December 16, 2024 • 23 mins
Eric Nelams was a loving son, brother, father, and veteran whose life was tragically cut short in an unsolved 2003 homicide. Born on June 10, 1971, in Columbus, Georgia, Eric was raised in a large, tight-knit family, the son of Annie Nelams and Ernest Hodges, with eight sisters and six brothers. Known for his compassion and generosity, Eric was described by his family as selfless, kind-hearted, and always ready to help those in need.Eric’s jovial personality and love for life were evident in his everyday actions. A devoted father, Eric shared a deep bond with his son and embraced the role of stepfather to two children, loving them all as his own. Eric transitioned to civilian life after serving honorably in the U.S. Army and earning multiple awards and medals. He was known for his extraordinary work ethic and ability to excel in any role he undertook.
Eric’s murder remains unsolved, and his family continues to fight for justice. If you have any information about Eric Nelams’ case, please contact Crime Stoppers of Central Alabama at 334-215-STOP (7867).
Every tip can remain anonymous, and a $10,000 reward is still available.
Sign the Petition: https://chng.it/K4ZzYmSkrd and don't forget to share!
Join Eric's family's pursuit of justice: https://linktr.ee/justiceforericnelams
Eric’s murder remains unsolved, and his family continues to fight for justice. If you have any information about Eric Nelams’ case, please contact Crime Stoppers of Central Alabama at 334-215-STOP (7867).
Every tip can remain anonymous, and a $10,000 reward is still available.
Sign the Petition: https://chng.it/K4ZzYmSkrd and don't forget to share!
Join Eric's family's pursuit of justice: https://linktr.ee/justiceforericnelams
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Eric Nellems was a devoted father, army veteran, and a
man beloved by everyone who knew him. Eric's life was
tragically stolen on September twenty sixth, two thousand and three,
in Phoenix City, Alabama. Despite years of investigation, his case
remains unsolved.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
On Navigating Advocacy will explore the events leading to Eric's
murder in the fight for answers his family is continuing
to this day.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm Melissa and I'm Whitney. I had the opportunity to
meet with Eric's sister Kathy and his mother Annie. Eric's
story has not been shared much, and we are honored
to join their fight for justice.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Eric was born on June tenth, nineteen seventy one, in Columbus, Georgia,
raised in a enlarge and loving family.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Eric was a son of Annie Nelims and Ernest.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Hodges, but was raised by his stepfather, Eddie Whittlesey. He
had a total of eight brothers and six sisters when
you add in all of the step siblings. Growing up,
Eric shared kindness and compassion for others. This kind of
became his defining qualities as he grew into adulthood.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Annie told me that Eric was a kind hearted person
who believed in helping people and giving. He was lovable
and she was so incredibly proud of him. The way
she spoke with him, she just lit up and she
just had this immense pride and joy when she told
me about him. She said he was a great father
and he loved his son. Kathy described him as selfless
(02:04):
and always willing to help those who asked for it.
He had a jovial personality and was always happy. It's
really cute because she talks about how Eric was short
in stature, so he wasn't super tall, but he always
drove really big vehicles. He really loved his Dadderam fifteen hundred,
and he'd play his music really loud and just really
(02:25):
enjoyed living life to the fullest.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
This this spirit of giving and generosity that he has
shown to everyone really came out because one time he
had bought a pair of shoes for a woman who
couldn't afford them. I mean, this just small act that
really exemplified his generous spirit. This was just the kind
of guy he was. His family stated he was not
(02:50):
a street guy.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
He was an at home guy.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Eric was all about working and spending time with his family.
He really didn't leave much to do anything else else.
So his family and him grew up in Columbus, Georgia,
but their grandmother lived in Phoenix City, Alabama. Columbus is
literally right next to Phoenix City. These towns are so
(03:14):
close that they practically touch. Actually pulled up the two
towns on Google Maps, and it's literally one road divides
the towns, which technically divides the state as well, because
we have Columbus, Georgia on this side and then Phoenix
City on Alabama side. So all those kids kind of
mingled together and everything like that. And it's so funny
(03:35):
being that close to state lines where you're just like, oh, yep,
I'm heading over the border to a whole different state.
