1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:48,001 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:49,241 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold case murders in 3 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: an effort to raise public awareness invite witnesses to come 4 00:00:56,241 --> 00:01:00,121 Speaker 2: forward and present evidence that could potentially be further investigated 5 00:01:00,121 --> 00:01:03,761 Speaker 2: by law enforcement. While we value insights from family and 6 00:01:03,801 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: community members, their statements should not be considered evidence and 7 00:01:07,761 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: point to the challenges of verifying facts inherent in cold cases. 8 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 2: We remind listeners that everyone is presumed innocent until proven 9 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: guilty in a court of law. Nothing in the podcast 10 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 2: is intended to state or imply that anyone who has 11 00:01:22,161 --> 00:01:25,601 Speaker 2: not been convicted of a crime is guilty of any wrongdoing. 12 00:01:26,241 --> 00:01:27,121 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. 13 00:01:28,761 --> 00:01:31,441 Speaker 3: In the early morning hours of July fourth, two thousand 14 00:01:31,481 --> 00:01:34,761 Speaker 3: and two, four year old Danaria Finley was sleeping in 15 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,401 Speaker 3: her bedroom at home at ten sixteen fourth Street in Orange, Texas. 16 00:01:40,601 --> 00:01:43,961 Speaker 3: Orange is the easternmost city in Texas and its right 17 00:01:44,001 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 3: across the border from Louisiana on the Sabine River. It 18 00:01:48,281 --> 00:01:51,521 Speaker 3: feels like a small town. The population is only about 19 00:01:51,601 --> 00:01:55,881 Speaker 3: nineteen thousand. Denaria lived with her mother, twenty six year 20 00:01:55,881 --> 00:01:59,641 Speaker 3: old Jamie Arnold, and her two sisters for the July 21 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,041 Speaker 3: fourth holiday. Three of their young cousins were staying over 22 00:02:03,081 --> 00:02:07,441 Speaker 3: with them. Denaria's father, thirty year old Johnny Edwards, lived 23 00:02:07,441 --> 00:02:09,761 Speaker 3: in Sparks, Louisiana, which was about a two and a 24 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,281 Speaker 3: half hour drive away down the Iten Freeway. He had 25 00:02:13,321 --> 00:02:16,441 Speaker 3: been planning to see his daughter on July fourth. They 26 00:02:16,481 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 3: were planning to shoot all fireworks. Jamie came home from 27 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,881 Speaker 3: work that night and put the kids to bed at 28 00:02:22,921 --> 00:02:26,681 Speaker 3: around one thirty am. She told police that she checked 29 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,641 Speaker 3: on the children at around three or four AM. When 30 00:02:30,761 --> 00:02:35,161 Speaker 3: she checked on the children, everything seemed fine. At some point, 31 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,321 Speaker 3: Jamie went to sleep and then she woke up the 32 00:02:38,361 --> 00:02:42,161 Speaker 3: next morning at around ten am. Denariu's sisters and cousins 33 00:02:42,161 --> 00:02:49,641 Speaker 3: were playing at home. Denaria was gone. I'm Catherine Townsend. 34 00:02:50,001 --> 00:02:52,961 Speaker 3: Over the past seven years of making my true crime podcast, 35 00:02:53,001 --> 00:02:55,841 Speaker 3: Helen Gone, I've learned that there is no such thing 36 00:02:56,001 --> 00:02:59,881 Speaker 3: as a small town where murder never happens. I have 37 00:03:00,001 --> 00:03:03,481 Speaker 3: received hundreds of messages from people all around the country 38 00:03:03,521 --> 00:03:06,081 Speaker 3: asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, 39 00:03:06,361 --> 00:03:10,001 Speaker 3: their families, and their communities. If you have a case 40 00:03:10,041 --> 00:03:12,241 Speaker 3: you'd like me and my team to look into, you 41 00:03:12,281 --> 00:03:14,401 Speaker 3: can reach out to us at our Helen Gone Murder 42 00:03:14,401 --> 00:03:17,641 Speaker 3: Line at six seven eight seven four four six one 43 00:03:17,721 --> 00:03:21,641 Speaker 3: four five. That's six seven eight seven four four six 44 00:03:21,801 --> 00:03:25,081 Speaker 3: one four five, or you can send us a message 45 00:03:25,081 --> 00:03:29,721 Speaker 3: on Instagram at Helen Gone Pod this is Helen Gone 46 00:03:29,921 --> 00:04:05,121 Speaker 3: Murder Line. Jamie later told law enforcement that when she 47 00:04:05,281 --> 00:04:08,641 Speaker 3: saw Denaria was gone, she walked around the neighborhood to 48 00:04:08,681 --> 00:04:11,761 Speaker 3: look for her. Then she called friends and relatives to 49 00:04:11,841 --> 00:04:14,881 Speaker 3: check that Denaria wasn't with any of them, and she wasn't, 50 00:04:15,881 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 3: so Jamie called the police to report Denaria missing. That afternoon, 51 00:04:20,521 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 3: Orange Texas law enforcement came to the home to start 52 00:04:23,481 --> 00:04:27,121 Speaker 3: their search. They wondered how a little girl who was 53 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,281 Speaker 3: just weeks away from her fifth birthday could go missing 54 00:04:30,361 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 3: in the middle of the night with no one noticing. 55 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,001 Speaker 3: Denaria had been sharing a bedroom with five other children, 56 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,241 Speaker 3: and while the case is still officially active, so we 57 00:04:40,281 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 3: have not seen the case file, police have given several 58 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,841 Speaker 3: interviews to the media over the years, and from their descriptions, 59 00:04:47,121 --> 00:04:49,921 Speaker 3: it doesn't sound like any of the children saw anyone 60 00:04:49,961 --> 00:04:54,001 Speaker 3: they didn't recognize come into the room. Denaria just disappeared. 61 00:04:55,521 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: So was Danaria kidnapped? And if so, how could someone 62 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,361 Speaker 3: get into her room? There was a comment on an 63 00:05:03,441 --> 00:05:06,481 Speaker 3: online forum about this case, and it talked about the 64 00:05:06,561 --> 00:05:10,041 Speaker 3: fact that officers had looked for a potential point of 65 00:05:10,201 --> 00:05:12,841 Speaker 3: entry for the kidnapper and saw that there was a 66 00:05:12,881 --> 00:05:16,281 Speaker 3: broken window in Danaria's room. This person went on to 67 00:05:16,361 --> 00:05:19,241 Speaker 3: say they had heard that the window's broken part was 68 00:05:19,241 --> 00:05:22,161 Speaker 3: papered over with cardboard, so it looked like. 69 00:05:22,121 --> 00:05:23,801 Speaker 1: It was taped up and had not been moved. 