Page 35 - 200812 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2008

35 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 35 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 TOP 10 CRIMES OF he went to bed – watching his grandchildren so where she had last been seen on the hiking trail. TOP 10 CRIMES OF In an unusually fast confession, after 2008 that Scott could go look for his wife. Scott reaching an agreement with prosecutors to not 2008 allegedly told his father that he suspected she Continued from Page 34 was out cheating on him. It remains unclear seek the death penalty in his case, Hilton said Continued from Page 34 where Scott went that night or what time he that even though he knew from the outset that returned home. he would eventually kill her he had initially According to Robinson, a search of the kidnapped her to obtain her credit cards and On Sept. 12, the federal Bureau of home revealed evidence that further supports Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives personal identification numbers (PIN) so that he the boy's statement to police. As a result, conducted forensic tests at the scene of the fire, could obtain cash. However, Meredith had Schumacher and his wife were booked into San which, according to police, revealed it was the given him incorrect PIN numbers and he Joaquin County Jail on suspicion of felony work of an arsonist. Following that revelation, eventually, apparently in frustration, beat her to conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, torture, investigators named William Morris a person of death with a tire iron. He said that he had cut kidnapping, false imprisonment by violence and interest in the fire and in his wife's off her head to make it more difficult for child beating. Both are being held in lieu of disappearance. investigators to identify her remains. nearly $1.2 million in bail. Since that time, search teams, led by On Thursday, Jan. 31, exactly 30 days In the days following the Schumacher's after Meredith disappeared, Hilton pleaded arrest, investigators took two more suspects into Kelly's father, Pat Currin, have spent every day guilty to the young woman’s murder in what searching wooded areas, mine shafts, wells, custody on similar charges. The third suspect, was described as a frustrated robbery attempt. 43-year-old Caren Ramirez, had become the lakes, ponds and other areas of interest, looking The judge immediately sentenced Hilton to life for any sign of Kelly or evidence related to the teen's legal guardian approximately four years in prison with the possibility of parole after ago, when child-welfare officials took him away case. Pat has made a vow not to give up until his serving 30 years, citing his age and the fact that daughter is found. from his father. Not long thereafter, a warrant he would most assuredly die in prison. Meanwhile, investigators are continuing was issued for Ramirez, for assaulting and their own investigation, looking for any clue Hilton is now being investigated in other abusing the boy, and he was placed into a that might suggest what happened to Kelly. unsolved cases, including the kidnapping and Sacramento foster home. According to The family of Kelly Currin Morris is death of a Florida nurse whose body was found Sacramento County court records, Ramirez was offering a $30,000 reward for information on Dec. 19, 2007, and the case of John Bryant and convicted in 2007 on one felony count of her whereabouts. Anyone with information is his wife, Irene, both in their 80s, who failed to inflicting corporal injury on a child. Police say urged to call the Granville County Sheriff's return from an October 2007 hiking trip in the Ramirez also has three outstanding warrants for Office at 919-693-3213. mountains of western North Carolina. her arrest in the same county. William "Scott" Morris maintains his The fourth suspect has been identified as No. 05 - Eve Carson Anthony Waiters, 29, a neighbor of the first innocence in the fire and the disappearance of his wife. three suspects. Waiters was booked into jail on On March 5, 2008, the body of 21-year- suspicion of six felonies, including conspiracy, No. 06 - Meredith Emerson old college student Eve Marie Carson was torture, false imprisonment, child beating and found at the intersection of Hillcrest Circle and child endangerment. Due to a court-ordered gag On New Year's Day 2008, 24-year-old Hillcrest Drive in Chapel Hill, N.C. Eve had order, the details of Waiters' alleged suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including a involvement remain unknown. Meredith Emerson left her home with her shotgun blast to the head. The victim's car was faithful dog, Ella, a black Labrador. With Ella All four suspects are considered following closely alongside her, Meredith set later found at a location roughly one mile from innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. out on a day-long hike in the rugged mountains the location of her body. of the Chattahoochee National Forest, located Investigators soon learned that someone No. 07 - Kelly Currin Morris some 90 miles north of Atlanta. had used Eve's bank card to withdraw money When Meredith failed to return home from her account. An image of the suspect was On the morning of Sept. 4, 2008, released to the public and, shortly thereafter, firefighters with the Stem and Providence fire later that evening, her friends and relatives investigators arrested 17-year-old Laurence became worried and reported her missing. departments in North Carolina responded to a Alvin Lovette Jr. and 21-year-old Demario house fire at 3220 Tump Wilkins Road. The Search efforts comprised of 15 search and James Atwater. rescue teams, including canine teams and house and much of its contents were destroyed; On March 11, 2008, both men were however, firefighters were able to determine helicopters, failed to find the missing woman charged with first-degree murder. Four months despite combing a nearly 400-square-mile area. that the residents, 34-year-old William "Scott" later, in July 2008, police filed additional Morris and his wife, 28-year-old Kelly Currin Meredith’s dog, Ella, was later found wandering charges against the two men, including first- around outside a grocery store some 40 miles Morris, were not home when the fire broke out. from where her car had been discovered. degree kidnapping, armed robbery, felonious Scott was allegedly at his towing larceny and felonious possession of stolen A break in the case finally came on Jan. business in Creedmoor, and the couple's two 4, when police picked up a toothless, unshaven goods. Atwater was charged with two additional young children, ages 8 and 5, were in school at 61-year-old man named Gary Michael Hilton at counts, including possession of a firearm by a the time of the incident. It was initially believed a convenience store outside Atlanta. Hilton had felon and possession of a weapon of mass that Kelly was at work; however, investigators reportedly been seen with Meredith several destruction. soon learned that she never showed up that times on New Year’s Day. The police In October 2008, Atwater was indicted morning. subsequently served a search warrant on by a federal grand jury on charges involving the Roughly two hours later, Kelly's car, a Hilton’s 2001 Chevrolet Astro van and a carjacking of Eve Carson. burgundy 2005 Honda Accord, was found The Orange County District Attorney abandoned in an undeveloped subdivision, less Dumpster outside the convenience store where recently announced that he is planning to seek he was taken into custody. They found three than a mile from her home. the death penalty against Atwater on the murder When questioned by police, Scott bloodstained fleece tops and a bloodstained car and kidnapping charges. Because of his age at Morris told them that he had not seen his wife seatbelt inside the Dumpster, and noted that a the time of the murder, co-defendant Laurence since the previous night, when she went out to rear seatbelt was missing from Hilton’s van. It Lovette is not eligible for the death penalty. was obvious that he had attempted to vacuum look for a family pet. Scott told police that he and wash down areas of the vehicle’s interior. The two men's trials are set to begin in went to bed shortly thereafter, and when he Only hours after being charged with November 2009. (Continued on Page 36) awoke the following morning Kelly's vehicle kidnapping with intent to cause bodily injury or was gone. He told police that he went about his harm and having his bail request denied Hilton, THE ‘X’ ZONE RADIO & TV SHOW day, assuming that she had left for work. in a surprise move, told the police the location When police questioned Scott's father, IS NOW AVAILABLE AT they learned that he had been at the Morris where Meredith’s body would be found. He led iTUNES the cops to a wooded area where investigators home that night – after the time Scott told police www.apple.com/itunes found Meredith’s decapitated body, miles from