In the late hours of September 17, 1994, the life of 32-year-old Marchel Fay 'Missy' Berry was tragically cut short in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A dedicated employee, she was on her way to make a nightly deposit after closing the Arby's restaurant where she worked. Unbeknownst to her, this routine task would be her last. Her vehicle was later found stopped at an intersection, with Berry inside, having been fatally shot in what appeared to be an execution-style killing. The deposits she was supposed to make were missing, leading investigators to initially suspect that robbery was the primary motive for this brutal act.
As the investigation, led by Lieutenant Joe Kenda, unfolded, attention turned toward the people who worked with Berry. A co-worker by the name of Darren Haney provided a crucial piece of information, suggesting that another employee, George Clifford 'Cliff' McDaniel, harbored a deep-seated animosity towards Berry. Haney recalled McDaniel expressing his hatred for Berry weeks before the murder, even stating that he wanted her dead. Apparently, Berry had been critical of McDaniel's work ethic and had made comments about him being a 'mommy's boy.' It was also discovered that McDaniel lived only a block away from where Berry's car was found.
Further investigation solidified McDaniel as the prime suspect. A police officer remembered seeing a man matching McDaniel's description lingering in the restaurant's parking lot around the time Berry would have left for the night. It is believed that he may have asked her for a ride. Following the murder, McDaniel fled the country, making his way to Liverpool, England, in an attempt to evade justice. However, his flight was not the end of the story. He was eventually apprehended and extradited back to Colorado Springs to face trial for the murder of Missy Berry.
The evidence against George Clifford McDaniel was compelling, and he was ultimately convicted of the crime. For the senseless killing of Marchel Fay 'Missy' Berry, a crime that appeared to be fueled by both robbery and a personal vendetta, McDaniel was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would never again have the freedom he so callously took from his victim.