70 00:05:24,681 --> 00:05:28,041 Speaker 3: Apparently, law enforcement did not believe that that window was 71 00:05:28,081 --> 00:05:31,241 Speaker 3: the way that someone accessed the room. We're not sure 72 00:05:31,241 --> 00:05:34,161 Speaker 3: if this is true. The comment claimed to have been 73 00:05:34,161 --> 00:05:36,681 Speaker 3: from a news source, but we can't find the original 74 00:05:36,761 --> 00:05:41,041 Speaker 3: newspaper article. But either way, at least from what's been 75 00:05:41,041 --> 00:05:43,841 Speaker 3: made public, it doesn't seem as though any of the 76 00:05:43,801 --> 00:05:47,081 Speaker 3: her children noticed anyone in that bedroom. There was never 77 00:05:47,161 --> 00:05:51,161 Speaker 3: a description given of a suspect, but maybe the kidnapper 78 00:05:51,201 --> 00:05:54,681 Speaker 3: never entered Deenaria's room and instead she woke up in 79 00:05:54,721 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 3: the night and wandered around the house. There was also 80 00:05:58,721 --> 00:06:01,961 Speaker 3: no sign of forced entry into the home, but the 81 00:06:02,081 --> 00:06:03,481 Speaker 3: door was unlocked. 82 00:06:04,601 --> 00:06:06,361 Speaker 1: Jamie told police she left. 83 00:06:06,201 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: The door unlocked often because her mother, who lived nearby, 84 00:06:09,241 --> 00:06:12,761 Speaker 3: would sometimes stop by the house without calling first. That way, 85 00:06:12,921 --> 00:06:16,561 Speaker 3: her mom could just walk in. Another possibility was that 86 00:06:16,681 --> 00:06:19,801 Speaker 3: Denaria might have woken up before anyone else in the 87 00:06:19,801 --> 00:06:22,961 Speaker 3: home and went outside and that is where she was taken. 88 00:06:27,121 --> 00:06:30,561 Speaker 3: According to her missing poster, the last time Danaria was seen, 89 00:06:30,681 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 3: she had her hair and braids and was last seen 90 00:06:32,841 --> 00:06:35,361 Speaker 3: wearing a white shirt with a flower on it and 91 00:06:35,441 --> 00:06:39,161 Speaker 3: purple shorts. Jamie also said that her daughter was last 92 00:06:39,201 --> 00:06:43,721 Speaker 3: seen barefoot. Denaria was four feet tall and weighed ninety pounds. 93 00:06:45,241 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: Police launched a search for Denaria and the story was 94 00:06:48,481 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 3: all over local news. The entire community became involved in 95 00:06:52,321 --> 00:06:55,281 Speaker 3: this search. The Red Cross showed up and set up 96 00:06:55,321 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 3: a command post in a local church parking lot. The 97 00:06:59,201 --> 00:07:03,521 Speaker 3: search eventually spanned the three miles around Danaria's family home. 98 00:07:04,121 --> 00:07:07,921 Speaker 3: They had canine units, helicopters, and around two hundred volunteers. 99 00:07:08,761 --> 00:07:13,681 Speaker 3: Denaria's father, Johnny Edwards, also joined in the search. Police 100 00:07:13,721 --> 00:07:16,721 Speaker 3: of course talked to him and pretty much immediately ruled 101 00:07:16,801 --> 00:07:20,041 Speaker 3: him out. He seemed to be very cooperative, and when 102 00:07:20,041 --> 00:07:23,041 Speaker 3: he heard a reward fund was being started, he offered 103 00:07:23,081 --> 00:07:26,161 Speaker 3: to add the value of his car to that reward fund. 104 00:07:27,401 --> 00:07:31,641 Speaker 3: Local newspaper, The Beaumont Enterprise interviewed Johnny Edwards. He told 105 00:07:31,681 --> 00:07:34,361 Speaker 3: the reporter that Denaria going missing and the weight to 106 00:07:34,401 --> 00:07:39,201 Speaker 3: get her back was agony, just pure agony. He also 107 00:07:39,241 --> 00:07:43,201 Speaker 3: addressed the kidnapper directly. He said, quote, if someone is 108 00:07:43,241 --> 00:07:45,161 Speaker 3: out there and they have her and they're scared to 109 00:07:45,161 --> 00:07:47,761 Speaker 3: bring her back because of the amount of law enforcement involved, 110 00:07:48,361 --> 00:07:50,841 Speaker 3: they could bring her to a Walmart or McDonald's. We 111 00:07:50,921 --> 00:07:56,001 Speaker 3: don't care. We just want her back. The entire town 112 00:07:56,081 --> 00:07:58,761 Speaker 3: came together to search for the missing child, and the 113 00:07:58,841 --> 00:08:02,721 Speaker 3: circumstances struck terror into the hearts of the parents in town. 114 00:08:03,801 --> 00:08:07,401 Speaker 3: According to media reports, some people helping with the search 115 00:08:07,721 --> 00:08:11,121 Speaker 3: were able to hold on to hope because another young 116 00:08:11,161 --> 00:08:14,321 Speaker 3: woman had gone missing shortly before in the same general area, 117 00:08:15,241 --> 00:08:19,081 Speaker 3: and that missing young woman was found alive after sixteen days. 118 00:08:19,721 --> 00:08:22,361 Speaker 3: The head of Texas Equisearch, who helped in the search 119 00:08:22,401 --> 00:08:27,521 Speaker 3: for Deenaria, told KPLCTV. He acknowledged that the chances of 120 00:08:27,561 --> 00:08:31,481 Speaker 3: getting Denaria back alive dropped significantly after forty eight hours, 121 00:08:32,201 --> 00:08:35,321 Speaker 3: but he said that there were some exceptions, like the 122 00:08:35,401 --> 00:08:38,041 Speaker 3: young woman who was being held and found alive, so 123 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:44,401 Speaker 3: the family continued to hope. Danaria love to wear pink 124 00:08:44,481 --> 00:08:47,521 Speaker 3: ribbons in her hair, so someone made pink ribbons with 125 00:08:47,641 --> 00:08:51,401 Speaker 3: Denaria's initials on them. Volunteers wore them during the search. 126 00:08:52,521 --> 00:08:55,521 Speaker 3: Johnny Edward's mother, Wanda, was also there. During the search. 