Eric graduated from Carver High School in nineteen eighty nine
and attended DeVry University in Atlanta before he joined the
Army in nineteen ninety. He served at various posts throughout
(03:57):
his military career, which included Fort Lennard would in Germany,
Fort Benning, and Fort Campbell. Eric earned multiple awards and
medals for his service, including some things that he had
done at his time in the Persian Gulf.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
When I spoke with Kathy and Andy about this. I
asked more about his military experience. Kathy told me that
he joined the army because he wanted a career outside
of what the small community could offer. Those smaller towns,
they really only had manufacturing companies were factory style labor,
and Eric wanted something a little more substantial than those
(04:35):
style of careers. He wanted to be able to grow
a stable profession and provide for his son, so he enlisted.
He joined the army. Kathy said, he really excelled in
the military. He won a lot of awards for sharpshooting
and various other training exercises. And after Eric passed away,
she was able to present Eric's son with these accolades
(04:58):
that she had saved, all of these certificates and medals
that he had earned, because his son also chose a
career path in the army, So it was just kind
of handing it down and allowing to show how great
I mean, it's one thing to hear about, oh, your
father won all these awards, but to see them physically
hold them, and it just becomes that much more tangible.
(05:20):
And I can only imagine the pride from his son
to be able to receive those from his aunt.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, and the fact that he followed in his footsteps.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You can tell he was really proud of him, regardless
of how young he was when his dad passed. You
see that a lot in small towns where the people
men and women just kind of want to break free
from that and they do join the military, kind of
find something else, travel the world before they end up
usually coming back to their hometown and starting their family
(05:49):
and that type of thing. And this is kind of
exactly what Eric did. He went off did his military thing,
but then he came back to Phoenix City and he
was a family man. He ended up marrying his high,
cool sweetheart, but this was after years of this on again,
off again relationship. This was not the mother of his son,
(06:09):
but someone he had been with throughout his life. Her
name was Tara Jones. So Eric had met Tara when
they were both young because Tara's at had lived in
the same apartment complex as Eric's grandmother did there.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
In Phoenix City.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
They met when Eric and his siblings would spend the
summers at their grandparents. I always love this. I didn't
have the type of grandparents where I could go stay
for the summer or extended breaks. But this has always
been something that I that jealous or like, I kind
of always envious of people that would be like, Oh,
I'm going to my grandma's for a month and experiencing
(06:47):
something else outside of your town. I know he lived
very close, but the fact that he got to do
that with his siblings is so cute. He had one
son who lived in Kentucky with his mother, and then
he had two two step children that Tara brought into
the relationship. Eric felt as if his two step children
(07:07):
were his own. He had been in their lives since
they were born, because Eric and Tara lived together for
years before they were married in two thousand and three.
Eric's love for all three of these children was unwavering,
and he worked very hard to provide all of them
with a stable life.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
When Eric left the Army, he which I couldn't find
out if he retired, if he was medically discharged. I
couldn't find the exact reason for leaving the army. Maybe
his time was just up and he didn't re sign
either way. When Eric left the Army, he transitioned well
into civilian life. He took a job at Kodak polychrome.
(07:47):
They specialized in graphic arts and printing. Eric had this
innate ability to walk into a position or environment and
quickly master whatever duty he needed to succeed. He had
this straordinary work ethic, and it really propelled him to
be a great employee.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
The events leading to Eric's murder began during a rocky
time in his personal life. He and Tara had separated.
They were only married for about six months at this point,
but the two had agreed to separate. Eric was planning
on filing for divorce because Tara had moved out of
the home and he was living there alone. At this point,
(08:28):
Eric was focused on his children and his routine. He
let for work each day around five twenty from his
home at the end of a quiet, cold dessac in
the Carpenter Way subdivision.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
When I spoke with Kathy and Annie, I wanted to
get a little bit of clarification because all of our
research said that Tara was there the morning that Eric
was murdered. However, she had moved out, and that's why
they were planning on getting divorced. Kathy even clarified it
for me that they had been told she had moved out,
so they were just a surprise when they learned that
(09:00):
she had been there that morning.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She ultimately helped the children escape through a window to
get help from a neighbor. This is where she called
nine to one one. I so many questions about this.
I know everyone acts differently when it comes to an
emergency situation, but based on this, Tara just heard these
gunshots outside of her house. And this is when she
(09:26):
wakes the kids up from a dead sly because it's
pretty early, brings them into her bedroom, and then eventually
escapes out the window. So I'm just saying, if I
heard gunshots and knew my husband had just walked out
the door, as stupid as it might be, I would
go look outside to see if my husband was okay
before I woke the children up and tried to escape,
(09:47):
Because how do you know you're not escaping into the
direction if you didn't look out there, So that would
kind of be my first thought.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
First thought.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Actually, I would assume it had nothing to do with me,
and there were gunshots somewhere else, and so I would
just go outside and look. And that's not smart of
me either, but that's just where my brain goes first.
