Lost Film: The Death of Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee is a movie actor and martial artist much like his father Bruce Lee. He would start acting in 1986, but his break-out role would not happen until 1994 with the movie The Crow. This however would be his last movie as he would, unfortunately, die on set at the young age of 28-years-old. 

On March 31, 1993, Brandon Lee was filming a scene for the movie The Crow. In this scene, he was shot and killed by thugs. Brandon Lee's character Eric Draven walks into the apartment and finds his fiance had been beaten and raped. Micheal Massee's character, Funboy, shoots and kills Eric. This scene however would become a cruel reality.

The gun used in the scene was a prop (a real revolver) and was loaded with improperly made dummy rounds. The special effects crew made the dummy rounds were improvised from live cartridges that had the powder charges removed. This was so that in close-up shots the rounds would look realistic. However, they had made a mistake by not removing the primers from the cartridges. 

At one point the gun was shot and because the primers were left it left enough energy to separate the bullet from the casing and pushed it part-way into the gun barrel. This is where it was unknowingly stuck known as a squib load. Before the scene, the dummy cartridges were replaced with blank rounds. The blank rounds contained a powder charge and primer, but no solid bullet. This was to have sound and flash effects with no chance of projectile. However, the unknown squib load made this a deadly combination.

When it came to the scene Michael Massee would shoot the gun from  12 to 15 ft toward Brandon Lee. When the gun was shot the dummy bullet would propel forward and hit him in the abdomen. This would cause him to fall backward instead of forward like he was supposed to. The director would end the scene. 

Brandon Lee's stillness was thought to have been acting or him playing around. But when Jeff Imada checked him he was unconscious and breathing heavily. A medic would come forward and see if he hit his head, but no one realized he had been shot since there was no visible bleeding. His pulse would be regular, but within a few minutes, it slowed down dramatically and stopped. 

Brandon Lee would then be rushed to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. There were attempts to save him, but after six hours he would be pronounced dead at 1:03 p.m. It was an unfortunate and sad accident. 

Michael Massee would be traumatized by the accident. He would take a year off from acting and never watched the movie. In 2005 he would state he had nightmares and "I don't think you ever get over something like that."

It is said that the film from the set this day was destroyed. There are some rumors that there were copies of the scene, but these are unfounded. To this day the film has not been released and that's for the best.

SOURCES:
Lost Media Wiki

Wikipedia (Brandon Lee)

Wikipedia (Michael Massee)

IMDB

Murder of Deborah Bates and Her Unborn Baby

February 23, 1993, 23-year-old Deborah Bates was 6 months pregnant. She left the apartment she shared with her brother to make a trip to a nearby store in Lowell, Massachusetts. Alone she made her way up Liberty Street in the cold and this was the last time anyone saw her alive. She would be reported missing in the next few days by her mother

At the time Deborah was battling with drug addiction and trying to better her life. Her first child was being taken care of by her mother at the time. Because Deborah was a drug addict there was a lack of action in her case. Her family felt that no one was looking for her.

But on March 11, 2004, an off-duty state trooper found a tarp next to the Lowell Connector in Chelmsford. Inside the tarp were layers of bedding and beneath that were the skeletal remains of the woman and a fetus that was between 7 months and full term. It was unknown how they died. The bodies would be identified as Deborah and her unborn child.

It was discovered that Debrorah and her unborn child (named Angel by the family) were not originally there. The bodies had been moved from one location and dumped there shortly before they were found. 

 SOURCE:

Cold Case New England

Uncovered

Boston April 11, 2013

Boston 25 News May 12, 2017

Murder of Paul Logan

On the night of December 23, 1993, 25-year-old Paul Logan was working as a delivery driver for Golden Flower Chinese in Blackhill, England. There would be an order to the Blue House Farm, but the people inside stated that no one ordered there.

He would go back to his vehicle and would be ambushed likely by more than one person. He would be dragged and beaten about 50 yards away. When the people in the Blue House Farm noticed around 2 am that the white Peugeot car that Paul was driving was still there they investigated it. They would look around for him and find him dead.

It was obvious that whoever had made the call decided to attack and kill Paul that night. The hoax call was made from a phone box at the junction of Snows Green Rd and Benfieldside Rd in Shotley Bridge. It was likely the same people that vandalized his car three times in the weeks leading up to the attack. In one case of vandalism "No Legs" was scratched into the roof. After his death, his tombstone was also damaged.