127 00:08:56,201 --> 00:08:58,641 Speaker 1: She told a reporter she had not lost hope. 128 00:08:58,761 --> 00:09:03,081 Speaker 3: She believed that her granddaughter was somewhere alive out there, 129 00:09:05,401 --> 00:09:09,601 Speaker 3: but the searchers found no trace of Dunaria. Then, on 130 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:13,001 Speaker 3: Monday morning, at eleven am, four days after Denaria had 131 00:09:13,001 --> 00:09:16,761 Speaker 3: gone missing, law enforcement called off the search, and Denaria's 132 00:09:16,841 --> 00:09:21,401 Speaker 3: friends and family feared the worst. Earlier that day, shortly 133 00:09:21,441 --> 00:09:24,081 Speaker 3: after eight am, on July eighth, two thousand and two, 134 00:09:24,761 --> 00:09:28,001 Speaker 3: a pipeline worker was on Pleasure Island in Port Arthur 135 00:09:28,521 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 3: and found the remains of a little girl. Words spread 136 00:09:32,001 --> 00:09:35,961 Speaker 3: that a body had been found. For several agonizing hours, 137 00:09:36,001 --> 00:09:38,961 Speaker 3: Denari's family did not know whether it was her or not. 138 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:52,281 Speaker 3: DNA testing later revealed a match it was Denaria. On 139 00:09:52,401 --> 00:09:55,801 Speaker 3: July eighth, two thousand and two, after Danaria Finley had 140 00:09:55,801 --> 00:09:58,881 Speaker 3: been missing for four days, a pipeline inspector at a 141 00:09:58,921 --> 00:10:02,201 Speaker 3: work site found her body about twenty seven miles from 142 00:10:02,201 --> 00:10:06,601 Speaker 3: her home in Orange. The worker told local media he 143 00:10:06,721 --> 00:10:09,001 Speaker 3: was walking down a narrow path when he saw a 144 00:10:09,001 --> 00:10:13,761 Speaker 3: badly decomposed body wrapped in a floral sheet. The worker 145 00:10:13,841 --> 00:10:16,521 Speaker 3: said that the body was dumped in such a way 146 00:10:16,681 --> 00:10:20,361 Speaker 3: that quote dredging crews would finish covering her with clay 147 00:10:20,401 --> 00:10:25,121 Speaker 3: deposits end quote. The police department issued a news release 148 00:10:25,561 --> 00:10:28,961 Speaker 3: in which they stated that quote, Her mostly nude and 149 00:10:29,041 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 3: partially decomposed body was found approximately twenty seven miles away 150 00:10:33,721 --> 00:10:37,001 Speaker 3: near a dredge pipeline ditch off State Highway eighty two 151 00:10:37,001 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 3: in Port Arthur, an area known as Pleasure Island end quote. 152 00:10:43,921 --> 00:10:47,801 Speaker 3: At the autopsy, the medical examiners were unable to identify 153 00:10:47,841 --> 00:10:51,321 Speaker 3: an exact cause of death because of the decomposition. The 154 00:10:51,401 --> 00:10:54,721 Speaker 3: body had been outside for four days in Texas summer heat, 155 00:10:54,841 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 3: in an area where there was also wildlife like alligators. 156 00:10:59,001 --> 00:11:03,481 Speaker 3: Newspaper reports stated that Denaria's remains had been ravaged by wildlife, 157 00:11:03,761 --> 00:11:07,121 Speaker 3: though they didn't give specifics. They did mention the fact 158 00:11:07,161 --> 00:11:09,961 Speaker 3: that an alligator was euthanized, though it's not clear if 159 00:11:09,961 --> 00:11:12,841 Speaker 3: the alligator had anything to do with the remains or 160 00:11:13,081 --> 00:11:16,881 Speaker 3: just happened to be nearby. But forensic testing did reveal 161 00:11:17,161 --> 00:11:20,801 Speaker 3: that Danaria had been strangled and that she had been 162 00:11:20,841 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 3: sexually assaulted. The police in Orange, Texas, and the community 163 00:11:27,241 --> 00:11:29,881 Speaker 3: were left with a lot of questions. Why would the 164 00:11:29,961 --> 00:11:33,361 Speaker 3: killer take Danaria there to that spot? Is it possible 165 00:11:33,401 --> 00:11:36,081 Speaker 3: that the killer or killers knew the area and knew 166 00:11:36,121 --> 00:11:38,921 Speaker 3: that crews were going to cover that ground? Could the 167 00:11:39,001 --> 00:11:42,321 Speaker 3: location of the body dump provide any clues as to 168 00:11:42,361 --> 00:11:45,761 Speaker 3: the possible identity of Naria's killer? And one of the 169 00:11:45,761 --> 00:11:48,961 Speaker 3: biggest and to my mind, most obvious questions of the case. 170 00:11:49,921 --> 00:11:52,561 Speaker 3: Was Denaria taken by a random stranger who saw an 171 00:11:52,561 --> 00:11:56,601 Speaker 3: opportunity or was it someone who knew her and planned this. 172 00:11:57,801 --> 00:11:58,961 Speaker 1: Many of the media. 173 00:11:58,681 --> 00:12:01,641 Speaker 3: Reports quote police sources who say that they believe the 174 00:12:01,721 --> 00:12:05,521 Speaker 3: kidnapper was someone known to Dnaria. In an Associated Press article, 175 00:12:05,721 --> 00:12:08,681 Speaker 3: Major Steve Jones of the Orange Police Department says that 176 00:12:08,721 --> 00:12:11,961 Speaker 3: Denaria's case quote did not appear to be a stranger 177 00:12:12,001 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 3: abduction end quote. I wanted to take a step back 178 00:12:18,921 --> 00:12:23,601 Speaker 3: to talk about some statistics around kidnapping, because child abduction 179 00:12:23,801 --> 00:12:27,841 Speaker 3: is shockingly common in the United States. In fact, according 180 00:12:27,881 --> 00:12:30,841 Speaker 3: to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center, a child 181 00:12:30,881 --> 00:12:35,681 Speaker 3: goes missing or is abducted about every forty seconds. According 182 00:12:35,681 --> 00:12:39,721 Speaker 3: to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, approximately eight hundred 183 00:12:39,761 --> 00:12:42,881 Speaker 3: and forty thousand people are reported missing each year, and 184 00:12:42,921 --> 00:12:45,961 Speaker 3: the FBIS tomates that between eighty five and ninety percent 185 00:12:46,001 --> 00:12:49,201 Speaker 3: of these are children. About half of all of these 186 00:12:49,241 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 3: abductions involved family kidnapping, parental kidnapping, or parents involved in 187 00:12:53,321 --> 00:12:58,001 Speaker 3: custody disputes, and in family kidnappings, a much higher percentage 188 00:12:58,041 --> 00:13:01,921 Speaker 3: of those are committed by females, and most of these 189 00:13:02,001 --> 00:13:03,721 Speaker 3: children are found within. 190 00:13:03,561 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: A few hours. 191 00:13:05,361 --> 00:13:07,961 Speaker 3: Obviously, though, any time that a child goes missing under 192 00:13:08,001 --> 00:13:12,001 Speaker 3: suspicious circumstances, everyone in the household has to be evaluated 193 00:13:12,041 --> 00:13:15,881 Speaker 3: thoroughly by law enforcement. As I said, the police did 194 00:13:15,961 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 3: look into Danaria's father, Johnny Edwards. Again, her parents were 195 00:13:20,201 --> 00:13:23,121 Speaker 3: not together, but it seems as though just reading through 196 00:13:23,201 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 3: all this information that they did have an amicable relationship. 197 00:13:27,681 --> 00:13:30,401 Speaker 3: Johnny was cooperative and had an alibi. He was in 198 00:13:30,481 --> 00:13:35,081 Speaker 3: his hometown of Stark's, Louisiana when Danaria was taken. When 199 00:13:35,081 --> 00:13:38,761 Speaker 3: it comes to kidnapping statistics, there's another category called non 200 00:13:38,801 --> 00:13:43,641 Speaker 3: family abductions. This category includes kidnappings committed by a quaint 201 00:13:44,161 --> 00:13:48,121 Speaker 3: and strangers. Acquaintance abductions make up twenty seven percent of 202 00:13:48,161 --> 00:13:52,921 Speaker 3: all child abductions. The kidnappers are often juveniles end quote. 