Buried Bylines

In 2014, 46-year-old Tammy Jo Blanton was found brutally murdered and dismembered in her Jeffersonville home. When police responded to the scene, Tammy's ex-boyfriend Joseph Oberhansley opened the door. This case would go on to become infamous across Indiana and the midwest as Oberhansley was eventually convicted of killing, dismembering and eating parts of Tammy's remains. Abby (Lutz) Walker was working in Louisville and covered the trial in 2020. She joins us to talk through the horrifying and unbelievable details of the case. At the same time, Megan explains why Oberhansley should have never even been able to meet Tammy in the first place.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES:

https://www.thehotline.org/

https://www.nrcdv.org/

https://www.domesticshelters.org/help

SOURCES:
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/09/cannibal-joseph-oberhansley-appeals-life-sentence-indiana-case/7566549001/

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/indiana-man-who-dismembered-ex-girlfriend-and-ate-her-brain-appeals-life-sentence-for-murder/

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/joseph-oberhansley-appeals-sentence-tammy-blanton-murder

https://www.newsandtribune.com/news/indiana-supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-in-oberhansley-appeal-no-decision-yet/article_e4c8a612-d48f-11ed-9bc8-53ab006e42ab.html

https://www.wave3.com/2023/05/17/indiana-supreme-court-upholds-life-sentence-man-convicted-murder-cannibalism-case/

https://www.wdrb.com/news/jeffersonville-man-convicted-of-killing-dismembering-ex-girlfriend-appeals-life-sentence/article_153cfc8e-d491-11ed-90fc-6fdf82854532.html

https://people.com/crime/man-accused-killing-ex-eating-organs-mistrial/

https://www.wlky.com/article/officers-describe-joseph-oberhansley-as-nervous-following-alleged-murder/34016543

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/indiana/2020/09/18/joseph-oberhansley-indiana-cannibalism-case-guilty-verdict/5818521002/

https://www.wdrb.com/news/accused-indiana-cannibal-joseph-oberhansley-takes-stand-in-his-own-murder-trial/article_3b781fbc-f8f9-11ea-859b-5713b7467cbf.html

https://www.wave3.com/2020/09/14/joseph-oberhansley-trial-there-was-blood-everywhere/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2014/09/20/accused-cannibal-fell-legal-cracks/15914787/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2019/08/20/indiana-cannibal-case-what-to-know-about-joseph-oberhansleys-trial/2050390001/

https://www.wave3.com/story/38733564/in-man-accused-of-killing-eating-ex-girlfriend-found-competent-to-stand-trial/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2019/08/22/cannibal-case-judge-decide-mistrial/2081767001/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2019/08/21/cannibalism-trial-jeffersonville-opening-statements-gruesome/2074128001/

https://www.wlky.com/article/affidavit-man-admits-killing-ex-girlfriend-eating-organs/3752472

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/18/joseph-oberhansley-guilty-murder-gruesome-cannibalism-case/5830507002/

https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/mobile/58425650-68/oberhansley-utah-parole-blanton.html.csp

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/05/04/indiana-cannibal-new-rape-charge/26890793/

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/joseph-oberhansley-accused-of-killing-eating-former-girlfriend-sentence-uph-by-indiana-supreme-court/70230908007/#:~:text=Joseph%20Oberhansley%20was%20convicted%20for,to%20a%20mental%20health%20disorder.

https://www.wdrb.com/news/tammy-jo-blantons-friend-begs-for-closure-5-years-after-brutal-murder/article_3d1e95c4-d4d5-11e9-bbe7-f34e1e231731.html

https://www.newsandtribune.com/news/indiana-supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-in-oberhansley-appeal-no-decision-yet/article_e4c8a612-d48f-11ed-9bc8-53ab006e42ab.html

https://www.wlky.com/article/cannibalism-victims-mother-calls-suspect-evil-monster/3548174#

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/crime/joseph-oberhansley-life-without-parole-for-murder-6-years-for-burglary/417-48753514-103b-46df-87f5-95e1ece1c09e

On December 8, 2012, 85-year-old Lowell R. Badger was found dead on the bedroom floor of his rural Sullivan County, Indiana home. Mr. Badger died from a gunshot wound suffered during a burglary of his residence. The clues that could help crack the case? A safe, a TV, and surveillance footage.

