This episode may contain content of a graphic nature, including descriptions of physical and sexual violence against adults, children, and animals. Listener discretion is advised. Hi everyone, I'm Tanya and I'm Talia, and we are Crimes and Consequences, a true crime podcast. Hi Talia, him Tanya. Welcome back everyone to an exciting episode of Crimes and Consequences. I'm not going to ask you how you are because I'm sick. Yeah, you're not feeling well today.
I don't know what's wrong. My kids, they're filled with germs storm factory. My daughter was sick and now I'm sick. I hope you don't make me sick anyway. Get over it, it over. It's not deadly, hope not. I don't think so. It's only day one, so wash your hands. I have a story today that was suggested by Jess m and Johnnifer s Oh, two people. Two people suggested this case. And before I start telling you, I would just like to remind everyone to hit the
subscribe or follow button on your favorite app. And I'm gonna get into it. So two people suggested it is in a famous case that I wouldn't know. I didn't know this one. Okay, it is about nine year old Erica Baker. Don't worry. It's not child abuse, don't it's not that. I'm just telling everyone I can't do that. Okay, it's not it's not. But in February nineteen ninety nine, nine year old eric Baker vanished from her neighborhood in Kettering, Ohio. Have you ever been to Kettering?
I don't think I have been to Ohio, but yeah, I've been to Ohio. I've driven through Ohio a few times. Okay. The investigation that would follow would shake residence to their core. Kettering was once considered a safe place to raise children, but now you know, they feel like a madman was on the loose when this happened, because she disappeared. Yeah, what was she doing once she disappeared? I'm going to tell you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I get excited. Okay. So, as I said,
Kettering, Ohio. It's in Montgomery County. It's in Ohio's southwest. Okay, I think so, oh I got you there? I know? Is that Kentucky? Yeah it is right map anyway. Anyway, it's considered the inner suburb of Dayton, oh Dayton and Kettering's really connected to Dayton. In nineteen ninety nine, Kettering had a population of about fifty eight thousand people, so it's not huge way, but it's not small. It just was considered a safe place to raise a family. There was lots of school and
educational facilities, so it seemed like a great suburb to live. Parents instilled the motto stranger, danger and children. You know you told your kids, I'm sure mine? Are you kidding me? I literally would ride by with her playing and be like, I'm sorry, I lost my puppy. Could you help me find it? Would you like some candy? Did they ever fall for it? And they're just like you, They're like, mom, what are you? What are you doing? You're embarrassing me? Exactly in
nine year old Erica. She obviously was given this talk two so. Erica was born on June twenty second, nineteen eighty nine, to her parents, Melissa, who went by Misty, and Greg Baker. Unfortunately, the relationship between Misty and Greg did not last, and the two eventually divorced. Erica was the youngest of four children, and she was the only girl. Greg
Baker stated that his daughter was a real daddy's girl. The two love to spend daddy daughter time together, and Erica enjoyed camping, hiking, and fishing. And despite being small, like she was just a little girl, Erica matched the energy of her three brothers and she was very much the baby of the family. Like her brothers were really protective of her. Erica could often be seen wearing pink, and it's safe to say it was her favorite color.
