MURDERED: Darlenia Johnson

Summary

Up and Vanished Weekly: "MURDERED: Darlenia Johnson"

Host: Maggie Freeling
Guest: Jamie Albright, Producer at Tenderfoot TV
Release Date: April 2, 2025

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Introduction to the Case

In the April 2, 2025 episode of Up and Vanished Weekly, hosts Maggie Freeling and Payne Lindsay delve into the haunting case of Darlenia Johnson, a 16-year-old girl who vanished in July 1971 from the Congress Heights neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The episode explores the broader context of multiple unsolved cases in the area, raising the chilling possibility of a serial killer known as the "Freeway Phantom."

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Background: Congress Heights Community (08:57 – 09:21)

Jamie Albright provides an overview of Congress Heights during the early 1970s. Described as a 96% Black, working-class neighborhood, it was a tight-knit community where everyone knew each other. The social fabric was strong, with vibrant local institutions like Black barbershops and churches serving as community hubs.

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Darlenia Johnson’s Disappearance (03:10 – 05:02)

Darlenia Johnson was a vibrant 16-year-old working a summer job at the local rec center. On July 8, 1971, she was last seen heading to an overnight event at the rec center. Her mother, Helen McNeil, reported her missing when she failed to return by the next evening. Initially dismissed by the police as a possible runaway, the case quickly took a darker turn as anonymous threatening calls began to plague the family and community.

Notable Quote:

"I killed your daughter." — Anonymous Caller [13:13]

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Community Response and Police Dismissiveness (10:00 – 12:02)

Amidst a backdrop of social unrest, including the largest May Day protest in U.S. history against the Vietnam War, law enforcement's attention was diverted. The existing friction between the predominantly Black community and the police exacerbated the situation. When Helen sought help, the police were dismissive, attributing Darlenia’s disappearance to running away without thorough investigation.

Notable Quote:

"There’s just a lot of kind of rift between communities." — Jamie Albright [10:00]

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Threatening Calls and Heightened Panic (16:11 – 17:09)

As Darlenia remained missing, Helen and community members received chilling, anonymous calls stating, "I killed your daughter." These calls intensified the community's fear and highlighted the potential presence of a predator targeting young Black girls.

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Investigation and Alfred Holmes (22:50 – 24:36)

Suspect Alfred Holmes emerged as a person of interest after being identified by another missing girl, Sylvia Allen. However, the investigation took a bizarre turn when Holmes was administered a truth serum (sodium penthenol). The results were inconclusive, leading to his dismissal without substantive explanation.

Notable Quote:

"It’s like, have you ever parented a teenager?" — Jamie Albright [18:44]

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Role of Romaine Jenkins (32:21 – 34:05)

Romaine Jenkins, the first Black female homicide detective in the Metropolitan Police Department, played a pivotal role in keeping the case alive. Her dedication and empathy brought new insights, emphasizing the impact of racial disparities in law enforcement’s approach to the investigation.

Notable Quote:

"She never wanted to let this case be forgotten." — Jamie Albright [32:31]

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The Freeway Phantom and Pattern Killings (25:33 – 44:53)

As more young girls were found murdered under similar circumstances, the media coined the term "Freeway Phantom." The pattern suggested a single or multiple perpetrators targeting young Black girls, though at the time, the concept of a serial killer was not widely recognized. Discussions highlight how racial biases may have hindered the investigation, with accusations that law enforcement downplayed the severity of the crimes.

Notable Quote:

"Pattern killings mean there are some similarities, but not necessarily the same person." — Jamie Albright [44:16]

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Theories and Ongoing Investigations (45:33 – 47:22)

Several theories emerged, including the possibility that a law enforcement officer was involved. The discovery of Darlenia's body near Carol Spinks, another victim, raised suspicions. However, no concrete evidence has surfaced to implicate law enforcement directly. The FBI maintains the case is open, but coordination issues between agencies have stalled progress.

Notable Quote:

"Somebody knows something." — Inspector Hallen Pitts, St. Louis Post Dispatch [51:40]

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Reward and Continued Efforts (47:22 – 48:46)

To reinvigorate the investigation, a $300,000 reward has been offered, matching an initial $150,000 from the Metropolitan Police Department. Community reluctance to "snitch," rooted in deep-seated distrust of law enforcement, continues to impede breakthroughs.

Notable Quote:

"We've combed through evidence, interviewed suspects, and followed all leads. But no one has ever been charged." — Payne Lindsay [26:20]

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Conclusion and Reflections (49:40 – End)

The episode concludes with reflections on the enduring impact of the case on the community and the families involved. Jamie Albright honors Romaine Jenkins's legacy, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and community support to finally uncover the truth behind these unresolved murders.

Notable Quote:

"No matter where these crimes occurred, these girls' lives mattered and they deserved a thorough investigation." — Jamie Albright [48:46]

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Key Takeaways

• Racial Bias and Law Enforcement: The case underscores how racial prejudices can affect the urgency and thoroughness of criminal investigations.
• Community Trust Issues: Historical tensions between the Black community and police contributed to the stagnation of the case.
• Persistent Efforts: Dedicated individuals like Romaine Jenkins have kept the case in public consciousness, but significant barriers remain.
• Potential for Closure: With renewed interest and substantial rewards, there is hope that new evidence or testimonies may eventually solve the case.

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For more detailed insights and updates on the Freeway Phantom investigation, listeners are encouraged to explore associated podcasts and resources provided by Tenderfoot TV.

Transcript

[Payne Lindsay]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Jamie Albright]

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[Payne Lindsay]

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[Maggie Freeling]

Up and vanish weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free, but for one week early access and ad free listening. Subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts if you're already a subscriber. Thank you for your support.

This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

[Payne Lindsay]

On July 8, 1971, the Congress Heights neighborhood on the southeast edge of Washington, D.C. is simmering in the summer heat. Kids are out of school, looking for ways to cool off while life in the neighborhood moves at its usual rhythm. Inside her home, Helen McNeil is getting ready for the day. Before heading out to run errands, she peeks into her daughter's room. 16 year old Darlenia Johnson. It's a normal morning. Darlenia has been working a summer job at the local rec center, and Helen reminds her son to wake her up before her shift. That night, the rec center is hosting an overnight event and Darlenia is supposed to be there. But as Helen walks out the door, she has no idea that in just a few days, her entire world would be flipped upside down. Her daughter will be missing, vanished without a trace. And what starts as a single disappearance will soon spiral into something much darker. Because Darlenia Johnson isn't the first girl to go missing. And she won't be the last. Even now, over 50 years later, the case still raises the same haunting question. Did Darlenia Johnson fall victim to a serial killer? Foreign from Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta. I'm Payne Lindsay.

[Maggie Freeling]

And I'm Maggie Freeling, and you're listening.

[Payne Lindsay]

To up and Vanished Weekly.

[Maggie Freeling]

Hey, y'all. Welcome back to up and Vanished Weekly. I'm Maggie Freeling. Today we're talking about Darlenia Johnson, a case that has haunted her family for over 50 years. And it's not just Darlenia's family who doesn't have answers, but an entire community was in panic after more girls turned up dead. There's a lot to discuss. So joining me to talk about this is Jamie Albright, who has done a super deep dive into Darlenia's case and the rest of these girls. I would say you're pretty much an expert on the case. Jamie is also a producer at Tenderfoot tv. Jamie, thank you for joining me today.

[Jamie Albright]

Hey, Maggie, of course. Thanks for having me.

[Maggie Freeling]

So you have spent a ton of time digging into this case. It's from over 50 years ago, so I know that that could be really hard to find records and nothing is usually digitized. So can you tell me a little bit about how you found out about this case and how you went about looking into it?

[Jamie Albright]

We ended up partnering with iHeartMedia and Black Bar Mitzvah to look into the cases of missing youth in D.C. this was a big viral tweet that went out in 2017. And so we kind of went down that path at the time. It was an over 51 year old case of at least six black girls who went missing in D.C. and like you mentioned, it's 50 years old. And so I love research. I'm like, there has to be more information on this case. And then we realized there really wasn't. And I think just I latched onto the case and so did the rest of the team. And we decided that we wanted to go back and cover these unsolved cases. It just really felt like the girls were kind of frozen in time and forgotten by law enforcement.

[Maggie Freeling]

Did the media cover this?

[Jamie Albright]

We could not find any media coverage for Darlenia and most of the girls on microfilm. We found one tiny article when the first victim went missing, like, buried in a long page of other articles. And then it got news attention when there was like this idea of a freeway phantom.

[Maggie Freeling]

So it really wasn't until three, four victims later.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes, absolutely. And it's kind of like the sensationalized headline, right? That's what got the media attention, not the girls, not the fact that they were missing and murdered.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wow. During our discussion, we'll touch on a few of the cases that are believed to be linked together. And your podcast, Freeway Phantom, covers each of the deaths in more detail. But today, we're really gonna focus on the murder of Darlenia Johnson and how she fits into this much larger pict. So let's start with talking more about Darlenia. Here's Payne with details.

[Payne Lindsay]

Darlenia was 16 years old, working a summer job, hanging out with friends, just being a teenager. That was Darlenia Denise Johnson. She was full of energy, a good student, always on the move. The kind of girl who left an impression. She had dreams, ambitions. But she was also at the age where pushing boundaries and figuring things out was just part of life. The early 70s were a time of massive change. Young people were questioning authority, breaking traditions, redefining what life should look like. And Darlenia was a part of that. But in Congress Heights, the air was tense. There was a growing divide between the police and and the community. Especially in working class black neighborhoods like this one, People were already on edge. And when Darlenia disappeared, the tension erupted into something much worse.

[Maggie Freeling]

Congress Heights, 1971. Jamie, tell me a little bit about the neighborhood. What is going on?

[Jamie Albright]

Congress Heights was 96% black at that time. Black barbershop, black churches. And these were working class families. Everyone knew everyone Everyone looked out for everyone. Um, it was described as an auntie on the porch would always know where you were going and your mom knew if you got in trouble by the time you got home. So, you know, close knit community.

