True Crime Stories

When I started doing this blog my intention was to discuss cases that have intrigued me in one way or another.  I had started with those that I was fairly familiar with so try and get it up and running off the ground.  All of the cases have involved murder in some way or another, but not a lot of reoccurring themes.  And then I did the Sylvia Likens case.  The only thing that Sylvia's story compared to the others was it was a case in which I knew a lot about before coming here to blog about it.   While discussing Sylvia's case on a message board I was reminded of the Shanda Sharer case, also a torture-murder case, and also in Indiana. Then there was Aiyana Gauvin, yet another case of a child who was tortured and murdered, once again, in Indiana.  In the mean time a friend, who half jokingly, let me know my latest theme of blogs were giving her nightmares showed me websites talking about the case of Marcus Fiesel.  This case is similar in so...

I know I have done my last few blogs a little differently than the past ones.  I also realize that they have involved the murder and torture of children, some of the more gruesome cases there are.  It is not so much about telling the stories because of obsession with these types of cases per se, it is more making sure these children who were unmercifully tormented by their killers and that these children, in these cases, need to be remembered. They need remembered because they were truly innocent victims who had a whole life ahead of them; they were victims that were never able to grow to adulthood, marry or have children; but they also need to be remembered when it comes to looking at the behaviors of those who were in a position to help but did not so that these types of murders can hopefully be stopped. This is yet another case of child torture...in Indiana. Aiyana Gauvin was a beautiful 4 year old little girl who lived with her father, Christian, and stepmother, Mic...

Many murder victims are innocent people and many crimes are vicious.  When you watch the true crime magazine type shows you often hear a police officer talking about a particular case being the worse crime they had investigated, or the worse crime scene ever.  I admit that I often roll my eyes to these statements because they seem overly dramatic for television purposes, or so it seems.  There are few cases in which if I were to hear an officer state that I would understand why.... the Sylvia Likens case was one.... the Shanda Sharer case is another.   In a sense the two cases have many similarities.  Both girls were teenagers.  Sylvia was 16 when she was tortured and murdered in 1965... Shanda was 12 when she was tortured and burned alive in 1992.  Both girls were murdered in Indiana.  Both cases involved multiple people and sadly they both involved other teenagers. Shanda lived in a small southwestern Indiana town, New Albany, with her mothe...

I plan to do this case a little different than the others.  For one, it is an older case (1965 to be exact).  Secondly, if I were to do it like I normally do I am not sure too much would be under disputed facts.  Most importantly, for me, maybe because it happened in my hometown, or maybe because it was such a horrible and uncalled for crime, I want this to be about remembering Sylvia and what happened to her, as well about the time period, and less about the abusers in her case. Sylvia Marie Likens was born January 3, 1949.  After being beaten and tortured over a period of about three months by Gertrude Baniszewski (pronounced Ban-E-chess-ski), her children and even neighborhood children Sylvia died October 26, 1965 in the Baniszewski home at the age of 16 in Indianapolis, Indiana. I grew up in Indianapolis, moving there in 1976 when I was 4.  I first remember hearing about this case in 1985 when Gertrude Baniszewski became eligible for parole.  M...

Undisputed Facts:   1. On June 21, 2000 Stuart Alexander murdered USDA inspectors, Jean Hillery and Thomas Quadros and state FDA inspector William Shaline inside his sausage factory in California. 2. Prior to the murders Stuart had been vocal in the community that he felt the state was harassing him concerning his business. He had convinced a significant portion of the community that this was the governments way of pushing out the "little man." 3. Inspectors had had many run-ins with Alexander in the past.  Two of the biggest contentions were the smoker or smokers in which were used in the factory and the temperature in which the sausages were cooked.  When Alexander would fail to comply the inspectors would shut the factory down, this happened at least twice.  Alexander would re-open the business against state laws.  During these times the once thriving business lost massive amounts of money and was the motive that Alexander used in his 'campaign' agai...

Undisputed Facts: 1. Sometime between the early evening of March 10, 1980 and the early morning of the 11th, 18 year old, Marilyn McIntyre was murdered in her Wisconsin home. 2. Marilyn's 3 month old son, Christopher, was not harmed. 3. Marilyn's husband, Lane, worked third shift from 11pm to 7 am. 4. The knife used to stab Marilyn was one that was already in the home. 5. When Lane first spoke to police he mentioned the name of Curtis Forbes, a long time friend. 6. Curtis Forbes went to the home of his girlfriend's parents' home sometime during the night. 7. After the murder Curtis Forbes left the area for some time writing his girlfriend, Debra, that there was a lot of "heat" on him with circumstantial evidence.  He returned after a few weeks. 8. In 2009 Curtis Forbes was arrested for the murder of Marilyn partially based on a DNA match that was later thrown out of court and not allowed at trial. 9. November 2010 Curtis Forbes was found guil...

As I do with all cases before I blog about them, I research them to refresh my memory, make sure my facts are straight, and get the most up to date information.  This is a case that I have read many things about and have seen movies and documentaries about and all but thought the case was over.... it appears I was wrong. Undisputed Facts: 1. On December 9, 2001 Kathleen Peterson, wife of author, Michael Peterson died in her home in North Carolina. Michael stated his wife had consumed alcohol and had apparently fallen down the stairs. 2. Upon an autopsy report investigators concluded that Kathleen's injuries were not consistent with a fall down the stairs. 3. In 1985, in Germany, Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her stairs, like Kathleen.  Elizabeth and her daughters had been at the Peterson home the night before and Michael had taken them home and was the last person to see her alive.  In April of 2003 Elizabeth's body was exhumed for a second aut...

Undisputed Facts: 1. On January 13, 2003 Jeff Wright was killed by his wife, Susan, in his Texas home, while in his bed. 2. Susan stabbed Jeff up to 193 times with two knives, then she buried his body in the backyard and proceeded to clean up the bedroom. 3. On January 18, 2003 Susan called an attorney to her home, confessed of her crime and turned herself into the police on January 24th.   4. Susan's trial began on February 24, 2004 with a pleading of "not guilty by reason of self-defense." 5. On March 3, 2004 Susan Wright was found guilty of murder.  She was sentenced to 25 years. 6. In 2005 her conviction was upheld. 7. In 2009 Susan was granted a new sentencing hearing.  She was re-sentenced to 20 years, only five years less than the original.  She is eligible for parole in 2014. Disputed Facts: 1. The question of whether or not Susan killed Jeff is not at stake in this case.  Susan has admitted to the fact that she killed him.  What ...