Lost In Lima Ohio - A true crime blog

Andrew Burd , a happy well adjusted four year old foster child was removed from the foster home he'd spent 18 months in, and placed with Larry and Hannah Overton . The only reason for the move was the Overton's had started proceeding to adopt Andrew, who they had learned about from their church. Andrew's adoption would never be final, and the once lively, bouncing little boy would be dead just months after his placement in the Overton home. As a result of his death, both Larry and Hannah Overton were charged in connection to his death- the state alleged that Andrew had sustained abuse at the hands of the Overtons, and on October 2, 2006 Hannah Overton gave Andrew a lethal concoction of a sodium based seasoning mixed with water. After Andrew fell ill from the extremely high levels of sodium that were forced into his body, Hannah and her husband called various people, including members of their church. They failed however, to call 911. And they failed to seek proper medical

Andrew Burd spent most of his short life in foster care. He lived with his biological mother for the first two years of his life, before being put into foster care and in the home of Sharon Hamil. The 18 months he spent with Sharon Hamil he was a happy, well adjusted healthy little boy. She had grown children, and her son and daughter in law spent nearly every day with Andrew, and having the benefit of being special education teachers, never saw any problems with him. His foster mother believed that Andrew needed the benefit of being raised in a family- she was widowed and couldn't provide a father figure to the small boy. And so Andrew left her home, and was placed with Larry and Hannah Overton who began the process of adopting him. The Overton's had a strong religious faith, 4 children of their own and by all appearances seemed to welcome another child into their hearts. You'll read a lot about Hannah, how she loves her children, how she's always put her children fir

This week, the following cases will be airing on America's Most Wanted. You can catch AMW at 9pm on your local Fox network on Saturdays. Darryl Crenshaw: Deputy U.S. Marshals say accused Connecticut girlfriend-killer Darryl Crenshaw slipped into Mexico to escape from authorities. But an AMW tipster remembered seeing that familiar face in a Mexican jail -- and helped take Crenshaw down. http://www.amw.com/Fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=58213 Marjan Rroku: When two teenage Albanian sisters met Marjan Rroku at a Bible study group, they thought he was a great guy. But five years later, he had taken the life of one sister and sent the other fleeing to the US. After a close encounter on a Washington D.C. Metro train, police fear the killer is in pursuit again. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=41730 Paul Buford: Deputy U.S. Marshals in Detroit say they're hot on the trail of an elusive gang member, wanted for his role in the upper echelon of the Black Mafia Family criminal

Robert Blue believed that his 165 lb daughter weighed too much, and he was intent on her being able to weigh around 145 lbs for her mixed martial arts division. At first, he claims he attempted to chain the pantry closed, but when that failed to stop the girl from eating, he decided to chain her to her bed. On and off for two days, Blue's 15-year-old daughter was chained to her bed. She was found beaten and in tears -- all because Blue thought she was overweight, according to a police report. Blue, 53, was also arrested for beating his daughter with a wooden stick and kicking her, police said. Blue has prior charges of child abuse for which he was convicted, and admit to police that he'd been known to beat his children with a stick for their training. Blue also stated he didn't think he had committed a crime and that he was acting in his daughter's best interest. Police said a counselor at the 15-year-old's school claimed the girl was chained up. Blue was

I recently had the pleasure of reading Kirk Curnutt's new novel- Breathing Out the Ghost. Even as I was flipping open the first pages, I was a little reluctant. I read true crime , and had to wonder just how this was going to compare. Since the revolving plot in the story is based on every parents worse nightmare, a murdered child who was likely sexually abused by a serial molester, I had some doubts that the characters could pull off conveying the emotional roller coaster such an experience would bring. The book brings three people together in a web tangled with pain, suffering and heartbreak. A mother, Sis Pruitt, still reliving the loss of her teenage daughter years earlier, a father,Colin St. Claire, burning every bridge in order to embark on mission to discover what happened to his son, and an private investigator,Robert Heim, burdened by the belief that he has a responsibility to help on this cross country journey. By the middle of the book, it was apparent that Curnutt

The following cases will be airing Saturday at 9pm on your local Fox station: Esnel Jean: North Miami detectives will never forget the gruesome sight of a woman and two children killed and buried in a homemade crypt. They say the man behind the horrific murders is Esnel Jean, a Haitian voodoo priest. Jean remains the focus of an international manhunt and they need your help to help capture him. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=24802 Bradley and Luann Chase: Bradley Chase is back in Indiana after eight years on the run. Chase and his wife Luann were captured in October after appearing on Fifteen Seconds of Shame. It only took AMW viewers 12 hours to capture the duo after they got the publicity they never wanted. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=60004 Yaser Said: They say he killed his daughters. In a crime that shocked the nation, two young women were found shot to death in the back of a taxi, and their father is one of the nation's most-wanted men. http

