[2] During the investigations, it was established that Gant had an intimate relationship with one of the victims, Sharon Robinson. 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. Antonio Rodriguez admitted to being the "Kensington Strangler" in January 2011, ending a case in which the convicted killer was dubbed a "sexual, serial killer." Rodriguez wanted to have "rough . In the wake of incidents like these, its no surprise that Chief R.J. Collins seemingly had little issue with hiring a potential serial killer who ran a prostitution ring like Victor Gant to the Carver College Police Force. Clay quickly, and almost with a sense of pride, callously answers "Twelve". I'll kill you too." [12] Gant left New Orleans after his discharge from law enforcement and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he presumably still lives today. 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. [2] On February 5, 1994, skeletal remains were found in St. John the Baptist Parish, later determined to be a young woman between the ages of 25 and 35. The dramatic arrest in 2018 of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was all the more astounding because of how detectives said they caught . The Serial Killers Who Invented America. 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. [2] On April 2, two sets of skeletal remains were found in the canals, later determined to be of a young woman and a young man. 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. [13], As of November 2021, all of the murders, aside from that of Cheryl Lewis, remain unsolved. To me, that's definitely a red flag as to what kind of guy we're talking about here. But that all changes a couple of minutes into this strange and disturbing phone call. "Clay the Serial Killer" On the morning of 13 August 1997, a mysterious man called into the syndicated radio program of popular shock-jock Howard Stern. While incarcerated, authorities charged him with the murders of Lewis and Mack on March 4, 1998.[5]. When he takes control of the conversation by asking Clay if he strangles his victims, Stern then opens the door for this supposed killer to impulsively divulge his true method of killing, should he be incorrect in his initial assumption. [5], Once located, Ellwood was informed of his rights, and within three days gave several statements recorded on tape. Shortly after 7 AM, the man claiming to be Zodiac called in, and asked to called Sam., The mans threat was a clear reference to Zodiacs letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle on October 13, 1969less than two days after his murder of Paul Stinein which he writes, School children make nice targets, I think I shall wipe out a school bus some morning. Ellwood, however, was eventually cleared in Macks murder after his attorneys proved he had been in Ohio at the time of her death. Three other sheriffs from the now-disbanded task force told the same reporter that at least four other suspects were on their radar. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. After doing drugs together, Ellwood beat her, but she managed to flee. The charges were only dropped after a series of behind-closed-doors meetings with lawyers. What do you think ? Again, we hear Stern trying to casually ascertain personal details about Clay that might aid in eventually identifying him. 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. [2], In May 1995, a task force was established by the New Orleans Police Department, in conjunction with surrounding parishes and the FBI, in order to solve the killings. In a somewhat aggravated tone of voice, the caller answers "No. They got him iirc. 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. While on probation, Ellwood relocated to Canton, Ohio, where he started working for his brother. 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. First, youll notice Stern is continuing his line of questioning by leading the conversation with suggestions in the hopes that Clay will impulsively give in to correcting him with accurate information due to his narcissistic desire to control the narrative. [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. 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. By Michael Dot Scott. As a result, he was convicted and sentenced to spend 85 days in the county jail. 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. Stern and Quivers asked him questions related about why he did it. Several of Russell Ellwood's other potential victims were clients of a black Nola cop who was a suspect in their disappearance. 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. Where have we heard this before? The second witness, Antoinette Holmes, who lived near Lewis, testified to seeing her at the Time Saver restaurant in Bridge City two weeks before she was reported missing, standing between two parked cars and talking to a cab driver. Judging by what I can find, Victor Gant was never charged with any of the murders and not much is known about him today. 'Clay' said calmly. 2". [5] A partially undressed Ellwood was forced out of his car and told to show his driver's license. Unlike Sharon, Karen supported herself through sex work. Gant complied, and the samples were sent to a police lab for testing against the wad of chewing tobacco found near Karen Ivesters body. [1] [2] Murders [ edit] 2021-08-16. 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. He reportedly submitted blood and tissue samples for the investigation, but nothing more is really known. 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. Cookie Notice [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. While this propelled the case to a national audience, the case remained unsolved. The call has never been conclusively confirmed as legitimate but many suspect the caller is Russell Ellwood. was thought to be a serial killer. Policemen later interviewed her friends and acquaintances, who stated that she had been cohabiting with a white male who vanished shortly after Porter went missing. Reading comments online and on this video, it looks like I'm not alone. Actually nothing like that. I never said my name was Ed" almost as if to say "How dare you get my name wrong". 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] 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. Internal investigations were launched, and Gant was taken off his patrol beat and place on desk duty. - The known victims were killed between 1991-1995, with a gap lasting almost exactly one year in between February 1993 and February 1994. Will Clay Jensen get arrested at the start of 13 Reasons Why season 3 for his involvement with Tyler's deadly plan? 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. "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. He immediately asks if Clay has sex with his victims before killing them. On December 14, a fourth victim, as yet unidentified, was found near Behrman Highway, not far from where Danielle was found. 