KY KY - Redhead Murders, 70's-90's

[Lisahas2cats]

It's interesting that you suggested this because as I was reading the post, I thought about the unidentified redheaded woman found in Rising Fawn, GA. I wonder if LE recovered any of the killer's DNA from the victims?

Where she was found, off I-59, is in the northwestern-most corner of Georgia. The exit closest to her location is within 5 minutes of the Alabama state line (following I-59), and within roughly 20 minutes of the TN state line (following I-59 to I-24 either east or west).

I've long suspected she was a victim of this serial killer's. I am at that freeway exit at least once a week, and I think of her every single time

 

[LadyL]

The Redhead murders were commited in Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

ok, I'm not that familiar with U.S. geography but doesn't PA seem a bit out of place in that list?

the other four states are much further south aren't they? and there's a couple of states in between?

that just stood out to me

 

[JeannieC]

Has anyone consider Glenn Edwards Rogers. The Cross Country Killer/The Casanova Killer
He killed Redheads. He traveled with a circus from 1989 - 1983
Some think Rogers Killed over 100 people. He was convicted of murder in Cal and Fla and was on death row in Cal. and I think he has been executed. He pimped girls and killed one of the girls...a redhead.

 

[bflocket]

ok, I'm not that familiar with U.S. geography but doesn't PA seem a bit out of place in that list?

the other four states are much further south aren't they? and there's a couple of states in between?

that just stood out to me

Many/most of the victims were found along Interstates that connected Appalachia. If the killer were a long-haul trucker, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. I-81 (along which at least one "red" victim was found) goes to PA.

There were a few possible victims found in Arkansas. The ones found in the Tennessee-area were found around Knoxville. Since TN is a "short, wide" state, the distance from Arkansas (an adjoining state) is about equal (a little more/less, depending upon route) to the distance from Knoxville to Harrisburg.

I don't think that there is one sole killer. But based on the similar characteristics of most victims, there has to be one or more serial killers targeting red-heads. This series is too wide (location/time) for it to be a single killer. It would be too much of a coincidence for each of these murders to have been committed by different people.

 

[bflocket]

Has anyone consider Glenn Edwards Rogers. The Cross Country Killer/The Casanova Killer
He killed Redheads. He traveled with a circus from 1989 - 1983
Some think Rogers Killed over 100 people. He was convicted of murder in Cal and Fla and was on death row in Cal. and I think he has been executed. He pimped girls and killed one of the girls...a redhead.

Not sure if he's been executed yet, but he is definitely a possible for at least several. It is known that he felt hatred for his redheaded mother. He also got involved in relationships with redheads.

I know that there was some confusion when there were several "gay" killers (Bonin, Kraft, Kearney) running rampant in California in the late '70s. The killers killed young males, both gay and straight. Victims were "young males" and had signs of sexual abuse/torture.
With similar "type" victims being killed, it was apparent that a serial killer was at work. It took their captures to realize that it was three distinct killers were involved. I think the "redheads" fit into this category. Meaning that there were many redheads targeted, but not necessarily by the same killer.

 

[JeannieC]

Not sure if he's been executed yet, but he is definitely a possible for at least several. It is known that he felt hatred for his redheaded mother. He also got involved in relationships with redheads.

I know that there was some confusion when there were several "gay" killers (Bonin, Kraft, Kearney) running rampant in California in the late '70s. The killers killed young males, both gay and straight. Victims were "young males" and had signs of sexual abuse/torture.
With similar "type" victims being killed, it was apparent that a serial killer was at work. It took their captures to realize that it was three distinct killers were involved. I think the "redheads" fit into this category. Meaning that there were many redheads targeted, but not necessarily by the same killer.

I agree. I believe there is more than one serial killer. Might be more than 2 even. That's just based on the little bit of information I gleen from the victims.

 

[bflocket]

Just saw this:

http://www.clarionledger.com/articl...s-serial-killer?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

 

[bflocket]

I was going to add some stuff (all open in different tabs ready for copy/paste) Saturday, but... I was at my brother's in Louisville and the craziest storm I've seen in my three decades popped up. It looked like the hurricane footage you'd see on the news. Never thought I'd see one in Kentucky! Had no power until I got home and I'm trying to remember the stuff I had.

