Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Teen Girl Gang Raped and Murdered, Probe thwarted on Oneida Indian Nation

Episode Date: September 23, 2019

Tammy Mahoney, 19, was last seen hitchhiking near the Oneida Indian Nation in 1981. The investigation continues as the reward for information increases. With Nancy Grace today to discuss the facts: Debbie Mahoney, Tammy's sister; Sarah Ruane, FBI Public Affairs; Sheryl McCollum, Forensics Expert and Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder; Kathleen Murphy,  Family attorney; Teresa Humphrey - Co-Founder Justice for Tammy and investigative reporter Dave Mack. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Born on Long Island, Tammy Mahoney came to central New York to attend Morrisville State College. In the early evening hours of May 8th, 1981, then 19-year-old Tammy Mahoney was last seen hitchhiking on State Route 46, just south of the city of Oneida and near the Oneida Indian Nation. Police believe she was kidnapped, raped, and murdered. The case has been an ongoing and an active investigation by numerous agencies. Previous investigators said they believed they know who was responsible,

but no suspects have ever been publicly identified or charged. We spoke to the FBI. We've been assisted by the nation police recently. We've done many searches in areas that we've been informed of. Oneida police investigator William Clark took over Tammy Mahoney's case two years ago. He says new leads are still coming in and being followed up on. The hope is that all these years later, witnesses may finally be willing to do the right thing. And we just hope that eventually something will come in that will lead us to the answer, the ultimate goal. You know, where is Tammy? Exactly what happened to her? You were hearing Alex Dunbar with investigator Will Clark. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Where is Tammy Mahoney? I'm looking at her photo right now and

she's absolutely precious. Big, beautiful smile, dark hair parted down the middle. She reminds me of an actor in that 70s show. She's just precious. 19 years old. And now I'm looking at the copy of The Missing Person's Flyer. You know, that cuts to the heart. To think you're looking for this beautiful girl's missing person's flyer. Again, I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us.

With me, an all-star panel. I found out about this case because of a woman named Teresa Humphrey, who contacted me on Facebook. She is the co-founder of Justice for Tammy. With us today, Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina renowned family attorney. With me from the FBI PIO, Sarah Ruane, director of the Cold Case Research Institute, Cheryl McCollum, and very special guest, Tammy's sister, Debbie Mahoney. Right now to Dave Mack, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter. Dave, how is it that an investigator says she's been raped and murdered,

but we don't know where she is, we have no body, we have no sighting? Just start at the beginning when Tammy Mahoney, just 19 years old. You know, Cheryl McCollum, how old is Huck? He's 18. And how old is your baby? 16. Okay, so in three years, that's the age of Tammy Mahoney. Okay, let's just think about that for a moment.

Okay, Dave Mack, tell me, how does she go missing? Tammy left her home to go to a friend's house, and she didn't have a car. She was actually hitchhiking. The distance was about 20 miles. She was last seen near a mall getting into a car as she was hitchhiking. The investigators have found out they have never actually told us the type or make of the car or the people who actually got her in the car. Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. So she's been missing for several years now, and it still has not been released what kind of car she was last seen in. You know, to Debbie Mahoney, this is Tammy's sister. That sounds bass-acquired. Yes, it does. And, you know, there's so many different stories

and so many different things that have been said. But the police, the FBI, the CIA, and all of the entities have been on the case from the very beginning till this day. It is not a cold case. It is a case that has been under intense investigation from the get-go, Nancy. Well, why are they, do you know the type of vehicle that she allegedly got into? No, I do not, Nancy.

Can I just, can I just reiterate about the car? Yes. Go ahead, Teresa. Okay. Recently, as recent as maybe two months ago, we at Facebook, at Tammy's page, received information from a certain individual. I'm not going to name names. We know who owned the car, that there was a car that was stolen from a front yard outside the territory, and then it was found inside the territory, and then it was impounded. And that happened the day after Tammy went missing. Okay, hold on. Hold everything. Start at the beginning. With me, co-founder for Justice for Tammy. I want to go back to the day that Tammy goes missing, but take a listen to this. One of Central New York's coldest cases is heating up again.

