Opinion ID: 1285745
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Vanessa Mack Murder

Text: In February 1994, Vanessa Mack was living in an apartment in Charlotte with her two young daughters. She worked at Carolinas Medical Center. On 20 February 1994, Barbara Rippy, the grandmother of Mack's oldest daughter, went to Mack's apartment to pick up Mack's youngest daughter, as she did every Sunday morning so Mack could go to work. Rippy arrived at 6:00 a.m. and went to the back door, but the door was ajar. Rippy called out, but Mack did not respond. As she entered, Rippy noticed Mack's four-month-old daughter lying on the couch, which she felt was unusual. Rippy entered the bedroom and saw Mack's feet hanging off the side of the bed. Rippy testified that Mack's feet were the only part of her body exposed and that they appeared gray and felt cold. Rippy called 911. Rippy then picked up Mack's daughter and went outside. As she left the apartment, fire department and police department vehicles arrived. Officer Jeffrey Bumgarner of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department found Mack lying on her bed. Bumgarner observed a towel around Mack's neck and blood coming from her nose, ears, and the back of her head. Bumgarner also noticed a pocketbook, with its contents scattered on the bed. Dr. Sullivan performed an autopsy on Mack's body on 21 February 1994. He observed minimal evidence of blunt trauma as well as evidence of strangulation. There was a ligature in place around Mack's neck. The ligature was made of a long-sleeve pull-over type shirt and a towel. Dr. Sullivan also observed small hemorrhages in the conjunctiva, on the skin of the face, and in the muscles in the front of the neck. He also observed small areas of bruising beneath the ligature likely caused by the pinching of the ligature. Dr. Sullivan opined that the cause of Mack's death was strangulation. Defendant confessed that he had been in Mack's neighborhood and had called to see if she was at home. When she answered, he hung up the phone. He then walked over to her apartment. Defendant admitted that his motives for going to see Mack were robbery, to support his cocaine addiction, and murder. Defendant stated that he tried to find a way to maneuver Mack into the position he needed in order to administer a choke hold, but she refused to give defendant a hug, so he asked for something to drink. When Mack turned her back, defendant pulled out a pillowcase he had brought with him and placed it around her neck. As Mack resisted, defendant put more pressure on the pillowcase and explained that this was a robbery. Defendant and Mack went into the bedroom, where defendant commanded Mack to give him all the money she had, including her automated teller machine (ATM) card and personal identification number (PIN). After Mack gave defendant everything, he told her to remove her clothes, which she did. Defendant and Mack engaged in sexual intercourse. Afterwards, defendant told Mack to put her clothes back on. Defendant then tightened the pillowcase around Mack's neck until she passed out. Defendant added another garment to keep the pillowcase from loosening. Defendant then checked on Mack's baby and stayed until the baby went to sleep. Defendant left the apartment, walked down the street, and called a cab. Later, defendant attempted to use the ATM card at several banks and discovered that the PIN given to him by Mack was not correct.