I remember a story where this guy and girl were at some friends house playing games and it was getting late and they left. Well they pulled off the road and they were kissing and such for a while and then some people came and forced them to get dressed and killed them. Where did this happen at and was the case ever solved?

I think that this was in either Kentucky or Arkansas, but don't qoute me. I also remember that they were at an acquaintances house playing Dungeons and Dragons. Investigators thought that the fantasy role playing type of lifestyle might have played a role in the murders.

I don't know where it happened but their names were Michael Johnson and Rochelle Robinson. I know of no updates in the case.

I don't know where it happened but their names were Michael Johnson and Rochelle Robinson. I know of no updates in the case.

It happened in Washington state, in 1994.

It happened in Washington state, in 1994.

Wasn't that near where Jay Cook and Tonya Van Cuylonborg were also murdered? If so I wonder if the same person(s) could have been responsible for all 4 murders.

Wasn't that near where Jay Cook and Tonya Van Cuylonborg were also murdered? If so I wonder if the same person(s) could have been responsible for all 4 murders.

At this point, I doubt it. I don't think the cases are similar enough to be related. Although serial killer Robert Yates has been suspected of the murders of Jay and Tanya, there hasn't been any hard evidence to prove it.

The murders of Rochelle Robinson and Michael Johnston are still unsolved. Rochelle was my friend.

Thanks for posting, kar212. I'm sorry to hear that. Michael and Rochelle's story is one of the few segments on UM that seriously haunt me, due to the number of unanswered questions that remain.

Please let us know if anything develops.

I just seen this case for the first time today (that I can remember) I came here hoping there's an update, unfortuneately not. It was quite scary especially watching it at 1am without the lights on :eek:

It was quite scary especially watching it at 1am without the lights on :eek:

I think watching any UM story under those circumstances would be scary.

I just seen this case for the first time today (that I can remember) I came here hoping there's an update, unfortuneately not. It was quite scary especially watching it at 1am without the lights on :eek:

That's how I always watch UM!! :lol:

It's that damn music. And Robert Stack's manner and voice. He made Unsolved Mysteries what it is, he's a legend!

It's that damn music. And Robert Stack's manner and voice. He made Unsolved Mysteries what it is, he's a legend!

Agreed!!!!

Well I think in terms of these murders Yates is certainly possible. I do know as Kane said that he was looked at as a possible suspect in the murders of Jay and Tanya in 1987 as well. However Yates denied any involvement and they were not able to prove that he was in the Seattle area around the time of the murder although Robert Yates was stationed at Fort Lewis just south of the Seattle Metro area where he was a helicopter pilot in the Washington National Guard. Another possibility is Charles Sinclair a man who lived in central Washington but often would go to western Washington to kill. Many people he knew and ran into disappeared through the 1980's and he died of a heart attack in an Alaska county jail in 1990 while awaiting extradition back to Washington state.

So who thinks Michael Johnson was the intended target or was it Rochelle Robinson. Or was it a random killing?

So who thinks Michael Johnson was the intended target or was it Rochelle Robinson. Or was it a random killing?

Well my first thought was Michael's wife since he was having an affair with Rochele and she did have a huge life insurance policy out on Michael but I think she passed a polygraph and isn't a suspect. I tend to think now though that Rochele was the target. Didn't they mention in the segment that she was being harassed by someone in the time leading up to the murder?

Didn't the segment also mention the possibility that the murders were related to the role playing games that Rochelle and Michael played?

Anyone have a take on this theory?

Well my first thought was Michael's wife since he was having an affair with Rochele and she did have a huge life insurance policy out on Michael but I think she passed a polygraph and isn't a suspect. I tend to think now though that Rochele was the target. Didn't they mention in the segment that she was being harassed by someone in the time leading up to the murder?

Well the police theroize the target was Rochelle, UM did say that she thought she was being harassed by someone before the murders or it could be a random killing where Michael just got in the way. Or Nancy Myers, the pyschic visions the target as Michael being connected to some role playing game. Or possibly because of the affair and $250 000 life insurance he had on his head, that sure is alot of cash. Whatever way it happened, it's one of the more scary cases I've seen in awhile.