[Maggie Freeling]

Darlenia specifically, I mean, tell me a bit about her. You know, she's described as being really smart, a good girl.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah, she was a good girl. That I would say was being a typical teenager and pushing the boundaries. You know, she was hanging out with friends, she would go to parties here or there. She loved music and records is one thing that we found, which really sets the scene for the time. I feel like she walked everywhere. She walked to work at the Ox and Run Rec center. She had a job. So to me just sounded like a typical teenager.

[Maggie Freeling]

What's going on that summer, the time Darlenia goes missing.

[Jamie Albright]

So 1971 was a very trying time in our country as far as protest. And so in D.C. there was a huge May Day protest, an anti Vietnam War protest. It's still the largest protest in United States history. And basically all law enforcement was told that they had to focus on the protest. So despite the fact that Darlenia is missing, there's not going to be the type of attention that there would be if there was not this protest happening. And so that's basically what's going on there. There's a lot of kind of rift between communities as well. And the community that Darlenia lives in is an all black community, working class, who's feeling kind of disconnected, it seems like, from law enforcement at that time. It's just kind of this community versus law enforcement doesn't feel like they ever kind of come together to look at this case, I guess. And it's not the responsibility of the community, but it just feels like there's this friction between the community and law enforcement.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right.

[Jamie Albright]

In an attempt to kind of get into those communities and have relationships with, you know, the youth and create positive relationships. Law enforcement was going into schools and they were hosting a program called Officer Friendlies. And what that was was they were talking to them about, you know, stranger danger and how we're here to help you. And so there were attempts to kind of bridge those gaps.

[Maggie Freeling]

So authorities are really preoccupied with these protests. But in the middle of this much larger social unrest, multiple girls disappear and authorities just don't give them the attention they deserve. There's already division between the community and police. So now the lack of urgency by authorities only adds fuel to the fire. And we see the police's dismissive response pretty clearly as soon as Darlenia's mother realizes she's missing and she reaches out for help. Here's Payne with more about how this all unfolded.

[Payne Lindsay]

Thursday, July 8, 1971 Darlenia's mom, Helen, leaves the house around 8am she figures Darlenia is getting ready for work. By noon when Helen gets home, her daughter is already gone, just like she expected. Darlenia's shift at the rec center is supposed to last through an overnight campout, so she's not due home until the next evening. But when that time comes, Darlenia isn't there. 6:10pm passes, then 8:00pm, then 10:30. No sign of Darlenia. So Helen starts asking around friends, neighbors, but no one has seen her. That's when her worry turns into something heavier. And that night she calls the police. Two officers show up and take a report. They ask a few questions and then, just like that, they dismiss it. She probably ran away. But Helen knows better. Darlenia wouldn't just disappear. And then the calls start coming. Chilling, anonymous calls with just four words.

[Unknown]

I killed your daughter.

[Maggie Freeling]

Our discussion continues after a quick break.

[Payne Lindsay]

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[Maggie Freeling]

All right, now back to our case. So let's dive in starting at the beginning. The day before Darlenia was reported missing.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. So Darlenia is last seen on the 8th. She's reported missing on the 9th. And immediately her mom is frantic. You know, she's going, this is not normal for my daughter. I'm gonna find her. I've gotta find her. And so the community really rallies by their side and everyone starts looking for her and trying to see where she was last seen or last heard from.

[Maggie Freeling]

So during this time, the family is actually getting taunted by a mystery caller. And this is something that to that time I feel like is pretty unique. We've heard this with like Zodiac and like, I don't know who else. Oh, I guess the Long island serial killer. He was making phone calls to. This taunting is so interesting to me. What was he saying to the family when he was calling?

[Jamie Albright]

So Helen McNeil in one of the reports said, he simply said, I killed your daughter.

[Maggie Freeling]

And not only is the mom getting phone calls, but community members who are up in arms about this. Dorothy Wheeler organized searches and she was a big voice and she actually started getting phone calls and threats from the alleged or the supposed killer.

[Jamie Albright]

So this individual was really keeping up with who in the community was even trying to help shed light on the cases, which I think is really interesting and creepy.

[Maggie Freeling]

So the community is actually like pretty upset now. The police don't take it too seriously. And actually the way they discuss her in their reports is really gross. Can you talk about some of those things they were mentioning in their police reports?

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah, just seeing it in writing was even more shocking. She's described as loose. She's described as a runaway at times when her mom says she never ran away. She was a 16 year old girl, you know, hanging out with friends and things like that, according to family. But at one point in the police report, an officer actually writes, it seems like she's up to her old shit again.

[Maggie Freeling]

What is that supposed to mean? Like what, what is up to her old shit again, supposed to mean? The way she's described, the way everyone's talked about her. She's a normal kid.

[Jamie Albright]

And I wanna make sure I say, he isn't saying that because law enforcement has ever interacted with her. He's saying that because in his interview with her brother, the brother's kind of saying, oh, yeah, sometimes she stays out late or sometimes I've got to go find her. But he then just assumes that means that she's like a bad runaway who would look at a girl and think she's out prostituting in the streets. She was an innocent little girl that law enforcement treated like a woman.

