EP. 174 : ILLINOIS - The Tunstall Family Murders
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Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder and offences against children.

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It's september twenty first two thousand six and bevel elano I in. It's a sad day, a day where a mother has to bury her infant daughter. The funeral director does his best to comfort twenty four year old Tiffany, any hall, but SHE had just gone through any mother's worst nightmare.

Earlier that week, Tiffany called nine one one to tell them that at seven months pregnant, SHE had been brutally raped. And following the assault, SHE ended up going into early labor. Sadly, before the first responders could arrive, tivy gave birth to our steel borne daughter, SHE named Taylor.

And today is Taylor's funeral. The funeral director would later say that this funeral was unlike anything he had ever seen, because only two people showed up tif honey. And the baby's father, Tiffany, had tried to be schedule the funeral so that more of her loved ones could come and pay their respects.

But IT didn't end up working out from the outside looking in. This seem like one of the most tragic stories imaginable, grieving mother, a stolen orn baby, empty pews at a funeral. But as IT turns out, this story was far more tragic than the scene we just described.

And IT would end with not just one life lost, but five. So this is the story of the tonstal family murders. I'm courtney bowen .

and i'm calling bowen .

and you're listening to murder in america.

Tiffany hall was born in accent Lewis, illinois, on march twenty third, one thousand nine hundred eighty two. Her mother's name was beverly cruise, and he was a single mother. Remote we could tell tiffanie SE father wasn't in the picture, so life wasn't always easy for her in a single parent household.

Now we don't know much about Tiffany SE childhood. We do know that as soon as he got a little older and gain some independence, SHE started getting into trouble. Tiffany, I was known to be rebellion and not spoken.

SHE often chAllenged her mother's rules. By the time he was in june, you are high handed up, dropping out of school. Then by the age of fourteen, he was arrested following a domestic disturbance with her mother.

According to reports, the two got into an argument and SHE attacked her mom bi, kicking her in the legs. The police ended up getting called. And from there, tifany was charged with domestic battery.

But Tiffany, I was a child. SHE had a rough life to the courts took IT easy on her. Considering this was her first offense, the judge in her case ended up sentencing her to one year.

But with that came rules SHE had to follow. If he wanted to avoid going to jail, tianhe had to maintain a curfew, SHE had to take a scheduled drug test, and he had to go back to school. But about a month after her sentencing, IT became clear that Tiffany was not wanting to follow these rules.

According to the belval news, democrat tifany skipped curfew constantly. In fact, within three weeks, IT was reported that SHE disappeared from her mom's house ten different times. In addition to that, he never showed up to her scheduled drug tests, and SHE continued skipping school at some point.

SHE even started a fire at her mom's house, although we don't know if IT was intentionally said or not, but as you can see, her rebellious behavior only seemed to get worse after her arrest, so there many of violations. Her 4 officers brought her back to court in an attempt to revoke or 4， but once again, the judge showed Tiffany any mercy this time around. SHE ordered Tiffany to start counselling and participate in a home study. However, things do not seem to get Better.

On october third, one thousand and ninety six tiffanie ant alesha a gooder went before the judge and admitted that Tiffany, I was having a hard time being at her mother's house, and because of that, he was also having a hard time following the new terms placed on her by the court. So wanting to help Tiffany any, alisa asked for temporary guardianship over her 44 year old niece， but this time around, the judge wasn't as forgiving.

After giving Tiffany two chances, SHE still wasn't following court orders. And from here the judge sent her to the linley department of corrections for the next seven months, Tiffany e. SAT, in the juvenile detention center until her release in may of one thousand .

eight ninety seven. Now Tiffany and alysha agreed to take guardianship over Tiffany e following her release, but soon after he would change her mind.

In fact, alysha would later write a letter to the judge that red vote, i'd like to reingelder h all rights as guardian of this minor with rights turned back over to her mother, beverly, and cruise as soon as possible, please, I obtain rights before if I went back to present, basically because of her mother's living arrangement, in the fact that I thought I could help equal. So following this, in june of one thousand nine hundred and ninety seven, tivy was released back into the custody of her mom. At the time, he was just fifteen years old, which is also the year of ne, found out he was pregnant.

In one nine ninety eight, SHE gave birth to a daughter SHE would named to siona. Then exactly one year and a day later, in june of ninety nine, he gave birth to her second daughter, tyra. Sadly, the girl's father was not in the picture.

So just 4 years old， Tiffany, I was a single mother to two little babies, and they also didn't have the best life. In fact, in August of one thousand nine hundred ninety nine, when Stephanie's Youngest daughter, tyro was just two months old, something horrible happened to her that day. Tivy came home to her mom's house, and tyro was completely lamp in a ARM.

Tiffani said he accidentally dropped the baby on her head. Her on beverley would later say that SHE immediately knew something was wrong with her granddaughter saying he looked like a rag doll. So SHE quickly called nine one one.

And within minutes, tyra was taken to the cardinal glenn hospital and sane Lewis, and while there, they determine that he had brain damage a two month old. No days later, on August eighteenth, Tiffany would lose y of both tyra and her other daughter, toshima. The girls were taken in to state custody by the elinor I department of children and family protective services, and a child abuse case was issued against Tiffany, but somehow this case fell through the cracks.

The state attorney never filed the paperwork, and tif hane never had to face any consequences for hurting her two months old daughter. And sadly, the effects of this incident would go on to have a huge impact on terra. Her doctor said that her long term prognosis did not look promising and that he would likely have both physical and mental developmental issues going forward, which seemed to be the case according to family members.

By the time tyra was seven years old, SHE was non verbal and was still wearing diver. So the fact that the state of illinois let tivo e get away with that is wild. And after about a year and a half in the Foster care system, D, C, F, S, that their goal was further girls, to quote, return home within five months equal. But if Tiffany was going to get her girls back, SHE would be required to attend parenting classes while her children were in Foster care.

