They didn't catch him? This caller, who identified himself as "Clay," claimed to be an unidentified serial killer from the New Orleans area Despite raising a lot of suspicions early on, this call quickly faded into relative obscurity after it happened, before being brought back to the attention of internet sleuths in 2019. One month later, in June 1995, investigators obtained a warrant asking for hair and saliva samples from Victor Gant. 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. 10 Dennis Rader. 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. According to multiple reports, what grabbed the FBI's attention during the phone call on The Howard Stern Show was that the caller revealed information about his murders that authorities say they never made public. 2". Howard asked Lee what he used to cut the head off. The NOPD never released that information to the public, but somehow Clay knew about it, and he was right. Several of Russell Ellwood's other potential victims were clients of a black Nola cop who was a suspect in their disappearance. I'm willing to confess to two cases and give you all the details when I return to Louisiana. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/humaninterests Join the Mailing List: https://www.humaninterests.co.uk/newsletter Why serial killing rose in the 70s and fel. He revealed he had sex with his victims beforehand, then killed them primarily with a hammer and strangled one. - 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. Despite having a defining characteristic - namely strongly protruding front teeth - she was not identified. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. Redhead Murderer, or the Bible Belt Strangler Where: Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee - The known victims were killed between 1991-1995, with a gap lasting almost exactly one year in between February 1993 and February 1994. 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. None of the dozens of New Orleans prostitute victims in question were killed in this manner. Like the previous victims, Williams was a drug addict and had been arrested for robbery and drug possession. Cheryl Lewis' mother, in turn, admitted that her daughter was a drug addict and a prostitute, but said that she had never seen Ellwood with her daughter before. At some point prior to 2016, Gant found employment as an officer with the Carver College Police Department in Atlanta. He said it was a knife from what he was told. This further shows a pattern of narcissism inherent in many serial killers like the Zodiac obsessively following your own press. Stern then launches into a flurry of questions, asking Clay why he kills women, how he kills them, if he has sex with them, and more. On October 21, 1992, Unsolved Mysteries aired a profile of the unidentified New Orleans serial murders while the killeror killerswere still active. 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. In fact, you never hear about this incident again until nearly a quarter century later, when the internet digs up an old recording of the broadcast. Another complication is thisBaton Rouge, the possible Jimmy Swaggart town referenced by Clay, is over 80 miles away from New Orleans, where nearly all the bodies were found. was thought to be a serial killer. [2], On November 21, the body of 37-year-old Regina Oko was discovered. Ellwood, a cab driver original from Ohio, had been seen with Lewis several times prior to her death, and had aroused the suspicion of local police when he was found wandering in a state of undress near the crime scene about a year after Lewis body had been found. 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. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Back in the day, The Howard Stern Show routinely received tons of insane calls from people claiming many wild things. [2], On January 4, 1992, the body of 29-year-old Lydia Madison, who had several arrests on charges of prostitution and drug possession, was found in a ditch under a highway overpass. Unlike Sharon, Karen supported herself through sex work. Do you think "Clay the Serial Killer" is Russell Ellwood? -The caller knew a black police officer was a suspect in the murders of two women in New Orleans (the FBI requested the recordings & got involved because of that statement due to it matching things not publicly known) & the officer remained a suspect even after Ellwood was linked to the string of murders because police believe the killings to be When he appeared in court, other prisoners who knew Ellwood gave witness accounts against him. The victims were later identified as Karen Ivester and Sharon Robinson, 30 and 28, respectively. This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. Click here to subscribe to Be. But as soon as he arrived in the state, Ellwood was taken into custody on traffic-related charges. These two murders were part of a string of at least 26 prostitutes who were murdered between 1991 and 1996. On August 13, 1997, The Howard Stern Show received a call from a man who identified himself as "Clay". According to reports, after that, the status of Ellwood's conviction on the remaining murder charge is unknown. While on probation, Ellwood relocated to Canton, Ohio, where he started working for his brother. [3] As a young man, he was a boxer and regularly went to the gym and did weightlifting, and closely matched the 1991 suspect sketch based on "Brenda"'s testimony. 