Murder In The Black

During the early 2000s, Black women began turning up dead across Missouri and Illinois. Their bodies were discovered in different jurisdictions, and for months, the connection between them remained unclear.
Then, a St. Louis newspaper published a story about one of the women, Teresa Wilson. The article caught the attention of someone who claimed to be her killer—and he responded with a chilling letter, a challenge to the reporter, and a computer-generated map leading investigators to another victim.
That map would eventually take authorities to Maury Travis and expose what had been happening inside an otherwise ordinary-looking home in Ferguson, Missouri.
In this episode of Murder in the Black, Steph walks through the investigation from the discovery of the women through the digital trail that led police directly to Travis. We also discuss the victims whose names are known, the women who remained unidentified for decades, and how three of those women finally regained their names in 2025.
This story is not simply about how investigators caught a suspected serial killer. It is also about whose disappearances receive urgency, whose deaths are connected, and how vulnerable Black women were overlooked until their killer demanded attention.
Content warning: This episode discusses murder, sexual violence, torture, substance-use disorder, and violence against women.
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Until next time, this is Murder in the Black.

Emani Gabrielle Moss was ten years old. Her family called her “Angelface.” She loved reading, dancing, and cooking, and her fourth-grade teacher remembered a child with a beautiful smile who always wanted to help people.
But behind that smile, Emani was trying to survive. She went to school bruised and afraid. She disclosed abuse. She ran away. Teachers, relatives, police, and child-protection workers encountered pieces of her story—and still, she was returned to the home where she was being harmed.
In this deeply difficult episode of Murder in the Black, Steph examines the warnings that came before Emani’s death, the adults and systems that had opportunities to intervene, and the family members who fought to protect her. Most importantly, this episode remembers Emani as a child: bright, helpful, loved, and deserving of the chance to grow up.
CONTENT WARNING
This episode discusses prolonged child abuse, neglect, starvation, domestic violence, the death of a child, and an attempt to conceal and destroy a child’s remains. The material is deeply distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and pause or skip this episode if needed.
LISTENER CALL TO ACTION
If this episode moved you, follow Murder in the Black on whatever podcast platform you use and leave a five-star review. Share Emani’s story—not because of how she died, but because of who she was. And if you know or suspect that a child is being harmed, do not assume someone else will act. Report the concern to the appropriate child-protection agency and contact emergency services if the danger is immediate.

In this Thursday episode of Murder in the Black, we cover the murder of 21-year-old Asia Adams, a West Chester University student whose life was taken inside her mother’s Germantown home in November 2004.
What first looked like a house fire quickly became something else. Investigators found Asia’s body in an upstairs bedroom, but the fire was not the beginning of the story. It was the cover-up.
This episode follows the investigation from the neighbor who heard the door, to the missing bank cards, the ATM withdrawals, the nickname “Napoleon,” Asia’s dorm room, the witness statements, and the courtroom testimony that led to convictions for Thomas Strode and Simeon Bozic.
We also talk about Asia’s life before the crime, her mother Shelah Harper’s fight for justice, and the work that came afterward through the Asia Adams Save Our Children Foundation.
At the end of the episode, we close with a True Crime in Current News segment covering recent updates in the D4vd/Celeste Rivas Hernandez preliminary hearing and the independent autopsy update in the Nolan Xavier Wells case.
Cases discussed:
Asia Adams
Thomas Strode
Simeon Bozic
Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Nolan Xavier Wells
Listen with care. This episode discusses domestic violence, murder, arson, sexual assault allegations, violence against a young woman, and the death of a teenager.

In this episode of Murder in the Black, we examine the heartbreaking case of William Deshaun Hamilton, a six-year-old boy whose skeletal remains were discovered in the woods of DeKalb County, Georgia, in 1999. Despite years of investigation, forensic testing, and national attention, William remained unidentified until 2022.
We trace the investigation from the discovery of his remains to the courtroom nearly 25 years later, exploring how advances in forensic science, facial reconstruction, and one woman's unwavering determination helped restore William's identity. We also discuss the trial of Teresa Ann Bailey Black, the verdict, and the questions that remain unanswered.
William's story is a reminder that even when decades pass, every child deserves to have their name restored—and their story told.
The discovery of William's remains in DeKalb County, Georgia
The early investigative clues—and why they led nowhere
How forensic science evolved over two decades
The role of facial reconstructions in identifying unidentified children
Ava McNeil's determination to uncover the truth
How a single tip finally identified "Clifton John Doe"
The arrest and trial of Teresa Ann Bailey Black
The verdict, sentencing, and unanswered questions surrounding William's death
TimeLine
00:05 – The evening that changed everything
00:35 – A devastating discovery in DeKalb County
01:16 – The first clues investigators uncovered
02:21 – Why the cause of death remains unknown
03:57 – The decades-long search for William's identity
05:09 – Buried as "Clifton John Doe"
06:15 – Forensic evidence and overlooked clues
07:58 – Why investigators believed William had been abandoned
09:41 – DNA testing and the limitations of the late 1990s
10:55 – The importance of forensic facial reconstructions
13:32 – Ava McNeil's recognition and relentless search for answers
15:28 – The reconstruction that reignited the investigation
16:52 – William's life before he disappeared
17:53 – Leaving Charlotte and William's disappearance
20:47 – The tip that finally solved the mystery
22:37 – Giving William his name back
23:48 – The trial of Teresa Ann Bailey Black
36:31 – The verdict and sentencing
41:57 – William's legacy and the search for justice

Sources
FOX 5 Atlanta. "Boy's remains found in cemetery still not identified 20 years later." Published February 27, 2019.
FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Ann Black murder trial: Old friend testifies against mother accused of murdering son in Atlanta." Published January 3, 2024.
FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Ann Black Trial: Mother accused of murdering 6-year-old son waives last chance to testify." Published January 8, 2024.
FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Black trial: Mother sentenced to 10 years for concealing son's death." Updated January 12, 2024.
A&E Crime + Investigation. "A Decades-Old Cold Case Ends With the ID of a Young Boy, and His Mother Charged With Murder." Published December 16, 2022; updated August 27, 2025.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) press releases and case information.
DeKalb County Medical Examiner records and publicly reported court proceedings.
Public court reporting and news coverage reviewed to verify the investigation timeline, trial proceedings, verdict, and sentencing.

Private First Class LaVena Johnson was just 19 years old when she died while serving in Iraq in 2005. The U.S. Army ruled her death a suicide, but her family—led by her father, John Johnson—has spent nearly two decades questioning that conclusion. In this episode, we examine the official investigation, the inconsistencies that continue to fuel public debate, and why LaVena's death remains one of the military's most discussed unresolved cases.
We carefully separate documented facts from allegations and explore the competing theories surrounding her death, including the family's belief that critical questions were never answered. We also discuss the broader conversation about military accountability, violence against women in the armed forces, and what families face when they challenge official findings.
In True Crime in Current News, we provide updates on the disappearance of Nolan Wells and the ongoing custody case involving Alicia Brown and her missing daughter, Aaliyah.
In this episode:
The life and military service of LaVena Johnson
The Army's official ruling and the evidence cited
The Johnson family's unanswered questions
Competing theories surrounding her death
Military accountability and transparency
Nolan Wells case update
Alicia Brown custody and missing child update
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