Anna Siga-Nicolazzi
Appearances
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Kim had lost her daughter in the worst way any parent might imagine. But she hadn't even processed the full reality of what happened before another nightmare began. Graphic images of Bianca's murder were appearing online. And they were going viral.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Graphic images from a crime scene are hard enough for those in law enforcement and can obviously be traumatizing for a victim's family. But to have those images be shared so callously by an uncaring public, it was a horror beyond words. Bianca's final moments had not just been brutal. They were being broadcast, shared, and exploited.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
So, you know, Scott, obviously everyone, like your head is swirling when you're hearing all this. And really, I'll say it right here, like this is messy conversation, right? Because some people automatically say, well, First Amendment. Well, the First Amendment protects free speech on social media, but these social media companies are not protected.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
governmental companies are privately held, so they can set their own rules. And again, we could go down this rabbit hole, but there's countries in Europe and, you know, in Australia, they've announced measures where social media companies can face fines and even criminal charges if they fail to moderately or adequately stop such content.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
But this really caused a big upheaval and that conversation around what should be stopped and what should be allowed to live online.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a complex mental health condition characterized by, among other symptoms, challenges in interpersonal relationships. For many people living with BPD, the world can feel overwhelming, leading to a sense of isolation at times even among loved ones.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And, you know, I will say there are now quite a few measures, restrictions, and even some laws that are prohibiting this sort of dissemination that they must be taken down the second they go up. But again, I think let's talk about that as we get later through this story. But I think it's really important to realize that these are very complicated matters, but anything...
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
causing additional harm to this family or that in any way would publicize these sort of images in my book, absolutely wrong. It must come down.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Absolutely, Scott. And also for me, it's like, give her her dignity, right? And it's the type of thing that just infuriates me, quite honestly, every time I think about this. And, you know, but the aftermath of Bianca's murder raised a myriad of serious issues about online safety and corporate responsibilities.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
But for law enforcement and Bianca's family, at that point, the priority was absolutely to hold the person who killed her responsible for her murder.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
As law enforcement was piecing together what led to Bianca's murder, online trolls were turning her death into a spectacle, magnifying the already unthinkable trauma experienced by her mother, her sister, and everyone who loved her.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
This was a young man that Kim had met, someone that her daughter liked and trusted. And that was the terrifying part. There weren't any red flags. Clark had been masking his true intentions for weeks.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
At some point, his online crush had turned into an obsession. But what could have triggered his violent rage? To prove a motive, investigators had to work backwards to piece together the events leading up to the murder, starting the night of July 13th, 2019.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And blood found in Clark's car made it clear that he waited until their long ride home to attack. He gained our trust.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And there was other evidence that pointed to this murder being premeditated and meticulously planned. An examination of his online activity revealed searches on how to locate the carotid artery, how to incapacitate a person, and how to inflict fatal wounds.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And on his phone, notes to himself detailing how he planned to not just kill Bianca, but broadcast her murder and his own death by suicide to the world.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
In other words, maybe Clark's jealousy was not just romantic in nature, but directed more generally at her popularity, her success, and her specialness.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And to Kim's horror, these graphic images, they were everywhere. They were used for fake fundraising campaigns. memes, and sickening profile pictures. And despite Kim's tireless efforts to remove the content, they continue to resurface to this day.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
His sentencing was ultimately delayed due to the COVID pandemic. But in March 2021, Brandon Clark was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. And while he never fully admitted why he killed Bianca Devin's, Kim has her thoughts based on his actions.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
It's actually, unfortunately, a not uncommon phenomenon, right? I mean, I'm my own. More than on one hand, I can count the number of defendants that have had this to this degree, right? Literally looking for themselves on TV, relishing in the fame that they're seeing afterwards, which, again, I will say that it has spawned
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
movements such as the hashtag no notoriety saying the last thing you want to give to someone after they've already taken so much from someone else is any more fame. But unfortunately, it's one of those things that we look at in more than just this case.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Now Kim is pushing for federal legislation that would expand the New York state law and hold social media companies responsible for the content they allow on their platforms. Because beyond Bianca's story, there's a larger conversation here, one about online radicalization, digital harm, and how the internet can amplify violence instead of preventing it.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
As Bianca's online connections grew, so did her social media presence. She spent time on mainstream platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. but also engaged in less moderated spaces like Discord, a popular messaging platform for gamers. Communities that could be supportive, but also unpredictable.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
In response to Bianca's murder, an online movement emerged, hashtag Pink Clouds for Bianca, which encourages users to flood the internet with positive artwork in her honor. rather than the horrific images meant to degrade her memory.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And while the internet failed her, those who love her refuse to. They honor her legacy, not through grief alone, but through purpose and action.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Bianca Devins was a 17-year-old wading through life, and she found solace in the internet. There are larger conversations to be had about the internet and its more problematic sides, as seen in this case. But for right now, it's important to note that part of Bianca's forever impact will be the implementation of internet safeguards.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
In January 2022, the New York State Assembly passed a version of Bianca's law, which criminalizes posting, sharing, and publishing personal images with intent to degrade or abuse under certain circumstances. It was signed into law at the end of 2022. The Devins family also started a scholarship in Bianca's name for students pursuing psychology degrees.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