Her childhood friend Katie reminisced, saying that the pair would often make up dance moves and wear matching outfits at sleepovers. I feel like you're gonna make me really sad, and you said you wouldn't. Well, I told you wasn't child abuse. I didn't say anything about not being sad, all right, Tanya, Katie and Erica were inseparable, partly because Katie lived just a couple doors down from Greg Baker. Erica was doing well at school and she
was interested in cheerleading. She also loved animals. Like most little girls, she loved getting her hair done and like wearing bows and braids. She loved all that stuff. Yeah, she loved to look her best and always flashed a smile and everyone she met. Those who knew Erica described her as a kind, sweet and innocent young girl who was incredibly popular. By nineteen ninety nine, Missy was living with her mom, Pam Schmidt, and Missy and
Greg were sharing custody of their four children. This arrangement worked well for the family, and Erica looked forward to spending her weekends in the Indian Riffle Park with her dad. The park was close to Erica's home, and she often wandered to the park for a day of adventure. There's also a recreation center and a senior center. I feel like that's already you're going to say, a fishing pond, and the school Erica attended was within the park. There
was always something for Erica to get into. There are adults watching Erica in the park. I don't know. I don't, no girl, I listen, okay, you know, go ahead them. So On February seventh, nineteen ninety nine, this was just a regular day and Kettering. The temperature was moderate, but it was rainy and dreary a little bit. On that day, Greg had the children, including Erica, and the five of them were getting ready to return to their mother's house. Greg bundled his children into
the car and drove to Misty and Pam's house. While in the car, Greg and Erica talked about the father daughter dance that was taking place at the rec center that night, the one that's in the park. Erica had asked her father to go with her. She had been asking him for weeks, but Greg wasn't able to get tickets like it sold out. What he called around, he can make an exception, come on, not a Taylor Swift
concert. He called around to friends and family. He was just desperate to put a smile on little Erica's face because he knew she really really wanted to go, and he should just sneak in. Would They'd have been funny, that would have been I know, No, you can't come here with your daughter all dressed up in pink, right, They really turn away? Sorry? Sorry. When Erica learned that her father hadn't secured the tickets for the
dance, she was just heartbroken. And Greg felt a lot of guilt after Erica's disappearance because the dance took place around the same time she disappeared, and he just beats himself up to this day, thinking like if I had just taken nerves dance. I had just gotten those tickets. If I would just busted in that place, right exactly, I'm sure that's the thoughts that go through his side. I would. I mean, he probably kills himself with guilt every day. So, as I mentioned, Greg and the kids are
on their way to Misty's house. So after a short drive, they get there and the children hopped out of the car, waiting in line to hug their dad goodbye, give him a little kiss. When Greg held his arms around his little girl, he had no idea it's to be for the last time. I know. I'm sorry. Just before Eric had stepped into the house, Greg promised her that he would make up for missing that father daughter dance. Erica put her disappointment to the side when she saw her mom,
Misty. She told her what she'd up to with her dad that weekend, like, we just had a lot of fun and whatever. As I mentioned, so it's a little bit rainy, and Pam, who is Misty's mom and Erica's grandma, remembers the weather very well. February seventh is just forever etched in her mind. At around three pm, Erica had donned her favorite Winnie the Pooh sweater and pink raincoat. At first, Pam and Misty didn't want Erica to go outside in the rain, but she had promised to wear
her raincoat. I love being in the rain. Oh me too. So after pleading with her mother and giving the please, please please, I got to go to the Daddy daughter day. Let's just go the rain exactly? Can I just go outside? Pam and Misty said, Okay, fine, you can go outside. Erica told her mom she was heading to Indian Riffle Park to take Jamie. And Jamie is a shitsu dog. She was gonna take Jamie for a while. So if her parents didn't live that far from
each other, no, no, they didn't. Some sources say that Jamie was the family dog, but others say that the dog belonged to Erica's aunt. So I can't say, oh, she took her dog, you know, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, Erica laughed at about three thirty, and people recalled seeing her in her pink raincoat walking toward Indian Riffle Park. Missy and Pam trusted that Erica could walk the dog safely on her own. Indian Riffle Park was just a stone's throwaway from their house, and the community was
