La Berta

Sailko

In Florence, Italy at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore there is a strange feature named "La Berta". La Berta is a figure of a woman's head and stands out of place on the side of the church. There isn't much information on La Berta, but she's been there since medieval times. It's unsure why she was placed there, but there are theories or tales on how and why she's there. 

The most common lore is that the La Berta was petrified on September 16, 1327, and was cursed by Cecco d’Ascoli, an astrologer. His execution was a spectacle as people in groups were watching his procession. Some were watching from windows and balconies. On this day Cecco d'Ascoli was on his way to being executed and burned at the stake for heresy. In the procession, they would go through Via dei Cerretani, and he stopped to ask for some water. 

Berta was standing in the church window and told everyone to deny him water. She claimed he was an alchemist communicating with the Devil using water. That the devil would try to grant him immunity to his crimes and would be saved. During his execution he stared at the woman and cursed at her in Anger "You will never lift your head from there" The woman would petrify there.

Another and more logical theory is that the head is a memorial to a benefactor who had donated a bell to the church. The woman who donated was a greengrocer who had a fruit stall there. She did this so that the bell was used to chime whenever the city gates opened and closed. This may explain why she's positioned on the bell tower wall.

It's also theorized that she is actually was a Roman sculpture that was used as decoration. 

SOURCES:

Ancient Pages

Atlas Obscure

Antica Torre

Murder of Johnnie Dean Williams

On September 15, 1972, Johnnie Williams would visit with his wife and newborn daughter at the hospital. That evening he would spend the night out taking $800 with him to a club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Knowing that Johnnie was going to the club she would call them around midnight to talk to him. However, he wasn't there. On September 18th Johnnie's wife would report him missing as no one had seen him for days. 

On the 24th a farmer would be working his fields east of 1800 N Mingo. In the field Johnnie's body would be found. He had been beaten and then shot between the eyes. It's believed he was robbed as there was no money on him and his pockets were turned inside out.

SOURCES:

City of Tulsa

Uncovered

Oklahoma Cold Cases

Murder of Kimberly Steele

On September 14, 2011, a home at 123 Town & Country Lane in Searcy, Arkansas was on fire. The mobile home belonged to 46-year-old Kimberly Steele and she had not been seen for two days at this point. It was determined that the home was set on fire in multiple places and there was no sign of Kimberly. Her two dogs were killed in the fire. A small blue car was seen at the residence shortly before the fire was noticed. Since there were no signs of Kimberly after the fire her parents reported her missing on the 15th. 

That same day Kimberly's body would be found. She was found in Prairie County at the Wattensaw Refuge. She has been shot in the head and her body caught on fire.

SOURCES: 

White County, Arkansas Sherriff's Office

Uncovered

ABC 7 September 24, 2011

Personal Update

 I'm taking a break from the blog again. I'm doing it for my own mental health and right now have to focus on making money. There will be posts that I have already made for the future, but they aren't going to be every day like I had been doing. 

September 11, 1880 Springfield, Missouri John Doe

On September 11, 1880, an Unknown Man died of heart disease in or close to Springfield, Missouri. There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

September 9, 1818, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania John DOe

 On September 9, 1818, a man died or was found dead in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There is little information in this case. 

John Doe is a black male around 50-years-old.

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Murder of Isaiah Cherry

 

On September 8, 2018, 33-year-old Isaiah Cherry was murdered at 2306 Greenwood Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

Louisville, Police

Uncovered

WANTED: Jeffery Dean McDaniel

 

In September of 1998, Jeffrey McDaniel left Placer County, California with his 13-year-old  female relative. Her whereabouts were unknown until September of 2000 when she was found in Mexico. According to her Jeffery had traveled through California and Nevada and ended up in Mexico. He had continued to sexually assault the girl which resulted in pregnancy. 

His whereabouts remain unknown. On February 28, 2001, an arrest warrant was issued for McDaniel after he was charged with child custody deprivation. A federal arrest warrant was issued in May of 2001, and McDaniel was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

He may still be in Mexico. He may be working in the computer industry. He has intrust in the tattoo industry. 

Jeffrey McDaniels was born on March 14, 1967. He is a white male. He is 5'11" and 190 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He has the following tattoos: several skulls, one wearing a helmet, and 3" roses on vines on his chest; a solar system design featuring multicolored planets from his wrist to his elbow on his left forearm; an Egyptian pharaoh on his right bicep; a door hinge on the inside of his right elbow; old swastikas on both forearms (blacked over, but still visible); a dagger on his left wrist with "S" and "J" on either side of it; lightning bolts on the fingers of his left hand; a green wedding band on his left ring finger over the word "Michelle"; a dot on the web of his right hand; "X" inside a circle on the inside of the web of his left hand; a snake winding through a skull on his right calf; "Shelly" above his right knee; "MBM" in Old English letters above his left knee; and the image of Fred Flintstone elsewhere on his body. 

SOURCES:

FBI

Murder of Flora Alice Fisher

On July 24, 1904, 27-year-old Flora Fisher complained of her insides hurting. The next day she would get a consultation from 3 doctors. Flora stated that she didn't know what caused her illness. 

On September 5, 1904,  Flora was taken to Westminster Hospital in London, England. She would soon after die from sepsis caused by an illegal abortion. It was obvious that these were not self-inflicted and that someone had done this to her. 

Her husband was informed and it was said in newspapers that he seemed surprised. He had no idea and that he and Flora were not the type of people to do something like that. 

SOURCES:

Unsolved Murders UK

Daily Mirror September 10, 1904

Saturday Telegraph September 24, 1904

The Sunday People September 25, 1904

Murder of Carlton Mosley

On September 3, 2000, Carlton Mosley was in a vehicle in the 500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Bakersville, California, Carlton was struck by gunfire and died from a shot to the back of the head. 

SOURCES:

Bakersville 

Unidentified Photos: Unknown Lady

The Library of Congress is looking to identify a photograph of this lady. There have been may guesses like Brenda Fowler, Mabel Todd, Virginia DaBuey, Mary James, Margot Irene, Eula Best, Victoria Shaw, Betty Bronson, Vera Lynn, Anna Neagle, and Victoria Shaw. She has not been confirmed to be any of these ladies and may not be any of them. 

SOURCES:

Library of Congress

September 1, 1876 Oyster Bay, New York John Doe

 In early September of 1876, a body was found washed up on High Hill Beach in Oyster Bay, New York. The man had been in the water for two or three days and had been murdered. His head and right arm had been cut off roughly. He was found wearing good quality clothing, but there was nothing to identify him. He was buried on the beach where he washed up. His death date is labeled as September 1st. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave