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High School Senior Charged in Random Killing of Massachusetts Nurse | Crime House 24/7
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Vanessa Richardson
Hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new Crime House original you should check out. It's called the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah's an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller who's seen firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, examining the moments just before a person disappears, the routines, the timelines, the small details that often get overlooked because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal until it doesn't. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday. Foreign. This is Crime House. Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest one. An 18 year old bishop Fenwick High School senior allegedly spent his night driving through towns looking for a stranger to kill and police say he found one asleep in her home, completely unaware a stranger was about to climb through her window. This is crime house 24 7, your non stop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know. On this show.
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- [02:51]
Vanessa Richardson
On Friday, March 13, 18 year old high school senior Anthony Demeo was arraigned in Salem District Court and ordered held without bail. As the investigation into the brutal killing of a Massachusetts woman continues. Prosecutors say Demeo confessed to breaking into the woman's home and stabbing her to death while she slept, later telling investigators he had, quote, wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone, end quote. The victim is 68 year old Jennifer Janet Swallow, a divorced mother of two adult sons and ICU nurse who had lived in her home on Amherst street in Danvers, Massachusetts for decades. According to police, she was found stabbed to death in her bedroom and by the next morning, an 18 year old named Anthony Demeo was standing before a judge in Salem District Court charged with murder and home invasion. On the afternoon of March 12, Lynn police received a 911 call reporting a man walking on Standish Road carrying a The witness said he briefly made eye contact with her before continuing down the street, prompting her to contact police because she believed something was wrong. When officers located Deo, they noticed blood on the knife and described him as acting erratically because of his mental state at the time. They transported him to Salem Hospital, but before long investigators would realize this was much more than a disturbance call. According to court documents filed Friday, Deo confessed to the murder while speaking with Lynn officers. The docum documents state that he informed police he had killed a woman in Danvers the night before. That prompted investigators to search his home in Lynn and critically to make their way to Swallow's home in Danvers, about 10 miles away, where they found her body. What emerged from the court filing is deeply disturbing. Deo allegedly told investigators that he had planned this, that he had driven around surrounding communities before stopping in Danvers, ultimately picking a street where a home was under construction. He noted a GR porta potty out front and then identifying a separate home to break into. According to the documents, he gained entry by climbing through a window, ripping the screen away to get into the kitchen. He then moved through the home until he found Janet Swallow asleep in her bedroom. The documents allege he entered her room and began stabbing her in the neck. When the knife became stuck, he pulled her off the bed and onto the floor. After that, he left, got in his car and drove back to his home in Lynn. The Essex County District Attorney, Paul Tucker, held a news conference the night of March 12th and made clear this was entirely random. There was no relation between Deo and Janet Swallow. He had never met her. Tucker stated to CBS Boston, quote, this was random. There was no connection between the defendant and the resident. He had no connection to the home. End quote. Deo was arraigned Friday, but his case immediately took a significant procedural turn. A psychologist told the court she had spoken with DEO that morning and expressed concern about, in her words, his rational understanding. As a result, Judge ordered Deo to Bridgewater State hospital for a 20 day psychiatric evaluation. He's due back in court on April 1st. The school also released a statement Friday from its President, Tom Noonan Jr. Saying the school is cooperating fully with law enforcement. Noonan noted that the incident took place off campus, did not involve any other members of the school community and consistent with what prosecutors prosecutors confirmed did not appear to involve any connection between the victim and deo. The statement said counselors were on campus to support students and staff and would return again March 16. Neighbors in the Amherst street neighborhood described the killing as almost impossible to comprehend. Several residents told local media the area is typically quiet and residential, the kind of neighborhood where many families have lived for decades. Janet Swallow herself had been part of that community for many years. Friends and neighbors said she lived in the same home for more than four decades and was known as a friendly presence on the street. And while this Massachusetts community searches for answers after a seemingly random act of violence, investigators in Pennsylvania are piecing together another shocking case, one that began with a home explosion and a note authorities say revealed a deadly plan. This next story out of Pennsylvania focuses on allegations that investigators say span years. A man has now been arrested and charged in connection with an explosion that destroyed his own home back in 2022, an explosion that, according to investigators, he deliberately caused. And what allegedly tipped investigators off years later? A handwritten note that reportedly read p S I did blow up the house. 41 year old Jacob Rab of Plum, Pennsylvania was taken into custody on Monday, March 9th and is expected back in court this week on Wednesday, March 18. He now faces 25 counts, including attempted homicide, aggravated arson and criminal mischief, according to public Allegheny county court records. He's currently being held without bail, his court docket citing that he poses a threat to the victim, witness or the community. It's unclear at this time whether Rab has entered a plea. The Alleg Ganey County Public Defender's Office, which represents him, has not commented publicly. Let's go back to April 22, 2022. According to a criminal complaint, authorities alleged that Rab disconnected the gas line to the dryer in the home, allowing gas to flow freely through the home. The result was a catastrophic explosion. Rab, his girlfriend and their three sons, ages 11, 6 and 2 at the time, were all inside that home when it blew. Remarkably, everyone escaped but the 11 year old, who was in the basement playing video games at the time, suffered first degree burns. He was also, according to the affidavit, the only one who told police he smelled gas before the blast. Rab himself reportedly told investigators that he and his girlfriend did not notice any gas odor, but were woken up by the ceiling already collapsing on them. Investigators also reviewed gas usage records for the home in the weeks leading up to the explosion. Those records showed separate occasions of extremely high gas consumption, a detail that combined with everything else helped fire officials make a determination. With that, the Holiday Park Fire Department ultimately ruled the explosion was arson, specifically arson caused by, quote, natural gas vapors intentionally released through manual manipulation of a gas line. Holiday Park Fire Department Chief James Sim later told CBS Pittsburgh that the house was, quote, unquote, fully involved and that, quote, the roof was already caved in, the sidewalls were caving in. It's amazing they survived this incident, end quote. But the case didn't fully unravel until more than a year after the blast. In May 2023, Rab's girlfriend filed for a protection from abuse order against him. Just days after filing that order, she discovered handwritten notes in her home that were allegedly written by Rab. Those notes, according to the complaint, read, p S, I did blow up the house and if I can't have her, no one will or my kids. See you all in hell. About a month after those notes were discovered, Rab was arrested again, this time after his former girlfriend alleged he'd broken into her home, threatened to kill her, and held a knife to her throat. During questioning related to that incident, Rab allegedly admitted to investigators that he had disconnected the gas valve at the woman's home, but did not confess to causing the 2022 explosion during the interview. It took until March 9th of this year, nearly three years after that explosion, for Rab to be formally charged in connection with it. His next scheduled court appearance is March 18. As the case surrounding that explosion finally begins to move forward in Pennsylvania, we turn next to Michigan, where a sentencing hearing yesterday briefly descended into chaos inside a courtroom.