FBI agents are offering $20,000 for information that leads them to the body of Tammy Mahoney. The United Indian Nation offering another $20,000. It was on the nation police suspect the 19-year-old college student was murdered at or near a party after being picked up hitchhiking on Route 46 back in 1981. Well, I'm hoping that folks realize that, hey, this is an opportunity for them. You know, if they have information, they're going to get the reward money, and maybe this will be just enough to push them over the edge. $20,000. You are hearing about an FBI reward offering, and that was just a couple of months ago. That was WSYR News Channel 9 reporter

Rod Wood on the story. I want to go to Sarah Ruane, FBI Public Affairs PIO. Sarah, what is the status of the case and what led the FBI to give that most recent press conference on the disappearance of this 19-year-old girl, Tammy Mahoney? The case agent who has been working this has been really very diligently working this. And we had realized that the last update was offered back in the 90s. And, you know, being 2019, the cost of living is different. We knew we had to update that reward to, you know, sort of sweeten the pot, if you will. The idea was that anybody who was at that party that night, you know, it was 38 years ago. They've been carrying that information and offering a little bit more of a reward there, we are hoping, was enough to kind of just finally convince them between the guilt of

having some of that information for so long and then again, increasing that reward to bring it up to, you know, something that's a little more reflective of the time we're living in. And that was just a way for us to really show people that, you know, this is a case we're actively working on. It may be decades old at this point, but the case agent on this case honestly is working this as if it opened yesterday. To Cheryl McCollum, director of the Cold Case Research Institute.

Cheryl, did you hear that key word I just heard? Party. Party. You know, Cheryl, in my book, and you were with me as I was laboring through trying to get the rough draft done, Don't Be a Victim, Finding Back Against America's Crime Wave, an entire chapter is devoted to parties out of control. And I have it sandwiched in right now, unless the editors change it, by live events. Because I don't know if you remember, Cheryl, you and I covered this together.

Actually, Kathleen, I think you may have been there too. But there was a young woman who went to a Halloween party and she was dressed as Poison Ivy. And therefore she had on a costume, she had on a red wig, you know, the villain in the Marvel Comics, Poison Ivy. So nobody knew what she really looked like. The party got out of control. Somebody posted it on Facebook and Twitter. There were over 500 people there. People were parking at a distance and walking to it. And she goes missing and all that. So when you go to a party, you really never know what's going to happen. I hate to put a damper on everybody's weekend fun, but that put a whole new spin on this thing Cheryl McCollum absolutely so

there was going to be drinking there there could possibly be drugs there when she was picked up and not taken to where she was headed which was to a friend's house and she was taken to this alleged party I think at that point the suspects knew what they intended. So perhaps they filled her with alcohol. Maybe they slipped her a Mickey of some sort. But they knew that by taking her to this location, they had something very sinister in mind. Well, I'm curious, did she ever make it to the party, to Debbie Mahoney? This is Tammy's sister. For those of you just joining us, Tammy Mahoney was only 19 years old when she disappeared in Madison County on May 8th. She was headed to a party, we believe.

Investigators say they believe that Mahoney, a Long Island native, was gang raped and murdered. Why? Why did they believe that? And why gang rape? Someone had to tell them that. Where did they get that information? Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. FBI agents making a big offer to Central New Yorkers. A $20,000 reward matched by another $20,000 from the Oneida Nation. Now they are confident someone will come forward with information about what happened to Tammy Mahoney. The 19-year-old is believed to have been murdered in Madison County, but her body has never been found.

Tip line 315-731-1781. Repeat, 315-731-1781. Do you know what happened to Tammy Mahoney? Before she went missing, she was a pretty good student at SUNY Morrisville College, and she was living in Oneida. Last seen hopping into a car on Route 46 to visit friends in the Hamilton area. Now, we know that investigators and police dogs searched a wooded area south of Route 46 in Oneida to find Tammy to no avail. That was without success.

But the search goes on, and now the key is you. What do you know? Debbie, tell me about Tammy. She wanted to be a veterinarian, and that is why she enrolled at Morrisville College. She was very astute in going to class. She worked at Vernon Downs, which was a horse track there, and she met a lot of people there as she was grooming the horses. The downside for Tammy was that she was very friendly, very popular, and a very vulnerable young lady at 19 who trusted everyone. And that was her downfall. Her downfall was that she was such a happy-go-lucky person that she trusted everyone. And I think that's the key right there. The vulnerability of this young lady,

this 19-year-old sister of mine, Tammy, the precious child, she was vulnerable, Nancy. She trusted everyone. And that is, I think, the key right there that, yes, she got a ride, yes, she ended up at that party that evening. And then from there, it's all speculation with witnesses. I want you to take a listen to this. To people who didn't know Tammy Mahoney, these are simply missing person posters. But to Marlene Lasasaglia, it's the face of her sister and her mother's daughter. She, you know, misses her daughter and wonders every day, speaks about her, says a prayer for her every day, you know.

It's been a long, a long time that we haven't seen her. Their father passed away before he could find out what happened, so it's for their mother most that Marlene hopes this combined $40,000 in rewards will lead to answers. My mom, she's 85, and she, you know and she's elderly, and I know that in her heart that she would like to know in the end what happened to my sister, and that justice has been served, and that we can bring her home and have her rest in peace. People in central New York will start to see more of Tammy's face again. New posters have been printed by the FBI with the increased reward amount. They'll go up today. She's always remembered every day in our prayers and in our thoughts and on every, you know,

birthday celebration. We still have people that send mass cards for her birthday and, you know, she's never been forgotten. Marlene describes it as an empty space that they hope is replaced with the truth. You were hearing our friends at WSYR News Channel 9. That was Andrew Donovan. What has happened to Tammy Mahoney? I want to circle back to that night. Dave Mack, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter, and I urge everyone to go to CrimeOnline.com. Take a look at the picture, the photo, multiple photos of Tammy Mahoney. Read in depth what we know. If you have information, 315-731-1781, repeat, 315-731-1781, there is a $40,000 reward. So Dave Mack, Crime Online.com investigative reporter, she sets out, was she going specifically to a party or did was she spotted at

a party no ma'am she actually um set out early that evening to go to a friend's house in the town of hamilton it was while she was hitchhiking there that she was picked up not far from her home and that's when she got into the car and they took her to the party on the oneida Indian property. And that's where she was seen at this trailer party. And Nancy, there were a lot of witnesses. A lot of people have talked about this. They talked about seeing her there. Now, we don't know their names. Investigators have always played this really close to the vest. But there's always been 12 to 14 people who have been identified, not by name, as people who were at the party. That's how we, and we never found her body, and that's how we know that she was raped and murdered. It's from

these eyewitnesses that were at this party. To Cheryl McCollum, director of the Cold Case Research Institute. Wait in, Cheryl. Nancy, these perpetrators, so gang rape means there's three or more. It is not like they went to that party, drugged her, raped her, murdered her, and disposed of her, and then went into preaching. These people have been in and out of jail. These people have talked about it, bragged about it. The witnesses at that party know who these folks are. It is time for people to come forward. If you were 19 or 20 at the time, you're now 60 years old. Stop being afraid and tell this family the truth. Take a listen to reporter Alex Dunbar with investigator Will Clark. Investigators hope anyone with any information will come forward. Even if they

think that what they know is insignificant, small clues could connect with other leads. Anybody who's been living with something that they know, good solid, they have some solid proof, some evidence, or something that they remember when they were a child, something that they remembered when they were a younger adult, something somebody wants to get off their chest now after all these years, it can all help. Michael Grello and other friends started a Facebook page,

Justice for Tammy Mahoney. More than 3,000 people follow the updates, and Grelo says they will not give up and will continue to push for answers for their high school classmates. Guys, we are talking about a beautiful 19-year-old girl. I don't really understand it. To Teresa Humphrey, co-founder of Justice for Tammy, why are people still covering for whomever attacked and murdered her? I think there was a lot of corruption back then. It was politically driven not to solve her case because of the people that, the suspects that were there. Some of them are, I believe, leaders of the United Indian

Reservation now. And they don't want to touch them because the whole town up there is dependent on them. Half of the Indian reservation I found is divided in half. And it started with Tammy's murder. Unfortunately, it was before the casinos and everything else. And unfortunately, some of the perpetrators went into power, so be it. I can't name names, but I think people would be shocked with the information that came through that we did forward to the FBI and to the police department. And nothing seems to be getting done about it. And this person is in the public eye getting rewards and so forth. And it's kind of disheartening.

