September 10, 2024 • 24 mins
What happens when the promise of a happy marriage unravels into a nightmare of abuse and a heartbreaking disappearance? In this episode, we uncover the shocking story of Emma Compton Layne, a beloved member of her Halifax County, Virginia community, whose life was torn apart by domestic abuse at the hands of her husband, Russell Wayne Layne. Hear firsthand from Emma's sister, Shawna Krohn, as she shares poignant memories of Emma's vibrant spirit and the dark turn her life took when she married Russell, a man with a sinister history.
Join us as we navigate through the haunting details of Emma's final days. Emma's sister, Shawna recounts the day Emma went missing, leaving her daily routine and personal belongings behind in a manner that alarmed family and friends. The initial mishandling of the investigation allowed Russell's deceitful claims to overshadow the chilling reality of Emma's fate. Despite Shawna’s intuitive fears and the community's suspicions, crucial evidence was neglected, casting a long shadow over the quest for justice.
Shawna's bravery in detailing the emotional journey of her family's search for Emma and the eventual discovery of her remains is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. Through Shawna's narrative, we hope to shed light on the devastating impact of domestic abuse and the importance of seeking help. Her unwavering dedication to honoring Emma's memory stands as a testament to the resilience of those left behind and their relentless pursuit of justice. Listen in for a powerful reminder that even in the darkest times, hope and strength prevail.
Sources:
https://www.wdbj7.com/2023/11/24/family-emma-compton-layne-still-seeking-justice-six-years-after-her-murder/
https://www.facebook.com/HelpFindEmmaComptonLayne/
https://www.yourgv.com/news/local_news/medical-examiner-neck-injury-caused-death-in-2017-homicide/article_2b07667a-9396-11e9-b9b5-37dda535c91f.html\
Music:
Crime Trap by Muza Production
Scrillah by Keyframe_Audio
Aura by Beatwaves
Gone in a Blink is created by Heather Hicks and Danielle E.
Written and produced by Heather Hicks and hosted by Danielle E. and Heather Hicks.
Gone in a Blink theme: Crime Trap created and produced by Muzaproduction
We would love to hear from you!
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Email us with comments and/or ideas for an episode at goneinablinkpod@gmail.com
Thanks for joining us on the airwaves. And remember......Be Safe, Be Smart, and Try Not to Blink.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Marriage isn't always a sacred thing.
While the act of two peoplechoosing each other to spend
forever with is supposed to bean occasion filled with love and
marital bliss, sometimes thosefeelings are only temporary, if
they ever really existed at all.
(00:32):
When manipulation, jealousy andcontrol take the place of all
those things that define ahealthy relationship, things can
take a very deadly turn.
When Emma Compton Lane marriedRussell Wayne Lane, control,
(00:55):
isolation and domestic abusewere what scared Emma into
staying with the man thatclaimed to love her, but may
have very well been the man tohave ended her life.
This is the case of EmmaCompton Lane, and this is Gone
(01:18):
in a Blink.
Hey, true crime fans, I'm yourhost, heather, and welcome to
episode 23 of Gone in a Blink.
(01:39):
I hope everyone had a nice andrelaxing Labor Day weekend.
While many people probablytraveled over the long weekend,
many of you, myself included,stayed home and just tried to
catch up on housework, littlefall decluttering and some very
much needed R&R.
So today's case is out ofHalifax County, virginia.
(02:00):
Today we are discussing thecase of Emma Compton Lane.
I had the pleasure of talkingwith her sister, shauna Crone,
and learning a bit more aboutthe amazing person that Emma was
and how.
After seven years, police havestill not arrested her killer.
So if you're ready, let's jumpright in.
(02:23):
Emma Compton Lane grew up inHalifax County, virginia, in a
town where everybody knowseverybody.
Emma was loved by so manypeople, but no one was a bigger
fan of hers than her sisterShauna.
Here's Shauna.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Tell me about your sister.
Tell me about what it was likegrowing up with Emma.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Emma will remind you of a little Shirley Temple.
She had that little round faceand the pipe curls and we had
like a little small zoo, nothingbig, just some animals that you
know, people and people wouldcome down and everybody always
wanted to steal Emma.
Then nobody wanted me, theywanted Elmo.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Did you both grow up in Halifax County, Virginia?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yes, we actually grew up Elmo and him bought Daddy's
place after Daddy passed away.
Elmo was actually living wherewe grew up.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
She was living where you grew up when she went
missing.
That's where she was residing.
Mm-hmm, she was living where wegrew up at.
Did she have any children ofher own?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
No, Well, he had two children and she was a stepmom
with them.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Emma began dating a man by the name of Russell Wayne
Lane, whom she dated forseveral years before finally
getting married.
Shauna, however, was no fan ofRussell's and really didn't want
her sister to marry him.
Russell had a history ofdomestic abuse and was actually
still married to another womanwhen he married Emma.
(04:00):
Here's more from Shauna whendid she meet Russell Lane?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Okay, we moved into this house in 97.
I would say maybe early 2000s,early 2000s.
I remember when she told me Iwasn't happy about it.
She told me I wasn't happyabout it.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Did you know him before or did you just kind of
get to know him when she started?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
No, it's like in the area everybody grew up together.
I know he and my brother Idon't think they like run around
a lot together, but so so hewas known.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I mean, everybody knew everybody.
So you already kind of knewrussell correct?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
yeah, okay, his brother and sister.
We went to school together.
We was in the same grade, sowhat was their they?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
they ended up getting married right.
How long were they togetherbefore they decided to get
married?
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
10 years, because they got married in 2009 after
Daddy passed away and he got ourhome place.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So they dated for approximately well, about 10
years, like you said, and thenthey got married.
What was their marriage like?
Were they having a lot ofmarital issues?
I don't know.
I really don't think it wasgood from the get-go.
Was there any kind of domesticviolence involved?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yes, I mean he would never show where he put his
hands on her, but he was veryverbally and mentally abusive to
her in front of people becauseI would call him out on it and I
guess it got so bad I'm an hourtalking one day and she got to
crying.
She's like please don't sayanything else to Russell when
(05:56):
you're up here.
She said it's just worse whenyou leave.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You never saw any visible marks on her.
No, okay, do you know if he hadany kind of a criminal past?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I know that he had been married twice before and he
physically abused them.
I think he had been arrestedbefore.
I can't remember what it wasfor, but he had been arrested
before and actually when he andEmma got married, him and his
second wife were actually stillmarried.
He was a bigamist when hemarried Emma and I wish I had
(06:29):
known before the fact she did.
She didn't share it with meafter she remarried him because
I would have done everything inmy power to talk her out of
marrying and sending him to jail.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
One of the many reasons why Emma was so well
loved and respected in thecommunity was due to the fact
that she owned and operated aconvenience store called Cody
Store.
It was so much more than aconvenience store, though.
It was a place for oldercitizens of the community to
gather and hang out and just bewith other people, and everyone
(07:02):
really loved it.
Here's Shauna.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Okay, and what was the Cody store?
Was that a convenience store orwas that like a grocery store?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It was a convenience store but she cooked and served
food and she had like two orthree, maybe two booths in there
and I don't know you know whereyou live if they do it but it's
like a gathering place for theolder people and then, like on
weekends, some of the youngerpeople would come up and sit
(07:32):
around and listen to the oldfolks talk elderly folks.
It was just a convenient store.
You know she sold differentthings and like a convenient
store, but you know she cookedhamburgers, chickens, pizza and
different stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
So did she own and operate this with Russell?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
No, he wouldn't have anything to do with it.
I mean, he would actually go toDaphne Lord's store over at
Four Fox to even buy a biscuit.
He wouldn't even buy a biscuitfrom Emma.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
So she did this business all on her own, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
On Monday, june 19, 2017, emma never showed up at
Cody's store, which wasextremely odd, since employees
were expecting her there thatday.
Concerned family and friendsbegan trying to call her.
However, she wasn't answeringher phone either.
Family decided to drive over toher house to check on her, and
(08:34):
when they arrived, they foundthat her car was parked in the
driveway pretty much in the samespot it always is, and all of
her personal belongings, such asher purse, her money and all of
her personal belongings, suchas her purse, her money, her
cell phone, computers, creditcards and even the store
deposits, were all inside thehome, and her dog, ladybug, was
(08:54):
also inside the house.
So Emma's oldest siblingdecided not to immediately call
the Halifax County Sheriff'sDepartment.
This could have been due to thefact that maybe she just wasn't
sure if Emma was really missingor whether or not she was in
any danger.
A call was then placed to lawenforcement the following day,
(09:15):
which was Tuesday, june 20th.
It is important to note that anemployee from Cody's store had
reported seeing her just a fewdays before, on June 17th 2017.
Here's more from Shauna on Emmagoing missing.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
So describe for me the day that you discovered Emma
was missing, starting with themoment that you actually
realized she was missing.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Mama and I had this thing where I always called her
at 8 o'clock her time, which isEastern time every morning.
