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Virginia ‘Bloodbath’: Father Kills Wife and Daughter in Brutal Knife Attack | Crime House 24/7
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Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. Real quick, before today's episode, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts. 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, a pre dawn attack, a 10 inch blade and a one year old left behind. Coming up, the body camera footage that's giving the public its first look inside one of the most horrific domestic violence scenes Fairfax county police say they have ever responded to. 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.
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On March 20th in Northern Virginia, police released body camera footage from the officer who responded to what the Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis described as a bloodbath. The video is jarring and what it shows makes an already horrific case even harder to process. Just after 5am on February 23, Santosh Bassnett was outside in the parking lot of the Margate Manor apartment complex on Persimmon Drive in Mantua doing something completely ordinary, cleaning snow off his. He was the son in law of 54 year old Shatra Thapa and the two families shared that apartment. Basnet's wife, 33 year old Mamta Thapa, her parents Shatra and 52 year old Binda Thapa and Santosh and Mamta's one year old son. At some point while he was outside, Basnet heard a disturbance coming from inside the apartment. He called 911. A neighbor heard the same commotion and also called authorities almost simultaneously. That neighbor, Ariana Edelman later described what she heard heard as Momta Thapa banging on her door, screaming for help. Edelman considered opening it, but her husband held her back worried it might be dangerous. By the time she looked through the peephole, Momta had already collapsed. Edelman said she called 911 as fast as she could. Back in the parking lot, the son in law didn't wait for the police. He went back inside. What he found was Shatra Thapa standing there holding a 10 inch curved dagger that Davis compared to a meat cleaver. According to police, he had already stabbed his daugh Mamta and was in the process of stabbing his wife Binda when Basnet came through the door and then Shatra Thapa turned the knife on his son in law. Two Fairfax county officers were dispatched and arrived within several minutes. When they entered the apartment, what they saw was Shatra Thapa in the act of stabbing Basnet. The officer at the front door gave several repeated commands to drop the knife and according to Chief Davis, not only did Shatra Thapa refuse to comply, he continued to stab his son in law even as orders were being given. The officer opened fire and shot and killed Shatra Thapa. Both Mamta Thapa and Binda Thapa were rushed to a local hospital where they were each pronounced dead. The son in law was transported to a hospital as well in life threatening or what police described as grave, grave condition. As of the last update from police, he remained hospitalized. The one year old child in the home was not physically harmed. Detectives took the baby into protective custody and working with Child Protective Services found what police called an appropriate family placement. Now about that body camera footage released this morning. It starts before the officer even reaches the front door. You can see him rushing toward the apartment building, snow still covering the ground and the cars in the parking lot around him. Another officer's SUV is already there when he arrives. As he approaches, a woman's screams are audible. He links up with his partner partner and as they reach the door, he can be heard saying he hears a child screaming inside. He bangs on the door and announces himself. The hallway outside the apartment is already stained with blood by the time they get there, including what appeared to be blood on the door of a neighboring apartment. The same neighbor, Momta Thapa, had been desperately banging on for help. Chief Davis was direct in speaking to reporters after the incident. He said, quote, to describe this scene as bloody would be an understatement, and he later added, quote, I can't imagine what would compel any human being to butcher his family like he did today. End quote. Davis also noted that there'd been no prior calls for service to that address, no history of domestic disturbances, no previous reports of violence. He did say that domestic violence can escalate, often beginning at lower levels, and warned the public to take early warning signs seriously. The officer who fired the fatal shot was a two and a half year veteran assigned to the Mason Police District. Per department protocol, that officer was placed on restricted duty status pending both criminal and administrative investigations, which is standard practice following any officer involved shooting. Investigators are continuing to work to understand what led Shatra Thapa to carry out the attack. And for the people left behind, that question may never have a satisfying answer. And in Texas, a family is in a courtroom this week hoping justice can give them what nothing else has after an 18 year old mother vanished just before Christmas from Virginia, we're heading to San Antonio, Texas where the murder trial of 21 year old Christopher Preciado wrapped up its fourth day on Friday, March 20th and as of this morning testimony is still ongoing. Preado is charged with capital murder, tampering with a corpse and abuse of a corpse without legal authority in connection with the Deaths of an 18 year old pregnant woman, her boyfriend and their unborn child during the holiday season of 2023. Charges Preado has pleaded not guilty to. It's a case that gripped San Antonio and drew national attention in part because of just how close Savannah Soto was to becoming a mother. Savannah Stto was 18 years old and one week overdue when she and her boyfriend, 22 year old Matthew Gara, disappeared. She had a scheduled Delivery induction on December 22, 2023, a hospital appointment she would never make. The couple was last seen alive on the night of December 21, driving to a meeting that