[Maggie Freeling]

This is like the female version of the super predators, right? Like black men, violent predators, young black girls, prostitutes.

[Jamie Albright]

Absolutely.

[Maggie Freeling]

I can't help but think of Darlenia and these other young teenage girls just being profiled as sex workers because they're black and from a lower income neighborhood.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah, it's like, have you ever parented a teenager? Like teenagers at 16 are doing what they're supposed to do, pushing the boundaries, being kids.

[Maggie Freeling]

How much of that do you think played into this case?

[Jamie Albright]

I do think it impacted the case. It impacted the case because officers had preconceived notions that delayed investigations, that they didn't follow leads because of it. We know in criminal investigations that the first 48 hours is super important. And that was lost in all of these girls cases.

[Payne Lindsay]

It had already been a bad year. Just weeks earlier, another girl, 13 year old Carol Spinks, had also gone missing. One week later, her body was found near I295. She had been brutally attacked, held captive for days and dumped on the side of the road like she didn't matter. Now Darlenia was missing and her last known movements weren't adding up. When her mother paid a visit to the rec center looking for answers, she got a disturbing piece of information. The program manager told her about a man, an older black man, who had been seen picking up Darlenia and another girl, Sylvia Allen. On multiple occasions, he drove a black car. And the last time anyone saw Darlenia, the day before she vanished, getting into that same car. When police tracked down Sylvia, she gave them a name, Alfred Holmes. Very quickly, Holmes became a person of interest. But before investigators could dig into him, something else happened. On July 12th, a city worker spotted something disturbing near i295, a decomposing body. The worker reported it immediately, but somehow it took police an entire week to respond. By the time they finally showed up, it was too late. The remains were confirmed to be that of Darlenia Johnson. She had been found just 15ft from where Carol Spink's body had been discovered weeks earlier. If this was a coincidence, it was a chilling one. But the community wasn't buying that someone was out there targeting young black girls. And it was clear that whoever they were, they weren't stopping.

[Maggie Freeling]

When Carol is missing and then her body is found, and then Darlenia goes missing, no red flags come up for the police. They're not thinking, oh, my gosh here, like something is going on. Two young teenage girls are missing, right?

[Jamie Albright]

And both lived within blocks of one another. Wow.

[Maggie Freeling]

Blocks.

[Jamie Albright]

But she's found 15ft from where Carol Spinks was found just two and a half months earlier.

[Maggie Freeling]

And during that time, police are actually getting reports that there is a body on the side of the road for 10 days. And the police kind of ignored this. They drive by, they never actually get out to look. That really impacted the case because she is found mummified, and so they're unable to really determine how she died. How is she found?

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. So she's finally found when there's just a persistent utility worker. He had seen her body days before, called the police, goes back out in this kind of remote area and is like, what the heck? This body's still here. He calls a friend that works at the police department. They finally find Darlenia's body ten days after she was reported missing. They don't know how she died. They don't know time of death. They know nothing based on the condition of her body. And remember, it's July in Washington, D.C. and we actually took one of our trips in July. It's hot as can be, so the temperature just does damage to the body. And so she was completely mummified. And the only way that her mother was able to identify her was the clothing that she was wearing and her earrings.

[Maggie Freeling]

That's awful. Darlenia's mom finds out she's kind of not hitchhiking, but getting rides from an older man in the community. And this really alarms her mom. This man, Alfred Holmes, what do you make of him going through all of these documents?

[Jamie Albright]

Within the community, he was known as the older guy, married, cheating on his wife with teenage girls, giving them weed and alcohol. I think that makes him a creep, but I don't think it makes him a killer.

[Maggie Freeling]

So this guy Alfred is and questioned about Darlenia, and he has also asked if he knows Carol, the Police here seem to kind of be making this connection now, finally.

[Jamie Albright]

Mm. Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

And they give him a, quote, truth serum. As a forensic interviewer, can you talk to me about maybe some problems or how this all went down?

[Jamie Albright]

I thought that was such a strange thing. And, I mean, we don't do that today. Right. So you don't give people truth serum.

[Maggie Freeling]

I think people would hear the word truth serum and be like, what. What is that even. Like, we were doing that. What is it?

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. So it's sodium penthenol. Apparently, you administer it, and someone can't lie. I just. I'm not quite sure how it works, but it just seems unbelievable.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah. So tell me what happened when he was under the, quote, truth serum.

[Jamie Albright]

It's interesting. All we could find was a few very basic lines that were, like, administered sodium penthenol test and then tests completed. There wasn't even, like, a summary of what they, I guess, learned from the test.

[Maggie Freeling]

How come he was ruled out? I actually find that kind of odd.

[Jamie Albright]

Right.