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. "Did your mom beat you? The guy identified himself as Clay, mentioned if he killed himself he would miss the Batman movie, says he kills with a hammer, talks about comic books. The deputies let Ellwood go although his taxi didn't have any motor oil, oil-changing tools, oil filters, or brake pads. [2], The perpetrator(s) mainly targeted girls and women of African-American descent, aged between 17 and 42, as victims. Serial murder is distinguished from mass murder, in which several victims are . [2], On May 6, the body of 39-year-old Sandra Williams, who had been strangled, was found on a boulevard in New Orleans. Here, Clay makes reference to Jimmy Swaggart, the famous Pentecostal Televangelist. He later. He was born on June 24, 1962, in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. Robinson's boyfriend was a police officer called Victor Grant, who has denied any wrongdoing. You can tell initially that Stern and Robin aren't really taking the guy seriously, and who can blame them? Gant also had a violent history of abusing Sharon, sometimes beating her so bad that she required hospitalization. During the test, Rushing was unable to answer a series of questions regarding the missing receipts, but the result was inconclusive, casting doubt on Ellwood's guilt. Ellwood remains a suspect in several of the killings, but no charges have been filed against him. I'll look it up later. With the 29th Pick in the NFL Draft, The Saints Select Bryan Bresee, Nate Diaz, Former UFC Fighter, Chokes Out Logan Paul Look-A-Like on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, The Worlds Largest Bounce House Heading to New Orleans April 21-23, Reopening Date Announced for Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, 2023 New Orleans Jazz Fest is Going Cashless, Recall of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell Falls Short, Official Numbers Show, Company Behind Popular Mobile Games Opens Hub in New Orleans, Louisiana, LSU Wide Receiver Malik Nabers Arrested in New Orleans on a Weapons Charge, New Orleans, Louisiana Accounts for 5 Percent of Mass Shootings Nationwide in 2023. 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. He boasted to other prisoners about his murders in Louisiana during this period. [8] Officers found none of the items required for the fixes, not even a flashlight, which would be necessary to perform such repairs in an unlit area at night. Of course, this also leaves the door open for the possibility of Clay taking a few moments to craft the next portion of his fake story, but lets listen more before we jump to any further conclusions. After attempting to corroborate Gants alibis provided during questioning, the investigators found that Gant had lied in nearly every answer given to them during that session. Discretion is advised. It doesnt mean they are bad officer.. During the conversation with host Howard Stern, which was broadcast live, "Clay" described details for more than 12 murders and gave some details about his background, indicating that he was a white resident of New Orleans. Obviously,one of the biggest questions here iscould this actually be real, or is "Clay" playing some sort of very sick joke? Of course, Clay never explicitly mentions Baton Rouge as being Jimmy Swaggart town, but this is an issue worth questioning. "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. Powered by RedCircle. - The victims were mostly African Americans. [2] Autopsies determined that Ivester had been strangled, while Robinson had been beaten and strangled, but the presence of water in her lungs indicated that the cause of death had been drowning. On September 21, the remains of 29-year-old Regiter Martin were discovered in the waters of another canal near a highway. Due to extreme decomposition, neither could be identified, and are referred to as "Jane Doe No. [2] FBI agent Neil Gallagher later clarified that Gant was a suspect only in Robinson and Ivester's murders, and at present, they had no evidence tying him to any of the other killings. 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. Clay King Smith (July 25, 1970 - May 8, 2001) was an American mass murderer executed by the state of Arkansas for the March 25, 1998, murders of Misty Erwin (age 20), Shelley Sorg (24), Shelley's two children Sean Sorg (5) and Taylor Sorg (3), and babysitter Samantha Rhodes (12) at his home near Pine Bluff, Arkansas. and our Keep discussing! Many people believe that Russell Ellwood is "Clay the Serial Killer," the man who contacted The Howard Stern Show in 1997 and confessed to killing women in a call that was broadcast on the show. 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. [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. Due to extreme decompisition, she too remains unidentified, and is named "Jane Doe No. She described him as a muscular, well-dressed, middle-aged black male who drove a dark-colored vehicle, possibly a Buick Regal or Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The caller then goes on to say "You can call me Clay". Numerous articles from several national publications name Ganta black police officeras a suspect in the New Orleans serial murders a full two years before Clays phone call, and television news segments chronicling Gants activities were aired on CBS and ABC in late 1995. In addition he sounds surprised when he learns that he was actually speaking to Howard. [5] Like the previous victims, Lewis was an impoverished mother of four and known prostitute with several arrests, and had been strangled to death. At any given time, between 25 and 50 serial killers are thought to be hiding in the shadows of the United States and driving around looking for their next possible victim. 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. 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. Ultimately found guiltyof the murder of Cheryl Lewis, Ellwood was thought to be responsible for as many as 15 murders in the New Orleans area, and many believe responsible for many more. A lot happens right here. Another item found on Sharons bodyher shoesled to another shocking revelation. After doing drugs together, Ellwood beat her, but she managed to flee. 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. Investigators determined that she was a transsexual, had feminine features and worked as an exotic dancer at a New Orleans nightclub. [2] She remains unidentified, as is referred to as "Jane Doe No. In time, Ellwood also became a suspect in the killing of Delores Mack, a transgender woman whose body was found a day after Lewis and in the same swamp. The caller, who went by the name Clay, phoned into the comedian's radio show back in 1997 and claimed that he was responsible for killing a dozen women in New Orleans. [2] During a press conference in August, Chief Richard Pennington announced to the media that the current prime suspect was 33-year-old Victor Gant, a police officer working in New Orleans. Carver College has a long, troubled history of hiring disgraced police officers to patrol the Christian School. The call has never been conclusively confirmed as legitimate but many suspect the caller is Russell Ellwood. Suspected Stockton serial killer caught while on 'mission to kill': What we know . 