A little free love advice from me, to all the stupid and lovesick people out there: When attempting to hook up with a woman, it's a bad idea to get so annoyed over her lack of interest in you that you devise a plan to attack her, and then 'rescue her' shortly afterward. Trust me, it's a very bad idea... especially if there's a chance she might figure out who you are. Donquila Butler, 29, a hospital security guard, was ignored each of the numerous times he waved to another hospital employee who worked in the records department. By Sunday, he was fed up, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Donning a ski mask and hood, Butler went to the victim’s work area, grabbed her by the throat and said, “Shut the f—- up before I kill you right here,” police told the Sun-Times. When other hospital employees saw the incident, he reportedly ran off only to return minutes later without the mask and hood to “rescue” the woman. Oh yeah, that one is a real winner , isn't he?

For years, I've heard the bragging from Texans about how *everything* in Texas is bigger- regardless of what it is. And, I'm amazed to say that evidently there is something to that little rumor. Everyone has sex offenders, and everyone has creepy demented bastards- but following Texas's claim to fame- it turns out that their very own Thomas Louis Van-Hook is a bigger freak than most. Thomas Louis Van-Hook, a registered sex offender convicted of exposing himself to small children has a history of enlightening people about his disturbing criminal intentions. Take for instance when he decided to write to P&G, the makers of Huggies Diapers about his thoughts on their product ads. The Examiner also obtained a copy of a letter that Van-Hook wrote in 2004 to the Procter & Gamble Company, the makers of Pampers Diapers, where he requested that the company do more to show the genital areas of children. The head of corporate security for Procter & Gamble sent the let

Both America's Most Wanted, and the US Marshals have set their eyes on Frederick McLean... an alleged child molester from San Diego who they believe victimized numerous children over a 20 year span. The 57 year old former car restorer and avid outdoorsman was first investigated in 2004 when a member of The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses went to police and reported that he'd sexually abused her as a child. Police say that McLean left town in a small dark-colored pickup truck, but that he also may have a 1955 Chevy hot rod, which could possibly still be in a storage unit if he hasn't sold it by now. Authorities maintain that he may have changed his physical appearance and purchased a new set of identity documents. He is also believed to have armed himself with a gun. Police say that McLean could still be in north San Diego County or Riverside County areas. They also speculate that given his extensive outdoor experience he could also be in the Cuyamaca Mounta

Robert Musmacker doesn't care that he was engaging in illegal activity with minors, he doesn't care that he was already a registered sexual offender prior to his most recent arrest- and evidently the demented predator doesn't care that his reckless behavior could easily cost the lives of his victims. Musmacker was required to register as a Level 3 sex offender under Megan's Law because of a 1992 sodomy conviction involving a 6-year-old relative, said a spokesman for Spota. He was released from prison in January 2001. He was stopped by a state trooper on the Southern State Parkway in West Babylon at about 6 a.m. on Dec. 28 with the 16-year-old, who was not identified, in the passenger seat. The trooper noticed that Musmacker's belt was undone, authorities said. Musmacker possessed AIDS medication, which he said was for treatment of "full blown AIDS," the prosecutor said. He also advised the officer he was taking antibiotics to treat an open lesion in

Please welcome Gina Barton, who writes for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and is my latest guest blogger. I'm currently reading her book- Fatal Identity, and am looking forward to sharing my thoughts on it with you, but in the meantime, I've invited her to introduce herself to you. Her website can be found at http://www.fatalidentity.com/ , and for those who don't want to wait for my thoughts on the book- you can find copies available via Amazon . From newspaper series to true crime book By Gina Barton Within my first week on the job at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, my editor handed me a short article about a headless, handless body found near the border of Wisconsin and Michigan. “I know you like to do crime narratives,” he said. “This looks like it might be a good one.” That was back in 2002. The body had been identified as that of a local man, Timothy Wicks. The police had a suspect in custody – but they weren’t charging him with murder. As soon as I start

There will be no new episode of America's Most Wanted this week, however- there are new cases I'm sure you'll be interested in catching up on, as the AMW team has been hard at work on them. Unknown Bennie Angelo Killer: Bennie Angelo was a patriot who served his country in its time of need during World War II, and he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. But more than 65 years later, on Jan. 7, 2007, Ohio cops say the 87-year-old was ambushed by violent robbers in his home. The attackers not only stole the contents of Bennie's home safe, they took Bennie's life and they set a fire to cover their tracks. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=43230 Unknown Riggs Park Jane Doe Killer: Cops in Washington, D.C. say that someone took a young woman's life and threw her body in a dumpster like a piece of trash. Now, they need your help to find out who she was -- and who killed her. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/ brief.cfm?id=60973 Also, next time you’re bro

