Chapter 1 – Friendly Reminders
In July 2013, Jamie Parsons reported that his 13-year-old adoptive sister Erica hadn’t been seen since December 2011. The report sparked an investigation into Casey and Sandy Parsons, who had adopted Erica at age two.
While their other children lived normally, Erica endured horrific abuse in their Salisbury, North Carolina home. She was isolated through homeschooling, denied food, forced to sleep on the floor, and subjected to severe physical abuse. Casey would bend back her fingers as punishment, while Sandy’s abuse included breaking her arm, which was never properly treated.
After Erica disappeared, the Parsons claimed she was living with a grandmother “Nan” in Asheville—a person who didn’t exist. They continued collecting her benefits for 18 months. In 2016, Sandy led investigators to Erica’s remains in South Carolina. The medical examiner ruled her death as “homicidal violence.”
In 2019, Casey pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received life without parole, while Sandy got 33-43 years for second-degree murder. The case revealed how multiple reports to Social Services had failed to protect Erica from her abusers.
Chapter 2 – The Highway of Tears
In November 2010, RCMP officers in British Columbia stopped a suspicious truck emerging from a logging road near the “Highway of Tears.” The driver, 20-year-old Cody Legebokoff, had blood on his face and clothes. He claimed he’d been poaching, but officers discovered a blood-covered multi-tool and a child’s backpack containing ID for 15-year-old Loren Leslie. Her body was found nearby, beaten to death just hours earlier.
Investigation revealed Legebokoff had met Leslie online through Nexopia. This murder led police to connect him to three other killings in Prince George: Jill Stuchenko (35), Natasha Montgomery (23), and Cynthia Maas (35). All victims were killed between 2009-2010.
Forensic evidence in Legebokoff’s apartment proved devastating: over 100 blood stains on the ceiling, Natasha Montgomery’s DNA in 30 locations, and murder weapons with victims’ blood. Despite appearing normal—playing hockey, working as a mechanic, and having a girlfriend—Legebokoff had developed a cocaine habit and lived a violent double life.
At his 2014 trial, he blamed mysterious accomplices he called “X,” “Y,” and “Z,” but the jury found him guilty of all four murders. He received life in prison with no parole possibility for 25 years. Natasha Montgomery’s body has never been found, and in 2019, his controversial transfer to a medium-security facility outraged victims’ families.
Chapter 3 – The Christadelphian
In 1979-1983, a series of brutal child murders terrorized Springfield, Vermont. The first victim was thirteen-year-old Sherry Nastasia, who disappeared in August 1979 after being seen getting into a dark green Pontiac. Her body was found three months later, showing signs of strangulation and violent struggle.
In August 1981, twelve-year-old Teresa Fenton vanished during a carefully planned bike ride. She was found beaten and sexually assaulted, dying from her injuries two days later. The killer had meticulously redressed and partially buried her body.
In April 1983, eleven-year-old Katie Richards was abducted while walking with her friend Rachel Zeitz, who escaped. The police’s response was shockingly inadequate—they prevented searches and waited for her body to be found. Katie was discovered dead the next day, sexually assaulted and killed by a single blow to the head.
The breakthrough came through Rachel’s detailed description of the killer’s Christadelphian church sweatshirt. This led to the arrest of Gary Lee Schaefer, a 31-year-old mechanic who lived with his mother. He was also linked to the attempted kidnapping of teenager Deanna Buxton, who had escaped months earlier.
Schaefer pleaded no contest to Katie’s murder and was sentenced to 30 years to life. While he confessed to Teresa’s murder, charges for Sherry’s death were dropped due to naval records and inadmissible evidence. He died in prison in 2023. The cases led to significant changes in how Vermont handles missing children cases.
Chapter 4 – It’s Done
In Agency, Iowa, (population 629) a tragic case unfolded on May 26, 2012, when Lisa Marie Caldwell Techel, a 23-year-old pregnant woman, was murdered in her home. Lisa, the daughter of a deputy sheriff, had married Seth Techel in October 2011. She was 17 weeks pregnant and working in law enforcement when she was killed by a shotgun blast while sleeping.
Seth Techel claimed he was in the shower when he heard the shot and initially blamed their neighbor, Brian Tate, for the murder. However, investigators discovered that Seth was having an affair with a coworker, Rachel McFarland, which had begun immediately after his wedding to Lisa. The murder weapon, a Mossberg 500 shotgun, was found hidden near their trailer, and text messages revealed Seth had promised his mistress that “everything would be resolved” shortly before Lisa’s death.
After three trials, with the first two resulting in hung juries, Seth Techel was finally convicted in 2014 of first-degree murder and nonconsensual termination of a human pregnancy. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Brian Tate, the wrongly accused neighbor, died a few months after the murder, with his family believing the false accusations contributed to his death.
