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Disgusting
Ring of torture tied to murder
By Shane Graber
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Wednesday, Mar. 12 2008
ALTON — A torturous environment of beatings, scaldings, even BB gun shootings
in a small white A-frame house on Hillcrest Avenue eventually led to the death
of a mentally disabled pregnant woman, officials, neighbors and family members
said.
Former occupant Judy E. Woods, 43, was charged by the Madison County state
attorney's office last month with first-degree murder and intentional homicide
of an unborn child in the death of Dorothy Dixon, 29, and her 6-month-old
fetus.
On Monday, Alton police announced that five more tenants — three of them minors
— have been charged. They are Michelle Riley, 35; Michael Elliot, 18; Benny Lee
Wilson, 16; and two children of Riley's: LeShelle McBride, 15, and a
12-year-old.
Each faces four counts of first-degree murder and charges of intentional
homicide of Dixon's unborn child, heinous battery, aggravated battery and
unlawful restraint. McBride and Wilson, who are juveniles, are being charged as
adults. Each was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
The unidentified 12-year-old will face charges in juvenile court.
Two of Riley's family members and a neighbor said Riley was an abusive and
controlling ringleader who manipulated and threatened everyone in the house.
They said the children involved are innocent and did what Riley said because
they were scared.
The abuse took place between Dec. 1 and Jan. 30, according to court records.
Dixon was found beaten to death Jan. 31 in her apartment in the 2900 block of
Hillcrest Avenue. Woods was arrested and charged the next day.
"I think it can be characterized as torturous," said Lt. David Hayes, Alton
police's chief of detectives.
Riley had been taking Dixon's monthly Social Security check that she presumably
received as a result of developmental disabilities, Hayes said.
"If there was one single motive, it was probably money," he said.
The house on Hillcrest has three bedrooms and housed at least six people, with
a seventh on the way. Dixon and Riley rented the place in June or July for $800
a month.
"I thought I knew them real well," said Steve Atkins, the landlord.
Atkins said Dixon was quiet and friendly. Riley, on the other hand, wasn't as
easygoing, Atkins said. He was on the property one day making some repairs, and
Riley was barking orders, Atkins said.
"I asked her, 'Do I need to call the Army and tell them to come get their drill
sergeant?'" said Atkins, 39. "I thought that was funny. But she didn't laugh."
Police in Quincy, Ill., said Riley and Dixon lived together in Quincy for some
time before moving to Alton.
Glenda Farkas, director of the West Central Illinois Center for Independent
Living, confirmed that Dixon had been a client and that Riley had been an
employee. The center assists developmentally disabled people with housing and
other services.
It's unclear how Woods and Wilson were connected to the group. Elliott didn't
live at the Hillcrest house, but police said he had a "relationship" with one
of the residents.
Riley has a criminal record that includes narcotics offenses in Quincy in 2002
and 2004, and of fighting in 2003, Adams County court records show.
Riley was a longtime drug abuser who had been prescribed drugs for mental
issues, said Gary Farha, first assistant Adams County state's attorney. But
Riley said in court hearings that she didn't like taking her medication because
it made her gain weight.
"Michelle has never been a stable person," said Riley's sister, Tynisa Nebe,
30.
Riley ran away from home often and would panhandle, she said.
"I knew something was wrong with her, but I never thought in a million years
she'd do something like this," Nebe said.
Farha said Riley sold drugs on the street to finance her own use. He said
prosecutors originally charged her with selling drugs but reduced the charges,
in part "because we didn't want to send a woman with that many children to
prison."
So instead, they moved to Alton.
Dixon slept in an unfinished section of the basement, Atkins said. He believes
that Woods moved into her room, too. Atkins said he didn't know at the time
that Woods was living on the property.
Terri Brandt, 27, said her next-door neighbors were always making noise. She
said that she witnessed Riley punish Dixon by making her run naked and that
Riley would pour boiling water and use a hot glue gun on Dixon. Riley had baby
monitors in all the rooms to keep tabs on everyone, Brandt said.
Riley forced the others in the house to run her bath water, lay out her clothes
and rub her feet at night until she fell asleep, Brandt said.
Like Atkins, the landlord, Nebe also described her sister as a "drill sergeant."
When Woods was the first occupant arrested at the end of January, everyone else
moved out. Atkins, the landlord, came to clean up. He found a bucket of feces
in Dixon's room and BBs all over the place. A waist-high door had been nailed
shut from inside Dixon's room. Atkins had to clean blood on walls, the washer
and dryer and in the basement shower near Dixon's room.
"It's a total disgrace what happened," Atkins said. "What does a person have to
do to deserve to die like that?"
Pamela Hodge, Riley's mother-in-law and the grandmother of the 12-year-old boy
charged, said her grandson is innocent and was scared of Riley.
"She's not a mother," Hodge said of Riley. "I don't know what to call her. But
it's not those kids' fault."
Said Nebe, Riley's sister: "She moved those kids in and out. Those kids have
seen it all. "
Brandt, the neighbor, had been watching Wilson since everyone moved out of the
Hillcrest home. Brandt said she has legal custody over Wilson, whom she now
visits nightly in an Edwardsville jail. Brandt said Wilson was afraid of Riley
and did whatever he was told. Brandt also described Woods as a mild and
friendly woman.
"Judy (Woods) didn't have a mean bone in her body," Brandt said. "Michelle
(Riley) made her take the blame for Dorothy's death."
