Pictures: Who Were the Women Found at Anthony Sowell's House?
CLEVELAND (CBS/AP) Authorities have now identified 10 of the 11 victims whose remains were found at the Cleveland home of accused serial killer Anthony Sowell.
PICTURES: Anthony Sowell Victims
Police say Sowell, who has so far been charged with five counts of aggravated murder, targeted women whose disappearance might not raise alarm.
Many of his alleged victims had troubled pasts. Others were church-going moms. All had families who loved them and are now mourning their passing. All were poor and black and some families were outraged that police did not do more to find them.
Some women lived near Sowell's home or hung out in his neighborhood. Tishana Culver, a 31-year-old beautician with drug convictions, lived just a few blocks from Sowell's Imperial Avenue home. Crystal Dozier had once lived on Sowell's block. No one reported her missing when she disappeared in 2007. Janice Webb, who often visited the neighborhood, was a 48-year-old mother of one and grandmother of three. She was last seen by her family in June and reported missing two months later.
PICTURES: Anthony Sowell Victims
Amelda Hunter, 47, of Cleveland, was known to have beers at Sowell's house, according to her brother. Family members say she loved to read, watch television and do crossword puzzles and had three children. She disappeared last April, but wasn't reported missing until Nov. 3.
Tonia Carmichael, 52, of Warrensville Heights, was last seen nearly a year ago after telling a friend she was going out for some fun. Carmichael's family said police didn't pursue her disappearance because of her history of crack cocaine use.
Telacia Fortson, 31, of East Cleveland, is a mother of three who disappeared in June. She loved to arrange flowers and attending church, but also had a drug problem and lost custody of her three children.
Nancy Cobbs, 43, of Cleveland, disappeared in April around the time of her birthday, but wasn't reported missing until June and Cleveland police didn't know about her until November. She had four children and was living with a daughter about three blocks from Sowell's house. She was a familiar face in the area, and struggled with drug abuse.
Michelle Mason, 45, of Cleveland, lived near Sowell's neighborhood. Her family went to police Oct. 12, 2008, after not hearing from her for a few days. Her sister says police didn't take it seriously because of Mason's arrest record, even though she had stopped cashing her Social Security checks. Police say they conducted dozens of searches for Mason, including near her home and at hospitals.
Police recently identified the tenth victim as 25-year-old Leshanda Long. Officials say the identification was complicated by the fact that only her skull was discovered.
On Friday, Anthony Sowell pleaded not guilty to rape, kidnap, attempted murder and other charges in connection with an alleged Sept. attack which brought Sowell's house of horrors to the attention of investigators.
Funeral services for some of the woman will continue into next week.
PICTURES: Anthony Sowell Victims
PICTURES: Anthony Sowell's Home of Horror
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