In 1979 and 1980, former Charlotte County Sheriff’s Deputy John Greer was implicated in the deaths of his wife, Jackie Greer, and store clerk Adele Easterly, both victims of fatal shootings. Decades later, in 2023, Greer confessed to killing both women during an interview at a Tennessee care facility, though the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death remain unclear. Greer, who died in 2024, had resigned from the sheriff’s office amid an internal investigation involving another woman. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate Greer’s potential involvement in other crimes.
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James Vanest, 68, killed in a shootout with authorities in November, has been identified as the perpetrator in the 1981 murder of Debra Miller. Advanced DNA analysis linked Vanest’s genetic material to evidence from the crime scene, despite his initial denials and subsequent flight from Ohio. The reopened investigation, utilizing modern DNA techniques, ultimately solved the decades-old cold case. Authorities hope this brings closure to Miller’s family.
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After 50 years, authorities have apprehended Jon Keith Miller, 84, for the 1974 murder of Mary K Schlais. DNA evidence from a hair found on a hat at the crime scene, later confirmed to belong to Miller, led to his arrest. Miller confessed to picking up Schlais, who was hitchhiking, and fatally stabbing her after she refused his sexual advances. This cold case was solved through the perseverance of investigators and the power of forensic science, delivering a long-awaited sense of justice for the victim and her family.
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In November 2009, construction workers near Hoover Dam stumbled upon human remains, sparking a 15-year-long mystery. Despite extensive efforts, the identity of the deceased, known only as John Doe, remained unknown. The breakthrough came in 2022 when forensic genetic genealogy, a relatively new technique, was used to analyze the victim’s DNA and identify potential relatives. This led investigators to William Herman Hietamaki, a man last seen in 1995, who had a history of traveling across the country. Through interviews and DNA testing, Hietamaki was definitively identified as John Doe. While the cause of death remains undetermined, forensic genetic genealogy provided closure to a long-unsolved case and highlighted the emerging power of this technology in identifying victims in cold cases.
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This news about the dismembered remains found in a freezer, identified as missing teen Amanda Overstreet from 2005, is truly chilling. The fact that she was never reported missing, and the remains were discovered only after the home where they were stored was sold, raises a myriad of questions and concerns. Amanda was just a child, 16 years old at the time of her disappearance, yet she seemingly vanished without a trace. The lack of reporting her missing by her family, neighbors, or even the school she attended is incredibly disturbing.
Living next door to a house where such heinous acts may have taken place is eerie to think about.… Continue reading
As I read about the six-year-old boy abducted from a California park in 1951 who was found alive after seven decades, a flood of emotions overwhelmed me. The thought of a child being taken away from his family at such a tender age is truly heartbreaking. The fact that he was reunited with his brother after all these years is bittersweet. It’s a mix of relief and sorrow, knowing that his parents never got to see their son again but at least there was some closure for the rest of the family.
I couldn’t help but wonder about the abductor and the couple who raised him as their own.… Continue reading
The sadness surrounding the case of the mother arrested in connection with the cold case death of her newborn daughter found in a California dumpster 37 years ago is overwhelming. The tragedy of an innocent life lost in such a heinous manner is something that is hard to fathom. As information comes to light about the circumstances surrounding this case, it’s hard not to question the priorities and resources being allocated to these types of investigations.
The fact that there are laws in place now, such as the “Safe Arms for Newborns” law passed in 2001, that allow parents to confidentially surrender newborns to hospitals or fire stations without fear of prosecution is a crucial piece of information that sheds light on the lack of options available to young mothers in the past.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker