Grisell Camacho beloved sister vanished leaving behind her pet birds. Grisell is found later murdered her body placed in a school bus style van. No arrests, no leads, and the police are uncooperative with the family of Grisell Camacho who traumatized need closure and justice for their loved one.
This case is a cold case but not that old. I'm going to outright plead with you to do what you can to move and shake this case. If you have a favorite podcaster please contact them on behalf of this case. If you like to create art, perhaps make a quick flyer to share about this case. If you just enjoy sharing what's already made please do that! Let's use the #justiceforgrisellcamacho and make sure we tag the Newark police in everything. On Twitter they are @NewarkNJPolice If you have any ideas for better tags or anything at all let everyone know! As usual, feel free to take the write-up and use it however you want. Credit is nice but never needed and my grammar/spelling sucks.
Please, whatever you say or do keep in mind the active family members who WILL see what you write and make. They've been deeply hurt and it's our duty to protect them the best we can. Also, I'd like to ask that politics stay out of the conversations as to not convolute what we are trying to do here.
I have found no news sources about what happened to Grisell Camacho. Thus, the only sources I have for you are the accounts via her brother /u/Rob1macho They are a strong brother who now works in health care and is desperate to find the person that harmed his sister.
"Justice, Just imagine for a moment you had a sister that you grew up together, played together, when she had I had when I had she had. The love that I have for her is everlasting." - Grisell's Brother via Reddit posts
The Story
February 28th, 2001 in Newark, New Jersey it was a chilly day with the historical weather temperature listed at 37 with a low of 28. It was partly cloudy with some light winds. Also, for those that like to know these things the sunrise would have been around 6:30 AM and sunset around 5:40 PM.
Grisell's brother had visited her that evening as he checked up on her and the home he was letting her live in. The exact time of this visit is currently unknown. Grisell was living in her brother's rental home basement apartment that he previously used as a mancave. According to her brother, Grisell was having a hard time with life and fell into using drugs. It's possible that Grisell was using drugs the night she had vanished however it was well known that she was a homebody personality and wouldn't leave her pet birds long.
During this visit, Grisell and her brother had an argument about Grisell needing to become more responsible. These types of exchanges were traditional but when he realized Grisell was actually becoming upset he ended the conversation and moved on to lighter topics. Grisell's brother made sure everything was alright between them before ending the visit for the day.
On his way out of Grisell's apartment, a man named K.H. knocks on the door. Grisell's brother asks Grisell if she would like him to let this man in and she said yes. This visit didn't raise any alarms at the time. K.H. allegedly lived on the same street of the apartment 132 Sunset Ave." *I, unfortunately, won't be able to use this man's full name since the LE has not named him a suspect. I'd like to mention that anyone mentioned in this write-up is innocent until proven guilty by a court of law and in no way am I accusing anyone of anything. I am simply reporting public information. The Apartment is findable on google maps but the oldest picture of the place dates to 2007. It's a cream-colored tall thin building in a crowded neighborhood. There's a tiny church building next door with metal fencing in the yard. On the left, there's a small ally space big enough to park a small car and on the right is a thin concrete path to the back of the building.
Grisell's brother leaves for the night at this point but returns in the morning. So, the date is now March 1st, 2001. The high is 38, the low is 25, and the weather is still partly cloudy. First, he knocks on the side window but with no answer, he knocks again and then goes to the back door. Turning the corner K.H. comes out and he appears sleepy. Angrily Grisell's brother asks where his sister is but all K.H. says is that he sent out to pick up something and she never came back. Grisell's brother asks him to leave and checks over the apartment to make sure everything was alright, and according to him, everything was in its place. The brother worries that Grisell stole K.H.'s wallet on her trip out and that's why she hadn't returned and so the brother is angry.
Grisell's brother goes back to the apartment in the afternoon but still, his sister is not there.
March 2nd, 2001 the high is 44, the low is 32 and the weather is cloudy. Grisell's brother returns again but still no sign of Grisell. Now, he becomes worried knowing she would not have left her birds for so long. Taking her birds with him he checks back again at the apartment one more time this day.
March 3rd, 2001 the high is 49 and the low 39 the weather is still cloudy. Grisell's brother is going to the police precinct to file a missing person report on his sister around noon but before he does he gets a page. The page is from his girlfriend telling him to "just come to the house." So, he goes to the house and finds his girlfriend on the phone. They hand him the phone and he speaks to his oldest sister who tells him simply "They found Gree". Grisell's brother doesn't understand and asks what location she's at thinking he needed to pick her up from jail but his older sister corrects him. "Listen they found her she's dead."
Grisell's body was found inside a school bus-style van on 18th ave and Alexander street in Newark NJ. (The Vailsburg Section) The bus was in a mechanics lot full of old cars. May have also been near a gas station and Mcdonald's. *Was it at A and B's Auto Cars?
Investigation
This is the part where I usually break down the LE side of the story. What they've done to document and their current goals. Unfortunately, nothing has been done. No news stories, no press releases nothing. The family has been told nothing and they've been avoided by LE when they inquire. Homicide division took no DNA and it's possible they may have even lost evidence. The brother claims he has been blocked as well when he asked for a review on the case. They send a letter every year along with tips to several places like the prosecutors and homicide but it is always unanswered. They will not allow a review of any paperwork or evidence on her file. Council persons have been contacted but they usually only listen and hand out their cards.