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. Antoinette Rainey, who worked as a drug dealer in New Orleans, also appeared as a witness for the prosecution, testifying that Ellwood was a regular customer. V C. Facebook 0 Twitter Pinterest 0 0 Likes. From the infamous Zodiac Killer who taunted the media with baffling clues about his crimes to the Cleveland Torso Murderer who beheaded and dismembered his victims, take look at these chilling serial killers who were never caught. [8] The investigators became increasingly suspicious when Ellwood started speaking about having a dream in which he was being questioned about a series of murders and later admitting to frequenting the locations where the bodies were found, but continued to reaffirm his innocence.[8]. [6] He became a police officer in February 1980, and while on patrol, Gant would spend a lot of time in red-light districts, where in later years he acquired many acquaintances among pimps, prostitutes and street informants. Eleven months after the final body was found, police discovered additional skeletal remains on April 8, 1996. 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. 6". It is unclear where she was employed, but nothing indicated that she engaged in prostitution or used drugs. Ed?". [13], As of November 2021, all of the murders, aside from that of Cheryl Lewis, remain unsolved. Britton had dropped out of school shortly before her death, and was last seen in a New Orleans bar next to an unknown man. This image shows a police sketch released to the media in 1992, after one woman survived an attack and provided a description to police of the man she said choked her and left her for dead. While conducting various intervews, FBI agents learned that Victor Gant had apparently openly spoke of his dislike of Karen Ivester prior to her murder, supposedly because she had talked a friend of hers out of becoming a prostitute, cutting into Gants bottom line. Well it wasn't a fake call because after the show the F.B.I. [9] Ellwood was eventually convicted and ordered to spend 120 days behind bars. According tocriminalminds.fandom.com Ellwood would live in his car from time to time when he couldn't afford to live anywhere else. [2] Eighteen days later, the body of 28-year-old Charlene Price was found in a New Orleans park, just one mile from where Britton was found. On the next day, the body of 42-year-old Delores Mack was found in the waters of a canal near a highway, not far from the Lewis crime scene. He was exonerated of all charges, nevertheless. [1] Through the course of the investigation, two separate suspects were considered, one of whom was convicted of one murder, leading investigators to believe that multiple killers are responsible. The penalty couldn't be upheld though, since Sowell died in prison in February 2021. 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. COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/russell-ellwood/ by Jaya Mckeown on 2022-07-18T05:09:07.471Z. By Michael Dot Scott. [2] According to the official investigation, the murders ceased following her death. An autopsy determined that she had been strangled. Was your mom a prostitute?" Well, thats exactly what happened on the morning of Wednesday, August 13, 1997, during a live broadcast of WXRKs landmark radio program, The Howard Stern Show. [8] This request was denied, whereupon Ellwood confessed to killing Lewis and Mack, but refused to be audiotaped and soon after began denying that he had confessed. [2], On March 24, police found more skeletal remains under an overpass in Tangipahoa Parish. He indicated that he had "dreamed" of the moment that he was questioned by a task force looking into serial killers. On August 13, 1997, The Howard Stern Show received a call from a man who identified himself as "Clay". Despite the fact that no oil changing supplies were found in his vehicle, the police let Ellwood go, but not without keeping an eye on him. [2] During the investigations, it was established that Gant had an intimate relationship with one of the victims, Sharon Robinson. Ellwood himself denied knowing any of the victims or committing any murders, although he could not provide an alibi. As we heard, Clay made reference to killing a black transvestite during his call. Clay told Stern he took a break for a year. [2] On October 19, the skeletal remains of a woman were found in a wooded area near a highway within the limits of Bridge City. She had been beaten and strangled. Listen to ""Clay the Serial Killer"" on Spreaker. Little is known about Ellwood's early life other than the fact that he might have been born in Massillon, Ohio, and that he served time for drug offenses and probation violations in Florida and Ohio. Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK killer, murdered 10 people during his 16-year killing spree. 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. While incarcerated, authorities charged him with the murders of Lewis and Mack on March 4, 1998.[5]. Five days later, more skeletal remains were found, this time to a girl whose age is estimated to be around 15 to 17. Less than a year after being hired by Collins to patrol the school, Turner exposed his penis to three more women while on duty. [2], On July 3, the body of 32-year-old Michelle Foster, who had gone missing in New Orleans just days prior, was found. [4], On September 3, the body of 21-year-old Tyra Tassin was found. As a direct consequence of this, he was found guilty of the crime and given a prison term of eighty-five days in the county jail. Although a suspect, Gant remained at his desk job with the NOPD. 