regarded safe and peaceful. Witnesses and people who knew Erica and her family recall seeing her in the park, walking and playing with Jamie. One witness would later come forward to investigators saying that they saw Erica standing by the bleachers alone in the pouring rain. So it's wondered, like, why was she alone? Was she waiting for someone? Like, what's going on? That's a question that's never been answered. Well, maybe she was just chilling for a
second. Ye she was alone at the park, and it's maybe she was under the bleachers. Just two joggers making their rounds in the parks. Did Erica playing with Jamie? These two joggers are regarded as some of the last people to see Erica. Are you calling and I'm sorry? According to Missing Erica Baker and Missing Erica Baker is a podcast by Dayton twenty four seven Now the podcast, a lot of the information in the podcast was used in this
and our pasts. Yes in our podcast. So according to Missing Erica Baker, there was also an elderly couple who recalled seeing Eric in the park day afternoon. But I'll talk about that a little bit later, when Pam looked up through the basement window and saw that it was getting dark outside, she rushed upstairs to see if Erica and Jamie had returned. Like most children, Erica was scared of the dark, and Pam hadn't heard the front door slam
shot that afternoon. Yeah, there's no way in nine year old girls may hanging out a park. No. I wouldn't even hang out in a park in the dark. Hell no, not today. They would fuck that. No, I would not be hanging out of the park in the rain in the dark. No, thank you. That's where the creepers go. Exactly. So Misty was equally worried. Erica had never failed to return home for dinner like most of us. When faced with a horrific situation, Misty ran
to her mom, like, what are we gonna do? I'm gonna call him police. Yes, Well, before they called the police, they put on their coats and went to the park to look for Erica. Pam and Misty's that podcast I mentioned that Missing Erica Baker podcasts Pam and Misty. They are interviewed on this podcast and they're featured pretty heavily in it. Pam commented that during the initial hours of Erica's disappearance, she searched in bushes, trees,
cars, and any other spot that she could think of. The two began calling Erica's friend's house to see whether she had taken shelter there, but she hadn't. I was just call nine one. Then that hysterical mom, Oh my god, I know, right, but I mean I'm not no, no, I know. Erica's brothers quickly figured out what was happening, and they took off to look for their baby sister. The group also searched the school in Indian Riffle Park, which Erica attended, along with the rec
center where the father daughter dance was taking place at the same time. Ye, Missy hoped, yeah, Eric had wandered into the dance, that maybe she had begged someone to let her in, But their hopes were shattered when the searches turned up no sign of Erica. After failing to locate her in the park, Pam ran home and placed the nine one one call. Pam provided exact detail in the call to eight operators and getting the call through with
correct information. She hadn't even finished giving the nine one one operator all the details when she saw a swarm of flashing lights. That's awesome. Yeah, they were quick. Around six pm, Greg's homephone rang. He was in the middle of dinner, so he gets up from the table and he answers it and it's Misty. His head just started to spin as he listened to his ex wife and the other of his children tell him that their daughter Erica was missing. In a state of panic and shock, Yeah right, Greg
sped down to Misty's house. He was also in the Missing Erica Baker podcast and he told them that seeing the sea of Cuttering police cars outside of the home just cemented to him that this is serious, this is real. He just described the whole thing as being surreal. A command center was created in the park that Indian Riffle Park, and the Cunning Police Department immediately began plans
for the search for Erica. Dozens of residents poured into the park to see what was going on, and this is when they learned of Erica's disappearance. The Cuttering Police Department deployed helicopters, search teams that's yeah, in sniffer dogs to try and locate Erica as soon as possible. Sniffer dogs sniffer dogs. Okay, some dogs what they call all right, sniffer whatever. Okay,
okay, okay, I'm not getting hum up at them. Pam and Misty were told to stay home in case Erica returned, but they really wanted to be part of the investigation. They wanted to look for Erica. Yeah, well too, I'd have like one person can stay home, right, right. So this desire to want to be a part of the search just became too much and they ended up returning to the park not long after they had stayed home for a little bit. Word of Erica's disappearance had spread like wildfire.
