Latest news with #familysecrets
The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
My serial killer dad stopped horrific sex attack to call & wish me happy birthday…then sent me X-rated letters from jail
EVERY family has a secret, but none so dark as Donna Carr's. For almost 50 years she has tried to hide the fact that her dad was a serial killer, rapist and paedophile. 15 15 15 Robert Frederick Carr III was arrested in 1976 for raping a hitchhiker - and then shocked detectives by confessing to four rapes and murders, and six further rapes. He'd kept his first victim, a 16-year-old girl, captive in a forest for 10 days, raping her throughout before finally strangling her. He also picked up two 11-year-old boys who were hitchhiking, raped them, strangled one and killed the other four days later. During one of his sickening sex attacks, evil Carr told his victim that he had to stop so he could find a payphone to call Donna to wish her a happy birthday. Donna was just 12 years old when his twisted crimes - nearly all of which involved children under the age of 18 - were exposed, and along with her mother and younger brother, she was vilified in her local community. They were forced to live their lives in the shadow of their father's horrifying crimes, bearing the stigma of being the children of a sadistic killer. When teenage Donna refused to go and see her father in prison, sickeningly this led Carr to send sexually explicit letters to his own daughter from his cell. He died in prison of prostate cancer, aged 63, and after years of hiding her family's devastating secret, Donna decided to bring it out into the open in the hope of making peace with her heritage. Donna, from West Virginia, says: 'That is the secret I have been keeping my entire life and it has affected every aspect of my life. "I honestly feel like it is time for me to move past this. It happened when I was 12 and I am now 60 and I am tired of it hanging over my head. 'I honestly think that there are some mental illnesses that you are born with. I honestly do believe that some people are just born evil -and I think my father was one of those people.' The Dull Truth About Serial Killers In the years before he was caught, Carr - a TV repairman and car salesman - was constantly on the move, trying to out-run his evil crimes. For most of Donna's childhood she lived out of her father's car as he moved the family from state to state. He kept them under tight control, subjecting her mother to horrific abuse and making sure they never stayed in one place long enough to put down roots. 'The memories with my father, there are very few that are good,' she recalls. 'They were mostly bad. He always had an underlying anger about him... when I was 12 my dad was actually caught in the process of a rape and he was arrested, and that was when he decided to tell them that he had murdered four people, raped and murdered them. 'When he had one of his victims he told her he had to stop and find a payphone to call me for my birthday, and I remember that phone call. I honestly think that there are some mental illnesses that you are born with. I honestly do believe that some people are just born evil - and I think my father was one of those people Donna Carr 'I've always felt horrible for what he did. It bothered me for a very long time, when this came out I was no more than 13 years old and it had been all over the national news. 'For years I was afraid of sharing my story and that is because my father was still alive in prison. He is dead now. "One of the reasons this became such a family secret is because every time I shared the information, immediately I no longer mattered. It became about what he had done, and so I stopped talking about it.' 'Long line of bad men' 15 15 15 15 Thirty years ago Donna decided to begin searching her family history in the hope she would find someone good from her ancestry to help her put to bed the horrors of her father. Donna, who is married to husband Jim and has a 27-year-old daughter, Hailey, says: 'Family means everything to me. "I started doing family history research because I wanted to find somebody in my family who was good, who was a little bit better along the Carr family line, because my father is a serial killer.' She adds: 'I just think that to know that not everybody in that line of family was bad... that at some point in time there was somebody I could've looked up to.' But Donna had her work cut out, coming from a "long line of not very good men". Her grandfather spent time in prison for a grand-theft auto charge. But her 10-year search also led her to a man she suspected was her great-great-grandfather, Nicholas Carr. Donna hoped that he would be the kind, family man she longed for in her family's history. I started doing family history research because I wanted to find somebody in my family who was good, who was a little bit better along the Carr family line, because my father is a serial killer Donna Carr But there were two Nicholas Carrs - so a new documentary for Acorn TV, called Relative Secrets with Jane Seymour, sent British archaeologist Natasha Billson to the US to help Donna uncover her family's past. Natasha explains: 'I think Donna found comfort in looking at the genealogy, trying to find someone who was relatively good in all the other male figures of her family line. She had been doing it for 30 years. "She had folders and folders of all the information she had collated over that time. She was just trying to find an answer. "It took her 10 years to find Nicholas Carr, but there were two of them and she couldn't find which one was her ancestor, which is where we came in. 