[Maggie Freeling]

We have this man that was known, or allegedly known to have been with one of the victims, and then he takes this truth serum test, and it's like, okay, wasn't him.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. And it's interesting because even when you look at that and you try to find out how reliable it is today, there's so much mixed information. But it was. I mean, in 1963, the Supreme Court even ruled out confessions that they obtain when you're on or when you take sodium fentanyl. So it's just weird that that would be the one thing that they say, oh, well, we're not, you know, he's kind of ruled out. And you never find that verbiage that he's ruled out, but that's the last time you see that they speak to him.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah. It's pretty strange that he would be cleared without any real concrete explanation as to why. Like, that doesn't make sense to me. But with Alfred Holmes no longer being treated as a suspect, the question now becomes, then who is responsible? And how can these families find closure? Here's Payne with details about some additional leads that started to come in around this time.

[Payne Lindsay]

After Darlenia's body was found, the questions only multiplied. Her remains were in such bad shape that a cause of death couldn't be determined. No clear answers, no real leads. But then it happened again. Over the next 18 months, four more girls would be murdered under eerily similar circumstances. And soon the media had a name for this predator who was lurking in the shadows. The Freeway Phantom. Whoever it was, they didn't just kill, they taunted. A note was even found in the pocket of one of the victim's coats, allegedly written by the killer themselves. It said, I will admit the others.

[Unknown]

When you catch me if you can. The Freeway Phantom.

[Payne Lindsay]

For the past 50 years, investigators have chased down theories. They've combed through evidence, interviewed suspects, and followed all leads. But no one has ever been charged. And now a new theory is starting to emerge, one that's more unsettling than any of the others. Because what if the person responsible for these murders was one of their own?

[Maggie Freeling]

More of our discussion after a quick break. You're listening to up and Vanish Weekly.

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[Maggie Freeling]

Hey listeners, if you have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot tv DMUS on Instagram avweekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411. Now here's John with this week's critical.

Missing case On Sunday, September 22, 2024, 31 year old Nancy Bunley vanished from the Lexington, North Carolina area that Sunday. Nancy, who also goes by Nance, left her boyfriend's house driving his vehicle, a black 2017 Honda Pilot with North Carolina tag Romeo Bravo Alpha 2896. Her last known location seems to be the corner of South Main street and West center street in Lexington Nobody's had contact with her since that day. And strangely, her cell phone was later found in a nearby creek bed. Nance is of Asian ethnicity. She has a height of 5 foot 2 inches and a weight of 120 to 130 pounds. She has black shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She may also be wearing glasses. She was last seen wearing a dark hoodie, gray sweatpants and earrings. So, listeners, if you know anything about the disappearance of Nancy Bunley, please contact Heather Cross with the Lexington Police Department at 336-243-6704. And you can reference case number 24 Lima 004358.

All right, now back to our case. So Carol is missing, turns up killed, same with Darlenia. And then four other teenage girls also turn up on the side of the highway.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes, with the youngest victim being only 10.

[Maggie Freeling]

This is now six young girls are dead and they can't figure out who did this. So, I mean, just from an outsider being like six teenage girls are dumped on the side of the highway, there's a connection there. Do police make this connection?

[Jamie Albright]

There's conflicting reports on that. According to law enforcement, they say they don't make a connection until about victim four. But then we find that report. Where they do ask after Darlenia's death, they ask Alfred, do you know Carol Spinks? So someone was making a connection. And then as you move forward, the law enforcement's very tight lipped with the community and there's almost no media coverage. I mean, you look at microfilm, you cannot find articles. And so I do think that there was that lack of communication from law enforcement that we're not even certain when the connection's made.

[Maggie Freeling]

You know, when you were looking into this case, is that kind of, do you think maybe detrimental to the investigation that they linked all of them to one killer?

[Jamie Albright]

No, I think that all of these girls were definitely killed by the same person. And with Brenda Denise Woodard, who is the fifth victim, they actually find a note on her where the individual says that they are the Freeway Phantom, which is again the moniker the news gave them. So this person is saying, no, I am this person. So I do think that they should have linked all the girls. I think some of the biggest challenges are files weren't preserved, evidence wasn't preserved, there's blood under their nails. I mean, none of those things were done when, now we are seeing today we are solving old cold cases with DNA.

[Maggie Freeling]

Does any physical evidence exist in this case?

[Jamie Albright]

So we were told that no physical evidence exists from six girls that's what we were told. What's interesting is in the FBI files, we found some information where they say there might have been some blood type testing done. But again, that's kind of where it stops there. There was some typing done for blood type, but that doesn't. It's not a full DNA profile. And so again, this conflicting and misinformation is. Is difficult.

[Maggie Freeling]

So Romaine Jenkins kind of became a huge part of this case. And you got to meet Romaine and talk to her. So tell me a bit about Romaine.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. So Romaine is the kind of detective you want on your case if anything happens to you or a loved one. Not only does she do her job thoroughly, she's so committed to solving cases. And so for over 50 years, she gathered documents, she reviewed files, and she even investigated the case. When she got to the Attorney General's office, she never wanted to let this case be forgotten. And so meeting her was really an honor. She let us go through the files that she had and gave us insight to the time too. Right. She was in her 81 when we first spoke with her. So I don't know what it was like in the 70s in the investigation. And she actually said she doesn't think all the officers were racist, but she does think race played a role in how the investigation was handled.

[Maggie Freeling]

As if she thinks if they were 13 year old white girls, maybe there would have been an urgency or it would have been handled differently.

[Jamie Albright]

Absolutely.

[Maggie Freeling]

And she herself actually made history at the department. Yeah.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. The first female in homicide. Um, she just broke so many.

[Maggie Freeling]

And a black female.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes, and a black female. And so she's broke so many glass ceilings.

[Maggie Freeling]

It's so interesting that, you know, she kind of takes this time to care about the victims. And I wonder if, you know, that is because she's a black woman. Like, what does it take to get law enforcement to care about victims? I wonder if it's like exposing, like, why we need diversity in policing.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah, absolutely. There's a photo of one of the victims on the ground on the scene and covered with a black tarp. And when you look at that photo, it absolutely takes you back to that time. There are men standing around in long trench coats with little detective hats on, and they're all white. And I think it's important to have diversity in the sense of, you know, race, but also women in the field. I think that's so important. Romaine brought a sense of empathy and concern. And also she could stand up when there were these stereotypes about women.

[Maggie Freeling]

I love that she became this main character for your story and this quest to get justice for all these young girls. Is this case kind of a case where agencies aren't talking with each other? Maybe one investigator that was, you know, investigating another girl. Is that where the disconnect is happening? Like, why have we not figured this out for 50 years? I'm really struggling with the disconnect.

[Jamie Albright]

Absolutely. So Metropolitan Police Department states that their records were ruined in a flood. That's what their stance is. Prince George county, which is another involved agency. They would not give us their documents. We heard the cases were closed. We heard the cases were open. And then, of course, the FBI, which would be the overarching agency, um, they say the case is still open, but can't tell us who's investigating them. So it seems like if there's still this much confusion today, I can't imagine what the confusion was like 50 years ago.

[Maggie Freeling]

And there's some basic fundamental confusion, like who found the first body?

[Jamie Albright]

Yes.

[Maggie Freeling]

And it's allegedly a group of kids. But when you were looking into this, there was no names. You don't know who these kids are. You were never able to find them and ask them questions about finding her. Can you explain why that's strange?

[Jamie Albright]

We visited the site where Carol and Darlenia were found because Romaine kept saying it did not make sense where they were found. Children would not be playing there. You have to hop a gate, go down a gully, and that's where they're found. And this is not near neighborhoods. It's not near stores. It just didn't make sense. Even today, it's an industrial park.

[Maggie Freeling]

It is off the highway, though.

[Jamie Albright]

It is off the highway, kind of like an access road, like 295 and Suitland Parkway. And again today, we wouldn't know what was normal back then, but Romaine said children would not be playing there. It's not. It just doesn't make sense.

[Maggie Freeling]

So Romaine even thinks, yes, that is odd.

[Jamie Albright]

The first time I talked to her, I asked her what was a question she couldn't get out of her head, and that was it. The person dumped the body somewhere, that it might have never been found. Carol's body. But then children playing on the side of the road find it. But in the police report, there's no children listed. And that's one thing I will say. People that were interviewed at that time, they did a decent job of notating their name and their age. Nothing with these children. So that kind of stuck in my mind with Romaine I didn't really think much of it. And sure, I start reviewing case files, and, yeah, I just keep saying a group of children flagged down a police officer. And so in the file, the police officer that wrote the report is named. And, you know, nothing seems suspicious about that. And then one night, it's midnight, and, I mean, you look into cases. You probably know what that's like. You're looking through documents, and I find a piece of paper. Like, think about the little tablets that went into the pocket of law enforcement. Little bitty notepad. A little notepad, yes. Like everything you hear in old scene or see in old movies. And there's this note, and it says that the officer who wrote the report was contacted by another officer who stated children told him they found the body. And then I look at the name of that officer, and it's R. Jenkins, mpd. And so I was confused because. Romaine Jenkins, right? I'm like, oh, that doesn't make sense. Then I remembered her husband's name was Robert Jenkins. So I, like, call my co worker. I'm like, wait, this is so weird.

[Maggie Freeling]

Her husband's an officer.

[Jamie Albright]

Her husband is an officer, too. And I knew that because before I met Romine, I looked into her family and everything. I knew he was an officer. And so I call Romaine the next day and say, what is your biggest question? And she's like, why were children playing by the freeway? Who found the first body? And I said, what if I told you I knew who that was? And she's like, no way. And I said, yes. And then basically we went through this back and forth. No. Yes. And then I said, it was your husband. And she was absolutely silent. And she says, no. And I said, yes. And she said, read me the note. And I read her the note, and it says, officer R. Jenkins contacted him about the body. I just found that so weird.

[Maggie Freeling]

I mean, this case is Romaine's life. She's been investigating it since the beginning. Her husband has known about it since the beginning, and he never said to her, I found the body.

[Jamie Albright]

No, I think that's weird.

[Maggie Freeling]

That's really weird. And that actually plays into some theories in this case, where a lot of people in the community think it's an officer.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. We spoke to Carol Spink's two sisters, Evander and her twin, Carolyn. Carolyn told us a story of officer friendlies that came into the school as we talked about earlier, and they were trying to bridge the gap in the community. And she said her sister was so afraid of strangers, she ran Everywhere. And she said her sister would have never, ever gotten in the car with a stranger. And so she always believed it was officer friendly. So does her older sister, Evander. So does the man from the barbershop that has been there for 70 years. Everyone in the community thinks it's a police officer.

[Maggie Freeling]

So if we're gonna lean into this for a second, does that explain why this investigation has been stalled for 50 years?

[Jamie Albright]

So I struggle with the idea of, like, large coverups. I do. Like, I just think, oh, well, that would involve so many people, and, you know, why would they do that? When you look at the time, though, when there was so much unrest between, you know, the government and communities and black and white, you know, maybe that is something that it wouldn't have been good if the killer was a police officer.

[Maggie Freeling]

You know, it's also like, does it have to be an entire department cover up, too? Right. It's like, if it was one officer, he was maybe close to the investigation. You know, maybe it didn't have to be an entire department wide cover up.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. I definitely know that Romaine didn't know he was there on the first scene because of her response when I told her. She was shocked. And she actually said, you've done something no one's ever done. You've stumped me. She was really surprised. I just don't know why no one else found that note or thought it was odd. And when I did ask her if she thought it was odd, she said, well, we didn't, like, talk about work all the time. So, you know, I. I just think that in her mind, they didn't talk about work. But she has talked about this case so much, and the files are everywhere. It's like the case that she could not let go. And so it's hard for me to believe he didn't know this case was so important to her.

[Maggie Freeling]

Well, it's also huge in the community. Right? Like, how do you. You can't gloss over that.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. That he knew the case. Every officer knew the case. It was huge. And especially black police officers, because, remember, there weren't many black police officers. And so these officers were the ones that often even lived in Congress Heights. Romaine did not move out of that community until she got married. So she lived in the community. She knew the community, and that's why she was able to give us some insight on what it was like. So, yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

More on this case after a quick break.

[Payne Lindsay]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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Hey, it's John from the up and Vanish team. If you're enjoying this episode, then you should check out the installment of the monster franchise by Iheart and Tenderfoot TV entitled Monster Freeway Phantom. Take an even deeper dive into the complexities and of these six unsolved deaths as Jamie Albright is joined by journalist and public radio veteran Celeste Headley, who hosts the series. The team examines old case files and interviews the investigators and family members who are still haunted by these killings. Explore new evidence which may crack the cold case wide open as the team asks, why didn't these murders make news headlines? Did law enforcement do enough to solve these crimes? And how do racial disparities impact these types of investigations, past and present? Listen to all episodes of Monster Freeway Phantom wherever you get your podcasts. Now back to the show.

So, expanding on the discussion of theories you mentioned earlier that you think these girls could have been killed by the same person, but I just want to raise the fact that at this time in the 1970s, the idea of what we now know as a serial killer wasn't really a thing yet.

[Jamie Albright]

Right. Romaine told us that they use the term pattern killings, and I asked her what the difference was and she said, well, pattern killings mean there's some similarities, but not necessarily the same person. And now we know serial killers if you kill two or more people. Right. So very different times.

[Maggie Freeling]

We started using the term serial killer after the 70s when folks like Ted Bundy were caught. And it is so interesting because when you think of a serial killer, all of the ones like Bundy, they are white. Where, you know, I think that's why law enforcement had this notion that serial killers are white.

[Jamie Albright]

Yeah. And I think that Again, it's something that back then impacted the investigation. And it also actually played into the rift. Right. Because law enforcement said they found Negroid hairs on several of the bodies. And then the communities thinking, you're just trying to blame us, it was a white police officer. Maybe it was someone who was a police officer, but maybe he wasn't white.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wow. Okay. So we have the community being like, it's a police officer, probably white police officer, because one of us wouldn't do this. That was the notion at the time, yes. There's another theory that maybe it's a group of people, not one serial killer. And this moniker's come up. The Green Vega Rapists.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. So they were a group of men who would get together, ride around in a green Vega, pick up young women, sexually assault them. They actually were convicted of multiple rapes in 1978, and then it was overturned and they were convicted again in 1983. The difference, in my opinion, with the Green Vega guys, even when I looked at it without Romaine's input, was These were not 10 year olds or 13 year olds. Right. They were not dumped on the side of the freeway, and they weren't murdered. They were sexually assaulted. So it's not the same. That was stood out to me. Also, Romaine told us the car wasn't manufactured in 1971.

[Maggie Freeling]

What do you think happened? Do you think this was one person? Do you think it was a conspiracy?

[Jamie Albright]

So I think that multiple people could at least know who the killer is. That's what I think. I don't think it was the Green Vega killers. We found information in the documents about a man who drove a Gran Torino. He was listed on the suspect list with other people involved. That individual's name has not been released because some of those individuals are still living.

[Maggie Freeling]

Do you know if the police are actively looking into this?