By this point, Cattering was very interconnected in a close knit community, and over three hundred residents turned up to the rec center to help look for her. Volunteers headed out with police units to scour every inch of Indian Riffle Park. Hours after the Cattering Police Department were alerted to Erica's disappearance, they also received a call about the dog Jamie. Remember she was with Jamie. An elderly couple in their sixties had been walking through the park that afternoon with
their dog Muppet. That's an elder couple you were talking about. Earlier. Yeah, when they spotted Erica and Jamie playing. And they said, though, but one moment she was there and the next she was gone, okay, and they didn't see anything else. No, and they didn't see anything else. And they told investigators that at around five PM, that's when they found Janie alone. The dog was soaking wet and terrified, and her collar
and her leash were still attached. And this became just crazy because Erica would have never left the dog right. That couple wasn't aware of the significance of their discovery at the time, and Jamie was taken to a local pound like they didn't know, but she was later reunited with the family and tracker dogs tracker dogs sniffer dogs. Investigators were now slowly piecing together Erica's last movements to
her family had just made no sense. She would leave Janie alone. She was a social butterfly that would talk to anyone, but she also loved animals. At ten thirty, Detective Bob Green received a call. Now, Detective Green was a new detective, had only been a detective for seven months, but he was known for having impeccable interviewing and interrogation skills. And he had no idea that this call would change the course of his career. He was
briefed about Erica's disappearance. Anne was asked to get down to the makeshift command center as soon as possible. When he arrived, he spoke with fellow officers to get a handle on the situation. And before I tell you more, we're going to take a break. The detective's first thought was that maybe Erica had fallen into There's a pond in this park and it's like two point nine
million gallons. Oh, it's huge. It's the size of a football field, and according to the CDC, drowning is leading cause of death and children under four. Did you know, Anne, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. I think poisoning is up there too. Really, I'm accidentally eating something that they shouldn't. The water level in this pond were unusually high due to the heavy rainfall that the area had gotten recently. Detective Green
immediately set us sights on the pool. Well, if there's rainfall, wouldn't there be footprints and things? You would think so, right, because it was raining, Yeah, it was raining. When you see like little footprints, Yeah, I'm not a detective. I know, I'm not a detective either, but you would think so, right, I don't know. Pam and Misty watched as officers began to search the pond. They immediately knew in their hearts that Erica wasn't in the water. She was described as a strong
swimmer and had fished dozens of times in the park with her dad. Grag. She also knew how to get herself out of the water. But nonetheless, it happens. Yeah, kids round and so it gets searched. Volunteer searchers continue to look for Erica throughout the night. The Kettering Fire Service also joined the search. Immedia CRUs had solowly begun creeping into the park. Media yeah. Media. By the next morning, Erica's disappearance had made Kettering news
and everyone was talking about it. Suspicions immediately flew Greg's way. I don't know, you know how people are people. I know he couldn't even take her to a daddy daughter. Damn right, exactly right. The people of Kettering had once considered Greg a friend, they now considered, hey, he is the one that's responsible. How horrible is that You're people think you did it? I know, people avoided him on the streets. It was just
bad. They can off right. Neighbors and colleagues of the family began to talk to airing any secrets that the pair, like Greg and Missy, may have divulged in innocent conversations, and all of a sudden things that weren't suspicious before. Right, all of a sudden, you look at it a different way. Yeah, exactly, Katie, Erica's best friend that I told you about before. She remembers that the neighborhood children were no longer allowed to walk
to the bus stop alone or play outside without supervision. The entire town was on edge, and the children of Kettering were just confused. Why it was Erica's school desk empty? When was she coming home. Katie also said she had no idea Erica was missing until she saw it on the morning news or parents didn't even tell her. I know. When the sun came up on February eighth, nineteen ninety one, Greg and Missy realized that their little girl
wasn't coming home, breaking my heart right now, I'm sorry. The notion hit both of them incredibly hard. While officers searched and drained the pond, the FBI was notified and they arrived on the scene shortly thereafter. Detectives and FBI agents held two briefings daily at eight am and four pm. For the next few months months, detectives would work sixteen hours a day, seven days a week to find Erica. This is not like New York City's fifty eight
people in it, right, It's just like a suburb of Ohio. It's just sad. For the next two to three days, the Cutting Police Department, assisted by experts and other agencies, drained that two point nine million gallon pond. The operation continued until the last drop was gone, and they didn't find anything. They didn't find anything. No, I always think they'd find a body or something like a bicycle or some something. They didn't find anything.
