FICTION & VISUAL MEDIA

AMELIA SKINNER SAINT, TRUE CRIME TAROT

September 3, 2024

“So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.”

– from “Dirge Without Music,” Edna St. Vincent Millay

The Victim

The Victim was found in Table Rock Lake during the early hours of November 24. A father and son, taking advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to enjoy some fishing, reported what appeared to be a mannequin floating in the water near Moonshine Beach. Officers retrieved the body of The Victim who, based on decomposition and scavenger activity, appeared to have been in the water for less than one day.

The Victim was identified as a young woman who had been reported missing two days prior. She had traveled to Branson to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her father and younger brother. On the night of November 22, The Victim attended a magic show at a local casino and never returned to the family’s rental home. The Victim’s father reported that The Victim had been in good spirits and had not given any indication of a desire to harm herself. The father also stated that, to his knowledge, The Victim did not know anyone in the Branson area. When asked about The Victim’s habits regarding men, The Victim’s father responded that The Victim did not date men. When pressed, The Victim’s father stated that The Victim was a lesbian. Investigators attempted to determine if The Victim’s sexuality might have been the motive for her father to harm her, at which point The Victim’s father became distraught and that line of inquiry was dropped.

The Victim’s brother, age fourteen, displayed little emotion regarding the death of The Victim. He was questioned in the presence of his father and indicated that he had a positive relationship with The Victim. The Victim’s father denied investigators permission to question The Victim’s brother further but did provide an alibi for himself and The Victim’s brother. The Victim’s father stated that he and his son had attended a showing of Avengers: Age of Ultron, then eaten a late supper at a 24-hour restaurant while The Victim had attended a magic show. The Victim’s father stated that they had all planned to attend the magic show together, however because it took place in a casino, The Victim’s brother was not allowed to attend. Investigators were able to confirm their alibis.

The Suspect – Reversed

The Suspect was brought in for questioning on November 28, four days after The Victim’s body was discovered. The Suspect owned the rental property where The Victim and her family were spending the Thanksgiving holiday. After initially claiming to have had no contact with The Victim prior to her death, The Suspect’s cellular records revealed that he had spoken with her several times, including one call on the day of her disappearance, lasting four minutes and fifteen seconds. The Suspect claimed that the phone calls between himself and The Victim had been regarding arrangements for the rental property. According to The Suspect, The Victim had brought a dog that was over the weight limit for pets as stated in the rental agreement, and The Suspect had informed The Victim that she would have to board the dog. The Suspect stated that The Victim was upset and insisted that The Suspect pay for her dog’s boarding fees, as well as refund the pet deposit. The Suspect agreed to refund the deposit but insisted that The Victim’s failure to read the rental agreement was not his responsibility.

The Suspect consented to a digital search of his cellular phone, which revealed several photographs of The Victim inside the rental home. The Suspect claimed that the photographs documented the condition of the rental property and were used to assess damage. The Victim’s father stated that he did not recognize the photographs, and that he and his family were not aware that they had been photographed. A search of the rental property found cameras in several locations throughout the home, including the bedrooms. The Suspect claimed that the cameras were installed by a security company and that he had no knowledge of where they were placed. When asked why he had stills from the cameras on his phone, The Suspect did not have an explanation.

On the night of The Victim’s disappearance, The Suspect claimed to have been attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Branson, however due to the nature of the meeting, his attendance could not be confirmed.

Four of Puncture Wounds – Reversed

The Victim had a dog named Skittles, which The Victim’s father and brother believed to be a German Shepherd/Pit bull mix. According to The Victim’s father, The Victim adopted Skittles for protection after a break-in at her apartment complex. The Victim’s father claimed that Skittles was “all bark and no bite,” but that his presence made The Victim feel safe. Investigators inquired as to why The Victim might have felt unsafe. The Victim’s father replied that she was a woman living in the world, which meant that she was unsafe.

The Victim’s brother expressed frustration with the rental property manager for refusing to allow Skittles to stay on the property, believing that, had Skittles been with The Victim, she would still be alive. The casino where The Victim was last seen did not allow dogs, so it is unlikely that Skittles would have been able to change the course of events.