In early 2020, Bianca's friends and family held the Bee Gala to celebrate her life, showcase artwork she made, and raise funds for the scholarship. Bianca was loved by her friends and family. Her smile, her art, her caring for others is missed greatly by many who knew her. A vigil held at her school soon after her death was attended by teachers and students alike.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
The crowd chanted, love, not violence. That, Bianca Devins, is how you will be remembered by us here at AOM. And that is the message that we hope becomes part of your lasting legacy. Tune in next week for another new episode of Anatomy of Murder.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Produced and created by Weinberger Media and Fresetti Media. Ashley Flowers is executive producer. This episode was written and produced by Shannon McGarvey. Researched by Kate Cooper. Edited by Ali Sirwa and Philjean Grande. So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
And so for Bianca, the online world became not just a place to escape, it was where she felt a sense of confidence and where she could more comfortably be herself. There, she expressed herself freely and she more easily found people who shared her similar interests, like her love of anime and gaming.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
which, as you can imagine, would be thrilling for many teens. But this online visibility was also a double-edged sword, because with new friends and fans also came unwanted attention from followers who weren't just interested in her content, but instead fixated on her and her appearance. There was even a nickname for these starstruck superfans. They were called Orbiters.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
I'm Anna Siga-Nicolazzi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
But others became not just familiar names and handles, but friends, people with whom she had developed a deep connection to online.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Bianca soon introduced Brandon to her family. And while Kim didn't love the four-year age difference, Brandon blended into their world without raising concern.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
On July 13, 2019, Bianca, Brandon, and another friend of Bianca's named Alex made plans to attend a concert in Queens, New York, a trip five hours to the South. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the occasion. It was supposed to be just a fun night out.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
But of course, as protective parents, no matter how confident you are in your kids, you're still plagued by what could go wrong. a car accident, a bad date accompanied by tears, there's always something that keeps parents up at night. But absolutely nothing could have prepared Kim for what would occur during the early morning hours of July 14th.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Some people that viewed the photo online brushed it off as a hoax and a tasteless attempt to go viral. But others feared the image looked shockingly real, and several were alarmed enough to alert law enforcement.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
That caller believed the young woman in the photo was Bianca, and the caller was not alone. By 7 a.m., calls began to pour into law enforcement from across the country, identifying the young victim as the popular e-girl they followed online. One caller even thought she recognized the location as being near Bianca's hometown of Utica, New York.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
But that same digital world that made her feel seen would also turn against her, exploiting her in ways no one should ever have to endure.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Kim immediately tried reaching her daughter, but her calls went straight to voicemail.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
When responding officers arrived, they encountered a tense and shocking scene. Brandon Clark was lying atop a green tarp, partially covering what appeared to be a young woman's lifeless body. He was holding a large knife to his own neck. The following recording is from seconds after the arrival of first responders.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
So, Scott, for first responders, can you just talk through some of the thinking that you have to have the mindset when you're arriving at a scene like this and now you have a subject who's armed?
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
The identity of the young woman next to him was still unknown. But a clue to Clark's motive was spelled out for the world to see. A message spray painted in black on the asphalt at the crime scene read, May you never forget me.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
As investigators pulled back the tarp, the horrific reality of her fate came into focus. The young woman had suffered multiple stab wounds, including a deep gash across her throat.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
Bianca showed natural talent as an artist and loved to express herself through the visual arts. But as she entered her teenage years, she also faced challenges that would shape much of her adolescence.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
but the internet would show none of that sensitivity or compassion. Shockingly, the first confirmation of Bianca's murder would come not from law enforcement, but from a graphic photo shared on Instagram and seen by a family friend.
Anatomy of Murder
Posted (Bianca Devins)
The idea of learning about your child's murder from a photo posted online seems unfathomable. And given the unreliability of the so-called facts online, it also cruelly left Bianca's family a sliver of hope that this could all be a terrible mistake or an online hoax. But sadly, a visit from the police extinguished that hope.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
but also of huge evidentiary value to investigators, was how CanCam was dressed.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
You may recognize the voice of Brian Porter, who has been a guest on AOM before. Let's see if you can remember which episode now. Brian started his career as a police officer in Washington, D.C., and in his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, before deciding he wanted to be a lawyer.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
All the while, Samaya was filming with her phone. Watching this video, the tension and the threat of violence is palpable. You can almost feel Samaya's fear of what might happen if she puts that camera down and what might happen if she doesn't.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But incredibly, there was a second video, timestamped from a month before the murder, that Brian believed to be just as frightening and just as damning.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
This also points to the too often seen tragedy of domestic abuse, that even despite the earlier threat in her life, she was either unable or unwilling to break off the relationship.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And while I agree that that video evidence was incredible, as a prosecutor, I'm still going to probably advocate for a little caution here. Because as we know, once that arrest is made, the ticking clock of a defendant's right to a speedy trial begins.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Notice that Brian said much of a criminal record. While he hadn't been arrested for violent assault, he was far from squeaky clean.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Luckily, CanCam was not hard to find as he lived with his wife in an apartment on the west end of the city. But what had the appearance of a routine visit was in reality a test. Because detectives knew that CanCam's behavior in those first seconds of seeing law enforcement at his door could potentially tell them volumes about his involvement in Samaya's murder.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And what followed was a masterclass in interrogation, which if done right, it's less about asking the questions and it's much more about letting a suspect talk.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Detectives held their tongues as CanCam dug himself deeper and deeper into a hole.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
