citizen_sleuth
Verified family member - Orie Donald Esh thread
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It seems LE knows who killed Joann, but were unable to try him due to the lack of evidence.
In 1975, serial rapists 20-year-old Clarence Michael O'Hern and 19-year-old Howard Eugene Braden were arrested after an on-duty officer spotted the pair engaging in a vehicle chase with a young woman. Underneath the floorboard of the car police found the car keys belonging to Cathy Dworin, a young woman who was founded murdered. O'Hern was indicted for murder as well as 22 counts of rape and in 1974 received a life sentence for the rape of a New Mexico airline stewardess. Braden was indicted on 19 counts of rape and also received a life sentence for transporting the airline stewardess.
After the pair was sentenced, Prosecutor Allen Stilley said that "we are satisfied that we have cleared the Dworin case, and we are satisfied, too, that Ohern [sic] is the killer of Mildred Knighten, although we have no supporting evidence other than his boasts to some victims." (BBM)
Both men appealed their convictions. In 1977, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Braden's life sentence. O'Hern's conviction was upheld two years prior. In 2017, O'Hern filed a writ of habeas corpus in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals but it was unsuccessful.
In 1975, serial rapists 20-year-old Clarence Michael O'Hern and 19-year-old Howard Eugene Braden were arrested after an on-duty officer spotted the pair engaging in a vehicle chase with a young woman. Underneath the floorboard of the car police found the car keys belonging to Cathy Dworin, a young woman who was founded murdered. O'Hern was indicted for murder as well as 22 counts of rape and in 1974 received a life sentence for the rape of a New Mexico airline stewardess. Braden was indicted on 19 counts of rape and also received a life sentence for transporting the airline stewardess.
After the pair was sentenced, Prosecutor Allen Stilley said that "we are satisfied that we have cleared the Dworin case, and we are satisfied, too, that Ohern [sic] is the killer of Mildred Knighten, although we have no supporting evidence other than his boasts to some victims." (BBM)
Both men appealed their convictions. In 1977, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Braden's life sentence. O'Hern's conviction was upheld two years prior. In 2017, O'Hern filed a writ of habeas corpus in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals but it was unsuccessful.