NC NC - Denise Porch, 21, Charlotte, 31 July 1975

[starmushrooms]

That's too much of a coincidence for the two not to be related. It sounds like Pricilla was first, and after waiting a bit the person who did it got bold and returned to the scene of the crime to do it again with Denise.

The time gap between them and Sandee sounds like the person who did it was out of the area or in jail until 1984. Maybe the area where the first two went missing became more secure after the first two went missing, maybe the person forgot where they committed the crimes, who knows.

If the same person is responsible for all three it would make sense. If the person who did it was the guy who died in South Carolina was he in jail between 1975 and 1984? When were the two girls in South Carolina killed? Was it during that time period or after?

 

[Seifsister]

Larry Bell killed 2 girls from SC ages 17 and ( he was also suspected of two more girls in Charlotte age 9 and one younger than that. He was a electrian from Davidson County and use to work at Charlotte airport. Their is a book written about him. I think it is called murder in the heartland.

 

[Richard]

I have always thought that Fred Howard Coffey, Jr. might be a possible suspect in both Pricilla's and Denise's disappearances.

Coffey was discharged from the US Navy in Norfolk, VA in September 1974 after being convicted in civilian court of the abduction and rape of a 13 year old girl in Charlotte, NC where he then resided.

It is not known where Coffey was from then until at least 1 April 1975 when he appears in Maryland. He was employed by Vitro Laboratories in Aspen Hill, MD from April through July 1975 and is a suspect in some disappearances of young teen aged girls there. His exit from Maryland in late July coincided with a particularly brutal attack on a 14 year old girl who lived for 12 days before succombing to her injuries. Those cases have never been officially solved.

Coffey appears again in Virginia Beach, VA in October 1975 when he is arrested and charged with "Contributing to the delinquency of a minor" with a 15 year old girl.

By late 1975, Coffey had joined the North Carolina National Guard.

In 1986, Coffey was convicted of molesting three children and in 1987 was convicted of the 1979 murder of 10 year old Amanda Ray. He was also suspected of murdering two other children.

Although most of Coffey's known victims were young children and young teens, his victims ages were spread out. It would not be unreasonable to consider him in cases with older victims - especially since the descriptions of these two women are close to other cases of younger victims.

Coffey currently resides in Pender Prison, North Carolina.

 

[Seifsister]

Larry Bell admitted to killing Sandee and Denise and dumping both of them in a well in Cherokee county. Here is some info on Bell

This article talks about Sandee and Denise

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...,3923225&dq=sandee+cornett+denise+porch&hl=en

Larry Gene Bell was born in Ralph, Alabama and had three sisters and one brother.[1] The family reportedly moved around a lot, with Bell attending Eau Claire High School in Columbia, South Carolina from 1965 to 1967.[1] The Bell family moved to Mississippi, where Larry Gene Bell graduated high school and took training as an electrician.[1] He returned to Columbia, South Carolina, married and had one son.[1]

Bell joined the Marines in 1970, but was discharged the same year due to a knee injury suffered when he accidentally shot himself when cleaning a gun.[1] The following year, he worked as a prison guard at the Department of Corrections in Columbia for one month. Bell and his family moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1972 and the couple divorced in 1976.[1]

[edit] VictimsBell kidnapped 17-year-old Sharon "Shari" Faye Smith at gunpoint from the end of her driveway on Platt Springs Road on May 31, 1985. Her car was found running, with the door open. Her body was later found in Saluda County, South Carolina. He then kidnapped ten-year-old Debra May Helmick near Old Percival Road in Richland County, South Carolina. Bell was also a suspect in the 1984 disappearance of Sandee Elaine Cornett from Charlotte, North Carolina. Cornett was a girlfriend of one of Bell's coworkers.

[edit] Arrest and TrialOn June 27, Bell was arrested. Throughout the largest manhunt in South Carolina history, Bell made eight telephone calls to the Smith family, often speaking with Shari's sister, Dawn. Bell eventually gave exact directions to the locations of both of the bodies and described to the family how he had killed Smith.[1][2] During his six-hour testimony at his trial, Bell continuously blurted out bizarre comments and carried on nonstop theatrics, rambling continuously and refusing to answer questions. He later made statements indicating that he may have been attempting to fake mental illness in order to receive a more lenient sentence.[1] He claimed to be Jesus Christ until his death.

[edit] ExecutionBell chose to die by the electric chair instead of lethal injection. Bell was the last prisoner in South Carolina executed by electrocution until James Neil Tucker was executed in 2004 for the double murders of Rosa Lee Dolly Oakley and Shannon Lynn Mello

 

[Seifsister]

another article. I am working with Charlotte to get all of Sandee's info.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...9,951683&dq=sandee+cornett+denise+porch&hl=en

 

[Seifsister]

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...J&pg=5210,825619&dq=sandee+cornett+well&hl=en

This article talks about how Bell showed someone the two bodies in a well in Cherokee County NC

 

[Sherlock Hemlock]

I am so glad to see these cases receiving attention here! As a 4th generation Charlottean and having grown up with these cases they are very much always in my mind. I pass by Yorktown apartments often and think of Denise Porch and the other women. My husband lived in those same apartments with his dad at the very same time Denise Porch went missing. I wonder if his dad might remember anything thing? I think I just might ask! My husband was too young at the time. I have always felt that Bell was responsible for her disappearance. Fred Coffey just doesn't fit. He was into children. It is a common consensus in Charlotte that it was likely Bell.

