Only one signficant discovery was made along the way, which is that they were all murdered. In 2014, a breakthrough on a decades-old case caused Albuquerque police to become interested in Joseph Blea as a suspect for the murders. Authorities were focused on the fact that Jim Krauseneck lied about receiving his doctoral degree from Colorado State, per Cincinannati.com. Updated: Jul 29, 2022 / 12:31 PM EDT. She has made waves with her award-winning podcast Somebody about the subject, and the heartbreaking case will be examined on Friday nights Dateline episode The Story of Somebody. NBC | CHCH | Air Date: December 10, 2010. When they found them, she cried for them, too.. Your reporter was offensively judgmental of the family and the victims. I always say Ican't wait to get to heaven and findout who they were and find out what the circumstances were," Dave stated. When a 911 call came in just before 9 p.m. on Sept. 14, 2018, the caller sounded frantic. After he was shot in the back of the neck by an unknown assailant, he had supposedly . Dateline: Unforgettable airs every Tuesday on Oxygen at 8:00 PM ET. Decades later, the case still remains unsolved. "She was always my protector but also my best friend.". Should NM lawmakers have field offices and staffers? Police have confirmed Lopez is working on a contract basis to investigate the West Mesa murders. Witnesses in the area heard two shots fired, but only one bullet was ever found: the one in Courtneys neck. [15][16] On December 13, 2010, police reported that two of the women in the photos had been identified as alive, and could have valuable information if they can be located. Between 2001 and 2005, 11 women were buried by an unknown assailant in an arroyo bank on Albuquerque's West Mesa, in an undeveloped area within city limits. In 2006 there were reportedly dirt trails leading from his trailer park to the site. In 2005, she was handed two missing persons files including missing 25-year-old Michelle Valdez, who worked as a prostitute on the streets of New Mexicos largest city. thanks for watching. Watch Dateline Episode: Somebody's Daughter - NBC.com Somebody's Daughter A sinister force seems to be snatching women off the streets of Albuquerque. Diane Marcell was looking forward to having lunch with her 17-year-old daughter, Brittani when she opened the door to the family's Albuquerque home and made a grisly discovery. You can look at the case file and try to get a good grasp on it, but unless you were there from day one, youre not going to have the intimate knowledge of the case that Ida would have.. After neighbors complained of flooding at the platted site (due to the burial of the natural arroyo), the developer built a retaining wall to channel storm water to a retention pond built in the approximate area of the burial site, inadvertently exposing bones to the surface. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". >> it was a story to her, too. Marron-Keating accompanied Jim Krauseneck and his daughter to the Brighton Police Department. [This story previously aired on November 7, 2020. 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC. In one case, there was a DNA sample but the rape test kit was not re-tested until 2010, eventually linking Blea to the rape. Now, she was determined to beat them on the job using her head and her heart. On the morning of Feb. 19, 1982, 29-year-old Cathleen Krauseneck was home with her 3-year-old daughter Sara in the town of Brighton, N.Y. just outside of Rochester. Eleanor Griego, one of the victims' mothers, had previously mentioned while commenting on the case: APD Detective Mark Manary, who continued working on the disappearances after Ida's retirement, also deserves a special mention. Two girls, Michella Welch and Jennifer Bastian, disappeared five months apart while on bike rides through Tacoma's city parks, but decades after the brutal crimes, detectives would come to a surprising and unexpected realization about the crimes. Fred Reynolds was a pimp who knew one of the missing women and reportedly had photos of missing sex workers; he died of natural causes in January 2009. Scott was a UPS worker who had used the company database to target his victims. Please logout and login again. FULL EPISODE: Somebody's Daughter FULL EPISODE: Somebody's Daughter A sinister force seemed to be snatching women off the streets of Albuquerque. There was no blood in his car, which doesnt add up with the story that he was shot while sitting in his car. Originally aired on NBC on March 18, 2011. The upcoming episode, titled Somebody's Daughter, will air on Oxygen on Tuesday, July 12, at 8:00 PM ET. Brittani was lying on the floor, covered in blood. It is not enough for your reporter to offer the dry facts without giving respect to the human and humane nature of grief and the long painful process of healing after the loss of one's child, at any age. "Her whole life was an adventure. [3][4][5][6] This small fragment of a human trafficking ring involves numerous population centers, including Las Vegas in Nevada, El Paso and Killeen in Texas, and Denver in Colorado.