Not every case can be solved. As cut-and-dry as this statement sounds, it’s the absolute truth, and talented as law enforcement agencies are, sometimes the evidence just isn’t there. This is especially true of cold cases and crimes committed so long ago that even the most modern methods of evidence analysis are useless.
In recent years, however, it seems that even those previously insurmountable hurdles are being overcome. At the beginning of 2019, a cold case involving the mysterious death of a Charlotte, North Carolina woman found resolution after languishing on an evidence shelf for almost 30 years…
Gone Missing
Yolanda Yvette Hoey was 26 years old when she went missing. She had gone out, likely to run some errands, but when she didn’t return home or pick up her young son, Yolanda’s family got worried. After a few hours, they called the police but there appeared to be no sign of her in the immediate vicinity.
The Car
A week after Yolanda’s disappearance, police officers located what looked like her car on Ventura Way, in Hidden Valley neighborhood in northeast Charlotte. A brief inspection of the vehicle revealed the awful truth. Yolanda’s body was inside, dead for nearly seven days in the back seat of the vehicle.
Shot Down
The initial forensic investigation revealed that Yolanda had been shot several times. She had been murdered and the placement of the body made it seem like it was deliberate. Yet, the local authorities seemed at a loss. Yolanda wasn’t the type of woman to have enemies, so who would want to see her dead?
Only Six
Yolanda Yvette Hoey’s son was only six years old when his mother died. Ever since that day, the boy has had to live with the knowledge that someone killed her. Even worse than that though, was the fact that thanks to police, he knew who might have done it and could do nothing about it. Though, the reasons behind this are a bit complicated.
A Suspect on the Hook
The thing is, the police already had a suspect soon after Yolanda’s murder. It was someone that she knew, an acquaintance of sorts. They wouldn’t have called this man a friend by any stretch of the imagination, but he did know Yolanda and he was fairly notorious in the area for a number of unsavory reasons.
Notorious
Louis Samuels was known around Charlotte as a pretty dangerous criminal. Sgt. Darrell Price, an officer who worked homicide for homicide back in the ’90s speaks about his reputation. “He ran drugs and sex crimes and he was always known to have weapons, everyone uptown was scared of him at the time,” he explained. Unfortunately, they still had a problem…
Lacking Evidence
There was a distinct lack of evidence regarding Samuel’s alleged involvement in Yolanda’s murder. They collected some evidence, but back in 1991, none of that seemed to amount to very much. They didn’t have the proper scientific tools and methods to properly link that evidence to the alleged suspect.
Unrelated
Despite some pretty solid hunches, it looked as though Samuels was going to go free on Yolanda’s murder. Then, later that same month, Samuels was suddenly sentenced to 45 years in Federal prison. It was on unrelated weapons charges, but at least he was off the streets. Still, it didn’t feel as though justice had been done.
Years of Uncertainty
28 years of uncertainty followed. Yolanda’s son and family, having heard that Samuels might have been responsible, were happy that he was in prison, but longed for closure. More than that, they yearned to see justice done. If Samuels was indeed guilty, as police believed him to be, then surely he should be punished for his crime.
In Custody
In January of 2019, the now 60-year-old Samuels was sitting in prison, comforted by the news that he was going to finally be released. His release date was even scheduled for June of that coming year. What he didn’t know was that his long stretch at Beckley Federal Correctional Institution in West Virginia was about to be extended…
Hard Work
Srgt. Price himself spoke to reporters recently about the scientific innovation that finally managed to link Samuels to Yolanda’s murder.“Thanks to some very hard work by a lot of detectives, old-fashioned footwork and innovative thinking by our crime lab personnel, we were able to develop that piece of evidence that helped us bring charges against Mr. Samuels…”
Scientific Advancements
The sergeant added that science played a major role in the department finally being able to solve this case, but would not divulge much about their methodology. The only thing he was at liberty to say was that they used something he called “improved crime lab technology.” Which, frankly, seems like a pretty nondescript way to describe it; but there’s a reason for that.
Nondescript
Srgt. Price’s refusal to mention what evidence or new technology allowed his department to charge Samuels is a purposeful omission. These omissions are important to maintaining the sanctity of their case before it is brought before a judge. It will no doubt be revealed after that point.
Improvements
If one were to guess what might evidence might have recently been re-tested using modern CSI methods, one might presume it had something to do with DNA. There have been a number of improvements to the technology since the 1990s which could suss out even the most microscopic, potentially adulterated evidence.
Talented Analyst
Price added that their recent success also involved one particular analyst who helped the department to go through each piece of evidence. This talented analyst would then offer suggestions about things the detectives hadn’t thought about at the time of the murder. Whatever the evidence was, it definitely changed things.
Peace and Closure
To those who know Yolanda, to her friends, her family, and her son; the revelation that Samuels might actually be punished offers some much-needed peace and closure. Johnny Beland, one of Yolanda’s friends from high school, recently spoke to Fox news about the woman she was and her impact on their lives…
Rough Transition
“I feel wonderful because she’s really missed by a lot of people. Its peace now, real peace,” Beland explained. He recalled how difficult his own transition from junior high to high school was, and how kind Yolanda was when he met her there. She kept bullies away from him and was his first true friend.
Kind Person
“We had a beautiful friendship,” he continued. “Just the playfulness. She was real silly, real kind. She was just a beautiful person.” Beland wasn’t the only person to think that about Yolanda. Now, after so many years, justice could finally be served. Samuels would still get a new trial, of course, but now the prosecution had solid evidence.
Many Cases
The new techniques and technologies used in this case have also been used to find resolution in many other cases as well. CMPD’s homicide cold case unit began in 2003 and since then, has reviewed 178 homicides dating as far back as 1979. In it’s 16 years, the cold case unit has cleared 48 of those 178 cases; an impressive number.
Official Indictment
Samuels’ case was presented to a grand jury in January of 2019 and he has thus far been indicted for first-degree murder. The case has yet to see trial, but Sgt. Price and the CMPD cold case unit are confident that the outcome will be the 60-year-old convict will be put away for the rest of his natural life.
