This case was running through my mind this morning. I was searching through my files and the date December 18, 2009 popped up. That was the last time I brought you the case of Jean Paul who was taken illegally from his bus stop. Since then, a grand jury issued a felony indictment for the felony offenses of kidnapping, aggravated perjury and interference with child custody against his father, Jean Philippe Lacombe.
Investigators say Jean Paul Lacombe was abducted by his non-custodial father, Jean Philippe Lacombe, on October 15, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas. Lacombe allegedly gave the court invalid Mexican Documents to overturn the case, and the judge gave him custody. Lacombe was supposed to show back up for a court hearing on Monday, October 19, 2009, but instead he fled with his son.
HISTORY OF CUSTODY:
Cliff Herberg with the Bexar District Attorney’s office in Texas says there are 1,400 pages pertaining to this case that have accumulated over the years in Mexican court. He has not had a chance to review every single page, but Mr. Herberg was able to provide a timeline and background of custody between the parents.
Erin Rodgers, and Baby Safina (photo courtsey of police)
UPDATE: I received word this morning that Erin and her baby were found alive and well in Austin, Texas. The lead investigator told me her Godfather originally reported her and her child missing, and that Erin is from Indiana. No word yet on why she packed up and left.
Erin Rodgers and her daughter Safina lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. I spoke with Montgomery County Police today, and they say the mother and daughter have been missing for three weeks. On May 6, 2010, police say Erin and Safina vanished. Erin is only 19-years-old, and her daughter is 22-months.
I spoke to investigators this morning, and they are accepting leads on this case. If you have any information, please contact investigators in Montgomery County, Maryland: 301-565-5835, or the non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.
Investigators say DNA analysis confirms the remains found in Mount Cobb, Pennsylvania are in fact those of a missing aspiring dancer from Texas. Authorities say Laura Garza, 25, vanished from a Brooklynnightclub with a registered sex offender. Her body was found earlier this month. Although she has been positively identified, we are waiting to learn the official cause of death in this case. We will also learn if Laura was killed in New York, or in the rural area of Pennsylvania.
Investigators say Michael Mele is not charged in this case at this time, although he was the man seen leaving the Marquee club with Laura 16 months ago. Reports indicate Mele’s body had scratches and a possible bite mark after the attack, and patches of carpet were missing out of his apartment.
Thoughts and prayers go out to Laura’s family and friends, and hoping her killer will be brought to justice soon.
Rachel Louise Cooke was home for Christmas break from college when she vanished without a trace. The FBI says Rachel was last seen on January 10, 2002 jogging in her parents’ neighborhood. Investigators say she had plans to run about three or four miles through her parents’ Georgetown, Texas subdivision. She left their home around 11:30 a.m. Rachel’s family says she is an accomplished cross-country runner, and usually does the same jog every morning. She was last seen wearing a green sports top, grey shorts, Asics shoes, and was carrying a yellow walkman. This case has been a mystery for nearly eight years now, but her family isn’t giving up hope. They created a website chocked full of information on her case, and events they get involved with to keep their daughter’s name in the spotlight. You can visit the site and download fliers to post around your own community.
Rachel has a tattoo of two heart-shaped cherries on her left shoulder, and a black star on her foot. She has multiple piercings to include pierced ears and a pierced navel.
Police say a serial rapist is on the loose in Texas, and his target? Elderly women. I spoke with investigators, and they tell me they are looking into as many as 12 rapes, attempted rapes and burglaries in central and south-central Texas since January 2009. The suspect strikes in the early morning hours, oftentimes cutting the victims phone lines before striking. Police don’t believe his targets are random – he is most likely waiting outside and surveying the situation before breaking in. The victims are between the ages of 65-91 and they usually live alone.
So far, the best clue in this case is a clock taken from a victim’s house after a September 5, 2009 burglary. If you take a close look, the clock is distinctive and could have been pawned, kept as a token (which sometimes suspects do), or given away. The rapist is described as a thin, young, dark-skinned man between 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet tall. According to a press release, “investigators believe the offender has a sexual preference for elderly females, and therefore may not be in a romantic relationship with a woman his own age.”
