The TWITCH (3/10)
Every week we wonder if there will be anything to share this week. And every week, because people don't make good decisions, there always is.
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin: Elijah Vue is still missing, and the suspicion surrounding his disappearance has only increased with each passing day. (He’s been missing since 2/23/24.) Since then there’s been a discovery of a little dinosaur shoe, the police have asked the public for help in regards to information about a vehicle of interest, and there was a tented section of a landfill that was under investigation. The boy’s mother and her boyfriend have been arrested for child neglect and obstructing an investigation. They both appeared in court this week, but after those hearings are still being held in jail. Elijah’s maternal grandmother made an impassioned statement via letter requesting that her daughter’s bond not be lowered, citing potential flight risk if she was released. They both appear again in court this coming week, so we will update next week if anything comes of it.
Orange County, Florida: In an emotional service, 13-year-old murder victim Madeline Soto was laid to rest this week, even as more details emerged about her mother’s boyfriend’s alleged crimes against her, and just who this man is. Many people are curious about her mother’s odd demeanor and contradictory statements in interviews in the days before Madeline’s body was discovered. Was she truly clueless about what was happening to her daughter? Was she coached, or threatened not to tell what she knew? Why did Stephan Sterns lurk in the background as she was being interviewed? Was it just to remind her he was there, and listening? What was going on— and how much did she know, or turn a blind eye to? We are sure there is more to this story, and will continue to share as details emerge. This little girl deserves the truth, and justice to be served on her behalf. From the looks of things, she was kept silent for a long time. It’s time for the truth to come out.
Hendersonville, Tennessee: Another missing child who had people’s attention this week is 15-year-old missing boy Sebastian Rogers, who has autism and has been missing since 2/26/24. Again this is a case where the parents— who have proclaimed publicly that they’ve been cleared, which law enforcement has never said— are under scrutiny, whether justified or not. Like Elijah Vue and Madeline Soto, there are some things about the story that give people pause. A landfill was searched this week to no avail and the search for Sebastian continues.
East Nashville, Tennessee: While we’re in Nashville, Emily Bradley’s body (missing 2/21/24) was found in White’s Creek and a few days later, her car was found as well. She died of blunt force trauma but no persons of interest have been named as of yet. Her grieving father intimated that she was possibly the victim of domestic violence but gave no further details as to why he would think that. The investigation into her death is ongoing.
Knoxville, Tennessee: Staying in Tennessee, and moving into the trial update part of this week’s update, Robin Howington’s (the mother accused of shooting her five-year-old daughter Destiny Oliver in the chest in September 2019) trial began and ended this week. The mother of the murdered child gave multiple accounts of what happened to her daughter, finally landing on— and sticking with— the story that her 2-year-old son accidentally shot and killed his sister. Neither law enforcement, nor the jury in her trial, believed her, and she was found guilty. She now faces a minimum of 15-25 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for April 19.
Pontiac, Michigan: A high profile trial that began this week is the trial of James Crumbley, father of the shooter in the Oxford High School shooting. This trial follows the trial of the shooter’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley, who was found guilty on all counts in an unprecedented case back in February. Never before has a school shooter’s parents been prosecuted for their part in their child’s actions. It was revealed this week that Crumbley’s communication access has been limited to only his attorney after threats he made while in jail, though no additional details were provided as to the nature of those threats. The prosecution came at James Crumbley hard this week, questioning his commitment and decisions as a father. We will be interested to see if he receives the same judgment his wife did.
Hartford, Connecticut: Following the guilty verdict for Michelle Troconis last week, Kent Mawhinney, who was Fotis Dulos’ attorney at the time of his arrest for the murder of his estranged wife Jennifer Dulos, and is now facing trial as a co-conspirator in the murder, made a statement this week. His attorney, on his behalf, stated that Troconis’ verdict had nothing to do with Mawhinney, pointing out that in the over six weeks of her trial, his name was never mentioned, nor was he called by the defense or the prosecution to testify because he was not involved with Jennifer Dulos’ death.
Lake Oswego, Oregon: A father has been arrested on charges of putting a sedative into mango smoothies he made for three 12-year-old girls, who were friends of his daughter’s, at a sleepover. Michael Meyden has pleaded not guilty to nine felony and misdemeanor charges. The alleged attempt was discovered when one of the girls felt like something was fishy, and opted not to drink much of her smoothie. She then called for someone to get her out of there and, thanks to her actions, ultimately all three girls were taken to the hospital, where the drugs were confirmed to be in their systems. The charges against the suspect went public this week but the event took place back in August. It looks as if the accused is now out on bond.
Nassau, Bahamas: Lindsay Shiver, a wealthy Georgia mom accused of plotting with her lover and a friend to murder her husband, and the father of her three small children, was also in court this week. A judge in the Bahamas, where she is currently awaiting trial, delayed the start date for her trial— originally set for this month— to July 1, 2024. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
And finally, though this isn’t true crime per se, there was definitely an element of “something ain’t right here,” to this story, so we think it fits. Reesa Teesa, the personality behind the true story (told in 50 parts on TikTok) Who The F Did I Marry? appeared on some talk shows this week. Watch her interviews here and here. And if you missed the viral phenomenon (400 million views and counting according to Good Morning America)— and have a spare 7+ hours to kill— you can follow the story on her playlist on Tik Tok. Or, if you aren’t on Tik Tok, it’s also possible to watch on You Tube. This is the one we watched. We loved what she said in her interview with Robin Roberts on GMA, “It costs you nothing to verify. But it very well may cost you everything to not verify.” Wise advice, indeed. We wish her all good things ahead.
We are currently researching and plan to share more about the mother and daughter who were gunned down in Worcester, MA as they sat in their car (this just happened and arrests are quickly being made). We will also continue to follow the cases we’ve mentioned today, and ones we’ve mentioned in the past as any new developments are reported.
As always, we are here for the victims— to give them dignity, to honor their memory, and to support their loved ones who must walk through the darkest of times. We want to do what we can to share their stories and to further the pursuit of justice on their behalf. If you’d like to join us, we’d love for you to subscribe, to comment, and to be here with us each week.
I would like to know, too. Thanks for asking, Melinda.
Hi, Marybeth - thanks for the updates on these cases this week. I was wondering if you listen to any true crime podcasts and, if so, are there any you would recommend?