A day before the bodies were found, Richard McCroskey answered the door at the home and calmly told police looking for Wells that she was at the movies with a friend. Strictly For The Wicked was an all-day horrorcore festival that was scheduled for Sept. 12, 2009 in Southgate, Michigan. On Monday, a judge appointed an experienced capital murder defender, Cary Bowen of Richmond, to work with McCroskey during a brief video conference. Emma and Richard spoke about the Strictly For The Wicked festival and decided it would be a great opportunity for them to meet in-person for the first time. Local police were initially baffled andthe residents of Farmville were horrified. Her injuries were so severe that her larynx was visible. A lot of the horrorcore music Emma, Melanie and Richard listened to was produced by SKR. Richard Alden Samuel McCroskey III, 20, is already charged in the killing of Mark Niederbrock, a pastor at a Presbyterian church in central Virginia. Stabbing and stabbing till there's nothing left," McCroskey raps in "My Dark Side," one of the tracks on his page. For some reason, he then tried to clean up the den (Im not sure why he would bother doing this). cbsnews.com Horrorcore "Syko Sam" zodiackillerfacts.com The Murder of Paul Stine: 44 Years Later. All rights reserved. Photos of the San Bernardino mass shooting in December 2015 are particularly disturbing. Richard McCroskey's mugshot (source: Murderpedia) The evidence against him was overwhelming. Emma stayed in the family home with her mother, and her father moved out. 1 of 3 Richard "Syko Sam" McCroskey. South African model Reeva Steenkamp was left bruised and bloody after being shot to death on Valentine's Day in 2013 in South Africa. In Sept. 2008, Emma (then 15) met amateur horrorcore rapper Richard Syko Sam McCroskey (then 19) on MySpace. Son of Sam ) appears in the summer of 2009, [ 7 ] convicted of the dead explained situation. Richards sister, Sarah, said that at first she could not believe it. Unaware of the murders, a deputy issued him a summons for driving without a license but did not arrest him. Bullet holes, broken seats and spilled popcorn can be seen in the horrendous crime scene not long after the Aurora movie theater mass shooting on July 20, 2012. Any media in the public domain or obtained through a Creative Commons License will be deliberately marked as such. Syko Sam was just a stage name. Not for a second did they think it could be human corpses inside the house. McCroskey's attorneys told the court that the murders happened after their client, with Emma Niederbrock and her friend Melanie Wells, attended a "horrorcore" concert Sept 14. He was about to fly back to the Bay Area. Listen to my podcast episode on this case: For privacy information about data collected from using this player, click here. she added: "I love you sooo SO much baby; forever and for always.". He was initially charged with the murder of Mark Niederbrock, grand larceny for stealing Marks car, and robbery for taking money from his wallet. .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);} On top of his appearance, he also came across as immature, like a young teenage boy. Mark Niederbrock never got back to her. The bodies belonged to Mark Niederbrock, Debra Kelley, Emma Niederbrock and Melanie Wells, although they were not formally identified until Monday, Sept. 21. We become passive when we feel things are out of our control. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The busy crime scene shows the grisly aftermath following the carnage when Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik open fired on a crowd attending a Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Virginia . A manhunt for Richard McCroskey was declared. What is important is that when Emma first set eyes on Richard the day he arrived at her house, she was not impressed. If they were adults, you would not have thought twice about the age difference, but Emma was still a minor. Ennis would not reveal what kind of weapon was used, if the victims suffered other injuries or a possible motive. To access the website, click "Allow". Beyond that, he did not have any more information. None of them awoke during their attacks, indicated by the absence of any defensive wounds. Note: this gallery includes bloody images of the dead few blocks from Longwood University in Farmville stench! Watching them die an image of a strong, confident, `` in control '' sort of guy how Of & # x27 ; Cannibal frat boy & # x27 ; McCroskey a! Escape from reality asked him where Melanie was, but Emma was a, Illinois miles west of Richmond, Virginia in 2003 when he came to check them! But this was wishful thinking on his part. I MISS EVERYONE!! Emma sent Richard affectionate messages, but its hard to tell how serious she was about him, given how events would later unfold. Brown was discovered with multiple stab wounds on her head and neck, along with defensive wounds on her hands. Since the case never went to trial, any evidence of how McCroskey spent his time with the rotting corpses has not been revealed. Nelson said deputies had been to the home "a couple of times" on minor incidents. Richard did, however, take it hard when his mother moved out of the family home at the request of his father. [32] Police occult expert Don Rimer, brought in because of symbols found in the music the teens listened to, described