The five individuals arrested for the horrific kidnapping, torture and murder of Michigan mother Nicole Cuevas waived their right to a preliminary hearing this week.
That’s no surprise. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if there’s enough evidence to bring a defendant to trial. The eyewitness and forensic evidence against them has got to be overwhelming.
Is Debra Fox Confirmed as Murdered?
The last report I’ve seen into the manner and cause of death of Debra Fox, the woman who owned the home at 142 Carlisle Street where where Nicole Cuevas was tortured and murdered, is that her cause and manner of death are both “undetermined.”
Her body was found on March 26, 2024, at the bottom of a steep embankment behind a budget hotel. She’d been staying there with at least one of the murder suspects after she lost her home to unpaid property taxes. (That home had been in her family since the 1940s, per Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds.)
It says, “The longtime owner of the home, 69-year-old Debra Fox, was also murdered.” and “If you have any information about the murder of Debra Fox, contact Wilkes-Barre Police.”
Did that news outlet jump to that conclusion, or do they have access to some new (or inside) information? While it’s not exactly a giant leap to assume Debra Fox didn’t trip and fall down that embankment but was a victim of foul play, news outlets typically stick to the documented facts.
I can’t find any news reports that state Debra Fox’s death certificate has been amended to show the manner of death as homicide. And I haven’t had a chance to request a copy of the coroner’s report to see for myself if there is a change.
If you know anything about the death of Debra Fox, contact the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. You can call anonymously by phone at 570.208.4200, Extension 4, by sending the Wilkes-Barre Police Department Facebook Page a private message, or using the form at the WBPD website.
After a long pause, I’ve decided to get going with this website again.
I had a lot happen in my personal life over the past several months, PLUS I was feeling discouraged when all of my original articles were taken from this site and plagiarized word for word, without even giving this website the courtesy of a mention or a link.
I guess the best way to work around that is to start doing a podcast.
Her remains were found in Black Creek Township, about 30 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre, in 1973. Local lore has it her spirit haunts the stretch of highway where she was found.
Artist’s rendering of “I-80 Jane Doe” source: https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/UP8924
It’s August 9, 1973, and a tourist decides to pull off Interstate 80 near Sugarloaf in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for a walk in the woods. But instead of enjoying a peaceful stroll, they stumble upon something horrifying — just 100 feet from the highway, wrapped in a blanket, is the body of a woman.
This woman, later known as I-80 Jane Doe, wasn’t just left there. The body had been doused in sulfuric acid, a highly corrosive chemical that causes third-degree burns on contact – a move clearly meant to prevent identification.
And for more than 50 years, that’s exactly what it did.
“Body of Woman Found at Tank” Standard-Speaker, August 10, 1973, Page 15. via Newspapers.com
Discovery and Early Investigation
When Jane Doe was found, investigators were baffled. Luzerne County Coroner Dr. George Hudock conducted the autopsy at Wyoming Valley Hospital. Here’s what he could gather: Jane Doe was African American, between 21 and 30 years old, around 5 feet tall, and weighed about 100 pounds.
There were no signs of injury or trauma to her body. X-rays and fingerprinting turned up nothing. Hudock ran toxicology tests to look for drugs or poison in her system, but if he found anything, it was never released to the public.
The initial investigation revealed that the body was carried to the site, in other words, she wasn’t killed there, and the young woman died 48 to 72 hours before she was found.
Luzerne County Detective James Grace told the Standard-Speaker that they were checking with schools for a missing girl, just in case she was younger than the estimate, and her description was being circulated to police departments in an eight-state area.
But, it seems there were never any leads.
Six days after she was found, Jane Doe was quietly buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hanover Township. Rev. W.J. Atterbeary, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Wilkes-Barre, officiated at her graveside.
And just three months later, the investigation was closed.
“Autopsy Fails to Determine Death Cause,” The Times Leader, August 10, 1973, Page 21. via Newspapers.com
A Second Look: The 2016 Exhumation
Fast forward to 2016. After more than four decades, investigators decided to exhume I-80 Jane Doe’s body. DNA technology had come a long way, and there was renewed hope that they could finally identify her. Dr. Erin Kimmerle from the University of South Florida led the forensic examination. They collected DNA samples, hoping for a match in national databases.
