0:00

The. Future is the have the responsibility

0:02

and not want to be taken lightly.

0:04

Friends taking things like me you've never

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been would have used without. That's why

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we've created a happy with your program.

0:10

Was hard to recycle. pacifism, valuable resources

0:12

for Clinton building material. Recently

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flew off and owns after him that. Often

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drop it in with your regular.

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recycling isn't that easy. It's time

0:23

to rethink recently with renewed particularly

0:26

resources in his. Hands.

0:32

Jennifer Van A sometime in overnight hours.

0:34

Right now there is no trains. Investigators say

0:36

evidence leads them to believe that

0:38

she's dead. Stick my. Nose back

0:41

on the trail is all I

0:43

can do. This is already gone

0:45

already. Read.

0:55

Hey friends! Already. Gone is

0:57

celebrating eight years of production this month,

0:59

so I thought I would mark the

1:01

occasion with the bonus episode. Something

1:04

short and sweet and reminiscent of

1:06

our early days. This.

1:08

Week We're looking at two older cases

1:10

from Oakland County, Michigan. These.

1:12

Two cases are resolved, but mostly

1:14

lost to history. There. Isn't

1:17

enough information for each to have their

1:19

own episode? So I've gathered them here

1:21

to share with you. One

1:23

is from the Nineteen sixties and the

1:26

other from the Nineteen eighties. In their

1:28

day, each case was a headline grabber,

1:30

but now you'd be hard pressed to

1:32

find much about them on mine. Covering.

1:48

True Crime. For almost a decade, I've

1:51

come across a handful of cases where

1:53

a youthful offender, someone under eighteen, Is.

1:55

Sentenced to life in prison for their crimes.

1:58

And. The last few years, the state if Michigan

2:00

has taken a look at the hundreds of

2:02

minors sentenced to life without parole. And

2:05

reviewed their cases. They. Wanted

2:07

to see if the life sentence should be

2:09

revisited. And perhaps updated to allow

2:11

for the possibility. Of parole at some

2:13

point. In

2:17

February of Twenty Twenty One, we

2:19

covered the Nineteen Ninety murder a

2:21

sixteen year old Stephanie Dubay. The.

2:24

Two people involved in her death and

2:26

dismemberment were: twenty one year old Jamie

2:28

Rodriguez junior. And sixteen

2:30

year old Augustus Pangea. Both.

2:33

Were sentenced to life without parole. In.

2:35

December of Twenty Twenty One Pain or

2:38

walked free. He had spent

2:40

almost thirty years behind bars for his

2:42

role in debates murder. Having

2:44

his case reviewed meant that Painter who

2:46

was never a problem prisoner. Was.

2:49

Eligible for release. According.

2:52

To a Story and Them A com

2:54

daily Penny A mentor to young inmates

2:56

and taught several classes. At

2:58

the time of the murder sixteen year

3:00

old pain he was living with Rodriguez

3:02

and had little support from his immediate

3:04

family. But. What

3:07

Is The people? You kill? Our that

3:09

immediate family. You. Know the ones

3:11

that are supposed to be your support. What?

3:14

If you were a fourteen year old boy,

3:16

take a shot gun to your parents and

3:18

kid sister. That's.

3:21

The case we're discussing today: The

3:23

actions of fourteen year old Brandon

3:25

Cornell who on Wednesday, June twenty

3:28

second, Nineteen Eighty Eight. Murdered.

3:30

His mother, father, and younger sister.

3:33

He reloaded the shotgun between

3:35

blasts. Unlike Pangea,

3:37

who had little support from his

3:39

parents, Brandon lived with his mom,

3:42

dad, and eleven year old sister

3:44

Candace. The. Family made their home

3:46

and Springfield Township. A little

3:48

town in North Oakland County halfway between

3:50

Lake Orion and Fenton. According

3:54

to a story of The Detroit

3:56

News, Brandon's father, Michael Cornell worked

3:58

at General. Motors Truck and. Which and

4:00

Pontiac as a computer operator. Brandon's.

4:03

Mother Carol once worked at Pontiac

4:05

General Hospital but with more recently

4:08

employed as a makeup artist. The.

4:12

Family of four was very act

4:14

as in their church, attending services

4:17

regularly at Dixie Baptist Church and

4:19

Clarkston. The. Children attended

4:21

the church's school Springfield Christian

4:23

Academy. The. Churches Pastor

4:26

Reverend Paul Van A Man. Told.

4:28

The press that Michael and Carol met at

4:30

the church and were married in the church.

4:33

In. Fact: to have his own children

4:35

were attendance in their wedding. The

4:37

Cornell family murders had very close to

4:39

home for the Reverend. One.

