Summary
Durnell Stinson, a promising outfielder who made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cincinnati Reds in August 2003, was tragically murdered just weeks later in what investigators believe was a carjacking gone wrong. Stinson, who had spent years in the minor leagues, was found dead in Chandler, Arizona, on November 5, 2003, with his hands and feet bound, shot multiple times, and run over by his own vehicle. The crime scene revealed a gruesome blood trail and numerous shell casings, indicating a violent struggle.
Authorities quickly identified several suspects, including Kevin and Reginald Riddle, who were arrested shortly after the murder. The Riddles, along with an accomplice, David Griffith, were charged with various crimes, including murder and armed robbery. The investigation revealed that Stinson had been seen at a bar shortly before his death, raising questions about how he ended up in Chandler, a location with no known connection to him. Despite the disturbing circumstances surrounding his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Gaddis, who had sent threatening messages to Stinson prior to his death, police ultimately classified the murder as a random act of violence.
Stinson's death shocked the baseball community, leading to a moment of silence held in his honor during a game shortly after the tragedy. In recognition of his character and perseverance, the MLB established the Durnell Stinson Sportsmanship Award, celebrating players who exemplify similar qualities. Stinson's life, cut short at the age of 25, serves as a stark reminder of the senseless violence that can occur, even against those who seem to be living their dreams.
Show Notes
After years of grinding through the minor leagues, 25-year-old Dernell Stenson finally achieved his dream of playing Major League Baseball when he was called up by the Cincinnati Reds in August 2003. Just months later, while playing in the Arizona Fall League, Dernell was found brutally murdered in Chandler, Arizona—bound, shot multiple times, and run over by his own vehicle. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Dernell Stenson. Investigators initially believed he was the victim of a random carjacking, but the discovery of disturbing death threats sent shortly before his murder raised questions about whether there could be more to the story. As police followed a trail involving Dernell’s stolen SUV, multiple suspects, thousands of dollars in seized cash, and a complicated relationship from his past, they worked to determine how a promising young baseball player ended up the victim of such horrific violence.
You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise, and donation information
An Emash Digital production See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
More from True Crime All The Time
In November 2010, 64-year-old Sherry Black was brutally murdered inside the rare-book store she operated next to her home in South Salt Lake City, Utah. Sherry was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and lifelong book collector, and investigators struggled to understand why anyone would want to hurt her. Despite finding the killer’s blood, fingerprints, and other evidence at the scene, there were no matches in law-enforcement databases, and the case eventually went cold. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the murder of Sherry Black, the years her family spent searching for answers, and the remarkable advances in DNA technology that finally gave investigators the breakthrough they desperately needed. Nearly a decade later, investigators turned to the emerging field of forensic genetic genealogy, launching a painstaking search through family trees and potential relatives.
In August 1985, 13-year-old David Reed disappeared after leaving his home in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, for a bike ride. His bicycle was soon found beneath a railroad bridge, but David remained missing for nearly four months before his remains were discovered in a wooded area nearby. With little soft tissue remaining, his cause and manner of death were initially ruled undetermined, and one theory suggested he may have died from complications of juvenile diabetes.
In February 2016, 19-year-old Morgan Bauer left her hometown of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and moved to the Atlanta area hoping to start a new life. Less than two weeks later, she vanished. For seven years, Morgan’s disappearance remained a cold case, with investigators struggling to determine exactly what happened during her final days. Then, in 2023, new information dramatically changed the course of the investigation and led authorities to a property in Porterdale, Georgia. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Morgan Bauer's disappearance, the years-long search for answers, and the disturbing evidence that ultimately broke the case wide open. What investigators discovered finally provided answers about Morgan’s fate and resulted in arrests connected to her disappearance and murder. The truth was more shocking than anyone could have imagined.
In 2014, 33-year-old Roxanne Houston was trying to build a new life in the rugged outskirts of Taos, New Mexico. Known for her compassion and intelligence, Roxanne had become part of the local community while hoping to eventually return to Colorado and reunite with her children. On June 13th, she was spotted walking down a dirt road with her backpack and told a neighbor she would be back. She was never seen alive again.
In March 2011, 30-year-old Jayna Murray was found brutally murdered inside the Lululemon store where she worked in Bethesda, Maryland. A coworker was discovered bound and injured nearby and told police that two masked men had entered the store, attacked them, and left Jayna dead. But investigators soon uncovered troubling inconsistencies in the story. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the shocking murder of Jayna Murray and the elaborate attempt to conceal what really happened inside the store that night. Evidence from the crime scene, forensic findings, witness accounts from the neighboring Apple store, and a possible dispute over stolen merchandise began pointing investigators in a very different direction.