A Sip Of Redrum

CASE FILE

[EPISODE 27] | Cold-Blooded Stranger

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

• The Pour: Malice in Wonderland (True Crime Edition)

• The Ingredients: 1.5 oz Empress 1908 Gin (or color-changing indigo gin), 0.75 oz Sloe Gin or Cherry Liqueur, 0.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice, 0.5 oz Simple Syrup, 3 oz Tonic Water or Ginger Ale. Garnish: Dark skewered blackberry and a lemon twist curled like a Cheshire grin.

• The Vibe: A brooding, color-shifting elixir with a dark violet-red hue, offering a sinister berry tartness and complex depth that mirrors a sinister, unpredictable crime unraveling in the dark.

THE SUBJECT

• Name: Robin Warr Lawrence

• Date of Incident: November 20, 1994 (Estimated time of attack: November 18, 1994)

• Location: Springfield, Fairfax County, Virginia

• Status: Solved (Guilty Plea / Convicted)

THE TIMELINE

• November 18, 1994 (Evening): 37-year-old artist and mother Robin Warr Lawrence speaks with her family and stops to pick up errands. Sometime around 9:30 PM, an intruder breaks into her home in Springfield, VA, while her 2-year-old daughter sleeps nearby, and savagely attacks Robin. Robin fights back fiercely, leaving her blood and the killer's DNA on a washcloth in the bathroom.

• November 18–20, 1994: Robin’s 2-year-old daughter, Nicole, is left alone inside the house for nearly two days following the murder, wandering the home until help arrives.

• November 20, 1994: Concerned friend visit the home and discover the terrifying scene. Nicole is safely rescued, and a multi-decade homicide investigation is launched.

• 1994–2022: Initial suspicion falls on Robin's husband, who was away on business, but DNA evidence clears him. The case remains cold for nearly 30 years despite DNA profile entry into CODIS.

• September 2023: Using advanced genetic genealogy, cold-case detectives identify former U.S. Army soldier Stephan Smerk. Investigators travel to New York where Smerk confesses to the random, unprovoked killing.

• October 4, 2024: Stephan Smerk pleads guilty to first-degree murder for the 1994 slaying of Robin Lawrence, describing himself during interrogations as a "serial killer who only killed once."

EVIDENCE LOCKER (Visuals & Links)

• The Map: [Springfield, Fairfax County, VA]

• • The Faces: >Follow @: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

• The "Deep Dive" Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/stephen-smerk-new-york-robin-warr-lawrence-murder-virginia-cold-case-48-hours/

◦ https://people.com/robin-lawrence-murdered-took-police-decades-arrest-her-killer-11906659

◦ 48 hours Season 39 Episode 5: closing the cold case of Robin Lawrence

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tbd

TBA

CASE FILE

[EPISODE #23] | Who Broke the Heart

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

• The Pour: The Brass Salute

• The Ingredients: Reposado Tequila (or Golden Rum), Amaro Nonino, Fresh Lemon Juice (plus Honey Syrup)

• The Vibe: A bold, warm, and complex pour with an herbal bitterness that mirrors a life dedicated to service ending in a devastating betrayal by someone sworn to protect.

THE SUBJECT

• Name: Anitra LaShay Gunn

• Date of Incident: February 14, 2020

• Location: Fort Valley / Peach County, Georgia

• Status: Solved THE TIMELINE

• February 14, 2020 (Valentine's Day): 23-year-old Fort Valley State University student Anitra Gunn is last seen alive around 11:30 AM near her boyfriend's home; her boyfriend, U.S. Army Sergeant Demarcus Little, later strangles her during an argument.

• February 15, 2020: Anitra fails to respond to messages and calls from family and friends; her father contacts police, launching an intensive multi-agency search after her car is found abandoned in a neighborhood with its front bumper missing.

• February 14, 2020: The Last Known Sighting (when Anitra was seen alive in the Chestnut Hill area before her sudden disappearance).

EVIDENCE LOCKER (Visuals & Links)

• The Map: [Link to Google Maps - Fort Valley & Crawford County, GA]

• The Faces: >Follow @: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

• The "Deep Dive" Source:

>Fatal Attraction- Season 14 Episode 15: The Devil is real

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDvwHyV3yb0

>https://wgxa.tv/news/local/graphic-testimony-details-how-anitra-gunn-was-killed-on-day-4-of-murder-trial

>https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/gbi-makes-2nd-arrest-connected-to-death-of-anitra-gunn

"A badge and a uniform mean nothing when ego and control consume a person—true honor lies in remembering the bright future stolen from a promising young woman."

CASE FILE

[EPISODE #22] | Buzzer Beater Betrayal

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

• The Pour: The Foul Play •

The Ingredients:

Texas Bourbon, Smoked Ancho Chili Liqueur, Waco Dr Pepper (plus Dark Cherry Syrup & Fresh Lemon Juice)

• The Vibe: Bold, smoky, with a sudden lingering heat under a sweet surface—perfectly reflecting a classic Texas sports scandal built on sweet ambition, betrayal, and a dark cover-up.

THE SUBJECT

• Name: Patrick James Dennehy

• Date of Incident: June 12, 2003

• Location: Waco, Texas

• Status: Solved

THE TIMELINE

• June 12, 2003: Patrick Dennehy is shot and killed in a rural gravel pit near Waco by his friend and teammate, Carlton Dotson.

