Hey everyone,

Anyone remember the case about a man found murdered in his office? All I can recall is he was found dead in the elevator, after being discovered by one of his office staff. When police investigated, they found an appointment for a "Tom Johnson" around 7:00 am. This was odd because the victim’s co-workers said he never met anyone that early unless it was important. He also received a phone call from this person. A pickup truck was spotted in the area as well.

Does anyone remember this case? The only thing I can't remember is the victim’s name. Any help would be great!

Going back to another post here on the boards, I made a little mistake. Tom Johnson is the alias of a man in another segment featured on Unsolved Mysteries. Sorry, I was confusing that name with this case. Anyways, I can't remember the name the suspect used in this story. I recall it was a common fake alias like "John Smith" or something along those lines.

Again, any update or help on the victim's name would be great. Any addition info is welcome.

I believe the lawyer who was murdered's name is David Marifield. I don't know if there have been any arrests in this case.

The man that David Marifield was scheduled to meet went by the name of "Sam Jones." Indeed, the cops have not ruled out the possibility that it was an alias since "Jones" is a common surname.

Thanks to both of you for answering. This is another case I would like to see an update to. I remember now after taking the call, David Marifield seemed upset. I think they said one motive might be someone he came into contact with in a court case.

Originally posted by UMfan0682
Thanks to both of you for answering. This is another case I would like to see an update to. I remember now after taking the call, David Marifield seemed upset. I think they said one motive might be someone he came into contact with in a court case.

Yeah, I tend to doubt this though. Marafield was a real estate attorney. Hardly a dangerous subsection of law when compared to say criminal prosecution or defense.

Just two cents from a future lawyer.

Justin

always expected to see an update on this one,sounds like a hit to me.He was only married a few months,i wonder if he had a big life ins policy? Maybe the wife,was she checked out?

by the way,this case which was on UM favorites vol.6,is eerily similar to murder of mike emert Um favorites vol. 7. Both were involved in real estate.

Wasn't Tom Johnson the alias used by the man that scammed and stole that giant computer then attacked the young engaged couple that sold it to them?

Wasn't Tom Johnson the alias used by the man that scammed and stole that giant computer then attacked the young engaged couple that sold it to them?

You're right hovaslash. That segment always stuck in my head because the reenactment was quite violent with the hammer attack and also because the girl who was murdered was named Heather.....:eek:

Has there been any updates to the best of your knowledge Crystaldawn?
I'd imagine it's pretty tough to find anything when the assailant uses
such a non-descript alias.

Has there been any updates to the best of your knowledge Crystaldawn?
I'd imagine it's pretty tough to find anything when the assailant uses
such a non-descript alias.

As you can imagine I can't find anything about it on the net. Searching "Tom Johnson" on the internet gets you all sorts of things. Does anyone remember the victim Heather's last name and the town where it happened? Maybe I could do a search of unsolved homicides by state and find something.

The victim's name was Heather Ruffleman.

The murder happened in Georgia - Marietta I think. I'll have to double-check.

CrystalDawn, you might also want to check Tennessee. That is where Heather and her fiance lived. The murder didn't happen in TN, but since it was one of their residents, there might be some info in TN newspapers.

Yeah, I think the odds are that Tom Johnson is an alias. Somewhat related to this, it is interesting to note that I will occasionally do searches on the internet for some UM cases. What is weird is that some cases have an abundance of info on the net, and some others have none at all.

Wow, its been almost 3 years since anybody posted here!!

Well, this Tom Johnson case has been lodged in my head for a very long time since I've seen it.

It is to me one of the most deliberate, heinous and uncalled for murders in the UM series.

This case is also sort of like a wake up call to Ebay sellers to think twice and the precautions you should take when you meet a buyer on the other end.

As for info on the case, I've tried to search everywhere, Google, Yahoo, Msn with all the aliases, the place where it happened, the victim's name, all yield nothing whatsoever. The only available link for any info on this case is this thread alone.

What is weird is that some cases have an abundance of info on the net, and some others have none at all.


Now that alone, wiseguy182, is an UNSOLVED MYSTERY by itself. Anyway, it sucks and sad at the same time that some cases receive much more publicity than other cases. Kinda like it gives you the impression some victims' lives as worth as much as some others.


Without being kept in the media light, an unsolved case simply fades away from memory and is soon forgotten.

I think it is due to this reason alone many cases go cold and remain unsolved.

Now that alone, wiseguy182, is an UNSOLVED MYSTERY by itself. Anyway, it sucks and sad at the same time that some cases receive much more publicity than other cases. Kinda like it gives you the impression some victims' lives as worth as much as some others.

Have you tried contacting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or Marietta Police Department or the Sheriff's offices websites? Try the Atlanta FBI RA office's website.

Actually there could be other reasons why there is not a lot of info.
1. It could depend on the jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions tend to me more secretive in giving out information than others. Some of them are also lax in updating or give info on the web.

