GUILTY SC - Yana Schenker, 75, & Shalamar Byrd, 38, slain, Aiken County, 11 Aug 2010

[raine1212]

http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/101379279.html

Sketch released of burned body found in Aiken County
The Aiken County Coroner's Office has released a sketch of the woman whose burned body was found in a field on Storm Branch Road earlier this month.​

Tuesday August 24, 2010
AIKEN COUNTY SC.-- The Aiken County Coroner's Office has released a sketch of the woman whose burned body was found in a field on Storm Branch Road earlier this month. i
She is a white female, about 5'8," 140 pounds, has hazel eyes, and reddish blond hair.
75 year old Yana Peters Schenker's burned body was found the same night in a home on Paddocks Bend. The coroner says that both women were strangled then burned in the fires.
Investigators are still trying to figure out how these deaths are connected.
If you know who this woman is call the Aiken County Coroner's Office at 803-642-1740 or the Aiken County Sheriff's Office at (800) 922-9709.

 

[Reannan]

The Aiken County Sheriff's office released the new sketch today.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest...ng-released-aiken-slaying-victim?v=1282837589

 

[Lovejac]

The Aiken County Sheriff's office released the new sketch today.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest...ng-released-aiken-slaying-victim?v=1282837589

Thanks for posting this. The biggest difference I see from the first sketch compared to this one is the mandible is more pronounced.

I pray this generates some tips.

 

[Snoopster]

Thanks for posting this. The biggest difference I see from the first sketch compared to this one is the mandible is more pronounced.

I pray this generates some tips.

And that was something they had mentioned in their description of the victim.....a very pronounced jaw.

Both sketches show a 'pug' nose, which appears quite broad. This seems to differ from Brittany's nose, although if the face was missing some soft tissue they wouldn't be able to determine how the nose ended, I would think.

(And I'll second those thanks to Lovejac for posting those side-by-sides.)

 

[Lovejac]

And that was something they had mentioned in their description of the victim.....a very pronounced jaw.

Both sketches show a 'pug' nose, which appears quite broad. This seems to differ from Brittany's nose, although if the face was missing some soft tissue they wouldn't be able to determine how the nose ended, I would think.

(And I'll second those thanks to Lovejac for posting those side-by-sides.)

Aw shucks :blushing: I would love to take credit for that, but I'm clueless when it comes to fancy stuff like that.

That was the work of our awesome Reannan! :dance:

 

[SCSleuther]

Great sleuthing Reannan!

Yes, there clearly is a resemblance.

I have been following the Brittany Tavar case -- the WS thread is here: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109945

While the location and her looks fit with the UI victim in this case, the age seems a bit off (but that could be due to the condition of the body), and, more importantly the timing. Joe Roberts would have had to have come back to South Carolina after being out in the Pacific Northwest region, and he would still had to have had Brittany's body with him after all of that time. It just doesn't make sense to me. I don't think he would have stashed her somewhere alive for a month, and, if he had already disposed of the body, why come back to the Carolinas and set her body of fire, within sight of others?

It's worth discussing though.

I wasn't sure which thread to post this in - this one, or Brittany's - but I wonder if Joe Roberts DID come back this way... according to this article, his Aunt in Indianapolis thinks he may have broken into her house on Aug 4th...even though he was last sighted on July 11th in Oregon...


http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-08-11/local-detectives-head-oregon-search-missing-woman

 

[Reannan]

I wasn't sure which thread to post this in - this one, or Brittany's - but I wonder if Joe Roberts DID come back this way... according to this article, his Aunt in Indianapolis thinks he may have broken into her house on Aug 4th...even though he was last sighted on July 11th in Oregon...


http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-08-11/local-detectives-head-oregon-search-missing-woman

Exactly!!! We just don't know, so we have to entertain the possibility. How do we get this thread moved over to the Unidentified thread - or is that the proper protocol? I think there needs to be an unidentified thread for the young Aiken UID.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I wasn't sure which thread to post this in - this one, or Brittany's - but I wonder if Joe Roberts DID come back this way... according to this article, his Aunt in Indianapolis thinks he may have broken into her house on Aug 4th...even though he was last sighted on July 11th in Oregon...


http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-08-11/local-detectives-head-oregon-search-missing-woman

He sure does travel around alot, doesn't he?

The only way that I can make sense out of this is if he left her in SC and took off with her car then decided to return.

I wish we knew if Yana had advertised to sell any jewelry. I noticed on pg 1 BT's thread that she was wearing pretty jewelry and one ring appeared to be tourquoise. She's a very pretty lady and she does resemble this composite, IMO.

reannan, great find!

wm

 

[Snoopster]

The other victim has been identified.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-08-28/coroner-says-burned-body-was-augusta-woman

An Augusta woman was identified today as the homicide victim whose burned body was found Aug. 11 on Old Storm Branch Road in Aiken County.

Shalamar N. Byrd's brother recognized her from a sketch released this week by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office and contacted authorities, Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton said in an email this evening.

BBM

ETA: I can't imagine recognizing a loved one in a police sketch....and then having to wait for confirmation. My condolences to Ms Byrd's family.

 

[Snoopster]

http://www.thetruecitizen.com/common/archive/2003/html/12/ftr121003.htm

For The Record
12/10/03
The following arrests and incidents were reported by the Burke County
Sheriff's Office for the past week:
<snip>
Wednesday, Dec. 3

• William Lehmon Clark, 36, of 1187 Farmers Bridge Road, Keysville, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and battery (Family Violence Act).
<snip>

Thursday, Dec. 4

• Shalamar Nicole Byrd, 31, of 1187 Farmers Bridge Road, Keysville, was arrested for false statements and writings: concealment of facts. A $5,800 property bond was posted.
<snip>

http://www.thetruecitizen.com/common/archive/2004/html/08/ftr082504.htm

08/25/04
Burke County Sheriff
The following arrests and incidents were reported by the Waynesboro Police Department for the past week:

Wednesday, Aug. 18
<snip>
· Shalamar Byrd of Hephzibah reported a case involving criminal trespass and attempted burglary.

Thursday, Aug. 19
<snip>
Shalamar Nicole Byrd, 32, of 1187 Farmers Bridge Road, Hephzibah, was arrested for possession of cocaine and robbery by sudden snatch. An $11,800 property bond was posted.

It seems that SB had some brushes with the law and lived with a convicted felon back in 2003. I wonder if he continued to be in the picture.

 

[Reannan]

Just got home to see this news! Wow! How on earth did SB end up in the home of Mrs. Schenker to be murdered - wearing Mrs. Schenker's ring and burned about 9 miles away??? I am glad her brother recognized her because now maybe we can get to the bottom of who murdered her and Mrs. Schenker. How sad for everyone involved....

 

[indicajane]

found her in 2006 charged with burglary.
They have her age as 24 instead of 34, but the name is too unusual to be another.
I live right down the road from where she apparently lived, I live on base though.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2006/02/02/ric_52190.shtml

Shalamar Nicole Byrd, 24, of the 3200 block of Old Louisville Road, burglary

It is looking more and more IMHO of a petty criminal who unfortunately may have been in over her head, and yes, it looks as if she was there for stealing..with her record, for drugs. Whoever was with her, decided to kill her too.
I think the local police will have a good idea, now that they know it is her, where to start looking.

I think we'll get the whole story from the wonderful Richmond County Police.

JMHO

 

[Snoopster]

The updated Augusta Chronicle article has Shalamar Byrd's photo.

According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, Byrd was convicted of theft in Richmond County in 2005 and robbery in Burke County in 2004. The state's Web site says she was incarcerated from 2006 to 2008.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2010-08-28/coroner-says-burned-body-was-augusta-woman

I can see some resemblance from the second sketch, but the first sketch...not so much.

Hopefully the perpetrator(s) of these two murders will be caught soon!

 

[Reannan]

I love WebSleuths because we learn SO much from this site. One of the things we learn is image analysis in terms of police sketch's vs possible victims. This one is a bit odd IMHO. We were told it was someone with a pronounce jaw line, full lips, and reddish-blonde hair. I don't see any of those things in the picture of SB. Am I blind, crazy, or just plain stupid? I am honestly surprised her brother recognized her from these pictures. This is NOT meant to slam the artist that drew either of the pictures. They had a burned body to work with..... but still - something seems off with all of this.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/...ation/ShalamarNicoleByrdandAikenUIDSketch.jpg

 

[Reannan]

Here is hopefully, an easier to view comparison

of the UID sketch and SB.

 

[Spacegirl]

Thank god! This is great news indeed. Seems the robbery-gone-wrong theory is probably correct.

And Snoopster, I'll see if I can find where I saw that. I may be losing my mind, but I thought I read that they believed both women were killed inside the residence.

 

[Spacegirl]

http://www2.wagt.com/news/2010/aug/13/exclusive-aiken-murder-victims-son-speaks-out-ar-704515/

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. --

The Aiken County Coroner&#8217;s Office has identified one of the two women found strangled to death and set on fire Wednesday night. Their bodies were discovered in two different places. One was on Paddocks Bend Lane. The other was in a wooded area off of Storm Branch Road. Investigators believe both deaths are connected.

