Who is Stacy Stewart, Christopher Thomason, and Brian Early? Today, we will go down the next rabbit hole of another man, or men, who could also be responsible for her disappearance. We're not going to talk about the entire case again like we did in Part 1 and 2 go give those a listen first. Fasten your seatbelts because we are about to DIVE in hard. Almost all of the information from this episode is taken from the book Reign of Justice, the link to that is down below, there is so much more new information in it. 

Again, if you haven’t listened to part one or two of this series, you should definitely go back and listen Part 1 gave a general overview of this case. In Part 2, we talked about Cal Harris. What evidence made him appear guilty, what evidence might be missing?

https://www.amazon.com/Reign-Injustice-Cal-Harris-Story/dp/B08F74RWVH

f you haven’t listened to part one of this series, you should definitely go back and listen to that one first. Part 1 gave a general overview of this case. In Part 2, we are going to dig into Who was Cal Harris? What evidence made him appear guilty, what evidence might be missing? We'll go over both sides of the story. Then in Part 3 we will go down the next rabbit hole of another man, or men, who could also be responsible for her disappearance. We're going to briefly go through some background information of the case for those who may be just listening in for the first time. 

Calvin “Cal” Harris is a wealthy businessman from Tioga County, New York, best known for being at the center of one of the most high-profile and controversial murder cases in upstate New York.  Harris owned car dealerships and was financially well-off. He lived in the rural community of Spencer, NY, with his wife, Michele Harris, and their four children. On September 11, 2001, Michele disappeared. Her van was found at the end of the long driveway of their home, but she was never seen again, and her body has never been recovered. Harris was charged with Michele’s murder multiple times. His first trial in 2007 ended in a conviction, but the verdict was overturned. He was convicted again in 2009, but that conviction was also overturned. A third trial in 2015 ended in a hung jury.Finally, in 2016, during his fourth trial, Harris was acquitted of all charges.

So lets dig a little deeper...

This is Part 1 of a 3 Part story. September 11, 2001 | While the nation reeled from terror, in Owego, NY, a different kind of panic took hold. Michele Anne Harris 35, mother of four, awaiting finalization of a divorce disappeared without a trace. In this episode, we trace the last known moments of her life, the controversial investigation, the legal battles against her husband Cal Harris, and the unanswered questions that linger more than two decades on. In 2001, Owego, NY was a peaceful rural town, where a young mother of four going missing under suspicious circumstances was not just rare it was unheard of. The tight-knit community was rocked by the case, but overshadowed by the events of 9/11. What happened to Michele Harris became a mystery that haunted not only her family but the entire town for decades. Despite its small size, Owego would become the center of one of New York’s most high-profile and controversial criminal cases.

On November 4th, 1983 Bessie P. Williams took her regular bus route to pick up her paycheck from work. The 19 year old made the short trip from her apartment on Main St in Johnson City, NY to the suburb of Endicott–where she worked at the Quality Inn Lodge & Convention center. She got her paycheck and intended to head home but she never made it. What happened to Bessie P. Williams on that Friday afternoon? There are so few details about the events that led up to her disappearance–but investigators DO have a sketch of someone they think might have some answers. So, we’re all dying to know–do YOU recognize this suspect?

Suspect in question is a white male, about 25 to 30 years old and had a “noticeable potbelly.” He was between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall and wore work boots, jeans and a blue windbreaker. The man was driving a white, late 1970s-style hatchback car that may have been a Ford. The car had New York license plates, a reddish-brown interior and a stick shift. Troopers ask anyone with information about the suspect or Williams’ homicide to call (607) 561-7400.

SOURCES:

https://websleuths.com/threads/bessie-p-williams-19-johnson-city-stabbed-4-november-1983-fresh-initiative.436429/

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2016/08/do_you_recognize_this_suspect_in_1983_death_of_binghamton-area_teen.html

https://imagej.net/ij/download/docs/RollingBall.pdf

https://www.endicottny.com/history

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/public-safety/2019/04/09/cold-case-murder-broome-ny-police-bessie-williams-victim-suspect-latest/3409284002/

At 12:36 in the afternoon on Friday, December 19th, 2014 a 911 call came in to the Broome County Emergency dispatch. The caller on the other end simply asked for an ambulance to be sent & hung up promptly. A sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the Nanticoke Valley Trailer Park, in the town of Maine, just outside of Binghamton, New York. The residence belonged to Michael Fiocco and Shannon Laskaris. One week prior to this moment, Shannon’s sister, Kelly, succumbed to her courageous battle with cancer. For the Laskaris family, a whole different nightmare was unfolding before Christmas; tragically leaving them to be without both of their beautiful daughters for the holidays.