I couldn't be early and Icouldn't be late.
Mama was in the hospital and Icalled her regular time and you
could tell something was wrongby the way Mama was talking.
I'm like what's wrong, mama?
She was like nobody's seen Elmo.
(10:04):
I called the house.
She's not answering the phone.
I called the store.
The girl said they called, theyhaven't gotten an answer, she
hasn't been to work, nobodyknows where she's at.
And she asked me to call Winonaand get Winona to go down and
check on her.
So finally talked Winona andget Winona to go down and check
on them.
So finally talked to Winona andto go in.
And in the meantime I hadcalled Russell and I was like
(10:28):
Russell, did Emma have somethingto do for you this morning?
You know where she's at.
And he's like, oh, she's goneoff to somebody, she'll be back
later this evening.
And that was a major red flagright there, because Emma wasn't
allowed to go to work withanybody, she wasn't allowed to
have friends.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
That was part of the abuse by Russell.
He kind of kept her isolated,very isolated, okay.
So what happened when you didall realize something's terribly
wrong?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Well, I wanted to call the law Monday, but when I
kept, you know, and I don't knowwhy I was stupid enough to
listen to her I should have didwhat I should have did, but I
paid for that every day since.
But I did call the law thatTuesday morning and I should
have never said reported Emmamissing.
I should have told them onlyspot right there that Emma had
(11:21):
been murdered.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Was that something that you just felt deep down
that she was not just missing,that she was actually no longer
alive?
I did Any interview I did.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I never said that Emma was missing.
I was like somebody come inthat basement and hurt Emma and
took her away, just likesomebody come in that basement
and hurt Emma and took her away.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Shawna feels that the investigation was botched from
the very beginning.
According to Shawna, russellwas never a main suspect or
basically a suspect at all forthat matter.
Russell made outrageous claimsthat Emma ran off to New York
and joined the drug world.
Then his story changed that sheran off to Florida.
(12:02):
Shawna feels that lawenforcement just bought into all
these outlandish claims andtherefore never fully
investigated him.
Throughout the investigation henever really showed any concern
either of Emma's whereabouts.
It wasn't until eight monthsafter Emma went missing that
officers searched the home thatshe shared with Russell and by
(12:23):
that time any evidence thatcould have been collected was
most likely gone.
Here's Shawna.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
To me.
They did not take it seriousbecause they were listening to
everything Russell had to say.
And still, you know, you know,they said they'd start from the
house and go out.
But they didn't.
They listened to Russell.
They called him Tuesday, gotpermission to go in the house
and look around and he's like,well, I can't come home till
(12:53):
tomorrow.
I got a load of chickens Igotta drop off.
So they didn't even tell him no, you need to come now.
And he didn't bother, he wasunconcerned.
And Russell was telling them youknow, emma was selling drugs.
She took off with a guy in ablack SUV from New York and that
(13:14):
didn't work.
So he changed and she took offwith a guy to Florida and then
it was like Emma was sellingdrugs and she was doing this.
So actually they listened tohim and they stayed in
Appomattox, a place that Emmadid not go.
I tried to tell them.
Emma went from point A to pointB, point A to point C, she
(13:34):
would go to South Austin, shewould go to Alphavista, she
would go to Lynchburg and onoccasion she would go to
Lynchburg and on occasion shewould go to Rockingmount and
Gretna.
And they didn't listen to me.
They stayed in Appomattoxtrying to find her in her drugs,
and it wasn't so.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
So were they just focusing on what Russell was
telling them?
Then, yes, they didn't seemtelling them.
Then, yes, they didn't seemsuspicious of Russell.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
No.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Do you know if they questioned him?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I think they did after Emma was found.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Okay, because a lot of times they typically most
departments look at the husbandfirst.
Once they can rule him out,then they can they typically
branch out.
So they didn't do that with him.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
huh, I don't feel like they did because they
listened to everything.
I mean, he went so far as like,well, she got a hold of some
bad dope and wandered off andgot lost.
Wednesday, I think it wasWednesday, they had a local
search and rescue group come inand they searched and divers
went in two ponds and theyprobably didn't even need scuba
(14:50):
gear or whatever.
And one of the gentlemen he hada heart attack that day and he
passed away.
So that was completely stoppedand I had called Texas
EquiSearch and they had walkedme from Texas all the way to
Ohio, to the Ohio chapter andgot me in touch with Dave Rader
(15:11):
and he waited for Halifaxbecause when you have a search
and rescue out not in the county, you know, out of state Halifax
has to invite them in and theywould not be invited in.
