Killer Realizes Cops Found Hidden Messages On Victim’s Phone

Killer Realizes Cops Found Hidden Messages On Victim’s Phone

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Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to your True Crime Podcast. In the

investigation into Ty Underwood's murder, police interviewed her roommate and

a co-worker before questioning Carlton Champion Jr. Their interviews covered

Ty's movements that night, her contacts, and evidence investigators were examining.

Speaker 2: For like a couple weeks now, like maybe two or

three weeks.

Speaker 3: And who are you staying there with?

Speaker 2: Kedrick Darks.

Speaker 4: And what is the relationship between you and Kedrick?

Speaker 2: We are really good friends. Okay.

Speaker 3: Now, is there somebody else that stays there?

Speaker 5: Tyrone.

Speaker 2: Tyrone? Tyrone and Kedrick. That's all. That's it.

Speaker 3: So when you came back to the apartment, Ty was there?

Speaker 2: Yeah. Okay. Close to 11. Ty was there. And then, like,

everything was normal. Like, everything was normal.

Speaker 6: I went to bed something after 2 because I remember

getting the last text message I remember looking at was

like at 151. And it was from one of my

friends letting me know that they were hearing Tyler.

Speaker 2: And, okay, 151. If I'm not mistaken, I still think

Todd was there at 151.

Speaker 3: Do you have any idea why he might have left?

Why he might have left the apartment?

Speaker 6: The only reason that I would know of is maybe

that he went to meet a guy.

Speaker 2: Okay. That's the only thing.

Speaker 3: Do you have any idea who this guy might have been?

Speaker 2: No.

Speaker 3: Is this a common thing that he does?

Speaker 2: This is a pretty common thing that both of these

children do.

Speaker 6: It's always been my fear that something like this would

have happened to them because they're from Lufkin.

Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying? Like, this is so surreal

right now.

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.

Speaker 6: Because, like, this has been one of my fears. Like,

something bad would have happened to them because if you

look at them, they look like women.

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. They look like women.

Speaker 6: Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: You know?

Speaker 6: And that with the wrong element of a person, you

know what I'm saying? Somebody that don't understand or is

not open-minded enough or feel like they're being tricked. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 4: Don't I understand? And you help me understand this. How

would he have met these people or a person that

last night? Do you think that this would have been

a one night hookup? Do you think it might have

been somebody that he has known before? Or somebody that

He just met online.

Speaker 3: Help me. Because here's the thing. I want to find

who did this to him.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 3: And you might be one of the best helps that

I've got.

Speaker 2: Now, this is what I will give you some information.

Speaker 6: But as far as how or who, I could tell

you because I don't really know the child's life like that.

Speaker 2: But what I can tell you is tagged. What? Write

this down. An app on your phone. Okay. Call tagged. T-A-G-G-E-D.

Look into that.

Speaker 7: Tagged.

Speaker 2: Or P-O-F. Or something maybe. Is it a website? P-O-F

is a website. Okay.

Speaker 3: Or are these some of the websites that you think

Ty wrote?

Speaker 2: I am to believe that Ty might have made guys through.

Speaker 5: Okay.

Speaker 2: So. Okay.

Speaker 6: Those are the ones I'm thinking of at this point.

That's maybe where he met the guy or whatever. Has

he got websites here? I'm not familiar with them. I

don't know how they operate.

Speaker 4: But if I was to log into those, would there

be some way that I could track what Ty did

on those? I mean, is it one, say, like Facebook

and you can search somebody's name?

Speaker 6: Well, yes, you can. I think you can search for

people on those websites. I think you can.

Speaker 2: I don't know. Maybe if y'all got into her phone, maybe.

And just stop. That's what you probably... I.

Speaker 6: Think that's where you will find a lot of your information.

It's to get into that phone and figure out what

it is that went.

Speaker 2: On that night.

Speaker 8: The next steps for the investigation were clear, but the

detective still wanted to talk about a few theories with

the roommate before letting her go.

Speaker 4: But as far as who he dated and dating habits

and that sort of thing, it most likely come from Kenyon.

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker 9: He would have more information. Would have way more information

about that. These, they, like I said, they have healthy

dating lives. And they would, I'm not sure what this is,

but whoever it was, they knew the situation.

Speaker 4: So you don't think that it would have been a

surprise to them that suddenly Ty shows up and this

guy suddenly finds out that he's a man and gets

angry or something like that.

Speaker 3: Well, if that's the case, then.

Speaker 2: This is not how... I'm.

Speaker 6: Going to say this is not how I raised them.

And this is not how I... Because I'm older than them.

I'm 28. They're like 23 and 24. So, like, I'm

a little older and I've been doing this a little

while longer. One thing I've always told them to do

is to be honest about who it is that you are. Because, like,

there's no use in getting a guy and he's not

attracted to you.

Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying?

Speaker 6: Right.

Speaker 2: So he could be the most finest.

Speaker 6: Man in the world, but if he's not attracted to you, then,

you know, it's, it's really not serving you any. So

what I do know for sure is out of Kenya

and Thai, this would have not been a surprise to anyone.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 4: Now on those websites, the people who go on those

websites and they hook up, they know, they know.

Speaker 7: They know because usually in the bio, I'm not sure

if they put it in their bio, but I know

somewhere along in their conversation, they let them know that, hey,

I'm a TS girl.

Speaker 6: Okay.

Speaker 2: So before you even get in deep, this is what's

going on. Yeah.

Speaker 8: Even when the detective tried to bring up the anonymous

nature of the apps, she clarified that she always pushed

Ty to reveal her identity early in the conversation. Unfortunately

for Ty, her honesty came at a cost. By this point,

the detective began noticing the seriousness in her tone, and

he decided to change his line of questioning.

Speaker 4: Do you think Ty would have been carrying any cash

or anything like that?

Speaker 3: These hookups, are they is there money involved? No, we're

not that type of person.

Speaker 2: No, we don't do that. We don't do that. I'm

trying to understand. No, we don't do that.

Speaker 4: I don't mean to be offensive in asking questions. I'm

just trying to understand. But we don't do that. So,

is there something that he would have had that this

other person would have wanted?

Speaker 2: No. No money.

Speaker 6: Because if I'm not mistaken, I think y'all found the

purse at the house.

Speaker 3: Okay.

Speaker 2: No.

Speaker 4: Then I'm trying to figure out why the shooting.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 3: And I'm just throwing that out there because, you know, I.

Speaker 2: Don't know either. It was hate.

Speaker 3: You think it's basically just hate?

Speaker 2: It has to be hate because, first of all, the

child's not a problem.

Speaker 6: Okay.

Speaker 2: Ty is not a problem. Kenya is not a problem.

I am not a problem too. You know, we don't

sell favors for money with no guy. Drugs.

Speaker 6: Ty does not do drugs. Doesn't even smoke marijuana. So,

stop smoking cigarettes. Stop smoking cigars. So, like, there was

not that element to the story. This is a pure

hate situation, okay?

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 6: This has to be a pure hate situation because this

child ain't never did nothing to nobody. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 8: The roommate may have been onto something when she suggested

that this was a hate crime, but her most critical

contribution to the case was yet to come. She provided

the police with a key piece of information that significantly

narrowed down their search for the suspect.

Speaker 2: Do you have an idea?

Speaker 3: Not yet.

Speaker 2: Not yet.

Speaker 3: That's the reason it was important.

Speaker 2: And you said 24th Street? Like, who lives on 24th Street?

Speaker 6: Like.

Speaker 2: Street?

Speaker 4: That part of 24th Street is.

Speaker 3: What is that by? Well, 24th Street, you know where

Texas College is.

Speaker 6: At.

Speaker 5: Okay.

Speaker 6: That's why you narrow your search down to Texas College,

because that's what you.

Speaker 2: Well, they mess with college.

Speaker 4: Well, it's several blocks from Texas College, but 24th Street actually.

Speaker 3: Runs right in there at Texas College, and then it.

Speaker 2: Heads back east. Right.

Speaker 3: So it's several blocks from Texas College.

Speaker 4: But obviously, I mean, we're going to want to look

at anybody that's around it, but there's a lot of people.

Speaker 6: I would say look around Texas College because... That's the

type of guy she would have. A college guy.

Speaker 2: You know, a black guy. A black guy.

Speaker 3: Would she have ever dated a white guy, you think?

Speaker 2: No.

Speaker 3: So it would have been a black guy?

Speaker 2: Yeah, she wouldn't. Now, that wouldn't have dated a white guy. Okay.

It would have been a black man.

Speaker 6: Okay.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 4: Not Hispanic or any other race?

Speaker 3: It would have been a black man.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 6: Not only would he have been a black man, but

he would have been a little rough around the edges.

Speaker 2: That's her type. Okay.

Speaker 6: Been a little rough, a little hood, a little street savvy.

That type of person. Maybe been in trouble a little bit.

You know, that type of person.

Speaker 2: Okay. Is the type of person that she would have.

It's been going out.

Speaker 8: According to her, the man Ty had been seeing was

likely African American and a student at Texas College. However,

the only way to confirm her suspicions was to get

into Ty's phone and uncover her chat logs on these

dating apps. But this was proving to be far more

challenging than expected. The detectives decided to bring someone else

in named Mercy, who was Ty's coworker and another one

of her close friends. During her interview, most of the

conversation focused on the $ 200 that she had loaned Ty

the night before.

Speaker 5: So you get off work at 11, and what happens?

