Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Real Murders on Elm Street,’ the primary focus is on the horrific murders of 57-year-old Mary Lou Drury and her 75-year-old mother, Dorothy Gilbert. After the tragedy took place on Elm Street in Detroit, Michigan, in December 1997, a swift investigation led the detectives straight to the perpetrator/s responsible for the gruesome crime. Featuring interviews with the loved ones of the deceased women, the documentary provides more insight into the case and the investigation that ensued.
Mary Lou Drury and Her Husband Cared For Her Ailing Mother, Dorothy Gilbert
Mary Lou Drury was the beloved daughter of Dorothy Gilbert and the loving wife of Gerald Drury. Due to medical complications, Dorothy required a constant supply of oxygen and remained confined to her bed. She shared a close-knit bond with her daughter, who eventually became her caregiver. As her needs increased, Dorothy reportedly moved in with Mary and Gerald, where she was cared for with utmost love, support, and dedication. Therefore, Mary, Gerald and 75-year-old Dorothy had been living a stable life in their four-unit building on Elm Street in Detroit, Michigan, when tragedy struck the household around Christmas 1997.
On the morning of December 23, 1997, around 10 am, Gerald had gone out for some work only to return to a strange sight around 1:15 in the afternoon. Upon returning home, Gerald found the door unlocked and observed that a table from the dining room was jammed against a cabinet. Furthermore, he noticed traces of blood originating from the dining room and extending to the door. He naturally called out to his 57-year-old wife and mother-in-law, and got alarmed when he found neither. He swiftly rushed to the neighbors to inquire about their whereabouts and gather more information about what had transpired.
Mary and Dorothy Were Found Dead in Their Basement Around Christmas
When he returned to his residence with them, Gerald came upon the remains of two women concealed beneath a layer of clothing with their heads covered with bags. Devastated, he immediately contacted the police and made his way to the porch. When the police rushed to the Drury residence and got to the dining room, they came across a pool of blood and recovered blood-soaked tissue, a bloodied piece of duct tape, a single used roll of tape, a slipper, and severed oxygen tubing. In the main bedroom, they located an open box of jewelry on the bed. A trail of blood guided the officers from the dining room to the door, the foyer, and straight down the basement. As they ascended the steps, the trail split, with one path leading to the discovery of Mary’s remains and the other to Dorothy’s.
The medical reports confirmed that duct tape was used to cover Mary’s nose and mouth, as well as to tape her hands (wrists at the back) and feet (ankles together). Per reports, a black plastic bag was used to cover and tie her head. The detectives learned that some cash, credit cards, and two guns were missing from the house. They also noticed that a jewelry box had been ransacked. According to the medical examiner, Mary sustained severe facial cuts and bruises to her face, arm, and shoulder. Furthermore, scrapes indicated that she was reportedly dragged and suffered blunt force trauma to the head. The cause of death of the mother and daughter was determined to be asphyxia.
Mary Lou Drury and Dorothy Gilbert’s Killers Were Found Hiding at a Motel
During the investigation, the detectives learned that Mary Lou Drury and Dorothy Gilbert shared the four-family flat with two more individuals — Pamela Vannoy and Charles Vaughn — who were missing from the house after the double homicide. As they delved deeper into them, the authorities learned that both of them did odd jobs at the home and took care of Dorothy, who required constant oxygen. They found out that Pamela had recently robbed the Drurys, who found out about it and told her to leave. On the morning of December 23, 1997, Gerald instructed her to move out of the house that day itself as he planned to change the locks.
These incidents made Gerald, as well as the police, suspicious about the missing duo. Later that day, Pamela and Charles reportedly went to the house of an acquaintance named Karen Salinas with plastic bags and a handgun. After dropping off a few belongings, they left and asked her not to tell anyone about their visit. However, the detectives located the two fugitives on December 24, 1997, at a motel in Dearborn, where they were arrested. Upon searching the room, the authorities found Mary’s checks and credit cards, credit card receipts, a $100 check made out to Charles, and a couple of guns belonging to the Drurys. One of them had Mary’s blood on it.
During Pamela’s interview, she told the investigators that she and Charles had gotten into a heated argument the day before Thanksgiving 1997, after which he alleged that she was a former convict and had been stealing money from them. As per her claims, it was Charles who came up with the idea to rob the Drury family while helping her move. According to reports, after Gerald left for work on the fateful morning, Pamela and Charles restrained Mary and Dorothy and taped plastic bags over their heads, after which they stole money and jewelry from Mary’s room and managed to find a couple of guns. The two women were taken downstairs into the basement, where they met their demise. After the interview, both Pamela and Charles were charged with larceny and murder in connection with the deaths of Mary Lou Drury and Dorothy Gilbert.
Pamela Vannoy and Charles Vaughn Are Currently Incarcerated at Separate Michigan Prison Facilities
In 1998, both Pamela Vannoy and Charles Vaughn stood trial together but with separate juries. By the end of the trial, both accused parties were convicted of two counts of first-degree felony murder and were sentenced to concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. Following their sentencing, each of them filed an appeal to have their respective convictions overturned. Ultimately, the court of appeals rejected their motions and upheld the convictions.
According to the Michigan Court of Appeals unpublished opinions issued on January 26, 2001, the evidence supported intent either as principal or as aider and abettor, including acts that allegedly cut off the victims’ air supply with knowledge of the likely result.
A later federal habeas ruling reviewed the record and left the convictions intact, summarizing testimony about the timeline, stolen items, recovery of property, and medical findings that both deaths resulted from asphyxia, per the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. As of today, 66-year-old Pamela is serving her sentence at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, while Charles is also seemingly incarcerated at a Michigan prison.