So once the local search andrescue, they called them.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
All that was it, so Halifax County did not want any
outside help.
Is that right.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Sadly, five months after Emma went missing on
Thanksgiving Day, November 22ndof 2017, hunters found her
remains in a shallow gravelocated in a wooded area
approximately 200 to 300 feetfrom the property line of her
home in Natalie.
Medical examiner resultsconcluded that Emma was murdered
(16:04):
on June 18, 2017, and that hercause of death was traumatic
neck injury causing death.
She was only 52 years old.
Here's more from Shauna.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Describe for me and I'm sure this is extremely tough
, but describe for me as bestyou can the day Emma's remains
were discovered were discovered.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
It was Wednesday before Thanksgiving and an
investigator from another countyand his son were hunting on
Robert Wallace land and the dogstook off and it was like when
he got closer he could tell.
So he kept his son back and hecalled Halifax and then they
came down but nobody bothered tocall me that Wednesday and tell
(16:58):
me.
And people in Florida even knew.
So the phones were buzzing.
So Thursday I was contacted andwas told we wasn't sure if we
wanted to call you or not, butwe finally decided we would.
And you know I already knew,but it's not like being told.
I started screaming becausethey didn't ask me are you alone
(17:23):
?
Is Mark with you?
They just blurted it out and Idid.
I started screaming and cryingand hung up and I called Winona
and I'm like they found Elma andshe was just like I know I'm at
Clark.
So I called Mark and he was athis family's for Thanksgiving
and I'm screaming in his phoneand he comes on home.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
So it was Thanksgiving Day when you found
this out, mm-hmm 1.30.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Wow, and they had known since Wednesday.
I think it was like around 1o'clock Wednesday when the
investigator from CharlotteCounty, like I said, were
hunting and they were huntingwith dogs and he said he, you
know, he knew once he kind ofsaw what the dogs were doing
(18:17):
that.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
That was normal.
Where did they find her remains?
How close to her home?
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Our road was named Cherry Creek Road, which back
when we was growing up it wasjust a gravel road and it was a
property that they own, twoproperties on sandy ridge road.
So I guess if you go from herhouse to where she was found on
sandy ridge maybe five to tenmiles, and she was found like
(18:47):
200, because her land wasseparated with an electric fence
, where they had cows on theirside, from Robert Wallace Land,
and from that property that theyowned to what she was finding
out on Robert's land was maybe200 feet.
I had to see it.
I already knew it was an uglyplace.
(19:08):
I just knew in my heart.
I knew it was an ugly place.
I just knew in my heart.
And it took me about two orthree months to talk to
Investigator Burton.
They're taking me down thereWednesday before Thanksgiving in
2018.
And you know it was a long,rough walk.
It was a dried-up creek bed orsomething, or Logan Road or
(19:31):
something.
It was not an easy walk, youknow going down there.
So you got to think thatsomebody actually took a
135-pound woman way down there,or did they come around the
pasture and stop there.
So what did?
they rule her cause and mannerof death as Homicide traumatic
(19:53):
injury to her neck and I believeshe was put on a chokehold from
the back and just keptsqueezing.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So once they ruled this a homicide, did they go
back and look and questionRussell?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I think they did give him a lie detector test but he
failed it and then holleredlawyer and he actually showed up
the next day, but it wasn'twith a lawyer, it was with
Stanley Morton, a friend of his,and to my knowledge they
haven't you know, they haven'tquestioned him anymore.
Who do?
Speaker 3 (20:26):
you think, in your own opinion, killed your sister.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Russell, you know I'm tired of holding back.
I don't know who will hear this, but I'm tired of knowing and
not being able to say I think westill have the freedom of
speech.
I can't accuse him, but in myheart I know he did no doubt and
I know the three that helpedhim put Elmer where she was left
(20:52):
.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Is Emma's case still part of an active investigation
today, or has it gone cold?
Speaker 1 (21:00):
They say Elmer is top priority To me.
I don't think she'll everreceive justice here on Earth.
She'll receive justice whenthey face God, but honestly I
don't think Halifax will evergive her justice so you would
think, because they found herremains, was it five months
(21:22):
after she went?
Five months and four days aftershe was murdered, I never said
the word missing I.
It just would not come out ofmy mouth, did he?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
bury her, or was she just?
Did he just kind of toss her?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I was raised, but when I got out it was, it wasn't
anything.
It's just like he laid herright there.
I'm like living in the basement.
He's been living in the upperpart of the house for right
after you.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay, so they weren't doing good for quite some time
before this.
So today the case is still anactive investigation and
authorities are saying that theyare making this priority.