I really wouldn't have this elaborate plan of barricading myself
in the bedroom with my young children and then sneaking
out of a window.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
My brain wouldn't go there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I would probably hide in the bedroom possibly if I
saw someone with a gun outside.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I don't think I would jump out the window.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Though.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Did they not have any phones in their own house
as well? Like that was another question of mine.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I would assume the cell phones were there. We're pre
I mean, it's two thousand and three. Cell phones are
pretty average. Everyone seemed to have a cell phone by
two thousand and three. That's a pretty common household item
at that point. It's also really hard to say what
I would do in that situation. I've never been in
that situation. I understand Tara's immediate reaction of getting her
kids to safety, but I also would want to see
(10:54):
what's happening. I don't think I would want to leave
the household, because, like you said, you don't know which
direction these gunshots are coming from. Those types of things,
So I would understand staying inside the home more so
than running than escaping through a window. But I mean,
it's neither really here nor there. I don't want to
speculate on her actions in the situation. But I mean,
(11:16):
I too would want to know what's happening because I'm nosy.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yes, yes, but yeah, like he said, everyone kind of
does things differently.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
In the heat of the moment, you don't know what's happening.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
So so the gunshots were heard from outside, I feel
like I wouldn't take my kids outside as well. And
I'm sure as a very scary situation for everyone does
seem a bit strange. Police arrive on the scene at
approximately side thirty am. Eric was found in his car port,
having sustained to multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead
(11:49):
at the scene. Investigators quickly ruled out robbery, but were
left with more questions than answers. A witness described seeing
multiple perpetrators lean the scene, but their facial features really
couldn't be identified.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
And this is something that Kathy didn't get until later
when she was able to access a police report. She
doesn't have a full file or anything. She's been struggling
with law enforcement with that a little bit. But Kathy
believes that this witness is the same person that called
and notified Eric's family that something was happening at his house.
They did not receive a call from Tara. Police never
(12:33):
actually contacted family members. The witness contacted Kapi's aunt, which
then halled Annie, and she remembers arriving at Eric's house,
and she remembers seeing a lot of people there already,
including a man named Eric Cowling. Hold onto that name
because it'll come into play a little bit later. There
(12:53):
also were other persons of interest there on the scene,
including Tara's ex husband who had recently been release from
prison a few weeks prior to this. There's a history
between Eric and this man that you had a few
arguments back and forth over Tara in the early years,
you know, teenage romances and all those things. And Tara
had even divorced her first husband while he was incarcerated
(13:16):
before dating and eventually marrying Eric. Wow, that's crazy. And
police were called pretty quickly to the scene, like right
after it happened because of that witness. So the fact
that there were that many people on the premise of
this crime scene is kind of shocking. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
So evidence collected included bullet case scenes, layton fingerprints, and
witness testimony, but it wasn't enough to make it a rest.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
So while Kathy is doing her independent investigation, that she's
going through the files, that the paperwork she's given, She's
talking to people too, And what she has since learned
is that these fingerprints supposedly found at the crime scene
were of police officer fingerprints who had been there that day. Now,
(14:07):
if this is true, this is a massive mess up
by crime scene officials. This is two thousand and three.
We are trained better than this. This is not nineteen fifty.
Where are the where the gloves?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
People? Why are we touching things? What is going on? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
And what are we talking about touching? Or where were
these found? Like on the truck itself. I'm trying to
think of what else could have been touched because they
were outside the carport, took.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Casings, the bullet case scenes.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Okay, would touch a bullet case scene just with your
bare hands?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
As an official? Oh that's a very good question. Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
So authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a
murder for higher plot. Eric's mother, Annie, believes someone close
to him orchestrated this whole thing. They timed him, she said,
they knew exactly when he came outside. Her words reflected
the heartbreak of a mother who feels the answers are
(15:07):
just out of reach. She knows they're there. I had
to have been someone that knows his schedule, and the
fact that it's been over twenty years and she has
no idea is still just incredibly frustrating. In June of
two thousand and four, Alabama Governor Bob Riley offered a
five thousand dollars reward for information leading to an arrest,
(15:31):
later joined by another five thousand dollars from crime stoppers
of Central Alabama. Despite this reward these efforts, no arrests
have been made, and Eric's family continues to wait for justice.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Their communication with law enforcement has been one of the
most difficult challenges to overcome. Eric's family has had a
few obstacles while in this pursuit of justice. Outside of
the criminal investigation for Eric's murder, his family was told
to wait for a white collar crime to be investigated
as well. Without getting too deep into the details, Eric
(16:10):
was connected to a white collar crime. Two of Eric's
Lakwong friends, Stephanie and Eric Cowling remember that name from earlier,
were able to convince Eric to join in an embezzlements
knee and in two thousand and three, Stephanie was arrested
for sept by deception in Clayton Founty Jurisdiction, where her
(16:30):
case would later turn federal. Stephanie worked for a logistics
trucking company, actually two separate companies. In the account's payable department,
she would set up Eric Nelms as a vendor and
would process checks in his name. He would then receive
these checks through a PO box that he had set up.