SOURCES:

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/public-safety/2016/10/13/homicide-case-sentencing-today-womans-death/91986616/

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/public-safety/2016/06/02/murder-case-fiocco-claimed-girlfriend-stabbed-him-deputy-says/73503226/

https://www.barbermemorialhome.com/obituaries/Shannon-M-Laskaris?obId=27081574

https://www.pressconnects.com/picture-gallery/news/crime/2014/12/19/gallery-homicide-in-the-town-of-maine/20663477/ 

The stories that Allie is sharing today come from the real patients that sought treatment at the Binghamton State Hospital, which opened in 1879. It is important to acknowledge that while the Greater Binghamton Health Center is currently still functional on the State Hospital campus, these stories are specifically from the patients of the inebriate asylum.

Perched above the Susquehanna River at 425 Robinson Street in Binghamton, New York, stands a Gothic revival behemoth,  once a pioneer in the treatment of alcoholism—this is the Castle on the Hill. Chartered in 1854 under Dr. Joseph Edward Turner, the institution was the first in the United Statesto treat alcoholism as a mental disease Designed by architect Isaac G. Perry, construction began in 1857 and admitted its first patients in February 1864.

Allie and I have a little bit more fun with this episode telling the stories. But we also just wanted to make note that Roger Luther — who has studied the history of not only the Binghamton hospital but also its counterparts in Buffalo, Utica and Willard — said his research about the Castle has convinced him that the overwhelmingly majority of Binghamton staffers wanted to help those they cared for, even if treatments such as electroshock therapy and lobotomies are now discredited. “I couldn’t have more respect for the people who worked there,” he said. “Their intentions were nothing but the best for the patients. They loved the patients — it was like a family atmosphere.” As new drugs like Thorazine — the first effective antipsychotic medication — were introduced in the mid-1950s, societal thinking about institutionalizing the mentally ill began to shift. Also, with the passage of Medicaid in 1965, the federal government encouraged states to move patients out of mental hospitals because the program excluded coverage for people in “institutions for mental diseases.

Thank you Roger Luther and the Souther Tier Preservation Society for keeping these stories accessible, for helping our community remember its history and for the work that keeps Binghamton culture alive and well.

Source: http://nysasylum.com/biadocs2.htm

This story is about Chrystal Crandall.

When the news broke that a murder had occurred in our hometown, I was at the airport — returning from a family trip — I saw the story begin to circulate. And then came an alarming email from my kids' elementary school. The words: domestic violence. A Mother’s been killed. 3 children are being assessed and treated at the hospital. Her name came out fast. So did the details.

That’s when it really clicked: her child and my child are in the same 3rd grade class

There’s a specific kind of weight that comes when a tragedy lands this close. It’s not a headline anymore. It’s the name from the phone tree list. It’s one of those milestone moments when your child is asking questions you don’t really know how to answer.

This isn’t just a story I heard, it’s a tragedy I will never forget.

https://troopers.ny.gov/news/update-new-york-state-police-investigate-fatal-domestic-incident-apalachin 

https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/top-stories/family-mourns-apalachin-murder-victim/ 

https://www.wbng.com/2024/02/24/tioga-county-man-charged-with-murder-fatal-domestic-dispute/ 

https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2023/10/dinapoli-number-domestic-violence-victims-rises-2022

https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-amid-covid-there-is-a-very-troubling-33-surge-of-domestic-violence-cases-in-ny-requiring-action-senator-demands-senate-immediately-reauthorize-violence-against-women-act-that-already-passed-house-law-funds-upstate-ny-shelters-counseling-and-critical-efforts-that-save-lives_gives-survivors-a-second-chance

https://wnbf.com/husband-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-apalachin-woman/

https://www.ness-sibley.com/obituaries/chrystal-yawcrandall

In this episode Allie covers 2 very powerful cases where a murder-suicide took place. These are the stories of Dr. Marie Laure Jean-Jacques, Lauren Ajax and Cynthia Pratt-Lyons.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of hurting themselves or others, call to text 988 for immediate assistance. Likewise, if you need support or want to learn more about resources for domestic violence, stalking harassment or intimate partner violence you can find help by calling 800-799-7233 or texting 88788https://wnbf.com/suspect-in-deadly-family-shooting-in-vestal-dies

https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/bodies-identified-in-endwell-murder-suicide/

On March 9, 2018 the body of Binghamton University student Haley Anderson was found in the home of a young frat member off campus. Haley was a Nursing student from Long Island, NY who had quickly fallen in love with the Binghamton area upon visiting colleges years prior. There was a clear suspect from the beginning, however he was nowhere to be found. This heartbreaking story would take investigators 3,800 miles away and would eventually lead to charges that are literally unheard of in the United States. “Femicide”; the homicide, or intentional killing, of a woman or a girl & is used in cases where there are gender-motivated offenses. According to UNwomen.org femicide is “It is the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women and girls which occurs on a continuum of multiple and related forms of violence, at home, in workplaces, schools or public spaces, including intimate partner violence, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence, harmful practices and trafficking.”

This is Haley's story

A little yap sesh to introduce you to hosts Allie & Quinn. Welcome to Binghamton, NY--the actual town that inspired Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. We're telling real stories, about the real people--living, lost and Last Seen in the Twilight Zone. Follow us to see when episodes drop weekly every Mondays. Support us on Patreon to get early access and bonus content!