The Springfield Three--missing since June 1992 - #4

[Indianagirl]

What ever the case may me, the fact remains that Jesse Rush admitted in his letters that there were other women who had been victims of theirs.
I don't think it would be too far fetched to think that these guys were involved....no more far fetched then most of the other suspects.

I wasn't implying that it is too far fetched. I was just adding that I believe I read the hammond, Kenney, and Darby cases had been dertermined by LE not to be connected to one another. I was also just stating that to my knowledge, LE has never commented on Rush as being looked at in connection with the 3MW. They very well could have looked at him.

 

[kemo]

Its hard to tell what went on with the investigations of the 1991 Mo abductions. Offcially, Hammons and Kenney are still open and many LE at all three jurisadictions have "played down" any connections. Apparently a female body was found in 2000 that was thought to be Kennedy but tests could "not confirm" it (I assume this means it wasn't her).

The short time period and the similarities (and the description given of the Hammond abductor fits Melvin Cheney to a "T") suggest that the three cases are connected.
Unless there is some genuine evidence pointing elsewhere, I suspect that LE was trying to discourage the media from reporting these as a "serial killer" investigation. From what I can tell, the FBI was "involved" in the ivestigations but they were still being handled at the local (I believe county) level. I don't know how things work in Missouri, does a state agency take over in multi-jurisdictional cases?

I don't see any reason to rule these guy out on the Springfield case. It would be hard to make a case against them however. Cheney and Rush are serving long sentenences and both want to get out eventually so they are unlikley to talk. I wonder about the Cheevers Bros. They were never charged but they may know a lot. True, they may know better than to talk to LE but I bet they have aquirred ex-wives and girlfriends and ex-friends and drinking buddies over the years. I bet they weren't real good at keeping secrets.

 

[monkeymann]

True, they may know better than to talk to LE but I bet they have aquirred ex-wives and girlfriends and ex-friends and drinking buddies over the years. I bet they weren't real good at keeping secrets.

It's too bad the, "Two that didn't get charged" can't be "Forced" to talk. I'm sorry but I don't have any sympathy for people who comitt these horrible crimes.

I'm sure the two that didn't get charged know much more about crimes that have never been solved!

I wonder how much of a "Libel" issue one would create for themself if a Reward flyer was circulated in the areas they had been known to have lived in over the past 18-yrs. I guess if you physically mentioned their names you'd probably open your self up for it. However the two that are in prison I don't think could do anything to you because they have already been convicted for one of the murders.

 

[monkeymann]

The short time period and the similarities (and the description given of the Hammond abductor fits Melvin Cheney to a "T") suggest that the three cases are connected.

I agree that Melvin Cheney DID fit the description that Angela Hammond supposidly gave to her boyfriend over the phone, of the guy that subsequently abducted her. And Clinton, Mo. is about 80-miles from where the Trudy Darby murder took place. Its also very close to where the women in Neveda disappeared. They were all in about 80-miles appart and in the same general area north and west of Springfield. Thats what made me wonder about the crimes being connected. The M.O.'s of the disappearance's, the relative proximity of each disappearance to the others, and the timeframe (Datewise). All happening with in about the same timeframe, and with in about a year or less of the 3MW case from Springfield.

I believe Greg Cheevers lives just north of Springfield close to where the Trudy Darby murder took place...at least last time I checked the internet white pages there was a Greg Cheevers listed as living there.

 

[monkeymann]

Ok...just found it again....

Gregory Alan Cheevers....Mack Creek, Mo.

 

[kemo]

There is a lot of information out there on the Angela Hammond case. It seems like there was always a certain "cloud of suspicion" that hung over her boyfriend. In 2005, reports started comming out that "new evidence" was found, possibly DNA, that tended to exonerate Rush and Cheney. No arrest have been made.

There is very little information out there on the Cheryl Kenney case. From what I can tell, a skeleton was found that was believed to be her and she was removed from missing person web sites. No arrest were ever made nor or any suggestions of new evidence. A poster who claims to be her son alleges that the identification was made without DNA (apparently because of the expense). At his behest, the Missouri Highway Patrol eventually did a DNA test and the skeleton was found to be a "male".

All of this information was obtained from the Unsolved Mysteries web site and its "forum" (Angela Hammond Girl abducted from phone booth - Sitcoms Online Message Boards). I can't verify anything on Cheryl Kenney. It seem once someone changes from a "missing person" to an "unsolved homicide", the interest on the net drops way off.