I've often mentioned that some people just shouldn't be entitled to having the privilege of being parents. Sharon Wessel is one of those people. On December 24th, her 11 year old daughter received second and third degree burns from a propane heater which was being used to warm their otherwise unheated home. The child had been standing next to the heater, when her pjs caught fire, undoubtably causing the child extreme pain. In fact, the pain was so severe that almost three weeks later, she was screaming in pain from the burns when a neighbor heard her cries and called police. Upon their arrival, they called for medical assistance- in what was the FIRST attempt to give the child proper treatment since the accident. The girl was transported to Wishard Memorial Hospital and then Riley Hospital For Children on Tuesday. Police said she had to be carried from the home because she could not walk. The girl's mother told police she used moisturizer to try to help heal the burns.

Four year olds in Ohio aren't as sweet and forgiving as they used to be... especially if you are their 18 year old babysitter, and you step on their foot, and they know the gun is kept in the closet. Police say an angry 4-year-old Ohio boy grabbed a gun from a closet and shot his baby sitter. Eighteen-year-old Nathan Beavers was hospitalized Sunday with minor wounds to his arm and side after the shotgun attack. Police say another teen was also injured. Full story...

James Howard Bell should know just how many commandments he's been breaking lately- since he's a pastor at Refuge Temple Church of God in Christ. Evidently, he needed the the rules to be a little more specific, as in 'don't molest children' 'don't attempt to spread HIV around'. According to an arrest citation obtained by WLKY, Bell went to police and confessed to several sexual encounters with a 15-year-old. "He apparently probably had thought at some point in time someone was going to come to us before he did," said Kentucky State Trooper Ronald Turley. Bell's neighbors are baffled by the allegations. "It's hard to believe that he done something like that, being a minister and all that, you know," said William Simons. Besides sexual abuse and sodomy, Bell is also facing a wanton endangerment charge. Police would not release the details of the case, but according to court documents, Bell confessed that he "knowi

A family is mourning the loss of their 7 year old mini chow after it escaped from their home and wondered into a neighboring yard and was, reportedly, cut in half with a Samurai sword. Neighbors say the Reynolds' dog, "Puppy," wandered over to a New Years gathering down the street and that's when the suspect (who isn't being identified just yet) picked up a sword and brutally attacked the dog. "I heard it was worse than that," Paul Reynolds said, "I heard one blow nearly chopped my dog in half." Calcasieu Parish Animal Services Director, Rita Cavenaugh said, "We got one report that the dog tried to bite the man. But, that doesn't sound right. Normal behavior when a vicious dog is around is to retreat." Animal service workers working the case described it as "one of the most horrific animal cruelty cases I've seen in Calcasieu Parish". The dog was 7 years old, had arthritis, and was a miniature mix breed... j

Robert Rozenti, the self described illegitimate son of an elderly Port St. Lucie woman was such a jackass of a bastard that he allowed his mother to live in conditions unfit for animals, let alone for the woman who gave him life. Paramedics told police they noticed a strong odor of feces and urine throughout the house, according to the police report. Paramedics told police she was covered in her own feces and had it under her fingernails. They also said she was very malnourished and had not been bathed for some time. According to the police report, Chuboff told police she lived with her son, whom she said often yelled at her and uses the "F" word a lot. As if the lack of nutrition and medical care wasn't bad enough, the woman reportedly had been wearing her shoes for such a long period of time that her feet had literally grown into them. Rozenti has been arrested and charged with neglect of an elderly person. SOURCE

I recently had the chance to read A Slaying in the Suburbs, The Tara Grant Murder which chronicles the relationship of Stephan and Tara Grant from their first moments together to the heinous ending of what often appeared to be a perfect marriage. To be frankly honest- this was a case I'd had enough of halfway through the media frenzy and quickly began making sure I flipped the TV channel whenever a network even hinted at another update coming in. Sometimes, it's best to wait until it's all said and done before drawing conclusions- which has proven true once again after reading the book. Reporters Steve Miller and Andrea Billups worked together on the book, bringing new depths to the saga that millions watched unfold in early 2007 thanks to non stop coverage by local Michigan and national news outlets. Through interviews with family members, former friends and even Stephan Grant himself, Miller and Billups have presented an intense portrait of Stephan-- from his waywa

Cameron Joseph Baca, a former coach accused of molesting four boys, is currently sitting in jail. Baca has been detained with a million dollar bail, after charges that he sexually abused the boys, who range in age from 11 to 13. Police say Baca befriended the families of the boys, and then used his relationship to prey about them. Cameron Joseph Baca, 27, of San Clemente, requested that his arraignment be delayed until Jan. 9, said Susan Schroeder, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Baca was arrested Wednesday and is being held on $1 million bail. He has also requested a bail hearing on Jan. 9, Schroeder said. Baca is charged with 11 felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14, four felony counts of distribution of pornography to a minor, and one felony count of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, prosecutors said. Source.