I always felt that it was another gamer in their group who who was interested in Rochelle and angry about her relationship with Michael. Possibly she rejected their advances and they continued to harass her.

I do think this was probably a serial killer that did this one. I do think like with many serial killers that target women Rochelle was the obvious target and that Michael was in the way so he got killed too. That is usually why a serial killer that kills women might kill a man too if he gets in the way. Robert Yates I believe killed a man once back in the mid 70's when he murdered a young couple while he was a prison guard. It is thought that Yates had his sights on the young woman and her husband or boyfriend (I cannot remember if they were married or not) was in the way.

I think maybe it was someone they knew that was familiar with their routine. Perhaps over a period of time Michael and Rochelle were followed and watched and then the person planned it out. If they went to the same place each night after the role playing games then someone there could have easily known that. As far as motive someone at the role playing games might have been interested in Rochelle. If I recall correctly in the segment it was said that Michael and Rochelle were tired and decided to leave well that could have been the case and someone there could have assumed that they would probable not break away from their routine and decided to take advantage of them being tired.

Seems that over the years many of the facts in this case are distorted. I presonally knew Rochelle. My wife knew her even better. The game Rochelle was playing the night she was murdered is called Magic: The Gathering. It's a CCG and not an RPG. Rochelle was the main focus of the crime. Michael was stabbed several times in front of Rochelle. Rochelle was taken to another location and her body was dumped. A picnic table was placed on/near her body. Rochelle was an avid computer user and helped run various BBS's and was well known throughout the BBS community. She was being stalked, but never reported it. Although, the UM website and even this message board seem to all say "Rochelle Robinson", I believe the correct spelling is "Robison". Rochelle had told my girlfriend (now my wife) that when she died she wanted to be cremated. This being only a few months before she was murdered.

Thanks for posting, peacefrog. It's always nice to talk to people who knew the victims personally. I am sorry for the loss of Rochelle. The UM segment made her sound like a pretty nice girl. As you said that the intended target of the attack was Rochelle, did you know of any suspects in the case? Was Rochelle being harrased prior to her murder? Anything you can tell us would be greatly appreciated.

Moving to the "game" that Rochelle and Michael were playing... I talked about this in a previous thread with someone. As Peacefrog just said that the game they were playing was Magic: The Gathering, I tend to believe that the murder was NOT related to the occult. As stated before, I've played this game with friends/boyfriends. There's really nothing too "occult" about it, at least in my opinion. You're basically put in the role of wizard and you cast spells, trying to kill your opponents. I've heard people compare it to an advanced version of Pokemon, if you want me to really break it down.

Anyone else get annoyed at the trend of "occult-ish" crimes that UM portrayed? I sincerely believe that very very VERY few crimes are actually related to the occult and it's simply one of those things that are used to scare the general public... but enough of my soap box.

Anyone else get annoyed at the trend of "occult-ish" crimes that UM portrayed? I sincerely believe that very very VERY few crimes are actually related to the occult and it's simply one of those things that are used to scare the general public... but enough of my soap box.

Yeppers! You and I were talking about Magic:The Gathering in the other thread. I've never played, but I've seen it played many times. There's nothing occultish about it at all. In fact, D&D isn't really occultish either. I've been around D&D, Magic:The Gathering, SCA events and MMRPGs for longer than I care to admit to and I can honestly say I've only ever run across two people who freaked me out. I've never seen more than the occasional geek hissy fit (hilarious to watch). Murderous rages just don't happen in association with games like these on the whole. One or two screwed up people, maybe but that's about it. In reference to leaving the game, it would look a bit odd for those two to leave then the murderer leaves soon after. Especially considering the murderer would have had to have followed them. We know when everybody leaves a game. Mostly in case a girlfriend or mom calls looking for a wayward gamer geek.

I've always felt it was more to scare the public and boost ratings than anything. Even most people who admit to occult connections when committing a murder aren't really involved in the occult. They're what I call Wanna-blessed-bes. Bored people who claim to be Wiccan or Pagan or Satanic but really aren't.