I must say that after reading the above forum, I came away with a very negative impression of Law enforcement in rural Missouri. I still feel pretty strongly that the boys from Mack Creek were involved in the other two case. Springfield, I'm not so sure. I would place them with Cox, Garrison and the rest.

Below is a link to a map of the location of the four cases.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...0673367270850517029.000476664d273330c13a3&z=8

 

[Trooogrit]

There is a lot of information out there on the Angela Hammond case. It seems like there was always a certain "cloud of suspicion" that hung over her boyfriend. In 2005, reports started comming out that "new evidence" was found, possibly DNA, that tended to exonerate Rush and Cheney. No arrest have been made.

There is very little information out there on the Cheryl Kenney case. From what I can tell, a skeleton was found that was believed to be her and she was removed from missing person web sites. No arrest were ever made nor or any suggestions of new evidence. A poster who claims to be her son alleges that the identification was made without DNA (apparently because of the expense). At his behest, the Missouri Highway Patrol eventually did a DNA test and the skeleton was found to be a "male".

All of this information was obtained from the Unsolved Mysteries web site and its "forum" (Angela Hammond Girl abducted from phone booth - Sitcoms Online Message Boards). I can't verify anything on Cheryl Kenney. It seem once someone changes from a "missing person" to an "unsolved homicide", the interest on the net drops way off.

I must say that after reading the above forum, I came away with a very negative impression of Law enforcement in rural Missouri. I still feel pretty strongly that the boys from Mack Creek were involved in the other two case. Springfield, I'm not so sure. I would place them with Cox, Garrison and the rest.

Below is a link to a map of the location of the four cases.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...0673367270850517029.000476664d273330c13a3&z=8

Well these guys were not the brightest crayons in the box, I doubt seriously they could pull a crime like this off, considering the amount of intoxication that was involved in the Macks Creek case. I do not believe there is anything connecting them to the area and there is no similarity in the crimes. I still say highly unlikely for these guys. I do believe the crime was a sexual assault though. There has been no motive identified at least based in factual information and the likely suspects have been cleared. Only leaving Cox and Garrison who both claim to have knowledge of the crime and one is murderer and one is a rapist these guys have to be looked at more seriously. With the four agencies agreeing on sexual assault as a motive, I think there is something being held back.

 

[monkeymann]

Well these guys were not the brightest crayons in the box, I doubt seriously they could pull a crime like this off, considering the amount of intoxication that was involved in the Macks Creek case. I do not believe there is anything connecting them to the area and there is no similarity in the crimes. I still say highly unlikely for these guys. I do believe the crime was a sexual assault though. There has been no motive identified at least based in factual information and the likely suspects have been cleared. Only leaving Cox and Garrison who both claim to have knowledge of the crime and one is murderer and one is a rapist these guys have to be looked at more seriously. With the four agencies agreeing on sexual assault as a motive, I think there is something being held back.

I don't think they were incapable of committing the 3MW crime. The Macks Creek incident was only one representation of them. Who know's,they might have been into other "Drugs" as well. Personally they looked like Methheads to me. We also don't know what their intoxication state was in the other crimes that Jesse Rush bragged about. Also, in the Macks Creek incident there were aparently at least four of them involved. However, it is highly likely that Jesse Rush and Marvin Cheney committed crimes with just the two of them involved, or may be they committed them independant of one another in certain cases.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Well these guys were not the brightest crayons in the box, I doubt seriously they could pull a crime like this off, considering the amount of intoxication that was involved in the Macks Creek case. I do not believe there is anything connecting them to the area and there is no similarity in the crimes. I still say highly unlikely for these guys. I do believe the crime was a sexual assault though. There has been no motive identified at least based in factual information and the likely suspects have been cleared. Only leaving Cox and Garrison who both claim to have knowledge of the crime and one is murderer and one is a rapist these guys have to be looked at more seriously. With the four agencies agreeing on sexual assault as a motive, I think there is something being held back.

I couldn't agree more. Something is being held back. There had to be some information outside the home that took place that led these agencies to conclude this single motive. The logical inference is that someone rolled on the case.

 

[monkeymann]

. Only leaving Cox and Garrison who both claim to have knowledge of the crime.

I know that Cox claimed to have knowledge of this crime, and Garrison is the "Steve" that he mentions in his letters correct?

I have never heard or seen where Garrison stated that he had any knowledge of the crime....where did you get this from?

