Unsolved News Round-up: 13.12.20
Zodiac's code cracked and the forgotten New York serial killer...
Africa
🇿🇦 South Africa: Toddler brutally murdered by his own father
To the horror of the rest of a three-year-old’s family, the boy was taken by his father from his grandmother’s house and tortured. More here. (Warning: the details are graphic)
Asia
🇮🇳 India: Only 10% of Rape Cases Involving Low-Caste Women solved
Reports of sexual violence against women of lower castes in India are on the rise, and a new report details how the justice system is failing survivors and victims. More here.
🇯🇵 Japan: Male nursery teacher arrested for murder
The man, Yoshito Sato, broke into the victim’s Tokyo apartment to commit what he claimed to be a robbery in September, but instead strangled her. 35-year-old Saori Tomizuka’s body was found in a popular holiday area outside of Tokyo, where, Sato had taken & buried her. Sato was caught on CCTV leaving her apartment as well as following another woman after he murdered Tomizuka. More here.
🇵🇭 Philippines: Police arrest suspect in murder of journalist in November
President Duterte’s regime has been one of bloody violence, state sanctioned murder and silencing of campaigners. Virgilio Maganes was the 18th journalist killed under Duterte’s government, shot six times in front of his own home in early November. Noe Ducay, and several unknown suspects have been arrested. More here.
Europe
🇫🇮Finland: Danish man to be tried in Finland over 1987 Viking Sally cruise murder
Earlier this year we reported the Finnish authorities had identified a suspect in the decades old murder of German national Klaus Herman Schelkle, and the attempted murder of his girlfriend Bettina Taxis. The suspect is set to be tried, the Danish man is claiming his innocence. More here.
🇪🇸 Spain: Suspected hitman parties in Marbella
Suspected Irish hitman Johnny Morrissey launched his own vodka brand in Puerto Banus with a raucous party. The notorious underworld figure fled Ireland more than two decades ago but is still a major suspect in several gangland hits. More here.
North America
🇨🇦 Canada: Gang-style shooting of ‘hard-working’ father of four likely mistaken identity
It was December 6th 2019, about 6 a.m when Jeff Johnson, 39, was getting ready to leave for work. But before he could continue his usual morning routine Johnson was surprised and executed in his own Hamilton home driveway. Police believe he was being followed in the days leading to his killing and have associated the murder with a gangland hit. Johnson however, had no known connection to the underworld, leading investigators to believe it was a case of missing identity. More here.
🥇California: Zodiac’s ‘340 Cipher’ finally decoded after 51 years
A team from the US, Australia & Belgium worked together to crack the long perplexing code by the audacious and infamous killer. The decoding however, does not reveal the killer’s identity. Zodiac claims one of his other unsolved ciphers contains his name. The team continues to work on deciphering the remaining codes. More here.
⛰️ Colorado: Killer of Jennifer Watkins in 1999 identified but no justice
Jennifer Watkins worked as a food service aide in Memorial Hospital, Colorado. Springs when she suddenly went missing. Two days later her body was found wrapped in plastic in part of the hospital under construction. Using DNA and working with Parabon NanoLabs investigators have identified former maintenance worker, Ricky Severt as her killer with 99.9% certainty. Unfortunately the family will not get to see her killer brought to justice, Severt died in a car accident in 2001. More here.
⛏️ Missouri: DNA finally identifies toddler “Baby Jane” found dead in 1982
The toddler who was 18-months-old at the time of her death was identified as Alisha Ann Heinrich. Her mother, Gwendolyn Mae Clemons, has been missing since the toddler was found. More here.
🗽 New York: John Francis Roche is the forgotten New York Serial Killer caught by chance
June 5th, 1954, Officer Gustave Roniger patrolled his beat on the streets of Rockaway Beach, Queens, when he spotted a black Pontiac go the wrong way on a one-way street. His police instincts kicked in, and he managed to pull the driver over, discovering he had neither a licence nor registration. Roche, the driver, was also conceling a bloody pipe and a knife in the car. Once he was back at the precinct he began confessing to a grizzly set of murders in the city. More here.
🛩️ Ohio: Police find out a man has been missing since 1969, start new investigation
21-year-old Frank Cerimele from Youngstown was originally reported missing shortly after his disappearance in July 1969 but the case went cold and was eventually forgotten. Until now. Detective Sgt. Dave Sweeney, received a call around a month ago tipping him off about a woman missing since 1974 — at the same time the name Frank Cerimele came up, it’s unclear if the cases are related but the new information has brought the freezing case up again. More here.
Oceania
🇦🇺Australia: Reward increases to AUD $1M in unsolved 1994 murder of Melissa Hunt
Melissa Hunt was 22-years-old when she was found dead from severe head injuries, dumped in a dam in the Australian city of Newcastle. Renewed forensic testing of material found where Melissa’s body was discovered has led to hopes of DNA leading to an arrest. The investigators are still looking for help with information leading to an arrest and have increased the reward to encourage that help. More here.
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