Home — Murder, “cold” cases, and mayhem

This website is intended to deal with murder, brutality, corruption and hatred, all falling under what we call acts of injustice. We tell the stories of open and unsolved homicides–what are called “cold” cases. We also memorialize those whose lives have been taken from them in hope that somebody will come forward to tell the truth. So far our efforts center on Michigan.

David B. Schock, Ph.D.

“Somebody knows somethin’.  Somebody ALWAYS knows somethin’.”

That’s the way Jim Fairbanks put it when we made our first film, Who Killed Janet Chandler? Detective Fairbanks (retired) was the lead investigator on the law enforcement team in 1979. What he had to say then still applies today. For nearly every unsolved homicide there is somebody out there who could solve it if she or he would come forward and make a contact.

To call an unsolved homicide a “cold” case is chilling in its own right. Yes, these unsolved cases grow “cold” because there are no new leads; they more or less drop off the social and cultural radar. But they are NEVER “cold” to the family members and friends, they are never forgotten or out of mind. And there is always the hope that justice, however delayed, will be served.

We invite you to visit the We Remember part of this site, a place where families and friends of those whose murders remain unsolved contact us and can help to post details of the victims’ lives and the resultant investigations.

We also invite your view of what we are calling a Primary Documentary Investigation as we tell the story of the murder of Mina Dekker.

Our hope in all the cases we chronicle is that somebody who knows something will say something.

From David — A Weblog of investigation:

November 28, 2023 — First or second?

Beverly McCallum will face trail on the charge of murdering her husband, Roberto Caraballo, in 2002. But on what charge. She was extradited from Rome with the stipulation that she NOT face first degree murder. The prosecutor, Doug Lloyd, wants to bump it up to first. Here is the Court TV report of the Oct. 23 hearing. wow, is that host presumptuous! She has no idea.

I have been negligent in getting this to you.

The conference mention by Judge Cunningham has been postponed until 1:15 p.m. Dec. 4. Our friend Alysia Sofios will be there.

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October 6, 2023 — Hearing postponed; appeal denied

Today’s hearing for Beverly McCallum has been postponed to Oct. 23. And hers daughter’s (Dineane Ducharme) appeal process started off with a denial at the circuit court on Sept.27. It likely will come before the Court of Appeals next. And if denied there, with a request for a review at the Michigan Supreme Court.

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September 24, 2023 — What do I know? Not much.

I have had to rely on the good graces of producer Alysia Sofios to learn what’s going on in the murder trial of Beverly McCallum. Her trial for the 2002 murder of her husband Roberto Caraballo has been postponed. The next scheduled court session at 8:30 a.m., Oct. 6 for a hearing in 56th Circuit Court. Meanwhile, not everything is done, evidently, with the story of her daughter Dineane Ducharme, convicted last year of first degree murder of her stepfather, Mr. Caraballo. She received a life sentence. There is a motion hearing Sept 27 at 8:30 in 56th Circuit Court. Is there a new trial in the offing? A resentencing? I don’t know.

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April 15, 2023 — Tony Willis, dod August 6, 1994

Coming back from yet another spinal fusion, there’s the tug to get back to work on a homicide. The last seven years have largely been devoted to my film work on peace activist A.J. Muste (radicalforpeace.org). Now that’s done I might could do more work. Doesn’t matter that I’m 74 and don’t walk well.

The case is that of Tony Willis, shot and killed outside his house. He collapsed roughly at the intersection of Lafayette and Brown streets in Grand Rapids.

More to come.

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February 8, 2023 — Beverly McCallum’s trial schedule

Here is the trial schedule (for now) for Beverly McCallum of how things are scheduled to roll out in Eaton County (thank you Alysia Sofios):

Status conference for pretrial motions – April 27 at 11 a.m. 

Final pretrial – August 29 at 3 p.m.

Jury selection – September 8 

Trial – September 11, 12, 13, 15th (afternoon), 18th (until 1:30 p.m.) 19th, and 20th.

Initially, she was to be tried for second degree murder, but the crime warranted a first-degree charge. 

Finally, I have been missing in action, seriously missing. Yet another spinal fusion (my third). Enough pain to go around. I hope you will forgive me.

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