(16:52):
He would take the checks and cash them, receiving a
small portion of funds for his part in this scheme.
And as I was reading the court docum, it was
very sophisticated in the beginning. After the embezzlement was discovered
and investigations were occurring, Stephanie got nervous and her and
her husband met with Eric and his wife. She took
(17:14):
with her a freight bill for one of the small
amounts that actually had Eric's name on it, and it
was signed by her, as well as a handwritten document
that was essentially a script of what she wanted Eric
to tell law enforcement.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Well, Eric, of.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Course said absolutely not. I'm not accepting blame for this fraud.
This meeting happened just shortly before Eric was murdered. While yes,
this is illegal, it is not the price of someone's life.
It also should not have an effect on how the
investigation is handled or how media tells his story. So
(17:50):
we are telling you this just to give you a
little bit of context of what is happening around Eric's investigation.
And this is all happening after Eric's death. They're telling
his family we are waiting for this white collar crime
to be resolved because it's a federal case and it
takes precedence over his murder, which shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
That is absolutely insane.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
And you telling me that, Why why can't it be simultaneously?
Why can't you just there's two different people solving crimes.
You solve this one. You solve this one, just how
you do all crimes. I cannot understand how this is
even a thing. It also seems as though Eric had
minimal involvement in this. His percentage had to have been
(18:37):
much smaller than what Stephanie and Eric core receiving. They
were living a very lavish lifestyle. They had a half
million dollar house, brand new vehicle, and Eric didn't live
that kind of life. He didn't have those kinds of
bank accounts, not that it matters. The dollar figure shouldn't matter.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Eric should have been murdered, and like you said, the
cases should have been investigated simultaneously.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
One is not dependent on the other.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
So that's just one of the.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Many hurdles that Eric's family has run into.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I mean, and I see looking into these white collar
crimes as a possible motive for someone to kill Eric,
because that could be related most definitely. But that is
in my mind, that's as far as that connection goes.
They're two separate things. Unless you know someone happened now
to that, I think that's just wild. So Eric's legacy
(19:30):
lives on in the memory of those who loved him.
Eric's bravery, both as a soldier and as a man,
inspires those fighting four answers. His mother, Annie has become
a vocal advocate for her son, determined to see justice served.
In March of twenty twenty four, the case saw renewed
attention after Season of Justice was able to sponsor a
(19:53):
billboard campaign. Eric's family continues to plead with authorities to
take action. They've created a change dot org petition urging
Alabama Attorney General's Cold Case Unit to take action in
Eric's homicide investigation. So if you have any information that
could help solve Eric's case, please contact Crime Stoppers of
(20:17):
Central Alabama at three three four two one five stop
which is seven eight six seven. Every tip can be
anonymous and the ten thousand dollars reward remains available.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
So that brings us to the advocacy piece, and this
one for Eric and as family as multipaceted. We want
you to take the time to go sign and share
the change dot org campaign. We will put it in
our show notes so you can find it easily. We're
also developing a flyer campaign to coincide with a letter
writing campaign encouraging the new Attorney General to look further
(20:53):
into Eric's case. Kathy is fighting every day to keep
Eric's face and name in front of media, so please
follow all of Eric's advocacy pages that we also have
linked in the show notes. Please continue to support Kathy
in the rest of Eric's family in pursuing justice.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
They really don't even know how Eric's case is classified.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Some call it active, some call it a cold case,
and she's even tried to petition the Attorney General to
reopen it. Some have called it a closed case. They
can't get a true status update where it sits. They're
starting to realize that Kathy's not going to go away.