Yana Peters Schenker, 75, was strangled to death inside her home, before being set on fire in an upstairs room. 26 News spoke exclusively to Schenker&#8217;s only son who flew in Friday from California.

&#8220;This is a horrible person. She was murdered, and then burned. The other gal was murdered then burned. So, that puts that person in a whole different category,&#8221; said William Schenker, victim&#8217;s son.

A security alarm alerted fire crews to Yana Schenker&#8217;s home on Paddocks Bend Lane Wednesday night. Just minutes after the initial fire call at Schenker's home, crews were notified of another fire just seven miles away in a wooded area off of Storm Branch Road. There, they found the charred remains of another woman.

Investigators have evidence linking both murders and believe both women were killed inside Schenker's home.

Now, they need your help in finding the second victim. A sterling silver ring was found on her. We're told the woman is a white female between 25 to 45 years old, with hazel eyes and brown hair. Investigators are hoping her identity will help lead to a break in the case.

&#8220;She seems to be very connected, once we identify her, we hope it will lead to the culprits,&#8221; said Schenker.

William Schenker is Yana's only living relative. He says his mother was originally from Czechoslovakia and her family came to the U.S. to escape the communist regime that had taken over this country.

He says she retired to Aiken about ten years ago because she fell in love with its horse country.

If you have any information on these murders you are encouraged to contact the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

 

[Spacegirl]

A thought just occurred to me as I was reading the first article. The younger lady was burned in a driveway right at the T in the road. Farmers were puzzled at why someone would have chosen that spot. If you think about it, that's not a good spot at all. He is lucky he was not spotted, or caught red-handed really. Anyone know what the traffic is like on this road?

I know the perp is crazy (you'd have to be), but I'm thinking he might be schizophrenic or some kind of verifiable crazy. Maybe someone she met in prison? If he just wanted all the loot for himself, why kill her immediately? Seems like that would increase your chances of being caught.

I do not think Yana knew miss Byrd, either. If she did, she knew that Yana would end up dead. Of course, maybe they thought she wasn't home. Hmm... still a lot of possibilities.

I can't wait until they catch this guy.

 

[IWannaKnow]

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2010-08-29/connection-slayings-unknown?v=1283167754

Connection in slayings unknown

Authorities aren't sure whether anything was stolen from Schenker's house; nor are they confident where the murders took place, Elwell said.

The experience has changed Billy Schenker's mind about the death penalty, he said. "I do care that whoever did this is brought to justice," Schenker said.

Robert Byrd wants justice served for his sister.

He doesn't think his sister was involved in a crime at Schenker's house but found herself at the scene of something one of her "johns" might have done.

 

[epiphaknee]

http://poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=10610183

Police Continue Investigation after Second Body Identified
Aug, 30, 2010 01:15 AM - Aiken Standard (SC)

Aug. 30--The identification of the second burned body in a double homicide that occurred earlier this month was released Saturday, and investigators hope this will be the catalyst for more answers of who killed these two women.

[...he hopes that the identification of Shalamar N. Byrd, 38, of Bream Avenue in Augusta, will stimulate more leads to a case that has a lot of unanswered questions.

"This is a very unusual case -- lots of twist and turns in this one," Elwell said.

Investigators are still unsure of the relationship between the two victims and have not stated if Byrd was involved in criminal activity during Schenker's death. Byrd was found wearing Schenker's ring, and Elwell said that they are still not sure how she obtained the piece of jewelry. Elwell said that there was no signs of forced entry to Schenker's home.

Schenker's son, William Schenker, ... said that he hopes the identification of the second victim will help lead investigators to the person who killed his mother. He said that he had never heard his mother mention Byrd's name and is not sure of who she was.

He asked that if anyone has any information to please come forward.

"I think this could only lead to a better way of identifying who did this horrible thing," William said.

He said Schenker was very athletic -- she was involved in figure skating in 1954 and was an outstanding golfer. By the time she moved to Aiken, almost seven years ago, she began suffering from dizzy spells and broke several bones from a few falls she had. William believes someone took advantage of her weakness.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Aiken County Sheriff's Office at (800) 922-9709 or the Aiken County Coroner's Office at 642-1741.


http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2010-08-29/connection-slayings-unknown?v=1283126079


Neighbors along Augusta's Bream Avenue, where the 38-year-old [Shalamar Nicole] Byrd was known to stay, said cops would sometimes stop Byrd and check her for drugs.

"She was a street person, but she was a good person," said her brother, Robert Byrd of Hephzibah.

Billy Schenker said he doesn't think his mother would have voluntarily associated with Byrd, but that "if she did, she wouldn't be judgmental."