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Vanessa Richardson
Here's what people online are sharing, rhain says. Everything is just so smooth and fast. I still can't get over it. Syncing stuff between my phone and this is just chef's kiss. Rincredible488 says Apple Silicon basically cures low battery trauma. That's how they felt with their first Mac. How will you introducing the all new MacBook Neo, an amazing Mac at a surprising price. Find out more on apple.com Mac In a Wayne County, Michigan courtroom on Thursday, March 12, a sentencing hearing in a murder case took a sudden turn as emotions in the room boiled over and the proceedings briefly descended into chaos. The man being sentenced was 43 year old Jarvis Butts. The case before the court was one that has left a family and a community still searching for answers and a sense of closure. The Butts pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the death of 13 year old Naziah Harris and is expected to spend up to 60 years in prison for her murder. Prosecutors say he impregnated the teenager and later killed her along with her unborn child after finding out he was the father. Naziah was last seen stepping off a school bus on January 9, 2024. She was reported missing soon after. To this day, her body has never been found, leaving her family with questions that may never be fully answered. During court hearings in January 2025, Wayne county prosecutors argued that Naziah and Butts allegedly had an inappropriate relationship and that Butts allegedly started exchanging sexually abusive texts with Harris as early as 2022. Her aunt, Shannon Harris, who was dating Butts, said she never suspected anything beyond the typical uncle niece Bo Addition to the murder charge, Butts also pleaded guilty to four counts of second degree criminal sexual contact and one count of third degree criminal sexual contact in separate cases. The sentence issued by Judge Nicholas J. Hathaway included 35 to 60 years in prison on the murder charge, with credit for time served on the five criminal sexual conduct charges. Butts was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison, according to the previous plea agreement. All of these terms are set to be served concurrently. As a part of the plea agreement, Butts was required to provide a statement about the location of Harris's body. That statement has not been heard publicly and was not included in Thursday's sentencing hearing. Wayne county prosecutor Kim Worthy said such a statement was provided to authorities, but that information is not being released. Further, the sentencing hearing was expected to be emotional, but the moment Naziah's grandmother, Annette Harris, took the stand to deliver her victim impact statement, the room shifted. She told the court, quote, it's been two years and two months since I reported Naziah missing. I don't feel safe in my home. I have been threatened. My family has been threatened, end quote. When she broke down in tears on the stand, shouting erupted in the courtroom. Judge Nicholas Hathaway ordered two women to be removed from the room. The shouting continued from the hallway even after they were escorted out. Other victims of Butts sexual abuse also addressed the court. One, speaking directly to Butts said, quote, you were someone one I called dad until you did what you did. You did very hurtful things to me. I live with the trouble you caused me. I no longer look at you as a father figure, no longer as a hero, but as a monster, end quote. Harris's aunt, Marquetta Harris, was unflinching in her address. She told the court, quote, justice will never be served. You're still able to live, you're still able to get health care, you're still able to breathe, breathe without any remorse, end quote. Even Butts own sister, Tijuana Butts, spoke, saying she came not for her brother, but for the victims. She told him directly, quote, you made your bed, you got to lay in it, end quote. And from that emotional courtroom in Michigan, we turn next to Florida, where the ex boyfriend of a 90 Day Fiance alum was accused of trying to drown her during a chaotic boat party confrontation. A case that has now ended with a a not guilty verdict. On March 12, there was a major update in a case we've been following. A Florida judge delivered a verdict that is drawing attention both in legal circles and in the reality television world. Cole Goldberg, who was accused of trying to drown his then girlfriend during a boat party in 2022, was acquitted on all charges. Circuit judge John Parofielo announced the verdict in a Palm beach county courtroom on March 12. Goldberg found not guilty on attempted second degree murder, simple battery and battery by strangulation. The alleged victim is Carolyn Schwitzky, who's known to reality television viewers from her 2016 appearance on 90 Day Fiance, happily Ever after, where she appeared as a talent agent representing cast member Paa Mayfield. The incident in question occurred at Boca bash in 2022, a massive annual boating gathering that fills Lake Boca Raton with hundreds of vessels and thousands of swimmers. Schwitzky testified that she broken up with Goldberg just before jumping into the water to swim away from him and that she was immediately pushed under. And according to people, she said she was dragged like a rag doll. She told the court she initially thought she was being attacked by a shark. Before she saw Goldberg's legs in the water, she said, quote, I thought I was going to die, end quote. Goldberg's defense argued the incident was not an attack, that he entered the water out of concern for Schwitzky's safety in unfamiliar conditions and was him struggling. The prosecution countered with the accounts of six independent eyewitnesses on nearby boats who corroborated Schwitzky's version of events. Assistant State Attorney Victoria Suarez called that level of independent corroboration in a domestic violence case virtually unprecedented. But the judge sided with the defense. And now the case that began with a chaotic confrontation in the waters of Lake Boca Raton ends with a full acquittal, closing a legal battle that has played out for nearly three years. Close your eyes. Exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts.