She's a persistent little booger and I love every minute
(21:35):
of it. They're starting to realize that Kathy's not going
to go away and that she's going to fight for
justice for Eric, so hopefully that propels something. Yes, we
want to thank Kathy, Annie, and the rest of Eric's
family for allowing us to share his story today. If
(21:56):
you are a family member or know someone who has
a missing or unsolved case that would like their story
shared here, please email us at info at Navigating Advocacy
dot com.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
This episode is researched, written and produced by us. Please
consider leaving a five star review on your favorite podcast
platform or sharing us with a friend. You can follow
us on all social media outlets. If you would like
more information about the.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
Podcast, Advocacy con or our nonprofit Impact Advocacy Foundation, head
on over to Navigating Advocacy dot com. Yes,
Eric Nellems was a devoted father, army veteran, and a
man beloved by everyone who knew him. Eric's life was
tragically stolen on September twenty sixth, two thousand and three,
in Phoenix City, Alabama. Despite years of investigation, his case
remains unsolved.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
On Navigating Advocacy will explore the events leading to Eric's
murder in the fight for answers his family is continuing
to this day.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm Melissa and I'm Whitney. I had the opportunity to
meet with Eric's sister Kathy and his mother Annie. Eric's
story has not been shared much, and we are honored
to join their fight for justice.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Eric was born on June tenth, nineteen seventy one, in Columbus, Georgia,
raised in a enlarge and loving family.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Eric was a son of Annie Nelims and Ernest.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Hodges, but was raised by his stepfather, Eddie Whittlesey. He
had a total of eight brothers and six sisters when
you add in all of the step siblings. Growing up,
Eric shared kindness and compassion for others. This kind of
became his defining qualities as he grew into adulthood.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Annie told me that Eric was a kind hearted person
who believed in helping people and giving. He was lovable
and she was so incredibly proud of him. The way
she spoke with him, she just lit up and she
just had this immense pride and joy when she told
me about him. She said he was a great father
and he loved his son. Kathy described him as selfless
(02:04):
and always willing to help those who asked for it.
He had a jovial personality and was always happy. It's
really cute because she talks about how Eric was short
in stature, so he wasn't super tall, but he always
drove really big vehicles. He really loved his Dadderam fifteen hundred,
and he'd play his music really loud and just really
(02:25):
enjoyed living life to the fullest.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
This this spirit of giving and generosity that he has
shown to everyone really came out because one time he
had bought a pair of shoes for a woman who
couldn't afford them. I mean, this just small act that
really exemplified his generous spirit. This was just the kind
of guy he was. His family stated he was not
(02:50):
a street guy.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
He was an at home guy.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Eric was all about working and spending time with his family.
He really didn't leave much to do anything else else.
So his family and him grew up in Columbus, Georgia,
but their grandmother lived in Phoenix City, Alabama. Columbus is
literally right next to Phoenix City. These towns are so
(03:14):
close that they practically touch. Actually pulled up the two
towns on Google Maps, and it's literally one road divides
the towns, which technically divides the state as well, because
we have Columbus, Georgia on this side and then Phoenix
City on Alabama side. So all those kids kind of
mingled together and everything like that. And it's so funny
(03:35):
being that close to state lines where you're just like, oh, yep,
I'm heading over the border to a whole different state.
Eric graduated from Carver High School in nineteen eighty nine
and attended DeVry University in Atlanta before he joined the
Army in nineteen ninety. He served at various posts throughout
(03:57):
his military career, which included Fort Lennard would in Germany,
Fort Benning, and Fort Campbell. Eric earned multiple awards and
medals for his service, including some things that he had
done at his time in the Persian Gulf.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
When I spoke with Kathy and Andy about this. I
asked more about his military experience. Kathy told me that
he joined the army because he wanted a career outside
of what the small community could offer. Those smaller towns,
they really only had manufacturing companies were factory style labor,
and Eric wanted something a little more substantial than those
(04:35):
style of careers. He wanted to be able to grow
a stable profession and provide for his son, so he enlisted.
He joined the army. Kathy said, he really excelled in
the military. He won a lot of awards for sharpshooting
and various other training exercises. And after Eric passed away,
she was able to present Eric's son with these accolades
(04:58):
that she had saved, all of these certificates and medals
that he had earned, because his son also chose a
career path in the army, So it was just kind
of handing it down and allowing to show how great
I mean, it's one thing to hear about, oh, your
father won all these awards, but to see them physically
hold them, and it just becomes that much more tangible.
(05:20):
And I can only imagine the pride from his son
to be able to receive those from his aunt.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah, and the fact that he followed in his footsteps.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You can tell he was really proud of him, regardless
of how young he was when his dad passed. You
see that a lot in small towns where the people
men and women just kind of want to break free
from that and they do join the military, kind of
find something else, travel the world before they end up
usually coming back to their hometown and starting their family
(05:49):
and that type of thing. And this is kind of
exactly what Eric did. He went off did his military thing,
but then he came back to Phoenix City and he
was a family man. He ended up marrying his high,
cool sweetheart, but this was after years of this on again,
off again relationship. This was not the mother of his son,
(06:09):
but someone he had been with throughout his life. Her
name was Tara Jones. So Eric had met Tara when
they were both young because Tara's at had lived in
the same apartment complex as Eric's grandmother did there.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
In Phoenix City.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
They met when Eric and his siblings would spend the
summers at their grandparents. I always love this. I didn't
have the type of grandparents where I could go stay
for the summer or extended breaks. But this has always
been something that I that jealous or like, I kind
of always envious of people that would be like, Oh,
I'm going to my grandma's for a month and experiencing
(06:47):
something else outside of your town. I know he lived
very close, but the fact that he got to do
that with his siblings is so cute. He had one
son who lived in Kentucky with his mother, and then
he had two two step children that Tara brought into
the relationship. Eric felt as if his two step children
(07:07):
were his own. He had been in their lives since
they were born, because Eric and Tara lived together for
years before they were married in two thousand and three.
Eric's love for all three of these children was unwavering,
and he worked very hard to provide all of them
with a stable life.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
When Eric left the Army, he which I couldn't find
out if he retired, if he was medically discharged. I
couldn't find the exact reason for leaving the army. Maybe
his time was just up and he didn't re sign
either way. When Eric left the Army, he transitioned well
into civilian life. He took a job at Kodak polychrome.
(07:47):
They specialized in graphic arts and printing. Eric had this
innate ability to walk into a position or environment and
quickly master whatever duty he needed to succeed. He had
this straordinary work ethic, and it really propelled him to
be a great employee.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
The events leading to Eric's murder began during a rocky
time in his personal life. He and Tara had separated.
They were only married for about six months at this point,
but the two had agreed to separate. Eric was planning
on filing for divorce because Tara had moved out of
the home and he was living there alone. At this point,
(08:28):
Eric was focused on his children and his routine. He
let for work each day around five twenty from his
home at the end of a quiet, cold dessac in
the Carpenter Way subdivision.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
When I spoke with Kathy and Annie, I wanted to
get a little bit of clarification because all of our
research said that Tara was there the morning that Eric
was murdered. However, she had moved out, and that's why
they were planning on getting divorced. Kathy even clarified it
for me that they had been told she had moved out,
so they were just a surprise when they learned that
(09:00):
she had been there that morning.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She ultimately helped the children escape through a window to
get help from a neighbor. This is where she called
nine to one one. I so many questions about this.
I know everyone acts differently when it comes to an
emergency situation, but based on this, Tara just heard these
gunshots outside of her house. And this is when she
(09:26):
wakes the kids up from a dead sly because it's
pretty early, brings them into her bedroom, and then eventually
escapes out the window. So I'm just saying, if I
heard gunshots and knew my husband had just walked out
the door, as stupid as it might be, I would
go look outside to see if my husband was okay
before I woke the children up and tried to escape,
(09:47):
Because how do you know you're not escaping into the
direction if you didn't look out there, So that would
kind of be my first thought.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
First thought.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Actually, I would assume it had nothing to do with me,
and there were gunshots somewhere else, and so I would
just go outside and look. And that's not smart of
me either, but that's just where my brain goes first.
I really wouldn't have this elaborate plan of barricading myself
in the bedroom with my young children and then sneaking
out of a window.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
My brain wouldn't go there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I would probably hide in the bedroom possibly if I
saw someone with a gun outside.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I don't think I would jump out the window.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Though.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Did they not have any phones in their own house
as well? Like that was another question of mine.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I would assume the cell phones were there. We're pre
I mean, it's two thousand and three. Cell phones are
pretty average. Everyone seemed to have a cell phone by
two thousand and three. That's a pretty common household item
at that point. It's also really hard to say what
I would do in that situation. I've never been in
that situation. I understand Tara's immediate reaction of getting her
kids to safety, but I also would want to see
(10:54):
what's happening. I don't think I would want to leave
the household, because, like you said, you don't know which
direction these gunshots are coming from. Those types of things,
So I would understand staying inside the home more so
than running than escaping through a window. But I mean,
it's neither really here nor there. I don't want to
speculate on her actions in the situation. But I mean,
(11:16):
I too would want to know what's happening because I'm nosy.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yes, yes, but yeah, like he said, everyone kind of
does things differently.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
In the heat of the moment, you don't know what's happening.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
So so the gunshots were heard from outside, I feel
like I wouldn't take my kids outside as well. And
I'm sure as a very scary situation for everyone does
seem a bit strange. Police arrive on the scene at
approximately side thirty am. Eric was found in his car port,
having sustained to multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead
(11:49):
at the scene. Investigators quickly ruled out robbery, but were
left with more questions than answers. A witness described seeing
multiple perpetrators lean the scene, but their facial features really
couldn't be identified.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
And this is something that Kathy didn't get until later
when she was able to access a police report. She
doesn't have a full file or anything. She's been struggling
with law enforcement with that a little bit. But Kathy
believes that this witness is the same person that called
and notified Eric's family that something was happening at his house.
They did not receive a call from Tara. Police never
(12:33):
actually contacted family members. The witness contacted Kapi's aunt, which
then halled Annie, and she remembers arriving at Eric's house,
and she remembers seeing a lot of people there already,
including a man named Eric Cowling. Hold onto that name
because it'll come into play a little bit later. There
(12:53):
also were other persons of interest there on the scene,
including Tara's ex husband who had recently been release from
prison a few weeks prior to this. There's a history
between Eric and this man that you had a few
arguments back and forth over Tara in the early years,
you know, teenage romances and all those things. And Tara
had even divorced her first husband while he was incarcerated
(13:16):
before dating and eventually marrying Eric. Wow, that's crazy. And
police were called pretty quickly to the scene, like right
after it happened because of that witness. So the fact
that there were that many people on the premise of
this crime scene is kind of shocking. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
So evidence collected included bullet case scenes, layton fingerprints, and
witness testimony, but it wasn't enough to make it a rest.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
So while Kathy is doing her independent investigation, that she's
going through the files, that the paperwork she's given, She's
talking to people too, And what she has since learned
is that these fingerprints supposedly found at the crime scene
were of police officer fingerprints who had been there that day. Now,
(14:07):
if this is true, this is a massive mess up
by crime scene officials. This is two thousand and three.
We are trained better than this. This is not nineteen fifty.
Where are the where the gloves?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
People? Why are we touching things? What is going on? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
And what are we talking about touching? Or where were
these found? Like on the truck itself. I'm trying to
think of what else could have been touched because they
were outside the carport, took.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Casings, the bullet case scenes.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Okay, would touch a bullet case scene just with your
bare hands?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
As an official? Oh that's a very good question. Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
So authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a
murder for higher plot. Eric's mother, Annie, believes someone close
to him orchestrated this whole thing. They timed him, she said,
they knew exactly when he came outside. Her words reflected
the heartbreak of a mother who feels the answers are
(15:07):
just out of reach. She knows they're there. I had
to have been someone that knows his schedule, and the
fact that it's been over twenty years and she has
no idea is still just incredibly frustrating. In June of
two thousand and four, Alabama Governor Bob Riley offered a
five thousand dollars reward for information leading to an arrest,
(15:31):
later joined by another five thousand dollars from crime stoppers
of Central Alabama. Despite this reward these efforts, no arrests
have been made, and Eric's family continues to wait for justice.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Their communication with law enforcement has been one of the
most difficult challenges to overcome. Eric's family has had a
few obstacles while in this pursuit of justice. Outside of
the criminal investigation for Eric's murder, his family was told
to wait for a white collar crime to be investigated
as well. Without getting too deep into the details, Eric
(16:10):
was connected to a white collar crime. Two of Eric's
Lakwong friends, Stephanie and Eric Cowling remember that name from earlier,
were able to convince Eric to join in an embezzlements
knee and in two thousand and three, Stephanie was arrested
for sept by deception in Clayton Founty Jurisdiction, where her
(16:30):
case would later turn federal. Stephanie worked for a logistics
trucking company, actually two separate companies. In the account's payable department,
she would set up Eric Nelms as a vendor and
would process checks in his name. He would then receive
these checks through a PO box that he had set up.