prosecutors say they had no idea would turn fatal. Her family reported her missing soon After a statewide clear alert was issued on Christmas Day and four days after they vanish on December 26, police said both were found dead inside Gera's vehicle in the parking lot of a northwest side apartment complex in Leon Valley. Both had been shot in the head. Their unborn son, a boy they had already named Fabian, died with them. Investigators later released security footage from December 28, 2023 that appears to show a truck pulling up next to Gara's vehicle with two individuals seen wiping down the car door. And days after, on January 3, 2024, Christopher Preciado, then 19 years old, was taken into custody. But he wasn't the only one. His father, Ramon Preciado, was also arrested, accused of tampering with evidence and abusing a human corpse, according to arrest records and police statements. He is now out on bond and was present in the courtroom during the trial last week. Investigators say Preciado's stepmom, Myrta Romanos, was later arrested as well on allegations she played a role in trying to conceal the crime. She was charged with evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse in connection to the alleged cover up. But those charges were dismissed in November 2025, the day that jury selection was slated to begin for her trial. So who is Christopher Preciado and what is the state's theory of why this happened? Prosecutors say it comes down to money. During opening statements earlier last week, Bexar County Co prosecutor Melissa Albin said Preciado occasionally bought marijuana from Guerra. Guerra by multiple accounts, was flashy with cash and open about having money. Prosecutors argued that Preciado arranged for the couple to come to his house that night, but killed them during an argument over a transaction. Albin told the jury in opening statements that when Savannah and Matthew got in their car around 11:45 that night and drove to Preciado house, they had no idea they would never return home. The state says Preciado shot both of them, allegedly called his parents to come pick him up and hid at their house for 13 days. Prosecutors argue that with help from his father, Preciado worked to conceal the vehicle and the evidence. Albin alleged during opening statements that, quote, he moved Matthew's lifeless body into the back seat. He got into the front seat with Savannah, then drove them to that apartment complex less than a mile from his house where he would dump the bodies. Priado's version of events is different. He told police that G pulled a gun on him during the meeting and that he acted in self defense. But investigators say the physical evidence at the scene doesn't support that account. The defense has pointed the finger back at Ramon, arguing that it was the father, not Christopher, who did the cleaning and concealment and that the gun recovered in the case was found in the parents bedroom, not Christopher's. That handgun, which was shown to jurors in court on Thursday, allegedly had live rounds in the magazine and matched the caliber of the shell casing found in Guerra's car. Preciado's attorney, Joseph Esparza, said that his client spoke to police but did not confess. He said that, quote, he described a chaotic situation, a drug transaction gone wrong where a gun is pulled on him by the drug dealer, a struggle and chaos. Shots are fired after that. That is not capital murder. End quote. The trial's already seen graphic crime scene photographs, firearms testimony, and By Friday, an SAPD crime scene investigator testifying about collecting a bloody $100 bill and three $20 bills found near the Preciado residence by a witness who was walking her dog near the Preciado home. That evidence was logged on January 4, 2024. If convicted, Christopher Preciado faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The district attorney's office declined to seek the death penalty. Now to Alabama, where late last week a jury delivered a verdict nearly six and a half years in the making.
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if you're the proud parent of a puppy or kitten, you know you can't pet proof your entire life. There simply isn't a sock drawer high enough or a couch cover thick enough. But you can pet proof your wallet with lemonade. Pet insurance Whether it's an unexpected accident or a routine checkup, Lemonade can cover up to 90% of the bill. Plus, they can handle claims in as little as 2 seconds so before you turn into a complete helicopter pet parent, get a quote@lemonade.com pet it took more than six years, but on Thursday, March 19, a Macon County, Alabama jury finally delivered a verdict in one of the state's most closely watched murder cases. 36 year old Ibrahim Yazid was found guilty of murder and felony murder in the death of 19 year old Anaya Blanchard, the stepdaughter of former UFC heavyweight Walt Harris. Blanchard was last seen on October 23, 2019 at a Chevron gas station on South College street in Auburn, Alabama. Surveillance footage from that gas station placed Yazid at the same location at the same time. A witness also reported seeing Yazid for force Blanchard into her vehicle outside the gas station before driving off with her. Blanchard was a student at Southern Union Community College and was from Homewood, Alabama. A massive search followed her disappearance, one that drew national attention and brought in reward offers from Alabama Governor K. Ivy, UFC President Dana White and others, with the reward fund eventually climbing above $105,000. Two days after Blanchard was reported missing, police found her car nearly 60 miles away at an apartment complex in Montgomery, Alabama with dents and scratches on it. According to court documents, blood evidence in the car showed that Blanchard had suffered, quote, a life threatening injury, end quote. Yazid was arrested on November 8, 2019 in Escambia County, Florida and extradited back to Alabama on a first degree kidnapping charge. About two weeks later, on November 25, human remains were found in a wooded area of Macon county. And two days after that, authorities confirmed they were Blanchards. An autopsy determined she died of a gunshot wound. Prosecutors say Yazid was trying to rob her. At the time