4:43

Of the first people on seen as the

4:45

shooting was a deputy from the Oakland County

4:47

Sheriff's Department. Sergeant. Anthony Valais

4:49

would eventually testify that Brand reported that

4:52

his family had been shot during a

4:54

robbery. Brandon's. Initial claim

4:56

when approached by police baset someone broke

4:58

into the home shooting his family. The.

5:02

Late Challenge: Brandon telling him that he

5:04

didn't believe his story. He.

5:06

Encouraged him to tell the truth, Brand.

5:09

And expressed concern about the electric

5:11

chair. The. Was understanding.

5:14

Telling. Brandon that no one would hurt him

5:16

and no one would abuse or beat him.

5:21

Delay. Testify that Brandon told him

5:23

that his mother picked on him.

5:25

He was quote slapped around and

5:27

humiliated. Brandon. Would Reveal and

5:29

other interviews that issues with his mother

5:31

had been building for a long time.

5:35

Finally, He admitted to the law

5:37

that there was no break an. Brandon.

5:39

for whatever reason had reached his limit and

5:41

the relationship he had with his mother. This.

5:44

Led to him fire in one shot each into

5:46

the back of his mother and the back of

5:48

his sister. Then he waited for

5:50

his father to get home from work

5:52

and when he arrived brand and showed

5:54

him twice. Once.

5:57

Branded had murdered his family. He disposed of

5:59

the weapon by throwing it into a

6:01

nearby pond, where it was later recovered. After

6:05

being taken into custody, Bread and

6:07

Cornell was transported to Children's Village

6:10

and Pontiac, where he was held

6:12

and received some psychiatric evaluation and

6:14

treatment. Brandon's.

6:16

Case was picked up by noted Detroit

6:18

area defense attorney Mitchell Riveter. Riveter.

6:21

Told the press that Cornell Quote

6:24

definitely suffered physical and emotional abuse

6:26

from his parents and has been

6:28

quote very disturbed by what happened.

6:32

Because. Of Brandon's age fourteen at the

6:34

time of the shooting. Laws. In

6:36

Michigan stated that he could not be tried

6:38

as an adult. After

6:41

consulting with council on Wednesday, November

6:43

twenty third, Nineteen Eighty Eight, the

6:46

day before Thanksgiving. Brandon.

6:48

Entered a guilty plea to the charges against

6:50

him. In. News coverage of

6:52

the please. His attorney said that Brandon

6:55

is remorseful. And. He's going to

6:57

get therapy and because the productive citizen.

7:01

According. To a December Nineteen Eighty

7:03

Eight story in the Detroit Free

7:05

Press Oakland County Probate Court Judge

7:07

Sandra Silver recommended that brand and

7:09

remain in custody until age nineteen.

7:13

Upon hearing this recommendation, Brandon's legal team

7:15

was hopeful that he could be released

7:17

in as little as eighteen months. June.

7:22

Twenty Second. Nineteen Eighty Nine marked

7:24

the one year anniversary of the

7:26

murders. Brandon. Spent the

7:28

day as he always dead, residing

7:30

at the now defunct Wj Maxi

7:32

Training School and Whitmore Lake where

7:34

he was being rehabilitated. The.

7:37

Car Now case went quiet until Nineteen

7:39

Ninety Two when there was a small

7:41

story and the Free Press titled. Teen.

7:44

Who killed parents sister likely to

7:46

be freed. The.

7:48

Article explains that Brandon Carr know who

7:50

once sought his family to Das would

7:53

likely be released from custody around the

7:55

time of his nineteenth birthday. This.

7:57

Man he could be released around the and of know.

8:00

Number Nineteen Eighty Two. While.

8:02

Brandon was in custody. Michigan law

8:04

changed allowing miners convicted a serious

8:07

crimes to be held until age

8:09

twenty one. The. Oakland County

8:11

prosecutor look to have that ruling

8:13

retroactively applied to the Cornell case,

8:16

but his efforts were unsuccessful. While.

8:19

It was not the eighteen months that

8:21

one of his attorneys predicted. Brand and

8:23

Cornell walked free at the end of

8:25

November. Nineteen Ninety Two. He. Was

8:28

nineteen years old and had spent almost

8:30

five full years and custody. And.

8:32

That dear listeners. Is where the

8:35

story ends. An eighteen

8:37

year old Brandon Carr know was released from

8:39

the now closed Maxi Training Center. And.

8:41

Someone supported him as he transitioned

8:43

back into society. From.

8:46

My Research: I believe that Brandon is

8:48

still living in the Detroit area. While.