During his statement, CanCam was careful to include just enough truth to make his story sound believable as to why he would have been at Samaya's apartment on the night she was murdered.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Incidentally, that 9mm Glock was consistent with Samaya's fatal gunshot wound. And while police did not yet have it in their possession to prove it was the murder weapon, it was clear that CanCam was trying to distance himself from it.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
I think this is actually the hardest part for investigators or prosecutors conducting an interview. It's resisting that urge to finally call out a suspect's lies, their contradictions, and to try to turn the tables and elicit that confession.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Because there is always that risk that the confession doesn't come and the suspect just stops talking. And that could result in investigators missing out on critical information, even if that information comes in the form of a lie.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
On a cold January night, a young woman was returning to the apartment she shared with her roommate, Sumaya Ahmed, in a multi-story residential complex in the city of Alexandria.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And that was certainly the case here. Alexandria detectives sought CanCam as both a flight risk and a risk to public safety, made all the more dangerous if he knew he was cornered.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
The boyfriend of Samaya Ahmed had dug himself into a deep hole with a barrage of lies to investigators about the night Samaya was killed.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And if Brian was looking for ways to strengthen his case after CanCam was in custody, he got it.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Now, there's always a recording when you make or receive a jailhouse call, and it warns inmates that their calls are being recorded and that information shared can be used against them in court. But CanCam thought he had come up with a foolproof plan to beat the system.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But as soon as she entered the apartment, she knew something was terribly wrong.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Luckily for Brian, the FBI was just over the river in D.C., and thanks to the Bureau's diverse workforce, they soon had CanCam's call translated.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
I mean, what are the odds? The friend asked to aid in a bet in the cover-up of a potential murder just happens to be a police informant?
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And so homicide detectives borrowed a page out of the narcotics handbook and set up a sting in order to intercept this mysterious package.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
The contents of the bag included a man's security uniform covered in blood and the same external vest that CanCam was wearing in the video from Samaya's phone.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
To call this a treasure trove of evidence was an understatement. In short, it was an embarrassment of evidentiary riches that took the remaining question marks off the table.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
First responders arrived at the fifth floor apartment within minutes. But sadly, there was nothing they could do.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
I mean, look, in some cases, offering a plea in exchange for an admission of guilt is a good way to not only guarantee some level of accountability, but also to mitigate the risks of a trial.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But despite the strong evidence against him, this was still potentially a tricky case to prosecute. With CanCam determined to testify in his own defense, the onus was on the prosecutor to not just so doubt that CanCam was telling the truth, the prosecution also had to piece together all the evidence that both disproves CanCam's story and laid out the actual truthful version of events.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But as I've said to so many juries when it comes to a witness that might have a criminal past or is an otherwise less than perfect person, you don't have to like them. The question is, can you believe them? Are they credible?
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
The prosecution argued that the contents of the bag removed from CanCam's house was proof that he had not only killed Samaya, but that he had taken great lengths to clean up the crime scene and remove any incriminating evidence from the apartment. And incredibly, they even had more video proof.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
After the prosecution rested, it was still unclear whether CanCam would actually take the stand in his own defense.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Common Sense suggested that Samaya's fatal injury might have been self-inflicted, but to investigators at the scene, it quickly became clear that her death was not the result of a suicide.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Cancan claimed that after trying to calm himself down, he sat down in the bathroom and promptly passed out until the moment he was suddenly awakened by the sound of a single gunshot.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But Brian also knew that his cross-examination, it wasn't just about facing off against an opponent and coming out on top. It was about proving hopefully the truth. And it was about a young woman's life and the justice she deserved.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But as he knew it would be from the beginning, it was those videos filmed by the murder victim herself that proved to be the most effective and most emotional pieces of evidence.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
A threat to this woman's life dismissed as a joke. His depraved indifference to her life and her murder sent a chill through the jury.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
In the end, Samaya's murder was yet another tragic example of why domestic abuse remains one of the most dangerous threats to women, to people in this country.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
One of the unfortunate ironies of being a homicide prosecutor is that we never get to meet the victim for whom we are trying to achieve justice. But each and every victim, including Samaya Ahmed, has the potential to leave a profound and lasting impact on the prosecutor's life.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Having left the profession some years ago, I can 100% say that it is a heavy load that homicide prosecutors, many prosecutors carry, whether they realize it or not, mentally and emotionally.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
We need to compartmentalize to get the job done, but it's also important to feel what these cases are actually about, just as Brian said, because they are about human beings who have lost their lives by violence, and there are so many other additional terrible ripple effects as a result. Samaya Ahmed was young and had come to this country looking for a better life.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
I'm Anna Siga-Nicolazzi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
She lost it to a man she believed, or at least hoped, cared about her. Samaya Ahmed, you are remembered by your friends, your family, and now this AOM community too. So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve? I approve!
