Journee McDaniel was a 7-year-old elementary school student from Houston, Texas who loved life. To her family, she was the center of their universe. She was beloved by her two brothers, parents and grandmother. On December 11, 2021, Journee was out celebrating the birthday of one of her brothers. Journee had spent the evening riding on Go Karts and just having fun. After leaving the Go Kart place, Journee left with two cousins. Around 8pm, the vehicle she was riding in was struck in the 13900 block of Cullen Blvd. The driver had gone through a stop sign and struck the vehicle Journee was riding in. He then left the truck and fled the scene. The owner of the truck claimed someone stole his truck. He denied being the person who killed Journee. She died on December 13, 2022. Today, the man who killed Journee hasn’t been arrested. When the police examined the truck, the airbags had deployed and there was blood evidence left behind by the driver. It would take 6 months for the family to learn that Pedro Vargas Garcia had lied to authorities about his truck being stolen. DNA evidence proved he was the driver. For this story, I spoke to Myra Minkins, who is Journee's grandmother. Journee’s family believes Garcia fled the country and is now in Mexico. A Have you seen Pedro Vargas Garcia? If you have, please contact law enforcement and turn him in. He does have family ties to Houston so it’s possible he has since returned to Houston. If you know anything about Garcia’s whereabouts, please contact the HPD Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. You can also visit the Justice for Journee McDaniel FB for more information about her story. Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 163: Journee McDaniel

At any given time in the world, there are thousands of unsolved murders. Most of them will never be solved.  The first 48 hours of a homicide are the most crucial to an investigation. Eventually, leads dry up, witnesses become less cooperative, and cases  go cold (unsolved). Meanwhile, detectives continue receiving new homicide cases which push older ones to the back. After a case goes cold, it quickly becomes yesterday’s news. The public and the media will forget about the crime and move onto the next crime story. But do you know who won’t forget about a cold case? The victim’s family and friends. They won’t forget because their case is more than a case file or news story. The victims were sons, fathers, mothers, daughters, or friends.  Catch my Killer is a podcast that focuses on the victim's surviving family and friends who give a voice to those who no longer have one. If you are listening and can help bring a killer to justice, please call in your tips. Even the smallest clue could be large enough to break a case wide open. Please be sure to visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by subscribing to my true crime Patreon page. You will receive an extra podcast episode per month (true crime, paranormal or a combination of both.) To subscribe, please visit my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/catchmykiller.

True crime

This week’s story involves the shooting death of a Columbus, Ohio man named VonMason Walker. On October 16, 2015 he was visiting the home of acquaintences. Before the night was over, he would be dead. VonMason Walker was born on December 24, 1990 in Columbus, OH. His parents are Willie Walker and Jennifer Gillman. He had graduated from high school in Muncie Indiana and had received his CDL so that he could become a truck driver. He was found dead in the home of an acquaintance on October 16, 2015. His father Willie Walker described his relationship with son as close. Willie had become VonMason’s primary caretaker when he was a child. Willie considered his son a good man who was motivated to make his own way. He eventually become a security guard. But after some time on the job, VonMason followed in his father’s footsteps and became a truck driver.Willie felt that his son had made a great career choice and was on his way to getting set for life. Unfortunately, Willie’s life changed forever when he learned that his beloved son had died from a gunshot wound on October 16, 2015. According to Willie, he was told that VonMason was dancing around with a gun and tripped over a toy and accidentally killed himself.Willie said this was a deduction made from the Columbus police department because no one in the house corroborated this story. Willie found the explanation ludicrous. He would hire a private investigator who looked into the matter further. Based on the investigator’s findings, VonMason’s death was no accident. Willie has spent the past several years trying to get the Columbus Police Department to change VonMason’s death from accidental shooting to a homicide. He has been unsuccessful. Willie shared VonMason’s story with me hoping that someone will listen to his pleas for help in getting to the truth of what really happened to his beloved son. What truly happened to VonMason? Was the shooting accidental or did someone kill him and get away with murder? Willie Walker doesn’t believe the Columbus Police Department will do anything with any tips they might receive. If you have a valuable tip, please contact Willie Walker directly at (614) - 441-6911. He would like to screen out tips and then discuss them with law enforcement personally.Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case. And if you are a parent, Law enforcement, official friend or relative seeking justice for an unsolved homicide case. Please visit my website and complete the contact form.