But despite the advancements in forensic science, it hit a dead end. No viable DNA profile could be developed. I-80 Jane Doe’s body was reburied in Maple Hill Cemetery.
2024: A New Hope
Now, nearly eight years later, investigators are taking another shot. In July 2024, Luzerne County District Attorney Samuel M. Sanguedolce and Assistant District Attorney Carl Frank filed a petition to exhume I-80 Jane Doe’s body once again. President Judge Michael T. Vough signed off on it.
Dr. Kimmerle is back on the case, leading another forensic examination. But this time, it’s more comprehensive —medicolegal autopsy, skeletal analysis, forensic dental work, X-rays, an MRI scan.
And, of course, they’re going to try for more DNA samples. The hope is that, with today’s advanced technology, they can get a usable profile and enter it into a national database.
That could lead to relatives, and relatives could lead to her name.
Who Was I-80 Jane Doe?
Who was I-80 Jane Doe? From what we know, she was a young Black woman, probably between 20 and 30 years old (certainly younger than 40), 4’10” to 5’2” tall, and weighed around 100 pounds.
She had dark brown or black hair tied in a short ponytail, and brown eyes. When she was found, she was wearing blue-green shorts, a pink blouse with white lace, and floral slippers. Wrapped in a yellow and green blanket, with the legs pinned. She had an upper dental bridge with six teeth.
The slippers/shoes found with the remains of I-80 Jane Doe. Source: The Doe Network
Besides her identity, what we also don’t know is who caused her death. Who left her by the highway? Who covered her with sulfuric acid? What did they want to hide?
What were this young woman’s dreams?
Who was waiting for her to come home that day in 1973?
What’s Next?
With this second exhumation, officials are hopeful they’ll get enough DNA to finally identify I-80 Jane Doe. If they can match her profile to any relatives, we might finally learn her name. And once we have that, maybe the truth about what happened to her will follow.
For now, all we can do is wait. If 2024 is the year we identify I-80 Jane Doe, it could bring closure to a case that’s haunted Pennsylvania for far too long. Some even say the ghost of I-80 Jane Doe haunts the highway where her body was found. Will this be the year her name is finally revealed and she can find some peace?
Hopefully, time, and science, will tell us very soon.
The family of homicide victim Nicole Cuevas held a service today at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church in Saginaw, Michigan, according to a Facebook post by Nicole’s brother Paris Scroggins. Nicole’s obituary reads, “Nicole loved to read. Nicole truly loved being with her children and her family and friends. She loved visiting, chatting, and helping family and friends whenever needed.”
Court Date Moved for Suspects
All five suspects in the brutal kidnapping, torture, and murder of Nicole Cuevas are locked up in county jails without bail (Jason Race, Desiree Linnete, Faith Beamer, and Sarai Doyle are in the Luzerne County Jail; William Wolfe is in Lackawanna County Jail, per court documents).
The next action on their court dockets is the preliminary hearing. It was originally set for all five defendants on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., in the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.
It has been continued, aka rescheduled, to August 2, 2024, Friday, at 9 a.m.
The Robert Baron murder trial has started today, Monday, May 6, 2024. The trial is expected to take about two weeks, beginning with jury selection today.
I think most locals will agree this case has haunted Northeastern Pennsylvania ever since Robert Baron went missing under suspicious circumstances in late January 2017. He was the owner of the iconic Old Forge restaurant Ghigiarelli’s — a 100-year-old establishment. Gruesome details about his disappearance made the news, such as the discovery of blood and a tooth at Baron’s family-owned establishment. Billboards pleading for help solving the case were constant reminders of this horrible mystery, which went unsolved for six long years.