'She was carrying that surname and it was tainted by all these abusive men.' 15 Natasha's team of experts uncovered that the Nicholas Carr who matched her family tree had travelled alone from Ireland, where he was born, to New York by ship in 1853, just after the end of the potato famine. As Donna's DNA revealed she had very few ancestors left, they believed Nicholas fled Ireland after losing his entire family to the famine. But that wasn't the end of his tragedy, In 1866 he had an altercation with a neighbour that ended in bloodshed and Nicholas Carr spent a year in prison in 1867 for manslaughter. Donna says: 'Hearing that is a little gut-wrenching. The last thing I wanted to find in my family history was another person that was a murderer.' Reformed character But unlike many prisoners at that time, Nicholas didn't attempt a prison escape, even when his young daughter died. He stayed and served his sentence - and tried to atone for his crime in the most unusual way. Natasha says: 'He stopped the other prisoners trying to escape. And he made a record of all the prisoners which he gave to the police. Prison records were not well-kept at the time.' A letter from the local sheriff was published in the local newspaper declaring: 'We are indebted to Mr Nicholas Carr for a list of prisoners confined in the county jail since last 24 October with the nature of their crimes.' Natasha says: 'Courage and honour. Like Donna, Nicholas was brave enough to confront his past.' Despite his conviction for manslaughter, he became Detective Carr and opened up his own detective agency, the first of its kind in Wilmington where he lived. And Natasha's team found more than 100 newspaper articles detailing how Nicholas Carr went on to help people. Natasha says: 'There are so many - a child went missing, within two weeks he found her. A young lad who wanted to go to Ireland to meet his family. He went to buy a ticket and was scammed of his money. "What did Nicholas Carr do? He went and found who scammed the young man and got the money back and got him on the ship to go to Ireland. He has gone above and beyond for his community. 'There is respect associated with his name, and we see it built up over a decade. We can see his determination and perseverance for justice, wanting to help his community.' Robert Frederick Carr III's crimes ON May 30, 1976, Carr was caught by police while he was raping a hitchhiker at knifepoint. On his arrest he shocked detectives by confessing to four murders, explaining the crimes in detail. Tammy Ruth Huntley, 16, vanished while waiting for her mother to pick her up. Carr drove her from Miami to Mississippi. On April 7, 1972, after raping her over the 10 days he kept her captive in the woods, he strangled her, saying, "I killed her because she looked like she was getting despondent.' In late 1972 Carr visited Florida, and on November 13 that year he picked up 11-year-old friends Todd Payton and Mark Wilson, who were hitchhiking from North Miami Beach. The inside back doors in the car were disabled and the boot was filled with food, jars of petroleum jelly, and a shovel. Carr raped the boys and strangled Payton. Four days later he strangled Wilson. In 1973, Carr was convicted of rape in Connecticut and sentenced to four to eight years in prison, but was paroled in 1976, after serving less than three years. Upon his release in Connecticut, he would kill his fourth and final victim, 21-year-old Rhonda Holloway, before burying her body in a rural area. Carr confessed that after Tammy Huntley's murder he raped an additional four girls and two boys. Only four were reported, for which he was charged and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison for the rapes and murders. He died of prostate cancer in prison in 2006. David Simmons, the detective who arrested Carr, said: "In my 33-year career in law enforcement, Carr ranks as the most dangerous child sexual predator-murderer I ever investigated." A tearful Donna says: 'A developing city needed him. Not bad for a hungry boy from Ireland. "I needed this. I do have a father and what he did is horrific. But I didn't do it. 'I have had to out-run this my entire life, so learning about Nicholas and finding out what kind of person he was is just amazing to me. "I know he is the good one in the family line. He was a human and he was part of the community and loved. 'I believe I am drawing closer, learning to deal with emotions. Letting it out for the first time in my life has been therapeutic and difficult, but good.' Natasha adds: 'It is hard enough to read about it, let alone speak to someone who is the daughter of a serial killer, and that being her defining phrase that has always gone with her, she can't escape it. 'I just had so much respect for Donna, that she was able to live through that, overcome it, and also see that it was not normal, and break the cycle, make her own path - and also to tell others that if you have been through trauma, you can get through it.' Relative Secrets with Jane Seymour is streaming now on Acorn TV. 15 15 15
Associated Press
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: A diary sends a woman on a quest to solve the cold case of 6 missing Black girls
