KY KY - Redhead Murders, 70's-90's

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Is it possible these Jane Does could be connected?

JANE DOE - OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI | Federal Bureau of Investigation - Olive Branch, MS, auburn, 20-35, January 24th 1985. Died hours beforehand.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) - Lebanon, IN, red-haired or auburn, 17-24, found May 3rd 1992. Died some days previous.

Rising Fawn Jane Doe - Rising Fawn Jane Doe, Rising Fawn, GA, 16-25, found December 16th 1988. Red-haired. Died up to a week prior.

Sampson County Jane Doe (1999) - Sampson County Jane Doe, Dunn, NC, 17-25, found July 20th 1999. Red-haired. Died around two months previously.

The two former has been mentioned a few times in this thread IIRC, most recently by @dorothyland in post #82.
They are also listed on the Unidentified.wiki's Redhead murders page as respectively unconfirmed and possible victims:
Redhead murders

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

The two former has been mentioned a few times in this thread IIRC, most recently by @dorothyland in post #82.
They are also listed on the Unidentified.wiki's Redhead murders page as respectively unconfirmed and possible victims:
Redhead murders

Sorry, I meant the first and third.

 

[dorothyland]

Is it possible these Jane Does could be connected?

JANE DOE - OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI | Federal Bureau of Investigation - Olive Branch, MS, auburn, 20-35, January 24th 1985. Died hours beforehand.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) - Lebanon, IN, red-haired or auburn, 17-24, found May 3rd 1992. Died some days previous.

Rising Fawn Jane Doe - Rising Fawn Jane Doe, Rising Fawn, GA, 16-25, found December 16th 1988. Red-haired. Died up to a week prior.

Sampson County Jane Doe (1999) - Sampson County Jane Doe, Dunn, NC, 17-25, found July 20th 1999. Red-haired. Died around two months previously.

I will add Lebanon, IN Jane Doe and Sampson, CO Jane Doe to my suggested Jane Does spreadsheet.

 

[dorothyland]

Accidental double post.

 

[jaejae]

Here is an update in one of the crimes in this series of crimes that have been cited as possibly being linked:

TBI identifies killer in nearly 35-year-old Campbell County cold case murder

Agents ID body found in Tennessee in ’80s as Indy woman, ask public to help solve murder

 

[dotr]

Here is an update in one of the crimes in this series of crimes that have been cited as possibly being linked:

TBI identifies killer in nearly 35-year-old Campbell County cold case murder

Agents ID body found in Tennessee in ’80s as Indy woman, ask public to help solve murder

Thanks for the link, wonder if this perp used to be red-haired? speculation.
"Jerry Leon Johns, a truck driver first considered as a suspect in the string of killings during the mid-1980s, is believed to be responsible for the death of Tina Marie McKenney Farmer, an Indiana woman whose remains were discovered off Interstate 75 near Jellico on New Years Day 1985, authorities announced Thursday."

Jerry Leon Johns (Photo: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

 

[jaejae]

Here is the Press Conference about the identification of a suspect in one of these cases who is already deceased:

TBI identifies killer in 1985 Campbell County murder

 

[ClairV]

Thanks for the link, wonder if this perp used to be red-haired? speculation.
"Jerry Leon Johns, a truck driver first considered as a suspect in the string of killings during the mid-1980s, is believed to be responsible for the death of Tina Marie McKenney Farmer, an Indiana woman whose remains were discovered off Interstate 75 near Jellico on New Years Day 1985, authorities announced Thursday."

Jerry Leon Johns (Photo: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

I came across this MP info on a blog site. Its from 1992 in the Nashville TN area.
I have questioned whether this SK may have had red hair as well. Elizabeth Diane Vaughn age 28, long red hair, 5'3 120 lbs
Sumner County: Elizabeth Diane Vaughn Diane Vaughn, who went by Diane, was born and raised in East Nashville. When she disappeared, she was 28 years old and was described as standing about 5'3" and weighing 120 pounds. She had long red hair and green-brown eyesAnother witness came forward saying a woman matching Diane's description was seen around 11 p.m. that night getting into a truck. The witness told police a man with shoulder-length red hair and beard drove into the parking lot in a 1980s model red Ford pickup with a tool box, chrome running boards and white spoke wheels.

If this SK graduated hs and started working at 18, he would have been 33 when his cooling off period started (perhaps Married with kids).
I'm wondering if he has become active again, as there seems to be an abnormal amount of recent MPs from TN with Auburn /red hair, between 5'1-5'4 110lbs-140bs, under 30yrs old.
I'm creating a map of these new MP 2010-2020.

 

[dotr]

I came across this MP info on a blog site. Its from 1992 in the Nashville TN area.
I have questioned whether this SK may have had red hair as well. Elizabeth Diane Vaughn age 28, long red hair, 5'3 120 lbs
Sumner County: Elizabeth Diane Vaughn Diane Vaughn, who went by Diane, was born and raised in East Nashville. When she disappeared, she was 28 years old and was described as standing about 5'3" and weighing 120 pounds. She had long red hair and green-brown eyesAnother witness came forward saying a woman matching Diane's description was seen around 11 p.m. that night getting into a truck. The witness told police a man with shoulder-length red hair and beard drove into the parking lot in a 1980s model red Ford pickup with a tool box, chrome running boards and white spoke wheels.

