Due to extreme decompisition, she too remains unidentified, and is named "Jane Doe No. [2] FBI agent Neil Gallagher later clarified that Gant was a suspect only in Robinson and Ivester's murders, and at present, they had no evidence tying him to any of the other killings. Henry testified that she had not given the police this information, as she was wanted for petty offenses at the time. "Clay the Serial Killer" On the morning of 13 August 1997, a mysterious man called into the syndicated radio program of popular shock-jock Howard Stern. List of serial killers in the United States, "Police officer suspected in New Orleans killings", "Exclusive: Detective Tries To Solve 25-Year-Old Serial Killer Cold Case. Another inmate, Stephen Michael Busser, also told police that Ellwood had boasted of being wanted for more than 60 murders within the state of Louisiana, and had even described to him in detail one of them. [2], On January 4, 1992, the body of 29-year-old Lydia Madison, who had several arrests on charges of prostitution and drug possession, was found in a ditch under a highway overpass. The victim is referred to as "Jane Doe No. He first rendered his victims unconscious by giving them drugs, and then he killed them in a number of ways, most commonly by strangling or suffocation. When he takes control of the conversation by asking Clay if he strangles his victims, Stern then opens the door for this supposed killer to impulsively divulge his true method of killing, should he be incorrect in his initial assumption. Some modern articles about Clay the Serial Killer claim that his comment about a black police officer being the main suspect is what piqued the interest of the FBI, as this information was supposedly not released to the public, but this isnt the case. [10] Diane Gilliam, a former prostitute, told the court that she had known Ellwood since the early 1990s and had dated him periodically. The case against Victor Gant was now at a virtual standstill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRAY3N3FXw. If youll recall from earlier in this episode, Clay the Serial Killer called into Sterns show on August 13, 1997over one week after Ellwood was jailed. [8] No recording of this confession was taken, and Ellwood later denied ever confessing to such a murder to Camden. Redhead Murderer, or the Bible Belt Strangler Where: Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee Three other sheriffs from the now-disbanded task force told the same reporter that at least four other suspects were on their radar. This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. When Colonel Walter T. Gorman and other members of the task force met Ellwood in Sebring, Florida, they said he was friendly and willing to help. When questioned by investigators, Ellwood claimed he was changing the oil on his taxi and had chosen the remote location to dump the used oil without being seen. How Many Serial Killers Are Active In Us? [2] On February 5, 1994, skeletal remains were found in St. John the Baptist Parish, later determined to be a young woman between the ages of 25 and 35. Suspected Stockton serial killer caught while on 'mission to kill': What we know . When reporters called Carver College President Robert Crummie for comment on the situation, Crummie defended Chief Collins, telling them Nobodys broken a law or committed a sinpeople are just uncomfortable about talking to strangers. When confronted with the information about Gant, Crummie finally said that he was no longer working for the Carver College Police and that he had no obligation to discuss it further. His unemotional attitude while describing how he kills these girls with a hammer in parking garages & swamps. Antonio Rodriguez admitted to being the "Kensington Strangler" in January 2011, ending a case in which the convicted killer was dubbed a "sexual, serial killer." Rodriguez wanted to have "rough . [1] Through the course of the investigation, two separate suspects were considered, one of whom was convicted of one murder, leading investigators to believe that multiple killers are responsible. 'Serial killer' called The Howard Stern Show to say he murdered 12 This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. "Yesterday a guy called in and said that he had killed 12 prostitutes. Bus. Allegedly the day after this aired on B97 during the station's brief stint as a "Hot Talk" radio format, the FBIshowed up at Stern's studios and collected the audio as evidence. [5], Once located, Ellwood was informed of his rights, and within three days gave several statements recorded on tape. Although this definition is widely accepted, the crime is not formally recognized in any legal code, including that of the United States. Additionally, an associate of Ellwood's from a Florida prison gave investigators confirmation that Ellwood had once told him he liked having s*x with intoxicated people who were utterly powerless over their bodies due to the medications' side effects. Eleven months after the final body was found, police discovered additional skeletal remains on April 8, 1996. Lewis's mother, Lillian, reported her missing on February 2, 1993. An autopsy determined that she had been beaten and strangled. As we heard, Clay made reference to killing a black transvestite during his call. Rader was a pillar of his community and even worked at a security system company. Sentenced to life in prison August 17, 1999. His explanation for stopping was to apparently change the oil and repair the brake pads of his car, and willingly allowed his vehicle to be searched. In a manner strikingly wise for a shock-jock morning radio host, Stern begins asking a series of seemingly mundane questions regarding Clays modus operandi. - One victim, Delores Mack, was transgender and another, George Williams, was a transvestite. Almost immediately, the FBI became aware of a dirty open secret within the New Orleans Police Departmentseveral officers were involved with or straight-up leading prostitution rings while on duty. Weill had also photographed The Beatles final live performance before a paying audiencetheir famous August 1966 Candlestick Park concertand was now apparently obsessed with the Zodiac Killer, along with lawyer to the stars, attorney Melvin Belli, who was working with the Rolling Stones at the time. He immediately asks if Clay has sex with his victims before killing them. [2] Her estimated age was between 25 and 35. During the interrogations, he admitted to frequenting black prostitutes throughout his life, claiming that he knew more than 100 girls, in addition to frequently taking drugs such as heroin, crack cocaine and LSD over the years. Do you think "Clay the Serial Killer" is Russell Ellwood? There was one that rang in to radio a while back, I think it was the 'Weepy Voiced Killer' and he confessed. And so, when 13 Reasons Why season 3 releases (possibly later this year), there will be a lot to discuss. Of course, this also leaves the door open for the possibility of Clay taking a few moments to craft the next portion of his fake story, but lets listen more before we jump to any further conclusions. [1] In response, Gant's attorney John Reed said that his client was innocent and the evidence was purely circumstantial.[3]. How These Sneaky Serial Killers Finally Got Caught - YouTube After the task force was formed, Col. Walter T. Gorman of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and other task force members travelled to Sebring, Florida on July 23, 1997, so they could question Ellwood, who was living with his elderly father. But as the conversation progressed, it became clear to Stern and listeners that this one sounded deadly serious. Gant was a 15-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, and also the last person seen with Sharon Robinson before she went missing during the early hours of April 30. serial murder, also called serial killing, the unlawful homicide of at least two people carried out by the same person (or persons) in separate events occurring at different times. Unfortunately, to me, this call seems like it may actually be real. Ellwood himself denied knowing any of the victims or committing any murders, although he could not provide an alibi. Collins brushed off criticism of his hiring practices during a 2017 interview by stating, Ill give people a second chance sometimes. .zklaml-syj27z{font-family:adobe-garamond-pro,serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-numeric:lining-nums;line-height:1.45;overflow-wrap:break-word;color:black;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:inline-block;cursor:pointer;color:white!important;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12px;}.zklaml-syj27z:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.zklaml-syj27z:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | twi.news@washingtonindependent.com | dmca@washingtonindependent.com. The suspect has been identified in a police sketch as a large, muscular black man in his 30s. Less than a year after being hired by Collins to patrol the school, Turner exposed his penis to three more women while on duty. On August 4, 1997, Ellwood was arrested and jailed on drug charges, with his prison sentence lasting nearly three months. The phone call starts out a bit rocky as Stern goes to the phone call and asks "Is this Ed? Los Angeles Times Exclusive. At any given time, between 25 and 50 serial killers are thought to be hiding in the shadows of the United States and driving around looking for their next possible victim. During interrogation, Ellwood initially denied making any such statements to the inmates, but after an audio tape of Hill's testimony was played, he admitted that he had indeed boasted to Hill. Of course, Clay never explicitly mentions Baton Rouge as being Jimmy Swaggart town, but this is an issue worth questioning. On August 4, 1997, just days after the interrogations were completed, Ellwood was arrested for buying cocaine from an undercover police officer at his home in Sebring. The Son of Sal Salvatore Perrone Department of Corrections You can read the details Ellwood's trial over at lobservateur.com. 2021-08-16. "Clay" The Serial Killer. While he was only convicted of 1 murder (Cheryl Lewis), he is believed to killed upwards of 20 prostitutes during the 1990's. [2], On May 6, the body of 39-year-old Sandra Williams, who had been strangled, was found on a boulevard in New Orleans. [4], On September 3, the body of 21-year-old Tyra Tassin was found. Ellwood was eventually charged with one murder and received life imprisonment in 1999. was thought to be a serial killer. Footage of the phone call. [2] Autopsies determined that Ivester had been strangled, while Robinson had been beaten and strangled, but the presence of water in her lungs indicated that the cause of death had been drowning. 