The Victim’s father, brother moved into a hotel where they planned to remain until the investigation into The Victim’s death was resolved. Skittles was a regular visitor to the Branson Sheriff’s office, along with The Victim’s father and brother. Officers became very fond of the dog, and made him an honorary deputy, even though Skittles was not instrumental in the resolution of The Victim’s case.

The Autopsy

The autopsy revealed that The Victim died before entering the water. The medical examiner estimated time of death to be roughly 8 hours before the body was discovered, which left approximately 24 hours between The Victim’s disappearance and her death. Ligature marks on The Victim’s wrists, neck, and ankles indicated that she had been bound for a significant amount of time.

Because of the time spent in the water, there was minimal trace evidence on the body, however a few small fibers, perhaps from the material used to bind her wrists, were found under The Victim’s left thumbnail. The Victim’s stomach contents revealed that she had consumed alcohol and swallowed a significant amount of blood. Several chipped teeth, which had been intact as of The Victim’s most recent dental exam, as well as pressure wounds on The Victim’s lips and gums, indicated that she may have had an object or objects forcibly inserted into her mouth.

A rape kit was performed and indicated that The Victim had had vaginal and anal intercourse within 48 hours of her body being recovered. The Victim had significant labial and rectal tears, suggestive of sexual assault, possibly with a foreign object. A small amount of semen was recovered from The Victim’s rectum and was found to be suitable for DNA testing.

The cause of death was determined to be cerebral hemorrhage. The manner of death was ruled homicide. The Victim’s time of death was recorded as between 6 p.m. and midnight, Thursday, November 23, Thanksgiving Day.

Nine of Poisons

The Victim had a clinically significant amount of secobarbital in her system. The drug, which is most commonly used to sedate patients prior to surgery, was present in The Victim’s stomach, liver, kidneys, and urine, indicating that the drug may have been ingested repeatedly over the course of several hours. The absence of capsule material in the victim’s stomach suggested that the drug could have been administered without The Victim’s knowledge, possibly dissolved in the alcoholic liquid present in the stomach contents.

The effects of secobarbital in the concentration present in The Victim would have caused a state of severe intoxication, muscle weakness, and difficulty speaking. Further testing of The Victim’s liver samples revealed the presence of prochlorperazine, which is used to treat nausea and vomiting. Given the amounts of both drugs present in The Victim’s system, the medical examiner determined that it was likely that The Victim was sedated throughout most of her ordeal, which seemed to give her father some measure of comfort.

The medical examiner estimated that The Victim had initially ingested secobarbital between 5 and 11 p.m. on the night of November 22, which would have during the magic show. Investigators were unable to determine exactly how the first dose entered The Victim’s system, but they speculated that it could have been administered in an alcoholic beverage without The Victim’s knowledge.

The Witness

On Wednesday, November 29, a woman came forward to report a possible sighting of The Victim on the night of her disappearance. The Witness stated that she was leaving the casino where The Victim was known to have attended a magic show. The Witness believed that it was around midnight when she saw a young woman who matched the description of The Victim, and who appeared to be intoxicated. The Witness stated that the young woman looked “like a zombie,” and was being guided into a vehicle in the valet lane by an older, well-dressed man.

“It didn’t look right to me,” The Witness said, “so I slowed down. She just looked completely out of it, you know. Not drunk, but…I don’t know…just like a zombie. I thought I should go back and check on her, but when I looked, the car was gone. I should have stopped. We have to look out for each other.”

Based on The Witness’s report, investigators questioned the valet parking employees. One employee recognized a photograph of The Victim and confirmed The Witness’s report that she appeared intoxicated and got into a vehicle driven by an older man. The driver was known to the valet employees as an occasional performer at the casino. They remarked that although he was given a parking pass, he always insisted on using valet service and did not tip. The man in question was confirmed to be Garland Hambrick, who performed as “The Astounding Hambino” around the greater Branson area.