of Blanchard's death, Yazid was already out on bail on separate charges of attempted murder, kidnapping and robbery. That detail became the driving force behind what is now known as Anaya's Law. Blanchard's stepfather, Walt Harris and his wife Angela campaigned heavily for the legislation which gives judges greater discretion to deny bond to those accused of violent crimes. And in 2021, the Alabama legislature passed it. Yazid had originally faced multiple counts of capital murder, which were later reduced. The jury's decision to convict on the lesser charges means Yazid avoids a possible death sentence. Yazid has pleaded not guilty to all charges and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he was disappointed by the degree of the conviction. And Blanchard's mother, Angela Haley Harris, posted a statement on social media expressing that the family was glad he was found guilty but made clear they were not at peace with the Capitol Murder Counts not sticking Yazid's sentencing is scheduled for May 7, where he faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. From Alabama, we head north to Chelsea, Massachusetts where police responded to a deadly stabbing Thursday evening. On March 20th in Chelsea, Massachusetts, 18 year old Sergio Josue Castellanos is expected to be arraigned on a murder charge after a stabbing the night before left one man dead and at least one other victim fighting for his life. Just before 7pm on March 19, police received a call about a stabbing near the intersection of Chestnut street and Everett Avenue. When officers arrived, they found multiple victims at the scene. All were treated on scene before being transported to local hospitals. One of them, a 25 year old man from Chelsea, did not survive. He underwent surgery following the attack but died from his injuries. At least one other victim was hospitalized in serious condition with a potentially life threatening stab wound, according to the sufferer. County District Attorney's Office, Castellanos stabbed the 25 year old victim multiple times during the altercation and is now charged with murder. He's expected to appear in Chelsea District Court on March 20. Chelsea Police Chief Keith Huton confirmed that investigators are actively working to piece together the events that led up to the attack. No motive has been publicly confirmed and the DA's office has indicated that additional details will be released at the arraignment. For now, a community is looking for answers and those answers may start to come into focus when Castellanos finally faces a judge.
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hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes hosted by Katie Ring. Each week Katie takes on a notorious crime, whether unfolding now or etched into American history, revealing not just what happened, but how it forever changed our society. Serial killers who terrorized cities. Unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Each case unfolds across multiple episodes, released every Tuesday through Thursday, from the first sign that something was wrong to the moment the truth came out or didn't. These are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to and follow America's most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Before you go, let me tell you what else is happening at Crime House today. On the final hours, we examine the disappearance of Brian Schaer, a case that continues to unsettle investigators because of how simple it seems on the surface. A night out, a crowded bar. Surveillance cameras capturing people coming and going. Brian is clearly seen entering the Ugly Tuna Saluna in Columbus, Ohio. He talks with friends. He moves through the space like anyone else on a normal night out. But what investigators could never clearly establish is just as important as what they could see. There is no confirmed footage of Brian leaving. Cases like this don't just hinge on what happened. They hinge on what didn't happen, or at least what wasn't captured. A person enters a defined space, a building, a system, a moment in time that feels contained and observable. And yet, somewhere between that entry and the expected exit, the the narrative breaks. The result is a specific kind of mystery, not one built on total disappearance, but on a missing transition, the moment where someone should have been seen leaving but wasn't. Here are five cases where the entrance was clear, but the exit wasn't. Elisa Lam. In January 2013, 21 year old Elisa Lam checked into the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, a building already known for its long and troubled history. For several days, Lamb remained in contact with family and appeared to be following her travel plans. Then, abruptly, communication stopped. The last confirmed sighting of Lamb comes from a surveillance camera inside one of the hotel's elevators. The footage, later released to the public, shows her behaving in a way that's been described as erratic, cautious, or fearful. She presses multiple buttons, steps in and out of the elevator, and at times appears to be reacting to something outside the frame. Then the footage ends. Weeks later, after guests began complaining about water pressure and quality, maintenance workers made a grim discovery. Lam's body was found inside one of the rooftop water tanks. What makes the case so unsettling is not just the outcome, but the gap between the two points. Investigators can confirm Lam entered the hotel system. She was captured inside it. But there is no clear record of how she accessed the roof, how she entered the tank, or why no one saw her in the process, the building itself becomes part of the mystery. A complex aging structure with stairwells, locked doors, and areas not fully covered by cameras. Somewhere within that space, the transition from presence to disappearance occurred. And it was never fully documented. Kanika Jenkins In September 2017, 19 year old Kanika Jenkins attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Chicago. The gathering took place in one of the hotel's rooms, with dozens of people coming and going throughout the night. At some point in the early morning hours, Jenkins became separated from her friends. Surveillance footage later showed