2023 Case Updates

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2:01Voices for Justice is a podcast that uses adult language and discusses sensitive and potentially triggering topics, including violence, abuse, and murder. This podcast may not be appropriate for younger audiences. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Some names have been changed or omitted per their request or for safety purposes. Listener discretion is advised. My name is Sarah Turney and this is Voices for Justice.

2:34This is our very last episode of the year, and per tradition, we are covering all the updates we saw in 2023. I'll be going in order beginning with the cases I covered in 2021 all the way through today, ending with Alyssa's case. 2023 saw updates in the cases of Alicia Navarro, Brandi Myers and the Arizona Canal killings, Tara Calico, Margarita Sandoval, Naomi Irion, Harmony Montgomery, Madeline Kingsbury, Anaya Walker, and my sister Alyssa Turney. These are 2023 updates. One of the first cases I covered outside of my sister Alyssa's was the case of 14-year-old Alicia Navarro. She was featured in episode 5 in February 2021.

3:22As a refresher, Alicia left her mother a note that said that she was leaving, but that she would be back. Then she seemingly vanished without a trace from Glendale, Arizona in 2019. I've discussed Alicia's case many times on this podcast. Voices for Justice has sponsored events to raise awareness for Alicia, and over the years it became close to her mom, Jessica. Alicia has received international attention. She had billboards across the country and in Mexico. And in July of this year, at the age of 18, Alicia walked into a police station in Montana and identified herself. This caused a lot of uproar.

4:02People were rightfully concerned and confused as it came out that Alicia was staying with a 36-year-old man named Edmund Davis. By October, Davis was arrested on charges of child sexual abuse after explicit images were found on his cell phone not related to Alicia. And Alicia has finally returned home to her mother Jessica. Alicia is safe. And at this point, this is Alicia's story to tell should she ever choose to tell it. And both Alicia and Jessica have asked for privacy during this time. So, I will leave this update by just saying this. There is always hope. The next update comes from episode 11 in March of 2021.

4:46The case of Brandy Myers and the Arizona Canal killings. This update is quite personal to me as well. This is another local Arizona case from 1992. 13-year-old Brandy Myers was going door-to-door raising money for her school when she disappeared. Brandy and my sister Alyssa shared the same detective for quite some time, and as the Phoenix Police Department told me, they also sat down with Brandy's sister Kristen and basically said, we know who killed your sister, down to the color of trash bags her body was disposed of in. But we can't prosecute. Your best chance is to get media attention. The person investigators believe killed Brandy is Brian Patrick Miller.

5:27This summer, he was sentenced to death for the murder of 21-year-old Angela Brasso and 17-year-old Melanie Bernas. A confession Miller made to his ex-wife about killing Brandy Myers was used in court against him in relation to Angela and Melanie, but the Maricopa County Prosecutor's Office has yet to charge Miller with any crime related to Brandy. Next is episode 32 from August 2021, the case of 19-year-old Tara Calico. Tara went missing from Belen, New Mexico in 1988 while going for her daily bike ride. Tara's case is undoubtedly one of the most well-known in true crime even nearly 40 years later, but here on Voices for Justice, we know that just because a case is older doesn't mean that there will never be updates or some type of answers.

6:14In June of this year, authorities announced that they believe they have enough evidence to finally bring charges against someone in this case. Now, the Valencia County Sheriff's Office is being extremely tight-lipped about this update, and I'm sure with good reason. So that's all we really know. But VCSO Sheriff Denise Vigil told KBOB 4 News, quote, In the coming months, VCSO looks forward to working with Valencia County prosecutors to get justice for Tara and her family. So let's all keep our fingers crossed that a more major update is coming soon. This episode of Voices for Justice is brought to you by Quince.

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8:09This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Greenlight. I think one of the best gifts you can give your kids is the gift of financial literacy. I know it might sound a little corny, but think about how much it helps in life. Not only as a kid just to kind of develop and polish those skills, but as you also enter adulthood. When you have that skill set of financial literacy, it makes life so much easier. Now, if you haven't heard of Greenlight, it's a debit card and money app for families. It helps you teach kids and teens about money before bad habits or costly mistakes can take hold. Parents can send money quickly, track every purchase with real-time notifications, and even assign chores for allowance.