Panamisty knew that Erica hadn't been in the water, but this really gave them no relief. She wasn't in the pond, So where is she? Yeah? So where is she? That's not a better scenario, not think about it. Shortly after Erica's disappearance, remember that elderly couple I told you about. Yeah, yeah, they agreed to be interviewed. The man Rackx told investigators everything he knew and agreed to be put under hypnosis. Oh I love hypnosis, Yeah, to see if there was any subconscious memories. He
told the police department that the condition of Janie struck them as odd. Rex recalled that the park was empty and that Erica and Jamie were playing near the bleachers. One moment she was there, the next she was gone. All known sex offenders in the area were questioned, as well as Erica's family. They didn't see any cars there or anything. No, no, missy, Pam, Pam's partner, and Greg were all interviewed. This interrogation did little
to quell the rumors of Greg's involvement. They're being interviewed, Yeah, the police are talking to him. In one instance, he walked into a restaurant and kettering and noticed that everyone pulled their children away from I mean, come on, people are just idiots sometimes. Yeah, but then they don't know. They might think he did. And what if he did? I know. He was actually asked to leave as the waitress felt it was too sad
to serve him. Despite what the townspeople said, Greg continued to search for his little girl. As the investigation progressed, the center moved from the parking lot to the rec center, the same rec center where the dance, The Dandy Daughter Dance was held. Is this months later? Still? I don't know how long? How long it is? Yeah, it's months later. Greg felt tinges of pain and regret that he couldn't take Erica to the dance,
and like I said, he still has this feeling today. Pam and Misty spent as many hours as possible the rec center manning the phone lines. A dedicated tip line had been created for Erica, and the tips poured in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the FBI stayed with the investigation at no cost to the city of Kettering. On June twenty second, nineteen ninety nine, well how long is this? She's disappeared? February?
This is four months later. Misty brought a sheet cake to the command center and celebrated what would have been Erica's tenth birthday. Heartbreakingly, she cut the first slice and said she would freeze it to say for Erica when she came home. Oh, man, I know. Pam, Misty and Greg displayed resilience and mental fortitude throughout the investigation. At least they didn't blame each other. Yeah, right, the fingers at each other. You know, that's
at least they stuck together. Yeah, Like you said, their dedication helped to keep Erica's case alive, and they're the reason that Erica's case continues to make headlines. Tips and leaves poured in, but they often led to dead ends. The residence of Kettering were on edge thinking that a child killer was on the loose. Kettering is about five miles from Dayton, like from Downpound Dayton, and most residents felt that these types of crimes only happened in the
bigger cities. In July nineteen ninety nine, Pam picked up the phone and received a tip that would change the course of the investigation. The caller uttered one name, Christian Gabriel to Pam. Yeah, because she's at the command center. Remember Christian Gabriel and his girlfriend at the time, Jan Franks, were known to the Kettering Police Department the periods drugs and often found themselves in
trouble with the law. Around the same time, Detective Green received a call from Clifford Butts, a prisoner who had recently watched America's Most Wanted Erica's case had been featured, and he told Detective Green he knew what happened to Erica. Detective Green sprung into action and immediately drove to meet with Clifford. This is where Erica's case takes a buzz our turn. Oh boy, Christian, we got a guy in prison that was watching America's most wanted said, hey,
I know what happened. Okay, you got to talk to this guy, Clifford. Clifford butts. Clifford told the detective, you got to talk to Christian, okay. So this is one of the stories that Christian told the police. During Clifford's meeting with Detective Green, he said Christian confessed to accidentally killing Erica on February seventh. That afternoon, Clifford, his wife, Christian, and Jan, which was Christian's girlfriend. So Clifford was out of
jail. Yeah, Clifford was out of jail. They were in the parking lot of a supermarket. Christian left his van and he said that's when the accident happened. So it's believed that Christian and Jan were high end crack at the time. Sack Man and this account of what happened would later change. So this is Clifford's account. Yeah, what happened. Then Detective Green brought Christian in for interrogation and a lie detective tests. Oh and he agreed.