[2]. Dateline NBCrevisited the 2003 slaying of Sepich, 'Dateline' to feature 2003 slaying of NMSU student Katie Sepich, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. For our first episode of 2018, we outline the still-unsolved murders of the West Mesa Serial Killer. Detective Ida Lopez's dedication to finding these missing women is admirable. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. After he was shot in the back of the neck by an unknown assailant, he had supposedly still been alert enough to drive himself around the corner to a police station for help. Airdate: Tuesday July 12, 2022 at 8.00pm on Oxygen. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Somebody's Daughter, Part 1 07:37. But he seems to have a solid alibi and there is evidence that points to someone else. 17K views, 116 likes, 10 loves, 41 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dateline NBC: Dan was willing himself to believe Michelle was still. Missing persons detective Ida Lopez had spent years searching for many of the 11 women whose bodies eventually were found buried in 2009 in shallow graves on the West Mesa. From the beginning, she was an important face in the Albuquerque Police Departments investigation into the citys largest unsolved crime. The family of the victim was able to get a law passed Florida requiring 911 dispatch operators to be state certified position. Police were desperate for answers but kept coming up empty. Tixier said the department decided to bring Lopez back because of her long connection to the case and her relationships with the victims families. Young murder victim helps solve her own cold case nearly 40 years later. Bischoff was later cleared. Sara was alone in the belief that her father was innocent which drove a wedge between her and her mother's family. Cathleen Krauseneck was in bed, dead from an apparent blow to the head. In 2008, Jayann started "DNA Saves," a nonprofit that aims to educate lawmakers and the public about power of DNA testing. Syllania Edwards, a 15-year-old runaway from Lawton, Oklahoma, was the only African American, and the only victim from out of state. [4] Blea, in the Mid-School rape case, was sentenced to 36 years in June 2015, at 58 years of age. In 2005, she was handed two missing persons files including missing 25-year-old Michelle. Link copied. It was updated on August 7, 2021.] In November 2019, ABC News reported that Jim Krueseneck was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Police suspect that the bodies were all buried by the same person or persons, and may be the work of a serial killer, who has since come to be referred to as the West Mesa Bone Collector. Clayton's daughter, a precocious 7-year-old -- gifted at math and gymnastics -- told Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard that she saw a man "hurting mommy" when he first spoke to her at a neighbor's home shortly after her mother's body was discovered. In 2007, Avila pleaded guilty to multiple felonies and was given a 69-year prison sentence. var sc_project=8656821; 19, 2016. Her complete depth of knowledge of this case is not something that can be just passed along to the next detective who takes over the case, Tixier said. Her husband Jim had already left for the Eastman Kodak Company, where he worked as an economist. We'll do better next time, I promise! Lopez, through Tixier, declined an interview with the Journal . [24], In December 2010, convicted Colorado serial killer Scott Lee Kimball stated that he was being investigated for the West Mesa murders, but he denied killing the women.[25]. The city would not release footage from surveillance cameras. Dateline: Unforgettable: Who is detective Ida Lopez and what is her role in the investigation of the Albuquerque disappearances. He said he pulled over to make sure she was OK, then followed her to make sure she got home safely. According to the New York Post, when he did return around 5 p.m., he was met with a gruesome scene. Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook, 15-year-old fraternal twins, were last seen in Augusta, Georgia on March 18, 1990. For more on this story, tune into Dateline Friday, Jan. 20, at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. According to Tixier, the department made the decision to bring Lopez back due to her extensive involvement in the case as well as her connection with the families of the victims. "She was willing to laugh at herself and make fun of herself and be the butt of the joke and still do it with grace and crack everyone up.". In an exchange for a plea deal, Scott, 30, was sentenced to 85 years in prison for stranglingDelores Dewitt, 42, and her 20-year-old daughter Ebony. ", "Albuquerque police release photos in West Mesa murders investigation", "Joplin man says he has been cleared of suspicion in serial murders", "Colorado killer quizzed in mesa murders", "Accused serial rapist, West Mesa murder suspect sentenced to 36 years in rape case", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Mesa_murders&oldid=1149650025, Crimes against sex workers in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 April 2023, at 15:13. The official synopsis states: "Josh Mankiewicz recalls the story of a detective who. Her perseverance makes this tale unforgettable for Josh Mankiewicz. The police are reportedly willing to reward $100,000 to anybody who provides information on the West