The Unsolved Murder of Eric Nelams

0:00 To listen ad free, visit sinspod dot com slash subscribe starting at two ninety nine a month. You'll also get access to our exclusive bonus content episodes when you joined through Patreon or Apple subscriptions. Thanks for supporting the show. When you talk to people who knew Eric Nelms, they don't start with how he died. They start with how he lived. They talk about his laughter, his kindness, his love for family, and the way he looked out for everyone around him. He was a soldier, a father, a brother, an uncle, and a friend, and someone who carried joy into every room he entered. But on a quiet morning in Phoenix City, Alabama, that joy was stolen from everyone who loved him. Eric was shot and killed in his own driveway before the sun came up, and more than twenty years later, no one has been held accountable.

0:54 Hi, and welcome to Sins and Survivors, a Las Vegas true crime podcast where we focus on cases that deal with to meck violence, as well as missing persons and unsolved cases. I'm your host Sean. And I'm your co host John. Welcome to our one hundredth episode, and we just really want to extend our deepest Thanks to all of our listeners and subscribers, especially those who have supported us from the beginning. Everything you've done for us means so much to us. Both this week, we are bringing you the story of an unsolved murder from Alabama. This story is outside of what we normally cover on the podcast, but it's deeply connected to our mission and purpose, which is to raise awareness and help families. We've mentioned before how we've had the opportunity to meet with families and survivors at conventions, and we've connected with this family a few times.

1:39 Thanks to assistance from true crime researcher Haley Gray, we are bringing you the story of the murder of Eric Nelms. For this episode, Hailey was assisted by Beth Whites, and a lot of this information comes straight from Eric's family. His sister Kathy, who we've met and spoken to several times, and his mother Annie, who we've also met as well as other family members. And Annie are so genuine and so warm, and Kathy speaks about Eric with this mix of pride and heartbreak that stays with you. Like so many families, they are on a journey to get answers and justice, and we want to walk with them on that journey and do what we can to spread the word about what happened to Eric. Las Vegas is such a transient place, you just never know who's listening and who might be the lead that solves this case.

2:22 First, before we dive into the case, though, we have three similar recent missing person cases to share this week. These three cases are all recent cases of missing teenagers around the same age, but they're all very short on details. For two of the missing teens, we have photos we'll share on our social media and will also create short links to their nameus missing person pages, and of course you can find the full list of missing persons being maintained by Metro at sinspod dot co slash Metro missing. The first case is a fifteen year old missing teenage girl named Fajar Chowdri. She was last seen on March thirty first, twenty twenty three, here in Las Vegas. She apparently ran away from home. She is seventeen years old today.

3:08 She is five foot two and was one hundred and thirty pounds at the time of her disappearance, though of course she would probably be taller now. She's listed as Native American or Alaska Native, with black hair and brown eyes. Her short link would be sinspod dot Co slash Fajar Fajar. The next one is Joshua Tolbert, who was thirteen years old at his disappearance and he would be fifteen years old today. He was last seen at his home on February ninth, twenty twenty three, near Bonanza and Bruce in North Las Vegas. He is African American with brown eyes and brown hair. He's five foot seven and one hundred and seventy one pounds, and he is another runaway. His link would be sinspod dot Co slash Joshua. The last one is the one we don't have a photo for.

4:00 It's a boy named Goldie Williams. He was last seen October twelfth, twenty twenty two, here in Las Vegas. Another runaway. He was fifteen years old when he disappeared or ran away, and he'd be eighteen now at the time. He was six foot three and one hundred and sixty pounds. Another African American with brown hair, and unfortunately we don't have a photo like I said for him, but his link on NamUs is sinspod dot co slash Goldie. If you have any information on any of these missing teens, please reach out to Metro at seven oh two eight two eight three one one one or Nevada Child Seekers at seven oh two four five eight seven zero zero nine.

4:43 This is a much longer shot, but if you happen to be a runaway or exploited teen between the ages of twelve and twenty one or one of these three teenagers and you're hearing this, you can call the National Runaway Safe Line for help at one eight hundred Runaway which is eight hundred seven eight six two nine two nine, and you can also find them on Instagram at one eight hundred Runaway. They can provide resources for you. They have trained volunteers and staff that will give you judgment free support and can help you make a plan to ensure your safety. The Home Free program they run in association with Greyhound Buses can help reunite homeless or exploited youth with their families or guardians with free bus tickets home or to a safe living situation, and it's meant to highlight issues facing runaway and homeless youth and remind these kids that they aren't invisible and they aren't alone.

