The official autopsy report for 7-year-old Aja Johnson was hand delivered to her biological father J.J. Johnson on Friday. Six months after the little girl went missing, the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office lists the child’s official cause of death as “violent death with possible neck injury.” The bodies of Aja Johnson and Lester Hobbs were located in a rural area in Norman, Oklahoma nine weeks after he abducted her. A law enforcement source on the ground told me that because of the decomposition, Hobbs and Aja most likely died about a week after the initial murder of Tonya Hobbs in January. “He got in that area, probably to lay low for a few days, got in there with the storm and maybe got trapped. One thing led to another, couldn’t get the vehicle out, and would have to walk out on foot… he chose to stay.” My source says Aja’s body was found outside the vehicle and Hobbs was found inside the car. The medical examiner’s report indicates Hobbs died from drinking antifreeze, and there were not any signs of antifreeze in Aja Johnson.
Shaniya Davis is one of those cases that comes up in conversation frequently. I am often asked how a child could allegedly be sold by her mother as a sex slave to pay off a debt. If Shaniya was never passed off to Mario McNeill like a piece of trash, she may still be alive today. Test results show Shaniya died from asphyxiation, and McNeill is charged with first degree murder and first degree rape. He is being held without bond and is currently behind bars. Shaniya’s mother, Antoniette Davis, is charged with child abuse in the form of prostitution, human trafficking, obstructing an official investigation and filing a false police report. Unfortunately, Davis is out on bond, and has been roaming free since February 21st. She is scheduled to appear in court on June 3, 2010 to face charges.
Bradley Lockhart, Shaniya’s father, is taking a proactive approach to combat child prostitution and crimes against children. This is why he created Shaniya Speaks. The organization says the goal is, “to bring voice to Child Exploitation and Sexual Crimes against Children.” Bradley will tour the country and be the voice for his murdered child. He will use his personal experience to educate the public on these types of horrific crimes against children.
There is an active Amber Alert in Austin, Texas for a teen abducted by a man. Police say Angel Rojas, 25, was seen taking Karen Anastacio, 13, in his brown Ford Expedition or Explorer from her school. The alleged abduction took place at the Bedichek Middle School in South Austin. Investigators say Karen’s family was about to file criminal charges against Rojas for a previous attack onthe teen, but he was able to get to her first. The fear is that Rojas will take Karen over the border into Mexico, and then itwill be extremely difficult to find her.
Karen weighs 115 pounds, and she is 5’2.” She was last seen wearing a black shirt and pants and carrying a pink back pack. Rojas is only 135 pounds, and short at only 5’3.” If you have any information, please call: 512-974-0911
I spoke with Deputy U.S. Marshal Arthur Templeton this morning, and he told me he was processing a crime scene in Norman, Oklahoma where it appears the bodies of Lester Hobbs and Aja Johnson have beenlocated. The vehicle Hobbs was driving was found in a very rural area, off Southeast 108 Street and Highway 9. Templeton says a surveyor was doing a survey of property in the area when he spotted the vehicle. He went up to the car, saw the bodies, and called police.
A law enforcement source on the ground told me because of the decomposition that Hobbs and Aja most likely died about a week after the initial murder of Tonya Hobbs in January. “He got in that area, probably to lay low for a few days, got in there with the storm and maybe got trapped. One thing led to another, couldn’t get the vehicle out, and would have to walk out on foot… he chose to stay.” My source says Aja’s body was found outside the vehicle and Hobbs was found inside the car. At this point, it appears to be a murder-suicide. Hobbs’ body wasn’t as badly decomposed because he wasn’t exposed to the elements. We are still waiting for the Medical Examiner to confirm the bodies and how they died.
It’s been 60 days today since Aja Johnson was abducted and her mother Tonya was found beaten to death inside an RV. Since then, investigators in Oklahoma have issued a warrant for Lester Hobbs arrest charging him with first degree murder and kidnapping. I spoke with Deputy U.S. Marshal Arthur Templeton out of the Lawton office again today, and he said there has been no activity on the case. A couple of weeks ago he stated that they have, “not had anything viable on the vehicle, Aja Johnson, or Lester Hobbs,” and sadly that is still the case today. Templteton did mention that he has a meeting with the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations later today, and they have plans to discuss new ideas to keep this case in the spotlight.
When this case originally broke, there was a massive ice storm that swept through most of the state of Oklahoma. The storm paralyzed the region for 8 – 14 days. During that period, many folks were without power, so some have not even heard about the Amber Alert or the murder. That ice storm is long gone, and there are still no signs of this child.