Is that correct?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Correct which they've been saying that for a long
time.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Do you have anything else that you want to add?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
All I can say is if Elmo's a top priority, prove it
to me.
It's been seven years, twomonths and 24 days.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
It's been seven agonizing years for the family
and friends of Emma Compton Lane, Seven years without any
arrests in the case.
Shauna continues to fight forjustice for her little sister
and I admire her courage andstrength to continue that fight.
Many thanks to Shauna forspeaking with me and doing this
(22:55):
interview, regardless of howincredibly difficult it must be
to relive this nightmare thatshe's living and being forced to
move on without her amazingsister.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
You know I appreciate anybody and everybody that
takes their time to even tellthem a story.
You know it's not going tobreak her back, it's not going
to change anything.
But if she can save one person,then I don't even know how to
say it.
You know it's kind of like ifshe can save one person, man or
(23:32):
woman, then you know losing hermeans a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Thank you for listening to another episode of
Gone in a Blink.
If you or someone you know isdealing with domestic abuse,
please know that you're notalone and help is available.
You can call the NationalDomestic Violence Hotline at
1-800-799-7233.
Marriage isn't always a sacred thing.
While the act of two peoplechoosing each other to spend
forever with is supposed to bean occasion filled with love and
marital bliss, sometimes thosefeelings are only temporary, if
they ever really existed at all.
(00:32):
When manipulation, jealousy andcontrol take the place of all
those things that define ahealthy relationship, things can
take a very deadly turn.
When Emma Compton Lane marriedRussell Wayne Lane, control,
(00:55):
isolation and domestic abusewere what scared Emma into
staying with the man thatclaimed to love her, but may
have very well been the man tohave ended her life.
This is the case of EmmaCompton Lane, and this is Gone
(01:18):
in a Blink.
Hey, true crime fans, I'm yourhost, heather, and welcome to
episode 23 of Gone in a Blink.
(01:39):
I hope everyone had a nice andrelaxing Labor Day weekend.
While many people probablytraveled over the long weekend,
many of you, myself included,stayed home and just tried to
catch up on housework, littlefall decluttering and some very
much needed R&R.
So today's case is out ofHalifax County, virginia.
(02:00):
Today we are discussing thecase of Emma Compton Lane.
I had the pleasure of talkingwith her sister, shauna Crone,
and learning a bit more aboutthe amazing person that Emma was
and how.
After seven years, police havestill not arrested her killer.
So if you're ready, let's jumpright in.
(02:23):
Emma Compton Lane grew up inHalifax County, virginia, in a
town where everybody knowseverybody.
Emma was loved by so manypeople, but no one was a bigger
fan of hers than her sisterShauna.
Here's Shauna.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Tell me about your sister.
Tell me about what it was likegrowing up with Emma.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Emma will remind you of a little Shirley Temple.
She had that little round faceand the pipe curls and we had
like a little small zoo, nothingbig, just some animals that you
know, people and people wouldcome down and everybody always
wanted to steal Emma.
Then nobody wanted me, theywanted Elmo.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Did you both grow up in Halifax County, Virginia?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yes, we actually grew up Elmo and him bought Daddy's
place after Daddy passed away.
Elmo was actually living wherewe grew up.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
She was living where you grew up when she went
missing.
That's where she was residing.
Mm-hmm, she was living where wegrew up at.
Did she have any children ofher own?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
No, Well, he had two children and she was a stepmom
with them.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Emma began dating a man by the name of Russell Wayne
Lane, whom she dated forseveral years before finally
getting married.
Shauna, however, was no fan ofRussell's and really didn't want
her sister to marry him.
Russell had a history ofdomestic abuse and was actually
still married to another womanwhen he married Emma.
(04:00):
Here's more from Shauna whendid she meet Russell Lane?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Okay, we moved into this house in 97.
I would say maybe early 2000s,early 2000s.
I remember when she told me Iwasn't happy about it.
She told me I wasn't happyabout it.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Did you know him before or did you just kind of
get to know him when she started?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
No, it's like in the area everybody grew up together.
I know he and my brother Idon't think they like run around
a lot together, but so so hewas known.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I mean, everybody knew everybody.
So you already kind of knewrussell correct?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
yeah, okay, his brother and sister.
We went to school together.
We was in the same grade, sowhat was their they?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
they ended up getting married right.
How long were they togetherbefore they decided to get
married?
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
10 years, because they got married in 2009 after
Daddy passed away and he got ourhome place.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So they dated for approximately well, about 10
years, like you said, and thenthey got married.
What was their marriage like?
Were they having a lot ofmarital issues?
I don't know.
I really don't think it wasgood from the get-go.
Was there any kind of domesticviolence involved?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yes, I mean he would never show where he put his
hands on her, but he was veryverbally and mentally abusive to
her in front of people becauseI would call him out on it and I
guess it got so bad I'm an hourtalking one day and she got to
crying.
She's like please don't sayanything else to Russell when
(05:56):
you're up here.
She said it's just worse whenyou leave.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You never saw any visible marks on her.
No, okay, do you know if he hadany kind of a criminal past?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I know that he had been married twice before and he
physically abused them.
I think he had been arrestedbefore.
I can't remember what it wasfor, but he had been arrested
before and actually when he andEmma got married, him and his
second wife were actually stillmarried.
He was a bigamist when hemarried Emma and I wish I had
(06:29):
known before the fact she did.
She didn't share it with meafter she remarried him because
I would have done everything inmy power to talk her out of
marrying and sending him to jail.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
One of the many reasons why Emma was so well
loved and respected in thecommunity was due to the fact
that she owned and operated aconvenience store called Cody
Store.
It was so much more than aconvenience store, though.
It was a place for oldercitizens of the community to
gather and hang out and just bewith other people, and everyone
(07:02):
really loved it.
Here's Shauna.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Okay, and what was the Cody store?
Was that a convenience store orwas that like a grocery store?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It was a convenience store but she cooked and served
food and she had like two orthree, maybe two booths in there
and I don't know you know whereyou live if they do it but it's
like a gathering place for theolder people and then, like on
weekends, some of the youngerpeople would come up and sit
(07:32):
around and listen to the oldfolks talk elderly folks.
It was just a convenient store.
You know she sold differentthings and like a convenient
store, but you know she cookedhamburgers, chickens, pizza and
different stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
So did she own and operate this with Russell?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
No, he wouldn't have anything to do with it.
I mean, he would actually go toDaphne Lord's store over at
Four Fox to even buy a biscuit.
He wouldn't even buy a biscuitfrom Emma.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
So she did this business all on her own, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
On Monday, june 19, 2017, emma never showed up at
Cody's store, which wasextremely odd, since employees
were expecting her there thatday.
Concerned family and friendsbegan trying to call her.
However, she wasn't answeringher phone either.
Family decided to drive over toher house to check on her, and
(08:34):
when they arrived, they foundthat her car was parked in the
driveway pretty much in the samespot it always is, and all of
her personal belongings, such asher purse, her money and all of
her personal belongings, suchas her purse, her money, her
cell phone, computers, creditcards and even the store
deposits, were all inside thehome, and her dog, ladybug, was
(08:54):
also inside the house.
So Emma's oldest siblingdecided not to immediately call
the Halifax County Sheriff'sDepartment.
This could have been due to thefact that maybe she just wasn't
sure if Emma was really missingor whether or not she was in
any danger.
A call was then placed to lawenforcement the following day,
(09:15):
which was Tuesday, june 20th.
It is important to note that anemployee from Cody's store had
reported seeing her just a fewdays before, on June 17th 2017.
Here's more from Shauna on Emmagoing missing.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
So describe for me the day that you discovered Emma
was missing, starting with themoment that you actually
realized she was missing.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Mama and I had this thing where I always called her
at 8 o'clock her time, which isEastern time every morning.
I couldn't be early and Icouldn't be late.
Mama was in the hospital and Icalled her regular time and you
could tell something was wrongby the way Mama was talking.
I'm like what's wrong, mama?
She was like nobody's seen Elmo.
(10:04):
I called the house.
She's not answering the phone.
I called the store.
The girl said they called, theyhaven't gotten an answer, she
hasn't been to work, nobodyknows where she's at.
And she asked me to call Winonaand get Winona to go down and
check on her.
So finally talked Winona andget Winona to go down and check
on them.
So finally talked to Winona andto go in.
And in the meantime I hadcalled Russell and I was like
(10:28):
Russell, did Emma have somethingto do for you this morning?
You know where she's at.
And he's like, oh, she's goneoff to somebody, she'll be back
later this evening.
And that was a major red flagright there, because Emma wasn't
allowed to go to work withanybody, she wasn't allowed to
have friends.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
That was part of the abuse by Russell.
He kind of kept her isolated,very isolated, okay.
So what happened when you didall realize something's terribly
wrong?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Well, I wanted to call the law Monday, but when I
kept, you know, and I don't knowwhy I was stupid enough to
listen to her I should have didwhat I should have did, but I
paid for that every day since.
