There was one that rang in to radio a while back, I think it was the 'Weepy Voiced Killer' and he confessed. An autopsy deduced that she had been strangled, and prior to her death, had taken a large dose of cocaine, which could have caused an overdose. "Clay The Serial Killer"? Howard Stern Show Serial Killer This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. Robinson's boyfriend was a police officer called Victor Grant, who has denied any wrongdoing. A mother of three, she had a criminal record for drug possession. The Howard Stern best-of show, Sternthology, had recently re-aired the segment for the first time during the modern internet era, inspiring the Reddit posts. Acting fast, the police arranged for Jim Dunbar, the host of KGO-TVs, AM San Francisco, to have Melvin Belli join him on the air that morning, as Bailey was 3,000 miles away in Boston at the time. They got him iirc. FBI agent John Fleming told the press in November 1995, "A common thread in the victims was their membership of prostitution rings that seem to have been connected with a group of NOPD officers. His father, Norman, left the family not long after the birth of Sean. She had been beaten and strangled. After his release, Ellwood returned to Canton to live with his brother, who offered him a high-paying job. In another blow to Gants credibility, the serial murders of female prostitutes in the Treme and Algiers came to an abrupt stop in the wake of his questioning by police. He said that he was trying to change the oil in his cab in a covert manner, depositing the used oil outside where no one could see it. On October 21, 1992, Unsolved Mysteries aired a profile of the unidentified New Orleans serial murders while the killeror killerswere still active. He ultimately got a job as a freelance photographer, but he left for an undisclosed reason. Ultimate Unexplained. Before hanging up, the self-professed Zodiac said he would settle for Melvin Belli if Bailey could not be reached. However, the truth of the matter is more complicated. After the call, police thought Ellwood could potentially be the "Storyville Slayer" a serial killer in New Orleans who murdered up to 24 sex workers. At the time, Swaggarts ministries were located in Baton Rouge, Louisianaa city whose population is still today over 50% black. Howard asked Lee what he used to cut the head off. At some point prior to 2016, Gant found employment as an officer with the Carver College Police Department in Atlanta. A native of New Orleans, Gant spent his childhood and youth in Algiers, where a number of the victims lived and were abducted from. [6] In the early 1990s, Gant gained a reputation for being corrupt after a number of informants reported that he, along with a few others, were running racketeering operations against pimps and other criminals. He speaks very nonchalantly, something seems genuine about him. According to his cellmates, Ellwood implicated himself in the prostitute killings back in New Orleans and its various suburbs. The penalty couldn't be upheld though, since Sowell died in prison in February 2021. Anyone recognize this serial killer's voice from Louisiana? Called List of serial killers in the United States, "Police officer suspected in New Orleans killings", "Exclusive: Detective Tries To Solve 25-Year-Old Serial Killer Cold Case. [2], On July 3, the body of 32-year-old Michelle Foster, who had gone missing in New Orleans just days prior, was found. [8] No recording of this confession was taken, and Ellwood later denied ever confessing to such a murder to Camden. -. The treads on her shoes definitively matched a shoeprint found next to a dead body that had been discovered only three hours earlier and only a mile awayand the victim had been Sharons best friend. Russell Ellwood was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, probation, or a sentence suspension on August 17, 1999. So, whatever became of "Clay the Serial Killer"? GG.exe Kylo was here Sep 6, 2005 139,195 89,282 AFL Club You can read the details Ellwood's trial over at lobservateur.com. Sharons boyfriend33-year-old Victor Gantwas a known user of chewing tobacco. Ellwoods attorneys also attempted to convince the jury that he had also been in Ohio when Lewis was killed, and that a receipt proving so had been deliberately destroyed by Lt. Sue Rushing, the former leader of the New Orleans task force. Bus. On May 1, 1995, less than 24 hours after Karen Ivesters body was found, various New Orleans police agencies formed a task force with the FBI, intent on finding the killeror killersresponsible for these horrific murders. [2], According to investigators, the crimes began in the summer of 1991, after a young black woman informed police about an attempt on her life. [1] In response, Gant's attorney John Reed said that his client was innocent and the evidence was purely circumstantial.