5:32 Four point two million youths from ages twelve to twenty five experience homelessness every year, and it's a crisis that no one talks about. As John said, we'll post these missing youth pictures on our social media and we continue to post and share stories of missing people from the Las Vegas area. So make sure that you're following us on Instagram and Facebook at Sins and Survivors. So onto our main story this week. Eric Nelms Eric was born on June tenth, nineteen seventy one. He was his mom, Annie's youngest. We mentioned his older sister Kathy, and the two of them were very close in age and were best friends. They grew up together in Columbus, Georgia, which is right on the border of Alabama and Georgia. It's about an hour and a half drive from Atlanta. One of the most interesting things I learned about Eric is that he was part of a very large, blended family that grew and changed throughout his life, and technically, due to marriages, he had fifteen siblings. However, he and Kathy considered each other to be the only true siblings since they grew up together. Annie says that when he was a kid, Eric was smart, respectful, friendly, and helpful. He loved large family gatherings, parties and cookouts, and playing with other kids. It's often mentioned by friends and family that Eric was small in stature but huge in personality. As a little boy. When they'd visit their grandmother, Eric would walk around with his chest out, grinning and waving like a mayor greeting his town. One story from their childhood that Kathy has shared was that when they

7:04 were younger, Eric played baseball. Kathy said, everyone thought he was so little, but once they saw him out there, they were in awe. Their initial opinion was that he was too little, but he proved himself. Family was everything to him. He was always the life of the party, and naturally he loved Christmas, the food, the laughter, the dancing, and spending time with friends and family altogether. Eric was a born leader and very charismatic. He carried that same energy all throughout his life. He was the kind of person people wanted to be around. Kathy said that wherever they went, people were always happy to see him. He was generous in giving with his family, friends, and even with strangers. His mom, Annie recalled that once he bought a woman shoes just because she needed them.

7:46 But that was Eric seeing someone in need and quietly fixing it. He was a Georgia sports fanatic too. He loved the Bulldogs, the Falcons, the Braves. If the team was from his home state, he cheered for them, and even as a kid, he had a sense of stuffle. Kathy would help him pick out his clothes and he'd finish every outfit with a hat. He'd carry himself with so much confidence, she said, even though he was short, he was the man. Here is something that John and Eric have in common. Eric was always interested in electronics and like tinkering with things to find out how they worked. Kathy remembers that when they were children, they got an Atari game console, which was the hot toy that year, and this was a big deal Christmas gift, and Eric was so intrigued by it that he just had to take it apart to see how it worked. Kathy walked into the room and told him, Mom's going to kill you, but he just smiled, put it back together and somehow I had worked perfectly.

8:40 I never pulled my Atari apart, but I definitely got one, probably around that same year. Since he and I are around the same age. After graduating from Carver High School in nineteen eighty nine, he wanted to turn that curiosity into a career. He enrolled the Devrai University in Atlanta to study computers and electronics, but money was tight and tuition was steep. Eventually he had to make a hard choice and find another path forward. That's when Eric decided to join the army. It was a practical choice and it really suited him. A guy who was disciplined, brave, and determined to make his family proud. He was stationed all over Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, Fort Benning and Georgia, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, and even in Germany. He also served in the Persian Gulf War. Like so much of Eric's life, he excelled in the military and earned multiple commendations for his service. His mommy and he told WTVM news that he received several medals while enlisted. While he was stationed at Fort Benning, he joined the Airborne School.

9:39 Since nineteen eighteen, Fort Benning has been one of the toughest and most respected infantry training centers in the country. Graduates of that Airborne School aren't just soldiers, they're paratroopers trained to jump out of planes and into combat zones. That kind of training builds not just physical endurance, but also courage. I learned that as part of the graduation ceremony, the graduates parachute out of a plane. Kathy still remembers standing in the crowd the day her brother graduated. When she saw him float down under a parachute, she thought, Wow, you're an awesome person. When he received his beret, she hugged him and told him how proud she was for all he'd accomplished. Even among his fellow soldiers, Eric stood out. People gravitated toward him, and that same warmth and confidence that he always had. After his death, some of those men reached out to Kathy and Annie just to tell them how much Eric had meant to them. They said he wasn't just a good soldier, he was a good man. After Eric left the army, he worked as a forklift driver at Kodak Polychrome in Columbus, Georgia, and his life was centered around family. In nineteen ninety four, he got married for the first time, and not long after they welcomed a son, Antonio. Eric loved being a father even after the marriage ended in nineteen ninety nine. He made every effort to stay involved in his son's life. Antonio lived with his mother in Kentucky, but Eric drove up whenever he could. He didn't let this her money stop him from being there for his boy. A few years later, Eric married again. His second wife, Mollie, already had two children from a previous relationship, and together they built a