 

[Missouri Mule]

I know that Cox claimed to have knowledge of this crime, and Garrison is the "Steve" that he mentions in his letters correct?

I have never heard or seen where Garrison stated that he had any knowledge of the crime....where did you get this from?

It was an inference from various sources. I may have also heard this from one of the reporters of this story. Been a long time. I don't know offhand who else it would be. The other two characters; the subjects of the GJ, had no reason to want to cut a deal. They just absconded out of town so far as I know. The only one who had any incentive to spill the beans was Garrison. If someone knows differently I haven't heard about it.

Until someone comes up with a better idea I am casting my lot with the theory that Cox and "X" concocted this plan for their own reasons. But the only real way we are going to know is for someone inside the investigation to actually point us in the right direction. What I believed, and still believe, is the information I got a long time ago that the investigation was dead in the water. Various investigators had their own theories which essentially dovetailed with Owen's take in the KY-3 interview.

In 1992, I had one of the former officers who participated in the initial search work in my office. I must have picked his brains a dozen times and he didn't know anything. Another former LE officer in my office, although not directly involved, said that this case would never be solved because the crime scene was so contaminated with the various comings and goings of the people in the house that day. His message to me was to forget about it because it would never be solved. Guess he had it right all along. But that doesn't prevent us from forming our own theories. Evidently that what eventually happens with these cold cases. This one appears to be no different. Who had the motive, the opportunity and the means? The one I believe that to be is Cox who actually carried out the crime. That's my conclusion. And if sexual assault was the motive and if there was no evidence at the house, that motive had to be provided by someone who had the knowledge. Who else would it be? Who would have given up that information? I can't think of anyone that hasn't already been named. It had to be someone who knew something that the police held back in order to be credible. I believe Garrison to be that person.

 

[kemo]

My understanding is that Garrison claimed that he "knew" the bodies were buried on the Robb farm. LE searched and found nothing. Apparently the Robb farm was rather notorious for some unrelated murders. It sounds like Garrison was making your basic WAG (ie Wild Guess) in hopes of catching a break on his own beef.

I don't think we need to read too much in to the "assumption" of sexual assault as a motive. When young women are abducted and there is no other likley motive, its a pretty good guess.

While I think it is unlikely that Rush and Cheney had anything to do with the Springfield case, the details of the Mack Creek case are interesting reference. In a town of less than 1000 people, a "group" of locals guys raped and killed a local woman and got away with it until one of the MANY people one of them bragged to finally went to Law Enforcement. From what I can tell, Melvin Cheney had a long criminal record (although nothing like rape or murder) but in a town so small, he must have attracted some "consideration". In the early 1990's, the town of Mack Creek was basically a "speed trap" operation where the town's primary source of revenue was speeding tickets issued to people "passing through" and it's primary expense was its police department. The State of Mo shut it down in 1995 and the town went bankrupt and the "police force" resigned "en masse". It sounds like the cops really did nothing but write tickets and split up the "take". When law enforcement is corrupt, criminal get to operate with impunity.

 

[monkeymann]

It was an inference from various sources. I may have also heard this from one of the reporters of this story. Been a long time. I don't know offhand who else it would be. The other two characters; the subjects of the GJ, had no reason to want to cut a deal. They just absconded out of town so far as I know. The only one who had any incentive to spill the beans was Garrison. If someone knows differently I haven't heard about it.

Until someone comes up with a better idea I am casting my lot with the theory that Cox and "X" concocted this plan for their own reasons. But the only real way we are going to know is for someone inside the investigation to actually point us in the right direction. What I believed, and still believe, is the information I got a long time ago that the investigation was dead in the water. Various investigators had their own theories which essentially dovetailed with Owen's take in the KY-3 interview.

In 1992, I had one of the former officers who participated in the initial search work in my office. I must have picked his brains a dozen times and he didn't know anything. Another former LE officer in my office, although not directly involved, said that this case would never be solved because the crime scene was so contaminated with the various comings and goings of the people in the house that day. His message to me was to forget about it because it would never be solved. Guess he had it right all along. But that doesn't prevent us from forming our own theories. Evidently that what eventually happens with these cold cases. This one appears to be no different. Who had the motive, the opportunity and the means? The one I believe that to be is Cox who actually carried out the crime. That's my conclusion. And if sexual assault was the motive and if there was no evidence at the house, that motive had to be provided by someone who had the knowledge. Who else would it be? Who would have given up that information? I can't think of anyone that hasn't already been named. It had to be someone who knew something that the police held back in order to be credible. I believe Garrison to be that person.