203 00:13:52,961 --> 00:13:55,761 Speaker 3: This type of abduction has the highest number of female 204 00:13:55,801 --> 00:13:59,161 Speaker 3: and teenage victims and is often associated with other crimes 205 00:13:59,241 --> 00:14:03,361 Speaker 3: such as sexual and physical assault end quote. Then they 206 00:14:03,361 --> 00:14:06,641 Speaker 3: are the straight stranger abductions, where the kidnapper is completely 207 00:14:06,721 --> 00:14:09,641 Speaker 3: unknown to the victim. These are the ones that get 208 00:14:09,681 --> 00:14:13,241 Speaker 3: the most media attention, but actually they're the rarest kind. 209 00:14:14,161 --> 00:14:17,961 Speaker 3: According to Reuter's from an article in twenty nineteen, there 210 00:14:17,961 --> 00:14:20,161 Speaker 3: had only been about three hundred to three hundred and 211 00:14:20,161 --> 00:14:24,121 Speaker 3: fifty stranger abductions per year between twenty ten and twenty seventeen. 212 00:14:24,601 --> 00:14:28,601 Speaker 3: That equals much less than one percent of abductions. But 213 00:14:29,001 --> 00:14:33,001 Speaker 3: stranger abductions are also some of the most dangerous. Experts 214 00:14:33,001 --> 00:14:36,201 Speaker 3: say that stranger kidnappings very often result in the victim's 215 00:14:36,281 --> 00:14:40,441 Speaker 3: death within a short period of time. Three other interesting 216 00:14:40,481 --> 00:14:44,361 Speaker 3: things that I didn't know about stranger kidnappings. They are 217 00:14:44,441 --> 00:14:48,521 Speaker 3: much more likely to occur in the outdoors. Two when 218 00:14:48,561 --> 00:14:52,201 Speaker 3: strangers kidnap, they use firearms more often than in other kidnappings. 219 00:14:52,801 --> 00:14:56,361 Speaker 3: And three these type of kidnappings often result in robbing 220 00:14:56,561 --> 00:15:01,681 Speaker 3: male victims and sexual assault in female victims. We don't 221 00:15:01,721 --> 00:15:05,561 Speaker 3: know for sure that Danaria was taken from inside her house. Yes, 222 00:15:05,801 --> 00:15:08,241 Speaker 3: the door was unlocked and Danaria's mom and the other 223 00:15:08,321 --> 00:15:11,881 Speaker 3: kids were asleep, But maybe she could have wandered outside 224 00:15:11,881 --> 00:15:14,561 Speaker 3: on her own and a stranger kidnapped her from her yard. 225 00:15:15,721 --> 00:15:19,361 Speaker 3: People do get kidnapped from random strangers, and it only 226 00:15:19,401 --> 00:15:25,321 Speaker 3: takes a second. On November thirtieth, twenty twenty two, seven 227 00:15:25,401 --> 00:15:28,881 Speaker 3: year old Athena Strand disappeared from her family driveway near 228 00:15:28,921 --> 00:15:32,721 Speaker 3: Fort Worth, Texas, in a town called Paradise, in broad daylight. 229 00:15:33,681 --> 00:15:36,801 Speaker 3: Police caught the killer three days later. He was a 230 00:15:36,801 --> 00:15:40,481 Speaker 3: FedEx driver named Tanner Horner who had been delivering Christmas presents. 231 00:15:41,081 --> 00:15:43,841 Speaker 3: He claimed that he accidentally hit Athena with his deliver 232 00:15:43,721 --> 00:15:46,641 Speaker 3: truck and then pulled her into the vehicle and kidnapped 233 00:15:46,681 --> 00:15:49,361 Speaker 3: her and later strangled her because he was afraid that 234 00:15:49,441 --> 00:15:53,481 Speaker 3: she would tell her parents about the accident. Athena's body 235 00:15:53,561 --> 00:15:57,601 Speaker 3: was found three days after she disappeared in the Trinity River, about. 236 00:15:57,361 --> 00:15:58,521 Speaker 1: Nine miles from her home. 237 00:15:59,761 --> 00:16:03,281 Speaker 3: Police stated they believed that Athena was taken just two 238 00:16:03,361 --> 00:16:06,561 Speaker 3: hundred yards from her front door and was killed within 239 00:16:06,601 --> 00:16:09,961 Speaker 3: an hour from the time she was put into her kidnappers' vehicle. 240 00:16:11,281 --> 00:16:14,441 Speaker 3: This is very sadly the pattern with these types of cases. 241 00:16:15,041 --> 00:16:18,161 Speaker 3: Very often the child who is abducted by a stranger 242 00:16:18,401 --> 00:16:23,481 Speaker 3: is killed within hours of their abduction. Tanner Lynn Horner 243 00:16:23,561 --> 00:16:26,961 Speaker 3: was charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He is 244 00:16:27,081 --> 00:16:29,801 Speaker 3: currently awaiting trial, which as of now is set for 245 00:16:29,841 --> 00:16:32,401 Speaker 3: twenty twenty six, and is pleaded not guilty. 246 00:16:33,041 --> 00:16:35,401 Speaker 1: If convicted, he faces the death penalty. 247 00:16:37,081 --> 00:16:40,681 Speaker 3: Athena's mother, Maitland Gandy, has advocated for a new bill 248 00:16:40,761 --> 00:16:44,441 Speaker 3: named after Athena that attempts to change Texas law so 249 00:16:44,521 --> 00:16:47,721 Speaker 3: that amber alerts do not have any delay from the 250 00:16:47,761 --> 00:16:50,721 Speaker 3: time that the child disappears to the time in which 251 00:16:50,761 --> 00:16:54,761 Speaker 3: the alert can be issued locally. This might help in 252 00:16:54,801 --> 00:16:58,881 Speaker 3: cases like Denarius. Having a tool that could instantly notify 253 00:16:58,961 --> 00:17:02,601 Speaker 3: the local community could be a massive help in these 254 00:17:02,601 --> 00:17:06,561 Speaker 3: types of cases, but Denari's case did not get much 255 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,521 Speaker 3: media attention. There were a few local reports about Danaria's murder, 256 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 3: but there were no national headlines. Some people have stated 257 00:17:14,521 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 3: over the years that they believed that because she was black, 258 00:17:17,961 --> 00:17:20,801 Speaker 3: her case did not receive as much attention as cases 259 00:17:20,801 --> 00:17:27,281 Speaker 3: of missing children who are white. Denaria's funeral took place 260 00:17:27,321 --> 00:17:30,880 Speaker 3: at the Mountain Zion Baptist Church. The pastor told local 261 00:17:30,921 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 3: press the funeral was so crowded they had to bring 262 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 3: in a closed circuit TV. She was buried near her 263 00:17:37,721 --> 00:17:42,801 Speaker 3: home in the Magnolia Memorial Garden in Orange. Years later, 264 00:17:42,921 --> 00:17:46,201 Speaker 3: the minister of that church, C. W. Crawford, was interviewed 265 00:17:46,241 --> 00:17:49,201 Speaker 3: by reporter. He said that Denaria's death had left the 266 00:17:49,281 --> 00:17:52,521 Speaker 3: lasting impression on the community. He said everybody in that 267 00:17:52,601 --> 00:17:54,081 Speaker 3: community still thought about her. 268 00:17:54,241 --> 00:17:56,921 Speaker 1: Every Fourth of July, he said, quote. 269 00:17:57,001 --> 00:18:00,041 Speaker 3: People who didn't really know Danaria were crying and shedding tears. 270 00:18:00,441 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 3: She was one four year old kid that brought this 271 00:18:02,441 --> 00:18:11,321 Speaker 3: whole community together. Detectives canvassed the area. They questioned a 272 00:18:11,321 --> 00:18:15,081 Speaker 3: lot of people, including a sex offender who lived nearby. 