Cherita Thomas 20, Msg 08/03/80, [Man Char'gd with Murder], Ausable Twp MI

[sarahhod]

Man charged in Michigan woman's disappearance

Associated Press11:25 AM CDT, May 1, 2009

TAWAS CITY, Mich. - A man is headed to trial on a murder charge in the case of a Michigan (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/michigan-PLGEO100102800000000.topic) woman who has been missing since 1980.

The Bay City Times reports 56-year-old Jimmie Nelson pleaded not guilty Monday in Iosco County Circuit Court on an open murder charge.

The former Oscoda man is accused of killing 20-year-old Cherita Thomas of Oscoda. Her body never has been found, but authorities say Nelson was with her the night she disappeared.

Nelson previously was charged in Thomas' death, but the charge was dismissed. A jury in 2006 convicted him of perjury and obstruction of justice in the case, sending him to jail for a year.

Defense attorney Dominic Greco said Friday Nelson is innocent, and there is no evidence a murder took place.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-ioscocoldcase,0,5363785.story

[sarahhod]

MichiganDoes.com
elizabeth@michigandoes.com (Elizabeth@MichiganDoes.com)

[/URL][URL="http://www.michigandoes.com/search.html"] (http://www.michigandoes.com/index.html)http://www.michigandoes.com/images/MP/CheritaThomas3.jpg
Cherita Janice Thomas
Ausable Township, Iosco County, Michigan
August 3, 1980
Classification: Endangered Missing
Vital Statistics




Age at time of disappearance: 20-years-old

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Distinguishing Characteristics: African American female


Circumstances
On August 3, 1980, Cherita Thomas disappeared in Iosco County's AuSable Township. She was last seen on a stretch of road, on her way to pick up her small daughter from the sitter when she vanished, barely a mile from the police station. According to police, Cherita's vehicle reportedly stalled at the intersection of US-23 and River Road, and three area youths assisted Thomas in getting it started and she continued on her way. The vehicle apparently stalled again on Sunset Street in AuSable Township, less than two blocks from the sitter's home. Several witnesses reported seeing a blue pickup parked grill-to-grill with Cherita's disabled vehicle about 11:15 p.m. One said she saw Thomas get into the truck with a white-bearded mail, then drove off in the direction of Old US-23. Thomas was never seen again.

A gentleman from Texas (formerly of Oscoda) was charged with an open count of murder in connection with Cherita's disappearance in 2005. Though circumstances surrounding Cherita's disappearance made the court believe she is deceased, due to insufficient evidence that some type of criminal agency caused her death, the charges were dismissed. However, the murder charge was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be reinstated as warranted by new evidence.


Investigating Agency
Oscoda Township Police Department
Det/Sgt. Allan MacGregor
517-739-9113
or
FBI
Agent David Marthaler
989-892-6525

http://www.michigandoes.com/MP/CheritaThomas.html
(http://www.oscodapress.com/)

[sarahhod]

The Doe Network:
Case File 1139DFMI

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/images/CThomas.jpg
Thomas, circa 1980
Cherita Janice Thomas
Missing since August 4, 1980 from Ausable Township, Iosco County, Michigan.
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
Distinguishing Characteristics: Black female. Black hair; brown eyes.



Circumstances of Disappearance
On August 4, 1980, Cherita Thomas disappeared in Ausable Township. She was last seen on a stretch of road. Thomas was a black woman and young mother living in a mostly white, conservative town. She was on her way to pick up her baby daughter from the sitter when she vanished, barely a mile from the police station.
At the time of her disappearance, Thomas was driving a borrowed brown AMC Matador.
The vehicle reportedly stalled at the intersection of US-23 and River Road, and three area youths assisted Thomas in getting it started and she continued on her way. The vehicle apparently stalled again on Sunset Street in Ausable Township, less than two blocks from the sitter's home.
Several witnesses reported seeing a blue pickup parked grill-to-grill with the disabled Matador about 11:15 p.m.. One said she saw Thomas get into the truck, which drove off in the direction of Old US-23. Thomas was never seen again.
Foul play is suspected.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Oscoda Township Police Department
Det/Sgt. Allan MacGregor
517-739-9113
or
FBI
Agent David Marthaler
989-892-6525
NCIC Number: N/A
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1139dfmi.html

[sarahhod]

Nelson to face murder charges, again, in 1980 slaying

by Helen Lounsbury | Bay City Times Friday May 01, 2009, 10:27 AM


TAWAS CITY - Nearly 30 years after a young Oscoda woman disappeared, Jimmie Nelson finds himself facing trial for her murder for a second time.
For a second time, too, Nelson is pleading "not guilty."
The defendant, now 56 and living in Texas, pleaded Monday at his arraignment on an open murder charge in Iosco Circuit Court. Nelson's appearance follows a recent Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that concluded a local judge had erred when he dismissed murder charges against Nelson in 2005.
At the time, District Judge Richard Nobel reasoned that prosecutors couldn't use Nelson's admissions to establish that a crime had occurred because they had no supporting evidence.
On appeal, however, the higher court ruled last December that Nelson's admissions of fact were indeed admissible as evidence as long asthey were not confessions of guilt.
Nelson is accused of killing Cherita Thomas, a 20-year-old woman, in 1980.
Though authorities never found Thomas' body, they allege that Nelson, formerly of Oscoda, was with her the night she disappeared.
Last week, Judge Nobel addressed the Appeals Court reversal of his decision and bound Nelson over for trial. Specifically, he said the ruling allowed for sufficient evidence to suggest Nelson may have committed the crime, Prosecutor Gary Rapp said.
"We're ready for trial," Rapp added.
Nelson is free this week on a $1 million personal recognizance bond. He has yet to be scheduled for a pretrial hearing, court administrators said Thursday.
The Times was unable to reach Nelson's attorney, Dominic Greco of Fraser.
Nelson already has a criminal conviction in the Thomas case. After Nobel dismissed the original murder charge, prosecutors pursued Nelson on multiple charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. An Iosco jury convicted Nelson of the latter in 2006.
He served a year in jail and two years of probation.

http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/05/nelson_to_face_murder_charges.html

[sarahhod]

Man charged in woman's 1980 disappearance

Sat, May 2, 2009


TAWAS CITY (AP) — A man is headed to trial on a murder charge in the case of a Michigan woman who has been missing since 1980.
The Bay City Times reported Jimmie Nelson, 56, pleaded not guilty Monday in Iosco County Circuit Court on an open murder charge.
The former Oscoda man is accused of killing 20-year-old Cherita Thomas of Oscoda. Her body never has been found, but authorities say Nelson was with her the night she disappeared.
Nelson previously was charged in Thomas' death, but the charge was dismissed. A jury in 2006 convicted him of perjury and obstruction of justice in the case, sending him to jail for a year.
Defense attorney Dominic Greco said Nelson is innocent, and there is no evidence a murder took place.

http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/298855626227994.bsp