Investigators in San Antonio, Texas are still searching a landfill for baby Gabriel Johnson. They recently announced that the search for Gabriel is not only a missing persons investigation, but is also a homicide investigation. Investigators are digging through nearly 45 feet of garbage in search of baby Gabriel. Officials estimate the task will take a total of six days.
Gabriel was last seen with his mother, Elizabeth Johnson, on or near December 18, 2009. Police say Johnson missed a December 28, 2009 custody hearing, and a felony warrant was issued for her arrest for custodial interference. Johnson’s custody rights were revoked, and Gabriel’s father, Logan McQueary, was awarded full custody.
Early in the case, I spoke with Logan, and it is apparent thatthis father’s heart is breaking. Last week, over text message, Logan told me he was retracing Elizabeth’s steps, and was in Arizona posting fliers of his missing son. All Logan wants is to find his child alive, but it is hard for him to remain positive when he has been told that Gabriel is dead.
It’s been more than a week since Aja Johnson was abducted and her mother Tonya was found beaten to death in an RV. Since then investigators in Oklahoma issued a warrant for Lester Hobbs arrest charging him with first degree murder and kidnapping. Hobbs is a convicted felon, and according to court documents was not supposed to have any contact with Aja. Police say they’ve received leads about possible sightings of Hobbs, Aja and the car he may be driving, but so far nothing has panned out. The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations and the United States Marshal service put out a $20,000 reward, hoping someone will bring them the information they need to find this child.
Oklahoma Bureau of investigations just released these pictures from a Wal-Mart in Lawton, Oklahoma. The photo depicts murder suspect Lester Hobbs holding hands with his estranged wife Tonya Hobbs just hours before police believe she was killed, and her 7-year-old child Aja Johnson was abducted. Investigators say the couple went to the Wal-Mart around 5:15 p.m. to pick up food for dinner. Take a good at what Lester Hobbs is wearing, these could be the clothes he still has on his back. Also, in the parking lot, the surveillance camera picked up a clear view of the vehicle Hobbs may be driving. Take a look at the back passenger side window, and the hubcaps. Early on in the investigation it was believed the vehicle did not have any hubcaps, and now these pictures show the car may have them.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is looking to find Ethan Ellis. They say he was allegedly abducted by his birth mother, Carla Velasco, and could be in Bolivia. Carla is 37-years-old and has a scar on her forehead. Ethan is only 3, and his front tooth is chipped. This mother and son was last seen in Spring, Texas. On October 30,2 009, investigators issued a felony warrant for Velasco’s arrest.
RACE: Biracial (white/hispanic)
HEIGHT: 3′2″
WEIGHT: 35 pounds
HAIR & EYES: Brown
If you have any information, please contact: 1-800-THE-LOST
Five people were found murdered in a small Buckhorn community just outside Bellville, Texas yesterday. Police told me earlier they have Maron Thomas, 20, in custody and at this point they believe he is the only one responsible for this horrendous crime. George Washington, 69, his wife, Debra Washington, 54, Kiana Shree Phearse, 25, and Khalilah Masse-Chamers, 3, were all found shot to death inside their home on a large estate property. Just behind the residence, investigators found a fifth victim who was identified today as Cedric Thomas, 19.
Maron Thomas was arrested before the bodies were found when he was allegedly naked breaking into a car, and attempting to break into a home at a nearby property. Capital murder charges may be brought down against Thomas after the District Attorney has a chance to review the preliminary report on this case.
I spoke with the homeowner of the home where the bodies were found. I was told the Washington’s have rented the home for about three years, they were a very kind family who always paid on time. Investigators believe all the victims are related, but are waiting on autopsy results to release the connection to one another. At this time, Maron Thomas, pictured above, is the only person of interest.
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....
Police say a serial rapist is on the loose in Texas, and his target? Elderly women. I spoke with investigators, and they tell me they are looking into as many as 12 rapes, attempted rapes and burglaries in central and south-central Texas since January 2009. The suspect strikes in the early morning hours, oftentimes cutting the victims phone lines before striking. Police don’t believe his targets are random – he is most likely waiting outside and surveying the situation before breaking in. The victims are between the ages of 65-91 and they usually live alone.
man between 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet tall. According to a press release, “investigators believe the offender has a sexual preference for elderly females, and therefore may not be in a romantic relationship with a woman his own age.”