Mesa murders. "Dateline" has five correspondents, and Keith Morrison, seventy-three, is perhaps its most iconic. On the morning of Feb. 19, 1982, 29-year-old Cathleen Krauseneck was home with her 3-year-old daughter Sara in the town of Brighton, N.Y. just outside of Rochester. Euphoria Star Sydney Sweeneys White Hot Bikini Is Out of Control, Sydney Sweeney, Algee Smith, Euphoria, image: courtesy of HBO, 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC. [19] He had twice been arrested for violent attacks on sex workers and had threatened to kill his girlfriend and bury her in lime. The Dateline NBC episode The Unusual Suspect investigates the murders of two mothers and their teenage daughters in Prince Georges County, Maryland and their killer, Jason Thomas Scott. [19][22], In August 2010, police searched several properties in Joplin, Missouri associated with local photographer and businessman Ron Erwin in connection with the West Mesa cases. Insiders close to Lori Isenberg . A detective's daughter is abducted and murdered despite several phone calls to police dispatchers from her husband, a concerned driver, and even the victim herself. Stars Word Count: 1051. It would take authorities over four decades to catch the person who did it. "I feel that you dont always see somebody who was as beautiful as her but also self-deprecating," Amy Barnhart, Katie's friend stated. Evelyn Salazar was reported missing on April 3, 2004, by her family. By 2016, Jim Krauseneck was their only suspect. Thirty-three years later, their sister, Shanta Sturgis, spoke to Dateline about . Just screams and growls," Schirmer would later testify. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Avila said he "suddenly lost it" and attacked her, raping and strangling her. Josh Mankiewicz reports from New Mexico.Aug. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". In 2009, the bodies of 11 women were found in multiple shallow graves on the West Mesa of Albuquerque but the cases remain unsolved. On December 9, 2010, Albuquerque police released six photos of seven other unidentified women who may also be linked to West Mesa. Less than three months after Sepich's slaying, Avila was arrested for aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon (knife) and resisting an officer. His name is . Albuquerque police spokesperson Tanner Tixier stated that she returned in 2015 to continue working on the unsolved case. Right on cue: May ushers in warm weather in April showers brought May flowers this April showers brought May flowers this year. Lineup Announced Plus Guest Hosts Anthony Anderson & Mark Rober on . Although Joseph Hartsfield's manner of death has been ruled undetermined, Sarah Hartsfield was arrested in February 2023 and was charged with his murder, per ABC 13.She is currently being held in a Chambers County jail on a $4.5 million bond, down from $5 million, which was decreased by the court after Sarah pleaded for mercy. KPRC . lucky to be alive. Jim Krauseneck eventually put a stop to the questions and left for Michigan with Sara, where his family lived, the following day. In this Dateline classic, Josh Mankiewicz reports on the story of a mother's fight for justice after her daughter and 10-month-old grandson are found strangled to death in their home. See production, box office & company info, I was offended by cavalier attitude of Mankiewicz. Lopezs investigation found that close to two dozen women with similar profiles were missing. After the episode aired Feb. 21, friends and family of Katieshared their memories. [9][14] Police would not say how or where they had obtained the photos. Shapearl Wells' mission to find out who fatally shot her 22-year-old son, Courtney Copeland, in Chicago in March 2016 is the subject of the June 25, 2021 episode of "Dateline." (Dateline NBC /. Josh Mankiewicz reports from New. Somebody's Daughter, Part 6 06:02. [26] In 2015, Blea was also suspected by police of killing a sex worker; his DNA sample was located on the inner waistband and belt of a sex worker found dead on Central Ave, a notorious street for sex work in the eastern part of the city. Who killed Cathleen Krauseneck? A sinister force seemed to be snatching women off the streets of Albuquerque. He said. Of course, this was all circumstantial and in 1982, technology wasn't able to give investigators any answers. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". In the early hours of December 20 . Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. "The justice system has failed my parents, myself, and both sides of my family," said Sara, addressing the court during her father's sentencing. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. She believes her mother's real killer got away. She was 23 when she disappeared. Photograph by Patrick Randak / Courtesy NBC The new podcast series "Killer Role," from the. Happy New Year! [9] The following day the police released an additional photograph of another woman; this woman was subsequently identified by family members, who reported that she had died of natural causes several years earlier. Last week, New York State Police announced an arrest in the 2003 murder of Megan McDonald, whose baffling case featured on "Dateline" ahead of the milestone anniversary of her slaying. 