To Dave Mack, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter, what do you know about a potential cover-up? The police were able to develop the story of what happened to Tammy within a matter of days of her disappearance. The cover-up comes into the fact that you do have people that are involved, and you mentioned this a minute ago, when you get into Indian land, there's a real separation between the United States of America and what our laws are and what you can and cannot do on Indian owned land. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. The search for Tammy Mahoney.

Authorities there saying nothing turned up today in the search for new clues. That coming into us moments ago from Oneida City Police. But they do say this is an ongoing investigation. It's been a mystery for more than 30 years. And today saw a renewed hope for the family of Mahoney who disappeared back in 1981 police brought in canine cadaver dogs today on a new tip hoping for answers again they turned up nothing the FBI and state troopers along with Oneida City Police spent the day combing these woods just off Route 46 in Oneida Mahoney was last seen hitchhiking on State Route 46 just south of the city near the Oneida Indian Nation back in May of 1981.

Police believe she was kidnapped, gang raped and murdered. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. You were hearing CNY Central's Megan Coleman. Where is Tammy Mahoney? I want to go to Sarah Ruane, FBI Public Affairs PIO. Sarah, that seems really wrong to me that people are suspects. Cops say they know who did it, but nothing is being done about it, Sarah. So I think that's always been the tough part of what we at the Bureau do is that so much cannot get out. I can tell you that the case agent has taken every lead and has exhausted that lead. He is traveling. He's doing out-of-state interviews. It is a matter of this being an extremely complicated case because it is on

an Indian territory. And as Dave just mentioned, there are things just that have to be done differently. But it is tricky for us. The ultimate goal for us is always going to be to take this to some kind of prosecution. That's what's right in our reward. You know, we are looking for information leading to the recovery of the body of Tammy Mahoney and or the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. So I know that people who, you know, like yourself, you obviously have your legal background here. There is information that can't

get out because our ultimate goal is going to be prosecution at this point. So what I can tell you is that behind the scenes, every single lead, every single tip, I mean, the simple fact that the number on the missing person flyers is the direct number to the Utica office. And that was done on purpose because we did not want to miss any single solitary piece it's just, you know, certain things have to be kept, you know, to us at this point so as to not jeopardize any future movement here. Guys, we are talking about the disappearance of a beautiful young teen girl, Tammy Mahoney. I want you to take a listen to this. Marlene Lasasaglia is still hopeful she'll find out what happened to her sister.

She was a wonderful, sweet-spirited, young 19-year-old girl who came up here to central New York to come pursue her education. TODAY, MARLENE MAKING HER OWN TRIP FROM LONG ISLAND, JOINING THE FBI AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE CASE, UPPING THE REWARD FOR INFORMATION THAT SOLVES THE MYSTERY. Certain events have happened that I can't go into, but we think it's time now that if we incentivize folks with this monetary reward, that they will come forward. They'll take anything from anyone, not limited to the obvious, like those at the same party on the territory of the Oneida Nation where Tammy was murdered after being picked up hitchhiking on Route 46 in May of 1981. How does it reward this big change in the game, do you hope?

Well, I'm hoping that folks realize that, hey, this is an opportunity for them. You know, if they have information, they're going to get the reward money. And maybe this will be just enough to push them over the edge to make that phone call. You were hearing our friends at WSYR News Channel 9. That was Andrew Donovan. Something I don't understand, Cheryl McCollum, director of Cold Case Research Institute, is why are they so sure that Timmy was gang raped and murdered? If there are no witnesses, how do we know that? Well, there possibly are witnesses, Nancy, whether it's an ear witness or an eyewitness.

