Blink On Crime » Cold Case

BREAKING NEWS: SEARCH CONNECTED TO MISSING MAN-CHRIS GEORGE RECOVERS CELL PHONE, BONES

Blink — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:57:20 +0000

Ocoee-Apopka, FL- Breaking News this evening in the Onda “Chris” George missing persons case.

A ground search in the area of Keene and Ocoee/Apopka Rds, near Medicine Lake, focused on locating evidence in the Chris George missing persons case has recovered bones, a cell phone and other evidence, a source on the ground speaking on the condition of anonymity shared with blinkoncrime.com this evening.

Chris George and Friends

Chris George was last seen with Tyler Watters and Jimmy Hataway. The two are believed to have staged a truck accident close to the location of the search today. Watters is currently facing felony charges for drug related offenses in Orange County, and Hataway is about to be tried for attempted murder in Seminole County.

blinkoncrime.com recently covered Chris’s case, and tracked the last 24 hours of his life.

George’s Mother, Rachael George, has led recent efforts to rejuvinate Chris’s case from it’s “cold” status.

Reached at her home this evening, Ms. George refused to comment about what was found at the search, or if she has been told the remains are linked to her son.

..”I would not be in a position to discuss what Apopka Police have shared with us regarding the search today, and have been asked not to discuss it with the media.. We continue to be thankful for all efforts to help locate my son, and we are praying, as we have at every search, that we are able to finally recover him and for those responsible for his death to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The search today was based on locating evidence in his case, and late last week I was told that law enforcement was planning renewed search efforts at our request, but that is all I knew before today.

Please keep Chris, his girlfriend and our family in your prayers.

-Rachael George

At press time, calls to Apopka Police Department have not been returned. The remains recovered today have been sent to the Medical Examiner, Dr. Jan Garavaglia, and have not been identified pending autopsy.

Check back to blinkoncrime.com for updates.

Blink On Crime Case Previews For Next Week: Bentley, Hoffman, George

Blink — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:04:38 +0000

Beth Bentley, missing since May 23, 2010 from Mt. Vernon

Beth and brother Ron

Matthew Hoffman, Homicidal Hobbit Sentenced To Life

Hoffmans Living Room

Chris George Missing since February 11, 2009 from Winter Garden, FL

Chris George and Tracy Ocasio Missing: Will New Witnesses Be The Tell Tale Heart To Find Them?

Blink — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:46:16 +0000

Volume I Volume II

Hearken! And Observe how healthily- how calmly I can tell you the whole story! -Poe

The last verifiable interaction with Chris George was at approximately 6PM on February 11, 2009.

Apopka Police came upon Jimmy Hataway, Tyler Watters and Brandon Losik in the area of Ocoee Apopka rd emerging from the woods, with Chris’s white Xterra in full view from the road.

Watters and Hataway were cuffed at the scene and questioned separately for 6 hours.< ?xml:namespace prefix ="" o />

Their stories did not match.

The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone.

Tyler Watters Account (Abridged):

At about 1:30AM February 12, 2009, Chris drove into the woods off of < ?xml:namespace prefix ="" st1 />Ocoee Apopka Rd. He was high and the pair had been doing drugs earlier.

He ran out of the truck, yelling “If you wanna be a G you gotta roll like a G.” He said that Chris dropped his phone, his keys, the pair stopped for a second to look on the ground for it and then Chris kept running.

Tyler said he ran after Chris until the area got marshy, he stopped, turned around and started walking back to the truck. He said he could not find the keys or Chris’s phone, so he called a friend to pick him up. The girls at Sun Resorts had passed out early, they slept through the whole thing until morning when they dropped him and Jimmy off at the “wrecked truck” to look for Chris.

Jimmy Hataways Account (Abridged):

Tyler called him and told him that Chris wigged out and ran into the woods leaving him stranded. He said he borrowed one of the girl’s vehicles to go pick Tyler up and the girls dropped them off the next morning at the truck to look for Chris. The girls crashed early and slept through the whole thing. The next day they packed snacks, waters and headed out into the woods to look for Chris. Next thing he knew, cops were on the side of the road.