Danny Platt didn't like the idea of actually having to support the child he helped bring into this world. And, although many men feel themselves having the same annoyance that "OMG they actually are expected to pay child support for their own offspring", Platt's irritation at the idea went past the normal reaction. Police say that after he had the child for visitation, a right he'd had but repeatedly shunned, he alerted police that men with AK-47's had kidnapped the child. While his story started filling up with more holes than Spongebob- Platt decided to confess the truth to LE. Riley said Platt eventually confessed and told officers where to find the body. At some point, Platt had openly said he'd either kill his former wife or the child, in an effort to avoid having to pay support, although there are no details to when the comment was made. Police are not releasing cause of death, or injuries the child may have received while in Platt's cust

The Fresno police Chief called Jose Malanche's actions " most brutal assaults in the City of Fresno ". During a press conference, Police Chief Jerry Dyer informed area residents that Malanche's crimes would land him in prison for at least 28 years in prison and could possibly receive a life sentence. He's accused of raping and severely beating an elderly lady on May 4th. On December 24th, Malanche’s DNA was linked to the assault following a court order to obtain it. Malanche confessed to the crime when police detectives interviewed him on December 30th. He was already in custody on rock cocaine charges.

Parents taking their children to a Corte Madera bookstore had to be sure they kept an extra cautious eye on their children, after two different incidents where a man at the bookstore molested children visiting there. Police say Jamie Eugene Jacinto, 32, was arrested for the incidents, and is currently being held on charges of suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 . According to Twin Cities police, a man reached under an 8-year-old girl's dress at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in June after she didn't answer whether her parents were nearby. Police also believe Jacinto may have exposed himself to a 5-year-old girl at the bookstore last month. Jacinto escaped capture after the two incidents, but police received a tip on a possible sighting of him on Dec 23 at the same Barnes and Noble store and were able to locate him. Source After further investigation, a search warrant was obtained for Jacinto's home, and police found enough evidence inside the h

Home owners made a gruesome discovery when their pet dog showed up with the body of an infant after exiting a wooded area near their home. Sheriff's deputies say they arrived at the house around 4:00 p.m. Monday and confirmed it was a baby's body that was found. Investigators are not releasing the baby's gender but did say the infant was not born in a hospital. The medical examiner's office has the body and is conducted an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Department Spokesperson Scott Haines said, "One of the main things they're going to be looking for is if the child was in fact alive or deceased when it was left at this location. We'll be able to tell that through an autopsy as well as any other injuries or anything like that." At this point, police are attempting to locate information on who the mother might be, along with information on whether the child was dead prior to being left in the location. They

Barry Williams, a registered sex offender, has been arrested again after police say he bought drinks for underage girls and then convinced them to dance semi naked in his home, while he video taped them. He's also accused of touching one of the minors, and exposing himself to them. Williams was arrested Tuesday on one count of indecent exposure to a minor, one count of attempted molestation of a minor and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He's being held in Mohave County jail. SOURCE

Police in California are searching for Christina Robledo after ruling the death of her infant was caused by "asphyxia due to overlay during bed-sharing,' police believe that Robledo was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when she rolled over on the child and killed her. Full Story.

Chris Johnson was working with an escort- 'providing security for her' as he claims- back in August while she went to visit a 'client'. During the duration of the visit, the 'client' began conversing about a 10 year old girl, and the conversation was overhear by Johnson via an open microphone the escort was wearing. Due to the details of the conversation, Johnson became uncomfortable and contacted police, who arrested the 'client'. All was right with the world, until a local news source picked up the story, and ran it with the notion that Johnson was a pimp. Johnson was not happy at the description. Our blog post provoked a profanity-laden response from a Phoenix apartment manager, Chris Johnson, (not pictured -- just to be clear), who tells us he's the so-called "pimp" in the case. Except he's really not a pimp, he says. And, according to his comment, our blog post was "tripe" and he wants to "come down there and slap