K.H. according to Grisell's brother was interviewed and immediately released by LE. No witnesses came forward. According to the brother K.H., himself and maybe 1-2 other individuals were interviewed.
The area was not canvased according to the family.
Two weeks after the incident Grisell's older sister found bloodied sheets whilst going through her sister's bedroom. The sheets were dried but had been drenched in blood then placed under the mattress. Detectives were called and they picked up the sheets. Grisell's brother called around 2017 to inquire about the sheets but was informed the detectives didn't have anything like that in the evidence bag.
Currently, it seems the investigation is closed but this is speculation as we don't know any official word.
Body (TRAUMA WARNING, Graphic account)
Grisell's brother had to identify his sister and he was traumatized by the seemingly careless way she was treated. From the time he was told about her death on March 3rd up until the moment he had to identify her it was all darkness and a blur to him. Please, keep in mind he may not wish to discuss in detail this part of the story.
Grisell's body was taken to the coroner's office where her body had been in good condition at first and the body had stayed here 2-3 days. According to him, he could clearly see marks on the back of Grisell's neck that appeared to be strangulation and he thinks the finger marks were so clear they could have gotten a print. He insists these marks were not levidaty/Tardieu Spots but were finger prints that belonged to someone with big thumbs.
Then her body was taken to a funeral home but it was discovered now decomposition had set in. Grisell's brother fears they may have just left her out with no attempt to preserve or care for her. Apparently, she was in a black plastic body bag up to her neck and she was as dark as the bag. The family was unable to say goodbye to her properly as viewing wasn't possible.
Theories
The number one theory believed by the family is that Grisell was strangled by K.H. the man that was last with her and then moved to the van.
The second theory is that she left the house that evening to buy drugs and was attacked by a stranger or drug dealer.
A third theory is that she may have been a serial killer's first victim. User /u/allenidaho points out that a Tione Johnson also known as Calvin Johnson and Thomas Williams who had several crimes leading up to a murder he committed Andrea Ligons. That has possible similarities to Grisell. *if you look up this person please be aware the media has published much misinformation on this individual and their names/DOB/mugshots. Also, this tip was turned in by Grisell's brother.
Lastly, perhaps Grisell died of an overdose at the bus or other location. Even if this is the case the family deserves to know the circumstances around Grisell's death and if other people had been involved.
Grisell Camacho
A woman of Puerto Rican descent who was 37 years old at the time of her death. It's likely that she was born on September 1st, 1961. No known alias names but her family shortens her name to Gree sometimes. Grisell had a family that loved her. Two known siblings one brother and sister along with their mother. Grisell cared for and loved her birds and is described as a homebody. There is a photo of her that her brother had posted that depicts her next to her mother. Grisell had dark hair of a long style, dark eyes, and olive complexion, she was of a slim stature. Death was mostly likely February 28th, 2001 in the evening. (In my opinion anyway) Interestingly I found this record stating her death was March 3rd, 2001... however, this is the furthest I can go without being a family member to request her death certificate. https://imgur.com/a/IWN2QpL
Conclusion
Grisell's brother contacts the Essex county prosecutor and Newark homicide detectives every year but they avoid him. They are active on Reddit and post often to try and get people interested in his sister's case. The family is convinced Grisell died by strangulation at the apartment on February 28th after her brother left for the night. Then placed on the bus on 18th avenue after death but they can't get anyone to look into the case.
"But I won't stop looking for my sister's Grisell Camacho's Murderer. I can't........"
Suggestions for the family
Create flyers asking for anonymous tips and post them around the area the body was found and where her apartment was (Perhaps where K.H. was known to have lived)
People and organizations to get involved:
Crimestoppers, CrimeCon, True Crime Podcasts, Victim Advocacy Groups.
Start Fundraisers and public crowdsources to get a private investigator.
Create an online obituary and find a gravesite for Grisell with information about her murder in the description. This can drum up interest sometimes.
Attempt to get ahold of the Coroner and ask them directly for a copy of the official ruling of death and report. This would help with private investigations but also give insight into what the LE is doing. If the death is ruled accidental for example the LE wouldn't easily be able to investigate the case as a homicide.
Lastly, get some pro-bono legal help because I'm fairly certain that according to some laws LE can't keep certain information from you about this case. I think it's the Freedom Of Information Act but I could be wrong so get some legal speaking people to help.
** Aditional information **
If you have some gumption and want to help this case please consider writing a letter to: Newark News: tips@njadvancemedia.com Ask the news the write a story about Grisell so that her posts can be posted in true crime communities that require a proper news source. Also, this would be just good for the case in general. Newark Police Tips E-mail: HomicideTips@njecpo.org OR 877-TIPS-4-EC (877-847-7432) Ask for an investigation into Grisell's case. Essex County Prosecutor's Office: Veterans Courthouse 50 West Market Street Newark, NJ 07102 Send in a letter asking that an investigation is done on Grisell's case. Newark LE Twitter @ ECPONJ1
Sources
https://www.socialgrep.com/search?query=newark%20ave.
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