There are several versions of these, but you get the idea. What is astounding to me is that these two were well aware there was a guard shack at the entrance of the park, and a closed circuit camera trained on cars entering and exiting. I guess they figured out they had some time before Apopka PD would learn that.

They were right.

They would not be questioned again for months. In fact, not until after May 28, 2009.

The Truth

Focusing specifically on the events of February 11, 2009 and Chris George’s arrivals and exits from Sun Resorts

Chris arrives at Sun Resorts about 2:15PM, leaves about 2:30PM with Jimmy Hataway.

According to Hataway, Chris leaves him at a location of a person he did not know for about 3 hours. They are back at the park at 5:10PM.

The group hangs out together for about 30 minutes and Tyler Watters asks Chris if he would take him to his grandmother’s house for a change of clothes if he pays him $20 for gas. Chris’s truck pulls out of Sun Resorts at 5:40PM.

At approximately 10PM, Watters calls one of the female residents of Lot #269 announcing Chris left him stranded in the woods and he needed a ride. He said he had been walking a while, and would be on Keene Rd. Hataway and the girls picked him up a few minutes later on Keene.

Watters was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans without a smudge on him, not a burr or a scratch. It was not what he wore when he left and is presumed to be the “change of clothes” after showering at his grandmothers. His boots were not muddy and he was carrying the duffel bag he left with.

Rosemary Watters has been interviewed and stated that Tyler definitely was there and showered, however, she never saw Chris. She went on to say she was aware of the truck parked outside, but did not notice if someone was sitting in it.

After the foursome arrived back at Sun Resorts, Tyler made several calls discussing the incident with animated detail. Although he had his own phone, he was using one of the female witnesses, which again, LE was not aware of until months later.

Within 15 minutes, Hataway and Watters requested the girls take them back out to the scene to look for Chris.

At this point, both the pickup of Watters and the drop off of both he and Hataway, occurred on Keene Rd. At no time during either, was the White Xterra visible to anyone from the road and had been described as “deep in the woods” by Watters.

At approximately 11:30PM the truck was spotted pulling into the space at Lot 269 at Sun Resorts where it would remain until the next morning.

The female witnesses, who had been visiting a relative of one of the women within the park; noticed upon their return to Lot #269 Chris George’s white Xterra was parked outside. Both heaved a sigh of relief.

As they bounded in the door to participate in the “crisis averted” celebration they expected to be walking into, they quickly learned that was not the case.

Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers – of my sagacity.

If Chris truly was in the woods, Jimmy and Tyler just removed his only means to get out and the girls called them on it.

Hataway reasoned with them to think it through. “If” there was drugs or evidence of drug use in the vehicle, and it was found on the side of the road, Chris would be arrested as the owner and they would all be in trouble.

Watters chimed in that Chris had called his Father to say he was fine, according to his brother, to put their collective minds at ease.

Chris George’s Father had been deceased for 11 years and he does not have a brother.

There were two voice mail messages received between the alleged “accident” and the return of the truck to the trailer, one from the girls, and one from Hataway:

..”Chris, this is (redacted). We are worried about you call us and tell us where you are and we will come get you. At least call and tell us your ok or whatever.

..Yo- This is Yarr. We got your stuff and your bag. Call me. It’s Yarr..”

There was no message from Watters, and he must have not yet told the part of the story where Chris dropped his phone and could not find it to the rest of the group, rendering their messages useless.

Early the next morning, Hataway and Watters cleaned the vehicle.

The White Xterra Chris George leased to begin his mobile detailing business, was being detailed without him.

Jimmy removed a section of barbed wire from the front fender and he and Watters both checked the wheel wells and under carriage for what they said could be used for “stash”. Nothing was found.

At 7AM, after telling the girls they were going back to look for Chris, and would call for a ride once they put the truck back, Hataway and Watters left Sun Resorts.

