Found Deceased FL - Tammy Alexander, 16, Brooksville, 8 Nov 1979

[Falling Down]

Hi, I saw a video about this investigation. I’m not even from the US, but I have some experience with forensics since I studied it in my country, so I’d like to help in any way I can.

<snip>

Also… maybe the killer listened to her story, realized no one would be looking for her, and then carried out something he had long been thinking about? From materials I studied earlier, I know some people dream of committing such acts all their lives, and in certain situations adrenaline drives them to do what they desire. And here everything lines up: a person no one will search for, underage, passing through an unknown place, before the rain, maybe months after the races he took her to (possibly?), waiting for the right weather. This could explain the shot to the head—as if it was the final step of a plan. Too many coincidences for a simple murder caused by an argument. Usually when it’s done emotionally or under the influence, the shots are random.


<snip>

Welcome to WS.

I take an interest in this case for the simple fact the murder happened close to where I live, as well as the fact it's unsolved.

There's a possibility here that the victim was with this perpetrator for a decent amount of time, say many hours or perhaps longer. Which I think maybe explains the close up and personal demise of this poor young woman. He had to be situated within a very short distance to her to shoot her in the manner described by law enforcement.

I believe the perpetrator knew he could carry out such an act because this young, vulnerable teenager needed him, and might trust him. He also would have known about her background, no doubt she told him during the car ride or perhaps at the diner. So we have a situation where the worst of humanity figured he most likely could get away with her murder.

Location:

The location of the diner where they ate, and the general area where he committed the crimes, I think was already known to the killer. The nearest, finished interstate highway during that time is a short drive north of there. He also had to have known U.S. 20 along there.

Interstate 390 was completed through there in 1982. U.S. 15 was the main north/south route through there, for many years. I maintain the killer knew that area well. I think he would have had to have known it well, in order to make a quick escape. The roads are generally not very straight. It's also very hilly due to glacial activity. Not many clear lines of sight over long distances. This happened in the evening hours.

My hunch is this was someone traveling a fair distance. Witnesses described a young man. One could surmise he was single, and no one was expecting him home during that period of the day. So most likely living alone.

He could have called ahead and told a family member he was delayed and decided to spend the night at a local motel. There were plenty of these motels located along both U.S. 20 and U.S. 15 back in those days, also near interchanges along the N.Y. State Thruway (I-90).

I agree @ZohanJB , it's most likely this was premeditated. The killer planned this ahead of time.

I would be inclined to look at similar cases around the same period of time, in nearby U.S. states.

In post #536 above, the documentary claims truckers saw Tammy Jo at a nearby truck stop. Most likely this was along I-90, but I will say "nearby" may be a relative term in this case. That could be Buffalo. There would have been maybe 2 or 3 along I-90 south and west of Rochester.

JMO

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

Hi, I saw a video about this investigation. I’m not even from the US, but I have some experience with forensics since I studied it in my country, so I’d like to help in any way I can.
I speak English only moderately, so sometimes I’ll use a translator—apologies in advance for any mistakes. Based on the sketch, the suspect seems to have poor eyesight, which makes it difficult to be a racer, as some people assume here. That’s why it’s more likely the person is just a fan. I also suspect that in the driver’s license photo he is wearing glasses, which would confirm the bad eyesight. So the suspect may just be a racing fan, or maybe he was there spontaneously with someone. If he met and picked up the runaway girl, perhaps he was only passing through and came to some kind of show or event a while before the murder, maybe looking for company.


The murder involved two shots. Either it was a panicked action—first in the back, then a final shot to the head—or it was a deliberate act—first to the head, then to the back, to make sure the victim couldn’t survive and bleed out while escaping. I’ve heard of cases where people survived headshots, so maybe the killer knew about that too.


Regarding the jewelry, my theory about a random encounter supports this. An emotional, impulsive purchase of a cheap trinket for a runaway girl is a significant gesture, especially for someone so active and lively.


As for the weapon, I would look for information about revolvers that were found in rivers or discarded, or perhaps search again in nearby areas along the highway.