Morgan Lockett (left) Brandon Lockett (right) - mugshots
Aveion Lewis mother, Morgan Lockettand her husband, Brandon, were indicted this week and charged with second degree murder and child neglect and cruelty. Police say a hoax abduction report was filed by Brandon Lockett, Aveion’s step-father on January 15, 2010 claiming the toddler was abducted by masked men who broke into his home. Sadly, the 2-year-old was found dead in a nearby landfill 12 days later. Police said they tracked the trash collected along the 2100 block of King Charles Avenue, and that is what led them to the discovery of the body. Thankfully, the trash company keeps very good records, and police were able to locate the truck in route to the landfill before it made a deposit. The truck emptied its contents in an isolated area at the landfill, and investigators sifted through the garbage.
Early on, investigators charged Brandon Lockett with improper disposal of a human body, obstruction of justice, and felony child neglect after the false report was filed. Police canceled an Amber Alert for the child after Lockett admitted Aveion was dead before the bogus abduction took place. Although conflicting statements were given to authorities early on, they were still able to come to this conclusion in a timely manner.
UPDATE 8:00 a.m. This Amber Alert is canceled, thankfully Melvin was found. The abductor is in custody…
There is an active Amber Alert in Jacksonville, FL to find baby Melvin Duclos. He was born on February 8, 2010, and authorities believe he was abducted by a woman who is 20 to 22 years old, 5-feet tall, and 150 pounds. He was last seen at his home 7300 block North Ironside Drive around 4:45 p.m. The suspect is believed to have shoulder length natural black hair and a silver post in her nose. The abductor and Melvin could be traveling in a brown four door Honda Accord. There are reports that the suspect may have followed the family home from the hospital when the baby was born earlier last month, and could have been watching them ever since. Melvin was wearing a light yellow onesie and a blue t-shirt.
Race: Black
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
If you have any information concerning the whereabouts of this endangered person, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-487-4438 or 911
Registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner, is being held on preliminary charges of suspicion of murder and rape in the disappearance of missing teen, Chelsea King. Gardner has a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age, and he was staying with his mother in the Rancho Bernardo Community where Chelsea went missing. Authorities say Chelsea vanished last Thursday after she went for a jog at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park. Chelsea, 17, is an avid runner for a local high school. She left her car in the park nearby, and her cell phone was inside the vehicle. Gardner is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in San Diego Superior Court, and investigators have 72 hours to file official charges.
Investigators say physical evidence found at Lake Hodges lead them to Gardner, and there may be a chance he is linked to a December 27, 2009 attack on another jogger in area. The victim in that incident told investigators she was tackled by a suspect who demanded money from her. At this point, Gardner is not charged with that attack. At a press conference last night, authorities said Gardner could have played a role in the Amber Dubois case as well. Amber disappeared more than a year ago as she walked to a nearby high school.
Aja Johnson & Lester Hobbs (police say photo was taken just hours before the murder)
The United States Marshal Service held a press conference in Oklahoma today. Authorities released brand new pictures and information in the Aja Johnson case. It’s been more than a month since Aja Johnson was abducted and her mother Tonya was found beaten to death inside an RV. Since then, investigators in Oklahoma have issued a warrant for Lester Hobbs arrest charging him with first degree murder and kidnapping. I spoke with Deputy U.S. Marshal Arthur Templteton out of the Loughton office earlier, and he said there has been no activity on the case. He stated that they have, “not had anything viable on the vehicle, Aja Johnson, or Lester Hobbs.”
When this case originally broke, there was a massive ice storm that swept through most of the state of Oklahoma. The storm paralyzed the region for 8 – 14 days. During that period, many folks were without power, so some have not even heard about the Amber Alert or the murder.
Jarred Harrell, a person of interest in the Somer Thompson murder, will be extradited to Florida. Last Thursday, Florida Governor, Charlie Crist requested the extradition, and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour granted the request. According to a press release from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, “Because the safety of all law enforcement officers involved and the successful extradition of this individual are of upmost importance, our agency will not reveal the exact date and time of the planned extradition. In addition, if members of the media are able to obtain Harrell extradition timeline information from sources other than the CCSO, our agency will not respond to those related inquiries and will neither confirm nor deny the information. Our agency will not divulge what law enforcement officers are part of the Harrell extradition process until after the process is complete. Once Jarred Harrell is safely transported to our jail facility here in Green Cove Springs, the media will be notified via an emailed release. You will be provided ample notice post-arrival so that coverage arrangements can be made with the Clay County Clerk of Court for whatever court appearances may follow in the Clay County court system. Our agency does not orchestrate “perp walks” of any kind and we have an enclosed sally port area through which defendants enter the jail.” Although we do not know the specific date Harrell will make an appearance in Florida, thankfully investigators are one step closer to possibly learning what happened to Somer. Harrell has not yet been charged with Somer’s death.[”]
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
