Going West: True Crime - David Carter // 346

Episode Date: October 6, 2023

In October of 2018, dismembered remains of a male body started turning up along the highway in Ohio. At the same time, a 39-year-old father from Michigan was reported missing by his family. When the d...isappearance and the scattered remains were found to be linked, his family had only one potential suspect in mind. But when police were forced to release them due to a lack of evidence, they fled the area, and haven’t been seen since. This is the murder of David Carter.  BONUS EPISODES Apple Subscriptions: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-west-true-crime/id1448151398 Patreon: patreon.com/goingwestpodcast CASE SOURCES 1. Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/tammy-renee-williams-where-she-now-david-carter-murder-unsolved-mysteries-body-bags-1753163 2. WXYZ-Detroit TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkQ6Vdz2tlY 3. America's Most Wanted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CC8Hr0-AEQ 4. David's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LHUFRESH313 5. Cosmopolitan: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a41853658/unsolved-mysteries-new-information-david-carter-case/ 6. Radio Times: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/true-crime/where-is-tammy-williams-david-carter-unsolved-mysteries/ 7. Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11373481/Netflix-Unsolved-Murders-hands-90-tips-law-enforcement-2018-Ohio-murder-case.html 8. Fox 2 Detroit: https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/hundreds-honor-life-of-murdered-melvindale-dad-david-carter 9. Unsolved Mysteries: https://www.netflix.com/search?q=unsolved%20mysteries&jbv=81026055 10. Click On Detroit: https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2021/10/29/us-marshals-want-help-finding-woman-accused-in-brutal-mutilation-murder-of-melvindale-man/ 11. WXYZ: https://www.wxyz.com/news/detroits-most-wanted-girlfriend-wanted-in-murder-of-melvindale-father-found-on-ohio-road 12. Uncovered: https://uncovered.com/cases/david-carter-melvindale-mi 13. The Rayne-Arcadian Tribune: https://www.newspapers.com/image/472273569/?terms=%22david%20darnell%20carter%22&match=1 14. ESPN: https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4686754/david-carter-jr 15. The Cinemaholic: https://thecinemaholic.com/where-are-david-carters-dad-and-sister-now/ 16. Fox 2 Detroit: https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/cruises-travel-car-washes-ex-detroit-firefighter-accused-of-living-lavish-lifestyle-on-unions-dime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 What is going on True Crime fans? I'm your host Tee. And I'm your host Daphne. And you're listening to Going West. Hello everybody. Thank you so much for tuning in today. Before we go any further, I just wanted to say it is Daphne's birthday today and she's in the studio putting out an episode for you guys. So please all wish her a very happy and lovely birthday today. Oh my god. Thank you. My birthday's October 5th. So this is the day before the episode comes out. We're just gonna do this, record this episode. Then I'm making Heath go see the nun too with me at Universal Studios. Oh good lord. It looks so scary.