Also… maybe the killer listened to her story, realized no one would be looking for her, and then carried out something he had long been thinking about? From materials I studied earlier, I know some people dream of committing such acts all their lives, and in certain situations adrenaline drives them to do what they desire. And here everything lines up: a person no one will search for, underage, passing through an unknown place, before the rain, maybe months after the races he took her to (possibly?), waiting for the right weather. This could explain the shot to the head—as if it was the final step of a plan. Too many coincidences for a simple murder caused by an argument. Usually when it’s done emotionally or under the influence, the shots are random.


I only have theories, but I think a person who is a racing fan, unable to drive fast himself because of bad eyesight, kills another person under such “perfect” conditions. All this raises many thoughts. I tried to lay out my theories, maybe someone else can connect them to better understand who was there at that moment?
Also, as people here mentioned, if the murder was committed under the influence of substances or alcohol, the suspect might have gotten into a car accident or something similar. Maybe it’s worth checking traffic violations in nearby areas from that period and comparing the offenders with the photo available now?

Someone mentioned in this thread back in 2015 that a person travelling down a road in Avon/Lima on the night of the murder heard a loud gunshot like sound, then saw a large car speeding down the road. If this story is true, I think that the suspect would be someone who is at least able to drive fast with skill, considering the adrenaline they would probably be feeling escaping a murder scene. Maybe he realised this was a chance to experence the racing dream he couldn’t achieve.

As for the two shots, the sequence of them mostly indicates rage from the perpetrator. At the edge of the cornfield, she was shot first in the head, likely killing her instantly. The perpetrator would have no reason to shoot her in the back in the cornfield if she was already dead, other than pent up anger.

 

[kityy]

Hello everyone, I've never done any professional forensics or anything, but I absolutely love crime, I have a few contributions. allow me to explain

going by this theory that she was taken to a diner with m man, perhaps they could find a way to trace back the costs and follow the route with the bank she was in touch with?

 

[deadfoot13]

Hello everyone, I've never done any professional forensics or anything, but I absolutely love crime, I have a few contributions. allow me to explain

going by this theory that she was taken to a diner with m man, perhaps they could find a way to trace back the costs and follow the route with the bank she was in touch with?

Welcome to WS! We love good analytical minds, no experience required

Based on the year (1979), it was most likely a cash purchase at the diner. Although credit cards were becoming more popular, it's highly unlikely that Tammy had the use of one at the age of 16, and it would not have been in her name as she was under the age of 18. She would not have had a checking account as she was under the age of 18. If she had a savings account, she would have to make a withdrawal at a branch of her bank. Debit cards were not a thing.

If the man with Tammy used a credit card to pay for their meal (and if the diner actually accepted credit cards as payment -- many small, rural businesses did not), unfortunately it would be next to impossible to trace any transactions now due to credit card companies merging and becoming defunct over the years. The diner's records would be long gone, they would have been paper documents and probably destroyed after the required retention period or when the business changed hands. Back then, credit card payments were done by taking an imprint of the card and the customer signed the slip, which was then turned into the bank or card company so payment could be made. There was no electronic interface like we know today.

Here's some wildly fun reading on credit cards and their evolution:

https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/2000/0900lead.pdf

When Were Credit Cards Invented? The Complete History of Credit Cards

Discover when the first credit card was invented, who created it, and how credit cards evolved from Diners Club in 1950 to today’s contactless and digital payments.

www.swipesum.com

Mostly MOO. In 1979 I was just a couple of years younger than Tammy, living in a rural NY town just a couple of hours away from Lima. I worked at a small diner/truck stop in 1986 and remember running customer credit cards on the imprint machine (and at that time you called a phone number to verify that the card was valid.) Most of it was a cash business, or personal check -- much of the credit card usage was by truck drivers to pay for fuel or repairs. Business records were stored in boxes and filing cabinets in the office, and even at that time bookkeeping was done by hand, as was payroll. It's mighty surreal to see how primitive things were just a short time in the past!

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

Hello everyone, I've never done any professional forensics or anything, but I absolutely love crime, I have a few contributions. allow me to explain

going by this theory that she was taken to a diner with m man, perhaps they could find a way to trace back the costs and follow the route with the bank she was in touch with?

If I recall correctly the waitress said the man paid in cash.

 

[kityy]

here me out, when we paint the picture of her death scene, we thought she was shot on the road, then shot again, but what if, in truth, she was shot elsewhere, put in a vehicle, taken to where we found her, then dragged from the road to the cornfield to cover the killer's tracks? after all, its very logical.