Speaker 10: Before I got, I was still at work when she left,

and she sent a.

Speaker 5: Text message.

Speaker 2: And said, I'm.

Speaker 3: Going to just read the text messages.

Speaker 10: She sent a text message and said, Mercy, and I

text back, what's up? And she texts back, are you

able to do me a big favor? And I text back,

what is it, girl? And she said, I need to

borrow some money until I get my school money February

the 11th.

Speaker 5: I text back, how much?

Speaker 3: And she said, and I.

Speaker 10: Said, I was cleaning my vacuum cleaner, girl.

Speaker 2: I took it there for the.

Speaker 5: Maintenance guy to fix for me.

Speaker 10: And she said, really, whatever you feel comfortable with giving

me mercy, I will even pay you more back.

Speaker 2: I just have to make it to the 11th and

I'll be fine.

Speaker 10: And I said, girl, tell me the amount I'm leaving.

Speaker 5: Tell me the amount. I'm leaving work now.

Speaker 10: So I can stop at the ATM. She takes back,

it's 200 too much. And I said, are you going

to school tomorrow? Because I wanted her to meet me

the following day.

Speaker 5: It was late.

Speaker 10: So when I clocked out and got into the car,

I called her. I said, well, I'm driving now. How

are you getting the money? And she said that she

will meet me at my apartment because we live close

to each other.

Speaker 3: So before I.

Speaker 10: Got home to the ATM, she was sitting there in

her car. So she came out, and I came out,

and I told her how scared I was because there

was a guy sitting in his car when I was.

Speaker 5: Getting the money.

Speaker 10: And I gave it to her, and we hugged, and

she said, I'm calling.

Speaker 5: Home to go to work. Can I see those text messages? Yes.

So what time was that that she met you?

Speaker 10: I would say maybe around 11.20. Yeah, around 11.20, because

I left work.

Speaker 2: At exactly at 11. That was the exact time I

clocked out. So I think she met me.

Speaker 3: I don't know, and I took.

Speaker 5: The money out at, I took this money out at 11.06. Oh,

you got the receipt there? Yes, I have the receipts

that I took the money out. And, you know, wow.

Speaker 10: If you have class today, what are you doing.

Speaker 2: At 2 a.m. in a car?

Speaker 8: According to Mercy, Ty borrowed the money at around 11.20 p.m.,

likely for a date she was heading to. When the

officer asks why Ty would need the money, she denied

knowing anything.

Speaker 2: So I just get.

Speaker 10: Out of my car and I give her the money

and we could talk for one minute.

Speaker 5: Did she say what she needed it for?

Speaker 6: Well, she didn't exactly tell me what.

Speaker 2: She needed it to handle for, but when we came to.

Speaker 10: Work, I fired her yesterday because she didn't have money

because of school.

Speaker 3: She just started nursing school in.

Speaker 2: Kelo or Longview.

Speaker 10: So when we came yesterday she opened her phone her

phone has a place at her back she put money

it was one dollar and she said this is all

I have you know she's kind of very proud and

I know she'll pay me back because this is not

the first time she took money from.

Speaker 11: Me does she ever say anything to you about any

guys any girl you know anybody she meets.

Speaker 10: I know she says she has a boyfriend in Texas

College and that is that is it.

Speaker 5: Do you know his name She said, she's a footballer.

Speaker 2: You know, she plays football.

Speaker 5: And that is it. Like soccer or football? No, American football.

You like tackle football? Well, she just said football. Is

it a guy?

Speaker 2: Yeah, she like guys.

Speaker 10: I'm sorry, I can never call her he because we'll fight.

Speaker 5: I have to call her he. Well, I have to

call him Kedrick. You know what I mean? Yeah, when

was that she told me? So you suppose, is her

name Carlton? The boyfriend, I don't know. She didn't ever

mention it.

Speaker 10: She just told me about the relationship and the reason

why she liked him is because he said that last

time she came to her house, that was last week, Sunday,

she told me at work, that this week no friends

because when my boyfriend came, he laid down and was

just staring to the ceiling and she asked him, why?

And he said, I'm just thinking about Football and what

I will.

Speaker 5: Be in the future. And she told me that is.

Speaker 2: Why she like him.

Speaker 8: This left the officers at a dead end and they

had no further leads. But that would soon change. In

another interview with Ty's friend, Kenya, detectives uncovered some critical

new information.

Speaker 3: Do you know any of her friends?

Speaker 2: The last one I knew of was this dude named Carlton.

Speaker 5: How long has she been seeing this Carlton person?

Speaker 2: He spent two or three nights at our apartment.

Speaker 8: Carlton was identified as one of Ty's most recent boyfriends.