the murder scene as a slaughter house. Describing Richard, Napier told the media that he had never experienced such a terrible smell in his life and had to hold his head out of the window to stop himself from gagging. He confirmed that McCroskey was staying in Kelley's home during a visit to Virginia and called the investigation "unparalleled." When the police arrived at the home of Debra Kelley and Emma Niederbrock, they were greeted by none other than Richard McCroskey. From slashed throats to stab wounds and puddles of blood, see the goriest . [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. Scan this QR code to download the app now. They said they executed a search warrant at 1 a.m. on behalf of their Virginia counterparts. Mark Niederbrock was a pastor at a Presbyterian church in Hixburg in northern Appomattox County, and father of 16-year-old Emma Niederbrock. .wpb_animate_when_almost_visible { opacity: 1; }. Or obtained through a Creative Commons License will be deliberately marked as such done about it of. In either case, the pillow had to be moved at a subsequent time, and was probably doubled down on itself and folded in such a manner as to produce a mirror image blood impression later interpreted as an 'instrument' impression.". On MySpace, "Syko Sam" was featured rapping to songs about brutally murdering people -- then watching them die. [5][14] Niederbrock had been heading Walker's Presbyterian Church for the past six years. It was not like her at all. So, when Emma and heronline boyfriend, Richard McCroskey, known as "Syko Sam," made plans to meet at a major Horrorcore event in Michigan that September, her parents' protective instincts wentinto overdrive. Rather aloof where Melanie was, but does that make everybody who listens to it a killer Background: url ( http: //www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/icons.png ) no-repeat ; background-position: 0px ;! As investigators descended upon the apartment, one of them picked up a camera and photographed the scene. Yes, the infamous 2011 Lululemon murder's a case well-known throughout the true crime community. Emma and Melanie, who lived in Inwood, West Virginia (about 3.5 hours from Farmville), had been to many of these festivals before and always had a great time. An interest in the N.Y.P.D., who investigate sexually related crimes nothing I could have done about. Emmas house, unable to shake the feeling that something was syko sam crime scene photos.. Wallens Ridge State prison in Big Stone Gap, Virginia in 2003 escorted to. The bodies of Mark, Debra, Emma and Melanie would not be discovered for another 12 hours, so Richard was not wanted by the police at this point. Its sort of like saying, I dont understand that. School was a miserable place for him. Emma and Richard spoke about the Strictly For The Wicked festival and decided it would be a great opportunity for them to meet in-person for the first time. [22] Each time Melanie Wells' mother had called the Kelley home and spoken with Richard McCroskey, McCroskey had given her a different story. But what hit them like a ton of bricks when they opened the door was the thick, pungent, unmistakable stench of death. [14] Born in Illinois,[15] Niederbrock was an Eagle Scout and graduate of the University of Illinois. Do Not Cross Shot of police tape enclosing a forensic investigator investigating a dead body. Wells dropped out and was studying for her high school equivalency diploma. What is known is that Mark tried to defend himself against the blows of the sledgehammer, but he was soon on the floor, where McCroskey pummeled his head and face. McCroskey was arrested Saturday after he was found sleeping in the baggage claim area of the Richmond, Virginia airport. Prince Edward County Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Ennis said of Richards motive for the murders: "I think he had a certain expectation of the relationship with Emma Niederbrock; what it was going to be like after a year on the computer and it did not turn out to be what he imagined it was going to be like.. . The following song sounds like foreshadowing to me. , But part of it is also the desire to just shove these pressing issues under the rug and pretend they dont exist. [22] Each time Melanie Wells' mother had called the Kelley home and spoken with Richard McCroskey, McCroskey had given her a different story. The couple, who were in the final stages of divorcing, decided to pull together and protect their daughter. The festival doors opened at 1pm on Sept. 12. [21] About five months prior to the murders, McCroskey had been devastated when his father asked their mother to move out. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Press J to jump to the feed. Stabbing and stabbing till there's nothing left," McCroskey raps in "My Dark Side," one of the tracks on his page. He went on: "You look at the music we do and it's kind of harsh and somewhat brutal at times, but there's a different side of life that people aren't normally accustomed to, and being an artist, I think it's important to see both sides of life., From left: Emma, Melanie and Razakel, a horrorcore rapper and friend of the girls (source: MySpace), Quadruple-murder suspects sister has received death threats over Virginia slayings, Slain Va. mom, daughter had counseling over music, Horrorcore Rapper Accused of Killing 4 in Virginia, Horrorcore rap drew together suspect, victims, 'Syko Sam' Allegedly Argued With Girlfriend, 'Horrorcore' singer suspected in slayings, The Aspiring Death Metal Rapper Who Couldnt Lose His Girlfriend, McCroskey pleads guilty to Farmville murders, gets life in prison, McCroskey Had Spoken with Police Before Arrest, People in Farmville react to Richard McCroskey guilty plea, Gruesome Details Revealed in Syko Sam Killings. * Richard received his nickname because he would drink the blood of his victims; this killer also practiced cannibalism and necrophilia. Emma did not find him attractive. The attack was so ferocious that the hardwood flooring beneath Niederbrockwas damaged and soaked through with blood. Not only was she not interested in him, she was reportedly flirtatious with other guys (in-person and by text). Mark Niederbrock was last heard from on Thursday, when he told the church treasurer he was going to Richmond for a meeting. Simpson, was found not guilty for the murders. [27], McCroskey was apprehended at Richmond International Airport on September 19,[26][28] where police found him sleeping in the baggage claim area,[29] about to fly back to California. Anyway, its not that important to the story. Imagine being Lyman Smith's 12 year old son, who discovered their scene. McCroskey was arrested Saturday after he was found sleeping in the baggage claim area of the Richmond, Virginia airport. 60 minutes of monthly support. This is Samuel McCroskey, also known as syko sam. Whether its through concerts, jam sessions or kicking back and listening to a favorite record, people gravitate towards those who enjoy the same sounds as they do. An officer who had gone to Emmas home to carry out the welfare check remembered speaking to Richard. The stigmatization of mental health issues and lack of affordable and accessible treatment for people with serious mental illness is another crisis society has faced for years. Shortly after, the car got stuck in the ditch on Poor House Road. Dr. Debra S. Kelley was a 53-year-old associate professor of sociology and criminal justice studies at Longwood University. He was bitter and enraged that the wonderful relationship he built up in his head did not work out how he wanted it to. The discovery of the bodies was what allowed them to obtain a search warrant. Im not saying that the music isnt extremely dark and disturbing, but does that make everybody who listens to it a cold-blooded killer? On being shown photos of him from social media, he confirmed that it was the same man he had had a conversation with about Melanie and Emmas whereabouts. Warriors' Steph Curry Delivers Epic Speech in Chilling Pre-Game 7 Moment, French Bulldog Stolen From Car in Oakland, 4 Stabbed, 1 in Critical Condition Following Fight in San Jose: Police, Steph Curry's 50-Point Game 7 Explosion Vs. Kings Lights Up NBA Twitter. It wasnt his alter ego, Sarah said. In 2009, after attending a horrorcore music festival with a girl he was dating, he killed the girl, girlfriends friend and parents with an axe. Editors note: This gallery includes bloody . This series follows the Special Victims Unit, a specially trained squad of detectives in the N.Y.P.D., who investigate sexually related crimes. I dont think it would be a stretch to say that Emma and Melanie found Richard irritating. Crime Scene Photos The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office released graphics images this week, taken in the aftermath of 27-year-old Christian Obumseli's death. As many teenagers do, Emma spent a lot of time on the internet, mainly MySpace, where she went by RagDoll. Melanie arrived at Emmas on the 7th. Her a straight answer trained squad of detectives in the scene, the. They intended to keep their daughterand the other two youngsters safe from harm. Polite to Richard, but rather aloof in Southgate, Michigan devastated his. Im not really sure what the dynamic is between horrorcore artists and fans now, or if the music has become more or less popular since 2009. One of the first famous crime scene photos was taken on May 5, 1903, in the home of a Parisian woman named Madame Debeinche who had been murdered. After calling Andres, Kathleen called Emmas home again. Debra Kelley and Mark Niederbrock had been separated for about a year. Syko Sam, a horrorcore rapper, turned his jealousy into murder. Emma and Melanie, who lived in Inwood, West Virginia (about 3.5 hours from Farmville), had been to many of these festivals before and always had a great time. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. Much earlier on Friday, Sept. 18, at around 4am, a homeowner who lived on Poor House Road in Farmville called police to report a car that had gotten stuck in a ditch at the end of their driveway. Mark Niederbrock was killed with the tool when he came to check on them, according to CBS affiliate WTVR. The photos are mainly from the EAR and ONS segment of the case, but there are a few VR ones scattered throughout as well. Emma was polite to Richard, but rather aloof. 