ATF Offers Reward in Arson/Homicide Investigation

ATF, USMS and Page County Sherriff’s Office Seek Public’s Help in Arson/Homicide Investigation

Page County, Virginia —The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with the Page County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S Marshals Service, are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect who is currently on the run, Timothy Thomas Comer. Comer is wanted on a felony charge of allegedly possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony and is a potential suspect in a Page County, Virginia, homicide. He is considered armed and dangerous.

On June 29, 2023, just after 5pm, the Page County Emergency Communications Center, received a call about a man in the 5600 block of Jollett Road in Elkton, Virginia. Once law enforcement arrived, they found a 69-year-old man dead from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Investigators from the Page County Sheriff’s Office began investigating this case as a homicide and listed Timothy Thomas Comer as a person of interest. Then on July 10, 2023, the Page County Sheriff’s Office announced they were investigating a suspicious fire that happened on July 9, 2023, in the 5000 block of Jollett Road in Elkton.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office, ATF and the USMS are offering a reward of up to $7500 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect at large. An anonymous donation has now made the reward a total of up to $10,000.

Anyone with information about this crime should contact ATF at (888) ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or Page County Sheriff’s Office at (540) 743-6571. Tips can also be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov(link sends e-mail), through ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips.

Help the FBI Catch a Killer

Unknown Offender Linked by DNA in Two Separate Cases

On a Saturday night in October 2009, college student Morgan Harrington left a Metallica concert at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and disappeared. It would be several months before her body was discovered in a field about 10 miles away.

We need your help to find Harrington’s killer. The individual we are seeking has also been linked by DNA to a sexual assault in Fairfax City, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Today, the Virginia State Police, Fairfax City Police, and the FBI released two enhanced sketches of the suspect and are reminding the public there is a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the Harrington case.

The multimedia campaign being launched today to draw attention to the investigation will include information on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, a public service announcement by Metallica, and electronic billboards in Virginia and along the East Coast.

“Bringing renewed attention to the case will get people thinking about it again,” said Virginia State Police Special Agent Dino Cappuzzo. “Our hope is that someone will come forward and provide a crucial piece of information that will help us solve the murder.”

Harrington was a 20-year-old student at Virginia Tech when she went to the concert that Saturday, October 17, at the John Paul Jones Arena on the University of Virginia campus. At about 8:30 p.m., she left the building and was unable to get back inside. She was last seen hitchhiking nearby.

Her remains were discovered the following January in a remote field on a farm in Albemarle County, Virginia. A camera she had that night and a distinctive Swarovski crystal necklace she was wearing have not been recovered.

FBI agents in our Charlottesville Resident Agency have been assisting state investigators, and profilers from our Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) have also provided consultation.

“A lot of BAU’s work focused on the location of the body and what that told us about the offender,” Cappuzzo said. “We believe he was intimately familiar with the farm and the surrounding area where the body was recovered. He may have been comfortable there and felt he was not at risk of getting caught.”

DNA recovered in the Harrington case was linked to an unknown offender in a September 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax City. A 26-year-old woman was attacked at night while walking home from a grocery store. The offender was scared away by a passerby—but the victim got a good look at him, enabling a Fairfax City Police artist to produce a sketch of the attacker.

“It was a remarkable break to get the DNA match,” said FBI Special Agent Jane Collins. The forensic evidence linked the two cases, so now we have a face to put with the suspect in the Harrington case. The suspect is described as an African-American male with black hair and facial hair (at the time of the 2005 attack). He is approximately 6 feet tall and was believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35 years old at the time of the Fairfax City assault.

Help us catch Morgan Harrington’s killer. If you have any information about the Harrington case or the Fairfax City assault, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Virginia State Police Tip line at 434-352-3467, or submit a tip online.

A Familiar Face?

We are asking the public to review the sketches and other information in the Morgan Harrington and Fairfax City cases and consider whether they know someone who fits this description or who lived or had ties to the areas around the times of the assaults.

People who know the suspect may not believe he is capable of committing such crimes. He may not have a violent criminal history. Because investigators have DNA evidence that can positively link the suspect to his crimes—or exclude innocent parties—the public should not hesitate to provide information.

The Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Morgan’s murder. The band Metallica has added an additional $50,000 to that amount.

Kidnapping Victim: Kyliyah Bain

Whiteville, Tennessee

April 27, 2012

KYLIYAH BAIN

    

DESCRIPTION

Date(s) of Birth Used:  March 25, 2004 

Height:  4'0" (at time of disappearance)

Weight:  57 pounds (at time of disappearance) 

Hair:  Brown 

Eyes:  Brown

Sex:  Female

Race:  White

DETAILS

Kyliyah Bain was last seen on April 27, 2012, in Whiteville, Tennessee. She may be in the company of her 12-year-old sister, Alexandria Bain, and Adam Christopher Mayes. Mayes, who has been charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and first degree murder, may have altered the girls' appearances by cutting or dyeing their hair. If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

Field Office: Memphis

New Top Ten Fugitive: Adam Mayes Added to Ten Most Wanted List

Help Us Find Adam Mayes!