11:10 blended family in Phoenix City, Alabama, right across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, where Kathy lived. Eric and Molly bought a home in the middle of a cul de sac on Level Court in the Carpenter's Way subdivision. Eric saw his sister Kathy often. She was a single mom with two little ones and work nights at a hospital, usually running on fumes. Eric would come over, make coffee, play with the kids, and help out around the house without being asked. Cathy said that speaks to his character because I didn't have to ask. He just did it automatically. He was a kind of man who noticed when people needed help and just took care of it. Her kids adored him, but he had a special bond with her daughter to Kia, to her, Eric was more than an uncle.

11:51 She told Project Cold Case that he was a positive role model and father figure to me. He always showed up for us and was very involved. She still talks about how he talked her how to dance, to cook, and how to carry herself with confidence. At a cousin's wedding, Eric was, as always the life of the reception, dancing for hours while the whole family circled around him, clapping and laughing. They all treasured this memory and it captures exactly who he was. Takia said that when she was with him, she carried herself differently. She said he always walked with his head held high, and being near him made her want to do the same. He modeled confidence. That influence extended to Kathy's son, Vincent too. He remembers Eric as the guy everyone in the family looked up to. He was the kind of guy that would show up no matter what.

12:35 If someone needed help moving, he was there. If a cousin's car broke down, Eric would be there to figure it out. Vincent called him a man of the community and a man of the people. Vincent can't remember anyone ever saying a bad word about Eric. He said Eric had a calm way about him, always respectful, never angry or confrontational. He remembered those long drives between Georgia and Kentucky when Eric would visit his kids instead kids, and sometimes Vincent would come along for the ride. One of his favorite memories is from one of those times. Eric and Vincent drove to Kentucky together to see Eric's son, and they stopped at a gas station late at night. As Vincent stood outside, a huge white moth flew right past his face and he completely freaked out, but Eric just laughed. Vincent said, they laughed about that moth for the rest of the trip, and now every time he sees one, he thinks of Eric. Vincent said, he was always just a good person. That's the phrase that keeps coming up whenever anyone talks about him. He wasn't perfect, no one is, but he was consistently honest, kind and present.

13:34 Vincent tries to live like him even now, and so does his son Antonio. Eric is also remembered for his truck, a Dodge Ram fifteen hundred, big, loud, sturdy, and absolutely his personality on wheels. You could hear him blasting music from a block away. Eric was a fan of rap, R and B and old school soul. He and Kathy grew up listening to their mom's seventy soul albums, so that music was like family history. Cathy said. They say music is the universal language of love, and he loved that music and it exuded from every part of his being. Whenever Takiya hears those songs now, she thinks of him and the way he'd danced, sing along and turn any moment into something happy.

14:14 That's who he was, and that's the energy he brought wherever he went. As we mentioned before, in two thousand and three, Eric and his wife Molly, and his two step kids were living in a home at twenty three hundred Level Court in Phoenix City. Eric was just thirty two years old. On September twenty sixth two thousand and three, Eric woke up and went out to his Dodge Ram to head to work. His car was parked under the car port just steps from the front door. At approximately five thirty am, gunfire broke the quiet morning. Responding officers arrived within minutes after Molly called nine one one to report the shooting. Officers found Eric lying near his truck. He'd been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead. At the scene, Investigators determined the shooting happened before he even made it into his vehicle.

15:00 Detectives began collecting evidence immediately. They recovered several shell casings and lifted laden fingerprints from Eric's truck. According to the family, that evidence hasn't led to any confirmed suspects. Investigators also noted that none of Eric's belongings were taken. His wallet, his phone, and jewelry were still on him, which indicated the motive wasn't robbery. Police canvassed the area and located one witness. The witness reported seeing two men fleeing from the scene and running toward a black car. She could described their body types, clothing, and overall appearances, but not their faces. Phoenix police later said, we were able to rule out it being a robbery type situation or something like that, but we haven't been able to rule out anything else at this point in time. Eric's mother, Annie, was not notified by authorities. She learned of her son's death through a family member. She said, his wife never called me and the police never called me. My sister called and said that my son had been shot and that I needed to come as soon as possible. At first, I didn't believe it, but as I made my way to the house, I felt something was wrong. There was a deep hurt in my chest. When she arrived, she found him lying in the driveway. He was my baby, my only son. It hurt me and his sister and his son. To this day, no arrests have been made, but his family has a good idea of what the motive might be and who might have wanted to kill him.