Yeah, I guess so. During the initial interview, Christian maintained his innocence and told officers he didn't kill Erica, he didn't know who did, and he didn't know if her body was somewhere. He had no idea. Detective Green was determined to discover the truth, even if it was going to take him like the rest of his life. And you told me, he's really good at interrogation. Yeah, and he knew that something about Christian's story just
wasn't right, so he continued to apply the pressure. Investigators were also interested in Jan Frank's that was Christian's girlfriend. Yeah, you got to get the woman the right because Clifford Butts also said that Jan was there in the van that day. But they would come to find out that Jan was married while she was dating Christian, so she immediately lawyered up. Anne was assigned a federal public defender named Beth Lewis, So that means they charger. Yeah,
she's assigned. Why they would I don't know why they would charge her charger with her. She's assigned an attorney. I mean, she's charged with some bullshit misdemeanor being in a park when she should be whatever. Applying the pressure, Beth Lewis was determined not to let the Kettering Police Department nor the FBI talked to her client Jan throughout the nineteen nineties. In the early two thousands, Beth continued to create a wall of silence around Jan. So Bath is
Jan's attorney, Yep, and she's doing a badass job. Yep, she's defending her client. Yeah. Then two thousand and one, Jan Franks passed away due to an overdose. So who knows what she knew? I feel he has an attorney. I'd be like, Okay, now I can write that book, right, I know? But can't you want to know? You know? I told you like Jan was married. Her husband couldn't break
that attorney client confidentiality privilege. But he decided after she died, he was going to do what was right her husband, and he went to Erica's family because, I mean, there's no marital privilege anymore. She's dead, right, Who's gonna question that. Jan's husband wanted Beth to go to Erica's family and be like, Okay, we have to come clean. But Beth continued to stay quiet. She argued her case for several years. That was until
she was hit with a contempt of court order. The Ohio Supreme Court unanimously decided Beth Lewis had to talk in two thousand and four as an attorney, Yeah, how is that possible? I don't know. They made her though. The prosecutor, Matthias heck Junior told AP News, quote, anything and everything we can get is what we're after. We want every bit of information we can about what happened, where Erica is and what happened to her.
After the Supreme Court ruling, Beth Lewis had no choice but to talk and guess what, she had no viable information for the least. To this day, nobody knows why Beth went to extreme lengths to protect information that wasn't even useful. Yeah, I mean, if you know, I don't know, I don't know. Listen, I'll talk to you guys. This is what mc clients said. Didn't say shit. I know in this process she picked up a contempt of court charge. I've never had one of those. I
haven't either not yet not yet. She likely ruined her professional reputation. I mean, I don't know, or she got more publicity and people called her all the time. Yeah that's true, Say shit, I know, right, so, but I don't know what she's doing today. The pressure on Christian was also mounting. He had found himself a new girlfriend, Jane was married to somebody else and Plush passed away, and this girlfriend had no idea
about his possible involvement in Erica's case. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children decided to up the ANNIE and showered the area where the pair lived with Erica's missing persons posters and flyers. At one point, Christian's new girlfriend demanded to know what was going on. This moment was captured during a recorded prison call while Christians he was serving time on unrelated charges. I demanded, no on a prison phone. Yeah if you killed somebody? Okay, Well girl,
I ain't telling you shit. I'm on a prison phone, so Christian's new girlfriend. She was then contacted by Detective Green. He briefed around the case, and when cattering Police Department officers arrived to her door, she was exceptionally forthcoming. Living in the area, she had heard of Erica's case, but she had no idea that her boyfriend and the father of her child, Yeah, had been interviewed and viewed as a suspect. When she welcomed the
officers into her home, she guided them toward the kitchen. The officers were confused at first. In the kitchen, she approached the fridge, removed herself from view, and stop pointed to Erica's missing poster, but she had placed there, Okay, all right. She also revealed that Christian had relapsed and began smoking crack again. As Christian had found himself incarcerated once more, Detective
Green decided it was time to pay him another visit. Detective Green said, So, I had a chair right next to him, and I moved over him. I said, why don't you tell me more about that? And as in listening, I said to myself, I will never forget this for as long as I live. On July nineteenth, two thousand and four, Christian confessed to Detective Green that he jan Frank's, Clifford Butts, and Clifford's