At age 13, Sydney Singleton discovered an old photograph tucked away in a drawer in her paternal grandmother's guest room. It was a portrait of a Black girl just entering her teen years — a girl who looked a lot like Sydney. Next morning, Sydney asked her grandmother about it. The woman, her voice 'firm as the oak tree on her front lawn,' would say only this: 'We don't talk about Carol.' Two decades later, Sydney, now a married woman in her mid-30s, flies from her Los Angeles home to Raleigh, North Carolina, to help prepare her late grandmother's home for sale. There, she and her younger sister, Sasha, find the photograph again. They also find Carol's diary concealed above a ceiling panel in the guest room closet. So begins Kristen L. Berry's fine debut novel, 'We Don't Talk About Carol,' a tale that is at once an exploration of family secrets, a 60-year-old cold case investigation and a damning indictment of the short shrift missing Black girls get from both the authorities and the media. Carol, it turns out, was Sydney's late father's older sister. Her diary, written when she was about 16, reveals that she had an older boyfriend, aspired to be a singer and planned to run away to Detroit to try out with Motown. Carol's family, believing the child had run off, never filed a missing person report. So Sydney, a former investigative reporter, feels compelled to discover what happened to the aunt she never knew existed. Before long, she learns that Carol was one of six Black teenage girls who disappeared from the same Raleigh neighborhood 60 years ago and were dismissed as runaways by the police. Sydney's investigation promptly turns into a quest to learn the fates of all of them. Along the way, she finds allies among the missing girls' families, cold crime podcast enthusiasts and a Raleigh homicide detective. The result is a well-written, emotionally wrenching tale about the generational consequences of evil, the meaning of family and what a single dedicated woman can accomplish. After the diary is discovered, the plot unfolds slowly as the author introduces us to Sydney's suicidal father, her emotionally distant mother and her struggle to conceive a baby with her loving husband, Malik. The pace could lead some readers to abandon the book, but don't. The tale soon picks up speed, taking readers through propulsive a series of revelations, the most sunning of which involves Carol's fate. ___ Bruce DeSilva, winner of the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award, is the author of the Mulligan crime novels including 'The Dread Line.' ___ AP book reviews:
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michael Strahan reveals his parents did the unthinkable to his beloved childhood pet
You'd think that when your family decides to eat your childhood pet, they'd at least give you a heads-up. But apparently, that memo never made it to Michael Strahan. The Good Morning America co-host and former NFL star recently discovered a jaw-dropping truth about his childhood pet pig - and yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. During a special segment on The Weekend View, Michael's former GMA co-anchor Sara Haines revealed that his parents, Gene and Louise Strahan, had once spilled the secret to her in a pre-recorded interview before Gene's passing in 2020. 'I went to shoot with his parents before his father died,' Haines explained. 'I wanted to give him time with his parents, as one of five children, where they just talked about him.' But during that sweet little trip down memory lane, things took a dark turn. 'They shared with me that they ate the pig,' Haines revealed. And it turns out that Michael, now 53, had absolutely no idea. 'I come back and I'm giving Michael a hard time, as one would, and I joked about the pig,' Haines said. 'And he's like, "What are you talking about?" He didn't know. He didn't know 'cause they were all young.' Understandably shocked, Michael called his mom right away for clarification. 'He was like, "I had no idea,"' Haines said, laughing nervously. 'And I was like, "I didn't mean to betray the family trust! I just thought you told him!"' Despite the plot twist, Michael has never doubted how much his parents supported him growing up. 'I never knew I could accomplish so much, but my parents never act surprised,' he told People back in 2016. 'They look at me as if there's no limit. That helped me feel like there's no limit.' These days, the Strahan household is strictly a dog zone - no pigs allowed. Michael is a proud dog dad to Enzo and Zuma, introducing his latest pup to fans in 2023. 'Everyone meet Zuma Strahan' he captioned a sweet Instagram video. 'New puppy so Enzo has a sister!! Welcome home!' So while Michael may still be emotionally processing the fate of his childhood pig, at least he's made space for some new pets.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How Sam and Billie Faiers eclipsed ‘sinister' family life rife with abuse, drugs, guns and prison and family secrets
EVERY family has its secrets - the skeletons in the closet they don't want to ever let out. And multi-millionaire reality TV star sisters Sam and Billie Faiers, who rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex, are no different. 15 15 15 15 While the siblings have forged out impressive careers in the spotlight after years of hard-work - with Billie, 35, worth an estimated £4M and younger sister Sam, 34, a whopping £9M - their family has been shrouded in controversy. Over the last 15 years, many of The Sun's showbiz journalists have interviewed the sisters countless times. They are always very professional, extremely driven, down-to-earth and chatty which makes them a lovely interview. But there's always one topic which is strictly off limits with journalists when they're eagerly promoting their wholesome mummy brands, or starring on their popular TV show The Mummy Diaries. And that is the criminal legacy of both their violent biological father Lee Faiers, and their stepdad, Dave Chatwood. If you dig deep enough you find an East End family tree, rooted in abuse, drugs, guns, crime and prison time, the