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Vanessa Richardson
If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new crime house show for you to check out. It's the new crime house original series, the Final hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah is an adventure advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001 and Courtney is a true crime storyteller and investigator who witnessed firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, looking not only at what happened, but what led up to it. Each episode examines the moments just before a person disappears, the routines, the timelines, and the small details that often get overlooked. Because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal, a text that doesn't raise concern, a routine that goes unchanged, a door that closes just like it always has. Until it doesn't. The final hours puts those moments under a microscope, because when it comes to justice, there's no such thing as overanalyzing. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen. New episodes every Monday. Before you go, let me tell you what else is happening at Crime House Today on Twisted Tales, we're examining the terrifying folklore behind the film Incantation, a story built around a curse that spreads simply through exposure. In the movie, a group of people investigating a mysterious religious taboo unknowingly trigger something far darker, a ritual object tied to a forbidden belief belief system begins to spread misfortune, illness, and psychological torment to anyone who encounters it. Stories like that might sound like pure horror fiction, but the idea that certain objects can carry misfortune or spiritual contamination is surprisingly common in real world folklore across cultures. People have long believed that some items, whether religious relics, antiques, or ordinary household belongings, can absorb the energy of events surrounding them. When tragedy appears to follow those objects from own to owner, the stories grow. Owners describe strange coincidences. Collectors report unsettling experiences. Over time, the object itself becomes the center of a legend. The Dybbuk Box is one modern example, a wine cabinet said to contain a malicious spirit from Jewish folklore. But it's far from the only artifact that has gained a reputation for bringing misfortune to those who possess it. Here are five objects people believe are cursed, items whose stories have become darker with every ret. Number one the Hope Diamond Few gemstones have accumulated as much legend as the Hope Diamond. The deep blue stone now displayed in the Smithsonian Institution has been linked to stories of disaster and tragedy for centuries. According to popular accounts, the diamond was originally stolen from a sacred statue in India, an act that supposedly unleashed a curse upon anyone who possessed it. Over time, stories began to connect the diamond to the misfortunes of its owners. Wealthy collectors lost fortunes. Aristocrats faced violent deaths during political upheaval. Entire families were said to suffer mysterious illness or ruin after acquiring the stone. Historians have pointed out that Many of these claims were exaggerated or invented by jewelers and journalists eager to increase the stone's mystique. A cursed gem is a far more interesting one. Yet the narrative persisted. Even today, the Hope diamond is often introduced not just as a remarkable gemstone, but as one of the most famous cursed objects objects in the world. A reputation built from centuries of coincidence layered into legend. Number two the Bassano Vase the Bassano vase is one of the most persistent cursed object stories in European folklore. According to the legend, the silver vessel was created in the 15th century in Naples and presented as a wedding gift to a young bride. Before she could marry, however, the bride was found dead, still clutching the vase. Vase from that moment forward, the story claims, the object carried a curse. Every person who inherited it supposedly died soon afterward. The vase was passed through several generations of families, each time followed by another unexplained death. Eventually, according to the tale, a fearful owner sealed the vase in a box with a warning note and buried it. Years later, when the container was discovered and open opened, the cycle of misfortune allegedly began again. Unlike other cursed artifacts, the Bassano vase has no confirmed location today. Its reputation survives almost entirely through retellings in paranormal books and folklore collections. But the story illustrates a common pattern in curse legends. One tragic event becomes the foundation for an entire mythology of supernatural consequences. Number three the hands resist him painting in 2000, a painting titled the Hands Resist him became an Internet sensation after appearing on ebay with a disturbing description. The seller claimed the artwork seemed to change at night and that figures inside the image appeared to move. According to the listing, people who viewed the painting online even reported feeling ill or faint. The painting itself, created by artist Bill Stoneham in 1972, depicts a young boy standing beside a doll like figure in front of a