It appears that Hammond City, Indiana may have a serial killer. Darren Deon Vann, 43, has reportedly confessed to police to murdering a total of seven women over twenty years. At least some of the women appear to have been prostitutes.
Vann is described as a very strange person who talked to himself and acted oddly in public. He was married to a 72 year old woman who is 29 years his senior. Her son described his former step father as “weird.” That does not quite capture the full measure of Darren Deon Vann.
Vann reportedly admitted to killing Afrikka Hardy, 19, and later admitted to other killings including Anith Jones, 35. He reportedly met Hardy via Backpage.com, where she was advertising as a prostitute.
One of the arguments for legalization of prostitution in this country and other countries is that it allows women to operate out of a monitored and safer location. Prostitutes are common targets for serial killers precisely because they can be lured into cars and motels with no witnesses — and little inquiry when they do not appear for hours or days. In this case, it was the pimp of one of the women who supplied information that helped trace Vann. There were also text messages received by a friend who had arranged the meeting at the motel that she described as “suspicious” and called a male friend to go to the Motel 6.
Police say that Vann’s comments then led them to a string of dead bodies dumped in abandoned homes in nearby Gary. Vann is a convicted sex offender who served time in Texas for sexual assault.
Source: ABC
“Thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off.” – Shakespeare (Measure for Measure)
Nick:
I thought I hated Shakespeare until I had this fantastic honors English teacher in high school. He would spend an entire period on one or two pages, and have some of us moved to tears by the end of class. He got inside the characters, and the history of the times, and the references. Plus you have to have the right edition.
Sorry about your sister.
Karen, Touchstone is my favorite comedic character by Shakespeare. There was a classic Shakespearean theater in, appropriately enough, Stratford, Ct. The only way you can truly understand one of his plays is to study it and then watch a performance. We went to several plays when I was in high school. Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth. They don’t teach Shakespeare anymore in high school except in rare instances. You see, many of the English teachers from our horrible schools of education find him “SEXIST.” That’s what our public school system has come to. My sister taught Shakespeare to young cowboys in rural Texas. God Bless her. She died @ age 57 of leukemia.
Nick – studies have shown that the best way to teach Shakespeare is to take them to the theatre. Next best is to see it on TV or Film. Next is audio recording. Lest best is studying the text of the play. You should never study the text until you have seen the play first.
Karen S,
Yep.
The dood could speak English.
The dood did not speak modern English and his spelling sucked. He actually signed his name three different ways on his will. None of them as Shakespeare.
In the furtherance of laziness, as to not have to look it up, what name was on his will?
Dredd – my favorite is the light hearted Much Ado About Nothing. It’s the rare happy ending in Shakespeare.
Seamus – I’ll have to check out that book. I have an antique brothel inspector’s badge, along with a brothel token, that I got on a whim at auction. What the heck did they inspect for?
Karen – the girls were licensed. That is what you inspected for. The local doctor did everything else. 🙂
Nick:
I dated two people years ago who loved Vegas. We used to get comped all the time. I never really liked gambling, although 21 was fun. Poker takes forever. I worked too hard for my money to throw it away. But you can also judge someone by how he or she treats the dealer when they are up and when they are down.
When I went with my friends I would take a small amount per day (the price of admission in my mind), and when it was gone, it was gone. Sometimes that was half an hour. It used to be the thing to do to drive to Vegas and then drive back during the night. Back when all nighters were fun. It was a common place for bachelorette parties.
The shows were great, though. Love Cirque du Soleil. Saw Sigried and Roy before the accident. And the headliners are awesome. Plus as an animal lover I could go to the pet shop to play with all the baby, boneless ferrets and bemoan that they are illegal in CA.
I was there for Y2K, which was a blast. The strip was absolutely packed.
My favorite part of Vegas was seriously dressing up. They have some lovely bauble stores there, as well, especially Caesar’s Palace, although they are overpriced.
I’ve also been to equestrian events there, of course. And I believe it was NV where I saw the wild burro herds. Concerts at the Silver Dome.
Geez. I have been there a lot.
The thing about Nevada is they have something for just about everyone. Except humidity.
What I always disliked was when I unpacked my suitcases, all my clothes (and my hair) smelled like stale cigarette smoke. I wish they wouldn’t let people smoke in buildings, but the casinos would never want their trance-like hold over people broken.
“I’ll pray a thousand prayers for thy death.” – Shakespeare (Measure for Measure)
seamus, I read they’re making a flick out of the superb, Devil in the White city. Looking forward to getting laid, err, how that term came about.
@Nick
I’ve read the book. It’s a fairly good read, though not as good as Devil In The White City. A red-light district is theoretically a good idea. I know works (fairly)well in some other countries. We have so much phony-bologna puritanism in this country. We’re seriously supposed to think the NFL is wholesome family entertainment; when it’s a bunch of roided-up half-wits (most of who never should have made it out of the third grade) with a bunch of Hooter’s waitresses shaking their boobs along the sidelines. Every other commercial is for beer; and it’s all served up with a Marine honor guard. At least a red light district would be more honest about the entertainment a lot of people really want. On a side note, Sin In The Second City has a tid-bit about where the expression “getting laid” came from. It’s not what you think.
seamus – Devil in the White City was excellent, as are all of Erik Larson’s books.
” Your virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese.” – Shakespeare (All’s Well That Ends Well)
Sad situation. So many lives thrown away.
This guy looks like Larry David’s friend in Curb Your Enthusiasm.
I didn’t know you were a Vegas woman. Do you gamble or go to just shop, eat, and people watch?
Karen, Those people handing out cards is something I do not understand. Vegas runs a tight ship in so many regards. I have no idea why they allow this. It is offensive on so many levels.
So sad. Those women are so vulnerable, so desperate.
I’m torn about legalizing prostitution. On the one hand, isn’t it your body to do with, or degrade, if you want to? Why is porn OK but not prostitution? It’s only legal if there is a video camera?
On the other hand, I’ve been to Vegas a LOT over the years. There is nothing quite like walking with a significant other, only to have someone hand a prostitution or brothel flyer to your man, right in front of you. And then you laugh as he drops it like it was on fire. And I’ve seen them do this to fathers walking with their families. It’s like that barrage of commercials clogging up TV stations, except it’s advertising prostitution.
He preyed on women least likely to be reported missing. The fact that prostitution is illegal in this country is a contributing factor here. Another commenter, Bailers, recommended the book, Sin in the Second City. I have started this fascinating book about the red light district in Chicago back in the early 1900’s. Few people here talk about books you’re reading, or have read. Don’t you folks read? I’m not talking Huffington Post, I mean books. Talk about what you’re reading, what movies you’ve seen. That sort of civil discourse can bridge divides and open up normal conversations.
Legalized prostitution would probably cut down on a number of sex crimes.
“legalization of prostitution”
I still can’t get over that it IS legal in our country at least in one place, but illegal everywhere else….!?!?
Plus you can film sex scenes, sell them for money, and that is legal too!!
But what consenting adults do behind closed doors is still illegal!!??
I don’t get it….
This country needs a faster justice system, If guilty of a capital crime you get 1 appeal and that’s it. Make prostitution legal it would be safer for all , no pimps and have them pay taxes