• June 19, 2003: Patrick's family officially files a missing person report after his abandoned Chevrolet Tahoe is found with its license plates removed in Virginia.

• June 12, 2003: The Last Known Sighting (when Patrick and Carlton were last seen together heading to practice target shooting).

EVIDENCE LOCKER

• The Map: [Link to Google Maps - Waco, Texas & Surrounding McLennan County]

• The Faces:

>Follow @: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

• The "Deep Dive" Source:

Game Day Murders (HBOMax)

THE RECAP

"When winning becomes the only priority, loyalty turns to paranoia, and institutions choose to protect their brand rather than the human lives under their watch."

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

CASE FILE

[EPISODE 20] | The Silence of A Hundred Witnesses

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

• The Pour: The Sovereign Hope

• The Ingredients: Gin/Vodka (or Berry Liqueur), Fresh Lime Juice, Ginger Beer ( topped with Blackberry & Gold Glitter)

• The Vibe: A midnight-sapphire blue drink that looks like a summer celebration, cut through by the sharp bite of lime for a town's sudden silence, and topped with the fiery fizz of ginger beer to represent a father's relentless fight for justice.

THE SUBJECT

• Name: Ne'Keisha "Keisha" Nicole Hodges-Hawkins ("Monster")

• Date of Incident: July 24, 2011

• Location: Michigan City, Indiana (Krueger Memorial Park)

• Status: Solved

THE TIMELINE

• Sunday, July 24, 2011 (Evening): 17-year-old Keisha tells a white lie to attend a massive summer party at Krueger Memorial Park just four days before her 18th birthday.

• July 24, 2011 (Late Night): A confrontation breaks out in a crowd of over 100 people; gunshots echo through the park, leaving Keisha fatally wounded while the crowd suddenly goes mute.

• July 2011 – 2021: The Last Known Sighting. Over a decade of deafening silence follows as her father, Kalvon, relentlessly knocks on doors and shakes up communities until the truth is finally brought to light.

EVIDENCE LOCKER

• The Map:

Krueger Memorial Park, Michigan City, IN

• The Faces:

>Follow @: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

CASE FILE

EPISODE 19] | She's a Runner, She's a Track Star

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

• The Pour: Photo Finish

• The Ingredients: Premium White Rum, Fresh Pineapple, Coconut Cream, Red Chili Infusion

• The Vibe: A deceptively smooth, tropical pour with an unexpected, burning heat that reflects the tragic fall of a bright young star and the dark betrayal lurking beneath a mother's grieving facade.

THE SUBJECT

• Name: Shilie LaShay Turner

• Date of Incident: January 17, 1993 (Found February 20, 1993)

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Fairmount Park)

• Status: Solved

THE TIMELINE

• January 17, 1993 (Late Night): 15-year-old track star Shilie Turner visits a friend, grabs a late-night bite, and is seen boarding the SEPTA bus to head home.

• January 18, 1993 – February 1993: Shilie fails to arrive home; her mother, Vivian King, leads frantic public searches, marches in rallies, and hands out flyers claiming her daughter was kidnapped.

• February 20, 1993: The Last Known Sighting. Shilie’s body is discovered in a shallow grave in Fairmount Park; investigators soon uncover that her own mother shot her six times following an argument, unraveling a sickening web of deception.

EVIDENCE LOCKER

• The Map: Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA

• The "Deep Dive" ean Girl Murders- Season 3, Episode 6: Running For Her Life

Payback- Season 3, Episode 9: Running From the Devil

Oxygen True Crime Article: 'Full Of Evil': Mother Of Teen Track Star 'Laughed' After Confessing To Brutally Murdering Her

Youtube: A missing track star & a psychic medium! Shilie Turner & Valerie Morrison's connection #215by Kandlandtarot

THE RECAP

"She was fast enough to outrun anyone on the track, but she couldn't outrun the monster waiting for her in her own home."

>Follow @: Instagram,TikTok,Facebook

CASE FILE

[EPISODE 18] | The Case of Dante Grant

THE SPIRIT OF THE EPISODE

The Pour: The Sharp Edge Sangria • The Ingredients: White Rum, Peach Schnapps, Cabernet Sauvignon Float

The Vibe: A deceptively sweet and tropical blend that masks a dark, bleeding red layer of red wine pierced clean through by a sword—perfectly reflecting a sunny teenage facade that hid a sharp, pre-planned ambush.

THE SUBJECT

Name: Dwight "DJ" Dante Grant

Date of Incident: October 2021

Location: Miramar, Florida • Status: Solved

THE TIMELINE

• Early October 2021: A calculated plot begins to form when a classmate is pressured by a jealous individual to act as bait, ultimately setting a deadly lure.

• October 2021 (Night of the Ambush): Dante is lured out under the impression of a routine meetup, completely unaware of the violent trap waiting in the wings.

• October 2021: The Last Known Sighting. Dante enters a dark residential stairwell where he is suddenly ambushed from the shadows by multiple attackers brandishing a weapon purchased online.

EVIDENCE LOCKER

• The Map: Miramar, FL

• Between the Cheats S2 E1 (Tubi)

THE RECAP

"When jealousy turns lethal, a bright light can be snuffed out in a matter of seconds. They thought the shadows would protect their secrets, but the truth always finds a way to burn right through the smoke."

>Follow @: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook