Carol Frances Fullwood and Chantell Lavero - a truly baffling mystery

[justins5256]

This goes back a bit...

As many are aware, the second special of Unsolved Mysteries (incidentally, the first program narrated by Karl Malden) featured a cautionary tale of sorts about men who were being robbed by young, beautiful models who would approach them in bars. In actuality, these models were professional thieves who would slip their victims tranquilizers in an attempt to render them unconscious. While their mark was out cold, these fine upstanding ladies helped themselves to wallets, jewelry, credit cards, cash and whatever else they could grab that wasn't nailed down.

The primary focus of the segment was one such practitioner named Jackie Edmonds. Thanks in large part to some sleuthing by Crystaldawn who actually called and spoke with the detective who handled the case, we know that Ms. Edmonds was apprehended - though she basically got a slap on the wrist type sentence.

However, the UM segment briefly profiled three other women who were wanted for perpetuating similar schemes. One of whom, Anna Dioria, was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison according to news reports I found online.

But what of the other two? I have searched in every newspaper archive and search engine I know yet I have found absolutely nothing about these two ladies.

Carol Frances Fullwood - age 27, 5'3, black hair, 110lbs (in May 1987).

Chantell Lavero - Anna Dioria's partner in crime according to an article I found. 5'4, 100lbs, green eyes, Warrant likely issued out of Atlantic City.

Given the age of these cases, I would imagine these ladies were picked up long ago, but can anyone confirm or even provide more info on the specific crimes they were accused of.

[DarkDante]

Originally Posted by justins5256

This goes back a bit...

As many are aware, the second special of Unsolved Mysteries (incidentally, the first program narrated by Karl Malden) featured a cautionary tale of sorts about men who were being robbed by young, beautiful models who would approach them in bars. In actuality, these models were professional thieves who would slip their victims tranquilizers in an attempt to render them unconscious. While their mark was out cold, these fine upstanding ladies helped themselves to wallets, jewelry, credit cards, cash and whatever else they could grab that wasn't nailed down.

The primary focus of the segment was one such practitioner named Jackie Edmonds. Thanks in large part to some sleuthing by Crystaldawn who actually called and spoke with the detective who handled the case, we know that Ms. Edmonds was apprehended - though she basically got a slap on the wrist type sentence.

However, the UM segment briefly profiled three other women who were wanted for perpetuating similar schemes. One of whom, Anna Dioria, was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison according to news reports I found online.

But what of the other two? I have searched in every newspaper archive and search engine I know yet I have found absolutely nothing about these two ladies.

Carol Frances Fullwood - age 27, 5'3, black hair, 110lbs (in May 1987).

Chantell Lavero - Anna Dioria's partner in crime according to an article I found. 5'4, 100lbs, green eyes, Warrant likely issued out of Atlantic City.

Given the age of these cases, I would imagine these ladies were picked up long ago, but can anyone confirm or even provide more info on the specific crimes they were accused of.

Didn't Lavero abandon Dioria or something to that nature? The thing is having spent some time in Atlantic City myself these types of crimes aren't exactly uncommon and I'm wondering if these cases were more dime a dozen type cases if anything else.

Anna Dioria and Jackie Edmonds were captured but I wonder how many other women managed to slip through the cracks just due to the nature of crimes they were committing.

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

Didn't Lavero abandon Dioria or something to that nature? The thing is having spent some time in Atlantic City myself these types of crimes aren't exactly uncommon and I'm wondering if these cases were more dime a dozen type cases if anything else.

Anna Dioria and Jackie Edmonds were captured but I wonder how many other women managed to slip through the cracks just due to the nature of crimes they were committing.

Dioria and Lavero did work together in Atlantic City. They were known in the press as the "Kissing Bandits". The few precious articles I have located on the matter indicate that Dioria was indicted on May 21, 1987 - a mere four days before the special aired. I think it is possible that, as you said, these crimes are a dime a dozen. Perhaps Edmonds, Fullwood, Lavero and Dioria were just on the "hot list" at the time so they got some airtime on UM.

Dioria actually went on trial which could explain the additional coverage there. If the other ladies were picked up and perhaps entered guilty pleas, charges were dismissed for some reason, etc. I could see the event not even making the papers.

[justins5256]

UPDATE!

I just found through a public records search that Carol Frances Fullwood aka Carol F. Argenzio was wanted out of California for at least 3 burglary charges.

However, she was arrested for an unrelated crime in South Carolina in 1995. Those charges were dismissed. I'm guessing that since she was picked up for an unrelated offense in SC in 1995, her prior issues were probably taken care of, if not prior to that, at that point.

I ran Lavero as well. It seems she's dropped off the radar since a warrant was issued for her arrest in Atlantic City in early 1987. I couldn't find any record that she was ever arrested.

[TheCafeDisco]

Good work Justin!
I kind of got a big head after finding out all that info on Alan Mann and his crazy family, so I thought I'd be able to find something on Chantel Lavero, I was wrong lol. I stink. I found absolutely nothing on her, I'll keep trying though!

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by TheCafeDisco

Good work Justin!
I kind of got a big head after finding out all that info on Alan Mann and his crazy family, so I thought I'd be able to find something on Chantel Lavero, I was wrong lol. I stink. I found absolutely nothing on her, I'll keep trying though!

Thank you.

Just looking over the records again this morning. While I can't be 100 percent sure I found the same Carol Frances Fullwood, the birthdate given would make her 54 years old as of today. A little math reveals that she was, indeed, 27 years old in May 1987 when the UM broadcast aired, so that lines up.

Unfortunately, no dates are given on those burglary charges out of California. In watching the special again, I did notice that one of the detectives interviewed was from California. So, that could line up.

I do find the fact that she was charged with burglary kind of strange. However, perhaps her techniques were different from Edmonds', Lavero's, and Diorias' or the charges were downgraded due to plea bargaining.

I found her phone number too. However, I don't have the cajones to call and be like "so, were you one of the Rolex Robbers?"

I wish there was a way to know for sure. It is frustrating.

[TheCafeDisco]

Originally Posted by justins5256

Thank you.

Just looking over the records again this morning. While I can't be 100 percent sure I found the same Carol Frances Fullwood, the birthdate given would make her 54 years old as of today. A little math reveals that she was, indeed, 27 years old in May 1987 when the UM broadcast aired, so that lines up.

Unfortunately, no dates are given on those burglary charges out of California. In watching the special again, I did notice that one of the detectives interviewed was from California. So, that could line up.

I do find the fact that she was charged with burglary kind of strange. However, perhaps her techniques were different from Edmonds', Lavero's, and Diorias' or the charges were downgraded due to plea bargaining.

I found her phone number too. However, I don't have the cajones to call and be like "so, were you one of the Rolex Robbers?"

I wish there was a way to know for sure. It is frustrating.

Actually, that would be pretty bad ass if you were like all like "so were you one of the rolex robbers?"

It's probably Carol Fullwood though if the ages add up. May I ask what public records site you are using? Most of the sites make you pay, even if they say free it's only a trial offer. The only sites I found to be free are the clerk of courts website for counties that allow their public records to be open. That's how I found my info on a few people on UM including the Mann's.
I checked Atlantic city for Levaro but found nothing. Did UM mention anything besides atlantic city or california? I found a few Levaro's living in San Fransisco but none of them matched.

I did happen to find several fb pages of several Levaro's, but of course they were mostly in spanish, and Ms. Levaro is probably long married with a name change by now.

Frustrating.

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by TheCafeDisco

It's probably Carol Fullwood though if the ages add up. May I ask what public records site you are using?

I have an account at CourtSentry.Com

Originally Posted by TheCafeDisco

I checked Atlantic city for Levaro but found nothing. Did UM mention anything besides atlantic city or california? I found a few Levaro's living in San Fransisco but none of them matched.

I did happen to find several fb pages of several Levaro's, but of course they were mostly in spanish, and Ms. Levaro is probably long married with a name change by now.

The only solid information I have found about Chantell Lavero, outside of UM, is some newspaper articles about the case. She and Dioria worked casinos together in Atlantic City and were known as the "Kissing Bandits."

I posted all of the articles I found on this thread...

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...ghlight=dioria

The articles mention that Lavero and Dioria worked together, and that Lavero was still at large at the time Dioria was sentenced for her role in the crimes in December 1989.

There are many, many instances where UM would do a story about a particular type of crime as sort of an "introduction" or "wrap around" and then briefly profile several, unrelated cases. I tend to think this is one of those instances. While the main foci of the story was Rolex Robberies (sort of a cautionary tale for affluent men) and Jackie Edmonds, I don't think Fullwood, Lavero, or Dioria were in any way related except for the fact that they were wanted for perpetuating similar scams in different parts of the country.

If the records I found are accurate, I would guess Fullwood worked somewhere in California. Unfortunately, I remember spending a lot of time searching newspaper archives of the day to no avail. If she was arrested, and plea bargained, it may not have been a big enough deal to make the papers. The fact that she was arrested though, in 1995 in South Carolina on unrelated charges that were eventually dropped, would suggest that her issues were likely resolved.

Lavero and Dioria worked together. However, those scant few articles I found are it so far as information goes. Interestingly, when special 2 was repeated in December 1987, Dioria's photo had the word "captured" superimposed on top. However, no other details were provided, and none of the other girls had been designated captured, including Edmonds. I think the update on her capture didn't air until some time in November 1988, IIRC.

[TheCafeDisco]

Thanks! I'll do some "digging" later today to see if I can find anything else and check out the articles you found.

Yea I have found some older episodes of um do that too. A main focus wanted person then some side stories ect.

Isn't it frusturting when "captured" gives us no more info? If you are invested in a particular case and all they say is captured, well thats great and all but I want to know where? why? and how?

[justins5256]

Originally Posted by TheCafeDisco

Isn't it frusturting when "captured" gives us no more info? If you are invested in a particular case and all they say is captured, well thats great and all but I want to know where? why? and how?

Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess I can feel safe that these women are likely behind bars and/or reformed and won't be gunning for me, but some details would be nice...

I guess they just didn't anticipate people nearly 30 years in the future tearing their hair out hunting for more info.

[TheCafeDisco]

Originally Posted by justins5256

Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess I can feel safe that these women are likely behind bars and/or reformed and won't be gunning for me, but some details would be nice...

I guess they just didn't anticipate people nearly 30 years in the future tearing their hair out hunting for more info.

Just don't look for beautiful models in bars and I'm sure you will be fine!

I like to think Robert Stack would approve of this sites efforts in wanting to know every last little detail on the cases aired. I can feel him in heaven, nodding in approval lol.