But I did call the law thatTuesday morning and I should
have never said reported Emmamissing.
I should have told them onlyspot right there that Emma had
(11:21):
been murdered.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Was that something that you just felt deep down
that she was not just missing,that she was actually no longer
alive?
I did Any interview I did.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I never said that Emma was missing.
I was like somebody come inthat basement and hurt Emma and
took her away, just likesomebody come in that basement
and hurt Emma and took her away.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Shawna feels that the investigation was botched from
the very beginning.
According to Shawna, russellwas never a main suspect or
basically a suspect at all forthat matter.
Russell made outrageous claimsthat Emma ran off to New York
and joined the drug world.
Then his story changed that sheran off to Florida.
(12:02):
Shawna feels that lawenforcement just bought into all
these outlandish claims andtherefore never fully
investigated him.
Throughout the investigation henever really showed any concern
either of Emma's whereabouts.
It wasn't until eight monthsafter Emma went missing that
officers searched the home thatshe shared with Russell and by
(12:23):
that time any evidence thatcould have been collected was
most likely gone.
Here's Shawna.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
To me.
They did not take it seriousbecause they were listening to
everything Russell had to say.
And still, you know, you know,they said they'd start from the
house and go out.
But they didn't.
They listened to Russell.
They called him Tuesday, gotpermission to go in the house
and look around and he's like,well, I can't come home till
(12:53):
tomorrow.
I got a load of chickens Igotta drop off.
So they didn't even tell him no, you need to come now.
And he didn't bother, he wasunconcerned.
And Russell was telling them youknow, emma was selling drugs.
She took off with a guy in ablack SUV from New York and that
(13:14):
didn't work.
So he changed and she took offwith a guy to Florida and then
it was like Emma was sellingdrugs and she was doing this.
So actually they listened tohim and they stayed in
Appomattox, a place that Emmadid not go.
I tried to tell them.
Emma went from point A to pointB, point A to point C, she
(13:34):
would go to South Austin, shewould go to Alphavista, she
would go to Lynchburg and onoccasion she would go to
Lynchburg and on occasion shewould go to Rockingmount and
Gretna.
And they didn't listen to me.
They stayed in Appomattoxtrying to find her in her drugs,
and it wasn't so.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
So were they just focusing on what Russell was
telling them?
Then, yes, they didn't seemtelling them.
Then, yes, they didn't seemsuspicious of Russell.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
No.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Do you know if they questioned him?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I think they did after Emma was found.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Okay, because a lot of times they typically most
departments look at the husbandfirst.
Once they can rule him out,then they can they typically
branch out.
So they didn't do that with him.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
huh, I don't feel like they did because they
listened to everything.
I mean, he went so far as like,well, she got a hold of some
bad dope and wandered off andgot lost.
Wednesday, I think it wasWednesday, they had a local
search and rescue group come inand they searched and divers
went in two ponds and theyprobably didn't even need scuba
(14:50):
gear or whatever.
And one of the gentlemen he hada heart attack that day and he
passed away.
So that was completely stoppedand I had called Texas
EquiSearch and they had walkedme from Texas all the way to
Ohio, to the Ohio chapter andgot me in touch with Dave Rader
(15:11):
and he waited for Halifaxbecause when you have a search
and rescue out not in the county, you know, out of state Halifax
has to invite them in and theywould not be invited in.
So once the local search andrescue, they called them.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
All that was it, so Halifax County did not want any
outside help.
Is that right.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Sadly, five months after Emma went missing on
Thanksgiving Day, November 22ndof 2017, hunters found her
remains in a shallow gravelocated in a wooded area
approximately 200 to 300 feetfrom the property line of her
home in Natalie.
Medical examiner resultsconcluded that Emma was murdered
(16:04):
on June 18, 2017, and that hercause of death was traumatic
neck injury causing death.
She was only 52 years old.
Here's more from Shauna.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Describe for me and I'm sure this is extremely tough
, but describe for me as bestyou can the day Emma's remains
were discovered were discovered.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
It was Wednesday before Thanksgiving and an
investigator from another countyand his son were hunting on
Robert Wallace land and the dogstook off and it was like when
he got closer he could tell.
So he kept his son back and hecalled Halifax and then they
came down but nobody bothered tocall me that Wednesday and tell
(16:58):
me.
And people in Florida even knew.
So the phones were buzzing.
So Thursday I was contacted andwas told we wasn't sure if we
wanted to call you or not, butwe finally decided we would.
And you know I already knew,but it's not like being told.