273 00:18:15,921 --> 00:18:19,321 Speaker 3: They reportedly searched his home and his truck, but they 274 00:18:19,321 --> 00:18:20,881 Speaker 3: found no obvious suspects. 275 00:18:21,321 --> 00:18:23,921 Speaker 1: It was also reported that law enforcement did. 276 00:18:23,761 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 3: Do standard checks and made their way through questioning all 277 00:18:26,721 --> 00:18:29,681 Speaker 3: the known sex offenders in the area, but again came 278 00:18:29,761 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 3: up with nothing. In the early stages of the investigation, 279 00:18:34,321 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 3: a lot of people focused on what was going on 280 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,801 Speaker 3: inside the home and on Danaria's mother, Jamie Arnold, because 281 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:42,961 Speaker 3: there was a lot that was not known, or if 282 00:18:42,961 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 3: it was known, it was made public, like who was 283 00:18:45,681 --> 00:18:48,321 Speaker 3: watching Denari and the other children that night while her 284 00:18:48,321 --> 00:18:51,801 Speaker 3: mom worked, what other family lived in the area, who 285 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,921 Speaker 3: the neighbors were. On August twenty third, two thousand and two, 286 00:18:56,241 --> 00:18:59,761 Speaker 3: The Orange Leader reported that the FBI showed up at 287 00:18:59,761 --> 00:19:02,401 Speaker 3: Denaria's family home and took some items from the house, 288 00:19:02,481 --> 00:19:06,441 Speaker 3: including a Teddy Bear. Police questioned Jamie, and it was 289 00:19:06,441 --> 00:19:09,521 Speaker 3: reported at the time there was an open CPS investigation 290 00:19:09,601 --> 00:19:12,001 Speaker 3: against her before Denaria disappeared. 291 00:19:13,161 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: We looked through court records. 292 00:19:14,721 --> 00:19:18,401 Speaker 3: And found online references to those cases cases in which 293 00:19:18,481 --> 00:19:23,201 Speaker 3: Jamie was being investigated for neglectful supervision. A local newspaper 294 00:19:23,281 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 3: spoke to someone from CPS who confirmed that there was 295 00:19:26,641 --> 00:19:30,081 Speaker 3: an active investigation into Jamie at the time of Denaria's death, 296 00:19:30,241 --> 00:19:33,801 Speaker 3: and that another case was opened after her death. However, 297 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,641 Speaker 3: one case was dismissed in December of two thousand and four, 298 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,640 Speaker 3: and it appears the rest were also dismissed. 299 00:19:39,681 --> 00:19:43,521 Speaker 1: At some point. It was reported that Jamie had admitted. 300 00:19:43,161 --> 00:19:45,681 Speaker 3: To CPS she had used some drugs at some point 301 00:19:45,721 --> 00:19:48,761 Speaker 3: in the past, but she claimed that at the time 302 00:19:48,801 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 3: when Danaria disappeared, she was not using drugs, and obviously 303 00:19:53,241 --> 00:19:56,641 Speaker 3: neither drug use nor CPS allegations, even if they are 304 00:19:56,681 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 3: found to be valid, which these were not, do not 305 00:19:59,361 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 3: indicate that this mother had any role in her daughter's disappearance. 306 00:20:03,921 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 3: In late July two thousand and three, Jamie spoke to 307 00:20:06,921 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 3: a local news station KPLC about the rumors that she 308 00:20:10,241 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 3: said were going around the community, rumors. 309 00:20:12,441 --> 00:20:15,521 Speaker 1: That she said had hurt her. She said that she. 310 00:20:15,481 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 3: Had been hearing criticisms of her parenting since Denaria's murder. 311 00:20:20,481 --> 00:20:23,881 Speaker 3: A year after denarius murder, Jamie said that her two 312 00:20:23,961 --> 00:20:26,721 Speaker 3: other daughters, who were seven and nine years old at 313 00:20:26,721 --> 00:20:30,321 Speaker 3: that time, had been taken into foster care. She told 314 00:20:30,321 --> 00:20:33,481 Speaker 3: a reporter that because of what she called the terrible 315 00:20:33,521 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 3: things people had told officials after denarius murder, she was 316 00:20:37,001 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 3: terrified that she might lose custody of her other two children, 317 00:20:40,481 --> 00:20:44,001 Speaker 3: and in that interview, she said people were suspicions of 318 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 3: her because of that three hours between Denaria going missing 319 00:20:48,521 --> 00:20:52,001 Speaker 3: and her reporting it to the police. She reiterated the 320 00:20:52,041 --> 00:20:55,081 Speaker 3: delay was because she was looking around the neighborhood for Denaria, 321 00:20:55,201 --> 00:20:59,521 Speaker 3: thinking Denaria might be with a friend or relative. Jamie 322 00:20:59,561 --> 00:21:02,761 Speaker 3: said that she believes people would be suspicious of her 323 00:21:02,921 --> 00:21:07,081 Speaker 3: unless and until either the murder was solved or police 324 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,441 Speaker 3: officially cleared her as a suspect, which she said had 325 00:21:10,481 --> 00:21:15,761 Speaker 3: not happened. Detectives collected evidence, including DNA from Danaria's clothes, 326 00:21:16,281 --> 00:21:20,161 Speaker 3: and reportedly they took DNA and hair samples from potential 327 00:21:20,201 --> 00:21:24,441 Speaker 3: people of interest, but since this is still an open investigation, 328 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,961 Speaker 3: they've made references over the years to DNA, but they 329 00:21:27,961 --> 00:21:31,241 Speaker 3: haven't specified exactly what they were testing or what the 330 00:21:31,321 --> 00:21:36,961 Speaker 3: results were. In February of two thousand and four, there 331 00:21:37,001 --> 00:21:39,081 Speaker 3: appeared to be a break in the case when Orange 332 00:21:39,121 --> 00:21:42,321 Speaker 3: Police Chief Sam Cattrell stated at a press conference, quote, 333 00:21:43,041 --> 00:21:57,521 Speaker 3: we believe we know who did it. In February of 334 00:21:57,561 --> 00:22:00,841 Speaker 3: two thousand and four, the Orange Police Chief Sam Catroll, 335 00:22:01,201 --> 00:22:04,361 Speaker 3: indicated that the police department had figured out who killed 336 00:22:04,401 --> 00:22:08,761 Speaker 3: Denaria Fenley. At the time, local media reported that quote. 