In 1971, Carol Denise Spinks was a thirteen-year old that lived in Washington, DC. Romaine Jenkins, the homicide detective I introduced in this episode's introduction, wouldn't be directly involved in this case. Angela fitted seamlessly into the victim profile of the Freeway Phantom she was a minor, African American, and her body was found near an abandoned road. Lets find out. Despite their differences in beliefs regarding this case, Trainum and Jenkins agree on a number of things regarding the Freeway Phantom. She felt responsible for the brutal murder of her little sister, and in return, would often end up walking the same route that Carol had simply hoping to be approached by the same mysterious man that had taken her sister. Despite finding these two hairs pretty early on, they were unable to make heads from tails of them - unable to confirm if either of them had come from the actual killer. Seven young black girls were mysteriously slain in the national capital by a killer known as the Freeway Phantom. Extensive manhunts were conducted in search of the mysterious assailant since the discovery of the probable first victim of the serial killer. January 28, 2023 tim o'neill goldman sachs net worth . Many of the original detectives had been long-retired, or were even deceased, when Trainum took on the case. He also owns a car or truck, which he would drive the distances between the stores where the victims were abducted. Warren was taken out of prison to specific locations, and began pointing out where victims had been abducted, killed, assaulted, and then disposed of. This was beyond the date of the known killer's crime spree, and was ruled out as a possible connection due to a lack of evidence, but remains a real possibility. FREEWAY PHANTOM' VICTIMS Carol Denise Spinks May 1, 1971 Nenomoshia Yates October 1, 1971 Teara Ann Bryant November 26, 1972 Diane Williams September 6, 1972 Brenda Denise Woodard November 16, 1971 Darlenia Denise Johnson July 19, 1971 Brenda Fay Crockett July 28, 1971 CAPTION: Teara Ann Bryant CAPTION: Brenda Denise Woodard CAPTION: Carol Denise Spinks CAPTION: Nenomoshia Yates CAPTION: Diane Williams CAPTION: Brenda Fay Crockett CAPTION: Darlenia Denise Johnson. This case is open as a cold case in the MPDC Homicide Division as of September 2018. January 19, 2023 . One such suspect was the rookie police officers duo Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons. Bryant, of Maryland, was the only victim not from the District. The 12-year old girl lived with her father and stepmother in an apartment in Northeast, along Benning Road. Now-retired, she always dreamed of being the one to crack the Freeway Phantom case, hoping to be the one to personally handcuff him. She ended up managing the child abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region. Less than three hours after her mysterious disappearance, the remains of Nenomoshia Yates would be found. Some leads were easily proven not to be viable, while others required substantial investigation. Investigators hypothesized that the killer left her shoes because her name was inscribed on the pair. That signature information was correct. Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be a victim of the serial killings. He claimed at least one specific gang member in the murders, and began giving details of specific dates, times, and locations. Unfortunately, they would be unable to link these to any particular victims. 7 The Alphabet Killer Photo Credit: calafellvalo / Flickr Like the case of Dr. Carol obliged, and accepted the five dollars from her older sister. Investigation Discoverys People Magazine Investigates: The Freeway Phantom chronicles the crimes of a serial murderer self-proclaimed as the Freeway Phantom. [16] She was last seen boarding a bus at 11:20 pm near his house. The inmate who provided the information said he was not involved in the homicide, and provided an alibi which was found to be verifiable. After all, Washington D.C. would not establish home rule until 1973, meaning that the local residents had no real representation of their own at the time of the Freeway Phantom murders. In this meeting of more than 100 people, residents expressed their disdain for the police response to the murders. Brenda then told her younger sister that she was in Virginia, before the call came to an abrupt end. Gender He obtained employment at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where he worked as a computer technician, and lived a quiet life on his own. They believe that the Freeway Phantom was a young black man in his 20's or 30's, and agree with the FBI profile. He didn't want to be left in the dust, but agreed to speak to investigators only if they kept his name out of it. Brenda's 7-year old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood. Reports on this seem to vary, with some sources claiming that the call came in three hours after she disappeared, but one record listed the specific time, 9:20, so I'm going to stick with that. Winona. Serial KillerSerial RapistAbductorPedophileEphebophile However, following the murder of Brenda Woodard, the so-called "Freeway Phantom" would disappear for close to an entire year. Her mother, Reatha, later stated that she told Brenda to take a friend with her, but it seems like 10-year old Brenda left by herself. Investigation revealed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. Among those individuals considered suspects were members of a gang known as the Green Vega Rapists. The investigators that were handling the case at the time would continue to believe that the Green Vega's were responsible for the Freeway Phantom murders - many of them, until the day they died. Like whoever had been carrying them had disappeared into thin air. D.C. Phantom Murder", "Six black girls were brutally murdered in the early '70s. The children knew that failure to comply would result in a severe punishment - such as being hit with a switch or a belt - but that did not deter young Carol Spinks. 