On a sunny, summer Saturday in 1990 all hell broke lose inside the Osco Store in South Bend Indiana. The store was robbed, leaving three dead and a mystery that lasted more than a decade before former employee, Charles Allen, was put on trial.
Was Allen responsible for the horrific robbery/murder? Or did South Bend police develop tunnel vision? Families would wait more than 10 years for an arrest and trial.
Additional reading/Sources:
On Earth Day (April 22) 1990, 17 year old Chris Temple went with friends for a bonfire at Rose Lake Research Area in Bath Township Michigan. Around 9 p.m. Chris walked away from the bonfire, never to be seen again. In the almost 30 years since he vanished, there have been rumors, stories and speculation, but no evidence leading to the whereabouts of Chris Temple.
If you have information about the disappearance of Chris Temple, please contact the Bath Township Police department at (517) 641-6271
Additional reading:
Chris Temple on The Charley Project
John Temple’s Letter to the Editor
Content warning – murder, sexual assault, harm to animals.
In 1987 Barbara Blackstone was 30 years old, happily married and enjoying a successful career as a high school teacher. Someone snatched her from her home, murdered her and dumped her body in the woods. Also that summer, two other young women were murdered and left in the woods, 18 year old Angela Hackl and 29 year old Linda Nachreiner.
While arrests were made in Hackl and Nachreiner’s cases, no charges were ever brought forward in Blackstone’s case.
Enjoy a preview from the Yours in Murder podcast.
Special thanks to the Juneau Messenger.
Additional reading/research on the case
30 years later and the case is unsolved
Beyond the Mystery: Barbara Blackstone
The Unsolved murder of Barbara Blackstone – this link contains several photos
Kim S Brown – murderpedia
On a spring day in 1996 Debra Iverson disappeared from Birmingham, Michigan after leaving a doctor’s appointment. Leaving her husband, family and two young sons behind.
When her body was discovered the next morning, strangled in her vehicle in a remote lot near Stoney Creek Metro Park, all eyes turned to her husband. It would be seven months without a single lead before the case broke open.
A young couple, desperate for money kidnapped Iverson, but the money wasn’t enough. Anitra Coomer and McConnell Adams would be sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing her.
Photo of Dr Iverson here.
McConnell Adams inmate profile here
Sources and Additional Reading:
Scene of the Crime: the shocking murder of Debra Iverson
Three and a half homicides. (This case is the half)
Between September of 2009 and December of 2018 ten women have vanished from Flint and the surrounding area. While some of these cases have limited information available, I’ve tried to put as much out there as possible in the hope that they can find their way back home.
This episode was created because in November of 2017 the partial remains of two women were found in Broome Park. MLive story
Elizabeth Land 2009
Sylvia Galvan 2011
Jina Collins 2013
Laquandra “Shay V” Slater 2016
Teresa Towne Woolard 2016
Brianna Vibert 2017
Presley “Amy Jo” Rau 2017
Claudia Wilson 2017
Erica Toins 2017
If you are interested in reading more about the city of Flint:
NPR Story: The Making of a Crisis
Jalopnik: What GM did to Flint
LA Times, 1987 Fisher Body Plant fades into history
Between 1981 and 1983 three young women, aged 20, 16 and 19 were murdered. The first victim was left in a ditch in western Oakland County, the final two bodies concealed in wooded areas of Livingston County.
Today we cover the unresolved murders of Anne Marie Doroghazi, Kimberly Louiselle and Christina Castiglione.
Some of my research:
In 1847 Michigan became the first English speaking territory in the world to abolish the death penalty.
In 2002 Marvin Gabrion was sentenced to death for the murder of Rachel Timmerman in Newaygo County, Michigan.
This story starts in the early part of the 1800’s, visits Michigan’s last execution in 1938 and asks the heartbreaking question, where is Rachel Timmerman’s 11 month old daughter?
The morning of May 3, 1992 Ted and Gina Hollman left their 21 year old son, Eddie Hollman, at the house while they attended Sunday services at Sacred Heart Church in Dearborn.
When they return, Gina discovers the body of her son on the floor in the basement. Who murdered Eddie Hollman and why? He had no enemies and no legal troubles.
If you have information about the murder of Eddie Hollman, please contact Detective Sergeant Pawlus of the Dearborn Heights Police Department at 313 277 6770
Special thanks to Roseanne of Killafornia Dreaming and Erica of Southern Fried True Crime.
Donnie Martin III, is a hard-working young man from a good family. Donnie was battling addiction and his family fears that his demons put him in a dangerous situation. Donnie Martin was last seen midday on Thursday August 3, 2017.
If you have information contact CrimeStoppers or Detective Hartunian of the Madison Heights Police Department.
WXYZ Detroit interview with Donnie’s father
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction. There is help available. Visit NA.org or NCADD.org
Twenty-year-old Deborah Polinsky was murdered in her Port Sheldon Township home in July of 1977.
Her case was aggressively pursued and investigated, but no arrests were made Today, detectives from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department continue to work her case and see your assistance in learning the truth behind her murder.
October 1994, bow hunters in a remote area of Alcona County Michigan discover human remains. In the last 23 years her remains have been tested against the DNA of dozens of missing persons, including Laura Lee Alber who was last seen in Lansing, Michigan in 1990.
Despite improvements in forensic testing, the victim is identified only as Alcona County Doe. This is the last episode of 2017 and the first time that Already Gone has explored a case involving unidentified remains.
During this episode we discuss the NAMUS program and the work being done by the Alcona County Sheriff to give a name to this victim.
Special thanks to Alcona County Sheriff’s Deputy Nathanael Leeseburg for the interview.
Thanks also to Tim Flutur and Luke Superior for their musical contributions to this and other episodes.
As the year winds down we perk things up with a True Crime Broad Cast, interviewing Michigan author Karen Dybis about her new book: The Witch of Delray: Rose Veres & Detroit’s Infamous 1930s Murder Mystery.
We also talk history, landmarks and Detroit. I hope you’ll join us.
January 1998, Sudbury Ontario. 23 year old Renee Sweeney is working by herself at the Adults Only Video Store on Walford Road.
Around 11:15 a.m. a man enters the store and attacks Renee, stabbing her repeatedly. He flees the store and is never seen again.
In late 2016 Sudbury police submit his DNA to the Parabon Nanolabs so a “snapshot” of him can be created.
Join the Justice for Renee Sweeney group on Facebook.
In December of 2002 Marco Pesce was a father of three children and the owner of Italia Jewelers in Livonia Michigan.
The night of December 21 two men attacked and robbed the family, leaving five dead and a community in terror.
22 year old Kelly Nolan would disappear after a night out with friends in Madison, Wisconsin. Her remains would be discovered July 9 in a remote wooded area south of town.
Includes an interview with Joel DeSpain of the Madison Police department.