16:22 This is the part of the story I only learned about recently as we were working on this episode, but I think it could be critical in understanding what happened. In the weeks leading up to the murder. Eric had gotten caught up in an embezzlement scheme involving a woman named Stephanie Cowling and her husband, Eric Cowling. From around July two thousand and through May of two thousand and two, Stephanie was employed as a line hal manager at Excel Direct Incorporated. It's been reported she was fired from this job for performance related problems. At the end of two thousand and two, Stephanie was hired as a domestic manager at DHL Danza's Air in Ocean. She worked there until September of two thousand and three. Both DHL and Excel would later accuse Stephanie of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

17:09 I also want to mention that Eric never worked for either of these companies. While Stephanie worked at Excel and DHL, She and her husband figured out a way to commit fraud and embezzle money by creating fake vendors and fake freight bills. They recruited people to act as third parties, people not involved in trucking at all. She'd set them up in the system as a fake vendor, and the companies would pay these fake bills. The third party would receive the payment, and they'd split the proceeds with Stephanie and her husband. At some point, Eric Cowling approached Eric Nelms and asked him if he would act as one of those third parties. Stephanie added the made up vendor name Eerie Eerie Nelums to the company's payment systems. The company's mailed checks to that name, Eric cashed them, and most of the money went straight back to the Howlings.

18:01 Eric's family doesn't believe he made much money from this. Cathy always said he'd probably agreed because he wanted to help his family, not to live some lavish life. The Nelms drove used cars, they had bills, and they had debt. She said, if he'd been making real money, he would have used it to help his mom and sister, because that's just who he was. When DHL uncovered the fraud, they called Excel, and Excel realized Stephanie had pulled the same scam there too. Investigators would later discover that between both companies, the Cowling stole four hundred and fifty three thousand, fifty four dollars and forty cents almost eight hundred thousand dollars in twenty twenty five dollars. Stephanie's boss confronted her on September twenty first, just five days before Eric's murder. He asked who ere Nellems was.

18:47 She said she knew, but she had to gather paperwork. She left work that day and she never came back. Two days later, on September twenty third, the Cowlings met with Eric and Molly at their house. Stephanie wanted everyone's stories to life lign up before the company investigators started asking questions. She gave Eric two papers, a fake twenty nine hundred dollars freight bill in his name, and a handwritten sheet full of trucking terms and contacts, basically a cheat sheet to make him sound legitimate. Court documents described it as a script of what Eric was supposed to say when investigators interviewed him. That paperwork was later found in Eric's house. Stephanie also tried to get him to take the fall for the scam, but he refused. He told Kathy what was going on. Three days later, he was dead. After Eric's murder, the family wanted for the police to connect those dots, but it doesn't look like that connection was ever thoroughly investigated. For example, the Cowlings lived in Atlanta, but they'd been seen in Phoenix City the day Eric was killed, and it's not clear why they would be more than one hundred miles from home on that day. Also, when investigators searched the Cowling's house later for the fraud case, they found a gun, but because it was a white collar crime investigation, that weapon was never tested for fingerprints or ballistics. The two cases, the embezzlement and the murder, were handled by completely different agencies, and it seems like they never talked to each other.

20:10 It's unknown if that gun might have solved the case, because it went into evidence untested in the court documents related to the Cowling's fraud case. Eric's murder is a literal footnote. Annie has shared early on, she tried to tell the police about a conversation she'd had with Eric two days before his murder, something that she thought might help figure out who killed him, But no one called her back for days, and by the time they finally spoke, that lead had gone cold. In two thousand and six, federal prosecutors charged the Cowlings with sixty counts of conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud. They both took plea deals. Stephanie got forty two months, her husband got thirty six, and they were ordered to pay restitution in the amount that was stolen.

20:53 The couple was released from prison in two thousand and nine. As the years have passed, Eric's family has refused to let his story fade. They became their own investigators, gathering documents, talking to former coworkers, reaching out to anyone who might remember something, and piecing together what they could from every lead. They've always believed Eric's murder was connected to the fraud case. And that the Collings weren't the only ones involved. Over time, new rumors started to circulate. Some people in Columbus and Phoenix City believed Molly, Eric's wife, could have been involved. Now, Mollie's never been charged with anything connected to Eric's murder, and Kathy wants to believe she wasn't because she's family and not to mention the kids were in the house when he was killed. Shortly before his death, Eric had told his family that things at home weren't good. He and Molly were having serious problems. He had asked her to move out and even changed the locks, but just a week before he died, they reconciled and she moved back in. One of the lingering questions is that whoever shot Eric had to know his routine. He was shot as soon as he came out of the house. Annie said someone that knew Eric's schedule had to tell somebody else what time he comes out there to crank it up, because they were there before he came out the door they were sitting on ready. In her search for answers, Kathy reached out to a private investigation team called Iris IRIS Investigative Strategies, a group of retired law enforcement officers, FRIENDSIC specialists, and behavioral analysts. They were interested in reviewing