2.It's possible that Mr. Johnson may have requested that no information be posted. Perhaps he just wants to live in peace and does not care to be bothered by false leads and promises.

3. I have a strong suspicion that this case may have gone federal. The FBI may not want info on this case spread out if they own the case file.

Marietta Police Departments website is extremely limited.

As for info on the case, I've tried to search everywhere, Google, Yahoo, Msn with all the aliases, the place where it happened, the victim's name, all yield nothing whatsoever. The only available link for any info on this case is this thread alone.

Did you see this other thread (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3511550#post3511550) on the our little UM message board? It has some updates, names, and links to info about the case.

Did you see this other thread (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3511550#post3511550) on the our little UM message board? It has some updates, names, and links to info about the case.


Thank you nowheregirl. The other thread does have plenty of discussion but there is no actual update provided as to whether Tom Johnson has been arrested or who he really is.


Has anyone seen reruns of this segment and are there any updates provided? Will certainly appreciate if there are.

As far as I know about the Tom Johnson case, everyone involved in the case has now died, including Jeremy, Heather's boyfriend, and the one law enforcement believes was the suspect.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=230163&page=2&highlight=tom+johnson

Heather's boyfriend didnt died of natural causes. {-_-"}

Besides, the case happened only on 1992, just 17 years ago~ It aint that long...

Therefore there is a very good chance that Tom Johnson is alive and well today!! Who knows he may be meeting ppl up right now from Ebay to steal their 30k laptops!! :eek:


A murder case so long its not solved has and will remain as an open case!!


You cant just conclude everybody is dead even when the victims are no longer around~~~


I personally feel it is a deep tragedy for this couple because both of them died because of circumstances and they did not get to spend their lives together as they should. :(


They deserve at least some form of decent service that the culprit be caught and rightfully punished for what he done. :mad:

Therefore there is a very good chance that Tom Johnson is alive and well today!! Who knows he may be meeting ppl up right now from Ebay to steal their 30k laptops!!

1. I can't imagine this guy is still active and duplicating the same robbery on Tom Johnson. Something like that would be traced easily and be given a priority by FBI. It's quite possible he has already been arrested for fraud and theft and is serving time for that crime.

2. The biggest problem in this case is figuring out what type of criminal this guy is. Is a career criminial or a one-shot criminal? Is he a serial killer or a robber who botched a robbery? Is he really a technical geek, or did he just fake his way through?

3. The computer equipment was the best clue in this case. Sadly, that system has probably been thrown in a dumpster. Any hopes of tracing it are probably non-existant.

4. He may not be able to pull the same scam, today. You have to consider that getting equipment through Ebay is safer than classifieds. Many people buy through third party buyers that are actually brick and mortar businesses. considering that buyers can purchase from all over the world, it may be impossible or suspicious of him to request buyers within the state or city. Ebay represents too many ways for someone to track him as opposed to the classifieds which just requires a phone number.

just saw the case of David Marifield...this had to be a hit! how the hell did the killer manage to get into the building so early in the morning?? was this investigated or clarified? i dint read all the members post here regarding this case so maybe i am missing some details

An attorney of any kind could be a target for revenge, a hit, insurance scam or many other scenarios...maybe a bad investment or bad business transaction? a mafia hit?? many scenarios for this case....the fact is that this was a professional style murder with the shot in the head..any background check on his financial transactions leading to the days of his murder??? financial situation often lead to hits, murder, wife/husband killings ect

and another thing is that why did this have to be a professional hit? professional hits are used by people who would want to normally do the killing themselves but cannot do a clean "kill", so why not hire a professional killer right??...so this deff has to be a someone who knows or dealt with David and some dispute took place and they order to kill him

Anyone else remember someone around here thought they had found "Tom Johnson"..posting on a totally unrelated 'net message board somewhere else.. :lol:

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just saw the case of David Marifield...this had to be a hit! how the hell did the killer manage to get into the building so early in the morning?? was this investigated or clarified? i dint read all the members post here regarding this case so maybe i am missing some details

An attorney of any kind could be a target for revenge, a hit, insurance scam or many other scenarios...maybe a bad investment or bad business transaction? a mafia hit?? many scenarios for this case....the fact is that this was a professional style murder with the shot in the head..any background check on his financial transactions leading to the days of his murder??? financial situation often lead to hits, murder, wife/husband killings ect

and another thing is that why did this have to be a professional hit? professional hits are used by people who would want to normally do the killing themselves but cannot do a clean "kill", so why not hire a professional killer right??...so this deff has to be a someone who knows or dealt with David and some dispute took place and they order to kill him

This thread is for Tom Johnson, not David Merrifield. I'll answer you questions on that thread.

This thread is for Tom Johnson, not David Merrifield. I'll answer you questions on that thread.
In MysteryStacks defense, this thread was originally about the David Merrifield case. The poster just got the name wrong and thought it was Tom Johnson.