I've always thought the wife had something to do with this case. After reading Rochelle's friend's account, I'm truly sorry for your loss, it appears it was probably somebody fixated on her.

Yeah I agree, Magic is relatively harmelss. When I was in high school, there were a group of kids that played Magic all the time, in school during lunchbreaks, before class, during downtime and such. They were never reprimanded, and I doubt the school would have allowed them to play it if it was occult related. Plus, I recently saw packs of Magic cards at a supermarket checkout lane, so I doubt the store managers would have allowed it to be in such easy access to children if it was occult related.

[QUOTE=Eire]

I've always felt it was more to scare the public and boost ratings than anything. Even most people who admit to occult connections when committing a murder aren't really involved in the occult.

[QUOTE]


I had started to write out something along these lines the other day when i posted about the murders of Shane and Sally, the couple who were involved with Satanists, in Texas. I was trying to put into words, and failing, how I had noticed that it seemed like small town rural areas, which Texas has in spades, seem to foster this obsession with labeling horrible crimes as being the result of occultists. Now with Shane and Sally's case, I really guess there is no argument, as it was documented that they were involved (I don't know to what extent) with a satanic cult. But a case I find to be highly suspicious is that horrible shotgun slaying of the couple in their bed while their abby wa sleft unharmed, but unattended. There were rumors of a party being held that night at the house (that baby must have been a damned solid sleeper), as well as one guy who purported to have seen video of the couple's slaying. This guy just seemed so phoney and his story seemed so indicative of the type of small town gossip that assert there are several devilish occult elements lurking in their little communities.

But a case I find to be highly suspicious is that horrible shotgun slaying of the couple in their bed while their abby wa sleft unharmed, but unattended. There were rumors of a party being held that night at the house (that baby must have been a damned solid sleeper), as well as one guy who purported to have seen video of the couple's slaying. This guy just seemed so phoney and his story seemed so indicative of the type of small town gossip that assert there are several devilish occult elements lurking in their little communities.

That case refers to the murders of Eric and Pam Ellender, and I agree: a lot of the people who appear in the segment seem to only want their "15 minutes of fame". Also the comments made by Huey Littleton (Pam´s Father) seem a little exaggerated (IMO). Back to this tread, thanks for posting peacefrog, we really appreciate it, and, as Thiussat mentioned, Do you know Michael´s wife?. I think she´s a person of "interest" concerning this case.

Rochelle told a few people about her concerns that she was being stalked. Most people thought it was for attention and really did not take it too seriously. She was one of the youngest people in the BBS click, if you will. To me, she was a wonderful listener. She helped me get through some hard times in my life. In the short time I would know her, most of it was spent being a truly wonderful friend.
Occult... Well, Magic:The Gathering was not the occult referance you could have eluded to from the UM episode. Before the internet, you could post on message boards and the posts would be shared by a common network which would send mail packets accross the US/wherever anyone was willing to call another BBS to share to info. The bulletin boards had Wiccan/etc message boards where people could post. You could use this information to connect to a coven of witches for instance. I believe that is where the occult portion could be misunderstood. I have no information whether or not Rochelle ever posted on those forums. It was a topic that did not interest me, but I am aware that it was available to users who wanted to share that information. Also, I don't mean to imply any connection of the Wiccans to the murder. It's an unfortunate truth that anything not in the mainstream is considered the occult.
Several months (approx 6-12 months) before her murder, I recall, visiting her at her work (Taco Bell in Spanaway Washington). We were sitting at a table talking during her break, and a guy drove up in an older, like 60's-70's muscle car. I can't recall exactly what the make was but it was nothing that made me too excited. (maybe a cougar?) It was painted a dark primer/flat color. Anyways, she said she had to go talk to this guy or he'd get jealous. And this seemed odd, but I didn't really think too much of it at the time.
And yes, everyone had suspicion on different people. But the main suspect being the boyfriend she had just broken up with. He was quite charismatic and controlling. At some point prior, He had even bragged that he could have people come from California to do bad things. Whether or not that was true did not matter, because everyone believed he could do it. The police had a lot of focus on him, but eventually they were able to rule him out as the prime suspect.
The investigation dragged along, and after a while a new detective was assigned to the case. He was interviewing my girlfriend and myself, when I told him that he'd never be able to solve the case. It was like at that point I suddenly realised that they were nowhere close to having any breakthoughs and all leads had turned cold... All my hope for justice was lost.

peace,

First let me say I am sorry for the loss of your friend. That being said....