6". This caller, who identified himself as "Clay," claimed to be an unidentified serial killer from the New Orleans area. During his disturbing call-in to the Howard Stern show, "Clay" provides numerous unreleased details about the murders that supposedly only the killer could have known. [2] During a press conference in August, Chief Richard Pennington announced to the media that the current prime suspect was 33-year-old Victor Gant, a police officer working in New Orleans. This guy is either the dumbest serial killer or this was just a jokester with a really bad sense of humor seeking attention. NOPD Via criminalminds.fandom.com According to the investigators, Gant had killed both her and her friend, Karen Ivester, in order to get rid of them. According to friends and acquaintances of the victims, Gant held a personal grudge against Ivester and had spoken negatively about her on multiple occasions. [2] Like Williams, Filson was transsexual and worked at a nightclub under the name 'Brenda Bewitch'. She was later identified as 39-year-old Lola Porter, who had gone missing from New Orleans in 1992. I think I just do it for the sense of power." Read full article on original website. Even if Clay the Serial Killer was not, in fact, Russell Ellwood, there is still a strong possibility that this caller was telling the truth. Gant was cooperative with the investigators questions but refused a lie detector test. He was born on June 24, 1962, in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. "Clay" The Serial Killer The Shocking Details Several of Russell Ellwood's other potential victims were clients of a black Nola cop who was a suspect in their disappearance. He ultimately got a job as a freelance photographer, but he left for an undisclosed reason. At some point prior to 2016, Gant found employment as an officer with the Carver College Police Department in Atlanta. V C. Facebook 0 Twitter Pinterest 0 0 Likes. "No. Price was a drug addict, but had no history of prostitution. Privacy Policy. To me, that's definitely a red flag as to what kind of guy we're talking about here. [2] On the following day, the body of 39-year-old Sandra Warner was found in St. John the Baptist Parish. He was exonerated of all charges, nevertheless. Sometimes, its not a good fit for a particular department. The second witness, Antoinette Holmes, who lived near Lewis, testified to seeing her at the Time Saver restaurant in Bridge City two weeks before she was reported missing, standing between two parked cars and talking to a cab driver. 'World's Youngest Serial Killer' Had Murdered Three People By Eight Years Old; Convicted serial killer on death row explains how he feels just hours before his execution; Man Who Caught Golden State Killer Says There Are 2,000 Serial Killers In The US 'America's first female serial killer' says she 'did the right thing' in killing her victims Actually nothing like that. "Clay" goes into graphic detail about some of his alleged kills, and gives details about cases not publicly known. Next to the print matching Sharons shoe was a spit out wad of chewing tobacco. But instead, he hesitated possibly debating in his own mind whether he should divulge more details before finally admitting he used a hammer. Many people believe that Russell Ellwood is "Clay the Serial Killer," the man who contacted The Howard Stern Show in 1997 and confessed to killing women in a call that was broadcast on the show. [6] On December 9, 1994, Robinson went to the police to report him for beating her, and according to her statement, Gant punched her in the face and broke her nose. [2] On December 14, skeletal remains were found in a ditch near a highway. Two days later, the skeletal remains of another young girl were found, whose identity was never ascertained. Stern goes on to ask questions about Clay's motives behind why he kills, his methods of murder and even asks if he has any tattoos, but the caller was very cunning and careful to not incriminate himself. Antoinette Rainey, who worked as a drug dealer in New Orleans, also appeared as a witness for the prosecution, testifying that Ellwood was a regular customer. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. Russell Ellwoods preferred MO was drugging his victims to the point of overdose and then dumping them in shallow bodies of water to drown. While the remains were determined to be female, authorities were unable to identify the victim, and she is listed as "Jane Doe No. Wesley Brownlee is suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in the string of shootings. 10 Dennis Rader. By August 1995, word had leaked to the press that Gant was a suspect in the murders of Sharon Robinson and Karen Ivester, and possibly as many as 22 other murders in the area. He said it was a knife from what he was told. Stern then launches into a flurry of questions, asking Clay why he kills women, how he kills them, if he has sex with them, and more. Collins himself had been previously fired by two separate police departments before working at Carver, and had once been put on probation for an entire year by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. More on that after we finish listening to the call. [2] During the investigations, it was established that Gant had an intimate relationship with one of the victims, Sharon Robinson. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. He took the lives of ten people in Sedgwick County, Kansas. He was one of the two main suspects in a series of murders of women in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began killing for unclear motives, taking the life of Cheryl Lewis, his first known victim, by drugging her and drowning her in a canal on February 1-3, 1993. A look at eight of Philadelphia's most notorious murder cases On August 13, 1997, The Howard Stern Show received a call from a man who identified himself as "Clay". On January 16, he was stopped by traffic cops for speeding and was scheduled to appear in court, but failed to appear on time and was subsequently arrested for contempt of court. I mean, he's a multi-millionaire and arguably the most recognized name in broadcasting, so clearly he's kind of good at his job. Photo Credit: Myotus / Wikimedia Commons. 