Just The Tip-Sters: True Crime Podcast

Latest Episodes:

136. Smells Like A Flat Out Cover-Up - The Non-Suicide Of LaVena Johnson May 19, 2020

Show notes

In one of the most rage-inducing cases she's covered so far, Melissa investigates the outrageous circumstances surrounding the official suicide of U.S. Army PFC LaVena Johnson while stationed at the Balad Air Base in Iraq in July 2005, just eight days shy of here 20th birthday. And we put the emphasis on "official" because the "official" position of the Army is...well..."suspect" is the kindest word we can think of. It took LaVena's family a lot of time, effort and connections to even see photos of the scene where the military insists the beautiful native Missourian set her hand on fire, bit herself on the shoulder, bashed in her own face in so hard that an eyeball came loose, poured lye into her own genitals, then shot herself with a rifle - with her toe - while she was wearing her fully-tied shoes. No way, says the Army, that she could have been beaten, raped, mutilated and then shot by one or more brutal killers. And oh, the multiple additional "suicides" of female soldiers at Balad in recent years is just a coincidence. No, really. Share the outrage as Melissa describes the awful facts of this case and the absolutely heroic and unrelenting search for the truth by LaVena's family - particularly her father, who will not give up until the real story of his daughter's death is revealed.

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135. Smells Like Dead In The Water - The Death Of Abdi Sharif - With Special Guest Stephanie Kinney May 12, 2020

Show notes

18 year- old Abdi Sharif lived with his family in Des Moines, Iowa. He and his sister both worked at a local Target store to help support the struggling household. By all accounts a happy, friendly kid, Abdi intended to spend some time with his friends on a snowy night at the mall where the Target Store is located on a snowy January 17, 2020. He was last seen walking on a road near the mall, and then - nothing. Nothing for three-and-a-half months, until Saturday May 2, when Abdi Sharif's remains were found near the north bank of the Des Moines River, some four miles away from where he was last seen. Melissa is joined on the phone this episode by Private Investigator Stephanie Kinney, who was brought into the case by Abdi's family when it became clear that police were treating the case, more or less, as an instance of someone simply walking away from his life - this despite the fact that Abdi was happy, showed no signs of depression, desperation or even frustration, and had never indicated to anyone that he intended to do anything like abandon his family. A tireless seeker of facts and truth, Stephanie spent every spare hour of her time searching for Abdi - and now that his body has been found, she intends to work just as hard to seek the truth about his death - and make sure law enforcement doesn't push the case aside as a suicide or accidental death. If you have information on the death of Abdi Sharif, you can contact the Des Moines Police Department at (515) 223-1400 or Stephanie Kinney at C.R.O.W.N. Investigation Services at (563) 206-4778.

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134. Smells Like A Slow Road Out Of Chico - The Disappearance Of Bryce Laspisa May 05, 2020

Show notes

Bryce Laspisa was having problems. What sort of problems, he wouldn't say. But at the end of August 2013 it was pretty clear to his friends - and his girlfriend - up in the far-Northern California town of Chico, where Bryce was attending a local community college, that something was not right. The young redhead had started giving some of his prized possessions away. He told his mother - who lived 500 miles away in Southern California, that he had some big problems that he needed to talk to her about...but he wouldn't go any farther than that. So his mom told Bryce to get in his SUV and drive home so they could figure out how to solve Bryce's problems. Hence begins one of the strangest, most disturbing road drip ever documented - and it was, in fact, documented - right up until the part of the story where Bryce Laspisa's traile disappeared into the warm early morning California air. Join Melissa as she traces the bizarre trek of a confused and likely deeply disturbed young man on a deeply disturbing rod trip into oblivion - where his actions can't be explained but only guessed at and where his journey ends with a crash off a cliff and a trail back to a truck stop - and then - nothing.

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133. Smells Like A Grandmother's Wish - Uncovering Crystal Marler's Killer Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

In October 1998 15 year-old Crystal Marler disappeared from her home in McCreary County Kentucky after being out with friends and - evidence suggests - briefly returning to the house. Where she went, and with whom, remains a mystery. As too often happens when a teenager vanishes, the authorities did not take Crystal's disappearance as anything much more than a case of a runaway. That perception only got stronger when no trace of the young woman could be found...until eleven years later,when Crystal's remains were found by local hunters, and the autopsy revealed that she had been brutally bludgeoned and then shot. And yet, though the case is still classified as an unsolved homicide, Crystal's extended family appears to have done far more investigative work than the police - and no suspect has ever been arrested. Leading the charge on behalf of Crystal's family is her grandmother, Lorella Wood. Now 85 years old and afraid she'll never know the truth about her granddaughter's killer(s), Lorella is hoping that someone - anyone - who knows the truth - or even a part of the truth - will step forward. Lorella joins Melissa by telephone to talk about her beloved Crystal, the rumors surrounding who may have been responsible for her death, and the pain of not seeing the monsters who took her granddaughter brought to justice.

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132. Smells Like Dedication - The Jeffrey Lynn Combs Case And The Mission Of CUE - With Special Guest Jerry Sigmon Apr 21, 2020

Show notes

This time around we focus not just on another missing persons case where we KNOW that SOMEONE knows something that could close it - but also a look into an amazing organization working hard to solve that case and dozens of others around the United States. The case: 41 year-old Jeffrey Combs from Wilkesboro North Carolina, a sweet and caring fellow who, after a hard-knocks youth filled with tragedy, death, jail time and even partial paralysis, had begun to pull his life together in October 2008. By then, Jeff was living back in Wilkesboro with his mother Lucy. After befriending a homeless couple - after opening his mom's home to that couple - and after that couple was ejected for bad behavior, Jeff found unwanted trouble. His moped - which he needed to get around - was stolen, and when he was sure he'd found it down at the homeless encampment where his former friends lived, by all appearances he headed there to retrieve it - and was never seen again. There is near certainty as to who the (now deceased) killers of Jeff Combs were - but no one who could help prove it has stepped forward. And so Jeff's mom Lucy has been left for the past 11-plus years in limbo, not knowing where her son is. And that brings us to the heroes of that amazing organization - it's called The CUE Center for Missing Persons - CUE stands for "Community United Effort." Lucy Combs turned to this national group of volunteers for help, and the angels of CUE have been by her side ever since - and will stay by her side until Jeff's case is solved. Joining Melissa on the phone is Jerry Sigmon, CUE's Western North Carolina State Director, the CUE volunteer who has been with Lucy Combs f rom the moment she turned to the organization. Jerry discusses not just the Combs case but the mission and operation of CUE - a true blessing to families of the missing - as well as the tragedy in his own life that drew him to become a CUE volunteer. If you know anything about the Jeffrey Lynn Combs case, PLEASE contact the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office at (336) 903-7600. If you'd like more information on the CUE Center for Missing Persons, visit their website at http://www.ncmissingpersons.org

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131. Smells Like A Bouquet Of Miracles - Jennifer Morey And The Will To Survive Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

25 year-old Jennifer Morey had just moved into her Houston,Texas-area apartment - her very first - on April 14, 1995. She went out to dinner with friends to celebrate her move-in, then had a friend drive her home, where she went to bed in her brand-new place...and then around 4 am on April 15, Jennifer was awakened to the terrifying realization that she was being straddled by a stranger with a knife to her throat - and who was about to rape her. As she struggled and screamed, she was horrified to hear this complete stranger call her by name - "calm down Jennifer - stop screaming Jennifer" - and when she wouldn't, he slashed her throat. Then he threw her into the bathroom and left her there to bleed out. But Jennifer Morey is a survivor. And she was determined to live. And so she did, with the aid of a small set of what can only be described as miracles. And she is alive today after experiencing one of the most horrific events any woman could ever imagine. Listen in as Melissa retells Jennifer's story, details the identity of the godawful human trash who attacked her - as well as those miracles that surrounded her that frightening morning.

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130. Smells Like A Nightmare At The Valentine Dance - The Abduction Of Carla Walker Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

It was sometime after midnight in February 1974, not long after the Valentine's Day Dance at Western Hills High School had ended in the Fort Worth suburb of Benbrook, Texas. 17 year-old Carla Walker and her boyfriend, high school football star Rodney McCoy, were in the front seat of Rodney's mom's 1969 LTD doing what teenage couples in love tend to do in cars on a Saturday night. Suddenly,the passenger side front door flung open, Rodney was repeatedly pistol-whipped and Carla, who was dragged out from underneath him,told the man - or was it men? - to stop hitting her boyfriend - that she would go with him/them. "Go get Daddy" were the last words Rodney heard Carla shout as she was taken away - and just before he passed out. Just three days later, Carla's body was found in a culvert in a remote area near Benbrook Lake. She had been tortured, raped and strangled to death. Rodney, who had bruises and cuts from his attack, could barely describe the assailant(s). To this day, Rodney can't say for certain who beat him and abducted Carla. The case became the most-reported case in Texas in 1974 and is still one of the most sensational unsolved murder mysteries in the state's history. Listen in as Melissa goes over all the known facts of the case - including a blockbuster letter received by police just days after Carla's body was discovered which was just released by the authorities last year - and the far-too-coincidental min-life story of one William "Ted" Willhoit - a nasty character who may just be at the heart of solving this case once and for all if but for just one crucial tip from someone who knows something they're unwilling - or too afraid - to tell.

