It seems, over the years, that UM profiled quite a few cases that took place around different holidays. There is only one I can think of that took place on July 4th and that is the murder of a young couple who had gone to watch a fireworks display earlier in the evening. It has been a long time since I've seen this segment, but it seems like they had been involved with the occult and there was speculation some of their former associates might have had something to do with the murders. Hopefully someone can remember more details to this case...and can also help me come up with other holiday-related stories.

:wave: Haven't been posting much lately but will try to contribute more this summer.

I dont remember much about that one. I just remember it was around 1988 that it happened and I think it took place in Texas.

They did take place in Texas. Their names are Shane Stewart and Sally McNelly. They were into a satanic cult and were looking to get out and acting as informants. Check w/ Crystaldawn. She has this segment on one of the UM Favorites DVDs

Some other cases that occurred around holidays:

Chaim Weiss was murdered on Halloween I believe

Rhonda Hinson was killed around Christmas as remember she was leaving her office Christmas party when she was shot

Roxanne Jeeves and her son were murdered near Christmas (also the son's fifth birthday) :(

JonBenet Ramsey was killed near Christmas as well.

If I think of any more I'll post.

What's even more unfortunate about the Shane Stewart/Sally McNeely was that it was the first time they had seen each other in several months. :(

Also if I remember correctly Lisa Ziegart and Lisa Kimmell's bodies were both found on Easter. :(

Dexter Stefonek. He disappeared on November 19, 1985, just a little over a week before Thanksgiving. That same day, his car was found torched in Montana. Dexter remained missing until a few months later, when his bullet-ridden body was found in a landfill.

Colleen Reed. She was abducted by serial killer Kenneth McDuff on December 29, 1991, just five days after Christmas. Although she was most likely murdered that night, it wasn't until October of 1998 when her remains were finally recovered.

I know this is supposed to be a holiday thread but you brought up Kenneth McDuff and that raised a question. Do you think McDuff was the one that abducted Angela Hammond? I think McDuff always denied any involvement in her dissaperance but he was not in prison at the time. Her boyfriend heard the guy speak. I wonder if he was ever given an opportunity to hear Kenneth McDuff's voice to see if they matched? As for Dexter Stefonek, poor man. What was the motive there? I always felt that whoever murdered Dexter did it just because they were out to kill someone and wanted to get their kicks. I think the guy and the truck that the rest stop maintanece worker saw was the killer of Dexter. That truck really stood out to me, it was a blue chevy silverado I believe and it had a very unique topper on it and it had Arizona license plates. Arizona license plates in Montana? You would think someone would remember seeing it. Although it could be likely that the plates were stolen. Didnt they have a composite of the guy? You couldnt see much though because if I remember right the guy was wearing sunglasses and had a hood over his head. He was a white man that was about all that could be told. Also writing hotjock on the wall? Creepy.

I know this is supposed to be a holiday thread but you brought up Kenneth McDuff and that raised a question. Do you think McDuff was the one that abducted Angela Hammond? I think McDuff always denied any involvement in her dissaperance but he was not in prison at the time.

At this point, I am skeptical. Was McDuff in Missouri at the time of Angela's abduction in April of 1991? Did McDuff's automobile match the description of the vehicle driven by Angela's abductor? Did McDuff own a pickup truck in early 1991 (or at all)? Apparently, there are too many inconsistencies and unanswered questions.

McDuff was captured in Missouri in May of 1992, thirteen months after Angela's disappearance. But at the time of his arrest, McDuff had been on the run for only a few months.

Well I have actually always thought that the killer's truck was stolen. I would think that if you were going to do something like that you wouldnt take your own truck but rather steal someone else's. I know it is a small town and all but I always wondered how not a single person could have seen any of this happen. They did a check on the truck and none that matched the description came up. That tells me it might have even been a truck that wasnt registered in the state of Missouri but was from another state. Didnt they think the same guy that kidnapped and presumably killed her also did it to two other women in Missouri in late 1990 and early 1991? It seemed that the killer always struck at towns close to interstates or major roadways. Clinton, Missouri is near a state highway. It is also near a lake. I am convinced a serial killer was at work in the Hammond Case. The only reason why I think it might not be McDuff is because McDuff seemed that he was older than the man Angela had described before she was abducted. It seemed the man that abducted her was in his 30's or younger. McDuff I believe was well into his 40's at least at the time the abudction occured.

The only reason why I think it might not be McDuff is because McDuff seemed that he was older than the man Angela had described before she was abducted. It seemed the man that abducted her was in his 30's or younger. McDuff I believe was well into his 40's at least at the time the abudction occured.

I have read that McDuff was born in March of 1946, so he was 45 years old in 1991. He was 52 when he was executed on November 17, 1998.

Well I believe a month or two before Angela's abduction a woman was abducted in Nevada, Missouri which I believe is around 50 miles to the southwest of Clinton. Nevada is also along a major roadway, state highway 71.