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. Cheryl Lewis on February 1, 2, and 3, 1993 (drowned; found on February 21; it is unknown if the charges against Ellwood were dropped). After his release, Ellwood returned to Canton to live with his brother, who offered him a high-paying job. Internal investigations were launched, and Gant was taken off his patrol beat and place on desk duty. I'll kill you too." Between the years of 1974 and 1991, serial killer Dennis "BTK Killer" Rader was at large. 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. In December 1965, Weill attended a San Francisco press conference for legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, asking him a series of bizarre questions. According to the investigators, Gant had killed both her and her friend, Karen Ivester, in order to get rid of them. [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. "Clay" goes into graphic detail about some of his alleged kills, and gives details about cases not publicly known. He was a cab driver in Nola that raped & killed prostitutes. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Weinweir Henry, Lewis' cousin, stated that she last saw her at a hotel in Avondale with a man, whom she identified as Ellwood. 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. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. What do you think ? 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. Luckily, neither Eric Weill nor the Zodiac ever made good on their shared threat to murder school children. Robinson was almost immediately identified due to her body being found still wearing Sharons Hurrahs Hotel & Casino uniform, complete with her identification badge. As a result, he was convicted and sentenced to spend 85 days in the county jail. The suspect has been identified in a police sketch as a large, muscular black man in his 30s. [2] On December 14, skeletal remains were found in a ditch near a highway. NOPD Via criminalminds.fandom.com Judging by what I can find, Victor Gant was never charged with any of the murders and not much is known about him today. Is Russel Ellwood Clay The Serial Killer? [7] The interview with the potential serial killer caused a massive media publicity, thanks to which FBI agents allegedly went to the studio and seized audio recordings of the call to establish the caller's location and possible identity. Except this time, no police trace reveals the caller to be a hoaxer in a mental institution. 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. This off-hand remark would later become one of the most interesting and controversial aspects of this story. Her cause of death was later determined to be homicidal drowning. During his murdering rampage, Rader would taunt police by sending letters with details about his killings. 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. V C March 04, 2020. Gant was cooperative with the investigators questions but refused a lie detector test. Imagine youre driving to work one morning, or youre at home making breakfast, and you turn on the radio for some background noise. Collins brushed off criticism of his hiring practices during a 2017 interview by stating, Ill give people a second chance sometimes. was usually a hammer strike to the head, but one time via strangulation. During "Clay's" call, he joked about how the only suspect the Nola police had was a black people officer. Stokes stated Ellwood bought her lunch and treated her nicely before driving her to his home, where he suggested that they use cocaine. Rainey was able to escape, but did not report the attack due to her criminal lifestyle. Bus. V C September 13, 2021. Jaya's clients often characterize her as meticulous, proactive, and enjoyable to be around. Ultimate Unexplained. 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. In addition to the two murders that have already been reported, Ellwood is thought to be responsible for at least even more deaths. During her testimony, "Brenda" gave a description of her attacker, from which an identikit was created. Ellwood is still considered a suspect in several of the homicides, although he has not been charged in connection with any of them. The similarities between Clays phone call and the New Orleans murders of the early 1990s were listed as follows . - The majority of known victims were sex workers. In early 1995, a disciplinary panel and hearing to determine Gant's punishment began. It took nearly four months for the results to come back, and when they did, detectives were disappointed to learn that the results were inconclusive. This guy is either the dumbest serial killer or this was just a jokester with a really bad sense of humor seeking attention. For now, the answer to this question remains unresolved. On August 4, 1997, just days after the interrogations were completed, Ellwood was arrested for buying cocaine from an undercover police officer at his home in Sebring. Before hanging up, the self-professed Zodiac said he would settle for Melvin Belli if Bailey could not be reached. But then, just as he is answering, Clay suddenly leads the conversation by volunteering a piece of information that had not been previously discussed the fact that he knows some of his victims have not been found yet. After his disciplinary hearing, Gant complained to the press, saying, A lot of other people who have been charged worse than that are still on the job. When Sharons sister, Teri, and a group of supporters arrived at the scene to confront Gant, he spit tobacco juice at them before walking off. Other true crime sleuths who have heard recordings of Ellwoods voice insist there are no sonic similarities between him and Clay. According to her testimony, she had boarded the car of an unknown man in Algiers sometime in July, and after having a conversation with him, the man strangled her into unconsciousness and dropped her off on the streets. Rader was a pillar of his community and even worked at a security system company. Below is the infamous phone call to the Howard Stern Show.
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