Episode 192: VonMason Walker (Part 1 of 2)

Donna Mullen was the mother of three daughters and lived in Jacksonville, Florida. She worked at the Ritz beach bar and had many local friends. Donna was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 29, 1948 and grew up in the Wilmington, Ohio area. Donna often traveled between Jacksonville, Florida and Cincinnati to visit family. She loved her daughters, but she also had her inner demons. She struggled with an addiction to alcohol.Her daughter Candy Sharp said her mother was a different person when she was intoxicated. When sober, Donna would bring Candy’s two sisters to visit her in Ohio. Candy didn’t live with her mother. She lived in Ohio with her adopted family who raised her. Although Candy wasn’t raised by her mother, the two were close and Donna made sure she kept in touch with Candy.Donna Mullen disappeared on July 19, 1986. A neighbor saw Donna leave her home on North 2nd Street in Jacksonville Beach. According to Candy, her mother had left home with a gun saying she was going to shoot someone. Donna's daughters believe it’s possible their mother was killed in a drug deal gone bad. Candy and her sister April have continuously sought justice for their mother. Unfortunately, their sister Michelle has since passed away without know ever knowing what happened to Donna. Donna Mullen was 37 years old at the time, 5 foot 1 inch tall, with brown hair, and blue eyes. The mother of three had affectionately been known as “Duck” due to the way she walked. She had a few distinctive tattoos, including a black panther on her left shoulder and two red hearts with a black “K” on her right wrist. She also had pierced ears and a scar from a hysterectomy on her abdomen. She disappeared nearly 40 years ago. What happened to this missing mother?Donna’s two surviving daughters have been on a quest to find out what happened to their mother. Can you help Candy and her sister April get answers for their missing mother who is presumed dead? If you have a valuable tip, you can contact the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at (904)-270-1661. And if you wish to remain anonymous you can report your tip to First Coast Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-TIPS.Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case. And if you are a parent, Law enforcement, official friend or relative seeking justice for an unsolved homicide case. Please visit my website and complete the contact form.

Episode 191: Donna Mullen

William Balfour Sr. was a retired grandfather. The Muncie, Indiana resident enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. According to his daughters Lashea and Consuela, William was definitely the family patriarch. Lashea, William's youngest daughter spoke to him daily, cooked meals for him and did everything she could to make his life comfortable. Before 11 p.m. on July 1, 2019, Lashea Facetimed her father. He then changed into his pajamas before getting ready for bed. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be getting any rest that evening. Consuela said a female friend named had shown up at the house and requested a ride home. William got out of bed and left with this friend. Family members said the trip to her home shouldn't have taken long. William had given her rides home in the past, so the request wasn't suspicious. A few hours later, Lashea's son became concerned when his grandfather had not returned home. He had to call the friend because his grandfather had left his phone at home. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to speak to the friend because she didn’t answer her phone. The next morning, the family discovered that William's 2001 Lincoln had been cordoned off by law enforcement. His vehicle had become a crime scene. William, still in his pajamas, was discovered outside his vehicle at Blaine and Centennial. Someone had beaten the elderly grandfather to death. His skull was bashed in and his teeth were knocked out. The beating was violent and fatal. Family members were stunned by his death. William's family couldn't understand why anyone would want to kill the elderly man. The family also noticed that the family friends wasn’t at the crime scene. Consuela got into her vehicle and searched for the friend. She found the friend walking down along a road. Consuela picked her up and drover her to the Muncie police station. According to Consuela and Lashea, law enforcement let the friend leave without charges. Consuela began investigating her father's death. She spoke with a witness who lived with the friend. According to him, she came home upset. She allegedly had blood on her clothing and defecated on herself. According to the witness, the friend said she had just murdered someone. She then recanted her statement and said she was kidding. After cleaning herself up, he said she left in a hurry. When she made the statement, he hadn’t known William was deceased. He presented Consuela with an article of bloody clothing belonging to the friend. Law enforcement refused to accept the evidence because they weren't the ones who seized it. I had asked the sisters why law enforcement didn’t arrest her father’s friend. Both said she claimed that she didn't know anything. Four years have passed since someone brutally beat William Balfour Sr. to death. Family members believe the friend knows much more about William's death than she's ever revealed. This is the conclusion of a two-part story. If you haven't listened to the first half, please go back and listen. Who killed William Balfour Sr. on July 2, 2019? Someone out there knows. The family is pleading for your help. If you have a valuable tip, you can contact Muncie Crime Stoppers at 765-286-4050.Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case. And if you are a parent, Law enforcement, official friend or relative seeking justice for an unsolved homicide case. Please visit my website and complete the contact form.

Episode 190: William Balfour Sr. (Part 2 of 2)