Starting point is 00:00:55 We haven't even seen the nun one, but like I have to see a scary movie on my birthday, and then later we're gonna go to dinner, and then one of our favorite bars, Edendale later, it's gonna be, it's gonna be a good day. But today's episode was recommended by Shivan. It's actually been on our list since the Unsolved Mysteries episode on this case came out in October of 2022, so about a year ago, because it is gruely baffling,
Starting point is 00:01:20 so please, please share this episode and David's story. He and his family deserve all the attention and help they can get. So thank you guys so much in advance and let's dive in! All right guys, this is episode 346 of Going West, so let's get into it. In October of 2018, dismembered remains of a male body started turning up along a highway in Ohio. At the same time, a 39-year-old father from Michigan was reported missing by his family. When the disappearance and the scattered remains were found to be linked,
Starting point is 00:02:27 his family had only one potential suspect in mind. But terrifyingly, that suspect immediately went on the run. This is the story of David Carter. David Dornel Carter was born on July 16, 1979 in Rain, Louisiana. His dad, Elton Carter, moved there from his native Detroit to serve in the army, and it was there that he met David's mom, Willa Marie, who hailed from Louisiana. Eventually, the couple relocated to Elton's hometown of Detroit, settling in Melvin Dale, Michigan, which is a suburb just 20 minutes southwest of downtown Detroit, and right across the Detroit River from Canada. David grew up alongside a brother named
Starting point is 00:03:37 Elton Jr. and a sister named Tasha, and he's described by his family as fun-loving, as well as naturally tall tall and super athletic. During high school, David met and started dating a fellow student named Simea Conner. And after graduating from high school, the two continued to date, and when she was 19 and he was 20, Simea became pregnant with their son. She remembers David as a loving and devoted father from the beginning. Their son, David Carter, Jr. or DJ, was the light of his father's life. Samia and David dated on and off for about 14 years between 2000 and 2014, but while they
Starting point is 00:04:17 eventually called it quits, they maintained a really loving and steady relationship as co-parents and still considered themselves a family, which is so amazing. So David and DJ shared a very special bond as father and son and both were passionate about sports and fitness, so they had a ton in common. They enjoyed working out together, tossing a football back and forth and playing any type of sport. David worked full time for the Magnus seating plant in Highland Park, Michigan, which is
Starting point is 00:04:45 a company that manufactures innovative seats for cars and trains. David was on the assembly line, it was a hard working and dependable employee, but he also dreamed of something a little more creative, like something that would give him more responsibility and more control. So David started his dream business endeavor. Lavish Habits Unlimited, which was a streetwear brand. He established an online shop catering to e-commerce customers and hoped to eventually leave his job at the plant in order to focus full time on his clothing line.
Starting point is 00:05:20 So after Simia and David split up, David had a steady stream of women who were interested in him, because he was such a charming and chivalrous man, so David had many female friends. In early 2018, David reconnected with a former high school classmate named Tamara Williams at a mutual friend's birthday party. Now, Tamara, who went by Tammy, worked for Detroit Medical Center as a phlebotomist, so she collected blood from patients. She also indulged her passion for travel, working as a travel agent on the side. And like David, she was also a parent and had twins, a son and a daughter, who were
Starting point is 00:05:58 around DJ's age. So it was nice to reconnect and have this in common. And by March of 2018, David and Tammy were dating, and if it were up to Tammy, becoming way more serious. David's sister Tasha claimed that they seemed like they were having fun, but that she also suspected that they were having problems as well. She described Tammy as obsessive, and his family and friends agreed, claiming that she was possessive and jealous.
Starting point is 00:06:28 David's dad, Elton, remembers that Tammy would keep her eyes on him in all times during family functions, never letting him out of her sight. So, this really left a bad taste in Tasha's mouth, and she worried that Tammy was wrong for David, and would drag down his creative spirit with her controlling nature and negative attitude. She remembered, quote, he would make comments saying, let me go back to the party before my tether goes off because he knew that she wouldn't be too far behind, coming to check on what he was doing. In the weeks prior to David's disappearance,
Starting point is 00:07:01 David and a female cousin of his went to the movies together and when he arrived home, his tires had all been slashed, and he believed that it was Tammy, who was so angry and jealous that he had taken another woman out, even if it was literally just his own cousin. And his family of course was really shocked at this overreaction, but David seemed to kind of just take it in stride, Just chalking it up to Tammy's insecurity. He graciously let it go and replace the tires trying to keep the piece, because that was the kind of person that David was. So on Friday, September 28, 2018, David and his family gathered at the football game
Starting point is 00:07:39 of his son, DJ. Now, DJ was this talented force on his high school football team who probably still is super talented today, playing defensive back for River Rogue High School. And David never missed a game he always showed up and was in good spirits just excitedly supporting his son. Also in attendance were Tasha, along with her husband Derek and DJ's mom Samia, among many others. David and Tammy arrived together, but his family noted that they did not sit together and were barely seen together all evening. Weirdly, Tammy set a few rows behind the group and both Samia and Tasia later said that it seemed like she was in a bad mood. Tasia believes that Tammy's jealousy was getting the better of her and that they'd probably gotten into a fight that evening.
Starting point is 00:08:32 She guessed that it was likely that David had actually ended their relationship after the game, just finally tired of her antics because she just made everything about herself when it should have been this fun, family-oriented night supporting his son. But cool and unfazed David was live streaming the game on Facebook just off the sidelines, yelling his support for his son DJ. His family and friends believed that he had had enough of Tammy and was trying to figure out a graceful way to leave. After that night, they believed that Tammy took an attitude of,
Starting point is 00:09:05 if I can't have you, no one can. Later, Tasha wrote on David's Facebook post from the game, quote, this was the last night I actually seen my brother. Lord, what I would have done had I known this was going to be my last time hugging him. Two days later, on Sunday, September 30, 2018, DJ was supposed to be heading over to his dad's apartment to stay for the week, but before DJ made it over, David supposedly texted Samia saying, quote, hey, I thought I was over this cold, but I'm sick as hell, throwing up and shitting, hot, no voice. And Samia instantly found this really strange strange because being sick had never stopped him from
Starting point is 00:09:49 letting DJ stay over in the past. He absolutely loved when DJ was there, so DJ tried calling David a few times, but he received no answer. Then, DJ texted his dad, quote, Hey, I tried calling you, to which David responded, I won't be able to answer the phone because I can't talk, really sick. Now, DJ found this similarly strange, but decided that he would just let his dad recuperate. He did, however, have to stop by his house regardless, because he had left some items back at his dad's house.
Starting point is 00:10:24 So, DJ headed over to where his dad's house. So DJ headed over to where his dad lived, which was the Gail Gardens apartment complex on Gail Boulevard in Melvindale. When DJ arrived, he saw Tammy in the parking lot of the apartment complex taking out the trash. Now they made eye contact and they greeted each other, but after she dropped the trash in the dumpster, she ran past DJ and into the apartment. Now finding this a bit odd, DJ approached the door and discovered that she had locked it, even knowing that he was following just steps behind her and would be headed to the same place.
Starting point is 00:11:00 Well, DJ had a key, so he let himself in. Tammy greeted him at the door, asking what was going on and what he needed. So DJ claimed that he needed his phone charger, and asked if she had seen it, to which she responded that she had not. So we just kind of moved past her and went to his room to retrieve a few other items. But as he did, he noticed that the door to David's room and bathroom were both closed. He told Tammy that he was going to poke his head and to greet his dad, but Tammy said that he had stepped outside and was on a walk. Now this is really weird here because you get the sense that she's really just trying
Starting point is 00:11:41 to get DJ out of the picture like, hey, just get your stuff, get out of here. Like she's definitely hiding something here. Well, yeah, just the fact that they're in the parking lot and she's throwing trash away and then sees him and sprints the apartment and locks the door. Like, hey, what are you doing? B-Y. And then she's watching his every move inside,
Starting point is 00:12:01 making sure he's not going to certain areas. And then even saying, oh, your dad's not here. He's not going to certain areas, and then even saying, oh, your dad's not here, he's on a walk. Well, that's weird because, you know, probably from DJ's mind, he's like, he told me he's too sick to even talk on the phone, yet he can go on a walk. Yeah, right.
Starting point is 00:12:16 Like, if he's saying, what do you say he said, he's throwing up and shitting. Yeah. You're gonna stay home. Yeah, I don't think you're going on a walk. You know, no, no, definitely not. So that was such a weird thing to say. And then to have his doors close anyway, even if he's not there, like it just really kind of seemed like an excuse.
Starting point is 00:12:33 So DJ found this very strange as well because of the fact that he didn't even, or his dad didn't even want him to come over because he was so sick. So why would he be on this walk? And it was also really cool that day hovering in the 50s, Dad didn't even want him to come over because he was so sick, so why would he be on this walk? And it was also really cool that day, hovering in the 50s Fahrenheit, and about 10 degrees Celsius outside. So, not the best condition for a sick person to be walking around in. Though DJ was confused about the events of the day, he left him in the apartment,
Starting point is 00:13:00 just assuming that he would hear from his dad when he was well again. You know, because obviously, this isn't raising enough flags that he's like, where's my dad? What did you do to him? He's like, okay, this is weird, but I'm going to go. I'll talk to him later. Like, nobody's mind really goes there at first, you know? Exactly. Most people's, maybe ours, and our listeners too.
Starting point is 00:13:20 But so that day, David was due to work a double shift at Magnus seating. And his friend Roger, who he worked with very frequently, noticed that he missed three days in a row, which was extremely unlike him, like I said earlier, who was super hard working and he really cared about his job. That Tuesday, after the third consecutive misday of work, Roger called David's sister Tasha to ask her to check in on his apartment. No one in David's tight-knit circle of family and friends had heard from him since his text messages on Sunday describing his illness. And when repeated calls and texts to David that Tuesday
Starting point is 00:13:58 October 2, continued to go unanswered. Tasha called Tammy wondering if she had been in contact with him. But Tammy claimed that she had last seen him on Sunday at his apartment and that she had left him there alone when she headed home. So alarmed, Tasia and her husband decided to go over to David's apartment together to check on him. And David's dad and Simea joined them as well in this because that's how worried everybody was that days had gone by. I think especially because he said,
Starting point is 00:14:29 or somebody from his phone said that he was sick, they're thinking, well, did something happen? Is he still sick? Did it get worse? Especially if he's a person that continuously or constantly keeps in contact with his friends and family. And then all of a sudden, nobody hears from him for three days. It's like, okay, maybe somebody should go check. And I love how tight knit this group is.
Starting point is 00:14:51 Where they all went. They all went. Samia, his dad, his sister, they all went over there to make sure that David was okay. Exactly. So when they got there, they noticed that David's car was parked in its designated parking spot in the lot of the apartment building. Nothing seemed to miss there. But when they approached the apartment, the front door was unlocked.
Starting point is 00:15:13 Tasia noted that her brother was adamant about safety measures and never would have left it that way. So they went inside because it was lock so they could go in obviously. And they noticed that inside the closet, freshly laundered sheets were balled up and stuffed onto a shelf. Then in his bedroom, the sheets, blankets, and pillows were in complete disarray on the bed. Antasia claimed that her brother was fistidious and a self-proclaimed neat freak, and he never would have left them in that state.
Starting point is 00:15:47 So it's just weird, they come in, the apartments unlocked, their sheets balled up, everything on his bed is messed up, and he is nowhere to be found. And also what was really strange was that his bed had also been moved, and this was shown by the deep ruts that the bed had like left in the carpet from where it had originally been placed. When Tasia knelt down to investigate further, she spotted a large, dark red stain that looked like blood in the carpet underneath the bed. On the bed, they found another dark red stain that suspiciously resembled a blood splatter, as well as a small
Starting point is 00:16:27 hole in the mattress that appeared as if a bullet had struck it. With that discovery, Elton ordered everyone out of the apartment, knowing that this was now an active crime scene. His family reported him missing and investigators descended upon the apartment, treating it like a murder had taken place, because sadly, it likely had. So police just locked down the apartment and combed it for any trace of DNA, hence of what had taken place, or any indication as to where David had been taken. They also sifted through trash in the dumpster, hoping to find any remnants of what Tammy had discarded there two days prior.
Starting point is 00:17:06 Tisha again called Tammy, imploring her to explain what had happened in that apartment, and also where her brother was. But Tammy just kind of fained innocence and continued to maintain that she hadn't seen David since she had left his home on Sunday, and that she had left him there to recuperate while he was sick. Tasha described, quote, we couldn't get rid of her before, but then now when we're looking for her, she was in communication with us. I said, Tammy, where's my brother?
Starting point is 00:17:36 And she's like, I don't know Tasha, I told you, I don't know where he is. But I know that she did something to my brother. His family pointed out that while David was missing and an investigation into what was likely his murder was underway, Tammy couldn't be bothered to assist or comfort the family or even to check in with them. That week, she continued to post on social media and report to work as normal. She seemed wholly unbothered by the circumstances. Tisha later explained to America's most wanted quote,
Starting point is 00:18:08 for someone that had been with my brother every day and didn't go anywhere without my brother for six months, for her to not come around when he's missing, I knew something was wrong. At public mobile, we do things differently. From our subscription phone plans to throwing a big sale right now when no one else is. Well maybe they are, but who cares, our sale is better. And it's on right now. No waiting necessary. You have the latest phone.
Starting point is 00:18:49 Now take advantage of a great price on a 5G subscription phone plan. It's the perfect deal for anyone who could use some savings right now. Subscribe today at publicmobile.ca. Different is calling. Back on October 1st 2018, before David's family even realized he was missing, a disturbing discovery was made along a highway in Ohio. Partially concealed by weeds was a sleeping bag wrapped in duct tape. A maintenance worker mowing the grass alongside the interstate spotted the sleeping bag and noticed that it was shaped like a small body.
Starting point is 00:19:49 When the discovery was reported to the police, they were able to confirm that the contents of the sleeping bag did in fact include a body, but not a whole one. Eerily, the taped up sleeping bag contained only the lower portion of a male body. These remains were recovered along I-75 near Eagle Township, Ohio, which is about 100 miles or 160 kilometers south of Melvendale, which again is where David lived. So without being able to match the legs with fingerprints or dental records, investigators in Ohio were tasked with both identifying the victim and solving the murderer. Though they had few clues as to the identity of the victim, there was one very particular identifier, a unique tattoo on the back of one of the victim's calves.
Starting point is 00:20:42 The tattoo depicted a pit bull with red eyes, so as investigators sought missing persons cases in the area, one victim was a clear contender to be matched with the sleeping bag remains. 39-year-old David Carter Two days later on October 3rd and the day after David was reported missing, police requested that his dad, Elton, come to the station to identify the tattoo. And Elton confirmed with police that his son did, in fact, possess that pit bull tattoo. Horrified, David's fate was worse than what his family could have imagined. Investigators brought in their search from Eagle Township
Starting point is 00:21:26 where his legs were discovered and on October 10, 2018, so nine days after the lower portion of his remains were found in the sleeping bag, they came upon David's head. It had also been discarded along I-75 just north of where the sleeping bag was recovered. And in a black canvas, true religion brand Tote, David's head was discovered wrapped in
Starting point is 00:21:49 plastic grocery bags. This discovery obviously was the most crucial because it gave the investigation their cause of death because found in his neck was a single gunshot wound through the left side beneath his ear, and there were no other injuries or bullet wounds to his head or his legs. The dismemberment, in this case, was so gruesome, in addition to an already very tragic crime, but the medical examiner thought that it was probably a necessity to smuggle him out of his upstairs apartment. Because David was six feet four inches tall and weighed close to 200 pounds. I mean, his legs alone weighed 73 pounds.
Starting point is 00:22:34 Finally, on October 16, 2018, also along I-75, the third set of remains were finally found. This time, discarded along the highway near Van Buren, Ohio, investigators recovered his torso and arms in a small, multi-colored floral suitcase wrapped in a comforter. No portion of his body had defensive wounds at all, and the only injury that David had sustained was the single bullet hole. This led the medical examiner to believe that he had either been sleeping or incapacitated when he was shot. His toxicology report revealed that he had taken an antihistamine before his death, which may have made him drowsy, or he may have been slipped this antihistamine without knowing. David's apartment showed no signs of a break in, and Tammy had a key, so it would be fairly simple
Starting point is 00:23:30 for her to sneak in and shoot him as he slept, especially with the added security of knowing that he was in a deep sleep due to this antihistamine. So after the discovery, Tisha recalled sadly, quote, when they said that they found him, I didn't know the degree. I mean, it was hard enough for the family to come to terms with the fact that he was now gone,
Starting point is 00:23:50 but losing a beloved father and member of the family in such a manner was even more devastating. Yeah, I mean, this is so gruesome just the fact that he was found in separate pieces over the course of like two weeks. And the fact also that his sister, his brother-in-law, his dad, and his ex all had to stumble upon the scene of his bedroom to see all that blood with their own eyes. And then to hold that for a few days until they knew what happened to him. And then just to still at this point, not know exactly what happened at all.
