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penalty law is unconstitutional. In
November 2016, Judge Samuel Cappas denied Vann's motion to declare the state's death penalty statute unconstitutional. In January 2017, a Lake County judge decided that Vann could make an appeal with his claims that Indiana's death penalty statute is unconstitutional.
336:
news service, used an algorithm (later the basis of the Murder
Accountability Project which Hargrove founded) to analyze crime data which strongly suggested a serial killer was at work in Gary, Indiana. Hargrove repeatedly urged the local authorities to investigate 15 suspicious deaths in the period
372:
His trial was originally supposed to begin on June 22, 2015, but this trial date was canceled on April 17, 2015, when the request for a death sentence was filed. The trial date of June 22, 2015 was subsequently restored. Vann's attorneys requested that the trial be delayed, and the trial was again
384:
In April 2017, the
Indiana Supreme Court turned down Vann's request to look at the constitutionality of the state's death penalty statute before he went to trial. At a status hearing in April 2017, Judge Samuel Cappas set jury selection to begin the week of February 12, 2018, with the actual jury
376:
On March 7, 2016, Vann was charged with murder in the deaths of five additional victims. The death penalty was originally sought for each. The following day, Vann was charged with rape and attempted murder for an alleged
February 2014 attack. Vann was also charged with battery by bodily waste for
380:
In April 2016, Judge Samuel Cappas denied a motion by Vann's attorneys to sever the murder cases of Anith Jones and
Afrikka Hardy, and, as a result, the capital murder trial in said cases would have continued as one. In a motion filed August 5, 2016, Vann's attorneys argued that Indiana's death
459:
Teaira Batey, 28, of Gary, Indiana, left to meet a friend on
January 13, 2014, but she never returned. Her family waited to hear from her for a few days but reported her missing later that month. Her body was found in an abandoned house at 1800 East 19th Avenue in Gary on October 19.
349:
When 19-year-old
Afrikka Hardy was found strangled in a Motel 6, authorities used Hardy's phone records and located Vann. Upon apprehension, Vann was found to have possession of several key pieces of potential evidence which included Hardy's phone. During police interrogation he
463:
Kristine
Williams, 36, of Gary, Indiana, was a mother of four and employed at the time of her death. Her mother-in-law stated that she had not heard from Williams since February 2014. Her body was found in an abandoned house at 4330 Massachusetts Street in Gary on October 19.
373:
delayed to
January 25, 2016. In December 2015, Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell recused herself from hearing the case. Judge Samuel Cappas subsequently said he would take the case. In December 2015, Vann's trial was delayed to July 25, 2016.
448:
Afrikka Hardy, 19, had recently moved to
Chicago after graduating from high school. She met Vann at a Motel 6 in Hammond, Indiana after he hired her through an escort agency. She was found dead in a bathtub in one of its rooms on October 17, 2014.
31:
676:
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The local authorities denied there was any evidence showing a serial killer was at work. A Gary deputy coroner, whose suspicions were also rebuffed by the local police, agreed with Hargrove and also added 3 suspected victims to the list.
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trial beginning around March 12, 2018. In October 2017, Lake Superior Court Judge Samuel Cappas delayed the trial date, with jury selection being scheduled to begin September 17, 2018, and the trial beginning October 22, 2018.
388:
On May 4, 2018, Vann pleaded guilty to seven murders. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the death penalty. On May 25, 2018, Vann was sentenced to seven concurrent life sentences without parole.
1162:
396:
requests in which Vann confesses at length to interviewing detectives about numerous unsolved murders he had committed across the country. In them, he claimed to have killed dozens of women, predominantly in
470:
Sonya Billingsley, 53, of Gary, Indiana, was reported missing on February 7, 2014. Her body was found in an abandoned house with the body of Tanya Gatlin at 413 East 43rd Avenue in Gary on October 19.
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Tanya Gatlin, 27, of Gary, Indiana, had been missing since January 2014. Her body was found in an abandoned house with the body of Sonya Billingsley at 413 East 43rd Avenue in Gary on October 19.
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301:. He was married 16 years to Maria Vann who was about 30 years older than him. He was reportedly arrested in Gary, Indiana for threatening the life of his girlfriend. He was charged with a
456:, was last seen alive on October 8, 2014, and reported missing two days later. After Vann was arrested, he led police to an abandoned house in Gary on October 18 where her body was found.
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Tracy Martin, 41, of Gary, Indiana, was reported missing on June 26, 2014. Her body was found in an abandoned house at 2200 Massachusetts Street in Gary on October 19.
289:, together with a Gary, Indiana deputy coroner, attempted to persuade police that there were 18 similar murders pointing to a serial killer in the Gary, Indiana area.