Adam Mayes, wanted in connection with the recent kidnapping of a mother and her three daughters in Tennessee, has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Bodies of two of the kidnap victims were found last week, but two girls—ages 8 and 12—remain missing and are considered to be in extreme danger.

We need your help. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of the 35-year-old Mayes, who has been charged with murder, kidnapping, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

On April 27, Jo Ann Bain, 31, and her three children were reported missing from Whiteville, Tennessee, and their vehicle was later found abandoned. Last week, authorities found the bodies of Bain and her oldest daughter, 14-year-old Adrienne, buried behind a mobile home where the Mayes family lived in Guntown, Mississippi.

“We believe Mayes could be anywhere in the United States, and we are extremely concerned for the safety of the girls,” said Aaron Ford, special agent in charge of our Memphis office. “Anyone who has any information about this case, of if you’ve seen Mayes or the girls, please contact your nearest FBI office or the local police immediately.”

Mayes was last seen on May 1 in Guntown. He has brown hair and blue eyes, is 6’3” tall, and weighs between 175 and 235 pounds. He may have changed his appearance by growing a beard or cutting his hair (see surveillance video), and he may have changed the appearances of Alexandria and Kyliyah Bain as well. Mayes has connections in Mississippi, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. He is considered armed and dangerous.

During a press conference today in Mississippi to announce Mayes’ addition to the Top Ten list, Ford praised the “tireless efforts” of the local and state law enforcement officers and prosecutors from Tennessee and Mississippi who have worked around the clock on the case. “We are enlisting every available resource we have to locate the missing girls and to arrest Adam Mayes,” he said.

Mayes is the 496th person to be named to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Since its creation in 1950, 465 fugitives on the list have been apprehended or located—153 of them as a result of citizen cooperation.

By adding Mayes to the list, Ford noted, “We are enlisting one of our most powerful weapons against crime—you, the citizens we serve. So as we continue our relentless search, we’re asking for your assistance, too.”

“It is law enforcement’s responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and in this situation that is Alexandria and Kyliyah Bain,” said Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “These two children have lost their mother and older sister and deserve to be safely returned to their father. We believe someone out there knows where Adam Mayes and the girls are and will do the right thing and contact authorities with that information. It only takes one phone call.”

Help us find Adam Mayes. If you have any information concerning Mayes or the missing Bain girls, please contact your local FBI office, submit a tip on the website, call 1-800-TBI-FIND, or contact your local police department.

Follow on Twitter! @FBIMostWanted

Sisseton-Area Man Charged with Making False Statements in Relation to the 2010 Disappearance of a Sisseton Man

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sisseton-area man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements in relation to an investigation into the 2010 disappearance of a Sisseton man.

Michael Todd Never Misses A Shot, age 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2012 for making a false statement. The indictment alleges that he made false statements to an FBI agent regarding the disappearance of Andrew Jon (AJ) Lufkins, who was last seen in Sisseton in April 2010. Since that date, county, tribal, state, and federal law enforcement officials have been involved in a joint investigation to determine Lufkins’ whereabouts and whether he was the victim of foul play. The investigation remains open, and anyone with information should contact law enforcement.

Never Misses A Shot appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on April 10, 2012. The maximum penalty upon conviction is five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The charge is merely an accusation, and Never Misses A Shot is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis R. Holmes is prosecuting the case. Never Misses A Shot was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not yet been set.

Body Found in Hogback, New Mexico

The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety are investigating the death of Roland Cantsee, 45, of Shiprock, New Mexico.

Cantsee’s body was found in a field in Hogback on November 27, 2011.

The cause of death is under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI at 505-889-1300 or NNDPS at 505-368-1300.

FBI Seeks Information Leading to the Arrest of the Potomac River Rapist

DNA Links Seven of Nine Attacks, Including One Murder

Today, the FBI launched a media campaign that includes a reward of up to $25,000 offered by the Metropolitan Police Department to assist investigators in catching a cold-case serial rapist and murderer who attacked women in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

Between May 6, 1991, and Aug. 1, 1998, a single assailant sexually assaulted eight women, attempted another sexual assault, and committed one homicide in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 41 years old. Seven of the nine attacks have now been linked by DNA and all are linked by modus operandi.

The case is being investigated by the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Homicide victim, Christine Mirzayan, a 29-year-old intern, was attacked and murdered while walking to her residence in the Georgetown area of the District of Columbia, on Aug. 1, 1998. In addition to being sexually assaulted, she was struck multiple times in the head with a rock and her body was left yards from the Whitehurst Freeway. The other sexual assaults took place in Montgomery County, Md.

“In law enforcement, we understand that justice delayed does not mean that justice will be denied,” said U.S Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. “We are committed to obtaining justice for Christine Mirzayan and the other victims of the Potomac River Rapist, but we need the public’s help. One piece of information from the public—no matter how insignificant it might seem—could crack this case and allow us to apprehend this killer.”

