After repeated failed attempts to get in touch with their daughter, Thomas and Kathleen Wells became worried. window.ga=window.ga||function(){(ga.q=ga.q||[]).push(arguments)};ga.l=+new Date; Looking back, it may well be that his already troubled mind began to turn murderous at the concert. Online, he's known as Syko Sam. [9], The murders took place at Dr. Debra Kelley's home, where Kelley lived with her daughter Emma Niederbrock. Mark Niederbrock, Emma's father and Debra's estranged husband, dropped by the house on his way to a meeting in Richmond. After calling Andres, Kathleen called Emmas home again. Newsletters Cate Vojdik AC360 Writer We've been digging on a story that's put a spotlight on an obscure subgenre of rap music called "Horrorcore." Sam was taken to Bay View Hospital (the hospital owned by his family) on the day of Marilyn's murder. He was able to identify 110 "reddish-brown stains" on the watchband. McCroskey and his sister had been raised in Hayward, California before moving to Castro Valley. The family moved from Illinois to Farmville, central Virginia, although its not clear when exactly. Dr. Kelley was a mentor to many students during her tenure, many of whom entered proud careers in law enforcement, fire/rescue, and associated fields as practitioners of the subjects she taught. In the comment, he wrote how beautiful he thought she was. About This Location: In 2009, 21-year-old Richard McCroskey lived in San Francisco with his sister. #sidebar .widgets .widget ul li .znn_wgt_tt, #midrow .widgets .widget ul li .znn_wgt_tt, #footer .widgets .widget ul li .znn_wgt_tt{ font-family: 'Strait'; letter-spacing: 0.05em; font-weight: normal!important; font-size:15px;} Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. What is known is that his already fragile mental state deteriorated during the days and nights he spent watchingand smelling the death around him. If he is found to be guilty, I would be 100 percent shocked.. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. People dont like this as a reason for murder, as its just too simple. Somehow, while the deputy and Richard were talking, it came up that Sam had plans to fly home to California the following day, Saturday the 19th. She apparently confided later with her friend, Melanie, that McCroskey was not nearly as cool and tough as he'd portrayed himself online. } .meta_auth{ background:url(http://www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/icons.png) no-repeat;background-position: 0px -10px;} The items Gerber received were damp. Emmas parents, however, were understandably apprehensive about their 16-year-old daughter meeting up at a festival with a 20-year-old man she had only ever spoken to on the phone. There's a YouTube documentary of this case with crime scene photos and the recoding he made in the house with the bodies . Our groundbreaking Augmented Reality technology accurately recreates crime scenes and allows users to experience and investigate them just as detectives at the actual crime scenes did. Andres Shrim would later say that despite the morbid music they loved, fans of horrorcore were not violent people. On Sept. 6, Richard left California for Virginia. The items Gerber received were damp. On Wednesday, Sept. 16 (the day Melanie was due to come home), Thomas drove 200 miles from Inwood, West Virginia to Farmville. [26] During this time, McCroskey made a call to confess he had just killed the victims. McCroskey and Emma, who went by "RagD0LL" online, appear to have met through the underground horrorcore scene. My Account | [22], By that time, McCroskey had fled, stealing and wrecking Mark Niederbrock's 2000 Honda. .single_page_post .postitle a{ font-size:24px;} Melanie was killed first while she slept on the couch in the den. FARMVILLE, Va. (CBS/AP) Sam "Syko Sam" McCroskey, who aspired to being a "horrorcore" rapper, pleaded guilty Monday to killing four people in central Virginia and was sentenced to life in prison. > When the responding deputy saw that the wanted man was the same person who he had given a ticket to for driving without a licence at 4am that morning, he alerted fellow officers that the man had told him about his plans to fly to California the following day. On Tuesday, officials identified the victims as the 53-year-old Kelley, Emma, her 50-year-old father, Mark Niederbrock, and Emma's friend and fellow horrorcore fan Melanie Wells, 18, of Inwood, W . The bag also contained a key chain and class ring. The scene was described by police as being so horrifying, they would not elaborate on details other than the victims had died from blunt force trauma. > Similar charges are expected in the killings of . Although facing the death penalty, he was sentenced to life in prison. Etv Jrelvaatamine Pank, Kathleen asked him where Melanie was, but he couldnt give her a straight answer. Richard McCroskey is currently incarcerated at Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Shortly after the final murder, McCroskeystole the Reverend's car and attempted to make his way to the Richmond airport. Together, Emma, McCroskey, Emma's parents and Wells attended a horrorcore concert the week before. When the police arrived at the house at around 3:20pm on Friday, Sept. 18, they found the door to the home unlocked. "If he is found to be guilty, I would be 100 percent shocked," Shrim said. "You're not the first, just to let you know. Update: Chilling New Details Emerge in Syko Sam Horrorcore Murders Case. Richard Alden Samuel McCroskey III (born December 26, 1988) had been a graphic designer and amateur horrorcore rapper and had been living with his father and 21-year-old sister in Castro Valley, California. His injuries were very controversial. Goin, who last saw Niederbrock at a church meeting Wednesday night. . Such was not the case with Emma. This series follows the Special Victims Unit, a specially trained squad of detectives in the N.Y.P.D., who investigate sexually related crimes. He was in the house with the bodies for days. McCroskey, 20 years old, was subsequently arrested,[7] convicted of the murders and sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors agreed to allow the photos to be seen. [22] McCroskey's MySpace page featured songs he authored with violent lyrics, dealing with subjects including mutilation, death and the thrill of murder. His court appointed attorney, Cary Bowen, told Richard that they would have to reach a plea deal in order to avoid a trial and with that the death penalty. [22] Each time Melanie Wells' mother had called the Kelley home and spoken with Richard McCroskey, McCroskey had given her a different story. By Josh St. Clair. McCroskey was arrested Saturday after he was found sleeping in the baggage claim area of the Richmond, Virginia airport. This is just a guess; maybe they all piled in the car at 3am and drove non-stop for 10 hours. Sometime between the murder of the women and the murder of the minister Farmville police reportedly conducted a welfare check on the house after Wells' mother called them because she hadn't heard from her daughter in a few days, but the report said that McCroskey answered all the officers' questions "reasonably," according to WTVR. Ennis would not reveal what kind of weapon was used, if the victims suffered other injuries or a possible motive. Police eventuallydiscovered the murderer wasRichard Samuel "Syko Sam"McCroskey, a teenaged boy from California, who had been visitinghis online girlfriend in Virginia, and a fan ofHorrorcore music, a subgenre of hip hop sometimes containing dark and violent lyrics. His greasy, red hair was combed straight down on his forehead. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Four people found slain in a small Virginia college town were bludgeoned to death, authorities said Tuesday, and the aspiring Castro Valley rapper suspected of killing them befriended two of the victims through a subculture of violent, macabre music. And they still hadn't left for the Michigan concert. This is Samuel McCroskey, also known as Syko Sam. Emma's service was held directly after another held for her mother, who was remembered as a smart, tough teacher, according to the Associated Press. The next three photos include bloody images of the crime scene and images of Marti Hill just after her brutal attack. 10627 anal. Accessibility Statement. Richard, whom they had spoken to the previous day, was gone. Alameda County investigators were seen leaving McCroskey's home early Monday with more than a dozen paper bags and as well as a computer. background: none !important; Police said she invited McCroskey to fly from his northern California home, stay with her in Virginia and then attend the Strictly for the Wicked Festival, a Horrorcore fest in Michigan featuring bands with names like Dismembered Fetus and Phrozen Body Boy." . He'd been asked by Melanie Wells's family and others to try to find out why no one had heard from the three women. If you would like to support me on Patreon please visit https://www.patreon.com/scottontapeFollow my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/scottontapeIf you wo. That low-key demeanor was described by police who had two run-ins with him in the days before his arrest Saturday. She lived to tell her tale of survival. [22] McCroskey, who had no prior criminal record,[26] was first charged with first degree murder, robbery and grand larceny (stealing the car), but later was charged with six counts of capital murder. A graphic description of the scene inside a Carson City, Nevada IHOP after a mass shooting in 2011 claimed the lives of 5 people, including the suspect Eduardo Sencion, and injured 7 others. Mark Niederbrock, 50. [8] Commonwealth's Attorney James Ennis says that the victims' families supported his decision to reach a plea agreement instead of going to trial and seeking the death penalty. [5][14] Niederbrock had been heading Walker's Presbyterian Church for the past six years. According to Sarah, it just was not something Richard would say. display: inline !important; Inside the home, police found three dead bodies in what looked like Emmas bedroom downstairs. .single-post .header3 #menu_wrap, .page .header3 #menu_wrap{ border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px;behavior: url(http://www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/PIE.htc);} A CALIFORNIA man who rapped about the thrill of killing remains behind bars in Virginia, charged with killing a pastor and likely to face charges in the deaths of three others. Reading you here today, Andres, I'd almost think you have somewhat of a personal vendetta against this other. In the 1954 trial, Coroner Samuel Gerber testified that he received shoes, socks, trousers, undershorts and a billfold collected from Sam while he was at Bay View Hospital (Sam couldn't remember what happened to his t-shirt). To view it, confirm your age. It was a comment from a handsome stranger on a photo of her on a recent holiday. 