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And the likely suspect? Someone that Samaya knew or recognized who gained access to her apartment without forced entry.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Samaya had legally immigrated to the United States in pursuit of an education and a career.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And so initially, investigators hoped that physical evidence might hold some clues as to who may have been behind her brutal murder.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Just imagining the violence inflicted in that kind of an assault and the fact that this was likely committed by someone Samaya knew, it tells you so much about this murder.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
In this digital age, our phones have become our constant companions. And whether it's a blessing or a curse, it also means that rarely are any of us without a camera.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But, you know, also the big thing that stands out to me is just the type of wound.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
It's almost I can picture without knowing it all, this is what actually happened as I was first learning this case, of this escalation, like something that is getting heated that then turns into this very physical assault up until someone, I can almost picture, I hate to say this, but like grabbing her by the hair and then placing that gun in her mouth.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And really what that points to is whatever it was, whatever initiated, whoever it was, deliberate and obviously brutally violent.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
So whether it's a close friend, a family member, or who knows, even her roommate.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Asked if she knew anyone who might want to hurt Samaya, the roommate admitted she didn't know too much about Samaya's personal life at all.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
According to the roommate, she also knew the likely cause of their frequent disputes.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
So he was married, he drank to excess, and he was a bully, it seems. So if you're narrowing down suspects, that's checking a lot of boxes. But it was actually the roommate's description of Can-Cam's job that got the most attention.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
And if you've ever scrolled social media and watched a supercut of people falling down or a tense confrontation in a parking lot, you probably know what we're talking about. These days, it seems like our every misstep is just destined to be captured on video and shared with the world.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Needless to say, investigators immediately looked for any proof that CanCam could have been in Samaya's apartment the night she was murdered, starting with the search of security footage of the apartment building.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But it would be something belonging to Samaya herself that would convince police that he was more than just a bad boyfriend. He might just be a killer.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
Her married boyfriend was immediately on investigators' radar as a person of interest. And while Sumaya's roommate described a man with a temper, a drinking habit, and a gun, investigators were still looking for hard evidence that could tie CanCam to the scene of the crime.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
As we have seen in previous stories, cell phones can provide everything from a victim's location, an archive of texts between the victim and any potential suspects, and of course, photos and videos that might be relevant to the investigation.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
But as a prosecutor, I will tell you that getting access to this digital information, well, it takes multiple steps and is often not a quick or straightforward thing to get.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
An archive of text messages recorded between Samaya and CanCam corroborated what her roommate had said about their volatile relationship.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
There was something even more valuable and more terrifying than the text between an argumentative couple. There were videos documenting a relationship simmering with potential violence.
Anatomy of Murder
The Sting (Somaya Hussein Ahmed)
The camera was being held by Samaya and very deliberately aimed at Can-Can, almost offensively. The couple was in the middle of an argument, and while it's not totally clear why she was filming, whether it was to protect herself or maybe just to show him later, but the exchange between them was most definitely confrontational.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
This is an off week for Anatomy of Murder, but we've been thinking a lot about a case we previously featured. In July 2022, we brought you the case of Facing Evil, the story of the 2009 triple murders of Nikita Hamilton, Faith Bissasor, and her son Davion Bishop.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Then that friend called 911 for her.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Camille felt the only thing that pulled her through those moments was still hearing her daughter's voice.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Camille was taken to the hospital to get treated right away.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Camille thought that she'd been hearing Nikki's voice while she was still inside the house, but that wasn't the case. Nikki had already been killed.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And it wasn't just Nikki. It was Faith and Davion that were also now dead. Just think of all that Camille lost that night. The obvious is her daughter. And while she survived, think about what she was living now with. her daughter gone, one of her closest friends and that friend's child gone.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And on top of that, she had to deal with her own physical injuries, not to her elbow, not to her shoulder, but to her face. And remember, this was a woman who was taught as she grew up that that face was what she needed to get by.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
There's something else about the where Camille was shot. It is a constant reminder. Think about yourselves, how many times a day you look in the mirror, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, just walking by. And every time she sees her face is not just a reminder of what happened to her, but is the loss of her child that she can never escape.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And there's just something that felt so wrong to me as I was hearing it. I mean, she is shot in the face during a home invasion attack. And while she is left not to chew the way that she could before, every time she looks, there is that constant reminder. I cannot fathom how that becomes labeled cosmetic.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, when we think about Camille, there have been so many moments and so many things over the years that she has had to face and deal with that you can hear it when she talks. It just sounds like almost too much to bear.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
But just like those moments before the police arrived that very night when she was encouraged by the sound of her daughter Nikki's voice, that is the exact same thing that has gotten her through all of this.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
One really interesting thing about Camille's life is that from a very young age, she had one goal.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
This is a portion of the police interview made shortly after the incident. We're not going to be playing most of Camille's side of the conversation because the quality's not great and she's very difficult to hear.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And the obvious thing for police is, is this attacker someone that someone in that home knew? So is it going to be a stranger encounter, a crime of opportunity, something personal? So once they can try to figure out that, they try to have some direction.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And there is something about that, right? That they didn't wear a mask. And to me that says it's obviously, or most likely at least, not someone they knew who wasn't worried about being recognized, but also probably not someone from right around there. Because again, just think about your own block or wherever you live.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