details of which would be better suited to an ITV drama than an episode of the Mummy Diaries. The closest either sister got to revealing the full tale was in Sam's autobiography. She said of her biological father, Lee: "He became volatile and awful to live with." The star also addressed stepdad Dave's criminal past, writing: "Dave was convicted for possessing large quantities of drugs and firearms." And there's a line on how the star was affected by it all, which reads: "The trauma from her father's abuse and the subsequent family turmoil had a significant impact on Sam's mental health." Mummy Diaries spoilers - Sam and Billie Faiers furious as their step dad admits to drinking an entire bottle of wine before getting chucked off flight before wedding But according to insiders, her book, Secrets & Lies: The Truth Behind The Headlines, barely touched the surface. A source said: "The real truth about the Faiers' family history is still very much OFF the table. "It is something they really avoid talking about publicly at all costs. 'They have made a pact that somethings are too private and personal to ever be put out for public consumption.' 15 15 15 Sam was just 19 when she shot to fame on the brand new scripted reality show TOWIE back in 2010. But while Sam and older sister Billie were becoming TV stars alongside Amy Childs, 34, Gemma Collins, 44, and Mark Wright, 38, their biological father, Lee Faiers, was hitting the headlines for darker reasons. In 2011, just as their TOWIE fame was peaking, Lee was convicted of assaulting his partner June Simmons. He was given a community service order and told to attend a domestic violence programme. Domestic abuse - how to get help DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence. Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship: Emotional abuse - Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse - gaslighting - being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to Threats and intimidation - Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you Physical abuse - This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten. Sexual abuse - Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent. If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers: The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night Men who are being abused can call Respect Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244 Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428 If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999 Remember, you are not alone. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime. Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse. 'They have made a pack that somethings are too private and personal to ever be put out for public consumption.' Sources close to the sisters at the time said: 'They are ashamed of him and they think he has behaved appallingly but he is not a part of their life.' Later it was revealed brave mum Suzanna Wells, 56, had walked out on Lee when Sam was just two-years-old, after becoming a victim of domestic violence. The sisters - who have been a huge support to their mum - have had little contact with Lee since. Opening up in her autobiography Sam revealed Lee "half strangled our mum and beat her up so badly she had to go to hospital". But while dad Lee was very publicly disowned, stepdad Dave has remained very much a part of the family despite his criminal past. When Billie was 12 and Sam 11, Dave was jailed for 12 years over drug supply and firearms offences, leaving Suzie to bring up the girls alone. Police caught him with 140,000 ecstasy tablets, 130 kilograms of cannabis, and two pistols, with ammunition. Then in 2012, Sam sat in court, alongside then boyfriend Joey Essex, to see Dave sentenced to four years for his part in £1.1 million bullion robbery. Opening up about Dave's life of crime in her book, Sam said: "We even had to spend five years in Spain sort of hiding out with him." Sam had to acknowledge both men's dodgy pasts in her supposedly 'tell-all' book. But it's not the only controversy surrounding the celebrity sisters. Night club attack Just a couple of weeks before the court case, Sam and Billie, then aged 21 and 20, were attacked by a girl gang in a night club, and rushed to hospital for brain scans. Sam needed a brain scan after two attacks on the same night in 2011 during which she was brutally punched and kicked unconscious. Showing The Sun two black eyes, a split nose, lumps and bruises and scratches down her back, she recalled at the time: 'I really thought I was going to die. 'They just came at me like a herd of elephants. 'It's just a blur. I was being so violently attacked by so many girls there was nothing I could do but curl up into a ball. Then I passed out.' 15 15 We told how the beauties were first set on when they went to a nightclub early on a Sunday. The pair were kicked, stamped on with high heels and clawed by the wild-eyed thugs. Billie said: 'I was surrounded by at least ten girls on the dance floor. Sam was nearby. Then, in a split second, I'm on the ground and there is blood coming out of my leg. 'I had been hit with a glass or a bottle.' Sam was also knocked to the ground at the Jet Black club in central London. The violent assault continued outside as crowds gathered to watch. Billie was repeatedly beaten to the ground. She went on to say at the time: 'I was in shock. They were calling me a slag. I kept screaming, 'Why, why', but they wouldn't stop. 'They were punching me and hitting me with their high heels when I was on the ground. They pulled my hair and dragged me along the street.' Her £1,500 Mulberry handbag was taken in the attack — containing her house keys and mobile phone. She also lost a bracelet, earrings and her shoes. 