 

[PayrollNerd]

here me out, when we paint the picture of her death scene, we thought she was shot on the road, then shot again, but what if, in truth, she was shot elsewhere, put in a vehicle, taken to where we found her, then dragged from the road to the cornfield to cover the killer's tracks? after all, its very logical.

A blood pool under her would be indicative of death in place. Drag marks from the edge of the road to the location found could possibly mean she was dumped. We wouldn’t know unless crime scene photos were available to us. Sometimes there’s access to them but I’m not sure if that’s the case in this death.

 

[Krazy_kit_kat]

Im new and honestly im no expert this is just a hunch. Im here from one of kallmekris' videos on the death of rebekah gay by a guy named John white and honestly there are a few similarities between this guy and the man in the sketch. Theres also the fact He liked cars, he was apparently a trucker in his younger years and his first known attack was in 1980

 

[kityy]

here me out, what if the racing jacket she wore was given to her by a partner? what if she secretly had a boyfriend but hid it from her parents? what if her partner was a bit of an @busive person, and this eventually lead to her death. after all, they said she was wearing a racing jacket that would usually be worn by a man

 

[kityy]

Im new and honestly im no expert this is just a hunch. Im here from one of kallmekris' videos on the death of rebekah gay by a guy named John white and honestly there are a few similarities between this guy and the man in the sketch. Theres also the fact He liked cars, he was apparently a trucker in his younger years and his first known attack was in 1980

oh my god, first of all, Kallmekris is who inspired me to start too, secondly, you could be on to something here. I figured tammy may not be the first victim, and it is surprisingly possible!

 

[deadfoot13]

here me out, what if the racing jacket she wore was given to her by a partner? what if she secretly had a boyfriend but hid it from her parents? what if her partner was a bit of an @busive person, and this eventually lead to her death. after all, they said she was wearing a racing jacket that would usually be worn by a man

It's certainly a possibility, no one knows for certain where she got the jacket.

My thought is more along the lines that someone who picked her up hitchhiking gave it to her. Whenever my friends or family from the South visit NY, they are always freezing, even in Summer. If I recall correctly, it was looked into and found that the jacket was just a cheap promotional item.

I would recommend reading through this entire thread, there is a lot of really good information that was turned up while she was still unidentified.

MOO.

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

here me out, what if the racing jacket she wore was given to her by a partner? what if she secretly had a boyfriend but hid it from her parents? what if her partner was a bit of an @busive person, and this eventually lead to her death. after all, they said she was wearing a racing jacket that would usually be worn by a man

Apparently she was staying with someone in a condo in St. Petersburg after returning from Rainbow Prison Ministry, who was buying her a bunch of clothes. This person has never been identified.

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

oh my god, first of all, Kallmekris is who inspired me to start too, secondly, you could be on to something here. I figured tammy may not be the first victim, and it is surprisingly possible!

There was a serial killer who died in 2023 on death row named Roland Thomas Davis. He sort of fits the suspect sketches, and was 26-28 in 1979, matching the supposed age range of 25-30. He frequented between Florida and Ohio (Possibly passing through New York) commonly in the late 70s. Vulnerable women (like hitchhikers) were his main target, plus he robbed his victims after killing them. In 2005 he was charged with two murders but is theorised to have many more.

 

[kityy]

There was a serial killer who died in 2023 on death row named Roland Thomas Davis. He sort of fits the suspect sketches, and was 26-28 in 1979, matching the supposed age range of 25-30. He frequented between Florida and Ohio (Possibly passing through New York) commonly in the late 70s. Vulnerable women (like hitchhikers) were his main target, plus he robbed his victims after killing them. In 2005 he was charged with two murders but is theorised to have many more.

Now that you mention this, they did rob their victims, so in theory, Roland is a good suspect. davis may have known how bust NY is and how there were many hitchhikers, so took advantage. if we could somehow do dna, that would be very possible. but, did he use a gun like that on any victims?

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

Now that you mention this, they did rob their victims, so in theory, Roland is a good suspect. davis may have known how bust NY is and how there were many hitchhikers, so took advantage. if we could somehow do dna, that would be very possible. but, did he use a gun like that on any victims?