If it's someone that you see every day or someone that works in the corner store, you're going to be more likely to recognize them if you don't know them. Yet there is a brazenness, a confidence in that lack of a mask that indicates either not known or that this is not a preplanned or well-thought-out plan, that this is a sloppiness on the attacker's part.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, just hearing that the attacker had gold teeth, it really does narrow down your pool from the get-go.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And you know, when people hear about these beauty pageants, we may have personal opinions about them, but for those that are involved, it can become your everything. I mean, whether it is a little boy or girl that wants to be a superhero, so every time they look in the mirror, that's all they see, or again, someone that wants to win one of these pageants, it becomes all-encompassing.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Once they had the composite sketch, police distributed flyers around the neighborhood. There was also a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. And of course, this is the exact type of case that anyone seeing it that had any information you would expect them to want to be helpful. And indeed, tips did come in, but it did not yield anything substantial. Police had another clue, DNA.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
The investigation was at a standstill until investigators decided to test an unlikely source for DNA. Now remember, each of the victims was duct taped.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And investigators had found a roll of duct tape on a table near the victims.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Now, you just think about like duct tape for a moment, right? Just think about the potential of how many hands could have touched it. There is the factory workers where it is being produced. There is the people that are tasked with placing in the boxes to get wherever it's going to go. There's the people taking out of the boxes to put it on the shelf of whatever store that's selling it.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And then there is the purchaser. And who even knows if the purchaser is the same person who then is using this duct tape to commit these crimes.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
They found a mixture of three profiles. One was belonging to Camille. The other was to an unknown individual. And the third was to a person who would become their number one suspect. The likelihood of it being that person was one in 460,000.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
When police ran his name, they found that he had encountered law enforcement multiple times before. A year before the homicides, he was arrested in Jacksonville for fondling himself in public. And on August 8, 2009, that's eight days prior to the homicide, Kevin Pratt was stopped by Miramar Police Department while panhandling.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
It is the fun. In a way, it's a little child's version of Bright Lights Big City.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
The interesting thing about that is that he was stopped just one mile from Faith's home.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, Scott, I really thought the where he was arrested in the days before the homicide really interesting. You know, you have the one mile and that even though it's farther away, the three miles, like that meant nothing to me other than it puts him in the area.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
So you have this DNA, and I know it's in the thousands rather than the millions or the billions, but then what are the odds when you start to have that individual certainly in the vicinity of where the crime takes place? And that's before you even get to the composite sketch or anything else.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
So the lead investigator in this case, Detective Steve Toyota, knew that he wasn't going to confront Pratt with just the DNA evidence alone. He wanted to have an identification in place, and the only living witness who could do that was Camille. And that meant taking a trip to Jamaica.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And when she looked at those photographs, she did not make an identification.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And Camille was successful at it from a young age, and that made her want it and care about it all the more.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And so when you hear that, it's just that wind out of your sails. Or is it, right? Because I've certainly had cases that the witness did not make an identification. And again, maybe because it's not the person, but it could also be because maybe they look different. People lose weight, they gain weight, they have different facial hair, hairstyles.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And again, there is something very different about a photograph of someone than a live lineup.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
But of course, there's always going to be the possibility that when they get that no ID, that for whatever reason, maybe they're heading down the wrong path.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And now that he's been identified, they sat down with Pratt to ask him what happened back on August 16th of 2009.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
So sometimes it's not just what investigator strategy is. You look at to see, well, what is the strategy of the person on the other side of those questions? In this case, Pratt.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And so if there was a strategy at all, it was really just to keep answering with short answers, very matter-of-factly. I can't recall that night, sir. Nope. No, sir. Not me. No, not really. Don't know what you're saying. I've never heard of anything like that at all. Wasn't there. I don't know these people. I've never, like, seen them before. And just repeat, repeat, repeat, and never waver.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And that's exactly what he did.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Really, the biggest thing that stood out to me about the interview was Pratt's demeanor itself. You know, sometimes people seem very nervous when they're being questioned. You know, they tap their finger or they blink. And there really was none of that.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Investigators decided to take one more shot on playing to Pratt's sympathy.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
This time they took what definitely would be termed a bold, indeed a risky move. This is Camille. And that's when Camille entered the room.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, I think Scott used a great descriptive word, and that is unorthodox, because there are certainly potential challenges, problems, pitfalls in this. But let's focus on what Camille said when she was in the room.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
She is in the same room with the person she had just identified as having killed, taken her child from her forever.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And while it was expressing her pain, it was also that showing of strength. And she let him know in no uncertain terms, I know who you are. You are the person who took my child. You took my friend, her son, forever. But you know what? You left me for dead too, but I am here.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, and again, while we certainly have materials here that we're looking at, we don't have the entire file. But yeah, I think it's a very fair assessment to say that they were not sure that they had enough to walk themselves into court because they'd already had clear problems with the identifications initially. They had nothing but denials in his statements.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