SOURCES:

https://www.in.gov/isp/crime-reporting/cold-case-investigations/https://www.newspapers.com/image/126360505/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/126361323/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/580289196/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/90755203/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/126384290/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/90767679/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/109575437/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/758935562/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/463135515/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/722314505/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/761109442/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/463480455/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/580590707/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/699869486/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/699869486/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/788542280/?terms=%22Lowell%20Badger%22&match=1

https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/three-years-later-homicide-of-lowell-badger-remains-unsolved/article_e6657254-0da8-5cd3-b617-16dd7589fcd4.html

https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news/local-news/who-killed-lowell-badger-tuesday-marks-8th-anniversary-of-sullivan-county-homicide/

https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news/special-report/if-it-can-happen-here-it-can-happen-anywhere-sullivan-county-grapples-with-lowell-badger-murder-9-years-later/

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/9-years-anniversary-85-years-old-retired-farmer-lowell-badger-sullivan-county-unsolved-murder-homicide/531-0330b80a-480c-4287-9a10-9c6d93f34574

https://putnamcountypost.com/local-news/665655

https://fox59.com/indiana-news/isp-asks-for-tips-in-10-year-old-homicide-investigation-of-retired-sullivan-co-farmer/

16-year-old Theresa Ann Bier disappeared on June 1, 1987. Friends and family say her last moments were likely spent in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on a search for Big Foot. Despite the insane circumstances surrounding her death, Theresa's story is one many people have never heard of and it remains unsolved today.

SOURCES:

https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/theresa-ann-bier
https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/theresa-ann-bier
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/217dfca.html
https://uncovered.com/cases/theresa-bier
Newspaper archives: The Fresno Bee

In 1979, the body of Mary Ann Higginbotham was found in a 55-gallon drum in White Lick Creek in Mooresville, Indiana. She was shot in the back of the head. Her boyfriend, Timothy Willoughby also went missing at the same time. Willoughby’s body has never been found, but police believe he died the same day as Mary Ann. Who killed them? And why?

SOURCES:

https://www.in.gov/isp/crime-reporting/cold-case-investigations/cold-cases-by-county/indianapolis-district-investigations/mary-ann-higginbotham-06051979/

https://www.in.gov/isp/crime-reporting/cold-case-investigations/cold-cases-by-county/indianapolis-district-investigations/timothy-willoughby-06051979/ 

https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/MP26443 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/138899997/?terms=mooresville%20body&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/547715553/?terms=mooresville%20body&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312652186/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312651904/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107199857/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107199975/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312653180/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312817070/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551477488/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107203444/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107204686/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107200094/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107587283/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107598470/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312821632/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/106222821/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312834456/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/252664377/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/106256648/?terms=Mary%20Ann%20Higginbotham&match=1

https://www.wishtv.com/news/cold-case-still-leaves-lingering-question-who-killed-mary-ann-higginbotham-and-tim-willoughby/

After 14 years of questions and agonizing pain, a New Mexico family got heartbreaking confirmation of their worst fear... William "Bill" Blodgett was dead. The 69-year-old had gone missing in the days before Christmas of 2008. Police searched in and around Bill's home but couldn't find enough evidence to close the case. Nearly 15 years later, a suspect decided to come forward and take responsibility for Bill's disappearance and subsequent death. Megan walks us through the shocking confession and startling details of the murder.

SOURCES:

https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/he-was-a-good-man-guilt-ridden-roswell-man-confesses-to-killing-landlord-in-2008/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/young-couple-killed-landlord-tenancy-dispute-canada-ontario-stoney-creek/

https://www.newser.com/story/335913/he-got-away-with-murder-then-called-911-to-confess-cops.html

https://www.krqe.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/05/criminal-complaint_murder-case-5-1-23_Redacted.pdf

https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-confession-murder-cold-case-e5f30d02202da3132f80f88b034858bd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omviqmGLwYw

https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/roswell-man-confesses-to-2008-murder-remains-found-under-house/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNXalI9lvoQ

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/guilt-ridden-killer-borrowed-cellphone-to-call-911-and-confess-to-murdering-landlord-with-screwdriver-police/

https://www.newsweek.com/tony-peralta-confess-murder-landlord-15-years-william-blodgett-1803591

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=610199781150072&set=a.298056052364448

https://www.abqjournal.com/2595768/i-took-his-life-for-no-reason-confession-to-2008-roswell-killing-leads-police-to-body-buried-under-floorboards.html

This week we welcome our third guest to the podcast. Our friend and former colleague, Kayla Sullivan, joins us to discuss the shocking murder of 10-year-old Skylea Carmack in Grant County, Indiana. Kayla spent a full week continuously covering this case in Gas City as it turned from the search for a missing girl to a murder investigation. Kayla shares firsthand stories of community search parties, candlelight vigils, plus exclusive interviews with neighbors and members of Skylea's family.

