Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 8-25-17

Local
Tampa Mom Delivers Fourth Child During Eclipse
MRS. QUIANA TOLLIVER AND HER SON, ROGER, TOLLIVER, V
DNA Identifies Woman Missing For 39 Years
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
At the age of 21, Ms. Brenda Joyce Williams en- joyed going out with her friends. And, if she didn’t come home, that night, her family didn’t worry too much. No one has seen her since she left that night in April 1978.
However, on Wednesday, the family learned that Ms. Williams was deceased.
Her sisters, Ms. Sheila Williams and Ms. Sharon Scott, had participated in an event where Dr. Erin Kem- merle, Forensic Anthropolo- gist, and her staff had reconstructed the remains of unidentified cold cases police were working on last year.
The event was held at the Tampa Bay History Center. Ms. Williams and Ms. Scott observed one of the busts and realized it bore a striking re- semblance to their missing sis-
ter.USF had created two busts for the Tampa Police Depart- ment. Both were unidentified Black women with one case taking place in 1979 and the other 1985. To date, neither of those women have been identi- fied.
The sisters were taken to another room, where their DNA was taken. On Wednes- day, they learned that while neither of the busts they saw was their sister, their DNA had matched the remains of an- other unidentified woman.
The sisters met with Dr. Kemmerle and Acting Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan and were informed of the discovery.
Ms. Williams said the re- mains had been found in 1986 by a youngster near Philip Shore Elementary School.
The disappearance of Ms. Brenda Williams remains an active and open investiga- tion. At this point, police are not sure of the cause of death
MS. BRENDA JOYCE WILLIAMS
... Reported missing in 1978
and don’t know how she died, a spokesperson said.
Ms. Williams said when her sister didn’t come home the first night the family wasn’t alarmed because she had stayed out before. When she didn’t come home the second night, they became a little con- cerned. But, when she hadn’t been seen by the third day, they called police.
They knew she wouldn’t abandon her two daughters, Orkiya and Sherica, ages 1 and 6, at the time.
It has been 39 years since the family had any contact with Ms. Williams. Today, her daughters are adults with fam- ilies of their own.
DR. ERIN KEMMERLE ... Forensic Anthropologist
Ms. Williams said she in- formed their mother, Mrs. Ruby Williams, and at some future date, they will plan a Memorial Service for their sis- ter.
The Tampa Police Depart- ment is continuing its investi- gation as a cold case.
Dr. Kemmerle and her team were responsible for helping to identify victims of the Dozier School for Boys. Of- ficials had found several un- marked graves on the property.
Dr. Kemmerle and her team successfully recon- structed busts of the victims and helped to identify some of them.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
For months, Mrs. Quiana Tolliver had been waiting to meet her son. And, as scheduled, Roger Tolliver, V, arrived on schedule.
However, the world watched as the moon eclipsed the sun on the same date and close to the time of his birth. It was the first time that type of eclipse had taken place in 99 years.
But, little Roger’s parents will always remember that was the day they welcomed their son to the family. Roger tipped the scales at 7 pounds and 11 ounces.
His birth was not a sur- prise because Mrs. Tolliver knew that he would be deliv- ered by Cesarean. She had been pre-scheduled to arrive at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital at 11 a.m.
And while most of the rest of the world was focusing on
the eclipse, the parents and the surgical staff made sure that little Roger came into the world without any prob- lems.
His father said, “I didn’t see the eclipse because I was in the delivery room. I hope I get to see the next one.”
Of his newest son, Tol- liver said, “He’s a handsome little fellow.”
Mrs. Tolliver and the in- fant went home on Wednes- day and Roger met his 8-year-old sister and two brothers, ages 1 and 4.
Mrs. Tolliver said they all love their little brother and welcomed him home. “I thought the baby was going to be jealous but he wasn’t. He has been trying to kiss him, give him his pacifier, and give him his bottle.”
When asked about the eclipse, she said she hadn’t given it much thought. She was concentrating on having a healthy baby and “he is perfectly healthy.”
Execution Set For White Man Who Killed Black Man
Mark Asay has been sit- ting on death row, accused of killing a Black man and a Hispanic cross dresser. If a last minute stay is not issued, he will die Thursday night.
Thirty years ago, on July 18th, Robert Lee Booker, 34, and Robert McDowell, 26, were both shot and killed. Witnesses told police that a faded red truck was seen in the area of both murders.
Asay, 53, was arrested and charged with both mur- ders.
Prosecutors said Booker
MARK ASAY
was shot after Asay made
several racial comments. McDowell was allegedly
shot after Asay discovered he was a man dressed as a woman during an encounter.
Asay was linked to both murders and convicted of them. If the execution is not stopped, it will be the first time an inmate has been exe- cuted since the U. S. Supreme Court stopped the practice nearly two years ago.
Asay is set to be executed by lethal injection, using a new drug.
It will also mark the first time a white person has been executed for murdering a Black man.
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