The discovery of a teenage boy’s body at a motel in Hammond, Indiana set off a disturbing chain of events that led to the arrest of a serial killer. While Investigation Discovery’s “The Hunt for the Chicago Strangler” deals with a series of unsolved murders in the Illinois city, it also features the story of Darren Vann, who claimed to have killed in Illinois. . So if you’re wondering what’s happened to him since his arrest, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Darren Vann?
On October 17, 2014, 19-year-old Afrikka Hardy was found naked in the bathtub of a motel room in Hammond. She had been strangled and left there with the shower running. Afrikka had red marks around her neck and there were signs of a struggle in the room. Authorities then learned that Afrikka was a sex worker at the motel to meet a man who had responded to an ad on Chicago’s backpage.com. The person who found Afrikka was her friend and partner in the escort business.
According to this person, Afrikka texted her around 5:17 p.m., saying she was at the motel with a man. However, she was unable to reach the 19-year-old after a call. When the friend received a text from Afrikka later, she suspected someone else had sent it, leading her to go to the motel room, where she eventually found the body. The authorities then used cell towers to track the suspect; they were taken to Darren Deon Vann, then 43 years old.
Darren was born in Indiana but had a violent criminal history. He was expelled from the Marine Corps in 1993 after serving less than two years. Then, a 1993 arrest in North Carolina was followed by a marriage to a woman about 30 years his senior. In 2004, he was arrested for entering a residence and intimidation, and he finally pleaded. Darren was sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2009 after he sexually assaulted a woman in her apartment in Texas. He was released in 2013.
When Darren was arrested he had Afrikka’s phone and other key evidence related to the murder. He was also seen on motel surveillance entering Afrikka’s room at the time of her death. During questioning, Darren admitted to responding to the online ad and going to the motel to have sex. He claimed that Afrikka started fighting back when the sex got rough, after which he strangled her, first with his hands and then with a rope.
In another twist, Darren also said he had killed many other women. He led police to the remains of six women in Gary, Indiana, which were dumped in abandoned buildings. The victims were: Anith Jones (35), Teaira Batey (28), Tracy Martin (41), Kristine Williams (36), Sonya Billingsley (52) and Tanya Gatlin (27).
Where is Darren Vann now?
Darren was charged with rape and other charges in March 2016 after a woman came forward with new information. The survivor said Darren raped her at knifepoint in February 2014 and then held her at a residence in Gary for a few hours. However, the charges were dropped after Darren pleaded guilty to all seven murders in May 2018. He was sentenced to seven concurrent life terms without the possibility of parole.
During Darren’s interview with the police in 2014, he talked about killing more people going back 20 years. He also mentioned murders in other states, saying, “They [Illinois] have more than Indiana. In response to where he stayed, Darren said, “I don’t have to stay just anywhere. I board the train. I get on the bus. I would say: I know that I am losing it. I try to distance myself from my family when I felt myself slipping. Jail records indicate he is still incarcerated at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle, Indiana.
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