MO MO - Angela Hammond, 20, Clinton, 4 Apr 1991

[Missouri Mule]

For what it is worth, I was given some information about a handyman who worked in Springfield. He also had an old pick-up with a jumping fish in his back window.

Clinton is 100 miles from Springfield. I did what I could on this case but it ended there. I got the name of the police officer in Clinton and told him the name. I never heard anything more.

I too, have concerns about the transmission mysteriously self destructing. And about the same period of time, I believe, came the kidnapping of Cheryl Kenney. Coincidence?

Three cases were seemingly linked about this time. Cheryl Kenney, Angela Hammonds, and Trudy Darby. Darby’s case was solved. But the other two are still unsolved. There was another suspect, a Kenneth McDuff, but he was subsequently put to death, in Texas, I believe.

 

[Moonwalker9]

This case is highlighted in this podcast

061 - The Abduction of Angela Hammond — Trace Evidence

 

[crimeblogger1983]

New Posters

 

[Missouri Mule]

Recently I saw an ID Discovery case that went into the Trudy Darby case in Mack’s Creek. That case was solved. At the end the detectives believed it was likely connected to the Cheryl Kenney and Angela Hammond’s cases. One of the two known perps has subsequently died in prison. The younger is in prison and there was speculation that there may have been a third subject.

I don’t claim to be an expert on this case but the locations certainly suggest this is likely, or a strong possibility, of what went down.

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

For what it is worth, I was given some information about a handyman who worked in Springfield. He also had an old pick-up with a jumping fish in his back window.

Clinton is 100 miles from Springfield. I did what I could on this case but it ended there. I got the name of the police officer in Clinton and told him the name. I never heard anything more.
Three cases were seemingly linked about this time. Cheryl Kenney, Angela Hammonds, and Trudy Darby. Darby’s case was solved. But the other two are still unsolved. There was another suspect, a Kenneth McDuff, but he was subsequently put to death, in Texas, I believe.

Interesting how Springfield and its neighboring towns have always had their share of these cases. Many have been compiled by fellow sleuth Earth in this thread and is very comprehensive of missing (and a few related murders) Missouri women at the time:
MO - MO - Could These Abductions and Murders of Females Be Connected?

These particular cases listed below are narrowed down to similarities of victimology, location, time frame of disappearances (and murders), and manner of abduction (if known). This list does not include:

*Missing female children even though there are a few abducted not far from many of these, they appear to be a totally different M.O.

*Women that went missing in the 2000's.

*Women that went missing or were murdered from the Kansas City area. The Missouri River killer was operating at the time- although the victims were mainly prostitutes that were presumably not abducted and don't fit the victimology. (Many suspects including George Breeden, Terry Blair, and unknown).
***see last comment

*Also, I didn't mention the possibility of the I-70 killer's involvement in any of these cases as his trolling grounds were so broad- even though he's not ruled out as a possible suspect by any means.

***On a side note, I-70 highway runs straight through K.C. and St. Louis but for whatever reason it seems the I-70 killer was not attributed to any of those cases as far as I know. Many of the missing and murdered in K.C. and St. Louis at the time were affiliated with street life and prostitution.
A Serial Killer Murdered 3 Women in 1990 in St. Louis. He’s Never Been Caught


06/17/1985 - Jackie Johns from Nixa, MO about 15 miles from Springfield was last seen in a convenience store parking lot and her body was found in Lake Springfield. (Death attributed to Gerald Carnahan).

03/11/1987 - Diana Braungardt abducted from a parking lot in Festus, MO 200 miles (3 hours) from Springfield and never found. (No suspects)

08/02/1987 - Debbie L. Hall went missing from Carthage, MO, about 60 miles from Springfield. No info on her case.

01/19/1991 - Trudy Darby was abducted from a convenience store in Mack's Creek and murdered 60 miles from Springfield. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney)

02/27/1991 - Cheryl Ann Kenney abducted from a convenience store in Nevada, MO 95 miles from Springfield and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

04/04/1991 - Angela Hammond was abducted from a parking lot and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

06/07/1992 - The Springfield three disappeared from a house and never found. (Robert Craig Cox - suspect among others)

08/23/1992 - Tammy Jo Zywicki's car broke down on 1-80 near LaSalle, IL and on September 1, 1992, she was found murdered along I-44 between Springfield and Joplin, Missouri. It was reported that a tractor/trailer was seen near her vehicle during this time period. (Clark Perry Baldwin was a suspect but as of a recent update, now he is considered not).
Tammy Zywicki Case: Accused Serial Killer Investigated in 1992 Slaying

Incidentally, Clark Perry Baldwin was an ex-Springfield, MO truck driver who was affiliated with similar murders out of state including:

Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift in 1992. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua, Iowa.
Ex-Springfield, Mo. trucker charged in serial killings faces scrutiny across US

All these towns and cities are easily accessible off the interstates and not terribly far from each other. Trolling in these places late at night and then taking off in a fast getaway would be relatively easy.

