MICHELLE LYN MICHAUD | Fueled by methamphetamines and deviant motives, nothing was off limits for James Daveggio and Michelle Michaud. Not even their own children. | ALS

Michelle Michaud. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Chowchilla, CA. Pmk: October 16, 2023. Content unknown. SEALED.

• Classification: Murderer

• Characteristics: Serial rapist – Kidnapping – Sexually torture

• Number of victims: 1

• Date of murder: December 2, 1997

• Date of arrest: Next day

• Date of birth: 1959

• Victim profile: Vanessa Lei Samson, 22

• Method of murder: Strangulation

• Location: Pleasanton, Alameda County, California, USA

• Status: Sentenced to death on September 25, 2002

In September 1997, Michaud brought home Nancy Baker, a 13-year-old friend of Michaud’s daughter, Rachel. Michaud drugged Nancy, forced her to undress, and led her to a bedroom where Daveggio orally and digitally copulated her. Michaud attempted to force Nancy to orally copulate Daveggio. Daveggio then raped Nancy.

A few weeks later, Michaud and Daveggio abducted and sexually assaulted Juanita Rodriquez, a 20-year-old student, while she was walking home from night school. Daveggio emerged from a van that stopped alongside Juanita and pulled her inside. Daveggio groped and sexually assaulted Juanita. Daveggio asked Michaud, who was driving, if they should continue with their “plan.” Michaud exited the freeway and told Juanita to get out.

The duo next sexually assaulted Michaud’s 13-year-old daughter, Rachel, during a road trip. Michaud digitally copulated Rachel while Daveggio held her down, then Daveggio orally copulated her. At a motel, they duct-taped Rachel’s mouth and hands and Daveggio orally copulated Rachel a second time.

In early November 1997, Michaud and Daveggio sexually assaulted Patty Wilson. Michaud drove Patty to a motel under the guise of wanting to talk about her relationship woes. At the motel, Patty was hit in the head with what she believed was a gun. Daveggio then handcuffed one of her hands and punched her in the face. After someone cuffed her other wrist, Patty felt a gun to her head, heard a click, and heard Daveggio say, “Damn, it jammed.” Michaud blindfolded Patty, cut off her shirt and bra, pulled off the rest of her clothing, and orally copulated Patty.

On November 3, 1997, Michaud and Daveggio sexually assaulted Sharona Doe, a friend of Daveggio’s daughters. Michaud and Daveggio arrived at Sharona’s workplace and lured Sharona inside their van to take drugs. As soon as Sharona got into the van, Michaud pushed her down. Daveggio hit and handcuffed her. While Michaud drove the van to a new location, Daveggio ordered Sharona to orally copulate him and she complied, crying. Michaud eventually drove the van to a residential area, parked, and moved to the back seat. She removed Sharona’s pants and orally copulated her. At some point during the incident, both Michaud and Daveggio had threatened to kill Sharona. Before releasing Sharona at a gas station, Daveggio flashed his firearm.

Around Thanksgiving of that year, Michaud and Daveggio sexually assaulted Daveggio’s daughter, April, who was then 16 years old. April went to a motel with Michaud and Daveggio because they were supposed to drive her to the DMV the following day. At the motel, Daveggio spoke about committing crimes and specifically asked April to go “hunting” with them, which Daveggio described as “where you stalk someone to kill.” While Daveggio was taking a shower, Michaud sat next to April on a bed and told her that Daveggio was going to have oral sex with her. After his shower, Daveggio orally copulated April for an hour. Michaud later discussed “hunting” with April and appeared angry when April stated that she did not wish to participate.

On the morning of December 2, 1997, Michaud and Daveggio kidnapped Vanessa Samson in Pleasanton while she was walking to work. Daveggio grabbed Samson from the street and forced her into their van which was driven by Michaud. Over the course of the next day, Samson was gagged, raped with curling irons, and strangled to death. Michaud and Daveggio ultimately dumped Samson’s body on the side of the road.

After Michaud and Daveggio’s arrest, law enforcement recovered evidence from the van including a ball and gag and two curling irons. Samson’s DNA was on the ball and gag and one of the curling irons. Michaud’s fingerprints were on one of the curling irons.

At the conclusion of the guilt phase, the jury found Michaud and Daveggio guilty of the first-degree murder of Samson. The jury found Michaud guilty of two counts of oral copulation in concert by force for the sexual assault on Sharona Doe and one count of oral copulation of a person under 18 years of age for the sexual assault on April. Relative to the murder charge, the jury also found true two special circumstances—murder in the course of a kidnapping and rape by instrument—and returned verdicts of death for both Michaud and Daveggio.

VIDEO: James Daveggio & Michelle Michaud: The Minivan Murder | https://youtu.be/71R3lGIjvAo

Archiving Protocol:

• Handled with White Gloves ab initio

• Photo Pages/Sheet Protectors: Heavyweight Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free & Archival Safe, 8.5 × 11, Top Load

• White Backing Board—Acid Free

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