8:51

There is very little available on his

8:53

case. What I shared with you was

8:55

mainly pulled from news archives. I

8:59

don't know why the Cornell family murder

9:01

has faded from memory, while other cases

9:03

still capture our imagination. I

9:05

was surprised when I came across the

9:07

story while browsing Reddit on a rainy

9:09

afternoon and January. Before.

9:13

We get to part two of our episode.

9:15

Let's hear from this week sponsor users were

9:17

have the responsibility and not one of you

9:19

think likely than taking things like we have

9:21

never been would have the is about that

9:24

was created the has the. Program

9:26

is referred to with Prophecies

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is valuable Resource Center building

9:30

Materials to protect. Recently so often

9:32

on Sept during that identify it up

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and drop it in with your regular

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like. A

9:41

recycling was reduced. particular valued resources,

9:43

military budget and forgivable has to

9:46

their hands. Before.

9:48

We begin. I want to think Jane

9:50

for suggesting this case. Not.

9:52

Only was it a story I'd never heard of.

9:55

It. Reignited memories from my childhood.

9:58

This one takes me back to L A. Three

10:00

school. To. A summer camp I attended

10:02

and it takes a back to my old

10:04

neighborhood. This. Murder is long

10:06

forgotten, but it is worth remembering

10:08

and revisiting. Will.

10:11

Start at Kimball High School. I

10:13

know it's not Kimball High School

10:15

anymore. Israel Okay school. But. In

10:17

the eighties it was kimball. And

10:19

while I was never a student there,

10:21

I attended several Kimball Night's football games

10:24

and even went to Kimball's Problem. Across

10:27

the street from Kimball his job and

10:29

Dell Arena which is where my hockey

10:31

career started. Linda. Elvis My

10:33

home ice for two or three years before our

10:35

team moved to a different rink. Finally

10:38

we have to talk about Quickstep Park.

10:41

If you'd asked me before Jane sent me the

10:43

message, if I knew where Quickstep Park was, I

10:46

would have said I'd never heard of a. But.

10:48

A consultation with Google Maps refresh

10:51

my memory. Clicks. Dad where

10:53

I attended summer camp one year in

10:55

the early eighties is located right behind

10:57

the Kimball Athletic Fields. It's about a

10:59

block from the ice arena. I'm

11:02

pretty sure that teenage me got up to

11:04

send and against and quickstep park on more

11:06

than one occasion. But. Anyway,

11:08

the story takes place and Royal Oak

11:10

Michigan on the north end of town.

11:12

Or. Victim David Gerardo.

11:15

Lived. On Windermere and Reload. My

11:18

home for the middle part of the

11:20

eighties was two houses off of Windermere,

11:22

but in Madison Heights. About a

11:24

mile from where the Gerardo family lived. The.

11:28

Year was nineteen sixty seven. David.

11:31

Year age for with the baby of

11:34

the family. His dad to and

11:36

was a sergeant with the Royal Oak Fire

11:38

Department and his mom that he was a

11:40

homemaker and she was responsible for the other

11:42

children. Karen, John, Larry

11:45

and James. Betty

11:47

and David had grown up in the

11:49

Some area of Michigan and relocated to

11:51

the Detroit area for work some time

11:53

than eighteen sixties. Know.

11:56

It's the end of October. Nineteen,

11:58

Sixty seven and local kids. Excited

12:00

about how the lean. On.

12:02

October Thirtieth David and his mother went

12:04

to a friend's house. Davis.

12:07

Mother was friends with Mrs. Window and

12:09

Little David would play with her daughter

12:11

three year old Nancy. Mrs. Bit

12:13

injure from down the block. Joined the mothers.

12:17

While. The women were enjoying a coffee in

12:20

the house. The children played in the yard.

12:22

At one point Little Nancy came into the

12:24

house and informed the women that a big

12:26

boy on a bicycle. Invited.

12:28

David to the park to look for snakes. The.

12:31

Perks she was referring to was Quickstep

12:33

Park, the three acre wooded area behind

12:36

the high school. The.

12:38

Women were stunned but only for a

12:40

moment. one of the brand of the

12:42

phone and dialed the police and the

12:44

other women race toward the park calling

12:46

David's name. It's to thirty

12:48

seven pm. When.

12:51

Police arrived at the park. They enlisted some of

12:53

the high school boys to help them search for

12:55

the missing four year old. It was

12:57

high schooler Joseph Swartz who sound David's

12:59

but he. He

13:01

found him near a footpath at the western edge

13:03

of the park. And I want

13:06

to note that a Daily Tribune News article

13:08

from Nineteen Sixty Seven describes the park as

13:10

thirty one acres, but a look at the

13:12

website for the park says it's about two

13:14

and a half acres and size. I.

13:16

Believe the two and a half acre size

13:19

is likely the more accurate measurement of the

13:21

space. Little. David had

13:23

been strangled. His body left in a

13:25

pile. News report state

13:27

there was no sign of molestation.