22:25 Eric's case, but they needed the official file from the Phoenix City Police Department. However, when Kathy requested his file, the department refused. They said there was still an active lead in twenty twenty four, though nothing has ever come of it. Kathy even offered to have Iris sign a non disclosure agreement to protect the integrity of the file, but she was denied again. This just raised more questions. Why would Phoenix City turn away from help in a twenty year old case. The family suspects this means that the case exposes how many opportunities had been missed in those first few days after the murder. Vincent said they're not out to point fingers. They just want to know who killed Eric. They've given the police names, rumors, and leads, but they say at times it's been like talking to a brick wall. They understandably feel dismissed and ignored. Annie said that when she's tried to help, she runs into silence. In recent years, the family has been working diligently to improve their relationship with investigators in the hopes of getting answers. In twenty twenty four, Phoenix City Police told the Citizens of East Alabama newspaper that investigators had looked at two motives, white collar crime and foul play. They acknowledge there's a reasonable suspicion of a murder for higher plot, The department said, homicide cases never closed. They might go dormant, but they always stay open.

23:44 For Eric's family, that's not enough. Annie told reporters two decades later, we have not even started to get over this. It's every day I live with this hurt. She said, a lot of people know what happened. The Phoenix City Police Department has got to prove what I already know. I pray for his killers to come forward. My son didn't deserve that. Your friend isn't always your friend, and you don't know when they're your enemy until it's too late. More than twenty years have passed. Eric's son and stepdaughter have followed in his footsteps and both joined the army, continuing his legacy of service. The family keeps his memory alive however they can. They've launched petitions and raised reward money, and work with organizations that help fund cold case investigations in twenty twenty five, they received a five thousand dollars grant from the Higher Hope Foundation to increase the reward fund, and a local billboard company donated space to spread the word.

24:37 Annie still believes someone paid for Eric's murder, maybe not to protect Stephanie and her husband, but to silence others who might have been involved. Benson says investigators need to make people uncomfortable enough until they tell the truth. He believes any person who is involved should face justice. Kathy admits her family has lived in fear for years. They were afraid that pushing to hart Card might bring retaliation from whoever is responsible for Eric's death, but now she hopes the people responsible have lived with that same fear every single day since two thousand and three. For her time hasn't dulled the pain. She says that she misses him every single day. They want people to remember Eric for who he really was, a devoted son, a soldier, a proud father, and a loving brother an uncle. If you have any information about the murder of Eric Pernard Ellums, please contact Alabama Crime Stoppers at three three four two one five stop or the Phoenix City Police Department at three three four four four eight two eight zero zero.

25:40 You can also email tips to PCPD at Phoenix cityal dot gov. A fifteen thousand dollars reward is being offered for information leading to unrest and conviction. You can also help by sharing his story and his photo on social media, and you can support the family by following the Justice for Eric nell That's E R I C N E l a MS pages on Instagram and TikTok, and you can also visit their link tree Justice for Eric Nelams for more information. We're thinking of Kathy, Annie and all of Eric's loved ones, and we keep hoping for a break in the case that leads to the justice they need and deserve. Cases like Eric's remind us that behind every headline is a family still waiting for answers, because what happens here happens everywhere. Thanks for listening. Visit sinspod dot com, slash subscribe for exclusive bonus content and to listen ad free.

26:54 Remember to like and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and threads at sins and Service. If you're enjoying the podcast, please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice. You can contact us at questions at sinsensurvivors dot com. If you are someone you know as affected by domestic violence or needs support, please reach out to local resources or the National Domestic Violence Hotline. A list of resources is available on our website, Sins and Survivors dot com. Sins and Survivors, a Las Vegas true crime podcast, is research, written and produced by your hosts Sean and John. The information shared in this podcast is accurate at the time of recording. If you have questions, concerns, or corrections, please email us. Links to source material for this episode can be found on our website, sinsensurvivors dot com.

27:41 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast creators, hosts, and their guests. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty. This content does not constitute legal advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with legal professionals for guidance.