Donetha Laverne Snead, 32: Serial Killer Admits To Murder, Remains Never Located
Darrell Lindsay admitted to killing Donetha, but he died behind bars before revealing additional information to find her.
While this case appears to have found a resolution in justice, Donetha Laverne Snead‘s case remains a mystery. The 32-year-old vanished from St. Augustine, Florida, in April 1993, and it would take years before authorities would learn what happened to her.
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Donetha wasn’t without her struggles. It’s said she was involved in both drug use and sex work, leaving her vulnerable to nefarious characters. The Doe Network reports that in 1997, serial killer Darrell Lindsey admitted to police that he was responsible for Donetha’s murder. He claimed that he saw Donetha working as a prostitute as she walked on West King Street. The pair then went to Masters Farm, where Lindsey lived in a trailer. After spending the day together, Lindsey said he would drive Donetha back to King Street.
However, on the way back, Lindsey alleged that Donetha told him she was HIV-positive. He admitted he drove to the end of a paved road before beating her. Then, Lindsey took Donetha into the woods before throwing her into a nearby creek.
Police believed that Lindsey was connected to upwards of 25 murders. In 1999, Lindsey pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for six victims. He received a 30-year prison sentence and died of cancer in 2001.
Donetha’s remains have never been located, and neither have those of another of Lindsay’s victims, Diana Richardson. Moreover, tales of Lindsay’s crimes have been documented in several television features. Sadly, the enormity of his crimes will never truly be known, but his years of terror were between 1983 and 1996.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office at (904) 824-8304 or their local authorities. The agency case number is SJSO96OFF045138.
Please share this story about Donetha Laverne Snead to help spark interest in her case and to investigate potential additional crimes committed by Darrell Lindsay. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number: SJSO96OFF045138
Agency: St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office
Phone: (904) 824-8304
Email:
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