Janice Morgan

Then, he hangs up. A few days later, police get a call about the body found on the side of the I-295 highway. It's not the first time they're hearing about it. It's actually the third. Officers were dispatched to the scene days earlier, but they apparently never got out of their car. They just drove by, claimed they didn't see anything, and left.

Then, he hangs up. A few days later, police get a call about the body found on the side of the I-295 highway. It's not the first time they're hearing about it. It's actually the third. Officers were dispatched to the scene days earlier, but they apparently never got out of their car. They just drove by, claimed they didn't see anything, and left.

This third call comes from the same man who first reported the body. He was shocked and disturbed to find it still lying there days later, in the same spot, left to decay in the summer sun. This time, he contacts his boss, who's friends with a DC police sergeant. Even though he's off duty at the time, the sergeant responds to the call right away, searches the area, and locates the remains.

This third call comes from the same man who first reported the body. He was shocked and disturbed to find it still lying there days later, in the same spot, left to decay in the summer sun. This time, he contacts his boss, who's friends with a DC police sergeant. Even though he's off duty at the time, the sergeant responds to the call right away, searches the area, and locates the remains.

The victim is young, black, and female, but the body is too decomposed to determine a cause of death. The medical examiner has to use fingerprint analysis to make an identification. Sure enough, it's Darlenia Johnson. It doesn't take authorities long to figure out that Darlenia and Carol Spinks lived in the same neighborhood. Their bodies were found within 15 feet of one another.

The victim is young, black, and female, but the body is too decomposed to determine a cause of death. The medical examiner has to use fingerprint analysis to make an identification. Sure enough, it's Darlenia Johnson. It doesn't take authorities long to figure out that Darlenia and Carol Spinks lived in the same neighborhood. Their bodies were found within 15 feet of one another.

It's immediately clear the two cases could be connected, but detectives barely have time to investigate before another girl goes missing. Eight days after police recover Darlenea's body, 10-year-old Brenda Crockett leaves her house to buy some groceries around 8 p.m. When she doesn't return in a timely fashion, her mother goes out to look for her.

It's immediately clear the two cases could be connected, but detectives barely have time to investigate before another girl goes missing. Eight days after police recover Darlenea's body, 10-year-old Brenda Crockett leaves her house to buy some groceries around 8 p.m. When she doesn't return in a timely fashion, her mother goes out to look for her.

While she's away, the phone rings in the apartment. Brenda's little sister picks up around 9.20 p.m. On the other end, she hears Brenda's voice. Over the phone, 10-year-old Brenda Crockett tells her little sister that while she was out running an errand, a white man picked her up. Brenda's crying, but she tells her sister that the man is going to send her home in a taxi soon.

While she's away, the phone rings in the apartment. Brenda's little sister picks up around 9.20 p.m. On the other end, she hears Brenda's voice. Over the phone, 10-year-old Brenda Crockett tells her little sister that while she was out running an errand, a white man picked her up. Brenda's crying, but she tells her sister that the man is going to send her home in a taxi soon.

About 30 minutes later, Brenda calls back. This time, her stepfather answers, and Brenda's story has changed. She sounds distraught and confused. She says something about being held in Virginia and asks if her mother saw her. Her stepfather tries to make sense of what she's saying. How could her mother see her if she was in Virginia? But Brenda never answers the question.

About 30 minutes later, Brenda calls back. This time, her stepfather answers, and Brenda's story has changed. She sounds distraught and confused. She says something about being held in Virginia and asks if her mother saw her. Her stepfather tries to make sense of what she's saying. How could her mother see her if she was in Virginia? But Brenda never answers the question.

She mumbles a quick goodbye and hangs up. Early the next morning, Brenda's body is found along the edge of Route 50 in Chevrolet, Maryland, a town just outside of DC. Like Carol Spinks, tests reveal she's been raped and strangled to death. The news crushes Brenda's family. Everything happened so fast. Brenda left for groceries and less than 24 hours later, she's dead.

She mumbles a quick goodbye and hangs up. Early the next morning, Brenda's body is found along the edge of Route 50 in Chevrolet, Maryland, a town just outside of DC. Like Carol Spinks, tests reveal she's been raped and strangled to death. The news crushes Brenda's family. Everything happened so fast. Brenda left for groceries and less than 24 hours later, she's dead.

The Crockett's tell police about the phone calls from Brenda, about the white man who allegedly picked her up and drove her to Virginia. But investigators don't know what to make of the information. First, Brenda's body was found in Maryland, not Virginia. But second, why would Brenda's abductor allow her to make two phone calls?

The Crockett's tell police about the phone calls from Brenda, about the white man who allegedly picked her up and drove her to Virginia. But investigators don't know what to make of the information. First, Brenda's body was found in Maryland, not Virginia. But second, why would Brenda's abductor allow her to make two phone calls?

Detectives believe the calls could have been an intentional misdirection, a concerted effort to throw police off the killer's trail. So they come to the conclusion that Brenda likely never went to Virginia and that her killer probably wasn't white. Beyond that, officials don't have any leads or evidence to work with. So the investigation stalls.

Detectives believe the calls could have been an intentional misdirection, a concerted effort to throw police off the killer's trail. So they come to the conclusion that Brenda likely never went to Virginia and that her killer probably wasn't white. Beyond that, officials don't have any leads or evidence to work with. So the investigation stalls.

And only two months pass before there's a fourth victim. Black, female, and 12 years old. Right away, the similarities are clear. The evening Nina Moshe Yates disappears, her father sends her to buy sugar, flour, and paper plates. The store is only a block from their apartment in Southeast D.C. She's later found raped and dead from strangulation.

And only two months pass before there's a fourth victim. Black, female, and 12 years old. Right away, the similarities are clear. The evening Nina Moshe Yates disappears, her father sends her to buy sugar, flour, and paper plates. The store is only a block from their apartment in Southeast D.C. She's later found raped and dead from strangulation.