[3]. While on probation, Ellwood relocated to Canton, Ohio, where he started working for his brother. "Clay the Serial Killer" As he has been dubbed calls into the Howard Stern Show to admit to 12 slayings of New Orleans area prostitutes. Imagine youre driving to work one morning, or youre at home making breakfast, and you turn on the radio for some background noise. The single biggest issue, however, is thisClays self-professed favorite mode of murder was bludgeoning his victims to death with a hammer. Did a notorious-a possibly uncaught-serial killer call the most popular radio show in America? Suspected California serial killer Wesley Brownlee caught while on This experience, combined with her undergraduate degree in psychology and teaching, has equipped her with valuable skills that she employs on a daily basis in real estate negotiations, homebuyer and seller education, and successful promotion of the team's listings. She then identified Ellwood as the driver. Obviously,one of the biggest questions here iscould this actually be real, or is "Clay" playing some sort of very sick joke? Destor of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that Gant is still on the suspect list.[2]. On January 16, he was stopped by traffic cops for speeding and was scheduled to appear in court, but failed to appear on time and was subsequently arrested for contempt of court. Rainey was able to escape, but did not report the attack due to her criminal lifestyle. You can tell initially that Stern and Robin aren't really taking the guy seriously, and who can blame them? He claimed he's killed 12 prostitutes in the New Orleans area. Richard Pennington, chief of the New Orleans police, said that a police officer was a suspect, but he refused to identify him. When confronted by reporters from Huffington Post in 2016 regarding their hiring of a suspect in a series of serial killings as an officer assigned to protect college students, Carver College Police Chief R.J. Collins tried denying Gant had ever worked theredespite Gant appearing in full uniform on the Police Departments website and in photos shared on Facebook. While incarcerated, authorities charged him with the murders of Lewis and Mack on March 4, 1998.[5]. In early 1995, a disciplinary panel and hearing to determine Gant's punishment began. [2] According to the official investigation, the murders ceased following her death. According to the investigators, Gant had killed both her and her friend, Karen Ivester, in order to get rid of them. As he returned to the crime scene, as other serial killers do, it can be assumed that he was, but as far as is known, no information on the matter has been made public. Despite the fact that his attorneys said he was in Ohio at the time of both killings, Ellwood was detained and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Another girl, Navassa Richmond, a former stripper and prostitute, in turn testified that she had also been beaten and assaulted twice by a drug-crazed Ellwood, during which he also attempted to strangle her. He dumped her body in Behrman Park, within one mile of the spot where Danielle was found. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRAY3N3FXw. The next day, Stern said on the show that the FBI came to the studio asking for a tape of the call. Janie Stokes, a former prostitute, told the court that she first met him in either 1992 or 1993 at Snell's gas station in Marrero, when he was working as a cab driver. Macdonald, who proposed in a 1963 American Journal of Psychiatry article that future serial violence and even murder can often be predicted in children who simultaneous engage in chronic bedwetting, compulsive arson, and cruelty toward animals. [3], On August 4, 1991, the body of 17-year-old Danielle Britton was found in a ditch not far from where "Brenda" had been abducted. Again, we hear Stern trying to casually ascertain personal details about Clay that might aid in eventually identifying him. Unsolved - Serial Killer Who Called Howard Stern Show According to friends and acquaintances of the victims, Gant held a personal grudge against Ivester and had spoken negatively about her on multiple occasions. In August of 1997, "Clay the Serial Killer", a self-proclaimed serial murderer in New Orleans, Louisiana, called The Howard Stern Show and casually confessed to over 12 murders live on-air. Between 1991 and 1995, a suspected serial killer claimed the lives of multiple people in the New Orleans area. 