Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Russell and Shirley Dermond live in a beautiful lakefront property, Lake Oconee, Georgia. The couple is expected at a Kentucky Derby watch party with neighbors, but don’t show up. When the neighbors reach out by phone, the Dermonds don’t answer. Days later, arriving at the Dermond’s home, the neighbor is surprised to find the front door unlocked. The neighbor calls out their names to no reply.   The neighbor looks in the garage to see if the Dermond’s car is there. The neighbor discovers Russell Dermond laying on the garage floor, decapitated.  The neighbor calls 911, racing around the house looking for Shirley Dermond, but she is nowhere to be found.   Investigators begin a neighborhood search and beyond for Shirley Dermond, without success.  The search lasts for 10 days until two fishermen find her body in lake Oconee. Shirley Dermond has been dumped in the lake with cinder blocks tied to her legs. Her body is recovered about 5 miles from the Dermond home near the dam.  Joining Nancy Grace Today:  Sheriff Howard Sills - Putnam County Sheriff Dr. Kristen Mittelman- Chief Development Officer, Othram Inc., Othram.com, DNAsolves.com;; X @OthramTech  Joe Scott Morgan – Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, “Blood Beneath My Feet,” and Host: “Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;” X: @JoScottForensic Dr. John Delatorre –  Licensed Psychologist and Mediator (specializing in forensic psychology); Psychological Consultant to Project Absentis: a nonprofit organization that searches for missing persons; Twitter, IG, and TikTok – @drjohndelatorre Cody Alcorn – Reporter, 11Alive WXIA (Atlanta, GA); Facebook.com/CodyAlcornNews  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Attempted car thief doesn't expect a fight from the owner. Make sure to keep your receipts! For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ronald Cummings leaves his two children in the care of his live-in girlfriend while he works into the early morning hours.  Arriving home just after 3 AM, Misty Croslin tells him she awoke to use the restroom and can't find Haleigh, 5, anywhere in the house. Croslin points to a backdoor propped open with a brick and tells Ronald the back door was shut and locked when they went to bed.  Ronald Cummings tells Misty Croslin to call 911.  She tells 911 dispatch when she awoke around 3 am to go to the bathroom, she realizes Haleigh is gone and the back door of the trailer is open, and a brick is placed to keep the door propped open. Haleigh is described as a curly headed girl between 40 and 60 pounds wearing pajamas. The dispatcher instructs Misty Croslin and Ronald Cummings not to touch the back door anymore, as K9s are on the way to see if they can pick up Haleigh's scent.   Investigators begin interviewing Misty Croslin as a search team begins looking around the trailer and surrounding areas, including a nearby pond. Ronald Cummings is at work when Haleigh disappears, and he is quickly eliminated as a suspect, but his live-in girlfriend, 17-year-old Misty Croslin, claims she is sleeping in the same room with Haleigh and her little brother when the girl disappears.  Investigators believe Misty Croslin is not giving them the full story.  JOINING NANCY GRACE TODAY: John Merchant - Forner Lead Detective in Haleigh Cummings Case    Ron Cummings - Father Terry Shoemaker - Lawyer for Ron Cummings  Robert Hardwick - St. Johns County Sheriff, Former Assistant Chief Investigator for State Attorney Office that investigated Haleigh Cummings case Dr. Shari Schwartz – Forensic Psychologist (Specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy); Author: “Criminal Behavior” and “Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology;” X: @TrialDoc”  Dave Mack - Reporter, Crime Online See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merchant Marine academy student strangles mom over eviction notice. This driver has an interesting way of expressing his road rage.  For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian Shaffer makes the 30-minute drive from Columbus to celebrate the start of Spring Break with a steak dinner at his father’s house. Over dinner, Brian excitedly discusses his upcoming vacation to Miami with girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner. According to family, Brian plans to propose. Brian also mentions his plans to go out that evening with his former roommate, William “Clint” Florence. At 9:00 p.m, Brian Shaffer meets up with Clint Florence at the Ugly Tuna Saloona, a popular college bar on the second floor of the Gateway Building. Around 10:00 PM, Shaffer calls his girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner to check in before he and Florence leave for another bar in the Arena district. Shaffer and Florence each have a shot at several bars before meeting up with Florence’s friend, Meredith Reed, around midnight. The group heads back to the Ugly Tuna in Reed’s car for one last round. At 1:15 aa.m., Shaffer, Florence, and Reed head up the Gateway Building’s escalator to the Ugly Tuna and partake in one more round of shots while listening to the band. Shaffer gives Florence and Reed some time alone, and chats with two women just outside the bar until 1:55 a.m. Just 5 minutes later, the bar is closing and masses of patrons head down the escalator, but Florence and Reed can’t find Shaffer. The pair eventually assumes that Shaffer went home, likely walking to his off-campus apartment just six blocks away. Saturday morning, Alexis Waggoner calls her boyfriend to nail down some final plans for their upcoming vacation. It goes straight to Brian Shaffer’s voicemail, but Waggoner assumes Shaffer is sleeping off the night before.  That afternoon, a second call from Waggoner goes to voicemail. Shaffer isn’t answering his father either. On Sunday, Derek Shaffer heads to his brother’s apartment. Brian’s car is parked outside, and nothing’s amiss inside his apartment, but no Brian. Monday morning, Brian Shaffer doesn’t show at the airport. Randy Shaffer immediately reports his son missing. Investigators immediately look to surveillance footage at the Gateway building.  