60 minutes of monthly support. display: none; But, right away, things didn't seem to be quite right. .lay1 .post_content h2 a, .lay2 .post_content h2 a{ font-size:16px!important;} "You're not the first, just to let you know. He uploaded his music on MySpace under the name Syko Sam , and began communicating and making friends with other horrorcore fans and rappers. Beyond that, he did not have any more information. .catag_list a{background:url(http://www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/icons.png) no-repeat; background-position: 0px -37px;} [2][30] McCroskey was subsequently held in Piedmont Regional jail,[31] on suicide watch. We are relieved that justice has been done.". The discovery of the bodies was what allowed them to obtain a search warrant. Overnight. Richard Samuel McCroskey III - a 20-year-old rapper in the underground genre of "Horrorcore" who sang of chopping people into pieces - has been arrested in connection with the slayings. Police say murder suspect Richard Samuel McCroskey III, who went by the name Syko Sam, knew one of the victims. Emma Niederbrock shared an online friendship with Richard Samuel McCroskey, a troubled aspiring rapper. Reverse side of Marilyn's bed pillow showing blood stains on pillowcase. "People get the impression we're these twisted, sick individuals and we don't have hearts and we just want to talk about murder and the devil," Shrim said of rappers like himself and McCroskey. The smell was what gave the police probable cause to enter the home. In the wee hours of September 15, 2009, he violently took a sledgehammer to the sleeping heads of his former paramour, 16-year-old Emma Niederbrock, her visiting friend,Melanie Wells, and Emma's mother, acollege professor named Debra Kelly. Editors note: This gallery includes bloody . Webbkameror Hagastaden, is a parking garage located at 600 Commercial Street. True Crime Diary began when Michelle McNamara, a writer, decided the investigating she was doing on unsolved crimes to satisfy her own curiosity might be better shared. Johanneskyrkan Malm Konsert, McCroskey and Niederbrock got into an argument at the concert and McCroskey killed her, her mother and Wells the next morning while they slept. The items Gerber received were damp. He was said to be smirking as he left the courtroom and was led to the van which would take him back to jail. [6] McCroskey and his sister had been raised in Hayward, California before moving to Castro Valley. Johanneskyrkan Malm Konsert, window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"http:\/\/www.lars-t-schlereth.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=5.6.8"}}; Her mother had been recently widowed and it's a fair question to ask how much one person can stand. The robbery, skillfully executed with few clues left at the crime scene, was billed as "the crime of the century". #commentform label{border-radius: 8px 0 0 8px; -moz-border-radius: 8px 0 0 8px; -webkit-border-radius: 8px 0 0 8px;behavior: url(http://www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/PIE.htc);} He also appears to have lived in something of an online fantasy world, where he could project himself as a mean, tough rap artist. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, White House cybersecurity strategy pivots to regulation, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Richard "Sam" McCroskey, June 22, 2010 (AP Photo/Steve Helber). It's the best feeling, watching their last breath. There weren't many places in Stanford that Arlis Perry felt at home. They remarked to each other that something smelled foul and assumed it was a dead animal. Richard Alden "Sam" Samuel McCroskey III was born Dec. 26, 1988 in Hayward, California, a city in the East Bay subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lived with his parents and older sister, Sarah. Niederbrock's . Nelson said deputies had been to the home "a couple of times" on minor incidents. [27], McCroskey was apprehended at Richmond International Airport on September 18,[26][28] where police found him sleeping in the baggage claim area,[29] about to fly back to California. Bear in mind, Mark and Debra were divorced at this point, so they were going out of their way to make things work for Emma. The reality is very cold and harsh. It was music that brought Richard Syko Sam McCroskey and Emma Niederbrock together. Richard was an amateur horrorcore rapper, and Emma was a huge fan of the genre. Pltsligt Riklig Mens, Sencion shot himself in the head in the parking lot after attacking people in the restaurant Talk Murder With Me. !function(e,a,t){var n,r,o,i=a.createElement("canvas"),p=i.getContext&&i.getContext("2d");function s(e,t){var a=String.fromCharCode;p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,e),0,0);e=i.toDataURL();return p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,t),0,0),e===i.toDataURL()}function c(e){var t=a.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=t.type="text/javascript",a.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(t)}for(o=Array("flag","emoji"),t.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},r=0;r