Starting point is 00:24:27 Like, it's so horrific. Yeah, and after an excruciating three days for David's family and friends, police notified them that on October 5, 2018, two days after the remains from the sleeping bag were confirmed to belong to David, they had arrested Tammy Williams. Oh, yeah. However, the sad part here, without enough direct evidence proving that she had something to do with his disappearance, investigators could only detain her for 72 hours. So Tammy was questioned and held for as long as they could possibly hold her, but after
Starting point is 00:25:02 the three day waiting period, they were forced to let her go. Which is so disappointing at the same time I do understand, like they arrested her, they did that. They questioned her for days, they were holding her for days, they were doing everything they could to try to get information out of her to pin this on her. But there's only so much you can do. Exactly. So on October 8, 2018, Tammy was released from police custody.
Starting point is 00:25:28 Obviously, David's family was so frustrated by this and they remained convinced that she was to blame for his disappearance and death. When the rest of David's remains were discovered and the evidence mounted against her, the family desperately hoped for another arrest. But this time, Tammy was nowhere to be found. Okay, so after she was detained and released the first time, Tammy seemed to know that her days of freedom were numbered because she knew that she was guilty, in my opinion, and she hatched a plan to disappear.
Starting point is 00:26:04 So on the security footage of at least one ATM in the area, Tammy can be seen with drawing a large sum of money. The next time she's seen is on October 16, 2018, which is the day that the rest of David's remains were found, and she was seen at a restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is about 30 minutes west of Melvendale. She had dinner and several drinks by herself, and then she left via a petty cab heading to a hotel for one night. From Ann Arbor, Tammy took an Amtrak train to Chicago, which is about four hours away. When she reached Chicago, she took a train to Penn station in New York City, which is a trip that would take at least 20 hours. I mean,
Starting point is 00:26:50 if this is not the journey of somebody on the run, I don't know what it is. Oh, yeah, it's very, very clear. So from there, she headed to the borough of Brooklyn and rented a room at the Neptune Hotel, which is a two-star budget hotel in the neighborhood of Bushwick. After just one night there, she checked out, and there have been no confirmed sightings of her since. Remember, this was almost five years ago. So she was last spotted on camera on October 18, 2018, leaving the Neptune Hotel. Strangely, she made no attempt to conceal her identity and book the train tickets and the hotels in her own name, and she used her own driver's license.