He didn’t use a gun in his murders, but they were all committed in crowded apartments

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

Welcome to WS.

I take an interest in this case for the simple fact the murder happened close to where I live, as well as the fact it's unsolved.

There's a possibility here that the victim was with this perpetrator for a decent amount of time, say many hours or perhaps longer. Which I think maybe explains the close up and personal demise of this poor young woman. He had to be situated within a very short distance to her to shoot her in the manner described by law enforcement.

I believe the perpetrator knew he could carry out such an act because this young, vulnerable teenager needed him, and might trust him. He also would have known about her background, no doubt she told him during the car ride or perhaps at the diner. So we have a situation where the worst of humanity figured he most likely could get away with her murder.

Location:

The location of the diner where they ate, and the general area where he committed the crimes, I think was already known to the killer. The nearest, finished interstate highway during that time is a short drive north of there. He also had to have known U.S. 20 along there.

Interstate 390 was completed through there in 1982. U.S. 15 was the main north/south route through there, for many years. I maintain the killer knew that area well. I think he would have had to have known it well, in order to make a quick escape. The roads are generally not very straight. It's also very hilly due to glacial activity. Not many clear lines of sight over long distances. This happened in the evening hours.

My hunch is this was someone traveling a fair distance. Witnesses described a young man. One could surmise he was single, and no one was expecting him home during that period of the day. So most likely living alone.

He could have called ahead and told a family member he was delayed and decided to spend the night at a local motel. There were plenty of these motels located along both U.S. 20 and U.S. 15 back in those days, also near interchanges along the N.Y. State Thruway (I-90).

I agree @ZohanJB , it's most likely this was premeditated. The killer planned this ahead of time.

I would be inclined to look at similar cases around the same period of time, in nearby U.S. states.

In post #536 above, the documentary claims truckers saw Tammy Jo at a nearby truck stop. Most likely this was along I-90, but I will say "nearby" may be a relative term in this case. That could be Buffalo. There would have been maybe 2 or 3 along I-90 south and west of Rochester.

JMO

According to people who knew Tammy she was very trusting of strangers. I’m not sure if it’s to the point of trusting someone pointing a gun though.

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

Cold case: LCSO continues search for Tammy Jo Alexander killer

CALEDONIA — Today marks 46 years since the discovery of the young girl area residents now know to be Tammy Jo Alexander was discovered deceased in a field of U.S.

www.thelcn.com

 

[Falling Down]

It's certainly a possibility, no one knows for certain where she got the jacket.

My thought is more along the lines that someone who picked her up hitchhiking gave it to her. Whenever my friends or family from the South visit NY, they are always freezing, even in Summer. If I recall correctly, it was looked into and found that the jacket was just a cheap promotional item.

I would recommend reading through this entire thread, there is a lot of really good information that was turned up while she was still unidentified.

MOO.

I'll add that when she started her journey she was in Florida, and most likely crossed the southern U.S. on I-10, earlier in the year when it was warm. She was dependent upon strangers for food, shelter, travel, etc. In the weeks previous to ending up in western NY, the season would have been changing to cold weather. Hence the light jacket someone gave her.

 

[Falling Down]

It's certainly a possibility, no one knows for certain where she got the jacket.

My thought is more along the lines that someone who picked her up hitchhiking gave it to her. Whenever my friends or family from the South visit NY, they are always freezing, even in Summer. If I recall correctly, it was looked into and found that the jacket was just a cheap promotional item.

I would recommend reading through this entire thread, there is a lot of really good information that was turned up while she was still unidentified.

MOO.

Mulling this over for the umpteenth time, I'm starting to wonder if she got the jacket from a legit automotive racing promoter, supplier, a race team, etc. Say in the western U.S. or Upper Midwest.

JMO

 

[FATMAOMAOCHONG]

I'll add that when she started her journey she was in Florida, and most likely crossed the southern U.S. on I-10, earlier in the year when it was warm. She was dependent upon strangers for food, shelter, travel, etc. In the weeks previous to ending up in western NY, the season would have been changing to cold weather. Hence the light jacket someone gave her.

On the other thread from before she was identified, someone mentioned that one of her uncles was a retired dirt track racer. She could have gotten the jacket from him.