After a few hours, when Watters did not answer the phone he was borrowing from one of the girls, they drove to the scene and saw nothing but a black sedan parked on the side of Keene Rd. Yes, you read that correctly. The female witnesses were told the car “wrecked” on Keene, when in fact, it was ultimately located on Ocoee Apopka Rd.

Although it was clear the truck accident had been staged, including the placement of Chris George’s sunglasses in the grass outside the right front passenger door, the truck was not processed as a possible crime scene. An accident report on the vehicle was filed by Apopka Police.

According to sources within the investigation speaking to blinkoncrime.com on the condition of anonymity, at the time Hataway and Watters were supposed to be putting the truck back in the early morning of February 12, 2009, they were spotted in Altamonte Springs, where it is believed Chris had been with Hataway the day before.

Within 2 weeks of Chris’s disappearance, the last 4 people to see Chris George alive relocated to different areas of the state, except one: Jimmy Hataway.

The female witnesses, arguably the most critical to the investigation, were not interviewed.

I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men – but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed – I raved – I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased.

One month later, In March, a friend of Jimmy Hataways who met him at Franks Place one evening says Hataway was “matter of fact” about the whole thing:

….” We were sitting at Frank’s and he points to this flyer on the bar, I did not know the dude or that Jimmy knew him either..

..” He pointed to it, and said that’s my buddy that was tweaked one night and ran into the woods.. He was yelling that the Mexican Mafia was after him.”

When I asked him if he felt Jimmy was lying, he replied:

..That’s just it, you could never tell with him. I have no idea. When we were kids I saw him lie about anything and people believed him.”

On the evening of April 14, 2009, Chris had been missing for 2 months.

On the evening of April 14, 2009 Tracy Ocasio may have unwittingly sealed a similar fate.

Located in Metro West, The Tap Room was a favorite night spot for Tracy Ocasio and friends.

On the evening of April 14, Tracy Ocasio and Chris George began their single degree of separation: Paul Adam Hutto.

In Tracy’s own words:

Up until the above image of a post drafted by Tracy Ocasio herself and obtained exclusively by blinkoncrime.com, Ocoee PD has been adamant that there were 2 separate incidents at the Tap Room, involving Tracy Ocasio, Paul Hutto and an as yet un-named blonde woman believed to be Lori Coon Branic.

In other words, because Orlando Police Department believed they were seperate incidents, there were no corroborating witnesses to back up Tracy’s police report, and as the only complaining witness listed, when Tracy went missing, they could not proceed with the charge against Hutto. Hutto faced probation/parole violation from the incident.

I gasped for breath – and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly – more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased.

Branic is the wife of Paul Branic, former Hutto business partner and former performer alongside Alicia Hutto at Lollipops Gentlemen’s Club in Daytona Beach.

While Tracy appears to be familiar with the group that she ran into that evening, she clearly only knew Paul Hutto by his first name, and had dated someone in their “circle” a few weeks before. It is believed that is who she is referring to as “moron” in her post.

Obtained exclusively by blinkoncrime.com, the complete Police reports of the incident involving Tracy Ocasio, the evening of April 14, 2009, into the early morning hours of April 15, 2009.

On April 17, it was alleged James Hataway punched a truck owned by a Donnaugh Robinson on AD Mimms Rd; he has since been acquitted of those charges. However, the incident occurred at a location Chris George visited the night before he disappeared. Hataway is pictured below at the municipal building answering the summons on April 19^th.

On April 22nd Tracy Ocasio visited the Orlando Police Department to review a lineup and positively identified Paul Hutto as the man who shoved her to the ground outside The Tap Room at 12:30AM April 15th. She was adamant that she wished to press charges according to the reports.

On the initial officer’s statement, Paul Hutto was said to have left the scene with a friend driving a White Dodge Durango. Lori Branic was issued a summons in January 2010 for failing to produce a driver’s license while driving a white 2004 Dodge Durango. The summons was satisfied after Ms. Branic produced her license a week later.

On May 26, 2009, Tracy Ocasio watched the Magic Game at the Tap Room.