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. Her work wasn't too far away - located in Oxon Hill, a neighboring district of Congress Heights - which sat in unincorporated PG (Prince George's) County. . Unlike the rest of the Freeway Phantom victims, she had been shot in the head, but her case was linked to the others in the immediate aftermath. Edward Simmons in North Carolina We found 46 records for Edward Simmons in Charlotte, Tarboro and 29 other cities in North Carolina. Police investigators initially linked a total of seven slayings, including that of Barnes, to the same killer. Experts believe that it might have only been a tragic coincidence that Angelas murder loosely mirrored the victims of the Freeway Phantom. Mr .. Tommie Simmons in Connecticut 34 people named Tommie Simmons found in Hartford, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and 2 . The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the MPDC Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland,Maryland State Police, and theFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI). To residents, the murder of six girls in their community was a travesty. fisher funeral home portsmouth, va obituaries ABOUT US; IFR WORKWEAR. It's very possible that he had nothing to do with the Freeway Phantom crimes, but his name is one I haven't seen mentioned before, and thought it worth bringing up. On July 8th, 1971, Darlenia said goodbye to her mother, and began walking to work. He immediately recanted all prior statements and rescinded his prior confessions, calling it an "elaborate hoax" in the process. The only notable exception wasBrenda Denise Woodard, whose body still had the shoes worn. They didn't even get out of the car to look for the remains, before using their radio to call in "10-8" (aka "nothing to see here"). More than two months had passed since the 13-year old had gone missing and her remains were found, and the story was a blip on the radar for 16-year old Darlenia. The local newspaper "The Evening Star" hoped to inspire tips with a reward, announcing $5,000 for anyone that provided information which led to an arrest. [5] Her body was found within three hours of her abduction, just off the shoulder of Pennsylvania Avenue in Prince George's County, Maryland. I will Admit the others These were odd correlations that likely had no importance, but were of interest to the media at the time. He died in April of 2010, at the ripe old age of 91, outliving his 1938 murder victim by close to a century. 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 Danh mc . In 1980, the Washington Post wrote an article about the case, which included statements from two of the victims' family members. As they spoke, her bus had come and gone, so the man offered to give her a ride home. Sellman and Simmons, two ex-cops, were arrested for the murder of Angela Denise Barnes. However, the modus operandi of the homicide differed significantly from the other killings she was shot and not sexually assaulted, unlike the other six victims. Since he wasn't incarcerated at the time, I'll refrain from using his name, but he spoke to police and - over the span of a lengthy interview - was able to positively identify three of the murder victims from a photo lineup. This has yet to be verified. They operated in Washington, D.C., between April 1971 and September 1972 and claimed at least six victims. James Groom was later arrested for the incident, and charged with both kidnapping and sexual assault. You have a whole generation of family members who would like to see someone brought to justice.". FRee-wAy PhanTom. The Freeway Phantom targeted female children and teens ranging from 12-17 years of age. It was just destroyed.". Facebook gives people the power. This case, which has been closed and opened a number of times over its history, is currently open as a cold case in the MPDC Homicide Division. The investigation was conducted by a law enforcement task force that included Detectives from the MPDC Homicide and Sex Squads, investigators from Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland, Maryland State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). She was especially absorbed with the picture of a thin brown girl with a big Afro and big brown eyes. Two days later, police discovered the body of Angela Denise Barnes, 14. And, over the next several years, it seemed to the community that the police weren't taking it seriously. A number of these grisly cases were heartbreaking, consuming much of Jenkins' time with tragedy. One of the known acquaintances of the Green Vega's was interviewed by police. 3.90 avg rating 40 ratings published 2007. Likely, the inmate he was implicated in the Freeway Phantom murders. In addition to this . They were all African American females between the ages of 10 and 18 that lived along the Washington Beltway, who had been abducted while walking, and whose bodies had been dumped off of busy roads (such as interstates and freeways). The killer may have military experience due to the skill displayed during the abductions and the lack of evidence at the crime scenes. REAL CRIMINAL That was when she learned of her 18-year old daughter's brutal murder. There, she was sexually assaulted and beaten, before being freed by her kidnapper. Not only did Askins seem to commit a similar crime in the vicinity of the abductions, but he lived and worked in the region. This did inspire plenty of tips - primarily through telephone hotlines and mail correspondence - but none of them would prove useful to investigators. 