Chapter 5 – No Body, No Crime
In May 2018, Joleen Cummings, a 34-year-old hairstylist and mother of three from Yulee, Florida, disappeared on Mother’s Day. Her coworker, Jennifer Sybert, was quickly identified as a suspect after suspicious behavior and surveillance footage showed her disposing of evidence at their workplace, Tangles Hair Salon.
Investigators discovered “Sybert” was actually Kimberly Kessler, a 50-year-old fugitive who had used 18 different aliases across 14 states. Evidence against Kessler included Joleen’s blood found throughout the salon, incriminating purchases like trash bags and cleaning supplies, and disturbing internet searches about murder and disposing of bodies. While Joleen’s body was never found, Kessler was convicted of first-degree murder in December 2021 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The case was marked by Kessler’s erratic behavior, including hunger strikes and courtroom outbursts, though some questioned whether this was just another performance from someone who had successfully maintained multiple identities for decades. Her appeals were dismissed in 2024, and local law enforcement suspects she may have committed other murders.
Chapter 6 – Apartment 9
In September 2006, Mindy Morgenstern, a 22-year-old college student at Valley City State University in North Dakota, was found murdered in her apartment. She had been strangled with a belt and stabbed in the throat. Mindy, who was adopted from Colombia as a baby by the Morgenstern family, was known for her vibrant personality and had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The investigation led to Moe Gibbs, a corrections officer who lived in her apartment building. DNA evidence found under Mindy’s fingernails matched Gibbs and linked him to an unsolved 2004 rape case in Fargo. Further investigation revealed Gibbs’s violent past: he was previously convicted of attempted murder in military court and had changed his name from Glenn Dale Morgan Jr. to hide his history.
After a first trial ended in a hung jury, Gibbs was convicted of first-degree murder in a second trial in October 2007. He was sentenced to life without parole. The case led to stricter background check requirements for corrections officers in North Dakota. Despite their loss, the Morgenstern family responded with grace, with Mindy’s mother even publicly forgiving Gibbs at his sentencing.
Chapter 7 – Sacred Trust
In April 1972, Danny Croteau, a 13-year-old boy from Springfield, Massachusetts, was found murdered along the Chicopee River. Danny, known for his wit and love of fishing, came from a devout Catholic family of seven children. His body was discovered with signs of blunt force trauma, strangulation, and a high blood alcohol level.
The primary suspect was Father Richard Lavigne, a priest at the family’s parish who had grown close to the Croteaus. Though suspicion fell on him early—due to his knowledge of undisclosed case details, matching blood type, and later witness accounts of seeing a priest near the crime scene—he was never charged. Over the years, Lavigne was implicated in numerous cases of clergy abuse, with the Diocese of Springfield paying millions in settlements to victims.
The case remained unsolved for nearly 50 years until 2021, when investigators were finally prepared to charge Lavigne based on new evidence, including forensic analysis of an anonymous letter believed to be written by him. However, Lavigne died from COVID-19 complications just days before his expected arrest, never facing justice for Danny’s murder. Though Danny’s parents died without knowing the full truth, the case led to significant changes in how the church handled abuse allegations.
Chapter 8 – The Krug Park Killers
On October 16, 2016, a jogger discovered the body of 17-year-old Kaytlin Root on a trail in Krug Park, St. Joseph, Missouri. She had been strangled, stabbed, and her throat was slashed. Her clothes were carefully arranged beside her body in what appeared to be a ritualistic manner.
The investigation led to Amanda Bennett, a 17-year-old honor student and cheerleader, and her 18-year-old boyfriend Sebastian Dowell. They had lured Kaytlin to the park through Facebook messages from “Amanda Panda” offering to smoke marijuana. The couple was driven by disturbing supernatural beliefs—Sebastian claimed to worship demons and believed killing would grant him special privileges in Hell, while Amanda shared his elaborate beliefs about demon hierarchies and supernatural powers.
The murder was particularly brutal: they struck Kaytlin with a stick, injected her with bleach, and stabbed her multiple times while performing ritual chants. Though there was clear evidence of premeditation, both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2017 to avoid potential death penalty charges. They received life sentences with possibility of parole after 30 years. The case was especially haunting because Kaytlin was chosen at random—she was simply the first person to respond to Amanda’s messages that night.
Chapter 9 – The Bedroom Basher
In September 1979, Dianna Green, a 21-year-old pregnant woman in Tustin, California, was brutally attacked in her apartment while her husband Kevin, a Marine, was out getting food. She was sexually assaulted and beaten so severely that she suffered brain damage, fell into a coma, and lost her unborn child.
Despite evidence suggesting an unknown assailant, police focused on Kevin Green as the primary suspect. Dianna’s trauma-induced memory loss and inconsistent recollections were used against Kevin, leading to his conviction in 1980. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, where he maintained his innocence despite harsh treatment and the promise of earlier release if he admitted guilt.