Shaffer is last seen walking off camera toward the Tuna’s entrance—but Shaffer never comes back down the escalator. Shaffer isn’t caught outside the building at an emergency exit, either. It appears Shaffer never left the building. The only other exit from the second floor is a service door not meant for public use. The service door leads to an area of the building under construction, where a temporary freight elevator is installed, but climbing down the service ladder would have been tough for a sober person, much less an intoxicated one. Surveillance cameras from nearby bars also should have spotted Shaffer leaving from that first floor exit. Columbus police search garbage that left the Gateway building, the sewers below, and use dogs to comb a miles-wide radius. There’s no sign of Brian Shaffer. JOINING NANCY GRACE TODAY:  Matthew Mangino – Attorney, Former District Attorney (Lawrence County); Author: “The Executioner’s Toll: The Crimes, Arrests, Trials, Appeals, Last Meals, Final Words and Executions of 46 Persons in the United States” Steve Fischer  – Missing Persons Private Investigator, Search & Rescue Specialist, & Owner of Search Investigations; X: @SF_Investigates (helping in the search for Riley) Dr. Angela Arnold – Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA. Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital Todd G. Shipley, CFE, CFCE– Cyber Crime Expert, and Author: “Investigating Internet Crimes: An Introduction to Solving Crimes in Cyberspace;” X: @webcase Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road rage argument ends in machete attack. Florida cops chase down a suspect trying to escape through a second story window! For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skyline Elementary School in northwest Portland Oregon is having their annual science fair so the school is opened about 30-minutes earlier than normal to allow parents and students to see the different projects created by the students. Arriving at Skyline just after 8 a.m., Kyron Horman and his stepmother, Terri Horman, go to his classroom and drop off his coat and backpack. Kyron then shows his stepmother his exhibit called "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog".  The two walk around the classes looking at other students' projects and see many other parents and children who have arrived early for the science fair. Terri Horman volunteers her time helping Kryon's teacher, Kristina Porter, and Porter sees Kyron and Terri Horman in Kyron's classroom that morning and another teacher sees Kyron and Terri in another classroom before the 8:45 a.m. school bell rings   As Terry Horman leaves the school, she sees Kyron walking down a hallway toward his classroom inside Skyline Elementary. Kyron has already placed his bookbag and coat in Miss Porter's classroom when he first arrived for the science fair.  Miss Porter starts her class as like every day, then reading group, then recess, then lunch. Around 3pm the children, tired from a busy day, get on the bus to go home.   Kyron Horman's father Kaine is at home getting his daughter ready to meet Kyron's bus after school.  When Kyron doesn't get off the bus, Kaine Horman assumes there is confusion and Kyron is waiting to be picked up at school. The bus driver calls the school to see if Kyron is waiting to be picked up and finds out from the front office that Kyron has been marked absent, he hasn't been at school all day.    Investigators build a timeline quickly as they search for Kryon Horman. The 7-year-old arrives at school with his stepmother, Terri Horman, around 8 a.m. for the Science Fair. Kyron and his stepmother see teachers and other parents touring the classes, and Terri Horman says goodbye to Kyron in the hallway that goes toward his classroom at 8:45 a.m. near the south entrance of the school.  Investigators say Kyron is seen by one more person around 9 a.m. but they will not identify the individual.  JOINING NANCY TODAY:  Kaine Horman -  Dad of Kyron Horman    Jarrett Ferentino – Pennsylvania Attorney/Homicide Prosecutor; Facebook & Instagram: Jarrett Ferentino; Host: “True Crime Boss” Podcast   Dr. Shari Schwartz – Forensic Psychologist (Specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy); Author: “Criminal Behavior” and “Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology;” X: @TrialDoc”  Dan Corsentino – Former Police Chief, Former Sheriff, Served on US Homeland Security Senior Advisory Board, Private Investigator Annette Newel – KXL News and Host, “Speaking Freely with Annette Newell,” Alpha Media USA (based in Portland, Oregon); X: @AnnetteNewell16 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thoroughness of a prosecutor can make or break how a case unfolds in court. And it can take a prosecutor to explain why a case led to a conviction or failed to do so.  Enter "The Prosecutors"  podcast. Alice and Brett pool their experiences as prosecutors to dive into some of the country's most followed cases.  In this episode, Alice and Brett compiles the evidence, presenting the case for why Scott Peterson is guilty of murdering his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner.   Subscribe to The Prosecutors: https://podfollow.com/1513765512See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elderly woman severely injured by caretaker's 40 wolf-dogs. Attempted plane thief asks for instructions to fly.  For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six years before he became known as the Day Trader who went on a murderous rampage, Mark Barton was the suspect in the death of his first wife and her mother while they were camping at a lake in North Alabama. Today, Joseph Scott Morgan shares  personal memories of working the homicides in Atlanta, as well as breaking down the murders of Mark Barton’s first wife and her mother in the camper, and his second wife and children in their apartment.. Dave Mack fills in the back-story on how Mark Barton may have gotten away with murder and child molestation, but he couldn’t escape himself.     Transcript Highlights  00:00:08 Introduction of geography, family killer, mass murderer  00:02:46 Discussion of Mark Barton  00:07:21 Discussion of murderers and weapons  00:11:44 Talk about day traders in Atlanta  00:16:04 Discussion of murder in camper trailer on lake  00:21:17 Discussion of “robber” that left behind cash and jewelry  00:26:26 Talk about blood in the Camper  00:31:02 Discussion of Mark Barton cheating on his wife  00:35:57 Discussion of timeline of family murders and Buckhead massacre  00:39:49 Discussion of Barton killing second wife and children with a hammer  00:43:06 Discussion of murders at Momentum and All-Tech  00:46:20 Conclusion, Barton shoots himself in the head   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.