1. I can't imagine this guy is still active and duplicating the same robbery on Tom Johnson. Something like that would be traced easily and be given a priority by FBI. It's quite possible he has already been arrested for fraud and theft and is serving time for that crime.

2. The biggest problem in this case is figuring out what type of criminal this guy is. Is a career criminial or a one-shot criminal? Is he a serial killer or a robber who botched a robbery? Is he really a technical geek, or did he just fake his way through?

3. The computer equipment was the best clue in this case. Sadly, that system has probably been thrown in a dumpster. Any hopes of tracing it are probably non-existant.

4. He may not be able to pull the same scam, today. You have to consider that getting equipment through Ebay is safer than classifieds. Many people buy through third party buyers that are actually brick and mortar businesses. considering that buyers can purchase from all over the world, it may be impossible or suspicious of him to request buyers within the state or city. Ebay represents too many ways for someone to track him as opposed to the classifieds which just requires a phone number.

I'm guessing the guy is already serving time in prison.

By the way that hotel manager was an idiot for not investigating the apparent "domestic disturbance" regardless if it was real or not. To this day I don't know the logic behind what that guy was thinking.

I'm guessing the guy is already serving time in prison.

By the way that hotel manager was an idiot for not investigating the apparent "domestic disturbance" regardless if it was real or not. To this day I don't know the logic behind what that guy was thinking.

There is another "Tom Johnson" thread on here that has a link to a blog done by an outside person who lists parallels of a convicted murderer (who is now dead) named Tom Steeples to the "Tom Johnson" case. Its a very very good read and does present numerous similarities in Steeples prior murders to that of Jeremy and Heather.

There is another "Tom Johnson" thread on here that has a link to a blog done by an outside person who lists parallels of a convicted murderer (who is now dead) named Tom Steeples to the "Tom Johnson" case. Its a very very good read and does present numerous similarities in Steeples prior murders to that of Jeremy and Heather.

My only question here will be:

Does this Tom Steeples resemble any way to the composite Jeremy had done?

If yes, case solved. We have our murderer.

Was Jeremy also murdered that day? I thought he died sometime later.

Was Jeremy also murdered that day? I thought he died sometime later.

IIRC, he died some years later in a car accident but he was still young guy when he passed, maybe 30 years old?

edit:

post #16 in this thread says he died at age 27 in 1997

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=230163&page=2&highlight=jeremy+heather

He died while in Lesotho while serving in the Peace Corps. http://fpcv.org/volunteers/jeremy-rolfs/

A few more details about his death I found online...he was killed in a head-on collision in South Africa where the other driver apparently fell asleep. It said his mother was visiting him and was also in the car and was injured.

Something else interesting I found is that Heather has a scholarship in her name at Middle Tennessee State University. Here is what it says:

The Heather Uffelman Scholarship

The Heather Uffelman Scholarship was established in 1992 in memory of our student Heather Uffelman. Jeremy Rolfs, Heather's fiance', another of our students, started the scholarship and left the proceeds of his estate to it when he died in 1997. Because Heather and Jeremy were active both in the Mass Communications Department and in the English Department, the scholarship benefits students of either department.

The scholarship is available to students who reflect Heather's love of the written word and her dedication to media projects; it is awarded in the spring semester. Applicants compete in an essay contest, with finalists interviewed by faculty members representing both departments. For more information contact Dr. Mary Nichols.

There is a scholarship in Jeremy's name as well at Middle Tennessee. They are even listed next to each other on the webpage.

http://www.mtsu.edu/emc/scholarships.php

Heather Uffelman Memorial Scholarship
Description: Annual award. This endowed scholarship-established by both the Electronic Media Communication Department and the English Department-is in memory of Heather Uffelman, who died in 1992, the victim of a robbery.
Requirements: Available to students who reflect Heather's love of the written word and her dedication to media projects. Applicants compete in an essay contest, with finalists interviewed by faculty members representing both departments.

Jeremy Rolfs Memorial Scholarship
Description: Annual award. This scholarship is in memory of Jeremy Rolfs, an Electronic Media Production student, who died in an automobile accident in March 1997.
Requirements: Available to junior- or senior-level students, minimum 2.8 overall GPA, radio, television, or photography experience (on or off campus). Current involvement in the areas of radio, television, or photography.

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This Tom Johnson murder case is especially horrific due to the circumstances; i.e., a young couple go to a motel room to conduct a business transaction, and - without warning - they're attacked, robbed, and one of them is killed.

One of the odd elements to this case is the woman who allegedly went to the motel clerk (at the front desk) and complained about a noises coming from TJ's room - before the crime occurred. If this did happen, I do agree that she may have been a possible associate of TJ's - and was trying to stop him from going through with the crime.

It's sad that they never found out who committed this vicious crime, but TS does sound like he may have been a good suspect - though, even if he had lived, there wouldn't have been enough evidence to charge him with anything.