.

This is the fourth part of a mini series on the life of David Alway. Please read the previous posts if you haven't yet: David, The Early Years David, The Failure Years (Part II) David, The Pained Years Having gotten to know a little more about David, his upbringing and his life in the previous posts, we're all left with a lingering question: Just who is David Alway, and what has become of him? David's upbringing, including his time at faith based schools had been an attempt to instill finer beliefs in his heart- to help shape him into a productive and well adjusted member of society. A love for God, even a love for country. His parents encouraged him to be a "good person", to do the right things, to strive for success. But David had other plans, and so after his failures, after his bankruptcy ( more , more , more ), after disowning the family that had loved him since he was a little boy, after the ruin of his marriage, after the failure of his business - he opt

The following cases, along with others, will be featured on America's Most Wanted this week: Nationwide… INTERNET JOHN DOE #5…Disgusting images of this man molesting children were found on the Internet. Now, he'll face charges, as soon as police can determine his identity. New York City, New York… BABLU HASSAN…New York City Police say Bablu Hassan slashed a 5-year-old girl who was simply trying to protect her mother from his attack. Now authorities fear he may be long gone -- maybe even as far as Southeast Asia. Montgomery, Alabama… LINE OF DUTY – KEITH HOUTS…Montgomery, Alabama police officer Keith Houts was shot several times in the head and chest during a routine traffic stop. When he wasn’t protecting the streets, Officer Houts enjoyed spending time with his wife. They met while serving in the Army Reserves in Kuwait. They were hoping to start a family soon. Queens, New York… UNKNOWN USHA TANEJA KILLER…Usha Taneja couldn't hold in her excitement as her family began ar

I've noticed a good deal of traffic coming in looking for "Kelsey Smith", although not exactly the one that would be found here, Kelsey Smith Briggs. My Kelsey coverage was on a little girl beaten to death while her father served overseas. Her stepfather and mother both faced charges related to her death, Mike Porter received 30 years and her mother is due for trial soon. If you haven't heard her story, please take a small moment of your time to read it . The Kelsey Smith that they are looking for most likely is a missing 18 year old who police believe was abducted from a Target shopping center. I've not covered that story- but I certainly know someone who has. So- for those of you looking for that Kelsey, please see Mr. Huff at Crimeblog.us . There is also video of the suspect leaving Target, which can be found via Fox- here . You may also be interested in the site, www.findkelsey.com which appears to have been moved to a blog format.