What makes you so sure that the target was Rochelle? If there are no strong leads, it follows that no one knows who the target was. The only way to know who the target was for sure is to have someone who was there, or who killed them, talk.

Also, you said Michael was killed first. This logically seems to be the case, but how does one know for sure? They both could have been killed at the same spot and Rochelle's body was later transported for whatever reason unknown to anyone but the killer/s.

Also, does it not strike you a bit suspicious that Michael was having an affair on his wife with Rochelle, and that his wife KNEW about it (as she admitted on the UM segment)? Does it not also strike you odd that he had a $200,000 life insurance policy on his head? I know the wife has been officially cleared, and let me make it clear I am not trying to suggest anything to the contrary. However, she was cleared, to my understanding, based only on a polygraph.

I hate to ask this question, I really do, but I think it is important to know if Rochelle was sexually assaulted. Do you happen to know if this was found from the autopsy? If it is true, then it may make a strong case for Rochelle being the target (probably by one of her stalkers who was jealous). Otherwise, I think the life insurance policy is the strongest motive that I can find (and all of my info comes from the UM segment, and I am sure you know a lot of info they left out.)

BTW, did you also know Michael? If so, what do you know about him? Did you know his wife? I would like to know your opinion on her as well. If you don't feel comfortable talking in an open forum (for obvious reasons) you are welcome to PM me if you feel comfortable doing so.

Thanks for posting, peace. Your input is very appreciated and I, for one, am glad you came. Again, I am sorry for your loss.

Regards.

I did not know Michael, nor his wife. I do not know if Rochelle was sexually assaulted, but it is highly probable. I can not reveal how I know she was the target, nor how I know he was murdered in front of her. Perhaps forensic evidence had suggested it? I can assure you that my information came directly from a reliable source, and not based on rumors or speculations.
A $200,000 life insurance policy seems reasonable to me. About that time, I carried a $200,000 policy. It's now around $400,000. As far as her knowing about the affair, I can imagine that happening also. Perhaps it was an open relationship? It was not uncommon to see things that would make you go 'Hmmmm??'
I saw some posters displayed of Michael and Rochelle. To me, he appears to be a rather big and strong guy. I cannot imagine one person doing this. To kill him plus subdue her...? It would seem there had to be more than one person doing this.
I would imagine that within the time of 12+ years, that one of them would have talked by now. Someones conscious has got to be haunting them about the truth. Somewhere out there, someone knows something.

I did not know Michael, nor his wife. I do not know if Rochelle was sexually assaulted, but it is highly probable. I can not reveal how I know she was the target, nor how I know he was murdered in front of her. Perhaps forensic evidence had suggested it? I can assure you that my information came directly from a reliable source, and not based on rumors or speculations.
A $200,000 life insurance policy seems reasonable to me. About that time, I carried a $200,000 policy. It's now around $400,000. As far as her knowing about the affair, I can imagine that happening also. Perhaps it was an open relationship? It was not uncommon to see things that would make you go 'Hmmmm??'
I saw some posters displayed of Michael and Rochelle. To me, he appears to be a rather big and strong guy. I cannot imagine one person doing this. To kill him plus subdue her...? It would seem there had to be more than one person doing this.
I would imagine that within the time of 12+ years, that one of them would have talked by now. Someones conscious has got to be haunting them about the truth. Somewhere out there, someone knows something.
Aaah Janet Johnston.. What a piece of work! To bad Pierce County Detectives hang there hats on that (NOT admissible in any ****in court machine) polygraph machine. She may have passed but they didn’t interview any of her friends or co-workers. They just moved on and pinned it on a card game.

