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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / Archives for Unsolved

Unsolved

Bennett Family Murders: Jury Impasse

August 6, 2021 By Alice

Photography Simon Folkard 2

UPDATE: the jury found Alexander Christopher Ewing guilty on all six counts ( three counts of first-degree murder after deliberation and three counts of first-degree felony murder) on Friday August 6, 2021. Ewing faces life imprisonment however, he will be sentenced under the law as it was at the time of the crime. In 1984, […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith

Neosho Grace Doe is Shawna Beth Garber

April 5, 2021 By Alice

Shawna Beth Garber facial reconstruction

Now officially identified as Shawna Beth Garber (born March 1, 1968) she was known as the ‘McDonald County Grace Doe’ and on my website as Neosho Grace Doe. Why did I give her that name? After her remains were recovered, Detective Lorie Howard sent them to Freeman Hospital in Neosho and the scans were sent […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: Forensic Genealogy, Missouri, Neosho Grace Doe, Shawna Beth Garber, Unidentified

Lakota Rae Renville (1983 – 2005)

April 1, 2021 By Alice

Lakota Rae Renville Grid AdS

Lakota Rae Renville (July 6, 1983 – Oct 16, 2005) was only 22 years old when her body was found on Oct 16, 2005. Her remains were in an open gravel lot near Pitcher Road, Independence, Missouri. Lakota,  a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux tribe of South Dakota, was the daughter of Julie Keeble Watts […]

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Filed Under: Case of the Month, Unsolved Tagged With: Case of the Month, Lakota Rae Renville, M-Vac Systems, Missouri, stabbing death

Helen Ruth Conwright Young (1936–1976)

March 19, 2021 By Alice

Helen Ruth Conwright Young colour picture

Helen Ruth Conwright Young (Aug 31, 1936 – July 31, 1976) was born in Ore City, Texas, to the Rev. Freddie D. Conwright and Mrs. Luella Jane Walker Conwright. She left behind husband Roy Young , eight sons, and one daughter. She had five brothers and nine sisters. Her case is unsolved. The Case Helen […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: DNA, Helen Ruth Conwright Young, M-Vac Systems, suffocation, Texas

Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 6

March 12, 2021 By Alice

Sophie Sergie black and white version

Central Maine reports that on Thursday, the hearings in the 1993 rape-murder of Sophie Sergie continued by video conference. Steven H. Downs attended. He is charged in this case. We heard from CeCe Moore, the chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs. She matched part of the DNA found in semen to a profile in GEDmatch. […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Alaska, DNA, phenotyping, Sophie Sergie

Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 5

March 11, 2021 By Alice

Sophie Sergie tiled background

Jennifer Foster, an Alaska Crime Lab supervisor, testified March 10, 2021 by video during the pretrial hearings in the case of Sophie Sergie who was raped-murdered on April 25, 1993. Steven H. Downs is charged in her sexual assault and murder and appeared in the Alaska Superior Court, Fairbanks. He is represented by defense attorney […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Alaska, DNA, M-Vac Systems, Sophie Sergie

Rita Hester (Nov 30, 1963 – Nov 28, 1998)

February 28, 2021 By Alice

Rita Hester

The murder of Rita Hester launched the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). It is an annual vigil that takes place on Nov 20 for transgender homicide victims and their loved ones. That day, we honour the memory of the transgender people we lost due to senseless acts of anti-transgender violence. Maybe the mainstream media is […]

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Filed Under: Case of the Month, Unsolved Tagged With: Boston, Case of the Month, Gay/Trans Panic Defense, Knife Attack, Massachusetts, Rita Hester, Transgender Violence

Gun Violence

February 21, 2021 By Alice

Every year, too many people die of gun violence. Too many of those cases do not get solved. I want to highlight two cases here. Searching in newspaper archives, I have found little that can solve either. So, this is a post with two cases as works-in-progress. I could have kept them as drafts however, that […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: gun violence, Jesus Daniel Corona-Paredes, Kansas, Kansas City, Kentucky, Louisville, Thomas Dwayne Everett

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Author Notes

On my website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more!

My database has hundreds of cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database is free to the public.

All writing suggestions for cases that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

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William Thomas Zeigler

Category: ALL POSTS

On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held to request touch DNA testing. On July 18, 2016, Judge Whitehead denied that request.

On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed with the Florida Supreme Court. On April 21, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court denied the request for touch DNA analysis.

On May 8, 2017 a motion for a rehearing with the US Supreme Court was filed. It was denied November 13, 2017.

In the summer of 2019, the appeal for DNA testing to the Florida Conviction Integrity Unit was denied.

Richard Lapointe

Category: ALL POSTS

In March 2015, the Connecticut State Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Richard lapointe. On Oct 2, 2015, International Wrongful Conviction Day, Richard was set free. The judge ruled that he cannot be retried for the 1987 rape-murder of Mrs. Bernice Martin. Richard Lapointe died on Aug 4, 2020 of Covid19 complications.

In 1987, someone killed Bernice Martin. I hope that she will not become a forgotten file.
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Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

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