wife had been in his vand that day after me at the supermarket. Like I told you, they were driving on the intersection of Glengarry Drive and pow Wotton when they heard the thud of something hitting the van. But it wasn't something. It was Erica. I know this story, you now, I do. Christian claimed that she darted out into the middle of the road and there was nothing he could do to stop. According to Detective Green, Christian could describe both Erica and the dog, Jamie, right down to the minute
details of Jamie's adorable little doggie mustache. He then claimed they all panicked, threw Erica into the back of the van, and drove to his apartment. Christian couldn't remember whether Erica was alive or dead when he threw her into the van. Instead of calling police or seeking help for Erica, they drove back to his apartment, left her body in the van, and then the four
smoked crack, okay, just to take the edge off. And while they were smoking crack, they decided what they were going to do with Erica. As Detective Green pointed out, they could have driven Erica to a nearby hospital, but they are smoking cracked. They could have left her at the entrance. I mean, they didn't even have to just crawled anonymously, right,
But instead they're going to do something really stupid. After finishing their crack smoking, apparently, Jan hopped into the driver's seat and assured Christian that she knew a great spot to hide a body. Oh that's nice, and that little Airica would never be found. Oh that's fucking great. I know. The defective Green would later question the validity of this confession. Is Jan Franks couldn't drive a manual car. Oh it was a stick shift. Yeah it was
a stick shift. I can't drive one even I Can'm bad ass. They don't have them anymore, but I tried to learn once when I had owned a Mustang, but I bought an auto. Man Mustang such a bad ass to it was a convertible. I love it. Ah, of course she would, And then I got pregnant. He had to get rid of it. Yeah that's right. You got him a minivan instead. One day. I'm gonna get that must back another convertible one day, and it's going to
be an automatic because I can't drive a stick anyway. The four drove to Huffman Dam, and again Christian gave varying stories. At first, he told Detective Green that he could take them to where Erica's body was, which was a fifteen or thirty minute walk into the woods. Then he changed his story and said that he had stayed in the van while the others went to get
rid of Erica, and that he was drunk and high. He also threw in details such as Clifford coming back without a coat, and also said they had possibly driven to Caesar Creek State Park, a whole twenty six miles away from Huffman. Dam what the fun man? And where the fuck is it? Like? Where where did you go? I may not get your cracked
out? But come on, I know, come on. According to Detective Green, Christian asked for a bathroom break like during this confessional pee I know, And as he was leaving the room, he turned a Detective Green and said, what would I get for tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse, and vehicular manslaughter. At this point, Christian had pretty much confessed to driving the van that day, and Detective Green knew he had what he
needed. It would take several months, but on December thirteenth, two thousand and four, Christian Gabriel provided the Kettering Police Department with a written confession. Part of his confession read I'm really sorry, missus Baker for what has been done. Nothing was done to her after she was hit. She wasn't raped or anything like that. I know, because I'm not that sick of a
person that wouldn't rape a girl he hit on a road. I know, I could just hurt some and then it's sick, like when somebody makes a mistake in it's s I c like, so they fucked it up. He wrote something fucked up here, like it didn't make sense. So I could just hurt some that is so precious in God's eyes. Again, I'm sorry. So I think maybe he meant I couldn't hurt someone, but I could put her in the trunk and go smoke crack and if she's alive or daddy.
Yeah. But he yeah, Okay, he's got standards. He can fuck off, I know. Right. In October two thousand and five, just three days before the Statute of Limitations was up. It was a six year statute for what the vehicular man so well, he was indicted on charges of tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a course. Several weeks later, he was found guilty on both counts and sentenced to a shocking six whole years
in prison. While Pam, Misty and Gregg were relieved that someone had finally been held accountable for Erica's disappearance, the sentence nor the charges really felt like justice. And we don't even know if he's fucking telling the truth about any of this. I know he couldn't be charged with murder because according to Ohio law, a body must be found before someone can beg an old law. Christians story has changed so much over the years that nobody believes him at all.
