“Oba Chandler Case: Unsolved Murders of Joan Rogers and Her Daughters Finally Solved After 3 Years”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Oba Chandler: Florida Man Convicted of Gruesome Triple Murder Maintained Innocence Until Execution

In a chilling true crime case that shocked the nation, Oba Chandler, a Florida man, was convicted on three murder charges in the death of Joan Rogers and her two teenage daughters, Michelle and Christie. The heinous killings took place in June 1989 and remained unsolved for three years, until Tampa police officers were able to identify Chandler as a suspect using his unique handwriting as a clue.

The bodies of Joan Rogers, 36, and her two daughters were discovered in Tampa Bay, their mouths taped shut and tied to concrete blocks by yellow polypropylene rope. Autopsies revealed that the victims had died from asphyxiation, but it was unclear whether they had been drowned or strangled with the ropes. Due to the length of time their bodies had been submerged, it was impossible to determine if they had been sexually assaulted.

The gruesome discovery went unnoticed for four days until a Days Inn housekeeper, who had read news articles about the case, contacted the police after realizing that the Rogers trio had never returned to their room at the hotel where she worked. Detectives soon learned that the Rogers family had been on vacation in Florida while Joan’s husband, Hal Rogers, stayed behind at their dairy farm in Ohio.

Police located Rogers’ abandoned car at a nearby boat ramp parking lot, which contained a tourist brochure and a handwritten note on a slip of Days Inn paper with directions to the boat ramp. The note also mentioned a blue and white boat. Detectives released information about the watercraft, hoping for leads, but none of the tips they received led to any breakthroughs. Hal Rogers was quickly cleared of suspicion after an emotional interview, during which he revealed that Michelle had been sexually abused by Joan’s brother, John.

In October 1989, a Canadian tourist reported being raped by a man on a blue and white boat, matching the description written on the directions found in Rogers’ abandoned vehicle. The woman disclosed that the man had threatened to tape her mouth shut and throw her overboard if she didn’t comply. A composite sketch was created based on her description, but it failed to generate any viable leads.

Finally, in May 1992, a woman faxed over a contract written by Oba Chandler, who had installed aluminum enclosures for her. A handwriting expert confirmed that Chandler’s handwriting matched the directions found in Rogers’ car, and his face closely resembled the composite sketch from 1989. Further investigation revealed that Chandler had a criminal history, including felony arrests for rape, robbery, and kidnapping.

When police moved to arrest Chandler, he had already left town, but they managed to track him down at a gas station as he returned to the state. He was initially charged with the rape of the Canadian tourist, and detectives worked tirelessly to build a case against him for the June murders. Phone records placed Chandler on the water on the night of the killings. The district attorney pressed murder charges based on this evidence and other circumstantial factors.

Despite admitting to meeting the Rogers family and writing out the directions on the stand during his 1994 murder trial, Chandler maintained his innocence until his execution. He cited past experiences with the police and claimed that there was no evidence linking him to the crimes. On the day of his execution in November 2011, at the age of 65, Chandler handed a handwritten note to corrections officers stating, “You are killing an innocent man today.”

In a shocking turn of events in 2014, Chandler was posthumously connected to another unsolved murder. DNA from the post-mortem rape kit of Ivelisse Berrios Beguerisse, a 20-year-old woman found strangled in Coral Springs, Florida, matched Chandler’s DNA. However, Chandler had been executed three years earlier. The revelation provided some closure for Beguerisse’s family but also brought back painful memories.

The story of Oba Chandler and the horrific murders of Joan Rogers and her two daughters is a haunting reminder of the darkness that can exist within the human soul. While Chandler denied any wrongdoing until his death, the evidence against him was overwhelming. The victims’ families can, at least, find solace in knowing that justice was served for their loved ones..