But by looking at tiantian life, it's clear that he still didn't have a home safe for children. In february of two thousand and one, while her daughters were still in Foster care, Tiffany any had pressed charges against her former boyfriend for domestic violence. During a court hearing, tiffani begged the judge to keep him away from her, saying that he had threatened her life, cut her phone lines and even kicked dinner front door.

Luckily, Tiffany e was trying to get away from the abusive man and the scene as if he really wanted to get her daughters back. Now, the outcome of that domestic violence cases unknown, but I can assume that her x boyfriend did leave the picture because about a month later, on march fifth, two thousand and one, a judge ruled to give Tiffany custody of her oldest daughter, Tatiana. But as for tyra, her Youngest, the judge thought would be best to see how Tiffany did with her oldest daughter for giving her custody of both kids. The court order, red due to the extensive care required for terra workers, won a wait until miss hall and just to toshia is return for returning terra.

So with tasio a back home, Tiffany was really adJusting to a new life as a mother. SHE now had new responsibility. T ie.

s. Caring for a taller. But there was trouble on the horizon at the time.

Tiffany had a new boyfriend named terrance mcknight n. In just one week. After all, he ona started living with her mom again.

There was a mysterious fire at terris home on seventy one or seven delon street. Luckily, the same Lewis fire department was able to quickly extinguish the flames. But then days later, another mysterious fire erupted at current, his house, all while he was away at work.

At this time, around IT completely burn down his house. Now, tivy was the one who called nine one one at both fires, as he was the only one there at the time the fire started. The fire department later determined that both of the fires had been an act of r and sensitive.

I was the only one there at the time. It's widely accepted that he was the one who started IT. And like we just mentioned, he also started a fire at her mom's house before, so she's clearly got a thing for orson.

However, surprisingly, nothing ever came from this investigation. Once again, tifany got away with IT. And somehow, in two thousand two, SHE was even granted custody of her Youngest daughter, tyra.

The courts believed he was no longer a danger to her children. So SHE was given yet another chance. But sadly, by the end of that year, tifany would get arrested again for being in possession of a stolen credit card.

It's clear that throughout Tiffany houses life, SHE had really struggle. SHE grew up in poverty and neighborhood riddled with crime. Throughout the years, SHE cannot seem to stay out of trouble.

And the people in her life were not very good influences. But the one constant in her life was her friend jima r. Tsl gma was born on february twenty second, nineteen hundred eighty three in eastern Lewis, illinois, and SHE Tiffany I met while in kindergarten.

They were lifelong friends, and like tifany, jamilla had not had the easiest life. In fact, winge mello was Younger. Her mom SAndra, lost custody of her for unknown reasons, so a lot of her childhood was spent bouncing to different Foster homes throughout the city.

And for any child that's hard to deal with, kids needs stability. They need a consistent routine and adult they can rely on. And jamilla didn't have that growing .

up more than anything. Gamla wanted a loving and stable home at one of her Foster homes, the catholic children's home. And alt.

n. elano. I SHE met a girl name to need. A galloway drama confided in her that getting sent from home to home made her feel in human, according to tonga quote, we talked about how much we wanted a stable home and to be accepted.

We talked about which home was the worst one we were in. We felt like we were being treated like cattle. We were shipped whatever D, C, F, S, put us.

Our feelings didn't count and quo. And because of this, jamilla was a very shy little girl. Kids would often make fun of her for being in Foster care because SHE had a scar on arrive from a car accident.

So over the year, SHE grew pretty withdrawn. IT wasn't easy for her to make friends, but the one friend he could always turned to the one constant in her life with Tiffany hall. After meeting in kindergarten, the two instantly clicked, and for men on out, they were always there for each other.

Their loved ones would later say that the two were inseparable. They were more like sisters than they were friends. They both hadn't had the easiest upbringings.

Nee bonded over their shared experiences and rough housing projects that were riddled with crime. Jamila and T I actually ended up having children around the same time as well on may nineteen ninety, ml was sixteen years old. He gave birth to her first child, a son named demand onstar Collins.

The birth of demand was life changing for jima. For the first time in her life, SHE finally had a family of her own. And around that same time, tifany had heard two girls. They were both Young moms. They would hold each other out whenever r they could.

Gamel would go on to have two more children. On september twenty eight, two thousand and three SHE gave birth to another little boy named tonstal Collins. And then a year later, on december fourth, two thousand and four, SHE had a daughter named gene la onstar coins.

And although jim ala. Love being a mother, things weren't easy. SHE in the baby's father, ivan Collins, were raising their three children in one of the most dangerous housing projects in estate, Lewis.

It's called the john to shell tones, located on mechanism avenue. And out of all the housing projects in the area, they reported to have the most murders. Now, during the day, you'll often see kids playing in the streets, but at night you can hear the sounds of gunfire and people screaming. According to locals, one resident, a woman named dana Franklin, who lives with her six year old grandson, admitted to send Lewis public radio that gunfire in the area is everyday occurrence. SHE even admitted that he had to put large pieces of furniture in front of her windows to stop a potential straight bullet from heating a member of her family in for jamila.

This neighborhood was the best he could do given her circumstances, but he vowed to keep her children safe and give them as Normal of a childhood as he could, something he didn't have growing up, even though their neighborhood was dangerous. Gma didn't want her children sitting inside all day, so when he did let them play in neighborhood, he was always right there on the porch, sitting on a red crate, watching their every move.

Neighbors would later say that her two boys were often seen writing their Green little tracor around, and gala would always make them share IT with the other kids on the street in one of the mell's Foster homes growing up, SHE defended her Foster mom son named down sanford junior don and jamilla had basically grown up together, so he knew her well. He would later say, quote, mela, as everyone knows, had a hard life, but everyone knows SHE loved her children. And quo, every morning jam, mala would get up with her kids, get them ready for school, and then he would walk her oldest and demand to the bus stop, making sure he got there safely.

But ja mella was not the perfect mother. He was living in poverty with very little support. Next time I was overwhelming in two thousand and five, her life was completely changed.