Tim O'Neil of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
[email protected] | 618-624-2571
By Shane Graber
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Wednesday, Mar. 12 2008
ALTON — A torturous environment of beatings, scaldings, even BB gun shootings
in a small white A-frame house on Hillcrest Avenue eventually led to the death
of a mentally disabled pregnant woman, officials, neighbors and family members
said.
Former occupant Judy E. Woods, 43, was charged by the Madison County state
attorney's office last month with first-degree murder and intentional homicide
of an unborn child in the death of Dorothy Dixon, 29, and her 6-month-old
fetus.
On Monday, Alton police announced that five more tenants — three of them minors
— have been charged. They are Michelle Riley, 35; Michael Elliot, 18; Benny Lee
Wilson, 16; and two children of Riley's: LeShelle McBride, 15, and a
12-year-old.
Each faces four counts of first-degree murder and charges of intentional
homicide of Dixon's unborn child, heinous battery, aggravated battery and
unlawful restraint. McBride and Wilson, who are juveniles, are being charged as
adults. Each was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
The unidentified 12-year-old will face charges in juvenile court.
Two of Riley's family members and a neighbor said Riley was an abusive and
controlling ringleader who manipulated and threatened everyone in the house.
They said the children involved are innocent and did what Riley said because
they were scared.
The abuse took place between Dec. 1 and Jan. 30, according to court records.
Dixon was found beaten to death Jan. 31 in her apartment in the 2900 block of
Hillcrest Avenue. Woods was arrested and charged the next day.
"I think it can be characterized as torturous," said Lt. David Hayes, Alton
police's chief of detectives.
Riley had been taking Dixon's monthly Social Security check that she presumably
received as a result of developmental disabilities, Hayes said.
"If there was one single motive, it was probably money," he said.
The house on Hillcrest has three bedrooms and housed at least six people, with
a seventh on the way. Dixon and Riley rented the place in June or July for $800
a month.
"I thought I knew them real well," said Steve Atkins, the landlord.
Atkins said Dixon was quiet and friendly. Riley, on the other hand, wasn't as
easygoing, Atkins said. He was on the property one day making some repairs, and
Riley was barking orders, Atkins said.
"I asked her, 'Do I need to call the Army and tell them to come get their drill
sergeant?'" said Atkins, 39. "I thought that was funny. But she didn't laugh."
Police in Quincy, Ill., said Riley and Dixon lived together in Quincy for some
time before moving to Alton.
Glenda Farkas, director of the West Central Illinois Center for Independent
Living, confirmed that Dixon had been a client and that Riley had been an
employee. The center assists developmentally disabled people with housing and
other services.
It's unclear how Woods and Wilson were connected to the group. Elliott didn't
live at the Hillcrest house, but police said he had a "relationship" with one
of the residents.
Riley has a criminal record that includes narcotics offenses in Quincy in 2002
and 2004, and of fighting in 2003, Adams County court records show.
Riley was a longtime drug abuser who had been prescribed drugs for mental
issues, said Gary Farha, first assistant Adams County state's attorney. But
Riley said in court hearings that she didn't like taking her medication because
it made her gain weight.
"Michelle has never been a stable person," said Riley's sister, Tynisa Nebe,
30.
Riley ran away from home often and would panhandle, she said.
"I knew something was wrong with her, but I never thought in a million years
she'd do something like this," Nebe said.
Farha said Riley sold drugs on the street to finance her own use. He said
prosecutors originally charged her with selling drugs but reduced the charges,
in part "because we didn't want to send a woman with that many children to
prison."
So instead, they moved to Alton.
Dixon slept in an unfinished section of the basement, Atkins said. He believes
that Woods moved into her room, too. Atkins said he didn't know at the time
that Woods was living on the property.
Terri Brandt, 27, said her next-door neighbors were always making noise. She
said that she witnessed Riley punish Dixon by making her run naked and that
Riley would pour boiling water and use a hot glue gun on Dixon. Riley had baby
monitors in all the rooms to keep tabs on everyone, Brandt said.
Riley forced the others in the house to run her bath water, lay out her clothes
and rub her feet at night until she fell asleep, Brandt said.
Like Atkins, the landlord, Nebe also described her sister as a "drill sergeant."
When Woods was the first occupant arrested at the end of January, everyone else
moved out. Atkins, the landlord, came to clean up. He found a bucket of feces
in Dixon's room and BBs all over the place. A waist-high door had been nailed
shut from inside Dixon's room. Atkins had to clean blood on walls, the washer
and dryer and in the basement shower near Dixon's room.
"It's a total disgrace what happened," Atkins said. "What does a person have to
do to deserve to die like that?"
Pamela Hodge, Riley's mother-in-law and the grandmother of the 12-year-old boy
charged, said her grandson is innocent and was scared of Riley.
"She's not a mother," Hodge said of Riley. "I don't know what to call her. But
it's not those kids' fault."
Said Nebe, Riley's sister: "She moved those kids in and out. Those kids have
seen it all. "
Brandt, the neighbor, had been watching Wilson since everyone moved out of the
Hillcrest home. Brandt said she has legal custody over Wilson, whom she now
visits nightly in an Edwardsville jail. Brandt said Wilson was afraid of Riley
and did whatever he was told. Brandt also described Woods as a mild and
friendly woman.
"Judy (Woods) didn't have a mean bone in her body," Brandt said. "Michelle
(Riley) made her take the blame for Dorothy's death."
Tim O'Neil of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
[email protected] | 618-624-2571
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