04.04.2023 Justice for Kristin Smart Victims Jamie Barela, 15 Monica Candelaria, 22 Victoria Chavez, 26 Virginia Cloven, 24 Syllania Edwards, 15 Cinnamon Eks, 32 Doreen Marquez, 24 Julie Nieto, 24 Veronica Romero, 28 Evelyn Salazar, 27 Michelle Valdez, 22 Who Is the West Mesa Bone Collector? Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. The Krauseneck house was scrubbed clean of fingerprints, and though it looked as if they were burglarized, nothing was taken. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sorry! [9] Police confirmed that they had cleared Erwin as a suspect. Scott so many young women missing. It does not store any personal data. Several suspects have been named, but none were arrested or charged. [9] In 2010, a reward of up to $100,000 was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.[11]. Dateline has her story. Your login session has expired. Dateline. Her siblings are A.J. Police work is heavily criticized. Two hours. She'd beaten the odds in her own life. "She would say, 'This is what were doing,lets go. by 2Paragraphs in Culture, True Crime Murder TV | July 27, 2019, The Dateline episode Somebodys Daughter shines the light on Albuquerque Detective Ida Lopez. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Fortunately, the detective came back on a contractual basis to investigate the West Mesa murders. Shapearl Wells believes that what happened to her son may have been racially motivated. [9] Some of the women appear to be unconscious, and many share the same physical characteristics as the original 11 victims. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. [20], Lorenzo Montoya lived less than three miles from the burial site. [9][23] They confiscated "tens of thousands" of photos from the man, who reportedly used to visit the state fair in Albuquerque. She told authorities a "bad man" was in her parents' room, per New York Post. | By Dateline NBC Facebook Log In Watch Home Live Shows Explore More Home Live Shows Explore Dateline: Somebody's Daughter Like Comment Share 99 17 Comments 8.1K Views Dateline NBC West Mesa Homicide Investigation Police release photos to help solve West Mesa murders Police She was the 10th victim to be identified, and her 15-year-old cousin Jamie Barela was the . Who killed her? "My . ATF Special Agent David Cheplak said Scott took his craft seriously. Scott studied criminal forensics TV shows which helped him in his criminal endeavors whether it was hiding his DNA by always wearing gloves, or turning off his cell phone and going so far as taking out the battery because he thought that perhaps the police might be able to trace where his cell phone was at the time of any of these crimes. Dateline NBC airs Sundays at 10pm. LAS CRUCES Many residentsremember Katie Sepich from news storiesa young woman who walked home from a house party early one morning and never made it back insideher own home. See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Storyline Did you know Trivia . Tonight's episode of Dateline: Unforgettable Season 2 will have Josh Mankiewicz narrate the story of the dedicated detective Ida Lopez, who is still working on these decade-old cases to help the victims and their families find some form of justice. See production, box office & company info. Lopez spent years investigating the case and soon became a significant figure in the West Mesa murders. She had also grown close to the families of the victims by that time. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Despite being only 3 years old, Sara was questioned by police as she was home all day with her mother's body. Best of NBC News . After locating his daughter, Jim Krauseneck headed next door to his neighbor Eileen Marron-Keating's house and asked her to look after Sara while he called the police. Somebody's Daughter: A detective sets out on a search to find dozens of women who disappeared while walking through Albuquerque, New Mexico. (NBC) Friday on "Dateline," when Diane Kyne is found dead in her bedroom, competing stories emerge about which of . A 42-year-old New York man has been arrested in the 2003 murder of Megan McDonald, whose baffling case featured on "Dateline" ahead of the solemn 20-year anniversary of her death. Satellite imagery taken between 2003 and 2005 shows tire marks and patches of disturbed soils in the area where the remains were recovered. only one detective to find them. Josh Mankiewicz reports. [12] Michelle Valdez was four months pregnant at the time of her death.[13]. Episodes S31. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The upcoming episode, titled Somebody's Daughter, will air on Oxygen on Tuesday, July 12, at 8:00 PM ET. New Mexico State University", "Fair prostitutes help West Mesa murders", "The Untold Truth Of The West Mesa Murders", "APD Talks 10-Year Investigation Into West Mesa Murders", "The West Mesa Murders And The Bone Collector Behind Them", "Updated: Seven years later, one detective remains on West Mesa killings", "AMW Fugitives West Mesa Bone Collector Case", "Women's photos may link to mesa murders", "West Mesa Serial Killer--$100,000 Reward", "Lawton girl was only teen in mass grave", "Albuquerque police release photos in West Mesa murders investigation (warning: content may be disturbing for some people)", "Police identify 2 women from photos, both alive", "Dateline To Air Story on West Mesa Deaths", "West Mesa Bone Collector Albuquerque NM", "Police Pursue Possible Leads In West Mesa Cases", "Does APD have a suspect in the West Mesa Murders? Investigators said it was a random encounter. 