[22] [23] Authorities later determined that Barnes was not a victim of the Freeway Phantom and resumed their investigation on the murders. The classmate of Brenda's usually drove them whenever they hung out, but with his car in the shop temporarily, they had to take the city's buses home. As you can guess, this early nickname would stick and soon, the killer himself seemed to embrace it. The most notable thing about the discovery was that the body was dressed except for the missing shoes. All of the known members of this gang had been locked up on charges relating to sexual violence at around the time that the Freeway Phantom crime spree came to an end, and had been incarcerated inside Virginia's Lorton Prison. Starkville. Carol obliged, and accepted the five dollars from her older sister. "And this is probably one of the most massive and extensive investigations that was ever conducted in D.C.". Unfortunately, this began a really frustrating period of time, in which the Maryland State Police held the item in a backlog, but were unable to test it in a timely manner. One such suspect was the rookie police officers duo Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons. Homicide detective Lloyd Davis proceeded to question Askins and learned that he had been charged with murder on several previous occasions. The killer might have been someone nearby that wanted to dispose of the victim's remains as soon as possible. Askins remains one of the most popular suspects in the media, and many of the original detectives heavily favored him as the Freeway Phantom. Right? This returned him to the scene of the first two crimes, and police would determine that this most recent victim, Diane Williams, had been abducted not too far away from where Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson had been kidnapped from. With a deep and misogynistic hatred towards women. Heavy footsteps were heard in the background and Crockett said "I'll see you" and hung up. The classic prime time variety show most famous for its vaudeville acts and rock music performances. Like any kid would, she answered it only to hear her sister on the other end of the line. The Freeway Phantom case has seen a myriad of investigators and garnered much interest over the years. The search for Brenda Crockett was - thankfully - not a long way. Maryland State Police have not admitted they have the evidence, but they also refuse to comment about it outright. When he returned nearly a year later - in September of 1972 - he had lashed out at another victim in the neighborhood of Congress Heights. 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. No. The other, they claimed, belonged to an African American man. "Signature details," they called them - intimate details that would be known only by the responsible parties and investigators. They said they had arrest warrants for another 26 people. Like the first four victims, Woodard had been strangled but it appeared that her end had been a much more violent one. FRee-wAy PhanTom[13], Based on handwriting samples, authorities surmised that the note, written on paper cut from the victim's school notebook, had been dictated to and handwritten by Woodard. The remains of this young victim were brought in for an evaluation and autopsy. [7], A short time later, the phone rang again and was this time answered by the stepfather of Crockett. It's even possible to imply that Brenda's last words in the phone call - the reflexive "I'll see you" comment - were indicative of her being close to home. This was the rhetoric that seemed to follow around the case in the early years of the investigation: that the police weren't doing enough to catch the killer. School was out for the summer, and she was occupying her time with her friends, her boyfriend, and her summer job: working as a counselor at a nearby rec center. If you may know anything, please contact Washington D.C. authorities or the FBI. The Phantom also strangled her with a scarf. He died in April of 2010, at the ripe old age of 91, outliving his 1938 murder victim by close to a century. The inmate being interviewed stipulated that he would provide the information only if he could remain unidentified, which was agreed upon. One of the known acquaintances of the Green Vega's was interviewed by police. When her mother's boyfriend asked to speak to the other man, he only heard the sound of heavy footsteps on the other end of the line. Another exception of the modus operandi was the body of 14-year-old Angela Denise Barnes; her bullet-riddled body was found on an abandoned Maryland road in 1971. 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. These members included men such as Morris Joseph Warren, Paul Fletcher, John Davis, and Paul Brooks - whose exploits you can find in detailed newspaper archives. edward sullivan and tommie simmons; edward sullivan and tommie simmons. [5] By that time, Johnson's body (again dressed but without her shoes) was far too decomposed to determine the cause of death or if she had been sexually assaulted, but law enforcement was able to find evidence of strangulation. The investigators agreed. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by MPDC Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, atLorton Prisonin Virginia, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with the successful prosecutions of those crimes in theSuperior Court of the District of Columbia. One suspect that I haven't seen discussed in any major publications was a young man named James Groom, whose name was mentioned in the October 21st, 1972 edition of the Baltimore Afro American - a regional newspaper. After having dinner with a high school classmate on November 15, 1971, Woodard,[10] 18, from Baltimore boarded a city bus around 11:30 pm to return to her Maryland Avenue home. insensititivity [sic] to people episodes A Trout in the Milk, Adapt or Die, The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D, After, Before, As I Have Always Been, Stolen, Brand New Day, The End is at Hand and What We're Fighting For. Join Facebook to connect with Edward Sullivan and others you may know. This was a vote on "cloture" in the Senate, which means to end debate so that an up-or-down vote can be taken. She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. By the time the 1980's had come around, the case was already dormant, and it would remain that way for more than two decades. Despite all of the tentative connections investigators had made between Askins and the Freeway Phantom crimes, there was no direct evidence connecting him. The body also had a coat on its chest, in the pockets of which was a note with a poem , this is tAntAmount to my She had been sent to buy sugar, flour, and paper plates, and all indications would point to her having done so. 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. A witness apparently saw her getting into a blue Volkswagen, and although investigated, the lead led nowhere.[5]. It was after this murder that the "Freeway Phantom" moniker was first used in a Daily News article describing the murders. It was only now, following the murder of Nenomoshia Yates, that the deaths of these four young black girls was officially linked. In another coincidence, five out of the six victims were shown to be related via green fibers found on their clothing. After that announcement, the inmate who provided the information declined any further interviews, and denied that he had ever provided any information. However, that changed in 1974, when Sellman and Simmons were arrested for the crime, and charged with murder. In the early 1970's, a mysterious killer targeted young black girls along the Washington Beltway. One of the original Freeway Phantom detectives, who long suspected Askins to be the killer, continued corresponding with the convict until his death in 2010. 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 Rhode Island State Police said Thursday that they arrested 62 people in a sweeping investigation into welfare fraud. [19] All these leads were investigated to their logical conclusion. Here was a lead, that was as promising as any thus far, which had now evaporated into nothing. lawrence shankland family 8marla commercial e 1 phase 8 bahria town islamabad edward sullivan and tommie simmons. The conversation carried on like this for a moment, with Brenda not seeming to have any real information to give. "She had said she wanted to be a model," Harper, now 81, said of her niece. 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. 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. Numerous investigative tips came from the general public by a telephone hotline operated by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC) and information also came by way of the mail. 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. Robert Askins would be sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital shortly thereafter, until he was mentally fit enough to stand trial. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. saving. Status edward sullivan and tommie simmons edward sullivan and tommie simmons. 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.". 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. By that time, FBI agents had been distracted and called off to assist with the ongoing Watergate scandal, and the attention of almost everyone was diverted elsewhere. chicken of the woods ottawa; how tall was prophet idris; how much money did hercules in new york make That signature information was correct. She was sent to buy groceries at a 7-Eleven located a half-mile away from her home by her older sister, but she never returned. It is unknown whether or not police investigated Groom as a legitimate suspect, but I have not found any reporting or mention of him in the months and years after this one incident. "This is tantamount to insensititivity [sic] to people especially women. Morbidly, the body of Brenda Woodard had been disposed off of another busy road, near a bus-stop that Brenda's mother used almost every single day. After all, Brenda had asked specifically "Did my mother see me?" Read More: Are Green Vega Rapists Freeway Phantom? Both would eventually be convicted for the crime, and sentenced to lengthy stays in prison. In the middle of July 1971, an employee of the D.C. Department of Highways and Traffic began experiencing car troubles. January 19, 2023 . Investigators would find defensive marks on her hands and arms, indicating some kind of struggle that ensued between Brenda and the culprit. wheN you cAtch me iF you cAn! Prosecutors at the time said there was no evidence linking the pair to the other slayings. 