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9:33Her case is nothing short of horrific and tragic. Margarita had cognitive disabilities and was under the care of her brother Octavio Sanchez and his wife Desiree in Norman, Oklahoma. Margarita's other family members stopped hearing from her in 2018, while Octavio and Desiree continued to cash Margarita's social security benefits, totaling nearly$31 ,000. Then in 2021, Norman police got a tip that a body was found in the basement of a man Octavio was associated with, and it was Margarita. Like when I first covered this case, Margarita's case hasn't gotten a lot of attention in the media, but I was able to find a small update.

10:16In 2021, both Octavio and Desiree were charged with first-degree murder and unlawful removal of a body. And finally, this November, Desiree was found guilty on both charges, and is awaiting sentencing in 2024. Octavio is still awaiting trial. Our next update comes from episode 63, that aired in March of 2022, the case of Naomi Irion. And again, Naomi's case is nothing short of heartbreaking. It was featured on the podcast just a few weeks after she was reported missing, and I will never forget that just a few hours after posting the episode, it was announced that her remains were found. It was later discovered that Naomi was the victim of really just a random act of violence.

11:01According to police, 43-year-old Troy Driver saw Naomi in her car in a friendly Nevada Walmart parking lot. She was waiting for a shuttle to her job. He entered her vehicle and later killed her. Driver was later arrested and pleaded not guilty to all charges related to Naomi. However, while awaiting trial in August 2023, Driver died by suicide while in police custody. Just a few weeks ago, Naomi's sister Tamara posted on her Twitter account dedicated to Naomi that Driver did leave a note before completing suicide, and despite this note never being released to the public, it was sent to her on Twitter.

11:42There really are no words for things like this. Driver's death before trial, being sent evidence without warning. All I can say is that I, and I'm sure a lot of you out there, are sending so much love to Naomi's family as they navigate where to go from here. Next is the case of five-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who was featured in episodes 68 and 69 in May of 2022. Harmony's case touched me and so many of you. It's hard to look at Harmony's face and not want to fight for her, and honestly not to be angry for her, especially given the information that came out about her in 2023. But as a brief refresher, Harmony was last seen around October 2019 in New Hampshire with her father Adam Montgomery and stepmother Kayla Montgomery, but she wasn't reported missing until about two years later.

12:37Over the two episodes, I discussed Harmony's tough upbringing and how she was failed by child protection services again and again, ultimately leaving her in the care of her father. Then, Adam Montgomery was arrested in October 2022 for Harmony's murder. His wife Kayla was facing charges as well, welfare fraud, receiving stolen property, and perjury. Then, she finally spoke about what happened to Harmony. This information was unsealed this summer, and goes over some horrific details of Harmony's last moments, and how her body was handled after that. Now, I'm not going to go into everything. It's just not my style on this podcast, especially when speaking about a five-year-old.

13:22But, interviews with Kayla allege that Adam repeatedly punched Harmony in the face and head on December 7th, 2019. Kayla says Adam confided in her, quote, I think I really hurt her this time. I think I did something. They did not attempt to provide Harmony with medical attention or seek outside help. Adam and Kayla allegedly kept Harmony's body in a duffel bag for months, moving her from place to place, even freezing her at one point. Then Kayla says Adam got a friend to rent him a U-Haul van, where he disposed of Harmony's remains in an unknown location. She has never been found. Kayla Montgomery was sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of lying to a grand jury.

14:11Her remaining charges were dropped as a part of her plea deal to cooperate with investigators. Adam Montgomery was found guilty on six felony weapons charges in a separate case and is facing 20 years in prison on those charges. However, he has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, falsifying physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse in relation to Harmony. He is currently awaiting trial. And that is it for updates from our 2022 cases. Ray-Ban Meta Glasses come with open-ear audio, so you can listen to your favorite music without blocking out the world around you. Hey Meta, play Gorgeous. Here's Gorgeous by Doja Cat.

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15:13meet the computer you can talk to with copilot on windows working creating and collaborating is as easy as talking. Got writer's block? Share your screen with Copilot Vision to help spark inspiration and use Copilot Voice to have a conversation and brainstorm ideas. Or maybe you need some tech help. With Copilot Vision, Copilot sees what you see. Let Copilot talk you through step-by-step guidance so you can master new apps, games, and skills faster. Try now at windows.com slash copilot. Let's discuss updates from cases featured on the podcast this year. Our first update is from episode 150. which aired in April.

15:50The case of 26-year-old Madeline Kingsbury. She went missing from Winona, Minnesota in March of this year. I covered Maddie's case when she had only been missing for just a few weeks, and a lot has developed since that episode. In June, Maddie's remains were found along Highway 43, about an hour south of Winona, and her partner, 29-year-old Adam Fravel, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder shortly after. It's since come out that Maddie and Adam were severely behind on their rent due to Adam's unwillingness to contribute to the household bills. And shortly before she was killed, Maddie was planning on leaving Adam and getting her own place to live.

16:30By the fall, Adam was facing more charges and was indicted with the following. Murder in the first degree, past pattern of domestic abuse. Murder in the first degree, premeditation. Murder in the second degree, intentional without premeditation. murder in the second degree, unintentional while committing felony. His bail was set at$3 million, and if convicted, he could receive life in prison. The trial is projected to start in the fall of 2024. If you want to stay up to date on this case, and how her family is honoring her life, I encourage you to follow her sister Megan on TikTok. I'll have that link in the show notes.

17:11She's working extremely hard to raise awareness for Maddie and domestic violence. Our next update comes from the very next case I discussed after Maddie Kingsbury, at the end of April, episode 116, the case of 16-year-old Anaya Walker. Anaya was the victim of sex trafficking and was forced to sell drugs at just 13 years old. One of her abusers, Jamal Pennington, was arrested in 2018 on many charges of child sex trafficking, molestation of a child, sexual conduct with a minor, and more. Anaya was one of two children Pennington was accused of abusing, and Anaya was set to testify in court, but she was found dead in Buckeye, Arizona in May 2020 before she had the chance.

17:57This August, Pennington was convicted on two of those charges related to the other victim. While he wasn't charged with anything related to Anaya, her family is hopeful that this is a step towards justice for Anaya. Her sister Nakia told Ashley Paradis at ABC 15, quote, it means a lot to us. It's one of the reasons why a lot of things with my sister started in regard to her being scared to be in Arizona. It brings me a little bit of closure, because I know it would have brought her closure. As of this recording, no one has been held responsible for Anaya's murder, and her family has since created the Justice for Anaya Walker Foundation in her honor, where they plan to create a safe haven for at-risk youth.

18:42Last but not least is my sister Alyssa Turney's case. Now, as you all know, I am working on finishing Alyssa's story and that will be out in 2024. But it just felt wrong to leave her out of this episode given the large update in her case from this year. To be honest, going through that trial process has impacted my view of true crime and the justice system in ways I never imagined. But of course, this summer, Alyssa's case finally made it to court after waiting nearly three years since our father was arrested. After a series of requests for a mistrial, the defense requested my father to be acquitted due to the state not presenting their case against him, and it was granted by the judge.

19:25Our father walked free that day. While it wasn't the result many of us were expecting or wanted, I agree with the judge. As many of you watched the trial unfold, the general sentiment online was confusion about the state's plan of attack, what they chose to present, and what they chose to leave out. In short, few were pleased with the way that Alyssa and her case were presented in that courtroom. And I'm no exception. The state did not present their case, and they left out vital pieces of evidence that they fought and won to be admitted. So again, I do agree with the judge that the state did not present their case, but like I told the Maricopa County attorney, Rachel Mitchell, I fully believe that they could have with more effort and planning.

20:13Now, as I discussed earlier in this episode, Brandy Myers and Alyssa were assigned the same detective from the Phoenix Police Department for years. Eventually, Brian Patrick Miller and my and Alyssa's father were assigned the same state prosecutor too, Vince Imbordino. He's been practicing law since before I, Alyssa, or Brandy were ever born. He won his case against Brian Patrick Miller. And for that, I really am grateful. And it made me hopeful that he would win Alyssa's case too. By happenstance, Alyssa's case continued to be intertwined with Brian Patrick Miller. For years, Mr. Imbordino told me that due to his immense workload on the Brian Patrick Miller case, Alyssa's case was on the back burner.

20:58Basically, he'd get to it when he could. Again, of course, I was happy that Angela Brasso and Melanie Bernis were getting their day in court, but it was hard to hear over and over again that there was simply no time to work on Alyssa's case. And in my opinion, by the time that case wrapped up in June 2023, Mr. Imbordino had very little time to get up to speed on the many layers and complexities in Alyssa's case by July when the trial began. It was really just a few weeks. For years, I was waiting for him to be wrapped up with Brian Patrick Miller and dedicate his time to Alyssa. I thought for sure there would be another continuance, but then they said that they'd be going to trial in just a few weeks, despite not knowing Alyssa's case.

21:50Detective William Anderson, who worked on Alyssa's case for many years, and to date knows her case better than anyone, probably even better than me, was called in to sit next to the state to answer questions during the trial. I sat right behind him in the first row, and I watched as Detective Anderson disappointingly shook his head at the many facts the state got wrong, and I also saw the hope in his eyes that Alyssa finally might get justice. But knowing what I knew behind the scenes, truth be told, watching that trial was like watching a car crash in slow motion. When the state called me in for a final meeting about Alyssa's case, I was asked questions that I'd tried to answer three years prior.

22:34Basic information about Alyssa's case, our family structure, and our father's long-term history of sexually and physically abusing women. When answering these questions, I offered to point out the supplementary evidence and witnesses, only to be told that it would be great to have, but now it's too late. They'd missed the deadline. A big theme in my life and this show is hope. Hope in Alyssa's case has evolved for me ever since she went missing in 2001. It began with hope that she was out there alive, in my college essays writing about her sipping margaritas on the beach somewhere. Then it was hope that she would at least get justice, hope that my father might confess.

23:19And honestly, this is hard to admit, but walking into that courtroom on the first day of trial was the first time in 22 years that I truly had no hope in this case. For the first time ever, I couldn't even visualize justice for Alyssa in any form. Of course, there is so much more to tell you about these past three years, Alyssa's case, restoring that hope that I'd always had and my plans for the future, and I will share that in 2024. But for now, for Alyssa's case, that is where I will leave you. 2023 has been quite the year. So many ups and downs, heartbreaking updates, promising updates, case solves, and everything in between.

24:11And I feel a duty to be honest to you guys. 2023 has been one of the hardest years of my life. There were times when I wasn't sure I could continue this show. Times that I wanted to run as far away from true crime as I could. Hours spent sobbing over cases that hit too close to home. Evaluating whether or not I was capable of doing family interviews. And days where I just couldn't get out of bed. But in all the pain that comes with true crime, all of the triggers that I personally experience, one thing remains steady in my mind. Media pressure moves mountains. It's not just something I say or something I believe.

24:55It's something I see happen every single day in true crime. It's something I've experienced. And while these updates may not always be the ones that we wanted, the fact remains that discussing and sharing these cases, engaging in that call to action I nag you about every single week, leads to more eyes on these cases. It leads to more resources allocated, tips submitted. It creates hope. And sometimes, if we are very, very lucky, that media pressure leads to justice.

25:40But, as always, thank you, I love you, and I'll talk to you in 2024.

25:58Voices for Justice is hosted and produced by me, Sarah Turney, and is a Voices for Justice media original. If you love what we do here, please don't forget to follow, rate, and review the show in your podcast player. It's the easiest, and it's a free way to help us and help more people find these cases in need of justice.

26:35Thank you.

27:04Thank you.