They had a DNA hit that, while conclusive, was less than the numbers that we are used to and would be open to attack. So at that moment, they let him walk out, whether it was to look for more evidence or reassess. It was taking the thoughtful move to really look carefully before they placed his name on an arrest warrant.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And the results of this test were markedly different. They showed that the chance that the DNA belonged to an unrelated person was one in 12 billion. That's 26,000 times stronger, more certain than the test that had been conducted before. And that equaled enough to charge Kevin Pratt with murder.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, one thing we see with forensic science time and time again is that it's always evolving, and the same can be said for DNA. Even recently, we covered a case on true conviction where there was a suspect whose DNA was linked to a homicide, but then on appeals, he was exonerated because that DNA tested was deemed to be not conclusive enough
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Similarly, here in 2013, there were new guidelines put in place for DNA mixtures with multiple profiles. Remember, there had been three when they tested that tape. And the crime lab, based on those new guidelines, determined that the results were inconclusive.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
I mean, I think it's that you take a deep breath and really look at what you have. Because again, they still have the test, they still have the conclusion, but they now have to deal with these new guidelines. So you could still likely put this in front of a jury, but you now have to also give them what these guidelines now are.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
So it certainly lessens the impact of that new number being in the billions. So you still have the evidence, but it's much less powerful based on what's more current.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And so what happened here is that both sides, the prosecution and the defense, agreed to a plea deal. And here's why. The judge had already indicated to both sides that he was likely going to suppress, which means not allow those lineup results to make it into evidence. And the same thing for Kevin Pratt's statement. So now you didn't just have this difference in the DNA results.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You had no identifications, potentially. You had whatever he did say, whatever use you could make of his statements not being introduced to the jury. So there are, without us again seeing the entire file, going to be major problems for the prosecution.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
When I got to that part of the research, of hearing that talked about during the interview... It literally just stopped me for a bit because no matter what the evidence is, and while I may understand it in the realities of what could be proven in court, how is 10 years enough for a life? in this case, three, on top of which the forever wounds, both external and inside, to Camille.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And so again, it is not second-guessing what happened because we don't have all the facts before us, but there is just something so wrong to me personally about that.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Since his release, he violated the terms of his probation twice, once in 2022 and most recently in December of 2024. The multiple violations included accusations of trespassing, drug use, and threats.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Think about Camille's life from a young age. And then she had this romance that she got swept away in and she's traveling with the musician and the crowds and the cities and things were pretty exciting for her. And then by the time she turned 23, that chapter of her life ended, but the excitement was going to keep going, but in a very different way.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Emile Hamilton was interviewed after this latest development, and she said that she still remembers everything that happened that night, and that each day she gets up thinking about Nikki, her only child. You know, I often look for those silver linings or that breath of hope that one of these survivors can give to others.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
And while I could talk about certain things with Camille, all I kept hearing during this interview was despair. You know, working in this line of work, we certainly have a larger stomach for hearing about the darkness that goes on in this world. But sometimes it even makes us, makes me question, is it all just too much? And for Camille, she has thought it too.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
But one of the things that the thing that keeps her going is the voice of her daughter. Her life is lost, but that voice, her memory has never left Camille's head. And I think it's safe to say that she is never going to stop hearing Nikki's voice. And I think we are all incredibly thankful that she still has that one gift.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Tune in next week for another new episode of Anatomy of Murder.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Produced and created by Weinberger Media and Frosetti Media.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
On November 26, 1993, Camille gave birth to Nikita, who went by the nickname of Nikki.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
She was the girl that Camille had always prayed for.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Now, over the years, this mother-daughter duo traveled quite a bit. They made a lot of trips out of Jamaica. And Nikki seemed to have that lust for travel the same as her mom.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Faith Bissasore worked as an ER nurse and lived in Miramar, Florida.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
But Camille and Faith weren't just friends. Faith had a child of her own, a 15-year-old son named Davian. And Nikki was also 15 years old.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
You know, there was never anything said completely outright. But again, they're 15 years old. And Scott, you know, you hit the nail on the head because even just the way that Camille talks about it. And remember, they're in two different countries. But yet those phone conversations became more frequent. So either there is a very strong friendship brewing or maybe a bit of something else.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
In August 2009, Camille and Nikki made the trek to Florida. Camille got temporary work out there and had plans to use the money that she earned to buy Nikki's sweet 16 dress and decorations. The two stayed with Faith and Davion. And one night during that trip, Nikki was at their house having dinner and Camille was on her way home.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Camille remembers that laughter for another reason, too. It was the last time she ever heard Joy in her daughter's voice. And it would very soon be the last time she had heard her daughter speak at all. And even though it was more than 10 years ago, Camille recalls these events like it happened yesterday.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Camille didn't seem to recognize the man.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
Now for the next portion of the story, we are going to play Camille's interview raw, unedited, including Scott's questions, because we want you to hear it exactly as we did.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
I'm Anna Siga-Nicolazzi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
Anatomy of Murder
Remembering Nekitta Hamilton, Davion Bishop, and Faith Bisasor
It was right around then that Camille lost consciousness. She didn't know why, she didn't know how, she didn't exactly know when. When she came to, she had no idea, at least momentarily, what had happened.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The police, news of the unidentified body, the reactions of her friends and family... Yvonne's brain was swirling and was having trouble deciphering all that was happening.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne's brother went to the morgue to make the identification. They wouldn't let him view the actual body, but they showed him items that had been found nearby at the crime scene. He relayed the information to his sister.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne was in shock and filled with questions. How could her daughter, so full of life just that morning, have ended up like this just hours later? Who could have done this to her?
