Posts Tagged ‘cleveland’

Anthony Sowell pleads ‘not guilty’

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Anthony Sowell

Anthony Sowell

Anthony Sowell, the man accused of killing 11 women and leaving their bodies to rot inside his Cleveland, Ohio home pleaded not guilty today, by reason of insanity.  Sowell, a convicted sex offender, is indicted on 85 counts stemming from kidnapping to rape, and aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in this case.

TIMELINE OF ANTHONY SOWELL’S LIFE:

August 19, 1959 – Anthony Edward Sowell was born (according to the Ohio Attorney General’s office of sex offender registry)

July 11, 1977 – Sowell Enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. (according to GySgt Nun, United States Marine Corp Media Chief)

January 22, 1985 – Sowell ends service with the Marines (according to GySgt. Nun, United States Marine Corp Media Chief)

-    At some point during Sowell’s service (exact dates TBA), he met a woman and they were married for one year.  According to the ex-wife’s mother (whom I spoke with on the afternoon on November 2, 2009) Anthony and her daughter were divorced after one year of marriage.  They lived on a base in California together.

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Anthony Sowell: MORE VICTIMS IDENTIFIED & UPDATED TIMELINE

Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Anthony Sowell, 50

Anthony Sowell, 50

Two more victims in the Anthony Sowell case have been identified.  Today, police released the identities of Telacia Fortson, 31, of East Cleveland, and Tishana Culver, 31, of the 12300 block of Imperial Avenue.  Both women were among the 11 bodies found inside this “house of horrors” where Anthony Sowell was living.  

Investigators say Telacia was reported as a missing person on October 31, 2009, she was last seen in the area on or about June 1, 2009.  Cops say Tishana Culver was never reported as a missing person.  Yesterday, investigators identified the first victim, Tonia Carmichael, 52, who was initially reported missing in Warrensville Heights on November 10, 2008.  

“As we continue to make progress with the identifications, I want to assure the families of the missing that until they all get the closure they seek and ultimately the justice they deserve, this case will continue to be our focus.  On behalf of the City of Cleveland I offer my deepest condolences to the family, friends and relatives of victims,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson.

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First Victim Identified

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

TONIA CARMICHAEL, 52

The first victim in the Cleveland case is identified as 52-year-old Tonia Carmichael.  Her body is among the 11 found inside the “house of horrors” on Imperial Avenue in Cleveland, OH.  Investigators say Tonia was last seen on November 8, 2008 in Warrensville Heights, a Cleveland suburb near Sowell’s home.  Mourners gathered last night at a local church to pray for the victims, and for Sowell.  You can see video of last night’s service right here at FOX 8 Cleveland.

The Cuyahoga County Corner’s office spoke out at a press conference yesterday afternoon, and asked for any family members of missing loved ones to please come forward to submit DNA samples.  Right now, investigators say they have DNA from some of the other bodies located, but they don’t have anything to match it to.  Some of the victims are so badly decomposed that it is impossible to use fingerprints and visual recognition to identify them.  Dr. Frank Miller with the Cuyahoga County Corner’s office said the best samples need to come from the maternal side of the victims family, meaning mothers, grandmothers, and even children.  The Cleveland Police department also announced a search warrant served to Anthony Sowell to retrieve his DNA, and compare that to thousands of other crime cases across the country.

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10 bodies found in Cleveland

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Anthony Sowell, 50, courtesy Cleveland Police Departement

Anthony Sowell, 50, courtesy Cleveland Police Departement

Police say they found 4 more bodies inside the home of Anthony Sowell, and they fear there are more.  This brings the total count up to 10, along with one skull found in the basement.  Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath said this yesterday at an afternoon press conference: “It appears this man had an insatiable appetite that he had to fill.” Sowell, a former United States Marine, is charged with 5 counts of Aggravated Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, and Felonious Assault. He was arraigned in court this morning in Cleveland, OH, this is where he will be held without bond.  The fire department will be on location inside the home today to tear out walls and floors to check for more bodies.  According to police, the Building Housing Department checked all vacant homes within 1/4 mile of Sowell’s residence yesterday.  Today, they will stretch their efforts out 1/4 mile more.  Sowell was originally spotted last week pulling scraps off a vacant home when a Good Samaritan called police to turn him in, he didn’t have a car, and would often use the bus for travel.  Neighbors report the stench filling the air for years was more than they could take.  At one point in 2007, Cleveland Councilman Zack Reed said he submitted a complaint to the health department.  The Director of the Cleveland Health Department, Matt Carroll told me yesterday, his department, unfortunately, did not receive that particular complaint, they receive 20,000 complaints a year.  Although the health department couldn’t follow up on that complaint, they did follow up on another reported from a resident in the area, which was one block from Sowell’s home.  A county inspector went to the location, but could not locate the source of the odor at that time.
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