So you think the two were in Cahoots with one another. I wonder what Garrison did for a living. How the two of them could have come to know one another. Having that information would definatly help establish the connection between the two, as well as what might have put them in the proximity of the women. Was it ever proven that Cox was doing survey locating in the 3MW's neighborhood? I've heard that he was in the area, but that could be anywhere. Was it ever proven that he was in the actual neighborhood....actually on Delmar or an ajacent street?

 

[Missouri Mule]

So you think the two were in Cahoots with one another. I wonder what Garrison did for a living. How the two of them could have come to know one another. Having that information would definatly help establish the connection between the two, as well as what might have put them in the proximity of the women. Was it ever proven that Cox was doing survey locating in the 3MW's neighborhood? I've heard that he was in the area, but that could be anywhere. Was it ever proven that he was in the actual neighborhood....actually on Delmar or an ajacent street?

No, I don't believe that Cox and Garrison were in cahoots with one another. What I believe is that Garrison came along after the abductions. What I believe is that Cox and "X" concocted this scheme for their own nefarious reasons. Cox evidently liked to assault young women and "X" was grinding his own ax. That's what I believe is the likely scenario. Of course it is a WAG like everyone else has. And from what I gather from reading other views is that the "sexual assault" angle is another WAG by police officers who don't know much more than we do. The one thing they possess which we will never have is access to the police investigation files. Had we access to those files I sincerely believe we would know exactly what took place in short order. This is what bugs me about police procedure. They are so hamstrung with their own bureaucracies and workloads that they can't think outside the box. Even from the very outset, the SPD was at war with itself. About the only thing we know from that time forward is that a number of these officers have retired and seemingly no one in the press/media has bother to look them up and pick their brains and come up with a reasonable scenario. I blame the press/media for falling down on the job as well. This crime was unique, perhaps in annals of U.S. crime, and it doesn't receive the attention it deserves by investigative reporters who will dig out this information. We are just left to our own imaginations.

I doubt this had anything to do with the other murders in the area. But, like everything else, that is a WAG based on what makes sense to me.

 

[Trooogrit]

I couldn't agree more. Something is being held back. There had to be some information outside the home that took place that led these agencies to conclude this single motive. The logical inference is that someone rolled on the case.

I was thinking more about the evidence and something was held from the public.

 

[Trooogrit]

So you think the two were in Cahoots with one another. I wonder what Garrison did for a living. How the two of them could have come to know one another. Having that information would definatly help establish the connection between the two, as well as what might have put them in the proximity of the women. Was it ever proven that Cox was doing survey locating in the 3MW's neighborhood? I've heard that he was in the area, but that could be anywhere. Was it ever proven that he was in the actual neighborhood....actually on Delmar or an ajacent street?

No I believe that one of them is lying and doesnt know anything, or what they do know is information gained from associates, I do not believe they knew each other at all. I dont think there was time, and I sense different personalities that would not make for friendship. They just SAY they know what happened, they could both lying.

 

[Missouri Mule]

I was thinking more about the evidence and something was held from the public.

Ordinarily I would agree with that except that with all of the people traipsing through the house all day I should think would have noticed something didn't look right but so far as we know, no one indicated anything other than the women were not there. While the evidence may in fact have been there it was evidently missed by everyone until the police did their forensic search. That was my thinking why they concluded that sexual assault was the motive only after someone rolled. But again, since we don't have an inside into the investigation we can only surmise.

 

[Trooogrit]

Ordinarily I would agree with that except that with all of the people traipsing through the house all day I should think would have noticed something didn't look right but so far as we know, no one indicated anything other than the women were not there. While the evidence may in fact have been there it was evidently missed by everyone until the police did their forensic search. That was my thinking why they concluded that sexual assault was the motive only after someone rolled. But again, since we don't have an inside into the investigation we can only surmise.

Well dpends what was there, might not be something people would even notice. They didnt believe a crime had been committed.

 

[wfgodot]

A bump for the most interesting missing persons thread on WebSleuths. Great reading, fascinating case.

 

[dale417]

They didnt believe a crime had been committed.

Troogrit, that has been a major problem from the very start of this case! It is still the MAJOR stumbling block of the entire thing, if it's not a crime then there isn't much reason to search for anything is there? Just let us all flounder in the wind...