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Anjelica Hadsell was an 18-year-old softball player and college student of Longwood University who disappeared on March 2, 2015. Before her disappearance, Anjelica texted her family informing them that she was out with her friends.
However, when Anjelica's mother, Jennifer Wright, reached home that night, she found a strange note from her daughter. After that, Anjelica stopped responding to the calls and texts made by her family. The Norfolk Police were soon informed and launched a search investigation.
Eventually, Anjelica Hadsell's body was discovered hidden in a ditch of an abandoned property, which was 60 miles away from the family's residence.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode titled The Jacket explores the complete investigation into finding Anjelica's killer.
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What is the story of Anjelica Hadsell?
As reported by People, Anjelica Hadsell was a college student at Longwood University. According to the authorities, she had a bright future as a softball player. Reportedly, during the time of the murder, she had a recent breakup and came home for spring break.
As reported by Oxygen, Anjelica was raised by her stepfather, Zach Hoffer raised her in the neighborhood of Norfolk, with two younger half-siblings. Anjelica Hadsell was eight years old when her mother, Jennifer, broke up with Hoffer. Anjelica's mother then embarked on a relationship with Wesley Hadsell.
Wesley eventually went on to adopt Anjelica. As reported by Oxygen, in March 2015, Anjelica Hadsell returned home for a spring break. Wesley was kicked out of her house due to drug-related issues and was staying at a nearby hotel.
The disappearance of Anjelica Hadsell
As reported by Oxygen, authorities discovered that on March 2, 2015, Anjelica went out with his friends. Reportedly, when Anjelica's mother, Jennifer, returned home in the night, she found a note from her daughter, Anjelica, which read,
"Dear madre, With everything that's going on, it's a lot to deal with."
Anjelica's family became concerned that she had stopped returning their calls. When the authorities reached the crime scene, they found the house door unlocked. Additionally, half-folded laundry and Anjelica's wallet containing money were on the couch in the living room.
As reported by Oxygen, Anjelica's friend Andre Barr revealed that she wouldn't usually run away somewhere without telling anyone. When the police interrogated Wesley Hadsell, he stated seeing his daughter on the afternoon she disappeared.
Wesley claimed that he met Anjelica at the gas station and gave her $ 200 before heading back home. As reported by Oxygen, during the initial investigation, authorities began to suspect that Anjelica might have been kidnapped.
As reported by People, one of Anjelica's ex-boyfriends, Corey French, discovered a piece of her credit card on the road. Corey was interrogated by the authorities, but he had a strong alibi. He claimed that he and Anjelica were simply friends, and he hadn't seen her for months.
Soon, authorities initiated a search operation at Corey's residence and obtained Anjelica's jacket, stuffed behind a cushion on his couch. However, without any further evidence, Corey was excluded from the suspicion.
Wesley was extremely furious about this decision. He stood outside his house with a blow horn and accused Corey of the disappearance.
Anjelica's father, Wesley Hadsell, came under suspicion.
As reported by Oxygen, after the initial investigation progressed, Wesley contacted the police. He said that he and Barr had found some clothes belonging to Anjelica on the side of a road, after following a tip.
Reportedly, when Andre Barr was brought in for interrogation, he claimed that it was Wesley who instructed him to look for Anjelica's jacket in Corey French's residence. Soon, the suspicion began to shift to Anjelica's father, Wesley Hadsell. Authorities discovered that Wesley had a criminal history, which involved multiple burglaries, theft, and even robbing a bank.
Detectives discovered multiple tips directed at him. Their suspicion grew especially when Wesley started involving himself too much in the investigation. As reported by Oxygen, Anjelica's father, Wesley, was soon arrested for breaking into the residence of Corey French. While searching his hotel room, they discovered hidden ammunition in the ceiling.
When the surveillance footage was retrieved from the gas station that Wesley described, neither Anjelica nor her stepfather was there. While interrogating Wesley's car, authorities discovered a Garmin GPS device.
As per NBC News, after scrutinizing the GPS, authorities tracked the complete activity of Wesley's van. It was revealed that he took a one-hour trip to West Norfolk to an abandoned house. Soon, investigators opted for a search operation in the abandoned house.
While searching the backyard of the abandoned property, detectives found a plywood piece covering a small drainage ditch. When the plywood was removed, the body of Anjelica Hadsell was found, partially buried in the ditch.
When the body of Anjelica Hadsell was sent for autopsy, it was determined that she died of heroin poisoning. Authorities soon discovered hidden drugs and heroin in the ceiling of Wesley's hotel room. Additionally, a drug dealer admitted to selling drugs to Wesley after the disappearance of Anjelica Hadsell.
As reported by Oxygen, authorities accused Wesley of allegedly forcing Anjelica to write the note. They claimed that she was then reportedly kidnapped by her stepfather, Wesley, and then killed and dumped in an abandoned location.
As per AP News, prosecutors argued that Wesley Hadsell kidnapped, assaulted, and fatally injected his 18-year-old stepdaughter, Anjelica Hadsell, with heroin before hiding her body behind an abandoned house in 2015. Wesley Hadsell maintained his claims of innocence; however, the judge stated that the evidence against him was “overwhelming.”
On February 7, 2022, Wesley Hadsell was found guilty of first-degree murder, concealment of a body, and drug possession. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years, the maximum penalty for each charge.
Check out our other articles to learn more details about other cases on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered.