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. During the hearing, members of the disciplinary committee reviewed the testimony of the prosecution's witnesses. [2], On January 22, 1995, the body of 29-year-old impoverished mother of three Wanda Ford was found in a swamp near the I-55. Lewis' murder began a series of killings of at least 26 prostitutes spanning from 1991 to 1996 that authorities believe Ellwood is responsible for. Keep discussing! 1", was presumably strangled and found not far from Britton's body. This clue became one of the most significant in this entire saga. He was one of the two main suspects in a series of murders of women in New Orleans, Louisiana. During the interrogations, he admitted to frequenting black prostitutes throughout his life, claiming that he knew more than 100 girls, in addition to frequently taking drugs such as heroin, crack cocaine and LSD over the years. 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. In early 1995, a disciplinary panel and hearing to determine Gant's punishment began. According to his cellmates, Ellwood implicated himself in the prostitute killings back in New Orleans and its various suburbs. When the task force talked to him again, he admitted to dumping the body of a black woman in the water next to a country road. 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. Most present-day articles about Clay insist the caller was actually convicted killer Russell Ellwood, who was arrested in March 1998 for the murder of Cheryl Lewis, whose nude body was found in February 1993 floating face-down in a Hahnville swamp, about 25 miles away from where the bodies Sharon Robinson and Karen Ivester were later found. [12] A deputy who worked in the department later attempted to sue them for allegedly firing him for revealing that Rushing had destroyed crucial evidence, but his appeal was rejected due to lack of evidence. In addition to the two murders that have already been reported, Ellwood is thought to be responsible for at least even more deaths. 1". 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. 33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Show. Sentenced to life in prison August 17, 1999. The entire call is unnerving, but there are parts of the call that are absolutely terrifyingand this guy was stalking and killing people right down I-10 only a couple of hours away. 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. .zklaml-k63hep{font-weight:bold;color:undefined;}Russell Ellwood.zklaml-1p7ut1l{color:undefined;} was thought to be a serial killer. True crime aficionados quickly picked up on the similarities between Clays story and an unsolved cluster of homicides that had made headlines and hit TV screens all around America nearly three decades prior. The single biggest issue, however, is thisClays self-professed favorite mode of murder was bludgeoning his victims to death with a hammer. [6] In order to determine whether he was guilty or not, Gant was ordered to submit DNA for testing to see whether they could match it to the perpetrator's saliva, which was found on a piece of chewing tobacco found near Ivester's body. There was one that rang in to radio a while back, I think it was the 'Weepy Voiced Killer' and he confessed. An autopsy determined that she had been strangled. 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. 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. [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. According tocriminalminds.fandom.com Ellwood would live in his car from time to time when he couldn't afford to live anywhere else. called and asked for tape of that call.". The call remained virtually absent from public discourseand even the internetuntil 2019, when fans of Stern began posting about the segment on Reddit, reigniting interest in the incident. He was born on June 24, 1962, in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. The next day Howard says they were contacted by the FBI. One Suspect Is A Cop", "Police Officer Is Suspect In New Orleans Killing Spree", "Dial 911 and speak to the prime suspect", "Murder case moves to Lafayette for trial", "Investigator denies destroying evidence", "One charge against Ellwood will be dropped", "Investigation of 26 killings concludes with one sentencing", "Appeals court upholds deputy's dismissal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Storyville_Slayer&oldid=1152510708, Violence against women in the United States, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 17:38. Was your mom a prostitute?" In 1998, Russell Ellwood stood trial for the 1993 murders of Cheryl Lewis, 30, of Bridge City, and Deloras Mack, 40, of Metairie. Each time 'Clay' answered a question he responded in a calm, matter-of-fact manner. 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. While he was only convicted of 1 murder (Cheryl Lewis), he is believed to killed upwards of 20 prostitutes during the 1990's. During "Clay's" call, he joked about how the only suspect the Nola police had was a black people officer. 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 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. The NOPD never released that information to the public, but somehow Clay knew about it, and he was right. 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. None of the dozens of New Orleans prostitute victims in question were killed in this manner. Victor Gant has been associated with that group.". Ellwood remains a suspect in several of the killings, but no charges have been filed against him. Luckily, neither Eric Weill nor the Zodiac ever made good on their shared threat to murder school children. In this video 5 disturbing and shocking serial killer moments caught on video are looked at in all their frightful detail. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The video, posted by true911calls, replays the call between host Howard Stern, co-host Robin Quivers, and the caller, so-called 'Clay.'. Ellwood is still considered a suspect in several of the homicides, although he has not been charged in connection with any of them. He indicated that he had "dreamed" of the moment that he was questioned by a task force looking into serial killers. This sort of bizarre call was not out of the ordinary for the show, where Stern often hoax calls from people with crazy stories. Howard asked Lee what he used to cut the head off. And while the Zodiac Killer case is still unresolved, at least this small, bizarre chapter eventually reached a tangible conclusion. [2] The results were inconclusive and no charges were filed against Gant, who was dismissed from the force in August 1996.[2].
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clay the serial killer caught