She too had been strangled, but was had no known history with either drugs or prostitution. He said it was a knife from what he was told. During her lifetime, she had been arrested multiple times for theft and was a known drug addict. While this propelled the case to a national audience, the case remained unsolved. With the 29th Pick in the NFL Draft, The Saints Select Bryan Bresee, Nate Diaz, Former UFC Fighter, Chokes Out Logan Paul Look-A-Like on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, The Worlds Largest Bounce House Heading to New Orleans April 21-23, Reopening Date Announced for Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, 2023 New Orleans Jazz Fest is Going Cashless, Recall of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell Falls Short, Official Numbers Show, Company Behind Popular Mobile Games Opens Hub in New Orleans, Louisiana, LSU Wide Receiver Malik Nabers Arrested in New Orleans on a Weapons Charge, New Orleans, Louisiana Accounts for 5 Percent of Mass Shootings Nationwide in 2023. Macdonald, who proposed in a 1963 American Journal of Psychiatry article that future serial violence and even murder can often be predicted in children who simultaneous engage in chronic bedwetting, compulsive arson, and cruelty toward animals. Cookie Notice If youll recall from earlier in this episode, Clay the Serial Killer called into Sterns show on August 13, 1997over one week after Ellwood was jailed. [10] Gilliam stated that she woke up to find herself in a pool of blood in an unfamiliar, wooded area, where a passing motorist found her by chance and sheltered her at the motel he was staying at. On February 22nd, Delores Mack was located (possibly; strangled; the charges were dropped). Weill, a California photographer suffering from severe Bipolar Disorder, was known to be fixated on celebrities. Delores Mack was also murdered; she was first drugged and then strangled to death. It is unclear where she was employed, but nothing indicated that she engaged in prostitution or used drugs. "No. FBI agent John Fleming told the press in November 1995, "A common thread in the victims was their membership of prostitution rings that seem to have been connected with a group of NOPD officers. It is currently unknown whether Gant is still employed by any law enforcement agency, but investigators within the New Orleans Police Department are hopeful that future advancements in DNA technology will bring conclusive answers regarding his possible involvement in the slayings of these young women. Destor of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that Gant is still on the suspect list.[2]. The guy said that he was put on medication in prison and he was having nightmares and hearing all kinds of things. Except this time, no police trace reveals the caller to be a hoaxer in a mental institution. You might have heard about Clay the Serial Killer and his controversy on The Howard Show. Investigators determined that she was a transsexual, had feminine features and worked as an exotic dancer at a New Orleans nightclub. This caller, who identified himself as "Clay," claimed to be an unidentified serial killer from the New Orleans area Here, Clay makes reference to Jimmy Swaggart, the famous Pentecostal Televangelist. [12] A deputy who worked in the department later attempted to sue them for allegedly firing him for revealing that Rushing had destroyed crucial evidence, but his appeal was rejected due to lack of evidence. On June 2, 25-year-old George Williams' body was found in the LaBranche Wetlands area of St. Charles Parish. was usually a hammer strike to the head, but one time via strangulation. [2], On January 4, 1992, the body of 29-year-old Lydia Madison, who had several arrests on charges of prostitution and drug possession, was found in a ditch under a highway overpass. Weinweir Henry, Lewis' cousin, stated that she last saw her at a hotel in Avondale with a man, whom she identified as Ellwood. The call remained virtually absent from public discourseand even the internetuntil 2019, when fans of Stern began posting about the segment on Reddit, reigniting interest in the incident. Russell Ellwood is the man many believe to be "Clay the Serial Killer", the man who called The Howard Stern Show in 1997 and confessed to killing 12 women. But as soon as he arrived in the state, Ellwood was taken into custody on traffic-related charges. He was a cab driver in Nola that raped & killed prostitutes. By August 1995, word had leaked to the press that Gant was a suspect in the murders of Sharon Robinson and Karen Ivester, and possibly as many as 22 other murders in the area. The dramatic arrest in 2018 of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was all the more astounding because of how detectives said they caught . But what if that wasnt the case? He ultimately got a job as a freelance photographer, but he left for an undisclosed reason. Each time 'Clay' answered a question he responded in a calm, matter-of-fact manner. The entire call is unnerving, but there are parts of the call that are absolutely terrifyingand this guy was stalking and killing people right down I-10 only a couple of hours away. After the call, police thought Ellwood could potentially be the "Storyville Slayer" a serial killer in New Orleans who murdered up to 24 sex workers. The treads on her shoes definitively matched a shoeprint found next to a dead body that had been discovered only three hours earlier and only a mile awayand the victim had been Sharons best friend. From the infamous Zodiac Killer who taunted the media with baffling clues about his crimes to the Cleveland Torso Murderer who beheaded and dismembered his victims, take look at these chilling serial killers who were never caught. For now, the answer to this question remains unresolved. Below is the infamous phone call to the Howard Stern Show. I'm willing to confess to two cases