[Jamie Albright]

They say that they are. The FBI says it's still an active and open investigation, but we have not been able to get a clear answer on that.

[Maggie Freeling]

So after Freeway Phantom came out a couple years ago, you do this amazing investigation, you find new evidence. What happened then? Did you guys get any calls, any tips? Has the case moved forward?

[Jamie Albright]

Yes, so we received a bunch of email tips. Our host, Celeste, also received some interesting phone calls. I feel like, you know, I don't know if it will ever be solved, but we did get new information.

[Maggie Freeling]

So there's a big reward in this case, actually. And you guys were part of putting some of that up?

[Jamie Albright]

Yes, there was $150,000 reward offered from MPD and we have matched that with the help of iHeartMedia and Black Bar Mitzvah. The reward is now $300,000.

[Maggie Freeling]

Holy shit.

[Jamie Albright]

$150,000 reward was a whole lot of money, especially in the 70s. And Romaine talked about the idea within the black community of not snitching. And I think that that was really interesting because, you know, she said, you know, snitches get stitches and we don't. We don't snitch to cops. We don't trust cops to think that it was that pervasive, that if someone would have known, they wouldn't have said something. I don't know. I don't. I think that rule in the black community doesn't apply to crimes like this, not at least in the people I talk to. That's more, don't snitch that someone's selling weed down the street. But not this. These were horrific.

[Maggie Freeling]

I mean, the case is so old, oftentimes people wait for someone to die that they're afraid of, like, maybe the killer's still alive or you never know.

[Jamie Albright]

Or this other thing that one of the investigators said is one day someone might be cleaning out their grandpa's attic and finds the missing shoe, a missing barrette, and then we'll know who the killer was. I thought that was really interesting because he kept souvenirs from some of the girls.

[Maggie Freeling]

He took trophies.

[Jamie Albright]

Yes. Wow. I also want to say, you know, thank you so much to Romaine Jenkins for carrying the torch for all those years. She sadly passed away in August, and I know that she would have wanted this case to stay in the news. So I appreciate you taking the time to cover it today. I feel like I'm going to carry the torch for Romaine. I just want to know why. And I want it for the families, not for my own satisfaction. When you meet people who've carried 50 years of trauma, it's just reminds you that these girls weren't forgotten by their families. No matter where these crimes occurred, these girls lives mattered and they deserved a thorough investigation.

[Maggie Freeling]

Absolutely. Jamie, thank you so much for walking me through your investigation into Darlenia and Carol and the rest of the girls. Your podcast won multiple awards. Where can folks find out more about this case?

[Jamie Albright]

You can find the Freeway Phantom podcast wherever you get your podcast. It's a 10 episode series that takes a deep dive. And then you can also go to FreewayFantom.com where you can learn more about the reward or submit tips and see photos of the girls as well.

[Maggie Freeling]

I find it absolutely incredulous that after working this case for decades from the beginning, that Romaine Jenkins husband would not mention that he found Carol Spinks. Sure, romaine says, they rarely talked about work. But this wasn't just work, just another case. It was her pet case. I also find it hard to believe that Robert Jenkins didn't remember finding Carol in the specific case his wife couldn't let go. I find both of those things hard to believe at the same time, and I find it baffling. Darlenia and the other girl's killer has not been found, especially with a $300,000 reward. And based on all of the information we have, particularly the new findings by Jamie and the Freeway Phantom team, it's hard to look away from someone in law enforcement knowing something. In a 1971St. Louis Post dispatch article, Inspector Hallen Pitts says, somewhere in this community is an individual who probably has a clue that will help solve this case. Somebody knows something thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of Up Advantage Weekly. Be sure to tune in next Friday as we dig into another new case. Until next time.

[Payne Lindsay]

Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Stedman and Mike Rooney. Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge. Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by Makeup and Vanity set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us at Tenderfoot. Thanks for listening.

[Unknown]

Hi, I'm Grace, host of Redrum True Crime Podcast. These cases focus on the true victims of crime. Why not jump in at episode 114, the tragic murder of Jasmine and Aaliyah. The main suspect in this case gave an extremely bizarre interview to a number of press reporters whilst he was drunk and reportedly high. He speaks about an awful lot on camera and has this completely inappropriate laughing and chuckling response when talking about the case. He may even have thought he was gonna get away with the double murder he'd been accused of, but what he didn't know was that two undercover officers were on their way to catch him out and he easily and willingly took the bait. You can find us wherever you get your podcasts, just search Redrum True Crime. That's Redrum Murder backwards. R E D R U M True Crime.

Well, I just found out that my dad lived a secret life as a hitman for the Chicago Mafia for all these years. It doesn't make any sense. Sense? He was a firefighter. Paramedic. How the hell can he be a hitman? I need answers. So I am currently on a plane back to Chicago to interview everybody, anybody that knows anything about this. I'm in shock. This is absolutely insane. I just don't understand. I need to figure this out.

[Payne Lindsay]

The shocking new true crime series, Crook county from Tenderfoot TV and iHeart podcasts is available now. Binge the entire series for free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.