M7 Crime Storytime: The Case of Tamika Houston
Who is Tamika Houston?
- Birth: December 11, 1979, Spartanburg, SC
- Family: Parents Anthony Houston and Gabriella Semineni, siblings Shaquan (older stepbrother), Anthony Jr. (younger brother), and Antonia (sister)
- Personality: Warm, welcoming, friendly, spontaneous
- Career: Waitress, aspiring singer, later pursued nursing
- Pets: Adopted a Pit Bull named Macy
Disappearance
Timeline
- Last Contact: No communication for weeks before being reported missing on June 14, 2004
- Initial Concerns: Aunt Rebecca Howard reported her missing after being uncharacteristically silent
Investigation
- Initial Search: No signs of struggle but found Tamika’s dog Macy and puppies malnourished, indicating Tamika wouldn’t leave pets like this
- Key Evidence: Missing car (1991 Black Honda CRX), uncashed paycheck, the house was locked with an open window
- **Family's Theories: **Tamika was either hiding from her ex Terrence Moss or had a more sinister end
Suspect: Terrence Moss
- Relationship: Ex-boyfriend, volatile breakup with evidence of domestic violence
- Interview: Voluntarily asked to help, admitted to past domestic violence
- Outcome: No physical evidence to link him to the disappearance
Further Investigation
- Phone Call: Junk call traced to Cleveland Park Lake, no body found
- Family Efforts: Media involvement and reward of $50,000
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Breakthroughs and Clues
- Found Car: July 2004, partial fingerprint and unknown keys found inside
- Fingerprint Analysis: No matches, eliminated Terrence Moss
Suspect: Christopher Hampton
- Link: Recently started dating Tamika
- Properties: Former tenant at Fremont School apartment complex
- Evidence: Keys for basement apartment, history of criminal charges (bank robbery)
- Interview: Denied involvement, gave falsified information about plans
- Fingerprint Check: Not a match
- Outcome: Returned to jail for unrelated parole violation
Leads and Crucial Evidence
- Ex-Wife's Tip: Blood spot on a photo, confirmed as Tamika’s blood
- Apartment Search: Apartment 215, evidence of blood even after attempts to clean
- DNA tests: Matched Tamika
- Confession: Exposed that he hit her with a hot iron, bled out, hid the body, and later buried it; removed the skull to avoid identification
Legal Proceedings
- Arrest: August 12, 2005, charged with murder
- Trial: Christopher pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison without parole
- Impact: Raised awareness for missing women of color, led to founding the Black and Missing Foundation
Societal Impact
- Race and Media: Tamika’s case highlighted “Missing White Woman Syndrome,” lack of media attention for missing people of color
- Family Response: Aunt Rebecca raised awareness, father Anthony’s tragic end
Questions for Consideration
- Will Tamika’s case have the impact her Aunt Rebecca wants?
- Did Christopher feel any remorse?
- Is the “Missing White Woman Syndrome” still relevant in today's media?
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