'Serial Killer' Once Told Howard Stern Show He Murdered 12 - LADbible Self-Professed New Orleans Serial Killer Once Confessed 12 - NewsBreak She recounted an incident in which Ellwood forced her into his car at gunpoint, then drove her to an underpass where he beat, raped and robbed, threatening to kill her during the ordeal. In 1997, 'Clay' called into the show to tell Stern and Quivers he had killed 12 sex workers. I was wondering if this story was ever validated or debunked? Even if Clay the Serial Killer was not, in fact, Russell Ellwood, there is still a strong possibility that this caller was telling the truth. Suddenly, you hear a man call in and calmly explain to the host over the course of several minutes that he is an un-apprehended serial killer. Was it real, or was this just another one of Stern's lowbrow stunts that he's famous for?Cla. - During the call, Clay claimed he was white, and that the only suspect at the time was a black cop who was romantically involved with one of the victims. Victor Gant has been associated with that group.". Jaya's clients often characterize her as meticulous, proactive, and enjoyable to be around. 33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Show. She had been strangled. Storyville Slayer - Wikipedia Weill had also photographed The Beatles final live performance before a paying audiencetheir famous August 1966 Candlestick Park concertand was now apparently obsessed with the Zodiac Killer, along with lawyer to the stars, attorney Melvin Belli, who was working with the Rolling Stones at the time. Shortly after 2 AM on the morning of October 22, 1969, a man claiming to be the Zodiac Killer called the Oakland, California Police Department, demanding to speak with famed attorney F. Lee Bailey. While reviewing Nemards record as an officerincluding his arrest recordCollins wrote to officials at the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, stating, It is my belief that Mr. Nemard is a man of strong moral character and has a deep faith in God. [8] Based on Hill's testimony, the task force tracked him down and re-interviewed in the presence of Ron Camden, a 27-year veteran of the Cincinnati Police Department's Homicide Unit. Los Angeles Times Exclusive. In 1993 he reportedly began killing "claiming the life of his first confirmed victim, Cheryl Lewis, by drugging her and then drowning her in a canal on February 1-3 of 93" according to criminalminds.fandom.com. The video, posted by true911calls, replays the call between host Howard Stern, co-host Robin Quivers, and the caller, so-called 'Clay.'. Ellwood first came under police scrutiny in 1994, after he was allegedly found masturbating in his car by police, which had been parked by the road, near where Cheryl Lewis and Delores Mack's bodies were found. [5] However, while investigating her death, authorities learned that she was last seen alive on February 2, getting into the car of an unidentified white male. Two off-duty St. Charles Parish deputies saw Ellwood returning to the scene of Cheryl Lewis' murder a year later while still partially clothed. He said it was a knife from what he was told. [2] Her estimated age was between 25 and 35. Due to extreme decomposition, neither could be identified, and are referred to as "Jane Doe No. 1", was presumably strangled and found not far from Britton's body. It should be noted that a sketch of the killer was drawn in 1992 after the first six murders; the sketch depicted a large, muscular African-American man in his 30's, which matched Gant's physical description. Zodiac was able to consistently lead the police of wild goose chases with his many letters, cryptograms, and phone calls due to his compulsion for following every detail about the police investigation into his crimes and potential identity printed about him in the press. What do you think ? The trial began on June 8, 1999, in Lafayette. On April 30, 1995, the body of 28-year-old Sharon Robinson was found face-down in a shallow body of water next to an I-55 off ramp in LaPlace, Louisiana, 25 miles west of New Orleans. Sometimes, its not a good fit for a particular department. Just shoot out the front tire & then pick off the kiddies as they come bouncing out, However, two months later, police officials traced a series of phone calls made to Melvin Bellis home by the supposed Zodiac. may be disturbing to some readers. Luckily, neither Eric Weill nor the Zodiac ever made good on their shared threat to murder school children. While the accusations had some meritthe FBI having actually ended their involvement with the task force so that they could investigate Rushings misconductthe jury was unconvinced, and in August 1999, Ellwood was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cheryl Lewis. Russell Ellwood is the man many believe to be "Clay the Serial Killer", the man who called The Howard Stern Show in 1997 and confessed to killing 12 women. "Clay" goes into graphic