It's unknown or unstated what Paul had done for someone or a group of people to hold such a grudge.

SOURCES:
True Crime Library
Chronicle Live November 21,2021
News Week December 17, 2022

Disappearance of Yvonne Mary Martinez

On October 15, 1993, 50-year-old Yvonne Martinez was last seen in Oceanside, California at her daughter's home. At the time Yvonne took a job in Laguna Hills doing live-in caretaking at an unknown address. She was known to travel and live in many places for example the Figi Islands and South America. She always kept in touch with family, but did not and was reported missing after she never made contact for Christmas or birthdays.

Yvonne is a white female and was 50-years-old at the time. She's 5'5" and 150 lbs. She has brown hair and blue eyes. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Charley Project

Doe Network

Murder of Mildred Beamer

At 5:35 pm on August 26, 1993, 31-year-old Mildred Beamer was found dead at 757 A Pearcy St. in Greensboro, North Carolina. She had died from blunt force trauma.


SOURCES:
Greensboro North Carolina

Uncovered

Anthony Stuart "Tony" Craigmiles

 On June 30, 1993, at about 5:30 p.m. the wife of 27-year-old Stuart "Tony" Craigmiles would find him dead in their home about 5 miles west of Kampsville, Illinois. Somebody had shot him in the head with a shotgun.

This murder occurred during the Great Flood of 1993. Their home being in a remote area meant that the roads were closed and the only route to the home was through country back roads. At the time he was working at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

SOURCES:

Illinois State Police

Missing in IllinoisKHQA Feb. 26, 2007

River Bender Feb. 14, 2019

Murder of Jermaine Piggee

Around 2:30 a.m. on March 6, 1993, 20-year-old Jermaine Piggee was watching TV in the living room of a home at 5728 NE 15th Ave. in Portland, Oregon. Shots were fired through the window hitting Jermaine. A resident of the home called the police and by the time they arrived, Jermaine was dead from multiple gunshot wounds. 

Jermaine was a known Woodlawn Park Blood gang member and had a criminal record consisting of numerous gun and drug arrests.

SOURCES:

The City of Portland Oregon

Medical Mysteries: Trisha Zemba

On December 24, 1993 (Christmas Eve) 14-year-old Trisha Zemba was riding her horse in Arizona. She would fall off the horse and no one realized how serious her injuries were. Ten days later she would pass out in the bathtub. She was engulfed in pain and had difficulty moving. Her parents would take her to the hospital where she would be given a large amount of morphine. This however did not relieve her pain and it was found that she had a rare and usually incurable nerve disorder called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. This was the cause of her extreme pain which was especially bad in her legs. She would be given several injections of pain-killing drugs in her spinal column, but they didn't help.

Parents and Doctors were worried for Trisha and feared he would worsen leading her to be institutionalized. Her parents would be told that most patients with RSD live extremly difficult lives and most die, commit suicide, or go insane due to the pain. Trisha's once bright future did not look so bright, but they could only hope that it would get better and pray. 

Doctors would recomend a surgery ussualy done for terminal caner patients in which a morphine pump would be implanted in her body. Her friends and family would continue to pray that she would get better, but then on March 11, 1994 just a day before surgery a miracle happened. 

Within minute Trisha's pain disappeared and she could get up and walk to the hallway. It seemed as if she had fully recovered, but there was no explanation for it. 

Trisha and her family believe it was due to the infinite power of faith. 

 
Trisha and her family believe that their prayers were heard and  her recovery was due to the infinite power of faith. 

SOURCES:

Unsolved Mysteries Wiki

Murder of Jerry "Troub" Riley

On October 24, 1993, the skeletal remains of 45-year-old Jerry Riley were found in a remote wooded area off of Kettle Rock Rd. in Epsom, New Hampshire.  He had been killed from a gunshot wound to the head around 2 to 3 months earlier. He was killed elsewhere and his body was dumped there. His pockets were turned inside out likely to take anything out that would identify him.