5 Disturbing Serial Killers Caught on Camera - YouTube [4] Her body had been covered with garbage, and an autopsy determined that she had been beaten and strangled. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Shortly after 2 AM on the morning of October 22, 1969, a man claiming to be the Zodiac Killer called the Oakland, California Police Department, demanding to speak with famed attorney F. Lee Bailey. Despite raising a lot of suspicions early on, this call quickly faded into relative obscurity after it happened, before being brought back to the attention of internet sleuths in 2019. The Zodiac vanished into quiet oblivion sometime in the mid-1970s and Weill committed suicide in 2006. In fact, you never hear about this incident again until nearly a quarter century later, when the internet digs up an old recording of the broadcast. [7] The interview with the potential serial killer caused a massive media publicity, thanks to which FBI agents allegedly went to the studio and seized audio recordings of the call to establish the caller's location and possible identity. He also brings with him many years of law enforcement experience, training and talent that would be invaluable to Carver College Police Department. In response, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council reinstated Nemards police certification so that Collins could hire him. Each time 'Clay' answered a question he responded in a calm, matter-of-fact manner. 1. - During the call, Clay claimed he was white, and that the only suspect at the time was a black cop who was romantically involved with one of the victims. 33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Show. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Another of Collins hires, Carver College Police Captain Michael F. Nemard, had previously been forced out of his job as a lieutenant with the College Park Police Department after being arrested for beating his wife, and a subsequent investigation revealed that he had once shoved his gun into another ex-wifes mouth and cocked the hammer. This further shows a pattern of narcissism inherent in many serial killers like the Zodiac obsessively following your own press. In 1997 "Clay the Serial Killer" told The Howard Stern Show that the NOPD's main suspect in serial killings was "a black police officer". You might have heard about Clay the Serial Killer and his controversy on The Howard Show. Between the years of 1974 and 1991, serial killer Dennis "BTK Killer" Rader was at large. Woods retired less than a year later while facing the suspension of his police license, and was eventually replaced by R.J. Collins, who apparently later hired Victor Gant. This image shows a police sketch released to the media in 1992, after one woman survived an attack and provided a description to police of the man she said choked her and left her for dead. A Serial Killer calls into the Howard Stern Show and admits to - Reddit [9] During the proceedings, a number of Ellwood's former cellmates and prostitutes testified as prosecution witnesses, with the former claiming that he had confessed to the killings while the latter claimed that he had assaulted them. But then, just as he is answering, Clay suddenly leads the conversation by volunteering a piece of information that had not been previously discussed the fact that he knows some of his victims have not been found yet. [1] [2] Murders [ edit] Except this time, no police trace reveals the caller to be a hoaxer in a mental institution. [10] According to the testimony of Denise Sanders, who was Lewis' best friend, she had seen her with Ellwood three days prior, who was out driving his cab. Ellwood first came under police scrutiny in 1994, after he was allegedly found masturbating in his car by police, which had been parked by the road, near where Cheryl Lewis and Delores Mack's bodies were found. It is currently unknown whether Gant is still employed by any law enforcement agency, but investigators within the New Orleans Police Department are hopeful that future advancements in DNA technology will bring conclusive answers regarding his possible involvement in the slayings of these young women. During "Clay's" call, he joked about how the only suspect the Nola police had was a black people officer. On September 22, 1991, the killer claimed his third victim, twenty-eight-year-old Charlene Price. His father, Norman, left the family not long after the birth of Sean. Was Russell Ellwood the infamous "Clay the Serial Killer - Reddit Exclusive: Detective Tries To Solve 25-Year-Old Serial Killer Cold Case [6] In order to determine whether he was guilty or not, Gant was ordered to submit DNA for testing to see whether they could match it to the perpetrator's saliva, which was found on a piece of chewing tobacco found near Ivester's body. The rest remain unsolved. The interview's tone slowly took a turn after Clay's response. According to her, Lewis had told Henry that she and Ellwood were on their way to a suburb of New Orleans, where her body was later found. On January 25, the remains of 25-year-old Henry Calvin, who had gone missing months earlier from New Orleans, were found. It is unclear where she was employed, but nothing indicated that she engaged in prostitution or used drugs. may be disturbing to some readers. Ellwood remains a suspect in several of the killings, but no charges have been filed against him.