Starting point is 00:27:32 This was probably just a necessity. Now there was a supposed sighting of her at a fish market in the Bronx in 2020, which is considered one of the most credible, but like all the others, this is just conjecture until proven otherwise, because there has just been no actual confirmed sightings from a person that knew her, nor on security camera footage. I mean, this just absolutely blows my fucking mind, because this absolute turd is getting away with this, and it's crazy to me how a lot of people when they go on the run, they try
Starting point is 00:28:05 to change their identity. They try to get a fake ID. They do all these different things and she didn't do any of those things. She used her own name. Well, I'm assuming she probably has by now, I think at first, maybe she didn't, like I said, by necessity, like maybe she didn't have a fake or know how to get one. But I assume if she's been able to stay hidden for five years, like she has to have a fake ID by now, right? Yeah, or a change to her appearance in some way, but yeah, maybe you're right, maybe she was just kind of nervous
Starting point is 00:28:33 and needed to get as far away as quickly as possible, you know, like, because she was like, it's a timing thing. Right, but if she did get a fake ID, like she could be anywhere right now. Right, I just blows my mind that nobody has seen her since that 2020 supposed citing and you know even prior to that. Yeah and again that just like really shows her guilt. It shows that she had to have been the one to do this as we know let's recap. I mean she was seeing throwing things away in the trash when DJ arrived, which is so amazing by the way that DJ went there that day to be able to say this so that we
Starting point is 00:29:10 know that she was there that day, she was throwing things in the trash. David's door was closed, she claimed David was out on a walkie-out, right? And she was being really sketchy and suspicious. Absolutely. Yeah. And then she takes off, goes on the run, and hasn't been seen since. So though police have been tight-lipped on the details to maintain the integrity of this investigation, they have announced that they do believe that Tammy is responsible for the murder and dismemberment of David Carter, so even police believe it. US Marshal's deputy Aaron Garcia, who was was called into assist in the investigation, reported that he believed she was, quote, a manipulative person, an evil person out there who thought this out,
Starting point is 00:29:51 and she killed her boyfriend. Now five years later, there remain no confirmed sightings of her, leading many, including David's family, to believe that she's being assisted by her own family. In fact, Tammy's mom Verdedeen Day, was recently charged with fraud after embezzling over $200,000 from the Detroit Firefighters Association. And she was actually the treasureer for them. Like, really, you're going to take from the firefighters? Insane.
Starting point is 00:30:19 So, when the news broke, many felt that she was using the stolen money to assist her daughter with her living expenses. Andrew Battersby, another one of the US Marshals assisting on David's case, said, quote, somebody is helping her financially and also providing her with a roof, a place to stay. She just did not disappear. The weapon that was used has not been recovered, so she's probably armed and dangerous. And I actually did read an article recently that said this was updated probably about a week ago that said that she is now among the top 15 most wanted in America right now.
Starting point is 00:31:00 I mean, she should be considering the fact that she was so stealthily able to go on the run and the fact that she committed such a horrific crime. Like to take apart somebody's body to be able to do that? That says a lot about what type of person you are. Absolutely. Yeah. And David's family knew it all along. His family also took to the news to make a desperate plea for answers. An Elton addressed Tammy directly, saying, quote,
Starting point is 00:31:28 "'Tamara, if you're out there, you know us. You know what you've done. Turn yourself in, baby. You can't keep running.'" Investigators have received credible tips leading them to believe that Tammy has remained in the United States. They also have reason to believe that she's either in Atlanta, Georgia, Brooklyn, New York, or the Detroit, Michigan area.
Starting point is 00:31:51 On October 8, 2018, David's family and friends gathered at a Melvindale Park for a vigil in David's honor, releasing dozens of balloons in a celebration of his life. Tacia said proudly, quote, oh my God, it's an amazing feeling. I knew my brother was loved, but I did not know it was like this. Later that month in the auditorium of his son's high school, his family held a large memorial for him with hundreds of people in attendance, gathering to sing, pray, and mourn for David's loss of life. His dad, Elton, remembered sadly, quote, whoever did this took the best of us.
Starting point is 00:32:32 As I touched on in the intro of this episode, in 2022, David's case luckily was the subject of an episode of Netflix's unsolved mysteries which brought renewed interest to the case, and I'm so glad they covered it, because that's how you and I found it. I've watched that episode probably like three times I showed it to my family. Like, this is such an unbelievable story and it deserves to be told. It deserves to be out there for millions of people to see, assuming a ton of people watch that episode. So since it's released, the show has brought in around a hundred tips to law enforcement regarding Tammy's whereabouts, some of which law enforcement have deemed promising. David's beloved mother, Willa Marie, was diagnosed with cancer just six days prior to his murder, and they lost her shortly after David's death in 2020.
