Crime House 24/7 Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Oregon Girlfriend's Body in the Woods: Sentencing Update
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Date: January 19, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

This daytime episode of Crime House 24/7 with Vanessa Richardson delivers breaking news and updates on several shocking true crime cases across America. Centered on the sentencing in a notorious Oregon girlfriend murder, the episode also covers disturbing new cases in California, Texas, and Tennessee, before closing with an in-depth look at abandoned "ghost towns" from the feed’s Twisted Tales segment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oregon Girlfriend Homicide: Sentencing Update

[01:54–10:06]

• Summary:
  William Glenn Blake, 56, was sentenced to life in prison (parole eligible after 25 years) for the murder of his girlfriend, Jennifer Ruth Stewart, 38, in Oregon City. Blake pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, ending months of investigation and sparing Stewart’s family a trial.

• Details:

  • Crime Backstory:
    Stewart was shot inside the home she shared with Blake on August 14, 2025. Blake purchased a plastic tote, garbage bags, and gloves at Home Depot after the murder—significant purchases that helped investigators establish a timeline.
  • Body Discovery:
    Stewart's remains were found on September 1, 2025, by hunters in a wooded area, tipped off by turkey vultures. An autopsy confirmed cause of death as a gunshot wound.
  • Investigation:
    Surveillance video, purchase records, and vehicle data were used to track Blake. Involvement of Blake’s 15-year-old son, alleged to have helped move the body, led to charges of corpse abuse and evidence tampering for the teenager in juvenile court.

• Court Proceedings:

  • Blake originally faced multiple charges, but the plea deal led to dismissal of those related to the handling and disposal of the body.
  • Victim Impact:
    Jennifer Stewart's mother, Elizabeth Stewart, delivered an emotional impact statement:

    • "She referred to Blake as a rabid, savage beast and said it was unfathomable that her daughter was shot, placed inside a tote and dumped in the woods."
      — Vanessa Richardson [@06:06]

  • Sentencing reflects the seriousness of the crime and ensures Blake will serve decades in prison. The closure comes as little comfort to a family left with a permanent loss.

2. California Exorcism Death: Religious Bias Defense

[10:07–12:01]

• Summary:
  The episode turns to San Jose, CA, for an update on Claudia Alyssa Hernandez, facing charges in the 2021 death of her 3-year-old daughter during a church "exorcism."
• Key Points:
  • Defense attorneys seek dismissal, citing California’s Racial Justice Act, alleging religious and ethnic bias in the investigation.
  • The child, Areli Naomi Proctor, was restrained and asphyxiated during a 12-hour ritual; her last words were repeatedly telling her mother "I love you."
  • Hernandez and two relatives have pleaded not guilty and face 25-years-to-life if convicted.
• Legal Commentary:

  "Prosecutors and mental health experts alike have emphasized that regardless of religious belief, criminal liability applies when a child is harmed or killed and freedom of religion does not protect violent acts."
  — Vanessa Richardson [@11:45]

3. Houston Christmas Day Mistaken Identity Homicide

[12:02–15:35]

• Summary:
  New documents reveal Jonathan Ross Mata fatally shot 25-year-old Desmond Butler on Christmas Day 2025, after mistaking Butler for someone involved in his own daughter’s alleged assault.
• Incident Details:
  • Mata and his wife, believing Butler’s car matched that of their daughter’s boyfriend, pursued and confronted Butler at a gas station.
  • Mata fired multiple shots at Butler’s car as it left, fatally wounding him.
  • Surveillance showed Mata realized the tragic mistake after the fact and left the scene without calling 911.
• Status:
  Mata turned himself in three weeks later and will appear in court on February 25.

4. Tennessee Child Exploitation – Babysitter Hidden Camera Case

[15:36–19:07]

• Summary:
  Christopher Thomas Collins, 42, a former deacon, faces nine felony counts of sexual exploitation after his wife discovered concealed recordings of a teenage babysitter, made in the family’s bathroom.
• Case Details:
  • Videos were reportedly captured by hidden cameras aiming at private bathroom areas.
  • Collins at first blamed "rats" for the devices, but evidence—including recovered SD cards—confirmed exploitation.
  • The wife turned evidence over to police after finding and recovering deleted files.
  • Collins awaits formal arraignment as investigations continue.

5. Twisted Tales: The Ghost Towns of America and Beyond

[20:40–30:01]

Vanessa devotes a segment to highlight "Twisted Tales" from the Crime House feed, exploring the real causes behind famous abandoned towns.

Featured Ghost Towns:

• Centralia, Pennsylvania:
  • Destroyed by a mine fire that’s burned since the 1960s, rendering the ground and air unsafe.

  • "Centralia is unsettling because it wasn't destroyed in a moment. It was hollowed out slowly, invisibly, from underneath." [@22:19]

• Bodie, California:
  • Gold rush boomtown abandoned when the ore ran out.
  • Eeriness stems from the preservation: "It feels paused, like everyone left in a hurry and never came back."
• Pripyat, Ukraine:
  • Abandoned instantly after the Chernobyl reactor explosion.
  • "Modern life can end instantly, not through decline or debate, but through a single technological failure." [@25:19]
• Kolmanskop, Namibia:
  • A diamond-mining town reclaimed by desert sands.
• Hashima Island, Japan:
  • Once a dense miner’s settlement, abandoned overnight when coal became obsolete.

"These five towns were abandoned for different reasons—fire, economics, nuclear catastrophe, geography, and technological change. But they all reveal the same truth. Towns exist only as long as their supporting systems hold." [@29:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the grisly Oregon girlfriend case:

  "It was unfathomable that her daughter was shot, placed inside a tote and dumped in the woods."
  — Elizabeth Stewart, via Vanessa Richardson [@06:06]

• On faith-based criminal defense:

  "Freedom of religion does not protect violent acts."
  — Vanessa Richardson, on San Jose exorcism case [@11:45]

• On preventable tragedy in Houston:

  "...A life lost during what police say was a preventable tragedy, one that began with fear and ended with irreversible consequences."
  — Vanessa Richardson [@15:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|------------| | Oregon Girlfriend Homicide Sentencing | 01:54–10:06| | California Exorcism Death / Racial Justice Act | 10:07–12:01| | Houston Christmas Mistaken Shooting | 12:02–15:35| | Tennessee Babysitter Exploitation Case | 15:36–19:07| | Twisted Tales – Ghost Towns | 20:40–30:01|

Tone & Language

• Factual, empathetic, and urgent, with a strong focus on the human toll and legal outcome in each story.
• Vanessa’s narration is clear, respectful, and attentive to detail, providing context for legal proceedings and community impact.
• Memorable statements from victims’ families and legal considerations are presented in the original tone.

Conclusion

This episode is a concentrated burst of true crime news, tracing legal resolutions and open questions in major American cases. Vanessa Richardson guides listeners through the facts—with care given to the affected families—while concluding with an evocative historical look at ghost towns and the societal shifts that leave communities empty.
Listeners are encouraged to subscribe or explore more in-depth stories on the Crime House feed.