Was this handyman with the green pick-up truck ever investigated thoroughly? Was his name ever revealed? Also I assume it was established that Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney did not have access to a green pick-up? Were any of them tractor-trailer drivers?

Although these cases are similar, there are so many possible suspects.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Interesting how Springfield and its neighboring towns have always had their share of these cases. Many have been compiled by fellow sleuth Earth in this thread and is very comprehensive of missing (and a few related murders) Missouri women at the time:
MO - MO - Could These Abductions and Murders of Females Be Connected?

These particular cases listed below are narrowed down to similarities of victimology, location, time frame of disappearances (and murders), and manner of abduction (if known). This list does not include:

*Missing female children even though there are a few abducted not far from many of these, they appear to be a totally different M.O.

*Women that went missing in the 2000's.

*Women that went missing or were murdered from the Kansas City area. The Missouri River killer was operating at the time- although the victims were mainly prostitutes that were presumably not abducted and don't fit the victimology. (Many suspects including George Breeden, Terry Blair, and unknown).
***see last comment

*Also, I didn't mention the possibility of the I-70 killer's involvement in any of these cases as his trolling grounds were so broad- even though he's not ruled out as a possible suspect by any means.

***On a side note, I-70 highway runs straight through K.C. and St. Louis but for whatever reason it seems the I-70 killer was not attributed to any of those cases as far as I know. Many of the missing and murdered in K.C. and St. Louis at the time were affiliated with street life and prostitution.
A Serial Killer Murdered 3 Women in 1990 in St. Louis. He’s Never Been Caught


06/17/1985 - Jackie Johns from Nixa, MO about 15 miles from Springfield was last seen in a convenience store parking lot and her body was found in Lake Springfield. (Death attributed to Gerald Carnahan).

03/11/1987 - Diana Braungardt abducted from a parking lot in Festus, MO 200 miles (3 hours) from Springfield and never found. (No suspects)

08/02/1987 - Debbie L. Hall went missing from Carthage, MO, about 60 miles from Springfield. No info on her case.

01/19/1991 - Trudy Darby was abducted from a convenience store in Mack's Creek and murdered 60 miles from Springfield. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney)

02/27/1991 - Cheryl Ann Kenney abducted from a convenience store in Nevada, MO 95 miles from Springfield and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

04/04/1991 - Angela Hammond was abducted from a parking lot and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

06/07/1992 - The Springfield three disappeared from a house and never found. (Robert Craig Cox - suspect among others)

08/23/1992 - Tammy Jo Zywicki's car broke down on 1-80 near LaSalle, IL and on September 1, 1992, she was found murdered along I-44 between Springfield and Joplin, Missouri. It was reported that a tractor/trailer was seen near her vehicle during this time period. (Clark Perry Baldwin was a suspect but as of a recent update, now he is considered not).
Tammy Zywicki Case: Accused Serial Killer Investigated in 1992 Slaying

Incidentally, Clark Perry Baldwin was an ex-Springfield, MO truck driver who was affiliated with similar murders out of state including:

Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift in 1992. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua, Iowa.
Ex-Springfield, Mo. trucker charged in serial killings faces scrutiny across US

All these towns and cities are easily accessible off the interstates and not terribly far from each other. Trolling in these places late at night and then taking off in a fast getaway would be relatively easy.

Was this handyman with the green pick-up truck ever investigated thoroughly? Was his name ever revealed? Also I assume it was established that Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney did not have access to a green pick-up? Were any of them tractor-trailer drivers?

Although these cases are similar, there are so many possible suspects.

I gave the officer information on how to identify the individual. Never heard anything further. It is 100 miles from Springfield to Clinton. Easy drive.

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

I gave the officer information on how to identify the individual. Never heard anything further. It is 100 miles from Springfield to Clinton. Easy drive.

So disappointing that nothing came about this. Clinton is a fairly small town so I'm sure this is its most notorious cold case and that Clinton L.E. would have jumped all over it. Did you provide them this info in recent times? Asking because maybe they tried to investigate it but too much time has passed, the truck is long gone, etc. Or... perhaps they did investigate but they eliminated this person as a suspect.

 

[Missouri Mule]

So disappointing that nothing came about this. Clinton is a fairly small town so I'm sure this is its most notorious cold case and that Clinton L.E. would have jumped all over it. Did you provide them this info in recent times? Asking because maybe they tried to investigate it but too much time has passed, the truck is long gone, etc. Or... perhaps they did investigate but they eliminated this person as a suspect.

No way to know. I gathered the police officer was new and inexperienced.

 

[Murkywaters]

The Clinton Police Department has just released new information regarding Angela's abduction.

Here is a link to the Facebook post by the Clinton PD.
Log into Facebook

The Police believe Angela's abduction could have been a case of mistaken identity through the testimony of an informant in the Lake of the Ozarks region who played crucial role in disrupting a illegal narcotics operation by testifying in court. The informant's daughter also named Angela, bore a resemblance to Angela Hammond and the family was also living in Clinton, MO.

This is a cryptic letter that was sent to the informant, postmarked April 4, 1991. The letter addressed the informant by the confidential informant number he was given. It has been redacted.

 

[annemc2]

Here's a link to an article if you don't do facebook. It's the same content as the above link:

NEW PUBLIC DETAILS ON 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANGELA HAMMOND ABDUCTION | 921News

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Revisiting the case file again for the third or fourth time we ran across this lead from very early on in the investigation,” he said.

Abbot is referring to a letter, written using letters cut out of magazine print, was postmarked April 4, 1991, the day Hammond went missing.

A few months ago an anonymous caller left a voicemail was left at the precinct with details involving that letter.

“I would really, really be interested in having a conversation with that person. It can completely be anonymous. It can be a telephone conversation. I can protect their identity. I can guarantee that,” said Abbott.

He says he’s hoping that by talking to this person he can break down a wall and possibly break the case wide open.
Old evidence could lead to new clues in 30 year old Clinton abduction case

 

[imstilla.grandma]

After speaking with several people of interest and potential witnesses, the theory developed by investigators is that, in retribution for the informant providing information that led to the prosecution and disruption of this criminal enterprise, a person or persons involved in the criminal enterprise planned and executed the kidnapping of the informant’s daughter. Some mistake was made as to the identity of the targeted “Angie”, who had some physical resemblance to Angela Hammond, resulting in Hammond’s abduction.

While the theory seems incredible, investigators have come across information that lends credibility to it and have so far been unable to refute it. This information is being publicly provided, in part, now with a plea. If you have heard a story like this one, or you have any information that could be related to this leg of the investigation, please get in contact with Clinton Police Investigators. A photo of a copy of the letter has been added to this post with the wife’s name and the confidential informant number redacted to protect the privacy of that family.

Very recently, a person left an anonymous telephone message for us regarding the Angela Hammond case. That person specifically mentioned two names. You did not provide a means for us to recontact you. If that person is reading this message, please re-contact us so that we can speak with you in real time. We will protect your identity or assure your anonymity.
Clinton Police Ask For Help In Angela Hammond Abduction

 

[Hockeyfan158]

I keep coming back to this case look at the following photos Christopher Below is known for kidnapping several women across the country and they all had long brown and black hair like Angie.

 

[Betty P]

This is really interesting. They may be on to something with this theory. No one ever said drug thugs were geniuses. It's very possible they confused her with someone else.

It's encouraging to see LE are still trying to solve this case. Very good of them to do that.

Unsolved Angela Hammond abduction 'was case of mistaken identity with another intended victim' | Daily Mail Online

If this is what happened, the killers were probably outsiders. Clinton is a small town and its unlikely locals would have made that mistake.

 

[Betty P]

Interesting how Springfield and its neighboring towns have always had their share of these cases. Many have been compiled by fellow sleuth Earth in this thread and is very comprehensive of missing (and a few related murders) Missouri women at the time:
MO - MO - Could These Abductions and Murders of Females Be Connected?

These particular cases listed below are narrowed down to similarities of victimology, location, time frame of disappearances (and murders), and manner of abduction (if known). This list does not include:

*Missing female children even though there are a few abducted not far from many of these, they appear to be a totally different M.O.

*Women that went missing in the 2000's.

*Women that went missing or were murdered from the Kansas City area. The Missouri River killer was operating at the time- although the victims were mainly prostitutes that were presumably not abducted and don't fit the victimology. (Many suspects including George Breeden, Terry Blair, and unknown).
***see last comment

*Also, I didn't mention the possibility of the I-70 killer's involvement in any of these cases as his trolling grounds were so broad- even though he's not ruled out as a possible suspect by any means.

***On a side note, I-70 highway runs straight through K.C. and St. Louis but for whatever reason it seems the I-70 killer was not attributed to any of those cases as far as I know. Many of the missing and murdered in K.C. and St. Louis at the time were affiliated with street life and prostitution.
A Serial Killer Murdered 3 Women in 1990 in St. Louis. He’s Never Been Caught


06/17/1985 - Jackie Johns from Nixa, MO about 15 miles from Springfield was last seen in a convenience store parking lot and her body was found in Lake Springfield. (Death attributed to Gerald Carnahan).

03/11/1987 - Diana Braungardt abducted from a parking lot in Festus, MO 200 miles (3 hours) from Springfield and never found. (No suspects)

08/02/1987 - Debbie L. Hall went missing from Carthage, MO, about 60 miles from Springfield. No info on her case.