Starting point is 00:33:23 Tisha told Unsolved Mysteries that she now blames Tammy for her mom's loss as well, saying that Willa Marie couldn't bring herself out of the darkness after the loss of her son. She remembered, quote, �We have always been a strong family and we got through this together. Before my mom passed last year, she prayed and prayed for justice.� A little good news. After fielding offers from multiple college football teams, DJ is now playing football for a Midwest university.
Starting point is 00:33:52 He's 21 years old right now. He's majoring in business, and he's set to graduate next year. He's also taken over his dad's clothing business, lavish habits unlimited, and regularly post updates to their social media and website. So I would say actually if you want to support the family, go buy something from lavish habits I'm going to.
Starting point is 00:34:12 Absolutely. So as we touched on, David showed unwavering support and pride for his son and would be thrilled to see where he is today. His very last post on Facebook red quote, I guess I'm a little late for National Sunday, but better late than ever. David Carter Jr. through the good, the bad, the ups, and the downs, you know pops will always have your back.
Starting point is 00:34:37 And Tasia has promised her brother that she'll find Tammy saying quote, I always said that the whole world would know my brother's name, and we would get justice for him. Tammy's full name is Tamara Renee Williams. She stands at about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 190 pounds. She would now be 44 years old. She is African American and has brown eyes and dark brown hair. At the time
Starting point is 00:35:07 of her disappearance, she was styling her hair short and it was streaked with light brown. However, she's been known to change her hairstyle frequently and may also be wearing a wig. Tammy does have a distinct tattoo in the form of red roses on her upper left arm, which may assist in identification if she's yet to cover it up. Deputy US Marshal Erin Garcia said quote, she changes her look a lot, you know, she might have a wig, and she fluctuates her hair, the color, styles, so as far as identification, it's going to be pretty hard. Andrew Batters be concurred, saying, quote,
Starting point is 00:35:47 she could have short braids, she could be wearing wigs. The one thing that's common on her though, is she has this huge rose tattoo on her left shoulder that goes from the elbow all the way up over the shoulder. That rose bouquet is going to stand out. If you have any information about the murder of David Carter or the whereabouts of Tammy Renee Williams please call the US Marshals at 313-234-5656 or you can call the Melvindale Police Department at 313-429-1070.
Starting point is 00:36:34 Thank you so much everybody for listening to this episode of Going West. Yes, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode and on Tuesday we'll have an all new case for you guys to dive into. God, this case is just so devastating that last post being about his son so emotional. Oh, that was making me tear up. I know me too. And I'm sure that DJ loves reading that and the fact that he carried on his dad's business and just like carries his dad with him every day is so emotional and also the fact that they don't have justice but it's like we know what happened, we know who did this, we can't find her, she's on the
Starting point is 00:37:07 run, she's been on the run for years, like this is insane. And that's why it's so important to share this episode. I mean really, share it as many people as you possibly can, share this episode, go watch the Unsolved Mysteries episode, share that one too, let's find Tammy Williams. Yeah, if you guys have Netflix accounts, please go watch that episode, because I think it'll just give you, I mean, I'll give you all the visuals.
Starting point is 00:37:30 You'll be able to see what she looks like, which will also post photos of her, but I think it just watching, I mean, there's no interviews of her. I don't even think there's any videos of her in it, but I think it just helps kind of strengthen the understanding of the story and all of the facts in it. So if you want to go watch it, please go watch it.
Starting point is 00:37:47 It's episode three of season three of Unsolve Mysteries on Netflix again from a year ago in 2022. And that episode is titled Body and Bags. So make sure you look out for that. And also thank you guys so much again for listening. I can't even say it enough. Just please share. Yes, we are also I know I just said that we're gonna post about this case, but we'll post or wanted poster as well so you can share it, especially if you live on the East Coast. It could really help. Like you've no idea. So thank you to advance. We love you guys. We'll
Starting point is 00:38:20 see you next week. All right guys. So for everybody out there in the world, don't be a stranger! Thank you. you

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