Soon after the interview, investigators were able to unlock Ty's phone,

revealing conversations that Carlton was having with Ty under the

alias Jude Willam. This was enough to bring Carlton in

for questioning. Before coming in, he submitted DNA, which, when tested,

provided something even more interesting. The detective didn't hold back

on using this information right away.

Speaker 5: I don't need to play games, okay? I've got DNA back, Carlton. Well,

there's blood on your jacket.

Speaker 2: Can't be blood on my jacket.

Speaker 3: I ain't never meet up with him. It can't be.

It can't be no DNA.

Speaker 2: I got to say that for myself.

Speaker 3: I ain't meet up with him at all.

Speaker 5: And you said you've never been in that car.

Speaker 2: I wasn't in the car.

Speaker 3: I promise I was not.

Speaker 6: In that car.

Speaker 2: Okay, Carlton.

Speaker 5: Why is your DNA in the car?

Speaker 2: I got to say that for myself. I was not.

Speaker 3: I didn't see that dude that night.

Speaker 5: Why? Okay, you tell me this. That swab that you

gave us, your DNA.

Speaker 2: Yes, sir. Okay.

Speaker 6: Yes, sir.

Speaker 5: And we took spots from the whole inside of that car. Yes, sir.

Your DNA is all in that car. And you know what?

Speaker 6: Yes, sir.

Speaker 5: You're the only one with your DNA besides a twin.

Speaker 2: And you have a twin, right?

Speaker 6: Yes, sir.

Speaker 5: Where's your twin at?

Speaker 2: Prison. Prison.

Speaker 5: So he's not out.

Speaker 2: No, I know that for sure.

Speaker 11: So, like one in I don't know how many billions, millions, billions,

is you're the only person with your DNA.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 8: Because I told you, I did.

Speaker 2: A lot of stuff about my tablet. My tablet, if

you got too much.

Speaker 5: Okay, but listen, I don't understand.

Speaker 4: But you deleted it because of what happened.

Speaker 2: No, I didn't.

Speaker 5: So we wouldn't find all that, all those text messages.

Speaker 11: And then you tell me that somebody else made your account.

Speaker 5: In your name.

Speaker 2: I do, I do got two accounts, though.

Speaker 5: Okay, but everything you've told me has been a lie.

Speaker 2: I got two accounts, though.

Speaker 5: Okay, but the thing of it is is that that

kick out that you talked with Tyrone is you.

Speaker 11: Because you acting like, you told me the first time

you met Tyrone and part one time, you never had a.

Speaker 5: Relationship or anything. We know that's a lie.

Speaker 2: I never had a relationship.

Speaker 5: You never had a relationship with Tyrone?

Speaker 6: No. No, sir.

Speaker 2: I never did.

Speaker 5: No, you told me what you wanted me to hear.

You didn't tell me the damn truth. No, you didn't.

And that's fine. By all means, take it to trial.

Because when a jury gives you life in prison, don't

say that I didn't warn you. I'm telling you Carlton,

I'm giving you every opportunity to tell me the truth.

Speaker 8: But whether Carlton wanted to admit their relationship or not,

Ty's phone revealed something far more significant. In the early

hours of January 26th, the pair had been arguing over kick,

with Ty eventually deciding she wanted to meet Carlton near

his college. Ty confirmed that she had arrived. It was

clear that Carlton did not want her to move. from

where she was, and ultimately, the conversation abruptly stopped. What

made this concerning was that Ty had been murdered just

one street away from where Carlton had arranged to meet her.

Speaker 11: You told him that night you didn't want to meet

up with him that day.

Speaker 2: Yes, sir. Okay.

Speaker 5: Well, then Tyrone says, I'm coming up there. And then

Tyrone says, I'm coming to the college. You're like, no,

you're not. And meet me on 25th.

Speaker 11: Because this is not the first time that Tyrone's been

up there.

Speaker 2: But I never, I promise, I never met him.

Speaker 5: Did Tyrone say that he was going to tell people

about you?

Speaker 2: No, I wouldn't care about that.

Speaker 5: You don't care?

Speaker 2: I had an incident like that one time.

Speaker 5: It wouldn't matter. What?

Speaker 6: Like somebody saying this and that, and I'll tell you

some stuff along the way.

Speaker 3: But I never met up with him that night.

Speaker 5: I don't know.

Speaker 3: How my DNA got in common or about none of that.

Speaker 2: I never met up with him that night.

Speaker 5: There were moments of him. Just take the trial. You

have every right to take the trial, Carlton.

Speaker 11: Which I'm going to tell you this, there's a lot

of people that are smarter than me that says your

DNA is.

Speaker 5: In multiple spots in that car. So I don't, I mean,

the thing about it is you can take that all

the way to trial.

Speaker 1: Carlton Champion Jr. was sentenced to life in prison and

fined $ 10, 000 for Ty Underwood's murder. You've been listening to

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