Natasha Ryan Found Dead in Rockhampton
Natasha Ryan, a 40-year-old woman from Queensland, known for one of Australia's most famous missing person cases, was found dead at a Rockhampton golf course. Her husband, Scott Black, reported her missing late Saturday night, prompting authorities to search for her. Queensland police identified her body the following Sunday morning and confirmed non-suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Ryan, also known as Tash Black, first garnered public attention in 1998 when she disappeared at age 14. Initially presumed murdered, she was later discovered hiding in a cupboard at her boyfriend Scott Black's residence in 2003, almost five years after her disappearance. This discovery occurred during the trial of serial killer Leonard John Fraser, who falsely confessed to her murder.
Following her reappearance, Ryan faced significant media scrutiny. She later studied nursing and was working as a radiology nurse at the time of her death. Ryan's family and friends remember her as a dedicated professional and loving mother of four.
Chad Daybell Sentenced to Death in Idaho Murders
Chad Daybell was sentenced to death in Fremont County, Idaho, for his role in the murders of Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 7, Tylee Ryan, 16, and his former wife Tammy Daybell. JJ and Tylee were last seen in September 2019, and their bodies were discovered on Daybell's property in June 2020. Tammy Daybell was murdered in October 2019.
Daybell and his accomplice, Lori Vallow, constructed an apocalyptic belief system to justify the murders, allegedly perceiving the victims as obstacles to their relationship and financial gain. Vallow, sentenced to life without parole last year, maintains that her children are "happy and busy" in the spirit world.
Daybell showed no emotion during the sentencing, which was decided unanimously by an Idaho jury. The case has attracted widespread media attention since the children were first reported missing in late 2019. Daybell now faces execution by firing squad.
Lori Vallow's Sister Speaks at CrimeCon 2024
Summer Shiflet, the sister of Lori Vallow, publicly thanked prosecutors after Chad Daybell received a death sentence for his involvement in the murders of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Shiflet expressed that justice had been served and discussed Vallow's mental state, attributing her actions to a delusional belief system influenced by Daybell.
Vallow, already sentenced to life without parole for her role in the murders, continues to claim that her deceased children are content in the afterlife. The trial revealed that Vallow and Daybell viewed themselves as part of a special 144,000 survivors of an impending apocalypse, leading to the elimination of individuals they deemed "dark" and possessed.
Authorities continue to investigate Vallow for additional charges related to the deaths of her ex-husband, Charles Vallow, and her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.