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. Jury Convicts Man Accused in Green Vega Rapes, Talk Murder With Me - The Freeway Phantom Murders, Baltimore Afro American - Is he the Freeway Phantom (October 21st, 1972 issue), Indiana Evening Gazette - Washington, D.C. Police Seek Clues To Freeway Phantom (November 19th, 1971 issue), Santa Ana Register - 5-Man Gang Tied To Rapes, Killings (July 9th, 1975 issue), Two ex-cops from Washington held for Freeway Phantom murder of girl', Kimberly Riley & Jeremy Britt-Bayinthavong, Paul Skiba, Sarah Skiba, and Lorenzo Chivers, June & Jennifer Gibbons (The Silent Twins). You have a whole generation of family members who would like to see someone brought to justice.". They believe that the Freeway Phantom was a young black man in his 20's or 30's, and agree with the FBI profile. Danh mc . County's State's Attorney Arthur A. Marshall, who was running for reelection at the time. "I think what has happened is the community has forgotten, the police department has forgotten," Jenkins said. The bottom of her shoes bore her first name, "DIANA," in big bold letters. An examination of Brenda's clothing would find two different hair samples: one of which, authorities stated, belonged to a Caucasian man. On July 8th, 1971, Darlenia said goodbye to her mother, and began walking to work. Most unusually, her body appeared to have been washed prior to its abandonment alongside U.S. Route 50. [5], The Phantom's final victim was claimed almost a year later, on September 5, 1972. [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. Investigators hypothesized that the killer left her shoes because her name was inscribed on the pair. Thomas E. Sullivan portrayed Nathaniel Malick in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. They noted that both calls seemed to insist upon the kidnapper being a white man, who had taken Brenda to Virginia. In 1980, the Washington Post wrote an article about the case, which included statements from two of the victims' family members. Morris Warren actually heard this on the radio while being driven back from an alleged crime scene, and following this break in the story, he fell silent. Carol, who knew that she was risking punishment if it was discovered she had left the family's apartment, walked briskly along Wheeler Road. 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. The most intriguing testimony they could obtain was that of a neighbor, who saw Neno Yates getting into a blue Volkswagon. It's really infuriating, knowing that investigators might have come so close to solving at least one of the major mysteries in this case, but it got lost in a sea of bureaucracy and legalities. Coroner reports of the Freeway Phantom's victims tell us that the victims were brutally raped with penetration up to 9 inches deep, with both anal and vaginal assaults taking place. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister. It was a short walk that she had made dozens of times before. Free-way Phantom!" There was nothing about Carol Spinks that stood out: she seemed relatively normal, and she liked to fill up her time with friends and games - in particular, jumping rope and hula-hooping. One of the issues I haven't really touched on so far is the topic of race. He walked her to a bus stop nearby, along Martin Luther King Avenue. Detectives John Moriarty and Roy Lamb were called to the scene, amidst Vietnam War protests, and began canvassing the neighborhood. Romaine Jenkins, the retired homicide detective that I detailed in this episode's introduction, has maintained a lifelong obsession with the case. Investigators hypothesized that the killer left her shoes because her name was inscribed on the pair. Crockett was on the other line, crying. [21][2] With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. On April 25th, 1971 - a Sunday, which was described as being unusually warm for the springtime - Carol and her siblings were shut up inside their apartment, in Washington D.C.'s Congress Heights. Eventually, the FBI would enter the fray once again in 1974. There, she was sexually assaulted and beaten, before being freed by her kidnapper. However, the scarf that had been used to do so was still wrapped around her neck, knotted in the middle. 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. A short distance down the road, he was able to flag down a police officer, who reported the scene. Less than three hours after her mysterious disappearance, the remains of Nenomoshia Yates would be found. One of its pockets contained a note from the killer:[12], this is tAntAmount to my Early 1970's newspaper reports hint at a perceived hatred of those names by the killer, but police have not stated that this was a belief of theirs. 