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129. Smells Like A Little Boy Lost - The Mystery of Dennis Doe Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

In 1999, the remains of a young boy, probably no older than five or six, were found in a cemetery in DeKalb County Georgia - just outside of Atlanta. The remains were compelling - and heartbreaking. The boy had obviously been well taken car of - obviously loved. The attire was impeccable - his clothing was new, clean and not inexpensive. He had clearly been dressed by a caring parent - probably his mother. His boots were a special type found only in the Atlanta area at the time. So one would think the police had a lot to go on. But no. Not only has it been impossible over the past nearly 21 years to determine the identity of this beautiful child - named "Dennis Doe" by the police because they could not be so cold as to identify him as simply another John Doe - there was absolutely no evidence within the remains to indicate how he died. Was he murdered and left at the cemetery by the killer? Did he get sick and die suddenly, leaving his parents panicked? Had he been kidnapped? No one knows. Because - unbelievably - with the exception of a couple of leads that have led police into complete dead-ends,no one has come forward to even suggest who Dennis Doe really is. Listen in as Melissa details the evidence that exists, the strange and frustrating tips that have gone nowhere - and the hope that exists in the simple knowledge that someone - somewhere - knows who this boy is and has the key that will unlock his story. If you know anything about this case, or even think you might, we urge you to call the DeKalb County Coroner's Office at (404) 244-2600.

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128. Smells Like More Than Just The Dogs Got Rescued - With Special Guest Jon Grobman Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

Here's a major change of pace to bring a little springtime to your soul in this weird winter of our discontent - a stirring story of human redemption through the beauty of giving to, and caring for, other living beings - which, in turn, redeems and restores the lives of humans who find in themselves in the most dire of circumstances. Jon Grobman, in his own estimation, was not a good person in 2005 when he was sentenced to six separate 25 years-to-life terms plus 40 years in prison (that's a total of 190 years-to-life if you're counting), all for repeat non-violent offenses. Faced at a still-young age with the inevitability of dying in prison, Jon looked at the totality of what his life had been up to that point and decided that no matter what, he was going to spend the rest of his life in service to others. This decision eventually led him on a path that brought him to Alex Tonner, a passionate advocate of canine rescue - and with the support of prison authorities, helped Jon start a prison program to save and train dogs for adoption. Starting slowly, Paws for Life K9 Rescue grew into an amazing program. Today, Paws for Life operates in three maximum security prisons in California, training dozens of dogs for home adodption as well as for adoption by law enforcement agenciesd, disabled veterans and as service animals for those in need. The program gives meaning and hope to some of the most hopelessly situated inmates - many of whom are "lifers" whose lives have been rescued by working with dogs whose lives they, the prisoners, are changing changing with love and caring. An amazing gift to the humans and the dogs alike. In 2018, as a result of his work with Paws for Life, Jon became the very first life-sentenced inmate in California to receive a Recall of Commitment from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Since his release, his commitment to Paws for Life remains strong - as Director of Programs for the organization, he's found his mission in life - he continues to work with the prisoners to train, care for, and work with Alex Tonner and her team to make sure that each animal finds a loving, "forever" home. When Melissa and Producer Mark lost their two beloved dogs in 2019, they wondered if they'd ever find another canine companion - and then, almost by accident, they came across an adoption fair hosted by Paws for Life at a local pet store, where they met Jon, Alex...and their newly-adopted one year-old Belgian Malinois rescue, Siren Marie, whose puppy energy drives them nuts but whose beauty and love makes them so grateful that they found her - and that Jon Grobman and Paws for Life K9 Rescue were there to save her for them. Listen in as Melissa spends some quality time with Jon to hear his story and discuss the broader issues of the importance of making decisions to improve our lives, sentencing reform and just being our best possible selves.

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127. Smells Like Murder Before Home Room - Who Killed Hal Arthur? Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

Hal Arthur was pretty much what anybody would want from a high school teacher. One of the most respected and beloved instructors at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, Mr. Arthur was a real hero - something every teacher should strive for. A true advocate and helper of his students, Hal Arthur gave his own time and resources to make sure all kids in his charge had every opportunity to succeed. He even set up a travel agency to make it easier to take his Jewish (and non-Jewish) students on educational trips to the Holy Land. But just shy of his 61st birthday, on March 24, 1989, Mr. Arthur was getting ready to go to work in the dark at 6:00 am - when he was shot four times outside his car, killed instantly by an assassin whom to this day the police say they can't be sure of. Oh, but they have an idea. And the primary - almost certain - culprit is one of the nastiest characters anyone ever dreamed of running across. Just 16 years old when Hal Arthur was executed, he went on to become one of the most awful organized crime figures at a very young age. Oh, he finally got nabbed for that activity, but to date no one has pinned the gruesome murder of a truly lovely and important soul - Hal Arthur - on this monster - or anyone else. Listen in as Melissa retells the tragic, heartbreaking tale and asks - does someone out there know what actually happened - and if so, isn't now the time to come forward?

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