William Balfour Sr. was a retired grandfather. The Muncie, Indiana resident enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. According to his daughters Lashea and Consuela, William was definitely the family patriarch. Lashea, William's youngest daughter spoke to him daily, cooked meals for him and did everything she could to make his life comfortable. Before 11 p.m. on July 1, 2019, Lashea Facetimed her father. He then changed into his pajamas before getting ready for bed. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be getting any rest that evening. Consuela said a female friend named had shown up at the house and requested a ride home. William got out of bed and left with this friend. Family members said the trip to her home shouldn't have taken long. William had given her rides home in the past, so the request wasn't suspicious. A few hours later, Lashea's son became concerned when his grandfather had not returned home. He had to call the friend because his grandfather had left his phone at home. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to speak to the friend because she didn’t answer her phone. The next morning, the family discovered that William's 2001 Lincoln had been cordoned off by law enforcement. His vehicle had become a crime scene. William, still in his pajamas, was discovered outside his vehicle at Blaine and Centennial. Someone had beaten the elderly grandfather to death. His skull was bashed in and his teeth were knocked out. The beating was violent and fatal. Family members were stunned by his death. William's family couldn't understand why anyone would want to kill the elderly man. The family also noticed that the family friends wasn’t at the crime scene. Consuela got into her vehicle and searched for the friend. She found the friend walking down along a road. Consuela picked her up and drover her to the Muncie police station. According to Consuela and Lashea, law enforcement let the friend leave without charges. Consuela began investigating her father's death. She spoke with a witness who lived with the friend. According to him, she came home upset. She allegedly had blood on her clothing and defecated on herself. According to the witness, the friend said she had just murdered someone. She then recanted her statement and said she was kidding. After cleaning herself up, he said she left in a hurry. When she made the statement, he hadn’t known William was deceased. He presented Consuela with an article of bloody clothing belonging to the friend. Law enforcement refused to accept the evidence because they weren't the ones who seized it. I had asked the sisters why law enforcement didn’t arrest her father’s friend. Both said she claimed that she didn't know anything. Four years have passed since someone brutally beat William Balfour Sr. to death. Family members believe the friend knows much more about William's death than she's ever revealed. This is the first part of a two-part story. Be sure to listen next week to the conclusion. Who killed William Balfour Sr. on July 2, 2019? Someone out there knows. The family is pleading for your help. If you have a valuable tip, you can contact Muncie Crime Stoppers at 765-286-4050.Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case. And if you are a parent, Law enforcement, official friend or relative seeking justice for an unsolved homicide case. Please visit my website and complete the contact form.

Episode 189: William Balfour Sr. (Part 1 of 2)

(Part 2 of 2) David Akeman affectionately known as “Stringbean” was born on June 17, 1915 to a farm family in Annville, Kentucky. Anneville is a small town in Jackson County, Kentucky. Stringbean’s love for music began at an early age. Before he was 8 years old, he built his first instrument out of a shoebox and thread. He most likely developed his early love for music from his father who was a successful banjo player who often played throughout the community. By the time Stringbean was 12, he bought his own banjo and then began playing at local dances and built a reputation as an excellent musician.While working construction type work building roads and planting trees, he continued playing his banjo with a goal of making it big in the music business. His career began when he entered a contest being judged by singer-guitarist-musical saw player Asa Martin. After impressing Martin, he soon joined Martin’s band.During a performance, Martin had forgotten David Akeman’s name. So he just introduced Akeman as “String Beans” The nickname was given to him based on his tall lanky frame. Apparently, the name stuck and David Akeman would become known simply as String Bean.Not only did Stringbean become known for his musical abilities, he also became known for being a funny guy. Stringbean became known as a comedian musician. He also broadcast on WLAP out of Lexington, Kentucky, and played with different groups during the late 1930s. Strange enough, old country music back in the 30s didn’t include much banjo playing. However, Stringbean was able to keep banjo playing relevant in country music.Interesting enough, Stringbean was also a decent semi pro baseball player. His baseball playing skills became known to Bill Monroe, who had his own semi pro club. Monroe was so impressed with Stringbean that he added Stringbean to his band. He played in Monroe’s band from 1943 until 1945.After Stringbean left Monroe in 1945, he was replaced by another popular banjo player named Earl Scruggs, who had a different sound than Stringbean. Stringbean would also go on marry his sweetheart Estelle Stanfill in 1945. The following year he would begin working with another banjo player named Louis Marshall Jones, affectionately known as Grandpa Jones. The two men would both be together doing comedy in the television program Hee Haw. Grandpa Jones was a WWII veteran and would become Stringbean’s closest friend. The men also became neighbors in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.Akeman was one of the Opry's top stars throughout the 1950s. Oddly enough, he didn't begin recording on his own until the early '60s, when he signed to the Starday label. He had hits with "Chewing Gum" and "I Wonder Where Wanda Went," and recorded seven albums between 1961 and 1972.His first album was titled Old Time Pickin' and Grinnin' with Stringbean which was released in 1961. His music was considered folk stories with a taste of comedy. At the time, Stringbean and his buddy Grandpa Jones became the two biggest old time banjo players of their era.In 1969, a country style comedy would come to television. The program would be called Hee Haw and was on television from 1969 to 1993. The program lasted for 26 seasons and recorded 655 episodes. Any popular country musician who was anybody appeared on the show.Unfortunately, Stringbean and his wife Estelle would be tragically murdered on November 10, 1973. After the couple returned home from a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, they walked in on a robbery by two men. Stringbean was shot to death in front of his fireplace and his wife Estelle was shot to death outside their home while trying to flee the robbers.It would be Grandpa Jones who would find the bodies of his beloved friends the next day. Grandpa Jones had plans to pick Stringbean up the next day for a a planned...

Episode 163: Journee McDaniel

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