When D, C, F, S, tooker children away, jo was placed under arrest for a domestic battery. After SHE whipped her, all this son with an extension cord from there, her children were put in the faster care, the very environment SHE was raised in. This was a huge wake up call for juma, as SHE always vowed to give her children a Better life than he had.

So right then he made a commitment to herself so that he could get her children back. SHE attended Mandatory parenting classes and even enrolled in community college to study photography while working to jobs. Luckily, he did complete all of her court ordered classes, and afterwards he was granted custody of demand. Ivan and gena IT was clear .

that janella had a new outlook on life. He was determined to make a Better life for herself and her children. Following this, SHE even bought her very first car and continued taking college classes.

And throughout this entire experience, her friend Tiffany I was right there by her side. Tiffany any had already gone through this process of losing custody of her children. So he knew what I was like, and it's around this time when the two really started relying on each other.

As they say, IT takes a village to raise children. There were times when jamilla had to attend classes or go to work. And so Tiffany, any would come over and watch your kids.

Then when Tiffany any needed help, SHE would drop her daughters off at jelas house. IT seemed to be a mutually beneficial, and their children all grew to be very close to one another. Tiffany and jamilla would make family meals together.

They would take their kids to the movies in the park. Tiffani and gamma s. Moms even became friends. They truly were like a family.

Then in early two thousand six, gamla SAT evvy down and told her he was pregnant. SHE and her boyfriend ivan hadn't even been trying to get pregnant. And this would be their third child together, journalese fourth child in total.

So IT was all a big shock, but nonetheless, he was excited when Tiffany heard the news, he was so happy for gamma, even more so because he too was pregnant. Know any time best friends are pregnant together is so exciting. Not only will your babies be best friends one day, but you also have your best friend going through the journey with you.

It's a beautiful thing. And with this news, both tifany Angela were really excited about their pregnancies. Now activity holds boyfriend at the time was named keh horn, and he was an active member of the navy stationed in norfolk for jena, which is hundreds of miles away from east and Lewis.

Now it's unclear how key felt when he figured out a tif anne was pregnant with his child. But one thing that was for certain was that he wouldn't be able to be around much, considering he is station so far away. But luckily for tifany, SHE knew he could rely on her best friend, jamilla.

In fact, when Keith was gone, tiffani and her daughters usually stayed at galas apartment, so SHE wasn't alone. As the month passed, they were both getting closer and closer to their due dates. But unbeknown ns to everyone, tragedy was about to strike.

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On the evening of friday, september fifteen and two thousand six, Tiffany e called nine one one to report a horrific story. At seven months pregnant, SHE had gone into the premature labor. Tragically, he gave birth to a steel borne daughter.

Immediately, first responders rushed to the scene. there. They found Tiffany holding her deceased baby girl. They were both quickly taken by ambuLance to the two shed regional hospital in center velan oy.

And as if this story couldn't get even more tragic, Tiffany told medical personnel that shortly before he went into the labor, SHE had been raped. SHE said that earlier that day he was with a man named tony. The two had just recently become friends, so SHE didn't know him well.

But while SHE was at his house, tony came up behind her, paint her to the ground and then brutally raped her. The assault was incredibly traumatic, both mentally and physically. Soon after, he felt herself going into the premature labor while still at tony's house, tiffani said that all happened so quickly before he knew IT SHE was holding her daughter in her arms, and that's when he realized he wasn't breathing.

Now all of this was happening at tony's house, and he didn't want to get in trouble with the police. So he actually forced Tiffany and the baby and his car, and then he just dropped them off at the Frank called in park. That's where first responders would find them.

Now is Tiffany recounted this story to investigators. IT was clear that he was in shock. Who wouldn't be after that horrific ordeal, the doctors wanted to perform a rape kit. But as you can imagine, after being raped and losing her baby, Tiffany didn't want one at that moment.

So immediately, detectives wanted together as much information as they could about this. Tony guy Tiffany e told him that he had known him for that long, so SHE didn't have a lot of information for them, but he was able to give a physical description what is car looked like. And SHE pointed them in the direction of where he lived and what his house looked like.

So while they went to work tracking this man down, doctors tended the tifany and her baby, who SHE named Taylor horn. Tragically, maybe Taylor was dead on arrival. There was nothing they could do for her, but they did note that he showed no signs of trauma.

Clearly, her death was caused by something internal, so they ended scheduling an autopsy so that Tiffany could learn exactly what caused Taylor's death. The autopsy was scheduled for the following day, september sixth. But sadly, after performing IT, they still couldn't figure out what happened before.

He knew IT Tiffany e was being released from the hospital and her daughter Taylor was being sent to the l king funeral chapel in belval. The baby's father, kh horn took an emergency leave from the navy so that he could attend his daughter's funeral, which was at for september twenty first two thousand. six.

The funeral director, levi king, had been in the business for years, and this wasn't the first time he held a service for an event. Those were always the hardest. That morning, he began to prepare everything for Taylor's funeral.

And usually when a baby dies, the federal home is packed full of people. But there was now minutes before Taylors funeral in the pews were still empty. He then got a call from tifany who asked if they could we schedule the funeral so that more family members could attend but leave.

I had a busy schedule, and Taylor service was already ready to start in just a few minutes. So was heartbreaking as IT was that her family couldn't come. The funeral had to go on soon enough.

Both Tiffany and her boyfriend keys walk through the door and over to the little tiny casket that held Taylor's body. Keith would later say that he was heartbroken when he heard the news. That was a difficult day for both of them.

After the service, they watched as Taylor casket was lowered into the ground. What they were going through with every parents worst nightmare. Parents aren't supposed to bury their children without was their reality after the funeral.

Tiffany, I was clearly distinct. There was a lot on our mind. Eventually he turned to key and said, SHE had to tell him something.

The baby that was in that casket, well, IT wasn't actually hers. In fact, tiffiny admitted that he had suffered a miscarriage several months back. He's was shocked.