13:31

Now. Nancy Winkle the three year olds who

13:33

been playing with David when he was taken by

13:35

the boy on the bicycle. Nancy

13:37

had a sharp eye. She gave a description

13:40

of the person who took her friend. It.

13:43

Was Officer Thomas Price who spotted

13:45

a teenager on a bicycle who

13:47

matched the description. He.

13:49

Called out to the boy to stop but

13:51

the young man tuck pedaling away. Price.

13:54

Called out again and with the team. didn't stop

13:56

this time. Price. Drew his death

13:58

and and announced stop Or. Oh shoot.

14:01

At least that's what was reported in

14:03

The Daily Tribune. The. Detroit News

14:05

Credited Officer Patrick. Patton with apprehending

14:07

be used. When.

14:10

Royal Oak Officer spoke to the teen on

14:12

the bike. He had a chain wrapped around

14:14

one hand. He told police that

14:16

the little boy was in the woods. The.

14:20

Boy on the bike was sixteen

14:22

year old Dennis Jg. Leonard, a

14:24

student at Kimble High School. And

14:26

she was immediately taken into custody.

14:29

I was very curious about Leonard and

14:31

his interactions with law enforcement in the

14:33

court system. Unfortunately,

14:36

Aside from a page or two and a police

14:38

report on this incident. There. Isn't

14:40

much available. Once.

14:43

In custody, Leonard told police that he took

14:45

David into the woods of the park. Under.

14:47

The pretense that they would look for snakes.

14:50

Once in the woods he as David

14:52

to lie down and the child refused.

14:55

so Leonard Quote pushed him down a

14:57

little bit. Then Leonard pinned

14:59

to the ground with his own body. Leonard.

15:02

Wraps a chain around his neck and pulled.

15:05

David. Struggled and fought for his lies.

15:07

When. The little boy sought struggling. Leonard

15:10

walked away, returning to his bicycle.

15:14

A detective Martin asked Leonard if he thought

15:16

the child was dad and Leonard replied no,

15:18

i I don't think so. Leonard.

15:21

Could provide Investigators has no reason for

15:24

the attack. But he did confess

15:26

to an earlier attack on a five year

15:28

old where he choked the child by putting

15:30

his arm around his neck. He.

15:32

Was not even on police radar for

15:34

that assault. Around

15:37

six o'clock Dennis letters attorney Harry

15:39

Dell was called to the police

15:42

station. The. Oakland County

15:44

Prosecutor was also notified and

15:46

prosecutor Jack Bane arrived soon

15:48

after. Dennis. Leonard was read

15:50

his rights and repeated the story he

15:52

told earlier. Police.

15:55

And Leonard's attorney thought it would be a good idea

15:57

of a priest came to the station to talk. With

15:59

leonard. A. Priest arrive soon after

16:01

to talk to the teenager about the events

16:04

of that afternoon. Now. I

16:06

find it interesting that the name of the

16:08

priest and their paris was redacted from the

16:10

section of the police file that I had

16:12

access to. After

16:15

talking to the priest, Leonard was taken

16:17

to children's village. Young. Davis remains

16:19

for taken to the Sellers Butler Funeral

16:21

Home and Royal Oak. In

16:25

the weeks following the death of young David Gerardo,

16:27

there was the lot of talk and the community

16:29

about what should happen to the park. Some.

16:32

People wanted it cleared out to make it safer.

16:34

Others felt that patrols of the area said

16:37

beast of the. Eventual

16:39

he the soda involving the state of the

16:41

park fell out of the purse. The

16:43

story of Dennis Leonard also disappeared.

16:46

I was unable to determine what became

16:48

of him, although I'm assuming he ended

16:50

up serving time, likely in a juvenile

16:52

facility. Little David is buried

16:55

at Mount Olive That cemetery in the

16:57

City of Detroit. I'm

16:59

Nina Instead, the writer, producer, and

17:01

voice behind the Already Gone podcast.

17:04

I appreciate you listening And

17:06

please. Somebody

17:30

was is no the best way for you

17:32

is a rate based on you for also

17:34

one based on the driver who treats the

17:36

highway. Like a race track and so the

17:38

like. a passing lane. Why

17:40

theory based on anyone else? To on

17:43

based on new business travelers from awful.

17:45

Not in all of her California suffered a terms of innocence.

17:48

Rates are determined by several factors which vary by state and

17:50

some states. participation draw by the level cities are dying

17:52

day for purposes of writing. Well in some states are a

17:54

could increase with I was driving generally sacred I bristle saber

17:56

driveways Aussie burned as interns going in. Philly Surface Illinois.