337 00:22:09,041 --> 00:22:12,321 Speaker 3: Police sources stated that evidence and herefogical charts from the 338 00:22:12,361 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 3: police department indicate a possible suspect lived or had been 339 00:22:16,721 --> 00:22:20,041 Speaker 3: staying within a few miles from denarius Fourth Street home 340 00:22:20,121 --> 00:22:21,120 Speaker 3: at the time of the crime. 341 00:22:21,401 --> 00:22:21,961 Speaker 1: End quote. 342 00:22:23,441 --> 00:22:26,921 Speaker 3: But then there was no other public announcement. No suspect 343 00:22:27,001 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 3: was identified no one was arrested or charged. It was 344 00:22:29,921 --> 00:22:32,241 Speaker 3: reported that the case was sent to the Orange County 345 00:22:32,241 --> 00:22:37,721 Speaker 3: District Attorney's office, but then nothing happened. One newspaper article 346 00:22:37,801 --> 00:22:40,401 Speaker 3: quoted a police source who said that the killer was 347 00:22:40,481 --> 00:22:43,441 Speaker 3: unsophisticated and made a lot of mistakes, but that he 348 00:22:43,481 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 3: had a lot of help from the environment. I believe 349 00:22:46,441 --> 00:22:49,281 Speaker 3: he was referring to the fact that the decomposition made 350 00:22:49,281 --> 00:22:53,201 Speaker 3: the forensic testing challenging. Little evidence could be recovered from 351 00:22:53,241 --> 00:23:00,481 Speaker 3: her body. Months and then years went by. In twenty fourteen, 352 00:23:00,601 --> 00:23:04,041 Speaker 3: according to media reports, the police in Orange resubmitted some 353 00:23:04,161 --> 00:23:08,801 Speaker 3: DNA to the FBI, but they received no matches. Mark 354 00:23:08,881 --> 00:23:11,521 Speaker 3: Blynton was the assistant chief of the Orange Police Department 355 00:23:11,561 --> 00:23:14,241 Speaker 3: at the time. He talked to a local newspaper on 356 00:23:14,281 --> 00:23:17,001 Speaker 3: the twentieth anniversary of the case in twenty twenty two. 357 00:23:18,161 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 3: At that time, he said he still believed that the 358 00:23:20,881 --> 00:23:25,001 Speaker 3: case was solvable. Another detective from the Orange Police Department, 359 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,041 Speaker 3: Nick Medeena, was also quoted. He said that police were 360 00:23:29,321 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 3: quote waiting on new technology or new investigative measures that 361 00:23:33,121 --> 00:23:37,721 Speaker 3: may assist in the investigation, which in my opinion. 362 00:23:37,401 --> 00:23:40,561 Speaker 1: Is pretty vague. So what did the police have. 363 00:23:40,681 --> 00:23:43,561 Speaker 3: In evidence and is there anything that can be done 364 00:23:43,561 --> 00:23:48,641 Speaker 3: to to retest evidence including Denario's clothing. Police have said 365 00:23:48,681 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 3: they do have some evidence, including some DNA and some 366 00:23:52,041 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 3: fiber samples. There is also the sheet, the one that 367 00:23:55,681 --> 00:23:59,001 Speaker 3: Denario was found wrapped in. It was made by Spring 368 00:23:59,041 --> 00:24:01,721 Speaker 3: Made and presumably did not come out of her home. 369 00:24:02,401 --> 00:24:05,001 Speaker 3: The sheet is a flower pattern that is pink, yellow, 370 00:24:05,041 --> 00:24:05,521 Speaker 3: and white. 371 00:24:05,961 --> 00:24:08,041 Speaker 1: It looks like a million other sheets out there. 372 00:24:09,481 --> 00:24:11,561 Speaker 3: Police followed up leads on that sheet to see if 373 00:24:11,561 --> 00:24:13,961 Speaker 3: they could narrow down who might have purchased it, but 374 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 3: unfortunately the pattern had been made by Spring Maids several 375 00:24:17,441 --> 00:24:20,401 Speaker 3: years earlier. There were a lot of those sheets sold, 376 00:24:20,761 --> 00:24:23,321 Speaker 3: so there was no way to track it down. The 377 00:24:23,361 --> 00:24:27,041 Speaker 3: sheet was also decayed when it was found. Police released 378 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,761 Speaker 3: details publicly on the sheet, including a photo. We're going 379 00:24:30,801 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 3: to be posting photos of that sheet and of Denaria's 380 00:24:33,601 --> 00:24:39,721 Speaker 3: clothing on Instagram at helen gonpod. Over the years, police 381 00:24:39,761 --> 00:24:43,561 Speaker 3: have released some other information publicly. They have confirmed to 382 00:24:43,761 --> 00:24:47,601 Speaker 3: Daria was sexually assaulted by male abductor. They've compared hair 383 00:24:47,681 --> 00:24:50,561 Speaker 3: follicles and DNA on area sex offenders to their evidence, 384 00:24:50,921 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 3: but they've gotten no matches. Police have hinted at having 385 00:24:54,881 --> 00:24:58,241 Speaker 3: other DNA evidence, but they haven't specifically said what that 386 00:24:58,281 --> 00:25:01,361 Speaker 3: evidence might be. We do know they took a look 387 00:25:01,361 --> 00:25:03,441 Speaker 3: at a garbage can in the home and removed the 388 00:25:03,601 --> 00:25:06,601 Speaker 3: entire can, and other than that, there have. 389 00:25:06,681 --> 00:25:08,281 Speaker 1: Not been many public details. 390 00:25:09,521 --> 00:25:12,561 Speaker 3: We have not received responses to our foyer request yet, 391 00:25:13,121 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 3: but honestly, I'm expecting it to be denied because this 392 00:25:16,321 --> 00:25:21,521 Speaker 3: is still technically an open investigation. A local news station 393 00:25:21,681 --> 00:25:25,561 Speaker 3: quoted Captain Robert Enman from the Orange Police Department. He 394 00:25:25,761 --> 00:25:29,041 Speaker 3: was the patrol captain on duty when Denaria's missing person's 395 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:33,361 Speaker 3: call came in. He said, quote, this investigation has never 396 00:25:33,401 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 3: been closed end quote. He made a couple of comments 397 00:25:37,641 --> 00:25:40,161 Speaker 3: about DNA too. He said over the years, police had 398 00:25:40,161 --> 00:25:43,881 Speaker 3: sent out DNA from Dannaria's crime scene to private lab 399 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:45,841 Speaker 3: as well as presumably. 