What do you mean that baby is an hours? Who is? IT asked. Tiffany paused for a moment, not wanting to reveal the disturbing truth, but eventually he told him it's jelas baby. SHE said.

so what happened here? Well, let's go back to the beginning of two thousand and six. At the time, Tiffany and gamma were best friends.

They called each other family, and many people said they were always seen together everywhere they went when the two best friends found out they were pregnant at the same time, IT seemed like a dream come true. Not only would they get to share this experience together, but they can also rely on each other for help. And apparently tiffanie needed a lot of help according to loved ones.

In early two thousand and six, he was constantly at gamal's house. Some sometimes, SHE would even drop her daughters off at js while he went around town, hanging out with her friends. On other days, Tiffany e would drop her daughters off at the gram's house because he didn't feel like watching them, and SHE would just stay at germany as all week, eating their food in taking up space. And it's at around this time when we start to see some cracks and their friendship jamal's apartment was small. SHE barely had enough room for her and her three kids, and now Tiffany and her daughters were basically living with them.

So over time, the two started arguing more. After spending so much time together, in addition to pregNancy hormones, jama and Tiffany were no longer seeing I to eye. Jama was overwhelmed.

SHE even confided in her friend to a galway. One day the two met up at link in park and ti. I could tell that jamilla had a lot on our mind.

At first, jamilla refrained from talking badly about her best friend, but eventually tiffe ese name popped up in the conversation to nego would later say, quote, we were talking about how people use you when they stay with you because Tiffany e stayed with her sometimes and quote, after venting her frustrations about feeling used, jeli even got a phone call from tifany in which the two started arguing with one another. No, ta would later say that he wasn't exactly sure what they were even arguing about. But IT definitely got pretty heated.

At the end of the call, jamilla hung up on her. He was at that point. Or jamilla told her friend that he needed a break from Tiffany as they SAT they are talking about IT.

Tiffany proceeded to call jama back over and over again. It's clear that he wasn't ready to give up the friendship like jamo was. And before leaving, jamilla even told her friend tanee quote, she's just crazy when he calls again, don't answer the phone.

SHE had a miscarriage last month equal. Despite the problems in their friendship, jamel was still sensitive to the fact that Tiffany e was going through a hard time. SHE adjust recently learned that tifany had misCarried, which is devastating for any expecting mom. IT has never .

been determined if Tiffany hall actually had a miscarriage or if you'd fabricated the entire pregNancy altogether, but SHE did announce her pregNancy to her family members, boyfriend and close friends, but he never told any of them about her miscarriage. In fact, ja mella was the only person that knew he had lost the baby has been speculated that tiffanie lied about the pregNancy from the very beginning to get attention from her boyfriend.

Maybe SHE wanted him to leave Virginia and be closer to our we just don't know. But what we do know is that in september of two thousand and six, Tiffany I started spiralling. SHE wasn't pregnant, and SHE desperately wanted a baby.

And by then all of her friends and family were expecting her to have one in just a few short months. So soon enough, everyone was going to find out that she'd lied about being pregnant. In addition to that, her pregnant best friend jamilla ton stall wasn't speaking to her.

Tiffany was angry. SHE didn't think gamelle deserved the baby. So SHE started planning a way to take her eliza daughter at her own .

on the morning of september fifteen and two thousand six, tifany hall went to the store and purchased rubbing alcohol, a nezel aspera, or bulb in a pair of scissors. SHE then called jamila and told her that he wanted to talk. And even though jamilla needed a break from her, SHE decided to hear out what he had to say.

After all, the two had been best friend since kindergarten, and at the end of the day, he loved Tiffany. So with that, jamilla made her way over to Tiffany house. When Tiffany I opened the door to let jamilla inside, SHE greeted her with a smile, and from there the two cut up on each other's lives.

Now we don't know whether or not they got into an argument or if Tiffany caught her by surprise, but at some point that afternoon, tifany grabbed the leg of a table and SHE hit jama as hard as he could in the head. Once jamilla fell to the ground, Tiffany delivered several more blow until SHE was unconscious. From there, he dragged her into the bathroom and put her in the bathtub.

SHE then tied up her arms and legs with dark tape at some point in the bathroom, jm regained consciousness. It's horrifying to think about what was going through her mind in that moment. This was her friend, and he suddenly saw Tiffany, any, grabbing all of the supplies from that day, the scenes, the rubbing alcohol, the nasal aspera, or it's possible that jumala realized right then in there that her best friend was going to take her baby.

SHE attempted to free herself from the restraint, but in return, Tiffany grabs the leg of that chair and SHE hit ja. Mella over the head several more times. Once jamila was unconscious again, tifany grabbed the pair of SHE, then lifted juma shirt, revealing her pregnant belly.

Next, SHE open the scissors, like SHE was about to open a package. And from there he ran the blade down to malas abd men. Clearly, Tiffany didn't know what he was doing and there was a lot of blood.

After making an incision, SHE began digging through the male's body, searching for the baby, and eventually he would find IT after pulling her from the whom T. I cut the umbilical cord, and then he left jella in the bathroom to bleed out. IT likely wouldn't have taken her long to die, and that's exactly what would happen after having her body torn open.

Ga experience significant blood loss in a twenty three years old. Ga tunstall died at the hands of her childhood best friend. Now it's unclear what exactly happened with the baby at this point.

We don't know if he was alive when he was ripped from her mother's wim or not. Tiffany had specifically purchased that nasal aspera or declare the baby's airway just in case anything happened. After pulling her from the warm is believed that tiffanie turned all of her attention towards the invent SHE likely used that aspera or to trying get the baby to breathe. But at some point, Tiffany, any realized that he was gone, all of this was for nothing. And I said this point.

when Tiffany begins to panic, SHE runs into the bathroom where gammell as body is, and SHE quickly wrapped her up in a shower curtain. SHE then drags her body outside. Now, nearby Tiffany's house is this overgrown empty lot on north fifty six street and east ent, Lewis IT was secluded enough that Tiffany figured that would be a good dumping spot.