01/19/1991 - Trudy Darby was abducted from a convenience store in Mack's Creek and murdered 60 miles from Springfield. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney)

02/27/1991 - Cheryl Ann Kenney abducted from a convenience store in Nevada, MO 95 miles from Springfield and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

04/04/1991 - Angela Hammond was abducted from a parking lot and never found. (Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney - suspects).

06/07/1992 - The Springfield three disappeared from a house and never found. (Robert Craig Cox - suspect among others)

08/23/1992 - Tammy Jo Zywicki's car broke down on 1-80 near LaSalle, IL and on September 1, 1992, she was found murdered along I-44 between Springfield and Joplin, Missouri. It was reported that a tractor/trailer was seen near her vehicle during this time period. (Clark Perry Baldwin was a suspect but as of a recent update, now he is considered not).
Tammy Zywicki Case: Accused Serial Killer Investigated in 1992 Slaying

Incidentally, Clark Perry Baldwin was an ex-Springfield, MO truck driver who was affiliated with similar murders out of state including:

Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift in 1992. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua, Iowa.
Ex-Springfield, Mo. trucker charged in serial killings faces scrutiny across US

All these towns and cities are easily accessible off the interstates and not terribly far from each other. Trolling in these places late at night and then taking off in a fast getaway would be relatively easy.

Was this handyman with the green pick-up truck ever investigated thoroughly? Was his name ever revealed? Also I assume it was established that Jessie Rush and Marvin Chaney did not have access to a green pick-up? Were any of them tractor-trailer drivers?

Although these cases are similar, there are so many possible suspects.

It's an interesting theory, but I-70 is quite far from most of these towns in southwest MO. It would take 2 to 3 hours of driving on secondary roads to reach places like Clinton, MO.

Truckers most likely pick up victims at truck stops or as hitchhikers or women stranded along the roadside. It would be difficult to escape from police on a rural road in a semi.

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

After speaking with several people of interest and potential witnesses, the theory developed by investigators is that, in retribution for the informant providing information that led to the prosecution and disruption of this criminal enterprise, a person or persons involved in the criminal enterprise planned and executed the kidnapping of the informant’s daughter. Some mistake was made as to the identity of the targeted “Angie”, who had some physical resemblance to Angela Hammond, resulting in Hammond’s abduction.

While the theory seems incredible, investigators have come across information that lends credibility to it and have so far been unable to refute it. This information is being publicly provided, in part, now with a plea. If you have heard a story like this one, or you have any information that could be related to this leg of the investigation, please get in contact with Clinton Police Investigators. A photo of a copy of the letter has been added to this post with the wife’s name and the confidential informant number redacted to protect the privacy of that family.

Very recently, a person left an anonymous telephone message for us regarding the Angela Hammond case. That person specifically mentioned two names. You did not provide a means for us to recontact you. If that person is reading this message, please re-contact us so that we can speak with you in real time. We will protect your identity or assure your anonymity.
Clinton Police Ask For Help In Angela Hammond Abduction

• That informant received a chilling ransom note on the evening of Angela's disappearance
• The note had been ignored because police couldn't figure out how to connect it to the 1970s model green Ford truck she was believed to have disappeared in

'Clinton Police Captain Paul Abbott explained: 'This Angie’s father had been involved in a case where he was a confidential informant. This was a pretty significant narcotics case that probably disrupted some pretty significant drug business.

Revisiting the case file again for the third or fourth time we ran across this lead from very early on in the investigation.'

The informant had to have known who sent the ransom note. It's heartbreaking to think that the whoever sent it are only recently persons of interest in Angela's abduction and LE never made the connection at the time.

It was stated that the ransom note was "ignored". Assuming that means it was ignored regarding Angela's case because surely it was investigated during the narcotics case.

It will be interesting to see further developments in following up with the ransom note suspects, the police informant, and the two people were that were mentioned in the anonymous call. At least this case finally has leads.

Unsolved Angela Hammond abduction 'was case of mistaken identity with another intended victim' | Daily Mail Online

 

[Hockeyfan158]

Just saw that Angela mother Marsha Cook died back in May i pray they have been reunited together.

Obituary for Marsha Ann Cook at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home

 

[?!?]

Add Cassidy Rainwater (and her mother) to the list of possible intertwined victims -- see her thread here circa 2021.

 

[Hockeyfan158]

Add Cassidy Rainwater (and her mother) to the list of possible intertwined victims -- see her thread here circa 2021.

I’m confused i know they found Rainwater but are her killers the ones that killed Angela?

 

[?!?]

I’m confused i know they found Rainwater but are her killers the ones that killed Angela?

There is no known (to me) evidence of that -- just the idea that there was a lot of missing/murdered victims in that area (within 100 miles of Springfield) over the years that would encompass these two (aged 58 and 56) being POSSIBLE perps.