Related to the link I posted (#27, clarion ledger)... He has since recanted his confession. I think the cops think he was bluffing since they didn't really find any evidence of anything at the places he gave them.

I also thought Bruce Mendenhorn was worth a look. He was indeed a trucker that was caught for murdering hitch-hikers/hookers recently, and suspected of killing any woman unlucky enough to be near his route. I can't really find out how long he was a truck driver, but he was suspected in a killing in 1991. He definitely would've been old enough to drive a truck in the '80s. His swath of victims is over a huge area, too.
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Mendenhall"]Bruce Mendenhall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Here is a story that has some stuff about Mendenhall, along with mentioning the "Highway Killers" (which I take to mean a type of crime than a killer, such as "school shooting" or "church bombing") in a chapter. There were surely many different killers involved in dumping bodies by the highways, each targeting different types of victims for different reasons.
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/unsolved/tammy_zywicki/1.html

 

[Camille]

I lived in Nashville until 1995 and remember when a lot of these murders were discovered. I'm 5'3 1/2" and a red head. The story was that the killer preferred petite redheads. My sister is also a redhead but a bit taller than I am.


Anyway I can't find it now but at one time there was a truck driver arrested that they thought may have been connected to these murders. He had abducted a petite redhead and she some how managed to get away from him and alert LE as to him. They did make an arrest but I don't know how it turned out. Does anyone following these murders have any knowledge of this arrest? I can't even remember where the arrest was now, maybe right outside of Nashville.

 

[JeannieC]

Has anyone consider Glenn Edwards Rogers. The Cross Country Killer/The Casanova Killer
He killed Redheads. He traveled with a circus from 1989 - 1993
Some think Rogers Killed over 100 people. He was convicted of murder in Cal and Fla and was on death row in Cal. and I think he has been executed. He pimped girls and killed one of the girls...a redhead.

http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Rogers,%20Glen.pdf

http://tech.mit.edu/V115/N56/police.56w.html

 

[nerosleuth]

If the killer was a trucker he could have retired or changed routes, or changed trucking companies. Could be why one showed up in Ga. There might be more further south. Just a thought.

Just an another thought here.

I think it's more likely that the killer is an independent truck driver working for himself rather than working for a trucking company.

Trucking companies are more likely to have a hidden gps unit in their trucks nowadays to keep track of their drivers.

 

[Kimster]

Just an another thought here.

I think it's more likely that the killer is an independent truck driver working for himself rather than working for a trucking company.

Trucking companies are more likely to have a hidden gps unit in their trucks nowadays to keep track of their drivers.

The big ones do, that's right. The company I work for has 3 trucks running though and no GPS units. So, independent or a small company.

 

[bflocket]

I'm on my phone so it's hard for me to copy/paste, but there is another KY Doe that fits (KY HC 2061). This one had long light-brown hair and was found a few miles east of I-75 and US-25 (a major road that runs parallel to 75 through Ky). I assume she was nude as the only clothing mentioned was a pair or shorts "found near the body."

 

[bflocket]

This happened a few months ago and I hadn't mentioned it because it's kind of silly and doesn't further the case any. It was just a huge coincidence.
I came into contact with the Grey Ky 1985 doe's doppelgänger. I saw her hitching (didn't know people still did that) on a local road. Later on I saw that some guy picked her up and dropped her off at my across-the-street neighbors' place. They weren't home, so she came over into my yard (I was washing car) and asked me for a ride to Fairfield. That is the wide spot in the road we were ALREADY IN, so I just ignored her.
A couple weeks later she knocked on my door. She gave a story about her son being in a hospital in Louisville (about 45 miles north) and said that if I gave her a ride to another town even further from Louisville she could get a ride from there(?). My car was truly out of commission so I told her that. She asked for a beer and started walking to the next town.
It wasn't until she was on my porch that night that I realized she was a dead ringer for "Superwoman" down to the hair, height and "speculated occupation." I don't live anywhere near Gray and the lady is a long-time local, so it can't have a connection to the lady in Gray. It was just such a creepy feeling when I saw her I almost freaked out once I had a chance to think about it.