glass door. Behind the glass, shadowy hands press outward as if trying to break through. As the listing circulated online, the image quickly gained a reputation as a cursed object. Viewers reported nightmares and unexplained discomfort after seeing it. Others insisted the figures inside the painting appeared different each time they looked. The painting was eventually purchased by gallery owner, who later explained that the haunting story had been exaggerated for attention. Still, the legend persisted. The eerie composition of the artwork made it easy for viewers to project supernatural meaning onto it. In the digital age, the mythology of cursed objects can spread almost instantly. What once might have been a local legend can now become global folklore overnight. Number 4 the Busby Stoop Chair In a quiet museum in North Yorkshire, England, a wooden chair hangs suspended from the ceiling. Not as decoration, but as a precaution. According to local legend, the chair once belonged to a man named Thomas Busby, who was executed for murder in 1702. Before his execution, Busby reportedly cursed the chair, declaring that anyone who sat in it would suffer an untimely death. Over the centuries, stories accumulated. Soldiers on leave during World War II allegedly sat in the chair while drinking in a nearby pub. Many of them later died in combat. Other patrons who ignored the warning were said to suffer fatal accidents soon afterward. By the 1970s, the chair's reputation had grown so unsettling that its owner donated it to a museum, requesting that it never again be used. Today, it remains mounted high on the wall, where no visitor can accidentally test the legend. Whether coincidence or folklore, the story demonstrates how everyday objects can become powerful symbols once people begin attributing misfortune to them. Number five Annabelle the Doll among modern haunted artifacts, few have achieved the cultural notoriety of Annabelle the Doll, A simple Raggedy Ann toy became famous after paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed it was possessed by a malicious entity. According to the story, the doll belonged to two nursing students in the 1970s. The women began noticing that the doll appeared to move on its own and occasionally left handwrit around their apartment. After consulting with psychics and investigators, the Warren concluded that the entity attached to the doll was not the spirit of a child as initially believed, but something more dangerous. Attempting to manipulate the living, Annabelle was eventually placed inside a locked glass case at the Warren Occult Museum, where it remained for decades, accompanied by a warning sign advising visitors not to touch it. Over time, the doll's legend expanded through books, documentaries, and major horror film. Simple toy became one of the most recognizable symbols of haunted object folklore, proof that sometimes the most ordinary objects inspire the most extraordinary stories. Why Cursed Object Stories Persist Cursed object legends share a powerful psychological pattern. Humans naturally look for patterns when misfortune occurs. When multiple negative events appear connected to the same item, the mind begins to link them together. Together, even if the connection is purely coincidental, objects also carry emotional weight. They survive events that people do not. When tragedy surrounds them, they can seem like silent witnesses or even participants in reality. Most cursed object stories grow gradually through storytelling. A strange coincidence becomes a rumor. The rumor becomes a warning. Over time, the warning becomes a legend. What makes these stories endure is not proof of supernatural forces. It is the human tendency Tendency to give meaning to objects that appear to outlive the people who encounter them. In incantation, the horror begins with a warning. Some things are not meant to be seen, shared, or disturbed. The film builds its terror around the idea that belief itself can spread a curse. For the full breakdown of the folklore, symbolism and real world beliefs that inspired the film, listen to today's episode of Twisted Tales. Because sometimes the most unsettling part of a curse is not the object at its cent, it's the story that convinces people the curse might be real. You've been listening to crime house 247 bringing you breaking crime news. I'm Vanessa Richardson. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories. Stay safe and thanks for listening.
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Vanessa Richardson
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Vanessa Richardson
of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com hi, it's Vanessa. If you're driving drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, check out the new Crime House original the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Listen to and follow the Final hours on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday. Starting a business can seem like a daunting task unless you have a partner. Like shopping, they have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz and Allbirds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into Sign up for your $1 per month trial@shopify.com specialoffer.