2023 www.lcsun-news.com. Somebody's Daughter Episode aired Jul 14, 2018 IMDb RATING 7.6 /10 5 YOUR RATING Rate Crime Detectives often hit dead ends that can stop them cold but, for one young detective, dead ends were just another place to start. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Three years later, Jim Krauseneck was convicted of Cathleen's murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, per the New York Post. Shapearl Wells' 22-year-old son Courtney Copeland died from a gunshot wound on March 4, 2016 in Chicago. She had been strangled, sexually assaulted and her body partially burned. The Sepiches, who spent a decade championing the law across the country (it's now in 31 states), saythey will never know the people who were helped by Katie's Law, but they know they are there. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Please try to instill a spirit of charity and forgiveness in your future considerations. Several suspects have been named, but none were arrested or charged. Its still a mystery who shot Courtney, or what exactly happened the day he died. The show featured emotional interviews with Katie'sparents, Dave and Jayann Sepich, her siblings, her former roommate and law enforcement detectives, includingformer Las Cruces police detective Mark Myers and retired Capt. Manary has pursued multiple tips and leads this year, but nothing has panned out, Tixier said. is making brain cancer diagnosis faster than before. Ida Lopez, a missing persons detective from the Alberquerque Police Department, became increasingly attached to the unsolved homicide of 11 women and an unborn fetus, whose remains were discovered in one of the city's deserts back in 2009. var sc_invisible=1; Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. "If she would've left 30 seconds earlier or even a minute earlier or later, he would've never seen her," Myers stated. Twins Vivica and Vianca Corley of Eldorado High hope to carry on a tradition of tennis excellence that began with older sisters Ivana and Syracuse transfer looks to shine for University of New You never know when some of those past recruiting trips might pay off. It would appear the killings stopped after his death. However, the Albuquerque Police Department refuses to lose all hope and continues working on it with whatever leads they have. Lopez caught national attention by appearing on Dateline in a story about the West Mesa case that aired in December 2010. She liked to plan things and make her adventures go her way," Caraline stated. He is serving his time in Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y. Sara Krauseneck continued to support her father, even after he was convicted. Cathleen Krauseneck's father, Robert Schlosser, was particularly affected by this. According to Dateline, because of what they did and how they lived their stories might not have been told.. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Fortunately, 33 years later, authorities would finally catch a break. "Sara told me to tell her fairy-tale stories," said Marron-Keating. [18][19], No official suspects have ever been named in connection with the murders. This analogy from centuries ago that black people are three-fifths of a human being is still present in society today, and it was present in 2016 when Courtney died.. They dont see black men as human, Shapealr told People. But to those who knew Katie, she was more than a woman who was tragically killed. These unsolved murders remain one of the biggest homidice cases in the Albuquerque Police Department's history. A sinister force seemed to be snatching women off the streets of Albuquerque. In addition, a tree tag from a nursery was found in the area where the West Mesa victims' bodies were buried; it was tracked to a nursery Blea once frequented. She started about a year ago, according to Albuquerque police spokesman Tanner Tixier. "She (Katie) was quite something. She was really sweet and outgoing but also a little bossy. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The West Mesa Murders are the killings of eleven women whose remains were found buried in 2009 in the desert on the West Mesa of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. "She told me that, 'a man was hurting mommy,'" Sheriff Jim Allard told "20/20." Source: Twitter/Dateline NBC (video still), Source: YouTube/News 8 WROC (video still), addressing the court during her father's sentencing. Meet Detective Ida Lopez, bringing justice to missing women & their families. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Ashley C. Ford's memoir, Somebody's Daughter, tells the story of the author's childhood and coming-of-age, with a focus on her complicated relationships with her mother and . "She (Katie) was quite something. she's a young woman. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. MORE:Katie's Law is working to save lives, "It's hard to not know who they are.