400 00:25:45,361 --> 00:25:46,321 Speaker 1: The FBI labs. 401 00:25:47,721 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 3: He also said he hoped the DNA could someday be 402 00:25:50,681 --> 00:25:53,361 Speaker 3: extracted from the bed sheet that Denaria's body was found 403 00:25:53,401 --> 00:25:56,961 Speaker 3: wrapped in. He said he hoped the DNA would help 404 00:25:57,001 --> 00:26:00,041 Speaker 3: them narrow down potential people of interests, and he also 405 00:26:00,161 --> 00:26:03,921 Speaker 3: specifically said that the Orange Police Department would be interviewing 406 00:26:03,921 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 3: new people in the next couple months, but that was 407 00:26:07,121 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 3: back in twenty twenty one, and four years later, there 408 00:26:10,481 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 3: have been no significant updates. So what needs to happen 409 00:26:18,161 --> 00:26:20,761 Speaker 3: next and is there anything we can learn from other 410 00:26:20,801 --> 00:26:23,561 Speaker 3: homicide cases that have been solved in the same region, 411 00:26:24,321 --> 00:26:27,721 Speaker 3: Because there are other cold cases that DNA advances have helped. 412 00:26:28,001 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 3: Some have been solved years or even decades later. On 413 00:26:32,201 --> 00:26:35,721 Speaker 3: October fifth, nineteen eighty eight, thirty six year old Patricia 414 00:26:35,721 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 3: and Jacobs, a married mother of three, went out for 415 00:26:38,441 --> 00:26:41,401 Speaker 3: a night at the Silver Spur nightclub, but she never 416 00:26:41,441 --> 00:26:44,321 Speaker 3: came home, and her husband, to whom she was seemingly 417 00:26:44,361 --> 00:26:49,161 Speaker 3: happily married, reported her missing to the Harden County Sheriff's Office. 418 00:26:49,281 --> 00:26:52,361 Speaker 3: The next day, Patricia's body was found in the Netchez 419 00:26:52,481 --> 00:26:57,001 Speaker 3: River under the Rainbow Bridge in Port Arthur. A month later, 420 00:26:57,361 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 3: other items were found under a bridge, including Patricia's driver's license. 421 00:27:01,321 --> 00:27:04,281 Speaker 3: Patricia's autopsy revealed that her cause of death was drowning, 422 00:27:04,641 --> 00:27:08,321 Speaker 3: but before she drowned, someone had inflicted trauma to her 423 00:27:08,401 --> 00:27:12,841 Speaker 3: head and face. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. 424 00:27:12,921 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 3: Over the years, the Harden County Sheriff's Office and the 425 00:27:15,401 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 3: Port Arthur Police Department and the Texas Rangers all joined 426 00:27:19,401 --> 00:27:24,001 Speaker 3: in the investigation, and eventually they found a suspect. His 427 00:27:24,161 --> 00:27:26,481 Speaker 3: name was Daniel McGinnis and he was twenty nine years 428 00:27:26,481 --> 00:27:29,241 Speaker 3: old at the time of the murder. In October of 429 00:27:29,281 --> 00:27:34,081 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen, one of Patricia's family members contacted the Texas Rangers. 430 00:27:34,601 --> 00:27:37,761 Speaker 3: They wanted an update, and the Texas Rangers and the 431 00:27:37,801 --> 00:27:40,961 Speaker 3: Port Arthur Police Department at that time resubmitted some of 432 00:27:41,001 --> 00:27:44,361 Speaker 3: Patricia's clothing from modern DNA testing, testing that they said 433 00:27:44,441 --> 00:27:46,921 Speaker 3: was not available at the time of the murder. The 434 00:27:46,921 --> 00:27:49,441 Speaker 3: items were entered into cotis and they found a match. 435 00:27:50,001 --> 00:27:53,201 Speaker 3: The DNA on Patricia's clothing from the crime scene was 436 00:27:53,241 --> 00:27:56,881 Speaker 3: a match to the suspect, Daniel McGinnis. On August twenty seventh, 437 00:27:56,961 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 3: twenty nineteen, Daniel McGinnis was arrested and charged with Patricia's murder. 438 00:28:02,641 --> 00:28:05,880 Speaker 3: In twenty twenty two, he was convicted and given a 439 00:28:05,881 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 3: twenty year sentence. Daniel was also given a one hundred 440 00:28:09,881 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 3: and ninety nine year sentence on unrelated drugs and weapons charges. 441 00:28:13,761 --> 00:28:16,761 Speaker 3: This never would have happened if a family member had 442 00:28:16,801 --> 00:28:19,561 Speaker 3: not reached out and asked that the case be reopened 443 00:28:19,961 --> 00:28:22,640 Speaker 3: and if police had not taken another look at the 444 00:28:22,641 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 3: cold case. One of the most terrifying things about this 445 00:28:26,281 --> 00:28:29,321 Speaker 3: case is that, according to a twenty twenty two media report, 446 00:28:29,761 --> 00:28:32,721 Speaker 3: police suspected Daniel after they believed he was involved in 447 00:28:32,801 --> 00:28:36,921 Speaker 3: assault against two other women, but apparently they couldn't get 448 00:28:37,001 --> 00:28:42,641 Speaker 3: enough evidence to convict him. Besides, DNA, could the location 449 00:28:42,881 --> 00:28:47,241 Speaker 3: where Denari's body was dumped provide a clue. Mark Blanton, 450 00:28:47,321 --> 00:28:49,961 Speaker 3: the assistant police chief in Port Arthur in two thousand 451 00:28:50,001 --> 00:28:52,761 Speaker 3: and two, told a news station that there was not 452 00:28:52,881 --> 00:28:56,001 Speaker 3: much DNA left at the actual crime scene. He also 453 00:28:56,081 --> 00:28:59,921 Speaker 3: mentioned the fact that a nearby alligator was euthanized. That 454 00:29:00,041 --> 00:29:03,481 Speaker 3: had me wondering if someone chose that spot because of 455 00:29:03,521 --> 00:29:08,041 Speaker 3: its proximity to wildlife or to alligators, or maybe it 456 00:29:08,121 --> 00:29:10,601 Speaker 3: was someone who had knowledge of the construction work going 457 00:29:10,641 --> 00:29:13,561 Speaker 3: on there and thought that her body would be covered 458 00:29:13,601 --> 00:29:17,441 Speaker 3: by the ongoing work. Police have said that they believe 459 00:29:17,721 --> 00:29:20,561 Speaker 3: that there was more than one person involved in the abduction. 460 00:29:21,241 --> 00:29:24,321 Speaker 3: They made comments over the years about them believing that 461 00:29:24,361 --> 00:29:27,321 Speaker 3: the killer told someone else about it or possibly had 462 00:29:27,361 --> 00:29:32,161 Speaker 3: a guilty conscience. Brandon Bess, a Texas Ranger investigator, was 463 00:29:32,241 --> 00:29:35,761 Speaker 3: quoted as saying, quote, they did not keep this a 464 00:29:35,801 --> 00:29:36,561 Speaker 3: total secret. 465 00:29:37,001 --> 00:29:39,201 Speaker 1: We believe multiple people at least. 466 00:29:39,041 --> 00:29:41,801 Speaker 3: Know about this, and that there's somebody out there who 467 00:29:41,841 --> 00:29:44,041 Speaker 3: can bring us that little piece of information, and that 468 00:29:44,201 --> 00:29:47,161 Speaker 3: you know, they may not think it's important, but it is. 469 00:29:51,641 --> 00:29:54,641 Speaker 3: Danaria's mother and the rest of her family continued to 470 00:29:54,681 --> 00:29:58,481 Speaker 3: hope for answers and for justice. The city of Orange 471 00:29:58,521 --> 00:30:01,601 Speaker 3: saw some hard times over the years. The city was 472 00:30:01,641 --> 00:30:05,001 Speaker 3: heavily damaged by Hurricane Ike, which hit in September of 473 00:30:05,041 --> 00:30:05,721 Speaker 3: two thousand and eight. 