Murder of Trina'ty Riley and Kayden Johnson

On April 30, 2019, 18-year-old Trina'ty Riley and her 2-year-old son Kayden Johnson were at their home on the 5900 block of Ferris Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. Just before midnight the sounds of gunshots would be heard from the home. Soon after a car could be heard by neighbors speeding away. 

Police would be called and the bodies of Trina'ty and Kayden would be found inside. The two were found in a closet likely hiding from their killer. When the killer found them they shot and killed the mother and son. 

SOURCES:

FBI

5 On Your Side May 1, 2019

Fox2Now August 6, 2020

Murder of Jane And Cathryn Johnson

On the night of September 3, 1996, 36-year-old Jane Johnson and her daughter, 8-year-old Cathryn, were at their home in Turner Valley, Alberta, Canada. Their neighbors would see that their home was on fire and alerted authorities. Both of them would be found dead inside in bed. Initially, it was believed that they died in the fire, but it was soon found to be wrong.

It was found that Jane was 5 months pregnant and had been stabbed to death. It's not stated how Cathryn died. The killer had set the house on fire before fleeing.

It's believed that Jane at least was familiar with the killer and they were aware of their schedule. There was no sign of it being a random act. Jane and Cathryn did not stay at the house frequently, but would mostly stay at her fiance's. They were staying the night there that night so that Cathryn could go to school from their home.

SOURCES:

Royal  Canadian Mounted Police

True Crime Files

Unsolved Case Files

Calgary Herald  September 5, 1996

Calgary Herald September 14, 1996

Murder of Dr. Tsunao Saitoh and his daughter Loullie

On May 8, 1996, 46-year-old Dr. Tsunao Saitoh and his 13-year-old daughter Loullie returned to their home in San Diego, California around 11 p.m. from the research lab a UCSD where Tsunao was a well-respected research neuroscientist. When their car pulled up to the front of their house unknown person or persons ambushed the two in the driveway. Tsunao was killed and slumped over in the car and Loullie had run a short distance away before being shot and killed. Neighbors heard the gunshots and passers-by found the bodies a short time after the shooting. 

The gun used was a .380 caliber as casings for one was found in the driveway and the street where the shots were fired. A ballistics analysis found the weapon to be a Grendel P-12 .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. It was a gun manufactured in limited quantities. The weapon was not found. 

The motive for this killing is unknown. 

SOURCES:

City of San Diego

Black Donnellys Murders

James and Johannah Donnelly decided to move from their homeland, Ireland, and settle in Canada. The couple settled on contested land near London, Ontario. The Donnelly's were a troubling family and seemed to have been in a feud with the community. In 1857 James Sr. killed Patrick Farrell a man who had a dispute with the family because they were squatting on his land.

Even though he spent time at the Kingston Penitentiary his 7 sons didn't learn from his mistakes. They had a bad reputation and they were known as troublemakers. Their reputation went from basic mayhem to grand larceny and arson. They were willing to fight, and because of their reputation, they were blamed for everything.

On Feb. 3, 1880, James Donnelly complained to the local magistrate that they were blamed for everything and the next day the farm burned to the ground. A mob had come to the home and James, Johannah, son Tom, and their niece Bridget was killed in the fire . There was a 13-year-old farmhand,  Johnny O'Conner, there that night. 

According to Johnny shortly after 1 a.m. was when the mob arrived at the home. He awoke to James getting dressed. Johnny joined him going out to the kitchen and seeing James Caroll the "Peace Society". Tom was outside handcuffed with around 20 men. Tom demanded to see a warrant, but there was none to be seen. The mob outside quickly came in and began to attack the family. 

James, Johanna, and Tom were all three beaten badly. Bridget was upstairs and the men barged up there and killed 21-year-old Bridget. Johhny hid underneath a bed. He witnessed that Tom was able to escape, but was dragged back inside and beaten some more. The members of the mob brought coal oil in and burned the house. He was able to escape the burning home. 

The mob then traveled to the second oldest William Donnelly's house and arrived there around 2:30 a.m. The mob screamed fire hoping to get someone to come out. John came to the window and was shot in the chest and pelvis. Thinking that it was William they killed the mob left. 

 The community knew who was apart of it, but no one was ever found guilty for the crimes. There were two trials for it, but all of the people prosecuted were either not guilty, or a hung jury.

SOURCES:

Canadian Mysteries 

Murder of Thomas, Mary and David Johnson

On Jan. 9, 1993 Elderly couple Mary (77) and Thomas (81)  Johnson and their son David (43) were found stabbed to death in their Clifton, South Carolina home. Their bodies were found in the downstairs bedroom where they slept. The victims were all stabbed to death with multiple wounds. It was also found that they suffered from broken ribs and died within minutes each other. There were bloodstains in several places in the home. It was found in the den around the telephone, the kitchen and on a chair. The motive of the murder seems unknown.

SOURCES:
Spartanburg Sheriffs 
Group State