Further questioning of casino employees revealed that The Victim had not only attended Hambrick’s show but had been recruited to join the magician on stage for a hypnosis act. According to employees, as part of his act that night, Hambrick gave The Victim a glass of water which he suggested was truth serum. After drinking the “truth serum,” Hambrick asked The Victim to reveal her deepest, darkest secret, to which she replied that she had once stolen some of her dying mother’s pain medication. The Victim was then escorted back to her seat. Employees noted that the truth serum bit often ends this way.

The Killer

When investigators contacted Garland Hambrick, he agreed to come to the Sheriff’s office for an interview, however he did not keep the appointment and two officers were sent to his home. Hambrick answered the door in a state of undress and refused to allow the officers to enter his home, instead offering to speak with them on the front porch. As he was wearing only briefs and slippers, officers asked if he would not like to put on something warmer, but Hambrick insisted that he was comfortable and that their conversation would not take very long.

After glancing only briefly at the photograph presented, Hambrick denied knowing The Victim. When asked about his whereabouts on the night The Victim disappeared, he stated that he had returned home and gone to bed after his performance as “The Astounding Hambino.” Hambrick claimed that he had spent the night alone.

An officer observed an older model pickup truck on Hambrick’s property and noticed a tarp with stains that appeared to be blood in the truck’s bed. Hambrick refused to confirm that the pickup truck belonged to him, and abruptly ended the conversation.

An investigation into Hambrick’s history revealed that he had been charged with domestic abuse four years prior. Hambrick’s then-wife claimed that he had choked her and sexually assaulted her with a foreign object. It was unclear why the charges did not lead to prosecution, as they were never formally withdrawn by the alleged victim. Investigators were unable to locate Hambrick’s ex-wife and assumed that she had moved out of the area.

As a minor, Hambrick had been convicted of an unspecified crime, and had spent ten months in a youth detention facility. Hambrick, who was seventeen at the time of conviction, was released upon his eighteenth birthday. Investigators could find no further information on Hambrick’s juvenile conviction; however, they were able to obtain a warrant to search Hambrick’s home and property and collect a sample of his DNA.

Five of Ligatures

Among the 342 items collected from Hambrick’s property were several lengths of coarse rope, which were found in the master bedroom closet. When questioned about the purpose of the rope, Hambrick claimed that he used the rope in his magic act, but refused to reveal how the rope was used, claiming the imperative of magicians to never reveal the secrets of their tricks. Investigators informed Hambrick that magicians are not a privileged group, at which point Hambrick asked to be provided with an attorney. Investigators informed him that he was not under arrest, and therefore not entitled to an attorney at that time.

Investigators learned that Hambrick’s magic show included an audience hypnosis act, during which he would mime tying the hands and legs of the hypnotized audience member and make them hop around the stage by pulling the imaginary rope. While this was not sufficient cause for arrest, investigators found it to be an eerie coincidence.

Examination of the fibers from the ropes recovered in Hambrick’s home showed them to be visually consistent with the fibers found under The Victim’s thumbnail. However, the rope was a very common type of hemp and cotton blend, which is available at multiple craft and hardware stores in the greater Branson area.

Ace of Blunt Force Trauma

The cerebral hemorrhage which caused The Victim’s death was the result of a single blow to the back the head. Based on the fracture pattern, the medical examiner thought the wound to have been inflicted by a smooth, rounded object, no more than three inches in diameter. There were no external lacerations to The Victim’s scalp, and the weapon left no transfer evidence for comparison.

During the search of Hambrick’s home, investigators recovered a telescoping baton. The tip of the baton was rounded, and about two inches in diameter. According to the medical examiner, the baton was visually consistent with The Victim’s wound. Hambrick claimed that he sometimes carried the baton for self-defense. When asked whether he had ever used the weapon, Hambrick replied that he had used it recently to kill a possum. A luminol test revealed several reactive areas on the surface of the weapon, however further testing proved the substance to be bleach, not blood.

Several other areas in Hambrick’s home reacted to luminol testing. Most of the reactive areas could not be positively identified, however a large stain on the bedroom floor was determined to be blood. A swatch of the stained carpet was sent to the state lab for DNA extraction, but the sample was lost in transit and never reached its destination.