Was it really an accident or was Erica targeted? Christian claimed that he wanted to take Erica to the hospital, but Jane, who was no longer alive to dispute this, said it would get them in trouble. Some believe the group didn't turn themselves in due to the drug use prior convictions, or maybe the fact that they likely had drugs in the van. No DNA evidence was ever found in Christian's van, and by the time it had been forensically
searched, had been cleaned and given to a new owner. Better have some sort of closure for me, Tanya, As if this case doesn't have enough twists and turns, they're still more in June twenty eleven, Christian was released after serving his measly six year sentence. The residence of Cattering were anticipating his release and was shot that a car was waiting outside the prison for him. Insight, said a woman. But it wasn't Christian's mom, who had stood
by him throughout the case. It was someone else's mom. He fell in love in fucking prison. No, it was Pam. Pam, yeah, grandma, yeah, grandma. Yes. When Greg Baker heard that Pam had picked Christian up from prison, he was living What the fuck is this shit? I know, he was pi. Christian been convicted of abusing a corpse and tampering with evidence, and now Pam's given him ride home. She must believe his sorry tale. Well, she said, she said, you know,
this is how she defended herself. She said the only reason she picked him up on his release day was because she wanted to talk to him face to face. She practically begged Christian to take her to her granddaughter's body, and even told him that she had a shovel in the boot of the car ready to bring Erica home. Oh man, I know, she told Fox nineteen. I've done everything I can to try and convince him to tell me. I even picked him up and took him to his mother, hoping he
would talk to me. Okay, well, I I mean I guess I see she's lost it. Yeah. Unfortunately her this move didn't pan out. Yeah, and Christian just feigned ignorance. Pam was just shattered. She thought she could somehow reach his soul, but she didn't realize he has So he has no fucking soul, right, somebody would know soul does something like this.
You accidentally hit somebody, if that's what really happened, you just bury their body because you panicked and don't remember where you yeah, and don't yeah, exactly because you bury so many bodies, right, come on. Pam, Misty and Greg continued to advocate for Erica and want her remain so they can give her the burial she deserves. As of two twenty three, Erica's
case is still being investigated. Stop I wanted an end, and although a Detective Bob Green is now retired, he does not say that Erica's case is cold, and neither do those still working on it in the Kettering Police Department. And twenty twenty two, a new witness came forward who stated that they had seen Christians Van in Huffman Dam on the evening of February seventh, nineteen ninety one, and that's one of the places he had said. Yeah,
yeah, this witness did not come forward earlier because they feared repercussions. How would you remember that? Like I wouldn't remember for a song. They might know him. Maybe maybe that's why they feared repercussions. And of course they has to drive a van exactly right, no offense all the other van drivers. But you know what I'm saying. The police department continued to do searches and such, and during one of these searches recently in twenty twenty two,
forensic investigators came across bones at Hoffman Dam. Unfortunately, they were later determined to be non human, but to find has only encouraged the Cattering Police Department to keep looking. Texas Equisearch has also sent officers and resources to Cattering sniffer dogs. Sniffer dogs were also brought in and these dogs hit on two locations
close to a creek. Interestingly, the area that was searched and where the dogs alerted was smack dab in between Hoffman Dam and there's another state park like that other state park that Christian had talked about. Detective Green I mentioned has long since retired, but he was present for the twenty twenty two search that was brought about. He celebrates Erica's birthday every year and vows to never forget her. Her case is one of the only ones in his career that remain
sort of unsolved. Technically, it sounds we don't really know what happened, right, And he's made it his mission to bring the family closure before he and they pass away. Misty and Pam have moved away from Kettering. They were unable to stay in the home that held so many memories and so much pain for them. I'll be able to stay in that town either. Pam, Missy and Greg celebrate Erica's birthday every year. I'll drive around all the time, just so right, and I like searching woods and you know,
losing my mind. Christian Gabriel has since dropped off the face of the earth. Nobody knows where he's really no, I mean, nobody knows exactly where he's at. Authorities believe he might be living in Oregon, but nobody knows. Pam has said that the only real closure that she would have would be if Erica walked through the door, you know, if she's still alive,
Erica would be thirty three years old today. And anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Mason of the Kettering Police Department at nine three seven two ninety six two five five, quoting case number nine nine zero two sixty six. And that's the random story. And I know, I think they probably were on crack and hit her. Probably, I mean, I wouldn't doubt it. I sound they're a bunch of fucking idiots on crack. They didn't know what to fucking do. And yeah, how is there no blood on the
dog leash? I know, like I'm thinking maybe the dog get away from her and she ran to go get it. She ran to the street and these idiots are coming by baryling down. Yeah, and they could not cranking some music, smoking some c I mean, that could have happened. I don't know who knows. That's sad. I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I want a sad one. The story is sad. Yeah, you're right, it's usually about someone being murdered, that's true. But some
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