Justin Schuback, 38, of Foundry Street in Old Forge, who was an associate of Robert Baron’s son, was arrested on March 31, 2023. He is charged with:
• Murder Of The First Degree • Murder Of The Second Degree •Murder Of The Third Degree Robbery-Inflict Serious Bodily Injury • Burglary – Overnight Accommodations; Person Present, Bodily Injury Crime Theft By Unlaw Taking-Movable Prop • Criminal Homicide • Abuse Of Corpse
Shuback pleaded not guilty to all charges at his June 2023 preliminary hearing, despite the fact it was his cell-tower data that led police straight to Robert Baron’s remains.
The autopsy was inconclusive for Debra “Debbie” Jane Fox, 69, whose remains were found behind the All Host Inn and Suites in Wilkes-Barre on March 26, 2024. The coroner could not determine what caused her death or whether her death was accidental, homicidal, suicidal, etc. This ruling can be changed if more evidence comes to light.
Debra was reportedly last seen alive in mid-January 2024, per the district attorney. Her daughter Melissa Fox said she last saw her mother in November 2023, when Debra was staying at a local hotel.
Local law enforcement didn’t publicly announce Debra’s cause of death; it was released in response to a right-to-know request from the Times Leader. Per the TL, investigators seem to be actively pursuing leads, with several search warrants filed. County President Judge Michael T. Vough has sealed those warrants so their contents aren’t available to the public at this time.
Debra was the owner of 142 Carlisle Street and apparently was living at that home when Nicole Cuevas was held there against her will, tortured, murdered, and buried in the basement in April 2023. The D.A. says there is no evidence Debra was involved.
Deep family roots at Carlisle Street
The house at 142 Carlisle Street was owned by Debra’s parents since 1948. Debra’s aunt, her father’s sister, lived and raised a family in another one of these rowhouses. Debra’s father, Luke T. Race, died in 1974 at age 55. He was a veteran of World War II and had worked for the Glen Alden Coal Company.
Debra’s mother, who was born in Virginia, passed away in 2002. After her mother’s passing, Debra and her husband Daniel Fox inherited the home, according to a deed filed in 2002 with the Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds. Husband Daniel Fox died in 2021. Only two years later, Debra lost the family home because of unpaid property taxes.
Information needed
Do you know anything about the death of Debra Jane Fox? Anyone with related information can contact Wilkes-Barre City Detective Division c/o Lt. Mathew Stash at 570-208-0911 or Detective James Conmy at 570-208-6775.
You can also submit an anonymous tip through Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers. If your tip leads to an arrest, you could qualify for a $5,000 reward.
Sources
“Luke T Race, 55, of City, Taken by Death,” The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Monday, September 09, 1974, accessed on newspapers.com
Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds, book 3002, page 214485, Estate of Elsie V. Race to Debra Fox and Daniel Fox
“Daniel Fox,” Obituary, Citizens’ Voice, October 22, 2021, viewed on newspapers.com.
A “trick roll” is a scam using the false promise of sex for money to rob a would-be customer. Victims of the scheme usually don’t report the con. But when the mark dies, it speaks volumes to law enforcement. The suspicious death of 36-year-old Mark J. Harrison in Nanticoke is under investigation after he was found deceased in his home on April 14 from a possible drug overdose. Law enforcement sources suggest that one or two women, possibly advertised as prostitutes on social media, might have intended to induce the overdose to steal from Harrison.
The Times Leader’s Look Back column by Ed Lewis reports on the 1931 murder of George H. Belles, who was living at 142 Carlisle Street. Belles was murdered by a coworker with an icepick and died in Mercy Hospital.
George Sisco, 28, believed his grandmother was the devil and brutally attacked and murdered her when he saw her applying flea medication to the cat. According to court documents, Sisco believed she was poisoning the pet and initially attacked her with his fists and then with a knife, stabbing her in the chest and later setting her body on fire.
[Paywall] The Citizens Voice published an in-depth feature on the case of Danielle Marie Drozdowski, who was 25 years old when she vanished in the spring of 2014. Family members and court documents reveal that in the months leading up to her disappearance, Drozdowski became involved with members of a notorious gang and a gangster rap group from Brooklyn, New York.
Danielle Fox, daughter of Debra Jane Fox, has set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses for her mother.