'I was surrounded by at least ten girls on the dance floor. Sam was nearby. Then, in a split second, I'm on the ground and there is blood coming out of my leg." Billie Faiers But a source said: 'Sam and Billie's family history has always been somewhat of a black cloud hanging over their too good to be true family image. "There's a lot more family secrets they could have talked about but they never will. "It is a PR nightmare for the sisters' image. "Some reality stars would want to cash in on their family's criminal past but both sisters would prefer it was never mentioned again." While neither Billie, Sam or mum Suzie has ever been involved in anything illegal themselves, the Faiers' family name has long had rumoured links to former East End gangs, which much of Essex is infamously built on. Insiders claim it's inevitable their early family life will have been touched by the criminal dealings of their family in some way. 'People forget Sam and Billie didn't grow up in a life of luxury,' one insider told The Sun Online. 'There were tough times. There were people around them who made money in all sorts of ways. 'Their troubled childhood resulted in both sisters' being determined to build a better future for their own kids.' Sam is now engaged to property developer Paul Knightley, 36. The pair met in 2014 and have three children; Paul Jr., Rosie, and baby Edward. While Paul is notoriously private and often refused to film for The Mummy Diaries, he's played a steady role in Sam's life. Fans have often criticised his grumpy on-screen manner and traditional views, but Sam has always stood by her man. Despite never marrying, the couple live a quiet family life in Hertfordshire — with frequent breaks to Dubai, the Maldives and Mallorca. Billie, on the other hand, is married to long-term partner Greg Shepherd, 40. "There's a lot more family secrets they could have talked about but they never will." Greg became a reality star in his own right, often stealing scenes in The Mummy Diaries with his dad-jokes. They tied the knot in a lavish Maldives wedding in 2019. Biological dad Lee was noticeably absent, with the girls staying estranged from him since he and their mother Suzie split. Billie was instead walked down the aisle by step-dad Dave, who is also now separated from their mum. The married couple also have three children; Nelly, Arthur and baby Margot. They recently moved into a sprawling £1.4million mansion. Both their lives are now a far cry from their troubled beginnings. 15 15 15 15
Associated Press
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Kasalaini Sauvou's 'Secrets of Karolina' Delivers Suspenseful Italian Drama
Gripping narrative unravels family secrets and an enthralling journey through love, secrets, in the tangled vines of Sicily. YORBA LINDA, CA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 / / -- In ' Secrets of Karolina ', Kasalaini Sauvou presents a suspenseful novel set against the backdrop of Italy's lush vineyards. The story follows Savana, a young American woman whose search for love leads her into the complex web of secrets surrounding Karolina, a wealthy matriarch. As Savana becomes entangled in the dark undercurrents of Karolina's family, she faces the challenge of uncovering hidden truths that threaten to disrupt her quest for happiness, and of unraveling the darkness that lies beneath the idyllic surface of Sicily's vineyards. The novel has received positive feedback from readers. AliReads, an Amazon reader who awarded the book a five-star rating, commended its compelling writing and noted that 'it is very well written and not always as sweet as you'd hope a story to be'. This review highlights the book's engaging narrative and its skillful balance of suspense and drama. Michele Klawitter, another enthusiastic reviewer, praised the book with a five-star rating, stating, 'Couldn't put it down!' Klawitter appreciated the book's atmospheric setting and the immersive quality of its storytelling, which drives the complex relationships and secrets within the plot. S.J. Main's review also reflects the novel's effectiveness in building suspense. Main described the book as having a 'wonderfully drafted' premise, noting, 'The suspense and its premise are wonderfully drafted. You cannot see what is to happen next.' Kasalaini Sauvou, originally from the Fiji Islands, combines her diverse experiences in government, business, and art with a deep understanding of human relationships and cultural contexts. Her previous work, 'Love Me Forever', explored themes of love from spiritual and personal perspectives. 'Secrets of Karolina' continues this exploration by delving into themes of secrecy and manipulation. For those who want to grab a copy and immerse in a story where secrets and desires intertwine in a breathtaking Italian setting, 'Secrets of Karolina' is available for purchase on Amazon in both paperback and eBook formats. About Inks & Bindings: Launching brilliant stars into the spotlight! Inks & Bindings is set to broaden horizons, revamp to perfection, and produce a masterpiece through the power of books. Inks and Bindings is a premier self-publishing company located at the heart of the Golden State. Aptly based where fashion, entertainment, and culture thrive, the team goes all out in bringing independent authors into the sweet California spotlight. JORELOU GABATO Inks and Bindings, LLC 7142022464 ext. email us here Visit us on social media: Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok X Other Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
