Last Updated on September 23, 2022 by Ben Oakley
May 17th
On May 17th in true crime, Miami riots, vanished without a trace in California, cold case disappearance in Colorado Springs.
1978
After a five-week investigation, Charlie Chaplin’s stolen remains were recovered. Police arrested two mechanics named Roman Wardas and Gantscho Ganev who subsequently led them to the body.
They were charged with grave-robbing and attempted extortion. They had held the corpse hostage in a bizarre attempt to seek ransom.
1980
The 1980 Miami riots began and lasted four days, resulting in the deaths of 18 people and injuring over 350. The violent race riots began when four Dade County Public Safety Department officers were acquitted of manslaughter for the 1979 death of black salesman, Arthur McDuffie.
The riots began in the neighbourhoods of Overtown and Liberty City. They were the largest riots since the 1960s and remained the largest until the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
By the third day of the riots, over 3,500 National Guardsmen had been deployed to the area.
1981
In Honeydew, California, 56-year-old Edrel Mae Pierce disappeared as she walked down her driveway to mail some letters.
She was last seen by her neighbour but no one knows what happened to her afterwards. Pierce was known to have been in poor health and had spent some time in a psychiatric hospital for an unspecified mental disorder.
However, her disappearance was out of character and no trace of her has ever been found, dead or alive. The case remains open with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department.
1982
In Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs, an emotionally unstable 40-year-old Barbara Jean Baumann vanished without a trace.
She had left her home wearing only a lavender blanket and drove off en-route to Wisconsin. No trace of her or her vehicle has ever been found.
Despite her instability, investigators have long suspected foul play. The case remains open.
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I think this was no way an accident or a case of getting lost, this was murder. If they got…
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I'm honoured. Thank you and stay safe.
I really enjoy reading your short clips about the crimes committed. I like the books you write too.
The number of victims is always contentious.
Why not Jack the Ripper? He could have had different MO's.