In 1996, DNA evidence linked the attack to Gerald Parker, known as the “Bedroom Basher,” a former Marine responsible for multiple rape-murders in Southern California during 1978-1979. Parker confessed to attacking Dianna, revealing he had opportunistically entered after seeing Kevin leave. Kevin was exonerated after serving 16 years and received $620,000 in compensation. However, Dianna, still suffering from her injuries, continued to believe in Kevin’s involvement despite Parker’s confession and conviction. Parker was ultimately sentenced to death in 1999 for his crimes.
Chapter 10 – Five Fatal Minutes
In December 2017, Natalie Bollinger, a 19-year-old from Broomfield, Colorado, disappeared, leading to widespread speculation about her stalker’s involvement. Natalie had recently obtained a restraining order against Shawn Schwarz, a homeless man who had become obsessed with her after she showed him kindness. She had warned friends that if anything happened to her, Schwarz would be responsible.
However, the investigation revealed a shocking truth: Natalie had posted a Craigslist ad asking someone to “put a hit” on herself. Joseph Lopez, a 22-year-old pizza delivery driver, responded to the ad and met with her. Her body was found the next day with a gunshot wound to the head and a lethal dose of heroin in her system. Lopez initially claimed he was trying to save her but later admitted to shooting her, though his story changed multiple times during questioning.
Lopez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in December 2018 and received a 48-year sentence. The case was complicated by Natalie’s troubled past, including family issues and substance abuse, as well as controversy surrounding her father’s fundraising efforts after her death. The tragic case highlighted the dangers of online interactions and the complex nature of mental health struggles.
Chapter 11 – The Frankston Serial Killer
In 1993, the suburban community of Frankston, Australia, was terrorized by a series of brutal murders. The first victim was Elizabeth Stevens, an 18-year-old student who was found stabbed to death in Lloyd Park in June. Four weeks later, Debbie Fream, a 22-year-old new mother, was abducted and murdered while buying milk. Finally, in July, 17-year-old student Natalie Russell was killed on a bike path she used as a shortcut home.
The killer was identified as Paul Charles Denyer, a 21-year-old local man who had previously terrorized other women in the area, including breaking into homes and mutilating pets. He was caught after being spotted in his yellow Toyota near Natalie Russell’s murder scene. Physical evidence from that crime scene, including blood, hair, and skin samples, helped link him to the murders.
Denyer confessed to all three murders with disturbing detachment, saying he “just wanted to” kill women. He received three life sentences but successfully appealed for the possibility of parole after 30 years. While in prison, he briefly claimed to be transgender and requested gender reassignment surgery, but later reverted to identifying as male. His first parole application in 2023 was denied.
Chapter 12 – The Mission Valley Mall Murders
In December 2013, a series of murders in San Diego began when Ilona Flint, 22, and Salvatore Belvedere, 22, were shot in a mall parking lot while searching for Salvatore’s missing brother (and Ilona’s fiancé) Gianni Belvedere, 24. Ilona died at the scene, while Salvatore died days later. Three weeks later, Gianni’s body was found in the trunk of his car 100 miles away in Riverside, California.
The killer was identified as Carlo Mercado, 29, after his DNA matched evidence found in Gianni’s car. The murders were completely random – Mercado’s motorcycle had broken down at the mall, leading to an attempted carjacking of Gianni. After killing Gianni and putting him in the trunk, Mercado returned to retrieve his motorcycle and encountered Ilona and Salvatore, who recognized Gianni’s car. Mercado, who suffered from schizoaffective disorder, was caught after being stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint with illegal weapons including the murder weapon.
In 2017, Mercado pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received three life sentences without parole. The case deeply affected San Diego, particularly because of its random nature and timing during the Christmas season. The victims’ families later sued the mall over inadequate security measures.
Chapter 12 – The Gift Shop Murder
Here’s a concise summary:
In April 1992, Lisa Ziegert, a 24-year-old teacher’s aide in Agawam, Massachusetts, disappeared during her evening shift at Brittany’s Card and Gift Shop. Her body was found four days later in a wooded area, revealing she had been sexually assaulted and stabbed. Though DNA evidence was collected from the scene, limitations in technology at the time meant the case went unsolved for decades.
The breakthrough came in 2017 when investigators used advanced DNA phenotyping to create a composite image of the killer and obtained court orders for DNA samples from persons of interest. When police approached Gary Schara for a sample, he fled and left three letters with his girlfriend: a confession, his will, and an apology to Lisa’s family. After attempting suicide, he was arrested in Connecticut.
In 2019, Schara pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received life without parole. His confession letters revealed he had harbored violent fantasies since childhood and had considered confessing hundreds of times over the 25 years he lived freely in the community. The case demonstrated the evolution of forensic technology and the importance of preserving evidence, while Lisa’s legacy lives on through a scholarship program for aspiring teachers.