 

[JeannieC]

Bell kidnapped 17-year-old Sharon "Shari" Faye Smith at gunpoint from the end of her driveway on Platt Springs Road on May 31, 1985. Her car was found running, with the door open. Her body was later found in Saluda County, South Carolina. He then kidnapped ten-year-old Debra May Helmick near Old Percival Road in Richland County, South Carolina. Bell was also a suspect in the 1984 disappearance of Sandee Elaine Cornett from Charlotte, North Carolina. Cornett was a girlfriend of one of Bell's coworkers.

Source: Wikapedia

 

[JeannieC]

On June 27, Bell was arrested. Throughout the largest manhunt in South Carolina history, Bell made eight telephone calls to the Smith family, often speaking with Shari's sister, Dawn. Bell eventually gave exact directions to the locations of both of the bodies and described to the family how he had killed Smith.

During his six-hour testimony at his trial, Bell continuously blurted out bizarre comments and carried on nonstop theatrics, rambling continuously and refusing to answer questions. He later made statements indicating that he may have been attempting to fake mental illness in order to receive a more lenient sentence.He claimed to be Jesus Christ until his death.

Source: Wikapedia

 

[JeannieC]

Bell chose to die by the electric chair instead of lethal injection. Bell was the last prisoner in South Carolina executed by electrocution until James Neil Tucker was executed in 2004 for the double murders of Rosa Lee Dolly Oakley and Shannon Lynn Mello


Source: Wkiapedia

 

[JeannieC]

Larry Gene Bell's mugshot and information.

http://www.bphillips.net/drilc.htm

 

[JeannieC]

Bell's execution.

http://eotd.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/4-october1996-larry-gene-bell/

 

[carole]

Denise and Pricilla were both blonds. I wonder what color Shari's was?

BBM

Shari was also a blonde. Her sister, Dawn Elizabeth Smith, went on to be crowned Miss South Carolina in 1986. A picture of Shari is here -- http://villagesquaretheatre.com/Shari.html

Debra May Helmick, the 10 year old girl killed by Bell, was also a blonde.

You can see a picture of Debra here-- http://justicefortheinnocent.webnode.com/news-/murdered-children/debra-may-helmick/

 

[Lakeboy]

Pricillia Blevins date has been updated to July 7, 1975. Denise also disappeared that same month. This makes it seem even more like it was related. Denise's disappearance generated a lot of press. I can't find any newspaper articles about Pricillia. Wonder Why????

 

[Richard]

November 2012 Update on Priscilla Blevins:

Her body was found in 1985 near Highway 40 in Haywood County, NC and it remained unidentified until this past month when DNA and Dental records confirmed the match.

After 37 years, her sister will be bringing her home to be buried with their parents, who have both passed away in the intervening years.

 

[Richard]

Sandee Elaine Cornett, age 26, Missing 18 November 1984 from Charlotte, NC

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandee Elaine Cornett, age 26, disappeared from her Charlotte, NC home on or shortly after 18 November 1984, when she was last seen by her fiance.

When she failed to answer his phone calls to her, the fiance called a neighbor who had a key to her house. The neighbor entered her house and found it in order, and without any sign of struggle or break in.

Missing from her house were a dictating (Phone answering) machine, an ATM card, and a dark blue jogging suit. Sandee was known to wear the jogging suit around the house.

Left behind and dumped on Sandee's bed were the contents of her brown purse (lying on the bed empty), her house keys, her checkbook, and driver's license. The television was still on.

Following Sandee's sudden disappearance, attempts to withdraw money from her ATM account were made, but LE was unable to trace the person or persons responsible.

Now 28 years later, Sandee is still missing.

The primary suspect in her disappearance is Larry Gene Bell. Miss Cornett had met him once at a birthday party held at her house for a friend. Bell, after being arrested and charged with two other murders in 1985, hinted to officials that he knew something about Sandee's disappearance, and that he could tell them where her body was, but attempts to locate her were unsuccessfull.

Source:

The Times-News - Google News Archive Search

LINK:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...y8aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mCQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6713,4940277

 

[Richard]

I feel that the disappearance of Denise Porch was closely linked with the disappearance of Priscilla Blevins. Both lived in close proximity on Tyvola Road in Charlotte, NC and both went missing in July of 1975.

A few days ago, a body found in 1985 alongside Highway 40 in western NC was identified as that of Priscilla Blevins. Could Denise have met a similar fate?

 

[Richard]

Bumping case up.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://clclt.com/theclog/archives/2...-queen-city-the-disappearance-of-denise-porch

It seems illogical that Bell would not admit to Denise Porch’s murder after he had been convicted of two others and had been sentenced to death. For most potential serial killers, adding another victim to the list is tantamount to another notch in the belt, or a new trophy for the mantel.

Bell could have theoretically used his knowledge and confession as possible bargaining chips, which may have potentially saved his life. From that perspective, it would have been to his advantage to confess if he was responsible for Porch’s disappearance and/or murder.

A review of all accessible records shows no further follow-up with Porch’s husband. Denise’s sister, Diane Hill, gave an interview to the Associated Press in 2005 and again in 2012, admitting that she had come to terms with the likely death of her sibling. Still, she longs for closure. “I’d like to know who did it,” she said. “I’d like to find her body. I’d like for someone to come forward.”

 

[carole]

I remember so well when she went missing, I grew up in Charlotte. I was 24, she was 21. I'm 65 now, and just wanted to say that I think of her often.