The tarp, stained with what appeared to be blood, which an officer had seen on an earlier visit to Hambrick’s home, was no longer onsite.

The DNA

Semen recovered from The Victim was sent to the state crime lab in St. Louis, along with the known sample from Garland Hambrick. Due to a deep backlog of samples, the results were not returned for seven months. During the intervening months, Hambrick remained free and he continued performing in local casinos. Hambrick’s connection to The Victim was widely known in the Branson area, and several venues allowed him to perform only on the condition that he not perform the hypnosis act.

In July of the following year, the results of the DNA extraction and comparison were returned and confirmed that the semen recovered from The Victim belonged to Garland Hambrick. Hambrick was arrested on July 14, and charged with kidnapping, rape, sodomy, and first-degree murder.

The Victim’s father and brother, who had relocated to Branson semi-permanently, expressed gratitude to the investigators and officers who had kept the investigation open.

The Trial – Reversed

On the advice of his attorney, Garland Hambrick waived his right to a jury trial and opted instead for a bench trial. The judge barred all observers from the courtroom, including The Victim’s father and brother. Based on the strength of the DNA evidence, the prosecuting attorney felt that conviction was a foregone conclusion and asked The Victim’s father to write an impact statement which would be read before sentencing.

The trial lasted four days. Much of the evidence collected from Hambrick’s home and property was not admitted, on the grounds that it was largely circumstantial. The telescoping baton and rope were admitted, however Hambrick’s defense attorney produced copious records showing that the items were neither unique nor difficult to acquire. In his testimony, Hambrick explained the presence of his DNA in The Victim’s body, claiming that he and The Victim had engaged in consensual sex. The Victim’s father later testified that his daughter did not date men and would not have engaged in consensual sex with a man; however, Hambrick’s attorney intimated that perhaps she had simply not found the right man before encountering the defendant. At this, The Victim’s father became upset, and his testimony was brought to a close.

Hambrick’s attorney pointed toward the county’s lack of evidence placing The Victim in Hambrick’s home. Further, there was no evidence that Hambrick had ever been prescribed secobarbital or prochlorperazine, both of which had been found in The Victim’s system and had likely been used to incapacitate her. According to Hambrick, he and The Victim had driven to a remote area and engaged in consensual sex in Hambrick’s car. He had then returned The Victim to the casino where they had met. Hambrick testified that when he dropped The Victim off around 1 a.m., she was alive and well.

Judge Elaine Forstenberry ruled that the county had not sufficiently proven their case and found Hambrick not guilty on all charges.

Epilogue: Victim Impact Statement

The following statement was written by The Victim’s father, but never read publicly.

Your honor, I’m not here today to speak about the man sitting over there. I would imagine that you’ve heard quite enough about him already. I’m here to tell you about my daughter. She was remarkable. From the second her mother and I held her we were in love. And we never stopped loving her. Her mother loved her until the day she died. And I will love her until my breath leaves me. But now I don’t have anywhere to put that love, and it just sits in me and burns.

When she was little, my daughter used to play detective. All the other little girls wanted dolls and princess dresses, but my girl asked Santa for a fingerprint dusting kit. And she got it. That Christmas morning, I remember I set down my coffee and come back to find it covered in black dust. She kept us on our toes.

When she got older, and she told us she was going to be a social worker, we were surprised; we always figured she’d grow up and be a detective. But all she’d ever wanted was to help people in trouble, and she said the folks that needed a detective’s help were beyond real help anyway. Well, I suppose she might think differently now. I know I do. As awful as it is to lose your child, it’s a thousand times worse to wake up every day and know that the man who took her from you is out there, waking up, drinking his coffee, reading his paper. Living.

I’ve asked myself for months now, what could I do to ease my and my son’s pain? I’ll tell you, I’ve had some hard thoughts. Thoughts I never could have imagined having. But in the end, the question I need to be asking is what would my daughter—what would Phoebe want? What would honor her memory, her soul? And deep down I know the answer to that question. She would want mercy. She would want a path to redemption. That’s what she believed in. And, as hard as it is for me to say, I believe that she would want the man who took her life to be spared his.

Thank you for your time, and God bless.