Michelle Riley Shot, Tortured and Enslaved Mentally Disabled Pregnant Mom for Months

Dorothy Dixon was a 29-year-old mother with another child on the way. She was also mentally disabled with the mind of a child, which made her Social Security checks rather attractive to Michelle Riley. So Riley invited Dixon into her Alton, Illinois home, only to make her the house slave…

She would soon be the subject of unspeakable cruelty. Over months, the residents of the household — including another woman, three kids ages 17-20, and a 12-year-old — used Dixon to play out their most sadistic fantasies.

She was beaten with a plunger and burned with a hot glue gun. Police say Riley routinely kept boiling water on hand to scald Dixon, pouring water so hot it peeled back her skin. They used her for target practice with a BB pistol. And they burned all her clothes so she was forced to walk around naked.

They also banished her to the basement to sleep on a mattress with a thin rug. And they did it all while she was five months pregnant.

Why they tortured her is beyond imagination. But Riley, described as the ring leader, kept Dixon around so she could cash her Social Security checks. When Dixon finally died, she was found in the basement wearing only a sweater.

An autopsy showed signs of severe torture. One-third of her body was covered in burns and she was severely dehydrated. Her teeth were knocked out and skin had grown over embedded BBs.

The 12-year-old has already been found guilty in juvenile court to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to just 60 days detention and five years of probation.

But last week, Riley, 37, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 45 years. Under the plea, her 17-year-old daughter, LeShelle McBride, will be allowed to plead to second-degree murder and face sentencing of 6-20 years.

Still awaiting trial are Judy Woods, 45, Benny Wilson, 18, and Michael Elliott, 20.

Alexis Pounder, 3, Tortured and Starved to Death by Dad Donald Cockrell, Girlfriend

​When an Oregon judge viewed pictures of 3-year-old Alexis Pounder’s body, he found them so disturbing that he had them sealed. The girl had apparently been starved and tortured to death by her dad and his girlfriend, who are also charged with torturing Alexis’ sister…

Though police aren’t releasing specific details, they say the Alexis was starved and tortured to death at her Sandy, Oregon home. Detectives say her sister also showed signs of torture.

Alexis’ dad Donald Lee Cockrell and his girlfriend, Michelle Nicole Smith, have both been charged with murder. The torture occurred in Smith’s parents home, where the couple lived with five children in a separate unit downstairs.

Alexis is said to have died from blunt force trauma and “acute starvation.” Cockrell and Smith both worked as security guards for DePaul Industries, but their licenses have been yanked since their arrest.

The remaining children have all been pulled from the home, but no one involved seems to be a decent enough parent to care for them. A judge refused to give the surviving daughter to Alexis’ mom, Heather Marie Pounder, because she has a drug problem.

The three other children are Smith’s, all born to different fathers, and police are trying to locate them.

Though police aren’t releasing specific details, they say the Alexis was starved and tortured to death at her Sandy, Oregon home. Detectives say her sister also showed signs of torture.
Alexis’ dad Donald Lee Cockrell and his girlfriend, Michelle Nicole Smith, have both been charged with murder. The torture occurred in Smith’s parents home, where the couple lived with five children in a separate unit downstairs.
Alexis is said to have died from blunt force trauma and “acute starvation.” Cockrell and Smith both worked as security guards for DePaul Industries, but their licenses have been yanked since their arrest.
The remaining children have all been pulled from the home, but no one involved seems to be a decent enough parent to care for them. A judge refused to give the surviving daughter to Alexis’ mom, Heather Marie Pounder, because she has a drug problem.
The three other children are Smith’s, all born to different fathers, and police are trying to locate them.