St. Augustine, FL - "Athalia Ponsell Lindsley Murder"

DISCLAIMER: The following post is only speculation based on internet research of an unsolved murder case. I am not a professional crime solver of any kind, this blog is simply a hobby and should not be used in any actual investigation.

Lindsley was born to a wealthy family in Toledo, Ohio and was raised on the Isle of Pines, an island possession of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea. She spent 20 years in New York as a model, chorus line dancer and hostess on Bud Collyer's television game show "Winner Take All". She was newly wedded to a wealthy real estate agent. She was murdered just four months after the wedding.
Lindsley had been in an ongoing feud with Alan Griffin Stanford Jr., her neighbor at 126 Marine Street. One of the concerns was the six stray dogs she took in that barked incessantly. In a transcript of an October 1973 county meeting, one of the commissioners had remarked, "I am aware you are a neighbor of the Stanfords and that y'all have had neighbor problems," to which Lindsley answered, "That's true. My life has been threatened...he threatened my life."

Between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on January 23, 1974, Lindsley was attacked on the front steps of her home at 124 Marine Street by a white middle-aged male wearing a white dress shirt and dark dress pants. According to medical examiner Dr. Arthur Schwartz, who performed the autopsy, she was struck nine times by the machete on her hand, arm and in the head. One of her fingers was severed and she was nearly decapitated.

Toward the end of the attack, an 18-year-old neighbor, Locke McCormick, heard the sounds of a commotion and went outside to look. He allegedly shouted to his mother that "Mr. Stanford is hitting Mrs. Ponsell." After the perpetrator left, the McCormicks went next door and saw Lindsley lying in a pool of blood on her porch and called 911.

Stanford was indicted and brought to trial; after two hours of jury deliberation, he was acquitted. When he was identified as a suspect, Stanford said five county employees could identify him as being in his office at the time of the murder.

But blood droplets were found in his county vehicle, a Chevrolet Impala, and a blood trail led to the wall of his property from Athalia's steps.

Critics accused the police of botching the investigation and tainting evidence. St. Augustine Police Sgt. Dominic Nicklo, now retired, said, "Jinx Lindsley was eliminated (as a suspect) immediately. He was somewhere else. We know Alan did it. We had the right guy."

These details all lead up to my theory: Lindsley was murdered by her sleazy neighbor, Stanford. The man got away with it because of a lack of justice.

Source:

http://staugustine.com/stories/013007/news_4368775.shtml#.V0-OY5ErLIU

http://www.constantinereport.com/st-augustine-socialite-hacked-to-death-locals-are-careful-with-talk-about-suicide-ruling/

Teaneck, NJ - Diggs Family Murders

DISCLAIMER: The following post is only speculation based on internet research of an unsolved murder case. I am not a professional crime solver of any kind, this blog is simply a hobby and should not be used in any actual investigation.

It all began with Jean. 39 year old wife and mother, Jean Diggs, was last seen alive by unnamed neighbors on the day of her own untimely death. She was noted as seeming depressed most of the time, but was especially so that day. Jean was known to be a beautiful woman, and a great mother. She was always supportive of her husband, but quite dependent on him for emotional support. Wesley Diggs was her life, but the more time he spent in the city the less time he had for her.

She understood that he was working very hard, trying to make a go of the businesses, and she wanted to help, especially if that would bring her into his world. She wanted to get a small, part-time job to help him financially, even though he would refuse. They'd been through this before. Jean figured that she’d be able to help by paying some of the bills. She’d not have to depend on him to provide for her daily money needs. The bottom line was that she was breaking down. Jean began spending more and more time alone within the prison like walls of her home; behind closed doors and shaded windows.

This isn’t to imply that she was totally devoid of neighborhood contacts, in fact, one of the last people she visited and talked to on that fatal weekend lived but a few doors away. Jean sat in her living room for a long time, in an eerie state of silence, almost catatonic, then suddenly spoke decidedly saying, “They’re [her children] better off with God.”

That was it.

Let’s review the crime scene for a moment. On the third floor of the Digg’s colonial style house was Allison Diggs (16 years). This area was renovated to hold space enough for two bedrooms. Allison was in her bed with her television (turned on) between her and the door. She was reaching for the window when the shooter fired (hardly seems like a stressful position to be in when at gunpoint, meaning she must have known and trusted the shooter). In the second room of the third floor, everything was in its place. The room was completely furnished with bedding, except for the empty pillowcase on the bed. Moving down to the second floor, where Wesley Jr. (5 years) and Roger Diggs (12 years) rooms were. The boys were in their beds when the shooter fired, and there were blood flow discrepancies where the bullets entered the mattresses. Drying patterns present. On the second floor was the oldest daughter Audrey (17 years). She was found on her bed, fully clothed. The blood stains indicated that her body had been moved to the bed, and she was not shot there. The crime scene was clearly tampered with. Audrey was shot at least twice as much as the others were, so she was not so friendly with the shooter. Down to the basement, Jean Diggs was found sitting with her legs outstretched, with one hand touching the floor. She sat upright and slumped backwards. Oddly, there was a great deal of blood in the area. NO WEAPONS WERE PRESENT.

The only missing items from the home were the pillow and the .22 Calibur handgun that belonged to Wesley Diggs’ collection.

From these details, I conclude my theory: In a state of depression, Jean Diggs shot her four children, then took her own life. Her loyal sister, in attempt to protect their good name, shot them many more times to cover up the murder/suicide and stage a massacre.

Sources:

http://www.nj.com/forums/teaneck/index.ssf?extlink?artid=2634

http://www.northjersey.com/news/who-killed-the-diggs-family-40-year-old-mass-murder-in-teaneck-remains-a-mystery-1.1468498