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The morning of the funeral, Yvonne had a few last minutes alone with her daughter. It was during that heartbreaking visit that Yvonne made a promise. She would uncover what happened to Gloria and bring her killer to justice. In that moment, her grief took a backseat to her determination.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
But there were limitations on the investigative tools that police had at their disposal. This was 1984, after all, the year that the process for developing a DNA profile was first discovered. It would be years before it could be used to effectively solve crimes.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
investigators began working with traditional policing methods. They canvassed the area of the school and spoke to multiple witnesses who had seen Gloria walking that morning.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The first potential break in the case came in around 6 p.m. the same day of the murder. Cleveland police had responded to an attempted kidnapping in another part of the city.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Two bystanders saw what was happening and called police. The car drove away, but they managed to copy down the license plate. Police traced the car to a 53-year-old man named Rommel Broom. A quick background check revealed he had a dark past.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne worked hard, got good grades, and she dreamed of going off to college. But at age 16, her life took an unexpected turn when she became pregnant. She went from a student with straight A's to a student who was kicked out of school.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
detectives started developing a theory. Perhaps Broom had tried to strike twice in one day, the first attack being Gloria's murder. And Scott, you know, like you hear that. So obviously I think about like, oh my gosh, this person has had it more than once. But again, we are talking about a big city with hundreds of thousands, likely millions of people.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
And just in the most unfortunate of ways, it could easily just be a coincidence.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
In that case, another 14-year-old, a young girl named Trina Middleton, was walking home from a football game with two girlfriends.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Just two hours later, Trina's body was found in a parking lot. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. In the months that followed, Trina's friends looked at hundreds of police photos attempting to identify the man from the car.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
In fact, their investigation was floundering. Besides the lack of evidence against Broom, other potential leads were going nowhere. They looked at multiple people, including Gloria's boyfriend and even her stepfather, but both had solid alibis.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne dealt with the slow wheels of justice and the lack of answers in the only way she knew how. She made it her mission to try and prevent what happened to her daughter from happening to anyone else.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
She also stayed in touch with the detectives working Gloria's case, and she pushed them to find the killer.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
During Yvonne's interview, she told us that she had become disillusioned with the investigation and the way her daughter's case was initially handled.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
And Scott, I have to say, of course, I'm right with Yvonne. I mean, we are talking about this young woman who doesn't sound Anything like what is being even questioned by police. But that's one of those things that if they're even thinking about that stays like inside your head rather than going to the victim's mom. But you also have the weather, right? A snowstorm was coming in.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
This young woman, this young girl is on her way to school to get an award. Like nothing fits with this being anything other than the brutal attack we see that it was.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
And be as outraged and hurt as Yvonne clearly was and still is when she thinks back to that time. And according to Yvonne, police continued to pursue Rommel Broom as a suspect in Gloria's case, despite the lack of evidence connecting him to it.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Frustrated with the still open investigation, Yvonne Poynter decided to take matters into her own hands. If police were so certain that Rommel Broom was behind her daughter's murder, then Yvonne would do what seemed to her like the most obvious thing in the world. She would go ask him herself.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
These changes were made all the harder by the lack of support from the person who mattered to her most, her mother.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
One letter turned into many. Broom never responded. But that did not stop Yvonne from continuing to be proactive. If the police weren't able to find Gloria's killer, perhaps she would be able to. She decided to search in the one place that she believed that most killers eventually lived, prisons.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne became a regular speaker in prisons, sharing Gloria's story with countless inmates. Each time, she asked for their help in identifying the person responsible for her daughter's murder, even if one of them was that person.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Like, Scott, we just have to stop for a second because I don't know. I just smile when I say just picture her just like marching into these prisons. Right. And just saying, like, here I am and telling, obviously, this story that has impacted her life in the worst of ways and just such strength.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
But I also think it's like I don't even know the word for it, but it's just this incredible power that she is going to figure this out one way or the other. And as you said, like, it's unconventional, to put it mildly.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
It was also a way to counteract the lack of faith she was feeling about the investigation. But primarily, she hoped it would bring her the answers she was so desperate to receive.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
What Yvonne got in response from prisoners surprised her.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Initially, that testing was inconclusive. In 2008, a new round of testing was done. Analyzing hairs collected following the murder. Now, that testing positively identified Gloria's DNA. It allowed them to distinguish her profile from any other profile that might be found amongst the evidence.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
When the time came, his execution was rescheduled after what's been called in various articles I've read as a botched execution attempt. Broome was ultimately executed in 2020. A short time after that original execution date, Yvonne received a letter in the mail.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The letter answered that one question for Yvonne. But if not Broom, then who had killed her child? Yvonne remained steadfast that eventually the killer would be found.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
they were able to identify a DNA profile with nine genetic markers. And for context, DNA profiles entered into a national database typically have between 10 to 13 genetic markers. Here, investigators decided to err on the side of caution rather than add the incomplete profile into the database.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
they decided to test the profile they found against former people of interest in this case, including Gloria's boyfriend at the time and her stepfather.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
That same year, Yvonne's sister noticed an article in the local newspaper that outlined DNA testing being done on old sexual assault kits. She called the journalist and told her about Gloria's case.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