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. Tommy served on the USS INTREPID CVA-11 US Navy, four years MM3 This leads us to the events of October 1st, 1971. With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. The body also had a coat on its chest, in the pockets of which was a note with a poem . Part of me was just killed. They didn't want to let their lives be forever ruined because of the actions of one mad killer, and joined together to combat that. They had done the brunt of the early investigation, such as speaking to key witnesses and canvassing the neighborhoods of the abductions, but were unable to advance the case in any major way. It was just destroyed.". Listen to "The Freeway Phantom" on Spreaker. The cause-of-death, though, appeared to be strangulation. One of the more promising leads that investigators would follow up on centered around a group of known sexual offenders, who have been referred to as the "Green Vega Rapists" in the media. The Green Vega Gang members were individually interviewed by MPDC Homicide Detectives Fickling, Irving, and Richardson, at Lorton Prison in Virginia, where the gang members were serving sentences in conjunction with the successful prosecutions of those crimes in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The prior decade had seen some major pieces federal legislation - such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 - and the racial divide was still fresh in everyone's mind. He drove her to a secluded area, where she was then sexually assaulted. One of the cases often pointed to as an example of this very behavior is the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon - two sisters that disappeared from the Washington D.C./Maryland region in 1975. Nonetheless, doubt continues to linger over the case, and the potential involvement of the Green Vega Rapists. Investigators were unable to link the existing evidence to any real suspects, and the witness statements they could gather were hardly helpful. The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be verifiable. A 17-year-old Ballou High School senior, Williams cooked dinner for her family and then visited her boyfriend's house. Which, as you can guess, has played a major role in the reporting of this story over the years. [4], 12-year-old Yates was walking home around 7:00 pm from a Safeway store in Northeast on October 1, 1971 when she was kidnapped, raped, and strangled. [7], On July 27, 1971, 10-year-old Crockett from Northwest failed to return home after having been sent to the store by her mother. The Phantom would then rape, strangle them (usually manually), and dump their bodies in grassy areas near freeways, hence the name. ", Following this development, it was announced that the FBI would be getting involved in the investigation. All but one are still considered victims of the "Freeway Phantom Murderer. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Authorities could never conclusively link Edward and Tommie with the other killings and mark them as the Phantom Freeway killer. He didn't want to risk being exposed to the other gang members, for fear of retribution. She hopped on the next bus, and that is when her trail went cold. The usage of the word 'tantamount' had often stood out to investigators, and here was a prime suspect that seemed to use the word regularly - as verified by his coworkers, who said as much. [3] On her way home from the store, Spinks was abducted; her body was found six days later at 2:46 pm behind St. Elizabeths Hospital on a grassy embankment next to the northbound lanes of I-295, about 1,500 feet south of Suitland Parkway. However, despite there being no sign of sexual assault, police would find semen on Diane's clothing. 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. Are Green Vega Rapists Freeway Phantom? 3.90 avg rating 40 ratings published 2007. However, in the half-mile distance between the 7-Eleven convenience store and her family's apartment, Carol Spinks disappeared. They didn't believe him to have any real insider information, and remain doubtful that this gang of perverts was responsible for a serial murder spree. meadowbrook country club estates; michael mullen obituary; pamela gluckin obituary new york; antonio tonyboy floirendo jr biography 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. The most notable thing about the discovery was that the body was dressed except for the missing shoes. The 50-year anniversary of the Freeway Phantom's crime spree continues to loom large over the D.C. region, and - despite the efforts of many hardworking investigators - the case is unlikely to be solved anytime soon. 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. 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. Some people believe that the Phantom himself called in tips to mislead police and stall the investigation. There were a number of noticeable differences that set it apart. Police would use that hair over the coming years to test for suspect validity, but were unsuccessful in linking them to anyone. However, in an unusual twist of fate, they were resting right next to her body, as if they had been gently placed there by the killer after he disposed of her body. 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