So with that, he looks around to make sure there are no witnesses. And once the coast is clear, SHE drags your mell's rapped body out to the brush, and leaves are there along with the scissors used in the attack. But her work isn't done just yet.

Shell has a dead baby to deal with as well. Now why, Tiffany, I didn't leave the baby with german a, we don't know. Maybe SHE truly thought he would get away with this. Maybe SHE wanted sympathy from her loved ones for losing a child. So it's here or SHE comes up with a plan.

Tiffany e takes the deceased child to Frank holding state park. Once there, SHE calls nine one one and reports that SHE just gave birth to a still born daughter after a brutal ray. Now after a tifany and jelas deceased infant were taken to the hospital, the doctors would later say that he was acting very strange, like with any birth.

The doctors wanted to take a look at Tiffany e to make sure he was doing OK after giving birth, but SHE refused, which at the moment wasn't completely out of the ordinary. According to her story, SHE had just been read, so IT made sense as to why SHE didn't even want doctors poking and proving down there. But when tiffanie described her assault, there were definitely some inconsistencies.

First, he said he was raped by this. May I named tony that SHE barely knew, but then SHE changed her story and said the sex was consensual. Tiffany was adamant that the sex was tony is what caused her to go into premature labor and before he knew that, he was having a baby in tony's house.

But strAngely enough, Tiffany e couldn't provide any information on who this man was, shouldn't know his last name, his address or anything that could point them in the right direction. Things just weren't adding up. But I think in the beginning, everyone thought that tiffanie was just in shock, her voice was shaky, or sentences weren't making a lot of sense, and he refused to be examined by doctors.

And like we mentioned earlier, the baby had no signs of physical trauma. Then the following day, when an auto py was performed, they still couldn't determine the cause of death. So when their minds, this was just a tragic story of a still boring little girl.

Now I definitely have some questions here, because from what I can tell, Tiffany was never examined, because eventually they would let her leave the hospital. If they would have checked her, they would have seen that SHE wasn't pregnant. So i'm not sure what went wrong here. But after being released from the hospital, if I began preparing for the baby's funeral.

now, over that period of time, investigators had been in contact with Tiffany as they were still trying to find the man that he said raped her. They have even drove her around town, trying to see if SHE recognized any of the houses as belonging to tony. But after about an hour, SHE was unable to find IT.

And just like the doctors at the hospital, detectives were also suspicious about her story. They turned up the heat in their interview with her, saying her story didn't make sense, and Tiffany started getting upset. SHE even asked if he needed her lawyer present.

IT was becoming clear that detectives were onter. This definitely wouldn't be the last time they questioned her about what happened. So to give herself some time to think, tiffanie asked to leave. SHE said her daughter's funeral was scheduled for the following day, and he needed to put her focus there, and since the detectives didn't have anything honor, they let her go .

the following day, the funeral director levi king said that he was also suspicious of Tiffany hall. For one, SHE was about two hours later, her babies funeral, so they ended up pushing IT back for her. Then just a few minutes before I was supposed to start, tim e called in us to restore dule for a different day.

Levi king said he was the strangest thing. He had never, in all of his years, the business had a mother show up that late and then asked to be schedule. He also found a strange that the only two people at the funeral where T. I. And her boyfriend keys .

later that day, soon after the baby was buried, tifany signed an alpa David that stated Taylor horn was her child. But that wasn't true. And for whatever reason, Tiffany, I decided to come clean to her boyfriend keh.

It's unclear why SHE decided to confess to him. Perhaps he felt like the police we're closing in. But as you can imagine, when key heard the truth about what actually happened, he was shocked.

When he first arrived in linos, he was heart broken over the loss of his child. And now he's being told that not only did he not have a child, but that his girlfriend was a stone called killer Tiffany. Any also told Keith about where he had dump ed jam male's body. And following this, he immediately went to the police.

Soon enough, a swarm of first responders made their way, way to north fifty six street. And there, in the discarded brush near Tiffany SE home, was the body of twenty three old jamon stall wrapped in a shower in jama was already showing signs of decomposition.

By just one look, you could tell that her stomach had been cut wide open and there was no baby inside of her, just as they suspected next to her body, where the scission used in the crime for the responding officers. This was a site that they would never be able to forget. And now IT was time to find a mas killer tifany hole. If you love .

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Investigators started their search by going to Tiffany SE house that SHE shared with her mom and two daughters, but no one was home. So from there they put out a beyond the lookout for her vehicle and continue their search. The next place they looked was jealous house.

Since Tiffany, I was known to stay there, but when officers made their way inside looking room by room, IT, too, was empty. Eventually they were able to locate tiffanie s mom, beverly. And when they told her what had happened, he was in disbelief.

I was her daughter's best friend. No way he murdered jima, but investigators quickly informed her that IT was true. And not only that, but ja male's body was found right near their home.

Beverly was devastated. Jamila was like a second daughter to her. He also told investigators that he had no idea where Tiffany y was. But luckily, hours later they would find her SHE had been hiding out with the friend divers in a housing project near jamal's home. And from there he was quickly arrested, brought back to the police station for questioning.

Tiffany was held on a five million dollar bond. SHE was facing a charge of first degree murder, an intentional homicide of an unborn child. But in her interrogation, Tiffany was surprisingly forthcoming about what he did.

SHE told the officers that he had been lying to everyone around her, keeping up this meeting that he was pregnant. But in reality, SHE wasn't after lying to everyone, including her boyfriend for months, stephane started spiring. SHE desperately wanted a baby, so that's when he decided he was going to take jammers.

SHE even told the detectives that he had been planning this for, quote, quite some time and quote, so after this confession, tivy is placed in jail to away trial. But for the city of estate Lewis, as news spread about this horrific crime, jellous loved ones were devastated. In fact, the very day that her body was found was also the day that her baby shower had been scheduled that morning, completely unaware that gammell was dead, her loved ones began setting everything up for the special celebration, only to get the call the ja had been murdered.