According to early statements to police as well as mutual friends by Hataway, The Hutto brothers had attempted to watch THE MAGIC at the Tap Room earlier that evening, but had relocated to Gators when Paul was turned away because he was banned for the April incident.

There is an unknown witness apparently who claims to have not only been at The Tap Room that evening and Tracy Ocasio was the first person they saw.

On May 26, 2009, District Atty Patty White mailed a letter written May 22 to Tracy Ocasio asking her to verify charges for the second time. She never received it.

It was received by her parents, Joe and Liz Ocasio after she went missing from the Tap Room in the early morning hours of May 27.

On May 28 Tracy Ocasio’s bright yellow Chevy Cobalt was located on W Franklin St within 2 blocks of Hataway’s home with the front seats reclined. Cadaver Dogs were deployed to the scene but did not “hit” on the car or anywhere near Hataway’s house.

Video of what was believed to be that of Tracy Ocasio in a light blue and white baseball hat, a sweatshirt and black heeled boots, leaving with an unidentified man was released. Kyle Coziel and Greg Toole, friends of Hataway and patrons of The Tap Room, identified him on the tape immediately.

Jimmy Hataway agreed to a voluntary search of the home on Lyle St in Ocoee he shared with his hearing impaired Father. He stated that he and Tracy hung out for a bit, and she left on her own. Hataway told his best friend he commonly referred to as his brother, Colt Hickox, that he took and passed a polygraph. Investigators refute that, going as far as stating that he “failed miserably.”

Recent Developments involving two of Tracy’s friends possibly receiving text messages from her that evening saying “Gone to the Lake” could not be verified through cell phone records due to the length of time that has passed. However, two of her friends both agree it was sent either that evening, or the previous day.

When Hataway was interviewed, he told Ocoee Police they should be talking to Paul Hutto, the man who “attacked her at The Tap Room last month.” He also said that Hutto called him and told him if police asked him if he knew Ocasio, he was to deny it. Both Paul and Jeremiah Hutto were questioned by detectives as a result, flatly denying they had anything to do with Ocasio’s disappearance. Although Paul Hutto had a solid alibis up till 2:30AM when Gators Bar closed, as an Ocoee detective was sitting across the bar from him waiting for a friend, both he and Jeremiah refused to take polygraph examinations.

It is not clear if Hataway also told Police at that time that he had been working for Hutto.

Upon learning of Ms. Ocasio’s disappearance and the mutual acquaintances involved, Apopka PD renewed efforts to speak to Watters and Hataway in regards to Chris George’s disappearance. Although the White Nissan Xterra that belonged to Chris was now released to new owners, Apopka PD impounded the vehicle briefly for further processing . The results of that examination are being withheld for investigative reasons.

FDLE agents, at the request of Apopka PD, finally interviewed the female residents/witnesses from Sun Resorts in June, 2009.

And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel – although he neither saw nor heard – to feel the presence of my head within the room.

While it has been confirmed through those interviews that Hataway was not present when Chris George went missing, police believe he was part of a “set-up” regarding his disappearance and presumed murder. He is the only named suspect to date in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio and is currently awaiting trial next week for the attempted murder of Casselberry woman Rachael Clark. On December 8, 2010 a previously continued docket sounding will be held in Seminole County to schedule trial, and possibly to entertain any last minute plea offers. Mr. Hataway is represented by Public Defender Leukel.

Tyler Watters is on bond awaiting trial for charges for trafficking in over 4 grams of heroin, and recently hired private counsel Victor Mead. His next hearing is scheduled for February 2, 2011.

Paul Hutto is pending driver license suspension for non-payment of a careless driving and non-wear of seatbelt charge from September 2010. He has not been charged with the assault on Tracy Ocasio as the charge pending at the time of her disappearance did not have a “corroborating witness”.

Anthony Zedde, president of Anthony Zedde’s Lake Clearing Services, who is believed to be the former employer of Jeremiah and Paul Hutto, is on bond awaiting trial for trafficking in dillaud and has entered a no contest plea for trafficking in heroin. His current docket shows a capias was issued on November 17, 2010 on the substance offense felony, for which he is due in court this Thursday December 2, 2010.