People talk and people that were at that party know whether or not she was drug into a back bedroom and the door slammed and what they could hear. They know how she was taken out of that house. The undersheriff said there were dozens of people in that home. People talk, and you know as well as I do, in a situation like this, especially if that person has gone on to have power, whether it's at the casino or local government, whatever it is on that reservation,

this is not the only person they've heard to get to where they are. They've abused other women and think it's nothing. So there's other people that they have used and abused. And again, if those people would come forward to paint this picture of this suspect, it would be tremendously helpful. After a long time feeling as if Tammy's case was no longer on the public's mind, now there is a new renewal in the search for Tammy Mahoney and the truth of her disappearance. Tammy, a 19-year-old teen girl, reportedly was getting a ride and she got into a car and was taken to the onto the Oneida Nation Territory. That's an Indian reservation off State Route 46 in Oneida. People believe she was gang raped and murdered by perps still living in the area.

Oneida Police, assisted by the FBI, they even did a dig. Along State Route 46, nothing was found. But the search is going on. A lot of leads are still being developed. You're right about people at a party speaking, gossiping. To Kathleen Murphy, North Carolina lawyer, developed you're right about people at a party speaking gossiping to kathleen murphy north carolina lawyer kathleen why is it that we you know for instance the oneida police why can't they touch any investigation on the indian territory kathleen federal law a and also nancy

i think that cheryl hit the nail on the head when she said there may be people in power that are preventing somebody from coming forward to touch on exactly what happened to this young woman. And Kathleen, it's not just in this case. Look at Weinstein. Look at Epstein. Very, very powerful people that nobody stopped. And it went on for 30 years plus. talking about up to 80 victims in one case across london uh u.s california new york it just it's paris it boggles your mind that this type of felonious behavior is tolerated people look the other way, and I firmly believe Debbie Mahoney and Teresa Humphrey

are right. People know who did this to this teen girl, and nothing is happening because this is on an Indian reservation, and we, regular law enforcement, can't touch them. The FBI tip line 315-731-1781. I'm so mad I could chew a nail in half. Imagine what this girl's parents and family have been through. They know in their minds what happened, but nothing has been done about it because of the inability for us regular law enforcement to touch what's happening on an Indian reservation. I want to go to Debbie Mahoney, Tammy's sister joining us. Tell me what happened in your life when your sister Tammy went missing that day, that night, the next day. What happened? Do you remember? Yes, I remember very clearly, Nancy. I was living in California teaching. I'm a teacher. And I received the phone call that she was missing.

I spoke with my family, my siblings, my mother, everybody. Doug Bailey was in constant contact with my mother the whole time. We were all absolutely devastated and perplexed on what had happened. We didn't know. My mother, she went up there. She met with Doug. The police relentlessly combed through this for years and years and years. Doug Bailey, he is retired now, but he literally gave his life to finding out what happened. But at that time in the beginning, when it first happened, we couldn't even go on the reservation at all. And we all waited and hoped and waited and hoped, and everybody just was pulling through, trying to find out.

Mouths were talking. People were telling all types of stories. My mother went up and got Tammy's articles, you know, in a trunk. Her guitar. She loved music. We have all of her things still. We never had a closing ceremony. We never had anything yet because there is no body and there is no answer.

My mother, as my sister Maude had said at the press conference, my mother, we're all just waiting to hear. And I think of her every day. I have her pictures all over my home and it's very devastating for all of us in fact to the point where we hardly speak of it anymore because what can you say I I plead with the people out there in Oneida and all over in that vicinity. There's a $40,000 reward. Please, please come forth and call that number, and let's get some closure for everyone, for the people who are involved, for the people who know, for my family and for Tammy too,

for all of us to know what happened because they do know. Teresa Humphrey, co-founder of Justice for Tammy, is with us. Teresa, I can hear you crying. I feel like crying for you. Nancy, I just have to tell you, as of late last night after I came home from my nursing shift, I did one extra thing. I actually sat down and I wrote an email to Lindsey Graham, who is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,

to let him know what's going on with this case and asking him if there's a way to take the case out of Oneida and assign a special prosecution office to see why the people were never prosecuted in this case. Time and time again, 38 years later, they said that they were going to prosecute. They were going to prosecute. The people are running around. Now we have the possibility of corruption. This case has got to come to an end. Enough already. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Where is Tammy Mahoney? Sarah Ruane with me from the FBI.