(16:52):
He would take the checks and cash them, receiving a
small portion of funds for his part in this scheme.
And as I was reading the court docum, it was
very sophisticated in the beginning. After the embezzlement was discovered
and investigations were occurring, Stephanie got nervous and her and
her husband met with Eric and his wife. She took
(17:14):
with her a freight bill for one of the small
amounts that actually had Eric's name on it, and it
was signed by her, as well as a handwritten document
that was essentially a script of what she wanted Eric
to tell law enforcement.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Well, Eric, of.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Course said absolutely not. I'm not accepting blame for this fraud.
This meeting happened just shortly before Eric was murdered. While yes,
this is illegal, it is not the price of someone's life.
It also should not have an effect on how the
investigation is handled or how media tells his story. So
(17:50):
we are telling you this just to give you a
little bit of context of what is happening around Eric's investigation.
And this is all happening after Eric's death. They're telling
his family we are waiting for this white collar crime
to be resolved because it's a federal case and it
takes precedence over his murder, which shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
That is absolutely insane.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
And you telling me that, Why why can't it be simultaneously?
Why can't you just there's two different people solving crimes.
You solve this one. You solve this one, just how
you do all crimes. I cannot understand how this is
even a thing. It also seems as though Eric had
minimal involvement in this. His percentage had to have been
(18:37):
much smaller than what Stephanie and Eric core receiving. They
were living a very lavish lifestyle. They had a half
million dollar house, brand new vehicle, and Eric didn't live
that kind of life. He didn't have those kinds of
bank accounts, not that it matters. The dollar figure shouldn't matter.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Eric should have been murdered, and like you said, the
cases should have been investigated simultaneously.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
One is not dependent on the other.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
So that's just one of the.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Many hurdles that Eric's family has run into.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I mean, and I see looking into these white collar
crimes as a possible motive for someone to kill Eric,
because that could be related most definitely. But that is
in my mind, that's as far as that connection goes.
They're two separate things. Unless you know someone happened now
to that, I think that's just wild. So Eric's legacy
(19:30):
lives on in the memory of those who loved him.
Eric's bravery, both as a soldier and as a man,
inspires those fighting four answers. His mother, Annie has become
a vocal advocate for her son, determined to see justice served.
In March of twenty twenty four, the case saw renewed
attention after Season of Justice was able to sponsor a
(19:53):
billboard campaign. Eric's family continues to plead with authorities to
take action. They've created a change dot org petition urging
Alabama Attorney General's Cold Case Unit to take action in
Eric's homicide investigation. So if you have any information that
could help solve Eric's case, please contact Crime Stoppers of
(20:17):
Central Alabama at three three four two one five stop
which is seven eight six seven. Every tip can be
anonymous and the ten thousand dollars reward remains available.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
So that brings us to the advocacy piece, and this
one for Eric and as family as multipaceted. We want
you to take the time to go sign and share
the change dot org campaign. We will put it in
our show notes so you can find it easily. We're
also developing a flyer campaign to coincide with a letter
writing campaign encouraging the new Attorney General to look further
(20:53):
into Eric's case. Kathy is fighting every day to keep
Eric's face and name in front of media, so please
follow all of Eric's advocacy pages that we also have
linked in the show notes. Please continue to support Kathy
in the rest of Eric's family in pursuing justice.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
They really don't even know how Eric's case is classified.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Some call it active, some call it a cold case,
and she's even tried to petition the Attorney General to
reopen it. Some have called it a closed case. They
can't get a true status update where it sits. They're
starting to realize that Kathy's not going to go away.
She's a persistent little booger and I love every minute
(21:35):
of it. They're starting to realize that Kathy's not going
to go away and that she's going to fight for
justice for Eric, so hopefully that propels something. Yes, we
want to thank Kathy, Annie, and the rest of Eric's
family for allowing us to share his story today. If
(21:56):
you are a family member or know someone who has
a missing or unsolved case that would like their story
shared here, please email us at info at Navigating Advocacy
dot com.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
This episode is researched, written and produced by us. Please
consider leaving a five star review on your favorite podcast
platform or sharing us with a friend. You can follow
us on all social media outlets. If you would like
more information about the.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
Podcast, Advocacy con or our nonprofit Impact Advocacy Foundation, head
on over to Navigating Advocacy dot com. Yes,
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