474 00:30:06,241 --> 00:30:07,601 Speaker 1: Three people were killed in. 475 00:30:07,481 --> 00:30:10,561 Speaker 3: That storm, and then the town got hit again in 476 00:30:10,641 --> 00:30:15,041 Speaker 3: August of twenty seventeen when Hurricane Harvey ravaged the community. 477 00:30:16,161 --> 00:30:18,961 Speaker 3: Deanaria's home in the one thousand block of Fourth Street, 478 00:30:19,161 --> 00:30:22,441 Speaker 3: where Danaria lived with her mother and sisters, was destroyed 479 00:30:22,441 --> 00:30:25,001 Speaker 3: by Hurricane Rita in two thousand and five, and the 480 00:30:25,201 --> 00:30:29,281 Speaker 3: entire block was torn down in twenty twenty two. Several 481 00:30:29,321 --> 00:30:32,761 Speaker 3: local newspapers did follow up stories about the case. There 482 00:30:32,841 --> 00:30:35,841 Speaker 3: was already a three thousand dollars reward on the Texas 483 00:30:35,961 --> 00:30:39,481 Speaker 3: Rangers Cold Case website, and the Texas Department of Public 484 00:30:39,521 --> 00:30:43,681 Speaker 3: Safety increased the reward for any information on Danaria's murder 485 00:30:43,801 --> 00:30:48,081 Speaker 3: to six thousand dollars, but so far there have been 486 00:30:48,081 --> 00:30:52,441 Speaker 3: no significant tips. The Orange Chief of Police, Sam Cattrell, 487 00:30:52,881 --> 00:30:56,721 Speaker 3: after he retired, told a local news station that the 488 00:30:56,761 --> 00:31:00,161 Speaker 3: memory of Danaria's homicide and sexual assault had always stayed 489 00:31:00,161 --> 00:31:02,721 Speaker 3: with him. He said, quote, it was a four year 490 00:31:02,761 --> 00:31:05,721 Speaker 3: old child, the circumstances in which he was found down 491 00:31:05,721 --> 00:31:07,721 Speaker 3: on the island, and what that little girl had to 492 00:31:07,721 --> 00:31:10,561 Speaker 3: have gone through. I felt terrible about it in every sense, 493 00:31:10,641 --> 00:31:13,361 Speaker 3: not just then. This is the one case that was 494 00:31:13,481 --> 00:31:16,681 Speaker 3: unsolved that still haunts me. That's the part that carries on, 495 00:31:17,561 --> 00:31:20,561 Speaker 3: even speaking from a retired perspective. It has not been 496 00:31:20,601 --> 00:31:25,001 Speaker 3: forgotten end quote. 497 00:31:25,441 --> 00:31:27,161 Speaker 1: So what are we left with here? 498 00:31:27,281 --> 00:31:29,841 Speaker 3: What clues can we take away from what law enforcement 499 00:31:29,841 --> 00:31:32,921 Speaker 3: has said over the years. I keep going back to 500 00:31:32,961 --> 00:31:36,721 Speaker 3: the twenty eighteen interview when officers from the Orange Police 501 00:31:36,761 --> 00:31:41,481 Speaker 3: Department told twelve News Now they believed that the suspect 502 00:31:41,641 --> 00:31:45,521 Speaker 3: knew Denaria and planned the kidnapping. They described the suspect 503 00:31:45,601 --> 00:31:49,001 Speaker 3: as someone who lived locally and as a quote calculated 504 00:31:49,081 --> 00:31:54,041 Speaker 3: killer who carefully planned Nary's kidnapping end quote. They talked 505 00:31:54,041 --> 00:31:56,081 Speaker 3: about how they were transferring a lot of the old 506 00:31:56,121 --> 00:31:58,641 Speaker 3: evidence to digital They said they had a stack of 507 00:31:58,641 --> 00:32:01,361 Speaker 3: old BHS tapes. They talked about how they had a 508 00:32:01,361 --> 00:32:03,881 Speaker 3: lot of evidence, but they were still missing that one 509 00:32:03,961 --> 00:32:06,761 Speaker 3: crucial piece that they believed could lead to an arrest. 510 00:32:07,601 --> 00:32:11,401 Speaker 3: According to METI reports, police remained focused on the same 511 00:32:11,481 --> 00:32:13,641 Speaker 3: person of interest they were focused on back in two 512 00:32:13,681 --> 00:32:16,681 Speaker 3: thousand and two, and presumably the same one they didn't 513 00:32:16,721 --> 00:32:19,041 Speaker 3: have enough evidence to charge in two thousand and four. 514 00:32:19,721 --> 00:32:21,721 Speaker 1: But we have no idea who that is. 515 00:32:22,521 --> 00:32:25,361 Speaker 3: I look back at something that Captain Robert Mman said 516 00:32:25,561 --> 00:32:30,041 Speaker 3: after he retired. He said, quote, bad guys talk. Someone 517 00:32:30,041 --> 00:32:33,681 Speaker 3: out there knows something, someone out there heard someone mention something, 518 00:32:34,201 --> 00:32:37,161 Speaker 3: even if it's just hey, I remember that case and 519 00:32:37,201 --> 00:32:40,041 Speaker 3: so and so said something about it. Anything like that, 520 00:32:40,521 --> 00:32:47,841 Speaker 3: call us end quote. Even after the horrific experience of 521 00:32:47,921 --> 00:32:52,481 Speaker 3: losing her child, Denaria's mother, Jamie continues to speak out 522 00:32:52,481 --> 00:32:55,561 Speaker 3: to local media about Deenaria, about her grief and her pain, 523 00:32:55,881 --> 00:32:59,401 Speaker 3: but also her hope that someday someone will give police 524 00:32:59,441 --> 00:33:02,841 Speaker 3: a piece of information that could help bring Danaria's killer 525 00:33:02,881 --> 00:33:06,721 Speaker 3: to justice. Jamie did an interview with a local news 526 00:33:06,761 --> 00:33:10,201 Speaker 3: station in twenty twenty two in which she talked about 527 00:33:10,201 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 3: how grateful she was for all of the help from 528 00:33:12,241 --> 00:33:15,601 Speaker 3: the community. She also said she hoped in some small 529 00:33:15,641 --> 00:33:20,121 Speaker 3: way that Denaria's death could bring the community together. This 530 00:33:20,321 --> 00:33:23,401 Speaker 3: is still an open case. There is a crime Stoppers 531 00:33:23,481 --> 00:33:26,681 Speaker 3: reward that is still active. There is also a reward 532 00:33:26,721 --> 00:33:29,841 Speaker 3: for the State of Texas. Crime Stoppers number is four 533 00:33:29,921 --> 00:33:35,361 Speaker 3: oh nine eight three three tips tips. Anyone with information 534 00:33:35,441 --> 00:33:39,001 Speaker 3: about the case can also contact the Orange Texas Police 535 00:33:39,001 --> 00:33:44,881 Speaker 3: Department directly. I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 536 00:33:46,921 --> 00:33:48,961 Speaker 3: Helen Gone Murder Line is a production of School of 537 00:33:49,041 --> 00:33:52,481 Speaker 3: Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated by me 538 00:33:52,681 --> 00:33:53,921 Speaker 3: Catherine Townsend and. 539 00:33:53,881 --> 00:33:55,681 Speaker 1: Produced by Gabby Watts. 540 00:33:55,721 --> 00:33:58,961 Speaker 3: Special thanks to Amy Tubbs for her research assistance and 541 00:33:59,081 --> 00:34:02,001 Speaker 3: to James Wheaton for legal review. Our theme song is 542 00:34:02,001 --> 00:34:06,281 Speaker 3: by Ben Sale, Executive producers of Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, 543 00:34:06,321 --> 00:34:06,761 Speaker 3: and L. 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