Suvechha Sarkar
Regina Marie Butkowski, lovingly known as Jeannie, was a loving sister and a dutiful daughter. The day of May 6, 1989, began like any other for the 29-year-old, but her loved ones never imagined that she would suddenly go missing on that day. The unanswered questions began piling up until eight months later, authorities unfortunately discovered her remains in a creek in Virginia. The shocking details of Regina’s untimely demise are revisited on Investigation Discovery’s ‘Confessions of an Answering Machine.’ It further features investigation details, including the ordinary answering machine message that became a pivotal moment in unraveling the truth.
Regina Butkowski’s Remains Were Found in a Creek Eight Months After Her Disappearance
Donald Benjamin and Carrie Ernestine Prickett welcomed their beautiful daughter, Regina Marie Prickett, into the world on August 5, 1959. She was originally born in Puerto Rico and was affectionately known as Jeannie. As Regina grew up, she received an abundance of support and love from her parents. She was also quite close to her brother, Donald S. Prickett, AKA Sam, and sister, Carrie Y. Peach. Eventually, Regina and her family moved to Virginia Beach. Her loved ones often described her as someone who was kind and had a bright smile. There is very little information available publicly about her education and where she worked.
Some reports suggest that after completing her education, Regina established a career. According to official records, it appears that she maintained amicable relationships with her coworkers. From time to time, Regina also visited a health club in Virginia Beach. She ultimately bought her own home and settled down in Chesapeake, Virginia. However, her life turned upside down when she suddenly went missing from her residence on May 6, 1989. Regina’s family grew worried, and she was ultimately reported missing. However, despite multiple searches and efforts from the law enforcement officials, her whereabouts remained unknown.
Eight months later, in January 1990, a hunter was passing by a creek in Amelia County, Virginia, when he reportedly spotted human remains. When forensic experts arrived at the scene, they discovered that it was a woman who had been shot in the head. The remains were reportedly charred, indicating that the person was burned after the murder, suggesting that the killer attempted to destroy evidence. Police records state that the officials later identified the remains as Regina’s. The autopsy determined her cause of death to be the gunshot wound to the head, and her manner of death was declared a homicide.
Witness Statements and Answering Machine Recording Exposed the Killer
According to reports, when officials initially questioned Regina’s family members and friends, they informed authorities about a former athlete, Pernell Jefferson, with whom Regina had reportedly become friends while visiting a Virginia Beach health club. Investigative reports state that things took a dark turn when Pernell began pressuring her to date him. According to witness statements, he began visiting her at work and at her house. Court records state that Pernell then began threatening to kill Regina. As the events worsened, her coworkers always ensured they walked her to her car at night, reports say. Further police records indicate that Regina’s coworkers also helped her screen the calls from Pernell. As authorities dug deeper, they reportedly discovered that Regina had moved to a new house due to the threats.
Official records state that Pernell then found out about Regina’s new address and allegedly kidnapped her in March 1989. According to court records, authorities recovered her answering machine recordings, which recorded some of Pernell’s threats to Regina and parts of the struggle. He allegedly learned about those recordings and let Regina go after her kidnapping in March 1989, as per reports. Some police records claim that despite having the recordings, Regina refused to make a police complaint because she feared that Pernell would allegedly harm her best friend, Denise Edwards, and Denise’s child. Further records indicate that a few months after Regina’s disappearance, authorities discovered her Nissan vehicle, which led them to a person named Wayne Scott.
As per investigative reports, when Wayne was questioned, he confessed in exchange for immunity from prosecution. In his statements, he admitted that he, Mike Savin, Charles Zimmer, and Pernell had kidnapped Regina. He reportedly claimed that following the abduction, he went home, and Pernell allegedly later told him that he shot Regina. Reports state that when Mike and Charles further confirmed Wayne’s statements, authorities tracked down Pernell and arrested him in early 1990. Pernell was charged with the murder of Regina. When he was interrogated, Pernell claimed that he accidentally shot Regina while trying to take the gun from her during an argument in the car, according to court records. In his statements, Pernell claimed that his violent tendencies arose due to his overuse of steroids.
Pernell Jefferson is Incarcerated at a Virginia Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Pernell began in March 1991, during which the prosecution emphasized that Pernell stalked and threatened Regina prior to the killing in May 1989. They presented several pieces of forensic evidence, along with star witnesses like Wayne, before the court. The prosecution also presented Regina’s answering machine recording, with her saying, “What are you doing to me? Let go of me.” On the other hand, the defense challenged the credibility of cooperating witnesses and the level of Pernell’s intent. Ultimately, the jury convicted him of capital murder on March 30, 1991. Pernell was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. In January 1992, he was indicted on the charges of breaking and entering a dwelling while armed with a deadly weapon with the intent to commit abduction, and the second charge of abduction.
The defense reportedly challenged the indictments, seeking to have them dismissed on double jeopardy grounds. On May 7, 1992, the Trial Court refused to dismiss the burglary charge but dismissed the abduction charge. Pernell later appealed his original conviction, raising issues like procedural rulings and speedy trial rights. On December 31, 1996, he finally entered a conditional guilty plea to burglary and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. On that same day, the Appellate Court rejected his other claims and upheld his conviction. Following that, Pernell’s parole has been denied multiple times, and he is currently serving his sentence at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Virginia.
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