If it's seemingly, quote, everybody knows who did it, I don't understand what the holdup is. I mean, can the FBI enter and search and conduct investigations on Indian reservations? So the case agents and, yes, the FBI has been conducting, I mean, for, at this point, decades that's been happening. The issue is, you know, that I certainly can't get into how these things are happening, but not every interview turns out to be truthful.

You know, some people are giving information that is not the case. And so obviously then you're kind of starting over again for this, but you know, this is something that we can't really, it's such a unique case for us for so many reasons. But the one thing that has never wavered is the cooperation between the local police departments and, and the FBI. You know, there's been a lot of talk of Doug Bailey, and I think there's no doubt that he is the person who has absolutely kept us moving. He's the one who created the task force, which is how we got involved.

Hey, Sarah, I have no reason to disbelieve you at all, but it really doesn't sound like it's moving. It's been 38 years. I mean, you're not going to find any DNA. DNA ain't going to happen. All you've got are witness statements. Let me understand something, Dave Mack assume, but this comes from, again, what the police have said based on their interviews of people we still can't even identify who's telling what story because they won't tell us. Mention Doug Bailey. The guy followed this for 20 years.

And in the early 2000s, he said that a prosecution was imminent. That was 18 years ago. Take a listen to CNY Central's Sarah Beth Ackerman. This just came in only minutes ago that the results came back negative. And we've been here all day as crews were searching this wooded area that you see behind me. Since then, about an hour ago, they packed up and left for the day. And they also told us they will not be coming back here on Monday. Multiple agencies have spent their day

right here in this wooded area off of Route 46 in Oneida for hours searching any evidence in connection to Tammy Mahoney. To Cheryl McCollum, director of the Cold Case Research Institute, this is just so frustrating and something Debbie Mahoney, Tammy's sister, said really struck a chord. You know the cold case murder you and I are working on, okay, off the record. And I hate to even call the parents. I hate to even think about the case. I make myself think about it. You know, the other day you and I were in the car. Did you know for the next two or three days, I couldn't get it off my mind trying to replay all the the possibilities of how that murder occurred and how I could help and I hate h-a-t-e to call the parents because I don't have anything and I know that feeling you

hate to even think about it because there's no answer and can you imagine what these parents are going through I just something's so wrong in this case, Cheryl. Oh, it's gut-rich and nifty. And here's the thing. They don't have a primary crime scene. So did the rape occur at the house and then the murder occur somewhere else? Did something occur in this car that they're looking for? So without a primary crime scene, without, like you said, DNA or seminal fluid, anything, it is imperative that we recover

her, whether they use ground penetrating drones in concert with canines, which is what I would recommend. But if we can recover her, we would be able to determine blunt force trauma, for example, was she bound? Was she, God forbid, set on fire and the rest of the things that a lot of people do to try to cover up evidence? Was she, you know, buried in a shallow grave somewhere? This, to me, would be my primary focus right now. And everybody seems to be working together. Seems like the nation police and the, you know, FBI and everybody.

Cheryl, why are you even saying that? I know. Because if everybody was working together, you know, FBI and everybody. Cheryl, why are you even saying that? I know. Because if everybody was working together, all right, we would have justice in this case. This teen girl, this teen girl, born in Farmingdale, Long Island, graduates high school, moves to Oneida to study animal husbandry. That's to be a veterinarian at Morrisville State College. The case has been

investigated by Oneida City Police, Madison County Sheriff's Office, the Oneida Nation Police, New York State Police. Now the FBI is on it. Who is with us today? Police say there are medical records on file for Mahoney and she's listed in the missing persons database. She has been missing and police believe she was kidnapped, raped and murdered after getting a ride on State Route 46 Oneida, ending up at a party on the Oneida Nation Indian Territory

and she has never been seen since. There is a $40,000 reward. Tip line 315-731-1781. Repeat 315-731-1781. Please bring peace to Tammy's family. Nancy Grace, Crime Story, signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an iHeart Podcast.