Jerry was working at a Chinese Restaurant in Bedford and was a likable and polite young man. His former boss stated that he was initially a good worker, but after a few months and towards June his work habits worsened. He would come in late or call in. It was suspected by his boss that he may have a drinking problem as he was partying a lot. He was suspended twice from his job for this and he would quit and tell his former boss he got a new job in Concord. He was last seen in July by his former boss. 

SOURCES:

New Hampshire Department of Justice

Concord Monitor October 28, 1993

Concord Monitor October 29, 1993

Daily Press November 1, 1993

Disappearance of Michelle Ann Baker

On October 20, 1993, 25-year-old Michelle Baker was last seen when she dropped off an application at Beneficial Home Health Care in Spokane, Washington. She had taken a sleeping bag, and blankets with her, and she was never seen again. On November 2nd her husband would report her missing. Michelle who received disability checks did not pick up the check in November or after. Her disappearance is out of character for her. She had lived most of her life in Spokane or Seattle.

Michelle is a white female and was 25-years-old at the time. She may use the last names Saffold or Wright. She's 5'2" and 130 to 150 lbs. She has short straight brown hair and green eyes, She has multiple scars on her arms, she previously had broken fingers, is right-handed, suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, and has an overbite. Even though she is able to walk she is classified as disabled due to her muscular dystrophy. She is a smoker and her brand of choice was Camels. She is wearing a blue and white windbreaker, a Camel t-shirt, a white nylon vest, black jeans, white sneakers and a baseball cap.

SOURCES:

NamUs

Charley Project

International Missing Persons

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Unidentified Victims of Li Zhangou

 Xiaoqi John Doe is the first victim of Chinese Serial Killer Li Zhanguo. Li Zhangou was known as the "The Henan Gay Murderer". He would kill, mutilate, and rape 11 mentally disabled teenagers and young men between 1991 and 1995.  Li Zhangou was a suspect early in the murders. There was no evidence to arrest him, but he was caught by officers with a potential victim on August 4, 1995. He would admit to being the killer. He would be prosecuted and executed in 1995.

Going by the type of person Li Zhangou targeted it's likely that the victims were mentally disabled.

1st Victim: Xiaoqi John Doe

On March 18, 1991 there was a fire burning in a field in the Xiaoqi Township, China. Someone had set fire to a set of wheat straws. When the fire was extinguished the charred body of a young man was found. He was lying on his back his head and genitals were removed. His head would be found in a well 24 meters away to the west and his genitals were found in a ditch southwest of his body. It was found that from his stomach contents he had died recently and had been strangled to death with a cord. 

3rd Victim: 1992 Yangzhuang Township John Doe

On July 26, 1992, a neatly dressed young man (Li Zhangou) was seen with a young man (John Doe). They were seen walking from the Yangzhuan railway and even seen sleeping in a wheat field together that night. On their journey, it was seen that the well-dressed young man was hitting the other young man with a stick. On July 27th the well-dressed man was now seen leading the naked man to an abandoned explosives warehouse. It was later seen the well-dressed young man was sitting on the steps alone.

On July 29th John Doe's body was found in the warehouse. He had died due to blunt force trauma due to an unknown weapon. On the walls"I am the killer" and "Sacrifice" was written in the victim's blood.

7th Victim: 1993 Xiaoqi John Doe

There is little information on this victim. On October 15, 1993, he was found dead in a canal in Xiaoqi Township. He may have been a mental patient as he had screws inserted in his hands.

8th Victim: 1994 Xiaoqi John Doe

On February 20, 1994, John Doe's lower body (below the waist) was found in a canal with burn marks on his legs. The next day the upper half without his head with identical burn marks was found. he was cut in half and set on fire before being tossed in the canal.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Unidentified Wiki (1991 Xiaoqi John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1992 Yangzhuang Township John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1993 Xiaoqi John Doe)

Unidentified Wiki (1994 Xiaoqi John Doe)

Disappearance of Kevin Gerald Mahoney

On October 2, 1993, 25-year-old Kevin Mahoney was last seen in north Fargo, North Dakota. He left his friend's house after a party and was supposed to walk to his brother's apartment south of Moorhead, Minnesota. It's unknown if he made it or not due to his brother being out of town, but no one had seen him in the following days. His family would soon report him missing.

He was close with his family and would keep regular contact with them. No one had heard anything from him and it was uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. Foul play is suspected in this case.