What's even more unfortunate about the Shane Stewart/Sally McNeely was that it was the first time they had seen each other in several months. :(

Robert Stack said that after the skeletons of Shane and Sally were found, a fortune cookie was found in Sally's pant's pocket, the note in the cookie said something to the affect that "your friends will always be close by". Very creepy irony. Does anyone else remember that?

Yep. UM always did like to play the "irony" card. One of the many reasons I love the show.

Another one to add to the list:

I forget the names but it happened in Texas, I believe on the Memorial Day weekend. A mother and a son were canoeing on their day off and were tracked down by two men who were drinking. Anyway, the mother got raped by the two men. Such a tragic story.

They did take place in Texas. Their names are Shane Stewart and Sally McNelly. They were into a satanic cult and were looking to get out and acting as informants. Check w/ Crystaldawn. She has this segment on one of the UM Favorites DVDs

Yes, it is on one of the favories DVDs which I have. I recorded it onto a special 'cults' VHS compilation I've made for myself.

............. Tommy Zeigler.

With regard to Holiday Mysteries.. wasn't there a case of a young german boy who remembered his mother hosting dinner for a squad of German and American soliders for a night during WW2 (Which I believe was on or near Christmas)?

Yeah, didnt he track down those troops eventually? Like I thought he found one of them. That was a pretty cool story and I know he always wanted to find them. Like they were cold and hungry and stuff and them being Germans if they had been found out by the Nazi's they would have been punished had they been found out that they were providing for American soldiers. However his mother let them in and served them food and let them even stay a few hours to warm up and I think she gave them cigarettes too and stuff. Eventually I think the son moved to the United States and I know for sure he tracked down one of the vets who was at least well into his 70's when the segment aired.

With regard to Holiday Mysteries.. wasn't there a case of a young german boy who remembered his mother hosting dinner for a squad of German and American soliders for a night during WW2 (Which I believe was on or near Christmas)?

Yes, the boy's name was Fritz (I don't recall his last name). That segment is on one of the 'Best of' DVDs.

Both American and German soldiers found the cottage and shared a meal together. Possibly the only time they'd put down their guns.....very touching story.

Hope that helps.

Cheers:)

Oh yes, maybe it was Germans that were there too?! From what I remember the German soldiers decided because it was Christmas or something to lay down their arms temporarily and just eat together with the Americans. I think the Americans and German soldiers did eat together and if that was the case I think it was kind of cool how in the middle of war like that they were able to lay down their arms even temporarily and eat together and just be peaceful together even if it was just temporarily. Now that I remember it I think it was the American soldiers that gave the German soldiers cigarettes. I remember cigarettes being smoked in the segment and I remember it was either the Germans that gave the Americans cigarettes or Vice versa. It was a pretty cool segment but I only saw it once so I dont remember all of it. But just so awesome that especially in WW2 how the Americans and Germans were able to lay down their arms and have Christmas dinner and get along and stuff for a couple of hours. It says a lot about those German soldiers too because they could have turned that family into the Secret police and stuff for providing for Americans but as far as I know those German soldiers never said anything to their superiors about it.

kdarmas15, I believe you're right about everything. Fritz did eventually track down one of the troops. If memory serves, Fritz moved to Hawaii and operated a bakery there. I know the mother didn't give anybody cigarettes. It was either the Americans gave it to the Germans or vice versa. Yes, a very touching story indeed, I wanna say this was published in Reader's Digest, but I'm not certain. Hope this helps in any event.

Another one to add to the list:

I forget the names but it happened in Texas, I believe on the Memorial Day weekend. A mother and a son were canoeing on their day off and were tracked down by two men who were drinking. Anyway, the mother got raped by the two men. Such a tragic story.

Was that one of the post-1998 episodes? It rings a bell and I seem to recall seeing it a few years ago. It would be interesting to know if there was an update on this case.

Was that one of the post-1998 episodes? It rings a bell and I seem to recall seeing it a few years ago. It would be interesting to know if there was an update on this case.

I just checked my collection for this segment. It happened on 5/31/1994, although I'm not certain when the episode aired, post 5/31/94 is the most I can narrow it down. I don't know of any updates on this case, but that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't one.

The Boston area bridal shop rapist took advantage of its being Christmas Eve and came in just before closing time. Was someone killed, or just raped? Was he ever caught?

The Boston area bridal shop rapist took advantage of its being Christmas Eve and came in just before closing time. Was someone killed, or just raped? Was he ever caught?

Only raped. Even though the crimes occurred in my home state, I was unfamiliar with the case until I saw it on UM. To date, there hasn't been any reported developments on the case, nothing to suggest that the rapist was ever identified.

Jay Cook's body was found on Thanksgiving, I believe.

Not strictly a holiday mystery, but around Christmas when "Silent Night" is played a lot I give a thought to that poor guy who said he always got depressed around Christmas because his mother killed herself after his alcoholic father left or was jailed and all six kids were taken from her because she could not care for them. I believe all six were located, but one declined to appear on camera, unless I am mixing up two different cases. There were a number of "Lost Loves" cases involving separated siblings.

In another siblings case, the last time the kids had all been together was for a Christmas dinner in jail, where they were taken as they had no place else to stay. :(