And when the profile obtained from Gloria's clothing was entered into the database, there was a match. The DNA was connected to a 58-year-old man named Hernandez Warren. A quick background check into Warren revealed several pieces of relevant information.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Warren also had a criminal past, and even more striking was the reason that his DNA had ended up in that database. Nine months after Gloria's murder, Warren had attacked multiple women, sexually assaulting one of them. He was arrested and convicted of sexual assault, burglary, and felony assault. He had served 17 years in prison. Warren was now free and living in Cleveland.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Warren claimed to have done a lot of drugs at that time in his life, and he also said he'd been sexually active with multiple women. He went so far as to claim that it was even possible that Gloria had been one of his partners.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne's daughter was born on February 28, 1970. She named her Gloria, meaning glory in Latin. With her big almond eyes and wide smile, Gloria lived up to her name.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The detective next showed Warren pictures of Gloria and the crime scene from that morning, images that clearly unsettled him. Their strategy worked. Warren began to talk, and with each word, he slowly began to implicate himself in Gloria's murder.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
As the multi-hour interview continued, Warren eventually told police. terrifying details about the day Gloria was killed. He said that he saw Gloria walking to school and decided to lure her into the building where she was later found. It was there that he admitted to sexually assaulting her, and then he said he turned to leave.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
That confession from Warren, which came nearly 29 years after Gloria's murder, led to his arrest. That same day, Yvonne was busy working on behalf of the victims of a more recent high-profile case that had also taken place in Cleveland.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne was called to be a victim advocate at the hospital where the women were staying after their rescue.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne felt like it was a sign from God that she was sitting there with this young woman, a captive who was now free.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
In typical Yvonne fashion, she spent the next week trying to get a slice of cheesecake to the young woman. When police asked Yvonne to go to the station a week later, Yvonne assumed it was to bring Michelle the cheesecake.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Detectives had decided to withhold the news of Warren's arrest for a few days so it wouldn't be overshadowed by the release of the women hostages. Now it would be public knowledge Yvonne was the first in line to get the news. it was finally her turn to receive justice for her daughter.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Before the trial was set to begin, Hernandez-Warren pled guilty to murdering Gloria Pointer. At his sentencing, Yvonne took notice of everything, including the courtroom.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
But the meeting didn't go the way Yvonne expected. Warren cried and told Yvonne that he no longer had a reason to live.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Life as a young single mom was challenging for Yvonne. Her father was her saving grace, and he stepped in when she needed support. He helped furnish an apartment for her and offered to babysit so Yvonne could continue her studies.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The weight of waiting 29 years for justice took its obvious toll on her. The relentless pursuit of answers, the fight to keep Gloria's story alive, it was exhausting.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Rather than allowing her grief to leave her bitter or closed off to the world, Yvonne chose the opposite path. It hasn't been easy, but she continues to channel her pain into activism. turning tragedy and grief into forward-moving positive purpose.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne serves as the Ohio State lead for Voices of Black Mothers, an organization dedicated to eradicating intercommunity violence. She also established a scholarship in Gloria's name for victims of violence, ensuring Gloria's legacy is one of hope, not just loss.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne is proud of the work she has done, but she also believes that it was this activism work that helped save her during her darkest of days.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
One thing remains clear. Gloria's unwavering strong belief in her mother, Yvonne. As a child, Gloria had an absolute faith in her mother. Whenever there was a need in the community or classroom, she would proudly say, my mother will do it.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
One of the things I love about AOM is that as we share the unnerving cases of homicide week after week, you also get to know about either their families or people that worked on their behalves. It's part of the reason why I'm still so drawn to these cases and this work after what now amounts to more than three decades.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
It is clear that Yvonne shared a special bond with both her children, Gloria and her younger brother. She has shared her loss and the years of anger and pain with us so honestly. We've also gotten a glimpse of her strength as she carries on Gloria's name and legacy in all the amazing work she has done. Gloria Pointer lost her life the day that she was set to win a perfect attendance award.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
How fitting that part of her legacy is helping educate children both here and as far away as Africa. The Gloria Pointer Foundation is an organization that is an advocate for abused, neglected, and abducted children. That, Gloria Pointer, is an amazing way for your legacy to thrive and your memory to live on. So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve? I approve!
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
A few years later, Yvonne's life started to stabilize, something she credits with rediscovering her religion.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
I'm Anna Siga-Nicolazzi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Throughout every challenge, Yvonne's greatest cheerleader was her daughter, Gloria. With her sunny personality and unwavering optimism, she was a natural caretaker, always looking out for her younger brother and doing everything she could to keep her mother's spirits high.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Mother knows best. It's a phrase that many believe to be true. Perhaps no one more so than mothers themselves.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne made it a priority to be deeply involved in her children's lives, a presence so constant that even Gloria's friends took notice.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
School hadn't been easy for Gloria, and academics were often challenging. But things started to change after she joined the cheerleading squad. She formed a close bond with the squad's coach, a relationship that not only boosted her confidence, but also helped turn around her grades.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The first week of December in 1984 was a week Gloria was really looking forward to. That Friday would be her basketball team's first game. And the day before that, she was going to be presented with an award for having perfect attendance in school.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne got ready for work. Her car was piled high with newspapers that she was scheduled to deliver. As she started to make her morning rounds, she unexpectedly ran into her daughter who had cut through a backstreet on her way to school.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Yvonne thought about turning around and driving Gloria the rest of the way to school, but her car was full of newspapers and there wasn't really a place for Gloria to sit.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
The no-show was completely out of character. Remember, Gloria was set to receive a perfect attendance record that day. Yvonne, who had seen her daughter walking, was certain that the school was mistaken and that Gloria must be in the building somewhere. She suggested they continue to look.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
As years stretched on with little progress made, Yvonne's vow began to feel impossible. But a mother's promise and determination is a powerful force. And in this case, it proved to be unshakable.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Gloria was known to be responsible, and Yvonne was certain that she would show back up. And when she did, Gloria was ready to give her daughter a talk.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
On the morning of December 6, 1984, a maintenance worker in Cleveland, Ohio, had heard repeated banging coming from an abandoned building about 500 feet from Gloria Pointer School.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Investigators arrived to a tragic scene. The body was that of a young woman with extensive injuries, including a severe head wound. We do want to warn that the details are disturbing and may be triggering for some.
Anatomy of Murder
My Name Is Gloria (Gloria Pointer)
Investigators processed the scene and the body was taken to a local morgue. Yvonne's memories of that day are hazy.