According to her family members, jamila was so excited to bring her daughter into the world, but now SHE in, her baby were dead and the hands of someone SHE loved and trusted. Jamila s. Brother ernest mires was also shocked when he learned the Tiffany head murdered gamla.

He stated that he could not believe Tiffany was capable of something so horrific and added, this is just something out of the clear blue that I don't understand. Jm is cousin tyrannic tonstal said, I think it's sickness that you can actually do something like that. I hope ja eller wasn't living when the baby was cut out, but sadly, they would soon find out that gammell was alive when the baby was ripped from her woom.

After the discovery of her body, jelas remains were taken to the medical examiner's office for official autopsy. Obviously, her death was ruled a homicide, and he was determined the passed away from blood loss due to wear a domino wound. Same clare county corner aced heart, determined that gamelle had been knocked unconscious and scission had been used to retrieve the feast from her mom, ultimately a reported lood to death.

He added that Jimmy's death was very graphic and very brutal. When the news of the horrific circumstances reached both tiffanie and jelas family members, they were confused and shot. How can Tiffany do something so horrifying to our best friend? Interestingly, Tiffany SE mom bey and jamal's mom SAndra were really good friends.

Despite their families being ripped apart by the tragedy, they found comfort in each other during this time. In fact, beverly and sand were with each other. Winger mell's autopsy results came out.

According to an article in the same Lewis post dispatch, sander gathered together and despair and grief and tried to piece together what exactly happened between the two best friends. Journalist shame graber reported their daughters were closest children and and continue to lean on each other for support as adults, sometimes staying at each other other's houses. Their families were also close.

Jelas loved ones were going through a plath's of emotions. During this time, they were heartbroken and angry. They felt betrayed for germ ala's boyfriend, evan Collins.

He also felt an unavoidable amount of fear because, as IT turns out, IT had been days since anyone had seen Jimmy's other three children. In fact, shortly before tivy holds arrest, SHE had come by ivan apartment to pick up the kids. As IT turns out, jella and her boyfriend ivan were together, but they lived separately in that week.

The kids were staying at his house. Then randomly, on september eighteenth, Tiffany e stopped by unannounced. When I ve answered the door, he claimed that jim ella had sent her over there to pick up the children, and ivan didn't think anything of IT.

Apparently this was a Normal occurrence. So with that, he packed up the kids stuff and send them on their way. However, now tifany is in jail.

The kid's mother is dead. And since they were picked up that day, no one had seen seven year old demand, two year old ivan in one year old genera. So where are they? When investigators asked Tiffany this question, he refuses to answer, which left a pit in all of their stomachs.

Detectives were able to locate Tiffany's two daughters, eight year old tosha a and seven year old tyre. They've been staying at a family member's house. But sadly, once their mom was arrested for murder, the girls were taken once again into Foster care, and the search for gamelle three kids was well underway.

The kid's father I have in Collins a given detectives descriptions of each child, along with pictures they could use on the missing person fliers and IT was clear that ivan was extremely destroyed at the police station, even started punching a break colum and pulled out column s of his hair. He was overcome with helplessness that the thought of his missing children, and he blamed himself for allowing Tiffany any to pick them up that day. But I ve been couldn't have known Tiffany was jumala the best friend.

He was like the kid's second mom. Now, luckily i've in friends were able to calm him down. There was a question on everyone's mind that day had demon ivan and janelle met the same fate as their mom and baby sister.

Investigators launched an extensive search ever to locate the three children, including searching the eleven hundred a kor Frank holton state park where Tiffany was picked up in the ambuLance on the Daisy murder jima in an interview with the same Lewis post, illan say, police captain and craig coller said, our main concern at this point is trying to find the children alive. Please come the nearby neighborhoods going door to door to find out if anyone had seen the children. They searched wooded lots on horseback, brought in canada dogs, used helicopters for Ariel surveilLance, and even drove boats through bodies of water.

Of course, one of the first places they looked was jim l. As home. Although they had already been there, they went again to see if there were any clues that could lead the kids discovery, but once again, they found nothing.

During this time, the community of accent Lewis came together to show their support. Many people even passed out missing person flyers throughout the town, hoping that someone out there had seen something, but unfortunately, on the first day of the search, they were unable to find anything. By then, the children had been missing for five whole days, which is never a good sign.

But jamal's family was still holding on the hope that they were alive somewhere. My cousin, twenty five old tyrker, said, quote, i'm praying that they're not out there, but they're with someone in a that son will return them in. Quote, to add insult to injury, tif honey was still refusing to speak about what he did with german as children on the evening of friday, september twenty second, a candlelight vigil was held at the Frank holden state par to wanted and remember to milton stall and her baby, one of her closest friends, a woman named Doris Alice, told reporters.

That SHE was supposed to be her baby's godmother. SHE also said that jamo was so excited for the birth of her daughter, who was do that november during the vegetable. There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd. Everyone there was not only crying for jamila and her baby, but for her other three kids who still hadn't been found.

The following morning, investigators brought Tiffany hall back in for questioning as their search with the children was coming up dry that had been able to prove that tiffanie hurt them. But he was the last one to have seen the kids, and they were running out of time. According to police captain craig g.

coller. They were still considering the possibility that the kids may still be alive, saying these children are from east ent. Lewis.

They not to survive. But in this interview with Tiffany, they would soon learn that that was the case here. The moon, divan and jana were dead. And where .

were their bodies? You may ask. Well, disturbingly, they had been inside of jamal's home that entire time, the very home that the police had searched on multiple occasions.

Immediately, a group of officers made their way to jump his house. Upon entering, they now noticed the smell of decomposition eminence from the laundry room. One officer stated, quote, you could find them by the smell and quo. So they made their way inside. In front of them was a washer and drier.

An officer carefully lifted the lid to the drier, and IT was immediately hit with the overwhelming smell of that inside, or the naked and decomposed bodies of two year old ivan and one year old gena next to them. And the drier with the naked body of seven year old demand, the officers that worked the scene would later say that the images of those children, stuff ed inside the machines, were one of the worst things they had ever experienced. Afterwards, some of them even talk a leave from work so they could recover.

Please kept in coal would later say, quote, any time you have three deceased children, it's a very emotional time. All of these investigators have worked tirelessly with one outcome in mind, define these children alive and quo. That wasn't the case here, as they carefully pulled each of the children out of the washer and drier, many of the investigators wept one by one.

They lay their bodies down on the floor and cover them in sheet the corner. Rick stone clear each one deceased exactly one minute apart. The bodies were then zipped up into three separate body bags .

outside of jamal's home. A crowd gathered in disbelief. Demon ivan in janella were well known throughout. The many kids on the block played with them daily, and now they were gone. One neighbor told reporters that as dangerous as their igher or hood was, everyone always did their best to protect the kids from the violence they look out for one another. So this was especially devastating.

Another question many people had was, how are the children not found sooner? Because, like we mention, the police had already been there twice, wants to search for Tiffany, and another time after, they learned that the children were missing, but somehow they'd never found them. When question about this, the same clear county corner ACE heart added IT would be looking in the washer and drier. But as I turned out, the kids have been there the entire time, and now everyone just wanted to know why. Why did Tiffany hall have to take their lives as well?

According to Tiffany story, on september eighteenth, after he was released from the hospital, SHE decided that he was going to murder the rest of jammu as children. By then, no one even knew that jama was missing. SHE had been dead for three whole days, and no one even noticed, but Tiffany knew that eventually people would start asking questions, especially to meet three children.

So that's when he decided to kill them. After leaving the hospital, Tiffany stopped by ivan apartment to pick them up. At the time, Tiffany SE mom and her two daughters were staying with a friend so her home would be empty.

IT was the perfect opportunity, he thought, so SHE knocked on evens door and said that jamilla had sent her over to pick the kids up. And from there the kids all piled under her car, completely unaware that their and tifany was about to murder them. Once back at our house, Tiffany gave each of the children a dose of coffer or rub before running the bath, the same bath where jamila was murdered.

Once the tub was full, Tiffany e yelled out to seven year old demand. Following instructions, you removed his cloth in, gotten to the bathtub, but soon after he dead is an ant. Tiffani grabbed his head and shoved him under the water.

It's heart breaking to think about what was going through the minds mind at the time he had known tiv ney his entire life. SHE was late family to him, and now she's trying to kill him. Sadly, Tiffany was successful after a few moments demands, body went limp under the water.

It's unclear exactly what he did with him, but after this, tifany called to your old ivan into the bathroom. Ivan was just one week away from turning three years old, but he would never get to see that birthday because from here, Tiffany, I put him in the bathtub and drown term last night was one year old gena. Like her brothers, janel clothes were removed and he was drowned at the hands of tifany hall.

Following this, Tiffany would wrap each of their bodies up and bring them to her car. He knew he couldn't keep them at her house, and I guess he didn't t want to put the children with their mother's body nearby. So instead, SHE drove to Jimmy's house, and for whatever reason, he decided to shove their tiny little bodies into the washer and drier.

Sadly, several days would pass, and no one had even noticed that jamilla in her three children were missing. But finally, the truth was revealed in a new spread. IT was truly one of the most disturbing stories the town of accent Lewis had ever seen.

On sunday morning, september twenty fourth, the community of accent Lewis was mourning the loss of gamma demand in junior janella and their are unborn daughter morn's placed teddy bears and a stuff ed race car with demand's name on IT in front of gamma as apartment door that was now crossed with police tape. Many residents arrived at the new life community church to pray for the grieving families and the souls that were taken too soon.

Unfortunately, jim's family had a hard time paying for the funeral expenses, so the community came together, and we're able to raise over thirty thousand dollars to cover the barriers. The funeral for the tonstal family took place on friday, september twenty eighth, at the mount pisca missionary babbs his church. That day, over seven hundred people showed up to pay their respects the accent.

Lewis's fire department even arrived in blue uniforms where they march to the front, where the caskets were displayed. Instead of the attention during the service, the bodies were housed in White caskets with gold trim, and each one was taught with large bucket of snowy ite roses. Next to the caskets was a large friend photograph of jamila and her children. Refugee Vincent daddy stood at the front of the church and said, this is not a time for grievance, but a time for grieving. This is not a time for contempt, lation of revenge, but a time for healing.

Many family members and friends spoke at the funeral, remembering the beautiful lives that had been lost debris. William, one of js Foster moms, stated that gamla culture almost every day, and SHE always complained about being bored. Dara joke that he would tell you mela to go read a book and sad quote, but I loved her.

SHE will always be with me equal. Other people at the funeral spoke about jamous love for her children. SHE hadn't had the easiest life, and SHE wasn't perfect.

But more than anything, SHE strive to give her children a Better life than SHE had growing up and SHE did. Everyone there agreed that jamo was finally on the right track and was working so hard. As for her children, her seven year old sand demand was described as a happy child.

He was always seen with his big grin on his face and was sometimes a little machida. When his family was joking around, he would love to call them chicken heads. His loved ones said that if he was ever acting up in daycare, they would tell him that if he was good, he could get a mcDonald tappy meal, and sure enough, every time he would be on his best behavior.

demand. Absolutely loved superheroes, but is two favorites, respired man and superman. For two year old ive in junior and one year old, they were like little best friends. Since they were so close in age like demand, the two were growing their little personalities, and they brought their loved one so much joy. Their family members were so excited to see the kids grow up, but sadly they would never get the chance.

After the funeral service, the four caskets were Carried out outside. IT was a sober day with a little rain in the forecast, very fitting for their day of morning. After driving out to the sunset gardens of memory, their family SAT under the Green canopy and cried.

Won by one, they removed the White roses on their casket and pray. As the family was lord into the ground, german's mother held onto a Brown teddy bear as mornings waited their turn to embrace her in a hug. Sadly, germany's baby, which had been torn from her body, I had already been buried by her killer Tiffany hall.

Disturbingly, the infants name was legally Taylor horn, which was unsettling. According to jamal's loved ones, they'd planned on naming her daughter harmony. So with help from their community, they were not only able to change the baby's name from Taylor to harmony, but they also examined her so he could be buried with her mom and siblings.

German, as family would later state that is horrible. As the story was, they found comfort in the fact that gamelle was now at peace all over children by her side. But as for tifany hall, well, the dona tonstal java stammen said, at best, god is going to have to deal with her.

Tiffany was now facing three additional counts, a first degree murder for the intentional drowning of journalist, three Young children. And SHE had a long legal road ahead of her after a jamila and her children relay the rest the community of east cent. Lewis was trying to wrap their heads around what in the haul happened.

There were so many unanswered questions, like why would Tiffany murder her best friend and her children? Was SHE really pregnant at the same time as gamma? Did he have a miscarriage? Was SHE mentally ill? On january thirty first two thousand seven, same clare county states attorney, Robert hyda, announced that he would be seeking the death penalty against tifany for the brutal murders of juma or unborn baby and are three innocent and children.

He said that the murders were, quote, cold, calculated and premeditated fini and a plea of not guilty. And following this, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he was fit to stay in trial. Ultimately, they found that Tiffany had an IQ in the mid ian.

He had multiple unresolved mental health issues, including psychotic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, a mood disorder by polar disorder, there was a lot, but he was still fit to stand trial during this time. They also discovered that he had been hospitalized several times for mental health reasons during her childhood. But as for a motive behind the murder, tifany never gave one.

However, the prosecution derives that he had perfect the entire pregNancy to lure her boyfriend back from the navy, or actually misCarried her. Feeding IT was never actually determined. They believe they had to find a way to get a baby of her own.

So SHE urged to plan to steal gammell. IT was also mentioned that Tiffany hall was different from other women who take babies from pregnant mothers. Usually in those cases, the women don't have children already. But as we know, tifany already had two children of our own. But regardless of the actual motive, stephane had committed a horrific act and SHE even admitted to the leno's state police investigator, David, that SHE had, quote, been thinking about taking the baby for some time and quote.

in a surprising twist, on june nine, two thousand and eight gamma s family member spoke with the court, and they all agreed that they didn't want Tiffany any being sentenced to death. They didn't believe that Tiffany ee's life would be justice for the loss of five jamal's mother SAndra Myers stated, I have to forgive. I believe in pinning justice in god's hands.

Jelas cousin Virginia kiser, said, I think you should just be in prison for the rest of her life to think about what he did. God's going to have the upper hand. Another family member, the dona ton stall, said that everyone knew what Tiffany had done and the death penalty would not bring back to mila and her children or what to make the situation any Better for the family.

They just wanted the entire nightmare to be over. Ultimately, Tiffany agreed to a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table. And on june ninth, two thousand and eight, SHE played guilty to four council first degree murder and one count of intentional homicide of an unborne child.

One day later, on june tenth, Tiffany I hall was sentenced by judge millton as warn and two life in prison without the possibility of parole shells received in additional sixty years for the intentional homicide of gamma unborn baby. After he was sentenced, the judge as Tiffany y. If he understood the severity of her sentencing and her only reply was I will never get out SHE never once even apologized to Jimmy is family for what he had done after the court hearing.

Same Clair county states attorney Robert hde, a hug Jimmy's mother. After nearly two years of this nightmare, they can now start their grieving process or so they thought. As IT turned out, tifany hall wasn't happy with the way her trial played out.

And in september of two thousand and eight, SHE failed an appeal to withdraw her plea, saying he was coerced the pleading guilty. This news was devastating for jermyn's family. They would later say something along the lines of, we thought everything was enclosure.

We want to heal. We need to put this behind us. I love tiie hane as if he were my blood. I still love her, but jamilla can't speak, so I have to speak for .

her gels boyfriends. Mom would later say, Tiffany massacred a whole family. Before I see her walk free, I will go to present myself now.

Luckily, herapath al was denied, but then in twenty twelve, Tiffany tried again, this time citing an effective council. SHE believed her attorney did not defend her properly and failed to investigate her mental incompetency, but once again, her request was denied. Over the year, he would try to appeal several more times, and in twenty, twenty, SHE exhausted her very last appeal.

It's unknown why he wanted to appeal. Perhaps he wanted to be sent to a psychiatric hospital instead of prison, or maybe SHE wanted a new trial altogether. But regardless of what her intentions were, Tiffany hall, now forty two years old, will remain at the logan correctional center for the rest of her life, right where he belongs.

This story is heartbreaking. All around in the east Lewis home, there is one bathtub. Rotana hall took the lives of five people, her best friend, her best friends and warn child, and the three beautiful children who loved her, and consequently countless other lives were forever destroyed, all because of the selfish actions of tifany hall.

This week, murder in amErica or corti will be making a donation to the Hilton youth and family services, which is an organization that helps support hundreds of Foster homes throughout southern illinois.

Hey, everybody, thank you for listening to today's episode of murder in america. If you can tell, i'm a little bit sick right now. Both court, I are getting sick, so I apologize for my voice on this episode. But this is such a crazy, just disturbing story.

Are so many stories like this in america? I know that this is a worldwide problem, obviously, but there's something in amErica that is happening, and it's just so sad to come over these cases, time and time again, cases that really a lot of people haven't heard of. And we feel like we need to remember these victims in any way that we can.

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Every time we post a photo, everyone's like, this is not what I expected. You guys look like, I don't know that's going to a bad thing, but very interesting. Anyways, thank you all for joining this week.

We have an absolutely phenomenal episode coming next week. Our october series is just a knock out and yeah, will catch all next week. And thanks really.