Aaah Janet Johnston.. What a piece of work! To bad Pierce County Detectives hang there hats on that (NOT admissible in any ****in court machine) polygraph machine. She may have passed but they didn’t interview any of her friends or co-workers. They just moved on and pinned it on a card game.

Interesting. Do you think Janet Johnston knew about the affair and may have had something to do with the murders?

Nancy Myers: worst "psychic" ever. Instantly gets the order of the killings wrong, then is forced to run with it and so ends up spinning a theory of the crime as substantiated by the facts as my theory that the same people who conspired to killed Kennedy did it, to shut her up.

Rochelle Robison was being stalked, and the authorities clearly were able to ascertain certain things about the killer by the way she was left. I doubt it was a serial killer myself, because there would have been a sexual assault; from everything I've heard/read, there was no evidence of an assault of this kind against Rochelle. I'd like to hear more about the idea that Mike Johnston's wife was somehow involved; if she was, I doubt she could have done it alone, but it's hard to imagine a hired gun or other accomplice working up the passion necessary to do what was done to Rochelle.

My bet is on one of Rochelle's friends acquaintances, as the authorities suggest. May still even live nearby.

Interesting. Do you think Janet Johnston knew about the affair and may have had something to do with the murders?


Janet and Mike had separated a couple of month’s prier of the murders and Janet was partying her butt off for a good month or more.
Neglecting her kids, job… They got back together to work things out about 1 month prier to his death. She HAD put in her 2 weeks notice at work and I think she was gonna get her butt can for incompetence! Mike gets murdered. She keeps here job,
Then gets a transfer promotion from Tukwila to Bellevue, Passes a poly, goes on unbelievable shopping sprees.
Then goes on Town Meeting (Local talk show) with all the families.
Where she proceeds to make full sentences.

The party started after awhile and she hooked up with a short fella who hosted karaoke. They had a phony wedding at her home (phony, meaning they had the show but it was NOT legal) She didn’t want to lose the moneys coming in.

Well I don’t think they could stomach her in Bellevue????
She put her notice again, the FoHub and her move to Montana!

Grape vine info:
FoHub does host and sings karoke shows. She hosts lingerie shows
Last I heard is FoHub can’t be found?? He’s probably hiding?


I don’t know if she knew about any affair Mike was having at the time of his murder.
But the separation in the first wave should be questioned amongst other thing.

All posts of mine are opinions based strictly on my views.

Lovers lane murders... sounds like the Zodiac or that movie "The Town that Dreaded Sundown"

whoa.

I just made a post 3 days ago that was almost verbatim what I posted in here. Even to the point of almost using the exact same phrasology.

deja-vu like a mother****er

I dont know, I always had this feeling on the wife, a gut feeling, that she had some involvement in what happened or at least knew more than she was telling. But of course she passed the polygraph and the sheriff's department dropped all interest in her as a suspect. I still find that interesting how the police put so much stock in polygraphs yet they cant be used as evidence in court one way or the other anyway.

Afterall, Michael's wife had the motive to have this done, she got the insurance money from his death, he was having an affair and his wife was obviously angry about it. This killing seemed to be done in a rather personal way, obviously it had to be someone that knew where these two were going to be, I would say look at the wife.

Well I don’t think they could stomach her in Bellevue????
She put her notice again, the FoHub and her move to Montana!

Woo! Montana tends to attract some wackos... :)

Do you have any idea where she and her "FauxHusband" moved to? Just so I can stay far, far away? :)

Tim & Janet.
Kalispell, MT

Tim & Janet.
Kalispell, MT


Oh, drat. That WOULD be a hop, skip, and a jump away from my childhood hometown (where Ma and Brother still live.)

....that Flathead Valley sure is pretty. :) Thanks for the info.

I have been contacted by a detective from the cold case files here in pierce county. I was a really good friend of rochelles and am excited that they are working this case again after 18 years....

Anyone else think there may be a connection between these murders and the double murders of Mike Riemer and Diana Robertson, and Stephen Harkins and Ruth Cooper? All were murdered in Pierce County, Washington. All were murdered couples who were found in secluded, wooded areas. In all of the murders, the men were shot whereas the women were stabbed repeatedly and brutally. I don't know if there was a tube sock found near or around Rochelle Robinson, but I do find it odd that there are many similarities between all three double murders that I didn't notice before.

Anyone else think there may be a connection between these murders and the double murders of Mike Riemer and Diana Robertson, and Stephen Harkins and Ruth Cooper? All were murdered in Pierce County, Washington. All were murdered couples who were found in secluded, wooded areas. In all of the murders, the men were shot whereas the women were stabbed repeatedly and brutally. I don't know if there was a tube sock found near or around Rochelle Robinson, but I do find it odd that there are many similarities between all three double murders that I didn't notice before.
That's a very interesting theory. Except that we don't know for sure if Mike Riemer was shot (that seems very probable, though). I don't think a tube sock was found with Rochelle, but I'd have to re-watch the segment.Also I thought Michael was also stabbed multiple times in front of Rochelle rather than simply being shot, but of course MOs can change. Is it possible that the killer knew all of these people and that's why the attacks are so vicious? It seems apparent that in all of these cases the killer really had hatred for women, which makes me wonder if there was spurning involved before the killing and the attacks resulted from intense jealousy and anger. I wish UM had talked more about Harkins and Cooper. I'm going to go researching that case now.

That's a very interesting theory. Except that we don't know for sure if Mike Riemer was shot (that seems very probable, though). I don't think a tube sock was found with Rochelle, but I'd have to re-watch the segment.Also I thought Michael was also stabbed multiple times in front of Rochelle rather than simply being shot, but of course MOs can change. Is it possible that the killer knew all of these people and that's why the attacks are so vicious? It seems apparent that in all of these cases the killer really had hatred for women, which makes me wonder if there was spurning involved before the killing and the attacks resulted from intense jealousy and anger. I wish UM had talked more about Harkins and Cooper. I'm going to go researching that case now.

According to the UM segment, Michael Johnston was shot in the head and his throat was cut. As for the Cooper/Harkins homicides, the only thing I've ever been able to find were old articles about Mike Riemer and Diana Robertson that mentioned them in it briefly (just like the UM segment). I do remember reading one article that said Ruth Cooper had been stabbed so brutal that her head was detached from her body, which is almost what happened to Rochelle Robinson IIRC.

This case seems pretty clean cut if you omit the bunk and nonsense.

The wife, Janet, was the only one with a clear motive. Not only did she know her husband was having an affair but she also took out a massive life insurance policy on him. 250k (over half a million today!) seems a little excessive for a guy who was only 25, even if he was a day laborer. She was also the one to insist they get these policies taken out on each other and claimed she was worried about her own death, not his. The private investigator that cleared her was hired by her and clearly had a bias. She also doesn't seem like she cared all that much he died if anything written about her here is true.

Some random killer, possibly a serial killer, is just as likely a suspect as any alleged stalker. Rochelle was 19 at the time. Her ex-boyfriend/stalker was probably about the same age. It sounds like he was blindsided by her breaking up with him and didn't know how to handle it. He may have handled it poorly and took things too far but their ages and lack of experience alone can explain that.

I find it hilarious and horrifying everyone thought this was some cult related thing because they played Magic, the Gathering while taking the words of someone actually involved in occult practices, a psychic, seriously.

I find it hilarious and horrifying everyone thought this was some cult related thing because they played Magic, the Gathering while taking the words of someone actually involved in occult practices, a psychic, seriously.

Oh yeah, the santanic panic of the 80s and early 90s. That kid who ended up dead at the beach was involved in the SCA, which they also played up on his segment as cultish. 🙄🙄

This is one case where late stage Unsolved Mysteries really did the victims and their families a disservice by filling the segment about them up with pearl-clutching over a card game and a bloviating psychic. Seriously shameful choices from the production team.

In 1994, Michael Johnston and Rochelle Robinson were both killed after they left the card game "Magic, The Gathering." Their murders remain unsolved.

UOYBAVLHMoo