There was a rumor that he got into a fight with a man from Detroit Lakes Minnesota, but this was never substantiated. A month after his disappearance a woman claimed to have seen him at Rick's Bar in Fargo, but this was never confirmed. 

Kevin is a white male and was 25-years-old at the time. He's 5'9" and 155 to 165 lbs. He has long, straight brown hair and blue eyes. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Doe Network

Charley Project

Valley News High October 1, 2021

June 28, 1993 Santa Monica, California John Doe

At 1:30 p.m. on June 28, 1993, the skeletal remains of a man were found on a hillside across from 270 Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, California. He may have died sometime that year. 

John Doe is a Hispanic male and was between 39 and 49 years old. He was 5'7" and had brown hair. He was wearing a blue and white jacket, a dark blue t-shirt, blue jeans, dark shorts, white sneakers, Khaki t-shirt.

SOURCES:

NamUs

Los Angelos Medical Examiner-Coroner

Doe Network

November 29, 1993 Breckenridge, Colorado Baby Doe

 

Around 11:40 a.m. on November 29, 1993, two men were alongside I-70 eastbound, 4 miles west of mile marker 200 in Breckenridge, Colorado. They stopped at the sight of a clear plastic bag and investigated it and found the body of an infant. She was brought to the hospital and pronounced deceased and it's believed that she was dead for 2 days. She did not have any obvious signs of truama.

She was a Hispanic or Native American Female infant. She was 2" and 8 lbs. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a Christmas outfit.

SOURCES:

NamUs

Colorado Bureau of Investigation

Unidentified Wiki

Doe Network

Murder of Larry Dean Flint

 

On August 9, 1993 26-year-old Larry Dean Flint was stopped in his 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass/Cierra down the Intersection of Riverside and Montopolis in Austin, Texas. Another smaller vehicle stopped next to him in the outside lane. The driver, an unknown black man, leaned out the window and shot Larry and killed him.

The vehicle fled through a nearby parking lot and proceeded westbound on East Riverside Drive. Witnesses stated that the man was the only occupant of the vehicle. He had a dark complexion was between 25 to 35-years-old. He was 5'7" to 5'8" and around 180 lbs. He had short black hair.

SOURCES:

Austin Texas

Austin Texas PDF

Murder of Donna Arrasmith

On July 26, 1993, 52-year-old Donna Arrasmith was closing the Happy Valley Farms store located in the Pier 7 Wharf building on South First St in La Conner, Washington. She would be last seen alive around 5:15 p.m. Donna would be confronted by someone as she was preparing to close. She would be stabbed to death inside the store. 

No one in the vicinity saw anything unusual. It wasn't until 6 p.m. that the owner/manager of the shop found her body in the storage area of the shop. 

SOURCES:

Skagit County

The Seattle Times

Murder of Claudette Young

 

17-year-old Claudette Young was last seen on April 16, 1993, and was reported missing by her mother on May 5th. Her body would be found on July 16, 1993, in a wooded field near Clarkson Rd and Weston Rd in lower Richland County, South Carolina. 

There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

Richland County Sheriff's Department

Disappearance of Lonnie George Lemon

 

On May 30, 1993, 47-year-old Lonnie Lemon was last seen in Pocatello, Idaho. He was last seen in the mountainous area, and he was considered paranoid around this time. 

Lonnie is a white male and was 47-years-old at the time. He 6 ft and 185 lbs. he has brown hair and blue eyes. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Doe Network

Murder of Sherri L. Pearson

 On the night of September 12, 1993, 27-year-old Sherri Pearson was alone at her home in Kendallville, Indiana. Her children were with their grandparents. A fire had broken out at the home and Sherri would be found laying down in the living room. 

It was initially believed that the fire was done by faulty wiring, but it was found to be arson. There were several places in the house where a flammable liquid was spread. Toxicologists found that before her death Sherri had been injected with a drug that had impaired her and then the fire was started, where she would die of smoke inhalation. 

SOURCES:

Indiana State Police

The South Bend Tribune October 12, 1993

Murder of Quang V. Nguyen

 

On March 16, 1993, the body of 36-year-old Quang V. Nguyen was found along I-64 in Perry County, Indiana. It was found that he had been shot to death and later his van would be located in Los Angelos, California. 

SOURCES:

Indiana State Police