If this SK graduated hs and started working at 18, he would have been 33 when his cooking off period started (Family/kids).
I'm wondering if he has become active again, asthere seems to be an abnormal amount of recent MPs from TN with Auburn /red hair, between 5'1-5'4 110lbs-140bs, under 30yrs old.
I'm creating a map of these new MP 2010-2020.

Welcome to Ws ClairV, very interesting information, thanks for starting a map!
ETA
Lol, had forgotten that i started a thread for Elizabeth, off to "bump" it now...
Ws thread.
TN - TN - Elizabeth 'Diane' Vaughn, 28, White House, 18 June 1992

 

[dotr]

Just came across this short 2018 video, unsure if it is pertinent to this thread or not..
Crime Hunter - Truck Stop Killer Bruce Mendenhall
•Mar 26, 2018

 

[MajorHoople]

Thanks for the link, wonder if this perp used to be red-haired? speculation.
"Jerry Leon Johns, a truck driver first considered as a suspect in the string of killings during the mid-1980s, is believed to be responsible for the death of Tina Marie McKenney Farmer, an Indiana woman whose remains were discovered off Interstate 75 near Jellico on New Years Day 1985, authorities announced Thursday."

Jerry Leon Johns (Photo: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Yes, Jerry Johns did have long red hair. You can see it in the mugshot that's in the video at this link.

Appalachian Unsolved: The trucker who liked redheads

 

[dotr]

Yes, Jerry Johns did have long red hair. You can see it in the mugshot that's in the video at this link.

Appalachian Unsolved: The trucker who liked redheads

Thanks, he looks both mean and arrogant, imo speculation.

Jerry Johns shown while serving as a Tennessee inmate

 

[MajorHoople]

The local station in Knoxville, WBIR has done several stories on the RedHead Murders over the years. Here is a list of articles and videos:

Records offer chilling details about Knox victim's encounter with possible 'Redhead' killer

TBI names suspected killer in 1985 'Redhead Murder' case

Podcast to feature the 'Redhead Murders'

UT Body Farm helps ID victim in Redhead Murders

Redhead Murders investigation 'hot' after Campbell Co. Jane Doe identified

Woman found dead 33 years ago finally identifed

 

[joejs89]

From the links it does appear that the authorities do have a viable suspect for the unsolved Redhead or Bible belt slayings. Unfortunately the DNA belongs to a suspect that died in prison. He was serving time for the attempted murder of a redheaded female who he left for dead. She wasn't dead and she did provide enough information to identify a suspect.

 

[IMC]

My mother is Linda Schacke. Jerry leon johns attempted to murder her.

How did she know he was a narc from Texas she called him in court case

 

[Al Ka]

From the links it does appear that the authorities do have a viable suspect for the unsolved Redhead or Bible belt slayings. Unfortunately the DNA belongs to a suspect that died in prison. He was serving time for the attempted murder of a redheaded female who he left for dead. She wasn't dead and she did provide enough information to identify a suspect.

He was linked to an murder as well, Tina Farmer who was Jane Doe until 2018. It was around same time when he attacked Shacke, who survived. Both crimes were confirmed by DNA to be done by him.

 

[Al Ka]

It is so eerie to be re-reading this thread for past few days and today Pulaski Co, KY Jane Doe from 1995 has been identified after 25 years as missing 24 year old Christie York Witcher.

KY - KY - Nancy, WhtFem Skeletal 39UFKY, 24-45, synovial joint pathology, Jul'95

 

[dorothyland]

Thanks for the link, wonder if this perp used to be red-haired? speculation.
"Jerry Leon Johns, a truck driver first considered as a suspect in the string of killings during the mid-1980s, is believed to be responsible for the death of Tina Marie McKenney Farmer, an Indiana woman whose remains were discovered off Interstate 75 near Jellico on New Years Day 1985, authorities announced Thursday."

Jerry Leon Johns (Photo: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Y'ALL!!!!!!! I'm just now seeing this! Grad school has kept me WAY TOO BUSY HOW DID I MISS THIS?!

I absolutely speculated that the murderer lived in Cleveland, TN!!!!!! I mentioned this in a post somewhere. I can't freaking believe he was from Cleveland. Honestly, I can't stand that town (used to live there).

Ok ok I have a lot of reading to do before I post anymore but dang am I excited.

 

[Dylansmom08]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

482UFTN

This one may have already been posted here but I didn't see it when I scanned through. I have been digging into everything I can find trying to figure out who this little girl could belong to and I got nothing. So many cases I have looked at and this one keeps coming back to the surface she has to have family out there somewhere looking for her but I don't know where to begin to find them. The doe network says that there is a suspected link to the redhead murders so I thought I would post here and see if anyone has any ideas where to start digging again.

 

[dotr]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

482UFTN

This one may have already been posted here but I didn't see it when I scanned through. I have been digging into everything I can find trying to figure out who this little girl could belong to and I got nothing. So many cases I have looked at and this one keeps coming back to the surface she has to have family out there somewhere looking for her but I don't know where to begin to find them. The doe network says that there is a suspected link to the redhead murders so I thought I would post here and see if anyone has any ideas where to start digging again.

[URL='https://www.namus.gov/api/CaseSets/NamUs/UnidentifiedPersons/Cases/1577/Images/15099/Original']

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Artist rendering
Uploaded: February 22, 2018
Facial Approximation by FL Institute of Forensic Anthropology and Applied