Debra Jane Fox, 69, was the former homeowner of 142 Carlisle Street in Wilkes-Barre, where Michigan woman Nicole Cuevas, 38, was held against her will, tortured daily for three weeks, brutally murdered, and buried in the basement. Officials say there is no evidence Fox was involved in the crimes against Cuevas.
Mrs. Fox, a widow and mother of two daughters, was reportedly last seen by her daughter Melissa Fox in November 2023. Unfortunately, Debra Fox was found deceased on March 26, 2024, at the bottom of a wooded embankment behind the Host Inn All Suites hotel in Wilkes-Barre.
As of now, Debra Fox’s death has not been ruled a homicide, and no charges have been filed in relation to her case. No cause of death has been publicly released yet, either.
In an interview with reporter Andy Mehalshik about the Debra Fox case, District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said, “It is not yet being called a homicide. Her body was in such a state of decomposition we are still investigating the cause and manner of death. Obviously, it’s very suspicious to us and we believe it’s linked to Carlisle Street home after we found Nicole Cuevas’s body buried in the basement.”
Unofficial sources say that after Debra Fox’s husband, Daniel Fox, 66, died in late 2021, Debra started taking in lodgers to help with expenses. (If that’s true, it seems they weren’t much help since she lost her home, which was in her family since 1948, due to unpaid property taxes in Sept. 2023.)
One of those lodgers, Jason Paul Race, a homicide suspect in the Nicole Cuevas case, was Fox’s nephew, according to a 2010 obituary for Fox’s brother. In a recent WVIA news report, Melissa Fox said that Jason Race was a cousin through adoption.
Debra Fox obtained a protection-from-abuse order against her nephew Jason Race in August 2023, four months after the murder of Cuevas. Per the Citizens Voice, Fox alleged Race had threatened to kill her, shot her with a BB gun, held a knife to her throat, and more.
Fox wrote on her application for protection, “I was elderly abused, starved, hit with his fist, kicked, raped, got shot with BB guns — hit with the BB gun. Threatened for (my) life.” She also alleged she was locked in her room.
While Debra Fox was still missing, her daughter Danielle Fox described her mother to WNEP news, “She had a big heart. She’ll take anybody in. She’d rather see people safe than being homeless and all that.”
I hope we get some answers about what happened to Debra Fox soon.
All five individuals arrested for the brutal kidnapping, torture, and murder of Nicole Cuevas are currently locked up in county jails (Jason Race, Desiree Linnete, Faith Beamer, and Sarai Doyle are in the Luzerne County Jail; William Wolfe is in Lackawanna County Jail, per court documents).
The next action on their court dockets is the preliminary hearing, set to take place for all five defendants on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., in the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.
During a preliminary hearing, a magisterial district judge listens to the evidence from both the prosecution and the defense. The prosecution needs to prove there is good reason to believe a crime was committed and that the accused is likely the person who did it.
The judge determines if there’s enough evidence to believe the accused committed the crime. If the judge thinks there is, the case will move on to the Common Pleas Court. If not, the charges will be dropped.
The accused can choose to waive the preliminary hearing, and the case will go straight to the Common Pleas Court.
Personally, I think since there is so much evidence and most of the defendants have confessed to their roles in the horrific crimes against Nicole Cuevas, I’d guess this bunch would waive the hearing rather than sit through a play-by-play of the horror they so cruelly inflicted on another human being. It seems like only Linnette is trying to say she wasn’t present when the torture and murder took place, per the police affidavit.
The family of homicide victim Nicole Cuevas, whose remains were buried in the basement of 142 Carlisle Street in Wilkes-Barre, has set up a GoFundMe. The fundraiser was established by Paris Scroggins, Cuevas’ younger brother.
The GoFundMe page says all money raised will go toward transporting Cuevas’ remains to Michigan, funeral costs, traveling back and forth from Michigan to Pennsylvania for trial dates, and helping with unanticipated costs related to funeral and burial costs.
Scroggins wrote, “My sister was a good person and neither her nor her family deserves what happened.”
