← Real Life Real Crime
Real Life Real Crime
True Crime Time For March 27, 2026 | Cold Case Break, Hatchet Murder & Child Abuse Horror Cases
00:51:40
Loading summary
Transcript17 lines
- [00:00]
A
Hey, y'. All. This episode is brought to you by Big J sideports, the official sponsor of Real Life Real Crime, the podcast. If you love great Cajun country cooking, cold beer, and an awesome family atmosphere, then Big J's Side Porch is the destination location at 10808 Louisiana Highway 67 in Clinton, Louisiana. The portions are huge and trust me, you're not leaving hungry. And Big J's got his own Back porch barbecue sauce, which absolutely, absolutely is the best I've ever had, and it's great on anything. Big J Side Porch is more than awesome barbecue. Big J's is serving up great Cajun country cooking that's so good, it'll make you slap your grandma. That's what my daddy used to say, y'. All. Big J Side Porch on Wednesdays after 5pm is Wednesday Wingsday, where you can get $1 wings after 5pm Thursday. They're famous for bingo night. And we'll be there. I can promise you that. Friday is steak night, and I can't believe I'm telling you all this, but Big J makes a better steak than me. And it comes with a huge baked potato and a salad. My favorite for the salads is Big J's Chipotle ranch sauce, which he makes himself. So make Big J side porch at 10808 Louisiana Highway 67 in Clinton, Louisiana, your destination location for awesome barbecue, Cajun country cooking, live music, family atmosphere, and I'm telling you now that it's the coldest beer I've ever had. But guess what? Bring your families. And for dessert, you can leave with a snowball. Big J Side Porch, the official sponsor Real Life, Real Crime the Podcast.
- [02:11]
B
Hello everybody and welcome to True Crime. Time for Friday, March 27, 2026. And I am Cindy Overton. Woody's still out of town. He's coming back today, but not until this evening and definitely not with enough time for me to get this edited and posted for tomorrow. So I am recording without him. I am flying solo and he will be back for Saturday's episode. And with that being said, I know lots of you have received your Big J's barbecue sauce and seasoning and it has become a major hit. People are truly enjoying it and using it on all sorts of things, posting their pictures on Facebook and in our app. And please, if you have some and you haven't posted your picture yet, please post it and share what you did with the barbecue sauce. If you are given the option with Etsy when you do purchase, please go to Etsy and leave a review and if you are looking for the link for the Etsy Store, if you go into our app, the carousel you can if you wait long enough or if you click through it, the carousel will eventually bring you to their Etsy store. Just click on it and then you can shop from there. You can purchase for multiple people in one transaction. So if you want to buy for Aunt Mary in Missouri and Uncle Tom and Wisconsin, you can do that all in one transaction. So please go and try it. Also if you live locally, check out the Facebook page to see all of the local local locations that they are in this part of Louisiana and deeper south. So with that being said, let's get started with true crime time for March 27th of 2026 and on this day in history, Bobby Joe Long claimed his first victim. This happened in the year 1984. His first victim, which was the clue that this is probably a serial killer. But his first victim was artist Wick and Wick was abducted, raped and strangled. Her body was not discovered until November 22nd of 1984. So going off of the thought process that this was a serial killer, I looked up Bobby Joe Long who was born on October 14, 1953 and he not only has the recognition of being an American serial killer, he's also known as being a serial rapist. And during an eight month period in 1984, long abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered at least 10 women in the Tampa Bay area in Florida. At trial, Long was sentenced to death for one of the murders and life for seven others. He was sentenced to death in 1986 by the state of Florida for the murder of Michelle Denise Sims. He ended up being executed by lethal injection in May of 2019. His convictions are as follows. First degree murder, eight counts of that armed burglary, aggravated assault, 11 counts of kidnapping, two counts of robbery and 10 counts of sexual battery. So Long moved to Tampa Bay in 1983. He