detail about some of his alleged kills, and gives details about cases not publicly known. [2] Most of them were strangled to death, while a number of others were beaten and drowned in canals and rivers, and then dumped in swamps, rivers or canals near highways bordering the western shores of Lake Pontchartrain. "No. I never said my name was Ed" almost as if to say "How dare you get my name wrong". Collins brushed off criticism of his hiring practices during a 2017 interview by stating, Ill give people a second chance sometimes. Russell Ellwood went on trial in 1998 for the murders that he committed in 1993 of Cheryl Lewis, age 30, from Bridge City, and Deloras Mack, age 40 . Is it true that "Clay the Serial Killer" from New Orleans called in livetoThe Howard Stern Show and confessed to killing 12 women? Even though he was always a suspect, he said he would move to Louisiana's New Orleans in January to clear his name and solve his cases. When he appeared in court, other prisoners who knew Ellwood gave witness accounts against him. Click here to subscribe to Be. On one hand, Clays hesitation before correcting Stern seems to hint at him telling the truth. Assuming this wasnt some radio prank, how else would Clay know that some of his victims were never found, unless he took special notice of their identities and the locations where he left their bodies so that he could scour media reports for their discovery later? [2], On February 20, 1993, the skeletal remains of 30-year-old Cheryl Lewis were discovered in the waters of a canal near Hahnville. Exclusive: Detective Tries To Solve 25-Year-Old Serial Killer Cold Case On August 13, 1997, The Howard Stern Show received a call from a man who identified himself as "Clay". [2], On November 21, the body of 37-year-old Regina Oko was discovered. After all, my listeners who took drama club classes in high school will remember that the first rule of improv is to always say yes. NOPD Via criminalminds.fandom.com Another inmate, Stephen Michael Busser, also told police that Ellwood had boasted of being wanted for more than 60 murders within the state of Louisiana, and had even described to him in detail one of them. - The known victims were killed between 1991-1995, with a gap lasting almost exactly one year in between February 1993 and February 1994. She said that she did not report the incident, due to being a prostitute with a criminal record. [2] Some of the victims have never been identified. Less than a year after being hired by Collins to patrol the school, Turner exposed his penis to three more women while on duty. 5" and "John Doe No. Here we see Stern seemingly referencing the Macdonald Triad, named after psychiatrist J.M. This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. On May 4, 1995, less than a week after the formation of this task force, Gant was formally called in for questioning at the New Orleans Sheriffs Office. 10 Serial Killers Who Were Never Caught - The Lineup This, along with his mention of wanting to leave clues in the wake of his crimes seems to definitely hint at some obsessive inspiration taken from Zodiac, or a similar killer like BTK or Jack the Ripper. Back in the day, The Howard Stern Show routinely received tons of insane calls from people claiming many wild things. The dramatic arrest in 2018 of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was all the more astounding because of how detectives said they caught . If Clay was just some random radio troll calling in for attention with very little thought put into his story, he might have simply gone along with Sterns suggestion of strangulation. 'Clay' said calmly. Five days later, more skeletal remains were found, this time to a girl whose age is estimated to be around 15 to 17. During his disturbing call-in to the Howard Stern show, "Clay" provides numerous unreleased details about the murders that supposedly only the killer could have known. When Colonel Walter T. Gorman and other members of the task force met Ellwood in Sebring, Florida, they said he was friendly and willing to help. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee told the press in 1998 that the New Orleans task force never considered the serial killings to be the work of one man. Of course, this does not immediately eliminate Clay as a legitimate suspect, but it does prove that he could have learned about Gant being under suspicion merely from picking up a newspaper or watching TV. "Did your mom beat you? [8] Ultimately, the murder charge for Delores Mack was dropped,[11] but on the basis of very circumstantial evidence and unreliable testimony, Ellwood was found guilty of killing Cheryl Lewis and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on August 17, 1999. Camden later testified that Ellwood also confessed to him that he had killed a black girl, whose corpse he had dumped in the canal. Getting word from the call screener there was a listener on hold named Ed who claims to kill prostitutes, Stern immediately puts him on air. - One victim, Delores Mack, was transgender and another, George Williams, was a transvestite. Sentenced to life in prison August 17, 1999. One of the people Collins gave a second chance to was Steven Wayne Turner, a Georgia police officer who had been fired for exposing his penis to a woman he had pulled over while working for the Lithonia Police Department. Other true crime sleuths who have heard recordings of Ellwoods voice insist there are no sonic similarities between him and Clay. She was an impoverished mother of three who engaged in prostitution and had several previous arrests. bd3e74148582de9cdae314245ec29b19d538b2222157b3edc9a66dbbacadd3aa2190dd08e8ee8a5b9ed29a304bc259a6ae5e858fa83dd6b5769fe10e4824007c. The interview's tone slowly took a turn after Clay's response. This subject matter may be disturbing to some readers. [5] One of them, Stan Hill, contacted the county prosecutor's office and claimed that Ellwood had described to him in detail how he had driven the women to outlying areas of the city, offering them large quantities of drugs that caused overdoses, then strangled and dumped their bodies. Realizing the call could be real, that the man on the phone could actually be a dangerous serial killer, Stern and Robin began carefully grilling Clay in hopes of getting a few solid leads for authorities. He was locked up for 85 days after being arrested on August 4, 1997, on drug charges. Britton had dropped out of school shortly before her death, and was last seen in a New Orleans bar next to an unknown man. 13 Reasons Why season 2 ended with a monumental cliffhanger that had many viewers wondering about Clay's (Dylan Minnette) fate moving forward. To me, that's definitely a red flag as to what kind of guy we're talking about here. Woods retired less than a year later while facing the suspension of his police license, and was eventually replaced by R.J. Collins, who apparently later hired Victor Gant. He was one of the two main suspects in a series of murders of women in New Orleans, Louisiana. The charges were only dropped after a series of behind-closed-doors meetings with lawyers. When reporters called Carver College President Robert Crummie for comment on the situation, Crummie defended Chief Collins, telling them Nobodys broken a law or committed a sinpeople are just uncomfortable about talking to strangers. When confronted with the information about Gant, Crummie finally said that he was no longer working for the Carver College Police and that he had no obligation to discuss it further. During "Clay's" call, he joked about how the only suspect the Nola police had was a black people officer. Ellwood himself denied knowing any of the victims or committing any murders, although he could not provide an alibi. When questioned by investigators, Ellwood claimed he was changing the oil on his taxi and had chosen the remote location to dump the used oil without being seen. In a somewhat aggravated tone of voice, the caller answers "No. This action would lead to his arrest because, in 1997, two years after the New Orleans murder task force was set up, Ellwood was named as a suspect. He gave details that were similar to how Cheryl Lewis' body was dumped. Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK killer, murdered 10 people during his 16-year killing spree. Howard said that's a pretty crazy story. Well it wasn't a fake call because after the show the F.B.I. According to some online reports, the FBI paid Stern a visit at his studio the following day to obtain copies of the recorded call, and Stern never publicly mentioned the incident again. Where have we heard this before? This was backed up by the emergency room doctor, who testified that the woman's injuries were the result of a beating. Did your mom spank you? There was no mistaking his evil as his nickname was short for 'Bind, Torture, Kill'. He was one of the two main suspects in a series of murders of women in New Orleans, Louisiana. [2], The perpetrator(s) mainly targeted girls and women of African-American descent, aged between 17 and 42, as victims. Clay King Smith - Wikipedia On February 22nd, Delores Mack was located (possibly; strangled; the charges were dropped). Was Russell Ellwood the infamous "Clay the Serial Killer - Reddit At this point, nothing has been disclosed of Gant's fate afterward; whether or not there was a DNA match to the two aforementioned murders and/or the other 22 victims of the serial killer is unknown.
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