 

[bflocket]

Also, I posted this on a different thread (kinda/sorta learned how to copy/paste on this @$?! phone).

"This doe was found within a few miles of I-75. It would be one of the first "really" rural exits you would come to after Cincinnatti/NKY-suburbs it going south on I75."

It is this case... "Light brown hair" but they were found nude and rather close to I-75.
http://www.doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase2061.html

 

[bflocket]

"Originally Posted by nerosleuth View Post
Trucking companies are more likely to have a hidden gps unit in their trucks nowadays to keep track of their drivers.

The big ones do, that's right. The company I work for has 3 trucks running though and no GPS units. So, independent or a small company.

"

​

Keep in mind that many of the victims in this "series" were killed in the 1970s/80s/90s. Technology has literally exploded on us since then. What we now take for granted was only available to scientists or researchers just a decade ago, maybe not even to them.


And I just realized how easy it is to keep track of people now!
It's nothing new but it should make me feel "smart" for a few minutes.

Nearly everyone now has a cellphone (even the elderly and kids). Nearly all missing persons searches lately have involved "pings" from cellphone towers, text messages or something related to the victim's phone.

Credit/debit card use has also exploded. Every time you use either, it is somehow recorded or tracked (bank, store, etc). When I was a child (born late-70s), I remember that my parents had credit cards. They just rarely used them. Using them wasn't a simple swipe and few places (around here, at least) accepted them.

Also related to a card, how many (common, if not daily) activities can you do without needing some form of picture-ID? People have always needed ID's for various reasons, but now one is REQUIRED for so many things. From going to the bank or post office to buying cigarettes and paying bills.

 

[bflocket]

Don't know that it's been posted, but here's a story about the FBI getting involved with the "Redhead Murders."

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1985_8002/fbi-aid-asked-in-redhead-murders-case.html
(Article is from 1985, so if this link works now it is likely to stay around)

 

[bflocket]

Also, I posted this on a different thread (kinda/sorta learned how to copy/paste on this @$?! phone).

"This doe was found within a few miles of I-75. It would be one of the first "really" rural exits you would come to after Cincinnatti/NKY-suburbs it going south on I75."

It is this case... "Light brown hair" but they were found nude and rather close to I-75.
http://www.doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase2061.html

Here is the Websleuths entry for the N-KY Doe:
[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163704"]KY KY - Crittenden - WhtFem (NamUs UP 6711), 20's - Found Naked on Menefee Road - Apr'76 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[nerosleuth]

"This doe was found within a few miles of I-75. It would be one of the first "really" rural exits you would come to after Cincinnatti/NKY-suburbs it going south on I75."

It is this case... "Light brown hair" but they were found nude and rather close to I-75.

Here is a Websleuths entry about females with brown hair that have disappeared in Kentucky and Ohio.


[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51052"]KY KY - Shannon Green, 16, Owensboro, 6 July 1986 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[bflocket]

This lady was found just off of I-65 between Louisville and Elizabethtown. The place is also near the "short-cut" from I-65 to Fort Knox. Details about her have been slow to leak out but now I saw that she had at least a form of red hair (streaks or highlights).
http://www.wdrb.com/story/22484436/police-woman-found-alongside-i-65-died-from-head-trauma

There is a thread on her on Websleuths. I personally felt that there was too much credence placed in her jewelry. By that I mean for an adult who doesn't live near their parents and family, I don't think the loved ones would know every single piece of jewelry their relative owned. They may not even know about all the jewelry worn by someone they see on a frequent basis.
But at least the jewelry is something we know about. They haven't even determined race and can't agree on an estimated time of death, (I've read "a few days" and also "decomposed, several weeks")
[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210890"]KY KY - Elizabethtown, Female, 25-30, Aside I-65-Turquoise Ring, Bee Earrings, May'13 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]