First Call Fugitive Pick Up

In 2013, Jim Stauffer donated his mother Doris’s body to the Biological Resource Center after she died from Alzheimer’s disease, believing her remains could help doctors and neurologists better understand the illness.

Years later, he learned through a Reuters investigation that her body had instead been sold to the U.S. military and used in a blast experiment designed to study the effects of an IED explosion on the human body.

Stauffer had never consented to military testing. He was later among families who sued the Biological Resource Center over the unauthorized use and sale of donated remains. The case exposed a disturbing body-donation industry in which human remains could be sold and used for purposes families never agreed to.

In 2019, an Arizona jury awarded Stauffer and other families millions of dollars in damages, bringing further attention to the lack of oversight surrounding donated human remains.

Nakia Smith, a volunteer with Chicago CRED, reached a plea deal after facing weapons charges for turning a 2023 surrendered gun into a Chicago police station. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon and received a one year prison sentence with credit for time served.

In March 2023, Smith took a firearm off the streets and walked into a South Side police station to surrender it. Because Smith is a convicted felon, officers arrested him instead of accepting the weapon without issue, leading to charges that initially threatened up to 30 years in prison.

Reported by ABC7 Chicago, Smith pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon without a concealed carry license. He received a sentence of one year in prison, satisfied by the credit for the time he already served (including roughly 7 months previously held).

Supporters and co-founders like Arne Duncan criticized the prosecution as a deterrent to community gun surrender efforts.

Demartravion "Trey" Reed (Age 21) : A student at Delta State University, he was found hanging near the campus pickleball courts in Cleveland, Mississippi, on September 15, 2025. Local authorities officially concluded his death was a su***de based on autopsy results matching the coroner's preliminary assessment. Represented by civil rights attorneys, his family heavily challenged the speed of the findings and requested an independent autopsy and federal oversight.

To'Nea Nicole Miller (Age 27): Found hanging from a tree on June 18, 2026, near Gwen Cherry Park in the Gladeview neighborhood of Miami-Dade County, Florida. Miami-Dade authorities officially ruled her death an apparent su***de and closed the file. Her family completely rejects the finding. They launched grassroots fundraising campaigns to hire a private investigator and order an independent autopsy.

Juliana Nzita (Age 16): A young immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, her body was found hanging from a tree on May 8, 2026, in a churchyard in North Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner officially ruled her death a su***de within three days, and police closed the case four days later. Intense public outcry followed after investigative reports revealed police closed the case without conducting a forensic autopsy, recovering her phone, or interviewing the person who discovered her body.

Justice Kai James (Age 21): Found hanged outside a cafeteria building at the Turner Job Corps Center in Albany, Georgia, on June 21, 2026. The Albany Police Chief explicitly classified his hanging death as "suspicious," noting that homicide has not been ruled out. Authorities stated they are tracking down video footage and awaiting final medical examiner reports rather than immediately labeling it a su***de.

Kyle Bassinga (Age 21): Found deceased on February 18, 2026, hanging from a tree in a wooded area of Fair Oaks Park in Marietta, Georgia. Cobb County police officially closed the case and classified it as a su***de, citing surveillance and phone records showing him entering the area alone. Local officials held press conferences to address widespread public concern and intense social media scrutiny regarding the manner of death.

Torrance "Tory" Medley (Age 39): Found deceased on the morning of November 13, 2025, hanging from a tree at the Brookfield Hills Golf Course near Interstate 94 and Moorland Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The Brookfield Police Department quickly labeled the death a "possible su***de," stating there was no immediate indication of trauma, a struggle, or foul play. Following an autopsy, local authorities maintained the su***de classification, adding that they were aware Medley had been experiencing severe mental health challenges in the days prior. Police noted that reviewed surveillance footage from the surrounding area did not substantiate a crime. His family, alongside civil rights attorney William Sulton and local chapters of the NAACP, heavily scrutinized the speed of the su***de ruling. They publicly questioned how Medley, a Milwaukee resident who did not own a vehicle, managed to travel out to a suburban golf course where he had no known ties. Skepticism intensified because his cell phone and identification were not found at the scene. The family commissioned an independent autopsy and consistently petitioned authorities for full transparency regarding nearby business and transit security footage.

Jerard “Jay” Jackson (Age 28): An Illinois resident who traveled to Michigan to attend the Electric Forest Festival, he went missing and was found hanging from a tree in a nearby wooded area on June 30, 2026. Michigan State Police publicly stated they believe he died by su***de, but they emphasize that the investigation remains active and open. His family strongly rejects the su***de narrative. They point to suspicious circumstances, including his rental vehicle being left behind with his keys and wallet, and alleged attempts by unknown individuals to access his bank accounts after his disappearance.

Tasia Fortune (Age 29): A mother of four found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned house on August 3, 2026, on the Road of Remembrance in Jackson, Mississippi. The Jackson Police Department has not indicated whether they consider her death a su***de or foul play. The investigation remains open pending full autopsy results. Her family explicitly rejects the idea of self-infliction. One man was questioned and arrested on an unrelated firearm charge after admitting to an argument with Fortune shortly before her death, but he has not been named a suspect in her passing.

PARALYZING ASSAULT: A U.S. Marine is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly breaking into a home and strangling a woman who rejected his romantic advances, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.

Police say Isaac Ruiz, 26, stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, attacked Savannah Johnson, 22, following a double date.

Ruiz reportedly donated $2,000 to an online fundraiser for her recovery before his arrest, leaving a cryptic message saying, "Each day that passes you don't realize how much stronger you are becoming. It will be over before you know it."