her moving through the hotel's hallways alone. In the clips, she appears disoriented, occasionally leaning against walls or pausing, as if unsure of where she is. What investigators were able to piece together was a fragmented path, a series of movements through corridors, service areas, back of house, spaces that guests typically don't enter. Hours later, Jenkins was found inside a walk in freezer in a kitchen area of the hotel. The footage shows her entering parts of the building. It shows her moving deeper into the structure. But like the Shaffer case, the critical moment, the decision, the misstep, the interaction isn't fully captured in a way that explains the outcome. There is no single definitive moment where everything becomes clear. Instead, there's a chain of movements that leads somewhere unexpected, with just enough missing context to leave the central question unresolved. How did she get from where she was to where she was found without anyone intervening? Lars Min In July 2014, Lars Metank, a 28 year old German tourist, was preparing to leave Bulgaria after a vacation with friends. In the days leading up to his departure, he'd reported feeling uneasy, claiming he was being followed or targeted after an altercation at a bar. By the time he arrived at Varna airport, his behavior had become increasingly erratic. Surveillance footage shows him pacing, speaking to airport personnel and appearing visibly distressed. Then, in a moment that has been replayed countless times, Mittank suddenly stands up, drops his belongings and runs. He exits the terminal at full speed, sprinting across an open area and out of camera view. It is the last confirmed sighting of him. Unlike some cases, the exit here is technically visible, but it raises more questions than it does answers. Why did he run? What did he believe was happening? And most importantly, what happened after he left the controlled environment of the airport? The clarity of the footage only deepens the mystery. We see him leave, we see the moment of departure. But beyond that boundary, the trail disappears completely. The transition from visible to invisible happens in seconds. Brandon Lawson. In August of 2013, Brandon Lawson was driving through a remote area of Texas when his truck ran out of gas along a highway. After leaving the vehicle, he made a 911 call that would become one of the most debated pieces of audio in a missing person's case. During the call, Lawson describes a confusing situation involving other individuals and possibly being followed. His words are difficult to interpret, but what is clear is that he's moving through the environment while speaking. At one point, mid sentence, the call abruptly ends. Search efforts begin quickly focusing on the area around his abandoned truck. But despite extensive efforts, Lawson was not immediately located. Years later, partial remains believed to be his were found. But the full sequence of events has never been completely reconstructed. What makes the case align with this pattern is the structure of the timeline. Lawson is present, he's communicating, he's describing his surroundings in real time. And then suddenly that connection is gone. There's no clear moment of transition from movement to disappearance, just a break, an interruption that marks the point where the narrative stops making sense. Bryce Lapisa. In August 2013, 19 year old Bryce Lapisa was driving from Northern California toward his parents home in Southern California. Over the course of the journey, his behavior raised concern. He made unusual stops, spoke with family members, ways that suggested distress, and at one point remained in the same location for hours without a clear explanation. Eventually, his car was found overturned near Castaic Lake. The crash itself appeared survivable. Blood at the scene was minimal. Personal belongings, including his phone and wallet, were left behind in the vehicle. Investigators were able to trace Bryce's movements leading up to the crash with relative precision. They knew where he had been, who he had spoken to, and how he had traveled. But after the crash, the trail ends. Search teams combed the surrounding area, including the lake and nearby terrain, but found no definitive evidence of where he went. The environment itself, rugged, expansive, and difficult to fully search, became part of the mystery. Like the other cases, the entry into the situation is clear. Bryce arrives, the car is there, the scene is established, but the expected next step, where he goes, what he does, how he leaves, is missing. What connects these cases is not just disappearance, but interruption. In each one, there's a contained environment, a hotel, an airport, a roadway, a building. There's a clear point where the individual is known to be present. And then instead of a continuous narrative, there is a gap. That gap is where investigations struggle. Most surveillance systems are incomplete. Witnesses remember fragments. Physical spaces contain blind spots, alternate routes and areas that go unmonitored. Even when movement is partially captured, it may not be enough to reconstruct intent or sequence. In these cases, the mystery doesn't come from a lack of information. It comes from information that stops just short of the moment that matters most. Brian Schaefer walked into a crowded bar and was never clearly seen. Leaving that single missing transition from inside to outer, outside, from present to gone, is what continues to define the case. For the full story behind the Ugly Tuna mystery and the investigation that followed, listen to today's episode of the Final Hours. Because sometimes the most important moment in a case is the one no one ever saw. 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. This episode is brought to you by Nespresso Introducing Virtuo up, the latest in a long line of innovation from Nespresso. It's innovation you can touch, sense and taste in every single cup. With a three second start, easy open lever and dedicated brew over ice button, it's even easier to enjoy your coffee your way. Sip for yourself. Shop Vertuo up exclusively@nespreso.com thanks for listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts,
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