509:
664:
https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2019/06/man-charged-in-slaying-of-serial-killer-michael-madisons-mother-stabbing-of-three-sleeping-kids-in-cleveland.cleveland.html
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His wife, Maria Vann, filed for a divorce in August 2009 and their marriage was dissolved in 2011. He also received an "other than honorable" discharge from the
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where he pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder filed against him in the deaths of Afrikka Hardy and Anith Jones as well as robbery.
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677:"Darren Vann: Indiana man arrested for murdering teenage prostitute confesses to six other murders - and police fear more"
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allegedly throwing a carton of urine and feces at a Lake County correctional officer at the jail on February 24, 2016.
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Before the police investigated the murders for which Vann was detained, Thomas Hargrove, founder of the
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confessed to his involvement in Hardy's killing and told police he was involved in other killings.
392:
In August 2021, Ben Kuebrich, host of the "Algorithm" crime podcast, obtained tape recordings via
278:. He led police to those women's bodies, all of which were found in five abandoned structures in
358:
153:
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in 2007 and sentenced to five years in a state penitentiary, being released on July 5, 2013.
271:
510:"Who is Darren Deon Vann? Inside the case of one of Indiana's most prolific serial killers"
621:
482:
266:. He was arrested on October 18, 2014, for the murder of 19-year-old Afrikka Hardy at a
1163:"Taped Interviews With Indiana Serial Killer Darren Vann Reveal More Potential Victims"
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485:, another serial killer of women and girls who were left dead in abandoned buildings.
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and spent 90 days in jail. Vann was previously convicted on September 28, 2009, in
94:
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Bowean, Lolly; Gorner, Jeremy; Nickeas, Peter; Sweeney, Annie (October 20, 2014).
1117:"Darren Vann pleads guilty to murdering 7 women, avoids possible death sentence"
30:
406:
351:
136:
867:"Suspected Indiana Serial Killer Darren Vann Charged With Five More Murders"
618:"Murder charges filed against suspect in deaths of 7 women in Gary, Hammond"
426:
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1140:"Serial killer Darren Vann sentenced to life in prison for killing 7 women"
702:"Darren Deon Vann, suspected serial killer, speaks at 2nd court appearance"
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His first court hearing was scheduled October 22, however he was held in
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1043:"Trial for Darren Deon Vann, facing death penalty, planned for 2018"
1021:"Higher court denies Vann's appeal to examine death penalty statute"
889:"Gary serial killing suspect charged in deaths of five more women"
414:
1193:"Possible serial killer's victims: 'They're somebody's daughter'"
564:"Police: Abandoned homes searched after man admits to 7 killings"
274:
and has confessed to the murders of six other female victims in
1065:"Death penalty trial in Lake County, Ind., pushed to next fall"
567:
977:"Judge denies claims Indiana death penalty unconstitutional"
643:"Marine Corps booted Indiana serial killer suspect in 1993"
1087:"1st trial for alleged Indiana serial killer pushed back"
800:"Judge in Darren Vann murder trial disqualifies herself"
754:"Vann's attorneys request delay in capital murder trial"
541:"Who is Indiana serial killer suspect Darren Deon Vann?"
955:"Vann's attorneys argue death penalty unconstitutional"
332:
In August 2010, Thomas Hargrove, a reporter with the
1161:
Rob Stafford and Lisa Capitanini (August 25, 2021).
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Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Indiana
445:Vann was convicted of murdering these seven women:
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1246:American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
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562:Botelho, Greg; Harlow, Poppy (October 21, 2014).
999:"Vann can file death penalty appeal, judge says"
933:"Judge denies motion to sever Vann murder cases"
911:"Sex charges filed against Vann in 2014 attack"
822:"Judge next in line says he'll take Vann case"
777:"Despite objection, Vann trial moves to 2016"
361:. His next hearing was held on October 28 at
8:
1286:Violence against women in the United States
1241:American people convicted of sexual assault
1191:Shoichet, Catherine E. (October 23, 2014).
489:List of serial killers in the United States
29:
18:
731:"Prosecutors push for June 22 Vann trial"
979:. chicagotribune.com. November 15, 2016
846:. chicagotribune.com. December 18, 2015
500:
1067:. chicagotribune.com. October 20, 2017
824:. chicagotribune.com. December 3, 2015
588:
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405:, but also in other locations such as
1296:People convicted of murder by Indiana
1001:. chicagotribune.com. January 6, 2017
957:. chicagotribune.com. August 12, 2016
798:Krause, Ruth Ann (December 3, 2015).
752:Krause, Ruth Ann (November 3, 2021).
262:(born March 21, 1971) is an American
7:
1226:21st-century African-American people
1186:
1184:
1182:
1180:
1045:. chicagotribune.com. April 28, 2017
1023:. chicagotribune.com. April 25, 2017
935:. chicagotribune.com. April 23, 2016
593:Alec Wilkinson (November 20, 2017).
