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The upcoming episode of Homicide Hunter: American Detective is all set to delve into the brutal murder of Tera Lewandowski, a 34-year-old Colorado native who was murdered in her bed by a gang who called themselves "the 21 Gang." The murder drew widespread publicity for its brutal nature and is still considered one of the strangest cases in the history of Pierce, Colorado.
The upcoming episode of Homicide Hunter: American Detective will cover this case in more detail. It airs on July 10, 2024, at 9.00 pm EST. The synopsis for the episode reads:
"A mother raises the alarm when her daughter goes missing from the Colorado house she had recently moved into; while Det. Ben Endreson is investigating, an unusual suspect comes forward to confess her involvement, but her story doesn't quite add up."
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The case saw some strange twists and turns, with as many as seven people getting punished for the murder. This involved DJ Meyer and Crystal Griffin, the ones who shared the house with Tera Lewandowski, and their friends and fellow "gang members," Michael Vassil, Karly Hanchett, Scott Hanchett, and Chad Iler. Moreover, Michael Vassil's father, Thomas Vassil, was also sentenced for the murder as he served as the president of this gang.
Who were the seven people involved in the murder of Tera Lewandowski and where are they now?
Tera Lewandowski was stabbed to death in her bed at the house where she lived. This was because she allegedly had gotten into an altercation with one of the gang members, Karly Hanchett. The house where she lived belonged to DJ Meyer, who was reportedly the enforcer for the gang.
Michael Vassil, meanwhile, was the one pulling the strings. Karly, DJ, and Karly's brother, Scott Hanchett, were the three who killed Tera, with Scott reportedly delivering the killing blow. He also was the one to confess to the police how the murder took place.
He revealed that they went into Tera Lewandowski's room, and DJ stabbed her in the chest. Karly, meanwhile, was hitting her with a pipe, and Scott stabbed her spine in a bid to make it painless for her. Tera begged them not to kill her dog before succumbing to her injuries.
While the others weren't a direct part of the murder, Michael Vassil was the one who gave the order, and Chad Iler and Crystal Griffin helped dispose of the body.
After Crystal initially gave away the details and then Scott confessed, the authorities arrested all of them and charged them with the murder of Lewandowski.
DJ Meyer faced the bulk of the charge, eventually receiving a life sentence plus 18 more years for the murder of Tera Lewandowski. He remains incarcerated at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Ordway, Colorado, where he will possibly live till the end of his days.
Crystal Griffin accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. As for the other four, they all received sentences ranging from 12 to 50 years.
The event accomplice in the murder was Thomas Vassil, the 55-year-old father of Michael Vassil, who was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. He was reportedly the president of the gang and encouraged the act. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The upcoming episode of Homicide Hunter: American Detective will cover this case in further detail.