I started screaming becausethey didn't ask me are you alone
(17:23):
?
Is Mark with you?
They just blurted it out and Idid.
I started screaming and cryingand hung up and I called Winona
and I'm like they found Elma andshe was just like I know I'm at
Clark.
So I called Mark and he was athis family's for Thanksgiving
and I'm screaming in his phoneand he comes on home.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
So it was Thanksgiving Day when you found
this out, mm-hmm 1.30.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Wow, and they had known since Wednesday.
I think it was like around 1o'clock Wednesday when the
investigator from CharlotteCounty, like I said, were
hunting and they were huntingwith dogs and he said he, you
know, he knew once he kind ofsaw what the dogs were doing
(18:17):
that.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
That was normal.
Where did they find her remains?
How close to her home?
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Our road was named Cherry Creek Road, which back
when we was growing up it wasjust a gravel road and it was a
property that they own, twoproperties on sandy ridge road.
So I guess if you go from herhouse to where she was found on
sandy ridge maybe five to tenmiles, and she was found like
(18:47):
200, because her land wasseparated with an electric fence
, where they had cows on theirside, from Robert Wallace Land,
and from that property that theyowned to what she was finding
out on Robert's land was maybe200 feet.
I had to see it.
I already knew it was an uglyplace.
(19:08):
I just knew in my heart.
I knew it was an ugly place.
I just knew in my heart.
And it took me about two orthree months to talk to
Investigator Burton.
They're taking me down thereWednesday before Thanksgiving in
2018.
And you know it was a long,rough walk.
It was a dried-up creek bed orsomething, or Logan Road or
(19:31):
something.
It was not an easy walk, youknow going down there.
So you got to think thatsomebody actually took a
135-pound woman way down there,or did they come around the
pasture and stop there.
So what did?
they rule her cause and mannerof death as Homicide traumatic
(19:53):
injury to her neck and I believeshe was put on a chokehold from
the back and just keptsqueezing.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So once they ruled this a homicide, did they go
back and look and questionRussell?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I think they did give him a lie detector test but he
failed it and then holleredlawyer and he actually showed up
the next day, but it wasn'twith a lawyer, it was with
Stanley Morton, a friend of his,and to my knowledge they
haven't you know, they haven'tquestioned him anymore.
Who do?
Speaker 3 (20:26):
you think, in your own opinion, killed your sister.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Russell, you know I'm tired of holding back.
I don't know who will hear this, but I'm tired of knowing and
not being able to say I think westill have the freedom of
speech.
I can't accuse him, but in myheart I know he did no doubt and
I know the three that helpedhim put Elmer where she was left
(20:52):
.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Is Emma's case still part of an active investigation
today, or has it gone cold?
Speaker 1 (21:00):
They say Elmer is top priority To me.
I don't think she'll everreceive justice here on Earth.
She'll receive justice whenthey face God, but honestly I
don't think Halifax will evergive her justice so you would
think, because they found herremains, was it five months
(21:22):
after she went?
Five months and four days aftershe was murdered, I never said
the word missing I.
It just would not come out ofmy mouth, did he?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
bury her, or was she just?
Did he just kind of toss her?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I was raised, but when I got out it was, it wasn't
anything.
It's just like he laid herright there.
I'm like living in the basement.
He's been living in the upperpart of the house for right
after you.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay, so they weren't doing good for quite some time
before this.
So today the case is still anactive investigation and
authorities are saying that theyare making this priority.
Is that correct?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Correct which they've been saying that for a long
time.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Do you have anything else that you want to add?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
All I can say is if Elmo's a top priority, prove it
to me.
It's been seven years, twomonths and 24 days.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
It's been seven agonizing years for the family
and friends of Emma Compton Lane, Seven years without any
arrests in the case.
Shauna continues to fight forjustice for her little sister
and I admire her courage andstrength to continue that fight.
Many thanks to Shauna forspeaking with me and doing this
(22:55):
interview, regardless of howincredibly difficult it must be
to relive this nightmare thatshe's living and being forced to
move on without her amazingsister.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
You know I appreciate anybody and everybody that
takes their time to even tellthem a story.
You know it's not going tobreak her back, it's not going
to change anything.
But if she can save one person,then I don't even know how to
say it.
You know it's kind of like ifshe can save one person, man or
(23:32):
woman, then you know losing hermeans a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Thank you for listening to another episode of
Gone in a Blink.
If you or someone you know isdealing with domestic abuse,
please know that you're notalone and help is available.
You can call the NationalDomestic Violence Hotline at
1-800-799-7233.
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