297:Vann was born on March 21, 1971, in
1236:American people convicted of murder
675:Usborne, David (October 22, 2014).
534:
532:
530:
247:Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
1266:Murder trials in the United States
1093:. October 20, 2017. Archived from
539:Botelho, Greg (October 23, 2014).
337:1980-2008 identified by his work.
16:American serial killer (born 1971)
14:
1119:. chicagotribune.com. May 4, 2018
844:"Vann murder trial moved to July"
775:Krause, Ruth Ann (June 5, 2015).
729:Krause, Ruth Ann (May 29, 2015).
86:6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
913:. Chicago Tribune. March 8, 2016
891:. Chicago Tribune. March 8, 2016
508:Blake, Jessica (June 23, 2018).
120:
1231:21st-century American criminals
1138:Holmes, Evelyn (May 25, 2018).
865:Johnson, Alex (March 7, 2016).
324:in 1993 after joining in 1991.
116:
1:
645:. USA Today. October 23, 2014
287:Murder Accountability Project
154:Life in prison without parole
39:
595:"The Serial-Killer Detector"
215:five abandoned homes in Gary
180:2013 – October 2014
1276:Serial killers from Indiana
36:Lake County Sheriff's Dept.
1312:
322:United States Marine Corps
253:
130:
28:
345:Arrest and investigation
157:(seven concurrent terms)
213:motel room in Hammond;
1281:United States Marines
1173:on October 15, 2021.
452:Anith Jones, 35, of
307:Travis County, Texas
119: 1995;
1097:on October 21, 2017
176:Span of crimes
710:. October 29, 2014
242:Imprisoned at
1291:Trials in Indiana
1256:Crimes in Indiana
1142:. abc7chicago.com
1091:Los Angeles Times
802:. Chicago Tribune
779:. Chicago Tribune
756:. Chicago Tribune
733:. Chicago Tribune
359:contempt of court
257:
256:
203:, possibly others
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1251:American rapists
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1169:. Archived from
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260:Darren Deon Vann
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237:October 18, 2014
233:Date apprehended
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150:Criminal penalty
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303:class D felony
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679:. Independent
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280:Gary, Indiana
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264:serial killer
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226:Strangulation
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189:United States
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137:Conviction(s)
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62:(age 53)
52:
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1197:. Retrieved
1171:the original
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1144:. Retrieved
1133:
1121:. Retrieved
1111:
1099:. Retrieved
1095:the original
1090:
1081:
1069:. Retrieved
1059:
1047:. Retrieved
1037:
1025:. Retrieved
1015:
1003:. Retrieved
993:
983:November 17,
981:. Retrieved
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959:. Retrieved
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927:
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893:. Retrieved
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871:. Retrieved
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850:December 19,
848:. Retrieved
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828:November 18,
826:. Retrieved
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707:ABC7 Chicago
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95:Incarcerated
1221:1971 births
1199:November 7,
1101:October 21,
1071:October 21,
873:November 3,
806:November 3,
783:November 3,
760:November 3,
737:November 3,
714:November 1,
683:November 1,
649:October 25,
627:November 1,
573:October 25,
547:October 25,
519:November 1,
367:Crown Point
363:Lake County
209:Location(s)
78:Donald Vann
43: 2014
1215:Categories
961:August 25,
939:August 25,
869:. NBC News
495:References
407:California
328:Suspicions
293:Background
145:(7 counts)
106:Maria Vann
56:1971-03-21
1195:. cnn.com
1049:April 29,
1027:April 26,
1005:April 26,
895:April 13,
543:. cnn.com
427:Minnesota
423:Wisconsin
419:Milwaukee
352:allegedly
1167:NBC News
477:See also
435:Michigan
403:Illinois
365:Jail in
196:State(s)
38:mugshot
1146:May 26,
917:June 2,
441:Victims
431:Detroit
399:Chicago
309:, of a
299:Indiana
276:Indiana
268:Motel 6
221:Weapons
201:Indiana
185:Country
167:Victims
162:Details
125:
113:
109:
67:Indiana
1123:May 5,
514:Medium
315:Austin
143:Murder
101:Spouse
83:Height
69:, U.S.
415:Texas
115:(
111:
1201:2014
1148:2018
1125:2018
1103:2017
1073:2017
1051:2017
1029:2017
1007:2017
985:2016
963:2016
941:2016
919:2016
897:2016
875:2021
852:2015
830:2016
808:2021
785:2021
762:2021
739:2021
716:2021
685:2021
651:2014
629:2021
603:2017
575:2014
549:2014
521:2021
429:and
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121:div.
50:Born
568:CNN
270:in
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