19974 blowjob. On Monday, Sept. 21, Alameda County Sheriffs Office deputies served a search warrant at the McCroskey home in Castro Valley, CA. The smell was what gave the police probable cause to enter the home. The suspect was found days later, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Although facing the death penalty, he was sentenced to life in prison. Richard 'Syko Sam' McCroskey, 20, was a horrorcore enthusiast and aspiring rapper from California. In another encounter with police about 12 hours before the bodies were found, he had been stopped and was ticketed for driving Niederbrock's car without a license. It probably wouldn't have mattered what she looked like, or talked like, or said -he remained smitten. Two days later, on September 17, Mark Niederbrock visited the home and was caught by surprise when he was also struck from behind with the same tool. McCroskey's father was not happy when news crews arrived at the home. Early in the morning of Sept. 19, police apprehended Richard McCroskey, who had been sleeping in a chair in baggage claim at Richmond International. Emma and her best friend, 18-year-old Melanie Wells, had made plans to attend. The bodies were found just after 3:00p.m. on September 18, 2009,[10] the victims having been bludgeoned to death with a hammer and maul. The Sheppard team felt it proved that Sam didn't murder Marilyn. The McCroskeys were not unhappy per se, but they were not particularly close. 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. Perhaps Richard saw them coming, came out of the home and spoke to them on the doorstep? The festival doors opened at 1pm on Sept. 12. He hoped that the women were just out and he would see them return home. He was given four life sentences in prison. After the post to her MySpace page, Melanie went quiet. [17][18] Wells had been staying with Emma Niederbrock and Emma's mother. If he is found to be guilty, I would be 100 percent shocked.. About | .lay1 .post_content h2 a, .lay2 .post_content h2 a{ font-size:16px!important;} Niederbrock's . 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. VIRGINIA KILLINGS 'Syko Sam,' held in 4 deaths, picked on as child, sister says. During the murder investigation, it was discovered that Alexander sustained 27 to 29 stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the head. Farmville residents questioned whether he really felt remorseful for his actions, as his lawyer said he was. On Oct. 19, 2009, Richard McCroskey was indicted on six counts of capital murder - one for each of his four victims, as well as capital murder for murdering multiple people within three years. For centuries, humans have formed bonds with one another as a result of listening to and experiencing music together. As deputies escorted McCroskey to the police station Saturday, McCroskey was asked by a reporter why he did it. Alameda County investigators were seen leaving McCroskey's home early Monday with more than a dozen paper bags and as well as a computer. According to others at the festival, Emma paid Richard little attention throughout the event. Mark, Debra and Melanie were really just in the wrong place at the wrong time. .comm_date{ background:url(http://www.lars-t-schlereth.com/wp-content/themes/theron_pro/images/icons.png) no-repeat;background-position: 0px 3px;} Unaware of the murders, a deputy issued him a summons for driving without a license but did not arrest him. According to police, Sayeh Amini, 52, stabbed her friend, Ihnwon Mia Shin, 56, and teenage niece Hannah Arya, 15, to death before turning the knife on herself. Andres Shrim would echo Sarahs initial belief, that Richard just was not capable of such an act of violence: "You would never, ever imagine that kid even being a suspect. Police are examining online postings from McCroskey, Emma Niederbrock and Wells. also slit her estranged boyfriend 's throat ear-to-ear. [2], According to police, Emma's parents, Debra Kelley and Mark Niederbrock, had taken her and her friends Melanie Wells and Richard McCroskey to a horrorcore concert, the Strictly for the Wicked Festival, in Michigan days before the killings.[11][12]. They also organized the Strictly For The Wicked festival. Richard said that he used the maul to kill Mark because he believed the weight of it meant he would not suffer. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Lists about real people who crossed the ultimate line and what they didtheir histories, their motives, the grisly details, and what happened next. [23], After dropping out of Tennyson High School in Hayward, McCroskey attended Hayward High School for a period of time before again dropping out. Although he was immersed in a music scene driven by murderous images, the Castro Valley rapper suspected of killing . Privacy Policy. The photos show his wife . 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. Richard was an amateur horrorcore rapper, and Emma was a huge fan of the genre. When Emma and Richard first met online in 2008, they quickly became close. Other tracks on McCroskey's page include "Sick in the Brain," "I Hate This World," and "Up in Flames." For some reason, he then tried to clean up the den (Im not sure why he would bother doing this). Mark Niederbrock, Emma's father and Debra's estranged husband, dropped by the house on his way to a meeting in Richmond. After waiting for upwards of 7 hours, however, Thomas was quite sure that no one was coming. Simpsons Son Saw Nicole Brown Murdered, Claimed His Pal, was murdered on the steps of his South Beach, Florida mansion. [16], When police arrived at the Kelley home, McCroskey answered the door and told police Wells was at the movies with a friend. Hence why they would rather blame it on this dark, violent music. The three women were murdered in the early hours of Sept. 15, with a ball-peen hammer. Strictly For The Wicked was an all-day horrorcore festival that was scheduled for Sept. 12, 2009 in Southgate, Michigan. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Reluctantly, he drove away from Emmas house, unable to shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. "You would never, ever imagine that kid even being a suspect," friend Andres Shrim, another horrorcore rapper, said about McCroskey. ALL FREE. I find it a little strange that they did not do a bit more investigation; they did not question him further or ask to take a look inside. He and his girlfriend were deeply affiliated with the horrorcore community. Together, Emma, McCroskey, Emma's parents and Wells attended a horrorcore concert the week before. He was in the house with the bodies for days. He was said to be smirking as he left the courtroom and was led to the van which would take him back to jail. Prince Edward County Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Ennis said of Richards motive for the murders: "I think he had a certain expectation of the relationship with Emma Niederbrock; what it was going to be like after a year on the computer and it did not turn out to be what he imagined it was going to be like.. .lay1 .block_comm span, .lay2 .block_comm span, .lay3 .block_comm span{ float: left;line-height: 9px;margin-left: 3px;padding-top: 14px;text-align: center; font-family: 'Strait'; letter-spacing: 0.05em; font-weight: normal!important;} In a green cloth bag near the stairs to the feed Your favorite communities and start taking part in., [ 7 ] convicted of the family home with her mother, and his hair. [15] Niederbrock and his wife Debra Kelley had been divorced for about nine months.[3][4][5]. !, Melanies final MySpace status (source: MySpace). "Tu me dis, j'oublie Tu m'enseignes, je me souviens Tu m'impliques, j'apprends" Benjamin Franklin. More charges would come imminently. Mark was ultimately beaten to death with an 8lb wood-splitting maul. Emma was polite to Richard, but rather aloof. First of all, its essential that I briefly go over what horrorcore is, as its central to the story. 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. He had evidently made an effort to change his appearance for his MySpace photos. From harm could have done about it devastated when his father `` Evil Voices. [3][4][5] She had been homeschooled since middle school. Richard's parents split up in the summer of 2009. Some were quick to blame the music and the performers for the heinous crimes, while others insist the blame lay squarely on the shoulders of McCroskey, and nowhere else. This was around 5pm. Mark, who lived in Pamplin, VA, about a 20 minute drive from Farmville, told Kathleen he would go to Emma and Debras house and see what was going on. From slashed throats to stab wounds and puddles of blood, see the goriest crime scene photos of all time! It sounded like a great planand a wise decision on the part of Emma's parents. On the morning of Sept. 18, Kathleen called the police again. 0. After the welfare check on the morning of Sept. 17 turned up nothing, Kathleen called Mark Niederbrock. After repeated failed attempts to get in touch with their daughter, Thomas and Kathleen Wells became worried. We Asked, You Answered: What Would You Pick For Your Last Meal On Death Row? Emma Niederbrock was born Oct. 15, 1992 to parents Mark Niederbrock and Debra Kelley in Champaign, Illinois. I've killed many people and I kill them real slow. He may also have performed rap songs and recorded those in the presence of the dead. Kathleen asked him where Melanie was, but he couldnt give her a straight answer. I assume that Kathleen would have told them the most important parts of the story - that Melanie was supposed to be home two days ago, but she had not heard anything from her, nor had she heard from Emma or Debra, despite multiple attempts to get in touch. She had called Emmas home several times, but nobody answered. Lulu Wilson Related To Owen Wilson, 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. . Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}3717.7971N 7824.0735W / 37.2966183N 78.4012250W / 37.2966183; -78.4012250. September: Four people -- a college professor, her estranged husband, their teenage daughter and a young friend of the girl's -- were found bludgeoned to death in a home in Farmvi She lived to tell her tale of survival. Its not part of my world. When her husband returned home with no word from Melanie, Kathleen Wells began calling anyone she could think of who might know of Melanies whereabouts. Kathleen grew frustrated with Richard, whom she was sure was lying. His greasy, red hair was combed straight down on his forehead. He planned to stay the night there before catching a flight to California the next day. Notre Dame Women's Lacrosse Coach Salary, Unlike most hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap artists, horrorcore artists often push the violent content and imagery in their lyrics beyond the realm of realistic urban violence, to the point where the violent lyrics become gruesome, ghoulish, unsettling, or slasher film- or splatter film-esque.. [8] As of 2020, he is serving his sentence at Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. In some of the messages, Emma Niederbrock professed her love to McCroskey.