The Redhead Murders

Overview

The Redhead Murders is a chilling term that encapsulates a series of unsolved homicides involving redheaded females across the United States from October 1978 to 1992. Authorities believe these grim acts were the work of an unidentified male serial killer, whose hunting grounds spanned several states including Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. These murders, hauntingly dubbed the "Bible Belt Strangler" in 2018, raised numerous questions about the nature of the crimes and the victims, many of whom remained unidentified for years. The evidence suggests these women may have been hitchhiking or involved in prostitution when they met their tragic fates.

Quick Facts

• Other Names: The Bible Belt Strangler
• Victims: Estimated between 5 and 14+
• Span of Crimes: 1978–1992
• States Involved: Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia
• Date Apprehended: Not apprehended

Despite the extensive investigations, authorities remain uncertain about the total number of victims and whether all the murders were committed by the same individual or group. By November 2018, four victims had been positively identified, but the true extent of this dark chapter in American crime remains a haunting mystery.

Victims

Lisa Nichols

On September 16, 1984, the skeletal remains of Lisa Nichols, age 28, were discovered along Interstate 40 near West Memphis, Arkansas. Disturbingly, she was found dressed only in a sweater, and it took authorities until June 1985—nine months post-mortem—to identify her through fingerprint analysis. Lisa, who had previously resided in West Virginia, appeared to have been estranged from her family, complicating identification efforts. Investigators suspect she may have been murdered after leaving a truck stop while attempting to hitchhike.

Tina Farmer

The harrowing tale of Tina Farmer begins on January 1, 1985, when her bound body was found near Jellico, Tennessee, down an embankment off Interstate 75. She had suffered severe trauma, with her death occurring approximately 72 hours before her body was discovered. Tina was a Caucasian woman with curly shoulder-length red hair, estimated to be between 17 and 25 years old at the time of her death, and she was found clothed in a tan pullover and jeans, wrapped in a blanket that contained seminal fluid.

Fast forward to September 6, 2018, when fingerprint analysis finally identified her as Tina Marie McKenney Farmer from Indiana. At age 21, she had been last seen in Indianapolis, reportedly with a truck driver believed to be headed to Kentucky. Farmer's family had reported her missing, but her case was tragically overlooked by authorities due to the lack of a mandate for entering unidentified victims into national databases.

In a shocking twist of fate, Jerry Leon Johns, a convicted kidnapper who passed away in prison in 2015, was later identified through DNA evidence as Tina's murderer. A grand jury ruled in December 2019 that Johns would have been indicted for her murder had he been alive.

Tracy Walker

The story of Tracy Sue Walker took a tragic turn when her skeletal remains were uncovered on April 3, 1985, in Campbell County, Tennessee. Estimated to be between 9 and 15 years old, her remains had been decomposed for 1 to 4 years. The search for her identity was long and arduous, with forensic analysis revealing she was not from the local area.

Finally, on August 30, 2022, Tracy was identified through a family connection found by Othram Laboratories. She was reported missing by her mother in 1978 after running away from home in Lafayette, Indiana.

Michelle Lavone Inman

On March 31, 1985, authorities discovered the skeletonized remains of Michelle Lavone Inman in Pleasant View, Tennessee. She had died three to five months prior, but her case remained a potential link to the Redhead Murders due to the location of her remains—just off Interstate 24. In July 2023, she was identified as a 23-year-old from Nashville through forensic genetic genealogy.

Espy Pilgrim

Espy Regina Pilgrim was found in a refrigerator on April 1, 1985, in Gray, Kentucky. Her death was ruled as suffocation, and she had been dead for several days. Wearing only two distinctive necklaces, she became a local sensation due to the shocking circumstances of her discovery. After a long investigation, she was identified on October 1, 2018, through a DNA match with her grown daughter. Espy had been missing for years, leaving behind four older children.

Suspected Victims

Priscilla Ann Blevins

Priscilla Ann Blevins, 27, was found along Interstate 40 in North Carolina on March 29, 1985. She had vanished from Charlotte in 1975, and her skeletal remains were identified via DNA in 2012. The cause of her death remains undetermined.

Karen Kaye Knippers

Discovered on May 25, 1981, in Missouri, Karen Kaye Knippers suffered facial trauma and was strangled with pantyhose. Identified in December 2019, her case links her to the broader pattern of the Redhead Murders.

Wetzel County Jane Doe

This unidentified victim was found on February 13, 1983, in West Virginia and remains a mystery. Witnesses reported seeing a middle-aged man near her body, but her identity and cause of death remain unsolved.

Lorie Pennell

The body of Lorie Pennell, 22, was found on January 24, 1985, in Mississippi. She had been strangled, and her missing clothing paints a picture of a tragic end.

Elizabeth Lamotte

Elizabeth Lamotte, a young woman from New Hampshire, was identified in November 2018 after her body was found in Tennessee in April 1985. She had been missing since April 6, 1984.

Donna Sue Nelton

Found on May 7, 1990, in Arkansas, Donna Nelton was shot and then set on fire. She was identified in October 2022, adding another layer to this harrowing series of unsolved cases.

Stacey Lyn Chahorski

The remains of Stacey Lyn Chahorski, 19, were discovered in Georgia in late 1988. Her tragic story came full circle when her murderer was identified in September 2022 as a trucker with a criminal history.

Investigation

The investigations surrounding the Redhead Murders were complex and fraught with challenges. Many victims remained unidentified due to estrangement from family or transient lifestyles. By 1985, states involved in the investigations sought assistance from the FBI due to the inconsistencies in the cases.

One potential suspect, Jerry Leon Johns, was linked to several incidents, including an attack on another woman with red hair. Despite being excluded from the Redhead Murders case initially, DNA evidence later connected him to Tina Farmer's murder.

In 2018, a sociology class in Tennessee took a keen interest in these cold cases, leading to new insights and potential victim identifications, showcasing how community involvement can be pivotal in solving long-standing mysteries.

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Sources

• Wikipedia: Redhead Murders
• Various news articles and forensic reports referenced throughout the case descriptions.