and give you all the details when I return to Louisiana. Due to extreme decompisition, she too remains unidentified, and is named "Jane Doe No. Several of Russell Ellwood's other potential victims were clients of a black Nola cop who was a suspect in their disappearance. When Clay answers in the affirmative, this now gives investigators motivation for look for biological evidence that might link a series of cold cases together, in this instance, semen or body hairs left behind by the killer. A death record for Weill notes that he was the son of a man named Sam Weillyoull recall Sam as being the name Eric asked to be called while masquerading as the Zodiac on Jim Dunbars television show. Robinson's boyfriend was a police officer called Victor Grant, who has denied any wrongdoing. [2] FBI agent Neil Gallagher later clarified that Gant was a suspect only in Robinson and Ivester's murders, and at present, they had no evidence tying him to any of the other killings. The next day, Stern said on the show that the FBI came to the studio asking for a tape of the call. In a manner strikingly wise for a shock-jock morning radio host, Stern begins asking a series of seemingly mundane questions regarding Clays modus operandi. He said that he was 27 and the girl was 32. 30-year-old Karen Ivester had been strangled and her nude body was left in a swamp under I-55. On April 30, 1995, the body of 28-year-old Sharon Robinson was found face-down in a shallow body of water next to an I-55 off ramp in LaPlace, Louisiana, 25 miles west of New Orleans. Cheryl Lewis' mother, in turn, admitted that her daughter was a drug addict and a prostitute, but said that she had never seen Ellwood with her daughter before. GG.exe Kylo was here Sep 6, 2005 139,195 89,282 AFL Club Antoinette Rainey, who worked as a drug dealer in New Orleans, also appeared as a witness for the prosecution, testifying that Ellwood was a regular customer. During interrogation, Ellwood initially denied making any such statements to the inmates, but after an audio tape of Hill's testimony was played, he admitted that he had indeed boasted to Hill. [2] Her estimated age was between 25 and 35. Although this definition is widely accepted, the crime is not formally recognized in any legal code, including that of the United States. [5] Like the previous victims, Lewis was an impoverished mother of four and known prostitute with several arrests, and had been strangled to death. She testified that in 1992, during a date, Ellwood, while under the influence of drugs, assaulted, beat and strangled her into unconsciousness. When he appeared in court, other prisoners who knew Ellwood gave witness accounts against him. Another inmate, Stephen Michael Busser, also told police that Ellwood had boasted of being wanted for more than 60 murders within the state of Louisiana, and had even described to him in detail one of them. [2], On February 13, 25-year-old Stephanie Murray's body was found in a small pond near the Bonnet Carr Spillway. His attorneys argued that Ellwood was not in New Orleans at the time of the murders, claiming that he had been in Ohio with some relatives. She was later identified as 39-year-old Lola Porter, who had gone missing from New Orleans in 1992. [2], On May 6, the body of 39-year-old Sandra Williams, who had been strangled, was found on a boulevard in New Orleans. Ellwood later claimed that a mental illness had caused him to boast, demanding that the interrogations cease and he be allowed to return to New Orleans to see his attorney and be provided with treatment. They say some of the details the caller talked about were things that only the killer would know. At the time, Swaggarts ministries were located in Baton Rouge, Louisianaa city whose population is still today over 50% black. Stern and Quivers asked him questions related about why he did it. "Clay the Serial Killer" On the morning of 13 August 1997, a mysterious man called into the syndicated radio program of popular shock-jock Howard Stern. While incarcerated, authorities charged him with the murders of Lewis and Mack on March 4, 1998.[5]. The guy identified himself as Clay, mentioned if he killed himself he would miss the Batman movie, says he kills with a hammer, talks about comic books. Self-Professed New Orleans Serial Killer Once Confessed 12 Murders to Howard Stern. The suspect has been identified in a police sketch as a large, muscular black man in his 30s. Keep discussing! [2] Eighteen days later, the body of 28-year-old Charlene Price was found in a New Orleans park, just one mile from where Britton was found. While prisoners in the United States do retain some telephone privileges, it is highly unlikely that Ellwood would have been able to call the Howard Stern Show from prison and remain on the line for that long. Reading comments online and on this video, it looks like I'm not alone. He first rendered his victims unconscious by giving them drugs, and then he killed them in a number of ways, most commonly by strangling or suffocation. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Two off-duty St. Charles Parish deputies saw Ellwood returning to the scene of Cheryl Lewis' murder a year later while still partially clothed. In 1997, 'Clay' called into the show to tell Stern and Quivers he had killed 12 sex workers. [10] According to the testimony of Denise Sanders, who was Lewis' best friend, she had seen her with Ellwood three days prior, who was out driving his cab. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRAY3N3FXw. These two murders were part of a string of at least 26 prostitutes who were murdered between 1991 and 1996. Gant was a 15-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, and also the last person seen with Sharon Robinson before she went missing during the early hours of April 30. At some point prior to 2016, Gant found employment as an officer with the Carver College Police Department in Atlanta. After all, my listeners who took drama club classes in high school will remember that the first rule of improv is to always say yes. Two days later, the skeletal remains of another young girl were found, whose identity was never ascertained. -. [2], According to investigators, the crimes began in the summer of 1991, after a young black woman informed police about an attempt on her life. Sometimes, its not a good fit for a particular department. Ellwood, however, was eventually cleared in Macks murder after his attorneys proved he had been in Ohio at the time of her death. According to friends and acquaintances of the victims, Gant held a personal grudge against Ivester and had spoken negatively about her on multiple occasions. The second witness, Antoinette Holmes, who lived near Lewis, testified to seeing her at the Time Saver restaurant in Bridge City two weeks before she was reported missing, standing between two parked cars and talking to a cab driver. [2], On July 3, the body of 32-year-old Michelle Foster, who had gone missing in New Orleans just days prior, was found. Ellwood was taken into custody on August 4, 1997, just a few days after the completion of the interrogations, for allegedly purchasing cocaine from an undercover police officer at his house near Sebring. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. While conducting various intervews, FBI agents learned that Victor Gant had apparently openly spoke of his dislike of Karen Ivester prior to her murder, supposedly because she had talked a friend of hers out of becoming a prostitute, cutting into Gants bottom line. [6] In the early 1990s, Gant gained a reputation for being corrupt after a number of informants reported that he, along with a few others, were running racketeering operations against pimps and other criminals. Henry testified that she had not given the police this information, as she was wanted for petty offenses at the time. 'World's Youngest Serial Killer' Had Murdered Three People By Eight Years Old; Convicted serial killer on death row explains how he feels just hours before his execution; Man Who Caught Golden State Killer Says There Are 2,000 Serial Killers In The US 'America's first female serial killer' says she 'did the right thing' in killing her victims *alleged killer calls himself clay *claims to have killed 12 women, first when he was 16 *used hammer or strangulation *killed in New Orleans and Mississippi area *says he's white, has kids never been married *seems to say most victims or at least half were black and they always approached him Assuming this wasnt some radio prank, how else would Clay know that some of his victims were never found, unless he took special notice of their identities and the locations where he left their bodies so that he could scour media reports for their discovery later? The penalty couldn't be upheld though, since Sowell died in prison in February 2021. He was one of the two main suspects in a series of murders of women in New Orleans, Louisiana. Numerous articles from several national publications name Ganta black police officeras a suspect in the New Orleans serial murders a full two years before Clays phone call, and television news segments chronicling Gants activities were aired on CBS and ABC in late 1995. [2], On November 21, the body of 37-year-old Regina Oko was discovered. According to some online reports, the FBI paid Stern a visit at his studio the following day to obtain copies of the recorded call, and Stern never publicly mentioned the incident again. In December 1965, Weill attended a San Francisco press conference for legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, asking him a series of bizarre questions. According to the investigators, Gant had killed both her and her friend, Karen Ivester, in order to get rid of them. [9] Ellwood was eventually convicted and ordered to spend 120 days behind bars. was thought to be a serial killer. Wesley Brownlee is suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in the string of shootings. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Ellwoods attorneys also attempted to convince the jury that he had also been in Ohio when Lewis was killed, and that a receipt proving so had been deliberately destroyed by Lt. Sue Rushing, the former leader of the New Orleans task force. This caller, who identified himself as "Clay," claimed to be an unidentified serial killer from the New Orleans area. The caller then goes on to say "You can call me Clay". I'll look it up later. Howard Stern then asks Clay how many prostitutes he's killed. In fact, you never hear about this incident again until nearly a quarter century later, when the internet digs up an old recording of the broadcast. In addition to Gant, another resident of New Orleans, Russell Ellwood, soon came under police suspicion. It should be noted that a sketch of the killer was drawn in 1992 after the first six murders; the sketch depicted a large, muscular African-American man in his 30's, which matched Gant's physical description. [4], On September 3, the body of 21-year-old Tyra Tassin was found. A mother of three, she had a criminal record for drug possession. She was later identified as 28-year-old Stephanie Brown, who had no prior criminal record. Acting fast, the police arranged for Jim Dunbar, the host of KGO-TVs, AM San Francisco, to have Melvin Belli join him on the air that morning, as Bailey was 3,000 miles away in Boston at the time. Despite the fact that no oil changing supplies were found in his vehicle, the police let Ellwood go, but not without keeping an eye on him. During the conversation with host Howard Stern, which was broadcast live, "Clay" described details for more than 12 murders and gave some details about his background, indicating that he was a white resident of New Orleans.
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