RESOURCES:

https://www.childsafe-sa.org/resources/know-the-10-signs-of-child-abuse/ 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/signs.pdf 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/reporting/how/

SOURCES:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7421143/Missing-Indiana-girl-10-extreme-danger-police-say-amid-statewide-Silver-Alert.html

https://fox59.com/news/father-of-missing-10-year-old-from-gas-city-speaks-out/

https://people.com/crime/missing-indiana-girl-public-police-help/ 

https://fox59.com/news/no-sign-of-missing-gas-city-10-year-old-after-3rd-day-of-searching/

https://www.abc57.com/news/ten-year-old-missing-from-gas-city-found-dead-stepmother-arrested

https://fox59.com/news/breaking-body-of-missing-gas-city-girl-found-in-shed-behind-home-stepmom-accused-of-strangling-her/

https://www.newson6.com/story/5e34718c527dcf49dad6f765/missing-10yearold-indiana-girl-found-dead-in-trash-bag-stepmother-charged-in-murder

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2019/09/06/indiana-homicide-skylea-carmack-amanda-carmack-gas-city-body-trash-bag-shed-abuse-confinement/2232319001/

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/indiana/indiana-stepmother-strangled-10-year-old/417-440fc0a3-3fb0-4913-b1f2-2c1c3dbfb559

https://www.wane.com/news/crime/court-docs-stepmom-choked-girl-to-death-because-she-was-very-angry/

https://fox59.com/news/gas-city-woman-accused-of-strangling-stepdaughter-appears-in-court-says-she-will-represent-herself/

https://www.wndu.com/content/news/Indiana-stepmom-accused-of-killing-10-year-old-to-claim-mental-illness-561564621.html

https://fox59.com/news/court-records-stepmother-accused-of-killing-10-year-old-gas-city-girl-seeking-mental-illness-defense/

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2020/01/10/skylea-carmacks-stepmother-competent-stand-trial-girls-killing/4432022002/

https://nypost.com/2020/11/05/covid-19-prompts-mistrial-for-woman-accused-of-killing-stepdaughter/

https://www.mytwintiers.com/crime/trial-set-for-stepmother-accused-of-killing-stepdaughter/

https://www.wane.com/news/crime/new-trial-to-start-for-gas-city-woman-accused-of-killing-stepdaughter/

https://www.crimeonline.com/2021/08/09/stepmom-blames-migraines-on-why-she-strangled-disabled-girl-with-pair-of-pants-stashed-body-in-shed/

https://www.wane.com/news/crime/gas-city-woman-gets-life-without-parole-in-stepdaughters-murder/

https://apnews.com/article/indiana-marion-3b92ad60a9e95b6350bee2e7ffda99ef

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/indiana-supreme-court-amanda-carmack-grant-county-stepdaughters-murder-10-years-old/531-9804acc7-cb35-4759-8f99-3a8832c52ec9

https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-supreme-court-upholds-murder-conviction-sentence-for-gas-city-woman-who-strangled-10-year-old-stepdaughter/

In March of 1989, two employees at the Monical's Pizza in Danville, Illinois were closing up shop when a man came in for a last-minute order. The two staffers were then shot in the head and left for dead. Miraculously, one of the victims survived the shooting and would go on to identify and testify against his attacker. Thanks to one of our listeners, we know that the suspect was already in jail for an unrelated crime. Without that minor violation, it's likely this murder case would've gone unsolved.

Is she a six-year-old orphan or a 'con artist' adult? This week we're diving head first into one of the strangest cases we've ever covered. In 2019, an Indiana couple was charged with neglect after leaving the young girl they adopted in an apartment alone... before moving out of the country. Before the Barnett's fled to Canada, they legally changed Natalia's age from 8 to 22. The couple also claims that Natalia threatened to kill their family, even standing over their beds in the middle of the night. Mallory and Megan covered this case in real time during their stint in local news. Boy do we have OPINIONS!!

SOURCES:

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/2019/09/18/michael-kristine-barnett-daughter-abandon-ukraine-adoption-dwarfism-prodigy/2364895001/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/607135448/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/620419708/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=683195472164403

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/crime/2019/11/04/kristine-barnetts-daughter-included-in-gag-order/4157711002/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/619555730/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNioz9JmQW4

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7479061/Mom-claims-Ukrainian-daughter-9-adopted-really-22-year-old-dwarfism.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7547259/Birth-mother-Ukrainian-dwarf-denies-claims-adult-sociopath-masquerading-child.html 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/619555730/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/619556343/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/623466465/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/676057430/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT

https://www.newspapers.com/image/676214051/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/677980753/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT

https://www.newspapers.com/image/773755027/?terms=NATALIA%20BARNETT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB-ftrJaIio&t=11s

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/indiana-couple-accused-abandoning-adopted-daughter-moving-canada-n1055861

https://deadline.com/2022/08/ellen-pompeo-star-ep-orphan-limited-series-hulu-1235055614/

In 1989, Charles "Chip" Flynn was found shot in a Florida citrus grove. He had been hanging out with his ex-girlfriend, who claims the duo had been robbed and carjacked by a black man. Despite inconsistent details in what happened that night and an uncertain line-up, Kim Hallock identified Crosley Green as the alleged shooter. The state of Florida took the questionable case against Green and ran with it. They were determined to get "their guy" behind bars even if that meant coercing witnesses and failing to turn over evidence. Green spent decades in prison before his case was overturned. However, he's currently back in a jail cell following an appellate court ruling. His only hope now is to be granted clemency. Hear the facts of the case yourself and see if you agree.

SOURCES:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crosley-green-wrongfully-convicted-ordered-back-to-prison-48-hours/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/crosley-green-returns-to-prison-maintains-innocence-after-murder-conviction-reinstated

https://abcnews.go.com/US/crosley-green-ordered-back-florida-prison-2-years-after/story?id=98403263

https://www.crowell.com/en/pro-bono/crosley-green

https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/17/us/crosley-green-prison-return/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/crosleygreen/

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/16/crosley-green-maintains-his-innocence-on-way-back-to-prison/

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-supreme-court-will-not-hear-crosley-green-case-301756719.html

https://lawandcrime.com/opinion/opinion-the-tragic-case-of-crosley-green/

https://www.wesh.com/article/brevard-county-crosley-green-surrendering/43612528

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/opinion/2023/04/06/crosley-green-case-shakes-faith-justice-system-titusville-florida-murder/70079731007/

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/im-going-have-my-freedom-one-day-crosley-green-returns-prison-1990-murder-conviction/2MSV72SD2ZCMPNHEZFJMHSQ4QE/

https://www.change.org/p/grant-clemency-to-crosley-green-now

https://www.flgov.com/email-the-governor/

This week we’re diving into one of Indiana’s oldest cold cases. In 1950, high school teacher Garnet Ginn was found dead in her garage. Her body was discovered hanging from the handle of her car door. Police immediately wrote it off as suicide, ignoring glaring physical evidence including blood spatter at the scene. Garnet’s family refused to believe their daughter would take her own life. Thanks to an independent investigation from a local newspaper, Garnet’s death was later determined a homicide. To this day, it has never been solved.

SOURCES:

https://www.newspapers.com/image/547264988/?terms=garnett%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249160758/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249457472/?terms=garnet%20ginn

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249457535/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249620180/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249620173/?terms=garnet%20ginn

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249189471/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249189623/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/17311064/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249620826/?terms=garnet%20ginn

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249620916/?terms=garnet%20ginn

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249621078/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249173182/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/249318947/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/254105000/?terms=garnet%20ginn

https://www.newspapers.com/image/254097783/?terms=garnet%20ginn&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/536010996/?terms=garnet%20ginn

⁠https://apnews.com/article/189c45873e564a0cb18eb3061ea159c6⁠

⁠https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana/after-69-years-indiana-cold-case-has-new-life/531-9c966bda-b5ba-42ba-9729-a5d45671ad62⁠ 

⁠https://fox59.com/news/tip-leads-indiana-police-to-re-examine-1950-murder-case/⁠

⁠https://cbs4indy.com/news/indycrime/indiana-police-re-examine-1950-murder-case-after-curious-tip/⁠

⁠https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/tip-leads-indiana-police-to-re-examine-1950-murder-case/⁠ 

⁠https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/crime/2019/02/19/portland-police-re-examining-womans-1950-slaying/2910510002/⁠

⁠https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/new-suspect-and-details-emerge-but-portland-cold-case-will-never-be-solved/⁠

⁠https://www.wthr.com/article/news/investigations/13-investigates/new-evidence-emerges-1950-cold-case-murder-indiana-teacher/531-3872cdb7-9e7f-4903-b71f-d778a6f4c5d8⁠