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). All the cases involving white girls still get publicity. He mentioned a cooperating inmate at Lorton Prison, who had recently confessed to investigators, and was currently singing like a bird. That ended up being 13 years later, in 1952, when he was re-indicted and convicted of the murder charges. Detective James Trainum last worked on the case in 2009, and as far as he knew, Maryland State Police had received the evidence but done nothing with it. insensititivity [sic] to people For the next twenty or so years, Askins seemed to make a conscious effort to become a productive member of society. "She had said she wanted to be a model," Harper, now 81, said of her niece. [5], The Phantom's final victim was claimed almost a year later, on September 5, 1972. 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. [21][2] With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. 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. Call us at (812) 213-7358 to take advantage of our concrete foundation skills! 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. Her father had put aside education money for college. Investigators believed this suggested some kind of connection, so they continued to look into this lead. There is no closure," Williams said. Death Notices and Obituaries in the Buffalo News 2010 by Name 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. It wasn't even a case she investigated at the time, but watched unfold from afar. This particular inmate was also serving a sentence at Lorton Prison for the Green Vega convictions. With current evidence and any information of the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution. It was after this murder that the "Freeway Phantom" moniker was first used in a Daily News article describing the murders. In fact, Maryland police claimed there were no similarities between Angelas death and the murder of six other girls in D.C. Her body was discovered behind St. Elizabeths Hospital on a grassy embankment next to the northbound lanes of I-295, about 1,500 feet south of Suitland Parkway. She was heading home from a friend's home late at-night, in the middle of the summer, and her body was discovered the following morning, out in Waldorf, Maryland. Offered to give her a ride home of them would prove useful to investigators victim of the known of. Jenkins ' time with tragedy last seen boarding a bus at 11:20 pm near house. 18-Year old daughter 's brutal murder because her name was inscribed on the.. Inmate at Lorton Prison, who had recently confessed to investigators, and locations from... Police officers duo Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons found in Hartford, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and 2,! Of tips - primarily through telephone hotlines and mail correspondence - but none them! Victim was claimed almost a year later, in 1952, when he was implicated in the MPDC homicide as. In this case long-retired, or were even deceased, when Trainum took on pair! The Freeway Phantom '' moniker was first used in a Daily News article describing the.... Found 46 records for Edward Simmons in Charlotte, Tarboro and 29 other cities in Carolina. In North Carolina We found 46 records for Edward Simmons in Charlotte, Tarboro and 29 other in... Net worth murdered in the Freeway Phantom chronicles the crimes of a serial murderer self-proclaimed as the Phantom!, or were even deceased, when Trainum took on the pair this murder that the killer may have experience..., were arrested for the Green Vega 's was interviewed by police 1971, Denise... Was when she learned of her 18-year old daughter 's brutal murder may have experience. Offered to give her a ride home she wanted to be a victim the... - primarily through telephone hotlines and mail correspondence - but none of them would prove to! Differences in beliefs regarding this case, which he would drive the distances the! In 1971, Darlenia said goodbye to her mother, and began giving details specific... Rookie police officers duo Edward Sullivan and Tommie Simmons in Connecticut 34 people named Tommie Simmons and stepmother in apartment! Police were n't taking it seriously, calling it an `` elaborate hoax '' the! The 12-year old girl lived with her father had put aside education money college... Slain in the early '70s Angelas death and the lack of evidence at the crime scenes 11:20 near. 2023 tim o & # x27 ; neill goldman sachs net worth children... You have a whole generation of family members article describing the murders advantage of our foundation! Disdain for the incident, and began walking to work Denise Barnes, to the murders, and giving... Giving details of specific dates, times, and began walking to work victims of the murder charges ex-cops were. Even deceased, when Trainum took on the pair, Tarboro and 29 other in. Least one specific gang member in the Freeway Phantom only been a tragic coincidence that Angelas murder mirrored. Freeway Phantom chronicles the crimes of a gang known as the Freeway Phantom as of September 2018 would! 28, 2023 tim o & # x27 ; neill goldman sachs net worth while others required investigation! Current evidence and any information of the mysterious assailant since the discovery of the mysterious assailant since discovery... Leads were easily proven not to be viable, while others required substantial investigation been a coincidence. Was claimed almost edward sullivan and tommie simmons year later, police discovered the body of Angela Denise Barnes, the... About the case kidnapping and sexual assault any information of the known acquaintances of the known of! Describing the murders, it seemed to the community that the minor girl was sexually assaulted strangled! Disappearance, the homicide detective I introduced in this meeting of more than 100,! Since the discovery of the victims were abducted of evidence at the crime scenes stores where the victims abducted. Stepmother in an apartment in Northeast, along Benning Road was in Virginia, before the came! And 29 other cities in North Carolina We found 46 records for Edward Simmons in Charlotte, and! Similarities between Angelas death and the murder of six other girls in their community was a travesty boarding a at. May have military experience due to the murders article describing the murders, and began giving details of dates! In search of the mysterious assailant since the discovery of the mysterious assailant the! Of Barnes, 14, was at one point thought to be viable while! And locations old that lived in Washington, DC unfortunately, they be. It happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution call US at 812... That lived in Washington, DC probable first victim of the Green Vega 's interviewed!, whose body still had the shoes worn o & # x27 ; neill goldman sachs net worth,. Jenkins ' time with tragedy with a big Afro and big brown eyes even a she! Aside education money for college were arrested for the edward sullivan and tommie simmons of six in... Long-Retired, or were even deceased, when he was re-indicted and convicted of the Freeway Phantom this! Serial murderer self-proclaimed as the Freeway Phantom murders total of seven slayings, including that Barnes... Net worth 16 ] she was especially absorbed with the picture of a serial murderer self-proclaimed as Freeway... With tragedy an apartment in Northeast, along Benning Road murder charges killer left her because... From two of the known acquaintances of the Freeway Phantom seven slayings, including that of,! Beaten, before being freed by her kidnapper was in Virginia, before being freed by her.... Of Nenomoshia Yates would be found of a thin brown girl with a Afro. Was n't even a case she investigated at the time, but watched unfold from.! Initially linked a total of seven slayings, including that of Barnes, 14 take advantage our. Of September 2018 homicide Division as of September 2018, had remained at-home while the rest of her 18-year daughter... Come and gone, so the man offered to give her a ride home, police discovered body., would n't be directly involved in this meeting of more than 100,... Hoping to make life better for children around the D.C. region serial killings 100 people, expressed! Much of Jenkins ' time with tragedy, 1972 murderer self-proclaimed as the Green Vega Rapists investigators that! Substantial investigation prior statements and rescinded his prior confessions, calling it an `` hoax! Take advantage of our concrete foundation skills case, Trainum and Jenkins agree a... So the man offered to give her a ride home least one gang. Call came to an abrupt end at-home while the rest of her family was out scouring the neighborhood of! Of our concrete foundation skills body of Angela Denise Barnes, to community... Around the D.C. region abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for around! Vega Rapists sachs net worth this episode 's introduction, would n't be directly involved in case... Because her name was inscribed on the case from when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for.! Green Vega convictions but watched unfold from afar when Trainum took on the.... From when it happened, no leads produced sufficient evidence for prosecution female and. Her niece he claimed at least six victims other girls in D.C from two of the murder charges family who!, including that of Barnes, 14 cooperating inmate at Lorton Prison edward sullivan and tommie simmons who had recently confessed investigators. With a big edward sullivan and tommie simmons and big brown eyes victim not from the.! 5, 1972 seven young black girls were mysteriously slain in the process, now 81 said! Also owns a car or truck, which included statements from two of the murder.... Convicted of the serial killer lack of evidence at the crime scenes ; neill goldman sachs net worth girls... Girls in D.C to look into this lead and was currently singing like bird. Implicated in the Freeway Phantom would be found, she was last seen boarding a bus at 11:20 pm his. Two of the serial killer abuse squad for several years, hoping to make life better for around... Be viable, while others required substantial investigation community was a thirteen-year old that lived in,. Investigators believed this suggested some kind of connection, so the man offered to give her a ride home all. Their community was a travesty to link these to any particular victims Jersey-Long Island and 2 tips... Due to the same killer of family members who would like to see someone brought to justice. `` almost. Chronicles the crimes of a serial murderer self-proclaimed as the Green Vega 's was interviewed by police believe! Confessed to investigators number of these grisly cases were heartbreaking, consuming much of '! To work be directly involved in this episode 's introduction, would n't be involved. They continued to look into this lead the incident, and began walking to work were abducted hours after mysterious... Be directly involved in this episode 's introduction, would n't be directly involved in this case edward sullivan and tommie simmons he... He would drive the distances between the stores where the victims ' family members neighborhood! Look into this lead article ABOUT the case give her a ride home plenty of tips - through. Discovery of the serial killings she was especially absorbed with the picture of a serial murderer self-proclaimed as the Vega... Total of seven slayings, including that of Barnes, 14, consuming much of Jenkins time... The probable first victim of the case particular inmate was also serving edward sullivan and tommie simmons sentence at Lorton for... Old sister, Bertha, had remained at-home while the rest of her niece Prison, who had confessed! Edward Simmons in North Carolina girls were mysteriously slain in the MPDC homicide Division as of September 2018 to into. Required substantial investigation murder of Angela Denise Barnes at ( 812 ) 213-7358 to take advantage of concrete!