moved to that area and in 1984 while on probation for assault, Long raped and strangled 20 year old artist Ann Wick on March 27th. And her body was discovered as I said earlier, on November 22nd. And she was found in a rural area. She was hitchhiking from Gas City, Indiana to Tampa and was engaged to be married. And Long also then attacked 33 year old Linda Nuttall in her home in the early hours of November 3rd of 1984. Long then abducted 17 year old Lisa McVeigh as she rode her bike home from work. She was blindfolded and taken to Long's home where he repeatedly raped her. Aware of the danger she was in, the blindfolded McVey reported leaving as many fingerprints in Long's home as she could to aid any future police investigation. After 26 hours, Long released McVeigh, and she provided investigators with information on the home car and a time period in which she heard him use an atmosphere. This information led police to identifying Long and he was arrested on November 16th of 1984. And he was linked to the murders through red carpet fibers found on the bodies of several victims. So at the time of his capture, Long was wanted in three Tampa Bay area jurisdictions where investigators had collected multiple forms of forensic evidence, including clothing, carpet fibers, semen, ligature marks and rope knots. Long was arrested outside of a movie theater on November 16, 1984 and charged with the sexual battery and kidnapping of Lisa McVeigh. Long signed a formal Miranda waiver and consented to questioning after the detectives procured a confession for the McVeigh case. Their questioning focused on a series of unsolved sexual battery homicides in the Tampa Bay area. And as the detectives questioned Long about the murders, he replied, I'd rather not answer that. So the detectives continued their interrogation and handed Long photographs of the various murder victims. And at this point, Long stated, the complexion of things sure have changed since you came back into the room. I think I need an attorney. No attorney was provided and Long eventually confessed to eight murders in Hillsborough county and one murder in Pasco County. Fiber evidence analysis by the FBI linked Long's vehicle to most of the victims. And for all of the victims and their families, we are happy that he had justice served swift and certain. Okay, that's what happened on March 27, 1984. So we started off with a bang, with a serial killer story, and now we are continuing with a cold case and for this one we're going to Houston. After almost 36 years, an arrest has been made in the 1990 Lovers Lane murders of a young man and woman in Houston. Harris County District Attorney Shawn Teer announced 64 year old Floyd William Parrott has been charged with capital murder for the deaths of Cheryl Henry, who was 22, and Andy Atkinson, who was 21, according to officials. Parrott was arrested in Lincoln, Nebraska on Wednesday by Houston police officers and the FBI. So here's the backstory. Henry and Atkinson were found dead in a wooded area near enclave Parkway on August 23, 1990. Police say they both had been stabbed in the throat. Atkinson was found tied to a tree about 100 yards away from Henry, and officials report that Henry had been sexually assaulted. They had last been seen the night before when Henry and her sister met Atkinson at a nightclub on Westheimer Road near South Gessner. A missing person's report was filed the next day when no one had seen Henry or Atkinson. Police say the security guard doing random patrols found them later that day. Speaking about this case, the District Attorney Shawn Teer has said one of Houston's most haunting and infamous cold cases has weighed on the Henry and Atkinson family as well as our community. For more than three decades, our prosecutors working with the HPD and FBI have pursued this investigation with relentless and dogged determination. They have worked hundreds of leads, facing dead ends and plenty of frustration. But they never gave up on Cheryl and Andy. Thank you to all investigators who have touched this case. You can imagine how Many have over 30 years. Your perseverance has delivered something two families long deserved progress and hope. And today is a good day and any day you solve a cold case is a good day day. So thank you to all of those investigators and anyone that supported that case. Getting it solved is awesome and much appreciated.
- [13:11]
A
It's time for Worldwide crime.
- [13:18]
B
We're going to England for our next story. And we have a romance fraudster who conned men into spending tens of thousands of pounds on her. And she has finally been jailed for more than seven years. Gemma Kingsley tricked mend into relationships on the premise that she would soon inherit millions of pounds from her late grandfather. During the course of four years, the model also stole or used false bank card details to pay for hotels, including a €94,000 bill for a stay at the Five Star Alps resort in France, sentencing her to seven years and seven months in prison. Judge Jason Taylor, KC told the 50 year old, your duplicity and brass neck is staggering. He said Kingsley of Bednil, Netherland, traded on her charm, charisma and good looks to entice and snare victims. The court heard Kingsley targeted recently divorced men through online dating sites to find her spending of expensive clothes, holidays and betting sites. He said he believed the two principal victims were were both hopelessly in love with her. One of the men lost more than 125,000 pounds and was left mortified and humiliated after being forced to cancel his wedding to Kingsley when the venue pulled out. Barry McEldoff, KC prosecuting attorney, said on another occasion, Kingsley made a phone call to a finance company, putting on a male Australian accent to dupe them into paying a loan. After breaking up with the first victim, she quickly moved on to a second man spending the same web of lies about a multi million pound inheritance. Six months later he found photos on her phone of different banks, bank and credit cards and realized she was involved in fraud and contacted the police. Kingsley then told him she was pregnant with his twins, which he felt was entrapment. The bill for the five star Alpine resort was settled with a bank card from one of Kingsley's other victims and she was charged with fraud and convicted in France. Kingsley also used the bank card on a fourth man she met online to pay an 878 pound Airbnb bill. A woman who was an acquaintance of Kingsley fell victim too when her bank card was used to spend 874lbs at Waitrose. The defendant defrauded her own mother's carer out of 990 pounds to pay for a holiday they all took together at Cromhall Farm, which is near Chippenham, Wiltshire. It goes on. Kingsley also provided false documents to a car dealership for the purchase of a €120,000 Porsche 911 and to a law firm for the purchase of a multi million pound house I'm going to be
- [17:00]
A
honest, when sleep's off, everything is off and most of the stuff people recommend either doesn't work or leaves you feeling foggy the next morning. That's why I want to tell you about mood.com Mood is an online destination for federally legal hemp derived cannabis grown on small pesticide free family run farms right here in the us. And yes, I a lot of people don't realize this. It's completely legal to buy online and it ships discreetly straight to your door. Mood makes products for different moments and different vibes, gummies, flour, edibles, pre rolls and more. Whether you're trying to wind down, focus, relax or just shut your brain off at night, the one I keep coming back to is their Sleepy Time Advanced Gummies. These aren't about getting blasted. They're designed to help your mind slow down and your body relax so your sleep actually calms. And for most people it kicks in in just about 15 minutes. What makes them different is how Mood combines federally legal THC with other cannaboids and functional ingredients so you're not just guessing how something's going to make you feel. It's intentional. And if gummies aren't your thing, moodoo also has flour, pre rolls, bakery treats and beverages all built around how you want to feel. Not some one size fits all approach. Everything ships discreetly. No dispensary lines and no awkward conversations. Right now, first time buyers get 20% off their entire order, but only if you use our code. Go to mood.com use code RLRC at checkout to save 20% off your first order. That's mood.com promo code RLRC. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. March is the month where we celebrate women not just for their accomplishments, but for everything they carry every day, the roles they feel, the expectations placed on them, and the emotional weight that often goes unseen. I've had the privilege of watching strong women in my life navigate careers, families, loss, pressure and responsibility and still show up for everyone else. That kind of strength is admirable, but even the strongest people need space to take care of themselves. If you're listening and you're constantly pouring into others, this is your reminder that your wellbeing matters too. Therapy can help you create balance, set boundaries and make room for yourself in a life that may feel full of expectations. Better Help works with fully licensed therapists in the US Then they handle the initial matching process so you can focus on your goals. If it's not the right fit, you can switch to another therapist anytime. With over 30,000 therapists and millions of people served globally, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform and has helped many people find support when they needed it most. Your emotional well being matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off@betterhelp.com that's betterhelp.com B E T T E R H E L P.com Real Life Real Crime the podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, Monetary magicians. These are the things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance, Progressive Casualty Insurance company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.
- [20:45]
B
There's so much noise around weight loss right now. Trends Opinions Medications it's hard to know what's actually right for you. Through hers, you're connected with a medical provider who who determines if treatment is right for you and if prescribed, your treatment plan is personalized to support you in reaching your goals. Hers goes beyond medication by offering access to ongoing care, dosage and medication adjustments as needed, lifestyle and nutrition tips, and even access to 24. 7 support. They even offer the convenience of 100% online care with licensed providers on the other side who learn your story and create a personalized plan to deliver healthy progress you can maintain. So no more yo yoing just steady results. Feel like your best again. Visit forhers.comrlrc to get a personalized affordable plan that gets you that's f o r h e r s.comrlrc forhers.com RLRC weight loss by hers is not available everywhere. Prescription required. See website for full details, important safety information and and restrictions One of the men said in a victim impact statement, I regret profoundly that I entrusted Gimma Kingsley and it has impacted my trust in other people. At a previous hearing, Kingsley pleaded guilty to six counts of theft, four counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of using a false instrument with intent that it would be accepted as genuine, and one count of being in possession of an article for use in fraud. Michael Gomolka, the defendant, the defending attorney, said there was no explanation for her crimes. She cannot really explain it other than she barely recognizes herself. But she fully comprehends the harm her actions have had to the victims. She is extremely sorry for her actions. I do not offer on her behalf any excuses. She has come out of a difficult relationship herself and she has had some mental health problems. But none of that can possibly explain the sustained course of conduct she is to be sentenced for. And that is the truth. This is something that we don't get to say very often, and I'm sad that I'm saying it now. We're going to California, into the Bay Area, and this little town that we're going to has just now had its first homicide in two decades. The white picket fence piece of one of California's wealthiest and safest enclaves has been shattered by a bizarre and targeted killing. Christopher Jaber, who's 34 years old, was found dead Saturday inside his home on Westminster Place in Lafayette, an affluent San Francisco suburb known more for its top tier schools and multimillion dollar real estate than grisly crime scenes. Dawn Swank Prince, who's 35 years old, has been charged with the gruesome murder. Thank goodness they found him. And it seems to be a targeted a targeted attack that involved a hatchet and a chilling digital paper trail. And this is according to the Contra Costa District Attorney's office. The chaos unfolded around 11:30am when a terrified relative of Jaber called 911 to report a suspicious man armed with a hatchet lurking in the backyard of their property. The caller told dispatchers the man was breaking into an accessory dwelling unit where Jaybird lived. When officers arrived, Jaibir was dead and Prince was found walking a short distance away from the home. He was detained and slapped with a murder charge along with an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon. Prince unlawfully and with malice aforethought took the life of Jaber with the use of a hatchet, the DA's office said in a press release on March 24. While the DA's office says the investigation is ongoing, there was a post on Facebook that appears to belong to Prince that has surfaced on local news outlets and it suggests that this was anything but a random act of suburban mayhem. This post from February, which is weeks before the killing, specifically threatened Jaber by name. The post read, if you need the chaos of the supernatural to end, Chris Jaber, 34, aka the I resides at 5 Westminster Place, Lafayette, California. Go with God. And in the comments, Prince wrote, can someone please kill this man? Prince is charged with murder and is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility with his bail set at $1 million. I'm very glad that they found him and this is why we no place. There's no geographical location that's safe, just like in our little bitty small town of Clinton, Louisiana. You would never think that there would be a shooting at a Mardi Gras parade and there was because the badness is all around us and sometimes if you increase well this was specific targeted, but no one, none of us are safe. You always have to to watch your back for the next story. We're going to Arizona and a 20 year old man is accused of killing his 21 year old girlfriend and he has strangled her to death while the two were having rough sex in a public park before he panicked and attempted to destroy evidence while fleeing the scene. Jaden Matthew Frost is currently facing one count of negligent homicide and the death of Margaret Maggie Williams, whose body was discovered in December of 2024 in the baseball fields near 40th street in Rea Road. According to the initial news release from the Phoenix Police Department, officers on December 7, 2024 responded to the area for a death investigation after Williams was found unresponsive. First responders initially said there was no obvious signs of trauma and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office took custody of the body. The case later shifted to a homicide investigation after the medical examiner determined Williams died from asphyxia due to strangulation. Investigators said that Williams and Frost, who had been dating for about two months, were dropped off at the park the night before her body was found. The two had been drinking alcohol and using marijuana. Police said Frost claimed he left the park around 11pm to charge his phone at a grocery store while William stayed behind because she was quote unquote having a good time. When he returned about an hour later, Frost said Williams was gone and her phone had died. At 11:16pm Frost called a friend who helped him look for Williams, and the two eventually found her in the middle of the baseball field surrounded by coyotes which had eaten her toes. She was cold to the touch and her neck was stiff. Jaden told police she had bruising abrasions to her neck. Her pants were slightly pulled down near her buttocks. She had no shoes on, had one sock on her left foot and had bodily fluid coming from her mouth and nose. Emergencies responders pronounced Williams dead at the scene and where investigators noted injuries to her neck and face as well as other signs consistent with strangulation. The autopsy conducted by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Williams cause of death was asphyxia due to strangulation and her manner of death was determined to be homicide. Police said Frost's claim about not knowing where Williams was on the night of her death quickly fell apart as soon as he confessed to her killing. However, he has maintained her death was an accident. Frost confessed to investigators that the pair engaged in rough sexual activity at the baseball fields during which he choked Williams. He claimed the act was consensual but told police he soon realized she was showing signs of distress. Authorities say Frost did not call 911. Instead, he told police he panicked, discarded evidence and then made up a story about not knowing where she was because the truth did not seem believable. Frost opened his eyes and saw the phone was coming out of William's mouth. Frost realized she was deceased and became scared. This is according to the affidavit. Frost and Williams cell phones were also dead so he could not call police for assistance. Frost panic and threw Williams cell phone somewhere in the park. Thinking no one would believe his account, Frost collected Williams earbud case and threw it away in a trash can. Frost then walked to a nearby grocery store to charge his cell phone. Prosecutors charged Frost with negligent homicide, determining that while he caused Williams death, they did not believe there was sufficient evidence to prove intent to kill under Arizona law. County Attorney Mitchell extends her heartfelt condolences to the family of the victims in the case, the Maricopa County Attorney's office said in a statement. We want the public to understand that charging decisions are not a measure of the value of the victim's life, but are instead based on the evidence available and the legal standards we are required to meet to bring charges forward. But the decision has drawn criticism from Williams family members who have publicly called for Frost to be brought up on more serious charges. This is the place where our daughter was strangled, left to die, where animals were eating her body for hours, mike Williams, her father, said. With all the evidence, the intent and the history, we don't understand why this isn't being charged as murder or at least manslaughter. The parents also emphasized Frost alleged history of violence against women. Frost is reportedly accused of assaulting another woman in Yavapay County, Arizona shortly before he started dating Williams and Frost trial is currently scheduled to begin May 13th. Hopefully we will be able to give you an update on the circumstances of that trial.
- [33:33]
A
It's time for Family Matters.
- [33:40]
B
So today I have a Family Matters Cold case and a man has been charged with murdering his wife who was found stabbed to death nearly 20 years ago in a van several days after he had reported her missing. On March 24, the grand jury in St. Joseph County, Indiana indicted Lucio Lerma Sr. On a murder charge in connection with the killing of his wife, Delia Lerma. Delia died at the age of 33. Her body was found in a van along South Carlisle street in South Bend in December of 2007, days after her husband filed a missing persons report. Before she was killed, she left her South Bend home to visit a nearby grocery store and Lucio told police that his wife had gone out to meet a family member and had planned to return following the discovery of her body. Lucio spoke with the TV station and said, I feel my heart is broken. I cannot even talk. I just keep thinking of my kids because I know that's real hard and when I come back home it's kind of hard to to tell them what's going on. South Bend Police cold Case investigators Craig Whitfield and Gary Hasbrouck eventually revisited the Cold Case Files to review the evidence and interview old and new witnesses. The South Bend Police Department also worked with a reality TV series, Cold justice, to feature the case. An episode about Delia's death premiered in November of 2025. A grand jury was ultimately presented with the facts of the case between March 16 and Thursday, March 19, which resulted in the indictment against Lucio. The family of Delia Lerma has been advised of the grand jury's decision and Lucio's subsequent arrest. It was not immediately clear whether Lucio had an attorney who would comment on his behalf. Before her death, she planned to visit Texas with her family for the Christmas holiday. Delia had four children, according to her obituary. In addition to her children, she was survived by her mother, two sisters, two brothers and several other family members. And also her obituary states that she loved cooking tamales and traveling and her brothers and sisters always loved her. And Lucio is being held in custody without bond and he's due to return to court for a hearing set on April 6. He just lived 20 years with that family, with his kids after stealing his wife's life and stealing their mother from them. How do you live with your, how, how do you go through your day knowing that you took your wife and your children's mother's life and you just keep going? I don't just thank you for presenting the case on cold justice. I'm hoping, guessing that there was tips called in because that's what we ask for every single day for our cases and this is proof that 20 year old cases can be solved. We're just trying to avoid getting to a 20 year mark, right? Nobody needs to wait that long for justice. Justice should be swift and certain.
- [37:43]
A
It's time for family matters.
- [37:50]
B
Abel ali Rivas, who's 27 years old, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the attack on a 32 year old named Oscar Javier Barbosa. Rivas arrest comes about a month after the arrest of 31 year old Melanie Sierra Gomez, who was also charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon days after the February 19th attack on Barbosa. Barbosa shares two children with Gomez, but they were no longer together. So Barbosa was picking up their two children from a YMCA location in San Antonio when he was stabbed by Rivas. Rivas is also the ex boyfriend of Gomez and according to the affidavit, Gomez lured Barbosa out of the YMCA where he was scheduled to pick up the children for a custody exchange on the evening of February 19th. Barbosa told police that he was communicating with Gomez on the phone that evening and he when he arrived at the YMCA around 6:30pm Gomez reportedly told him first to go inside the building to get the children, then told him to come back outside. According to the affidavit, Barbosa placed a call to his current girlfriend during this time. Police said that when Barbosa came outside the ymca, Rivas was waiting there for him and said what's up? And soon after that, or maybe he said what's up? Soon after that, Gomez approached And she and Rivas initiated a verbal altercation with Barbosa. And Barbosa was still on the phone with his current girlfriend. Investigators spoke to the girlfriend that Barbosa was on the phone call with, and she told them she heard Barbosa say, are you going to stab me over this? Before the call was disconnected, the girlfriend told police that she recognized Rivas's voice because she previously had a 10 year relationship with him. And according to the affidavit, Gomez accused Barbosa of getting his new girlfriend pregnant, then told Rivas to go do what you're going to do. Rivas then stabbed Barbosa several times in the abdomen and arms, causing serious but not life threatening injuries. At the same time, Gomez pinned Barbosa against a car so he could not escape. Police said that after the attack, Rivas fled in Barbosa's car, which had been running since he pulled into the parking lot to get his children. Gomez reportedly stayed for a few moments, getting in a few more insult with Barbosa's current girlfriend before leaving the scene. Barbosa was brought to the hospital and treated for serious injuries and he was able to identify Gomez and Rivas as his alleged attackers. Gomez was arrested a few days after the attack and was released from the Bexar County Jail after posting an $85,000 bond. Revis remains in custody at the Bexar County Jail where he is being held on a total of $105,000 bond, which 100 of that is for aggravated assault and 5,000 of that is a charge of a possession of a controlled substance. You're done with the relationship? Like why? Like you're done. Let it be done. Just move on with your life and let people live their life.
- [41:53]
A
It's time for family matters.
- [42:00]
B
We're going to San Francisco, California. We have a baby with the initials O. Yes. It was only 18 months old when she was brought to a San Francisco hospital with dozens of bruises, a brain hemorrhage, internal bleeding and a pancreas torn in two. These injuries would require nothing but violent force. Her parents, Warren Young Sr. And Jessica Fulcher, went outside to smoke cigarettes and never returned. The daughter died alone in the hospital the next morning. Her doctors have called her death a murder. A juvenile. A juvenile Court found in 2023 that one or both parents were responsible for baby O wise injuries and death. Yet three years later, Young and Fulcher have never been arrested or charged. Young even took video of his children during beatings, one showing baby Oy covered in blood and flung onto a bed by her father. This is according to a court order. On January 29, Baby Oy and her two siblings had been returned to their parents care despite 28 positive drug tests and 31 missed drug tests. Now an ex federal law enforcement official is leading the fight for justice, calling out not just Baby Oy's parents, but a system that failed her. And the system fails all the time and I know their cases are loaded. I know that there's a lot on their plate. But you've got parents that are failing drug tests or not reporting for drug tests. We have a Baby, an 18 month old who was beaten over the course of time and ultimately murdered and no one has been held accountable. Maria, who has adopted the toddler's two siblings and asked to use a pseudonym. It's been identified as a homicide and it's been over three years, she said. Maria adopted the young siblings, who are now ages 6 and 3, after they were removed from their parents care. Juvenile court found in 2023 that young Fulcher or both parents were responsible for Baby O Wise injuries and death. Deeply moved by the tragedy, the former law enforcement officer, who is a single mom with two older children, applied to foster and then adopt the two siblings. She's now leading an unprecedented civil rights lawsuit against Anatoc police, Child Protective Services, two law enforcement officers and Baby O Wise Daycare for ignoring signs the child was in grave danger, including at least three domestic violence calls to the same home, dozens of failed or skipped drug tests, serious injuries and even video of a deranged young abusing his children. Her parents horrific abuse and neglect was enabled by police officers, her pediatrician and daycare provider who failed to report signs of abuse, the lawsuit claims, as well as county social workers who recommended reuniting the children with Young and Fulcher after Baby O tested positive for meth at birth. Fulcher had told Anatak police officers that Young was abusive and and used meth every time they argued and was simply sent back inside the home where their children were also suffering from anemia and lead exposure, according to the lawsuit. Vulture had dialed 911 in August of 2022 after Baby Oy had difficulty breathing. The hospital alerted law enforcement to possible abuse because of the shocking injuries, bruises and internal bleeding that would have caused tremendous agony, according to the lawsuit. This case is about what happens when child's cries go unheard, wrote U.S. district Judge Trina Thompson in an extraordinary, extraordinary January 29th order. Following most claims to proceed, Thompson pointed the finger directly at authorities who have disturbingly let the murder slide. Although it's been more than two years since Oy's parents have killed Oy, the city of Anatak has yet to file any criminal charges. No surprise, these agencies did not respond to questions about the case, and Young and Fletcher did not respond to requests for comments sent through social media. Young, who's 33, was involved in a violent altercation and charged with armed robbery and criminal mayhem not long after his daughter's death. He actually served time but was released last year. Fulcher, who's 26, faced 10 charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and vehicle theft in 2024. She received probation and a brief jail sentence after a plea deal, Maria said, I would love to see an arrest. It's justice for Oy and the siblings, who are also victims. 2. The community has been victimized as well. All children deserve to be safe and loved. Baby Oy's siblings are now thriving in a loving home. Maria said her goal is to ensure all children have the same change. They are loved, they are happy, they are safe and this is my wish for all children in the system. And Maria, I know it's not your real name, but that is our wish too. And Godspeed to you. I hope you get all that you need to hold these people and systems accountable and thank you for doing what you're doing.
- [48:55]
A
It's time for family matters.
- [49:02]
B
Staying in California we have a California woman and her partner who are accused of dragging the woman's 11 year old niece around with a dog leash, strangling her and forcing her to sleep in a cold garage without a bed. The winners are Priscilla Mestaz, who's 37 years old, and Anthony Machuca, who's 36 years old. They each face 27 charges and this is according to Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office. The most serious charges include torture, conspiracy to commit torture, child endangerment under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, inflicting injury upon a child, assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats. The 11 year old girl has been staying with her aunt Mestaz and Mestaz's partner Machuka since the summer of 2024. In January of 2025 is when the abuse began and it lasted for at least a year. The couple strangled, punched and slapped the girl. They forced her to sleep in an uninsulated, unfurnished garage without bedding or heat during winter months. Furthermore, they reportedly did not give the child adequate nutrition, causing her to become malnourished. The defendants also forced the girl to perform strenuous physical exercise to the point of exhaustion. Under the threat of assault. They dragged the child with a dog leash and verbally abused and threatened her with injury. Authorities became aware of the case on January 31st when deputies were told of a girl later identified as the victim was refusing to go home. Little girl was refusing to go home. I don't blame her because her aunt had been physically abusing her at this time. It had been going on for a year and she had endured it for a year and you cannot tell me that that child did not have marks on her and that she did not look sick. Officers, including detectives with the Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit, responded to the home and spoke with the aunt. Mostaz was in an advanced stage of pregnancy and a 4 year old child was also at the home. Officers continued to investigate and ultimately identified Mestaz and Machuca as suspects. Investigators carried out a search warrant on the home and found surveillance cameras both inside and outside the home. The cameras showed footage that backed up the 11 year old's statements and showed that she had been living primarily in the garage and backyard. The garage was not converted into a living space. It did not have heating or air conditioning and insulation didn't have any of that, leaving the child exposed to unsafe temperatures year round. Muchuka was arrested at the home, but Mostass was taken into custody given her pregnancy and after giving birth about six weeks later, Mestaz was arrested on March 12. During their investigation, detectives also learned that Mestaz served as a Child and Family Services case manager with a local organization. So this is also a
- [52:54]
A
It's time for effed up professionals.
- [53:02]
B
Both the baby and the four year old were taken into protective custody by Stanislaus County Child Protective Services. The Sheriff's Office did not say what happened to the 11 year old at the time of the Sheriff's Office's announcement on Monday. Mistaz and Machuca were each being held on a $1 million bail and the agency suggested more charges could be forthcoming. And Stanislaus county is located east of the San Francisco Bay Area. So we are just hitting hard in California today. When I was on the phone with Woody, he said, oh yeah, I'm sending you this story. The headline was Murderer says his sentence is two long. So let's see why he thinks his sentence is too long. He murdered somebody and we're in Washington State. A convicted Pasco murderer returned to the Franklin County Courthouse on Wednesday to ask to be released about 10 years early. Javier Martinez has been serving 56 years in prison after he and another youth were convicted of killing 18 year old Joey Mendoza and shooting at others in a pickup in Pasco in July of 1993. Martinez was 20 when he got into the confrontation around 2:30am following the Tri Cities Water Follies hydroplane races. The shooting stemmed from the victims and the defendants taunting each other. A jury found Martinez guilty of first degree murder, two counts of second degree assault and seven counts of first degree reckless endangerment. While he faced a 45 year sentence, the judge agreed with the Prosecutor's recommendation of 56 years. The exceptional sentence is expected to keep him in prison until 2041, according to the State Department of Corrections. Martinez argued in a motion filed in November that his sentence should have only been 45 years and he was brought to Pasco from the Monroe county complex to argue his case. But on Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Diana Ruff questioned why the issue wasn't being handled by the Washington Court of Appeals. She says, I have to say that I don't understand why there is a briefing on this. I don't understand why we're here. Why are we not just transferring this to the Court of Appeals? Deputy Prosecutor Kim Kremer and defense attorney Michael Wynn agreed that it should be handled by a higher court. Kremer explained that the hearing was delayed because the previous judge on the case, Norma Rodriguez, said that she remembered the shooting and had personal ties to people involved. Martinez has made regular appeals since he was sentenced. Several followed a similar pattern when Martinez was brought back to Pasco and then the case was transferred to the appeals court. When Martinez was sentenced in 1994, prosecutors called for a sentence that was 11 years longer than the normal term he would have gotten. Judge Carolyn Brown agreed at the time, According to the 1994 Tri City Herald story. I cannot understand the act, she said. It appears to be random and without concern for the consequences. Each of the victims carries a mental scar of having been shot at. Normally, people face a sentencing range that is based on a combination of the seriousness of the crime and the number of type of crimes the person has committed. Martinez argued that one of his crimes was wrongly counted twice. That can be ignored if a judge finds that the crime was exceptional, Kramer argued. That was what Brown did in 1994. Defendants state that the calculation of his offender score is done wrong, but offers no support for the assertion. The sentencing court correctly calculated his offender score, so I wonder what his chances of getting off are. Well, that is it for today with true crime time for for March 27, 2026. I thank y' all for listening, liking sharing, leaving your wonderful reviews. I thoroughly enjoy going in and reading all of the new reviews when we get them. That shows me that you are listening. I love feedback. Feedback is what helps us grow and be stronger. I love that you share the podcast. I thank you for sharing the podcast, hitting that follow button to make sure that you get podcast as they come out. And justice for Haley is coming. What happened to Madison? That episode, the new episode, Episode five will be released soon and we just thank you again for listening to us six days a week and for starting your day with us. I'd love to get those comments. I start my day with y'. All. It means a lot and we'll see you next time.
- [58:59]
C
You know what they say. Early bird gets the ultimate vacation home. Book early and save. Save over $120 with VRBO because early gets you closer to the action, whether it's waves lapping at the shore or snoozing in a hammock that overlooks. Well, whatever you want it to so you can all enjoy the payoff come summer with Verbo's Early Booking Deals. Rise and shine average savings $141 select homes only.