“We have been able to link an unknown subject to most of the attacks committed in Montgomery County, and to the murder of Ms. Mirzayan in Georgetown,” said Captain David Gillespie, Director of the Major Crimes Division, Montgomery County, Md., Police Department. “We believe that this subject resided in, or had ties to Montgomery County, and we hope that with the community’s help, we will be able to identify him.”

“It is unlikely that a criminal who committed such heinous acts of violence against women would stop,” said Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department. “We need the public’s help in identifying and locating this violent predator.”

“The public is our best weapon in solving this case. We need you to think about this information, jog your memory, and call law enforcement if you think you know anything that could help us,” said Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.

Law enforcement is seeking any information related to the assaults and murder in order to apprehend the assailant, dubbed the Potomac River Rapist. The Potomac River Rapist is described as an African-American male, between 5’8”-5’11” tall, with a medium build. At the time of the assaults, he was believed to be in his late-20s to late-30s. Since time has progressed, he is believed to be in his late-40s to late-50s.

Most of the assaults followed a particular pattern. The assailant used a “blitz” attack by throwing a blanket or towel over the victim’s head. All of the sexual assault victims, except for the murder, were attacked in their homes or private residences. All attacks took place during weekday evenings except for the murder, which occurred on a Saturday night.

The public is asked to review the information and consider whether they know someone who generally fits this description, who lived or had ties to the area around the times of the assaults or who may have been known to spend considerable amounts of time in those areas.

People who know the suspect may not believe that he is capable of committing these crimes. He may not necessarily have a violent criminal history. Because investigators are in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, citizens should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.

The digital media campaign includes the launch of a dedicated website; digital billboards up and down the East Coast; social media alerts on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube; as well as podcasts on iTunes and radio spots to raise awareness of the investigation. The multi-pronged effort is designed to develop new leads and raise awareness of the ongoing cold-case investigation. The campaign implements similar techniques that have led to the arrests in cases including the East Coast Rapist as well as Ten Most Wanted fugitive Whitey Bulger.

Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.

Homicide Investigations

On August 1, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Lieutenant-Commander Vernon J. Geberth, M.S., M.P.S. (NYPD, ret.) on homicide investigations.

Program Date: August 1, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Homicide Investigations
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest

Vernon J. Geberth, M.S., M.P.S. is a retired Lieutenant-Commander of the New York City Police Department with over forty years of law enforcement experience. He has personally investigated, supervised, assessed, researched and consulted on over 8000 death investigations. In addition, Commander Vernon J. Geberth has been the recipient of more than 60 awards for bravery and exceptional police work and is a member of the New York City Police Department’s Honor Legion.

Commander Vernon J. Geberth has a Master’s Degree of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) C.W. Post College, Long Island University and a second Master’s of Science Degree in Psychology (M.S.), California Coast University, Santa Ana, California. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York and he is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia 119th Session, (1979). Commander Vernon J. Geberth is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS).

Commander Geberth, is the author of Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, which is now in it’s Fourth Edition and is recognized in the law enforcement field as "The Bible of Homicide Investigation" and the Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide, which is considered by professionals as an essential prerequisite in conducting proficient death inquiries. He is also the author of Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation: Practical and Clinical Perspectives, which is considered the framework textbook on sex-related murder.

In addition, he created and serves as the Series Editor of Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations for Taylor & Francis CRC Press, LLC Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida and has proposed and edited over forty publications within this series.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Advanced Criminal Investigative Analysis Course

The Scottsdale Police Department in Arizona will host an Advanced Criminal Investigative Analysis Course from August 18th thru 22nd. The course will be presented by Phoebe L. Kelsoe, Ph.D. of the Alpha Group Center for Crime and Intelligence Analysis Training, and may also fulfill your state's peace officer commission (POST, TCLOSE, etc.) requirements for continuing education or training hours.

Designed primarily for investigators and crime analysts who are responsible for investigating or assisting in the investigation of homicide, in-class projects also deal with the crime of rape. Other relevant issues are examined as well. For example, you will learn how to identify the personality and behavioral characteristics of the victim and the offender in child abductions, how to identify the physical, behavioral, and personality characteristics of offenders who attack and kill elderly women, and how to analyze information contained in police reports to actually develop a profile that describes the type of offender who most likely committed the crime.

Each participant will receive a copy of the "Advanced Criminal Investigative Analysis Study Guide and Workbook." This manual provides numerous pages of class notes and supplemental reading material that will be used extensively throughout the course, and a copy of "Case Management for Missing Children Homicide Investigation." This booklet provides a wealth of information about offenders who commit child homicides, their victims, crime scene patterns, violent acts, and their motivations for committing such violent crimes. Tuition for the course is $525 and includes the week of instruction, the text, and all related course materials.

To obtain a course brochure or to register for the course, please contact Det. Jennifer Paxson at the Scottsdale Police Department, 10225 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, AZ 85258; by phone at (480) 312-6318, by fax at (480) 312-9018, or by e-mail at jpaxson@scottsdaleaz.gov. Additional information about the content of the course can also be found on the Alpha Group website at www.alphagroupcenter.com.