Last week, the parents of Tracy Ocasio and a Tampa news station received a letter from a man claiming to be the former boyfriend of the Mother of Jimmy Hataway’s daughter, Amanda Case.

Adam Craig, who dated Case briefly in 2007 and claims to have met Hataway, produced a letter and map of 2 locations where he states that Case told him 3 bodies of individuals, in which she participated in their murders, would be located.

An Ocoee detective was dispatched to Craig’s Lakeland residence and while the claims appear to be largely discounted, they remain under investigation at the time of this publication.

Adam Craig is currently facing felony charges for allegedly running into a man with his vehicle, and has had prior drug convictions. According to his face book, the prosecution in his instant case has offered a plea deal of 6 years.

It is possible Mr. Craig may be attempting to affect his current criminal trial by alleging he has information in other cases.

Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded – with what caution – with what foresight

The investigations into the disappearance of Chris George and Tracy Ocasio are ongoing.

Check Back to blinkoncrime.com for Volume 4: Epilogue

Images by Klaasend

Blink On Crime Exclusives For Next Week

Blink — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 05:32:28 +0000

Tracy Ocasio and Chris George Disappearances: What Does Jimmy Hataway Know?

: Jimmy Hataway Chris George Tracy Ocasio

Morgan Harrington Murder: Why Anchorage Farm?

: Red Hill Access Gate, Courtesy Crystal S

Christine Sheddy Murder: A Statement From Her Family

Images Courtesy of Klaasend

Christine Sheddy Murder : Remains And Arrest Confirmed

Blink — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:50:38 +0000

Joel J. Todd
State’s Attorney

Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County
The William G. Kerbin, Jr. Building
106 Franklin Street
Snow Hill, Maryland 21863
Michael W. Farlow       Paul Haskell
Deputy State’s Attorney       Deputy State’s Attorney
Circuit Court Division       District Court Division

February 26, 2010

To: Local Media
From: Joel J. Todd
Re: Identification of Human Remains

On February 26, 2010, the Office of the Medical Examiner for Maryland advised the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation that the human remains located in Snow Hill on February 19 were the remains of Christine Marie Sheddy.

Sheddy has been missing since November 14, 2007. Since that time, the case has been handled as a “missing person” case by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation. Assisting in the investigation is the Maryland State Police and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County.

No cause of death has yet been determined. All involved law enforcement agencies are treating this as a suspicious death.

Because this is a pending investigation, no further details will be disclosed at this time.

# # #

Arrest of a Familiar Name

Not to correct SA Joel Todd, but Christine was last seen the evening of November 12, 2007, which is believed to be the night she was murdered at the Byrd Road Farm.

While I respect the release, I have first hand knowledge that 3 detectives from WCBI were removed from this case so you will not find me congratulating that agency. Out of respect for Christine and her family, I will leave it at that for now.

Justin Michael Hadel, a guest at the farm home shared by Clarence “Jr” Jackson and his girlfriend Tia Johnson, was arrested yesterday in Tomball, Texas on a child obligation and fugitive warrant.

There is no further comment on any possible involvement in Christine’s murder.

Clarence Jackson is currently incarcerated in Hawkins County, TN for a burglary and arson conviction.

Check back to blinkoncrime for this developing story.

Haleigh Cummings Case: Ron Cummings Files for Divorce From Misty

Blink — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:55:37 +0000

BREAKING NEWS

Ron Cummings, father of missing Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings, has filed for divorce from the last person to see his daughter alive, and his wife, Misty Croslin Cummings.

Ron Cummings will be giving an exclusive interview this evening on the Nancy Grace Show, 8PM EST on the HLN network.

This news comes on the heals of major developments in this case over the last 2 weeks.

Misty Croslin’s Mother, and brother, have both been arrested on unrelated charges recently, as has Ron Cummings and his brother.