In October 1996, a young college student with her entire life ahead of her was brutally murdered. Everyone involved was deeply affected by the case, and Berry Bryant’s family has been dealing with the fallout ever since. ‘Evil Lives Here: Shadows Of Death: The Dark Road,’ an Investigation Discovery documentary, details what led to Berry’s murder and how the perpetrator was apprehended. So, let’s learn more about this case, shall we?
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Berry Bryant’s Cause of Death
Berry Alexis Bryant was born in March 1978 in Montana. She was regarded as a multifaceted individual in high school, and she participated in sports, band, and drill teams, among other activities. The saxophone player was described as a friendly and loving person who got along with everyone while a sophomore at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. Berry made good friends and was well-liked in just one month of college.
On October 5, 1996, the 18-year-old went to a school dance followed by a party in a dorm room. Berry left the room at some point during the night, unaware that she would never return. Additional information later led police to Berry’s body, which was discovered about 16 miles outside of Powell. She appeared to have been in a struggle with her attacker; she had several defensive wounds and was laying in a pool of blood on the ground. Berry’s throat had been slashed so deeply that she was nearly decapitated.
Who murdered Berry Bryant?
Berry’s roommate became concerned when she did not return. Her car was still parked in the lot, and no one with that name was being treated at the local hospital. The investigation revealed that there was another teenager at the party named Levi Collen, who was 19 at the time. He’d met Berry before at a conference. According to the show, Levi was smitten with Berry, but she was uninterested.
Berry and Levi were last seen leaving the party. Later, a bloodied Levi returned to the dorm and claimed to have been in a fight with another man. He was bleeding and had some scratches on his body at the time. Levi told his friends on the way there that he had killed Berry after raping her. As a result, they restrained him and immediately called the police.
Levi initially told various stories about what happened. According to the show, they were in his car together and had consensual sex before Berry got out and attacked him with a beer bottle. Levi claimed that he stabbed her in order to defend himself. The police, however, did not believe him and asked him to lead them to the body. Levi confessed to what had happened after showing the police where Berry was.
Levi stated that he and Berry left the party and drove about 16 miles out of Powell. According to the show, he attempted to have sex with her but she refused. Levi drew his knife, but Berry continued to fight. He then raped her before slitting her throat from ear to ear and burying her body in a patch of brush. Aside from that, authorities heard from another woman who was attacked by Levi sometime in the summer of 1995.
The woman stated that she was at a bar with a friend when she met Levi and eventually went on a drive with him. According to the show, Levi wanted to have sex with her but she refused. He threatened her with a gun before driving her to a desolate area and raped her. The survivor told police that he bit her on the face and arms and threatened to kill her if she ever mentioned it to anyone.
What happened to Levi Collen today?
Levi was convicted of first-degree murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping in November 1996. He was also charged with sexual assault in connection with the incident in the summer of 1995. As a result, he was sentenced to three consecutive life terms. Levi is still incarcerated at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington, Goshen County, according to prison records.
The granite bench will be placed west of the Campus Mall, near the Nelson Performing Arts Building, as a permanent memorial.
Last October, on the 25th anniversary of her death, some of Bryant’s family and friends gathered on campus for a small-group lunch and planted daffodil bulbs near the garden and bench site. They are hoping that the flowers will bloom by March 21, her birthday.
The College and NWC Foundation are also collaborating with Bryant’s family and friends to establish the Berry Bryant Memorial Scholarship Endowment as a way to positively honor her legacy.
Bryant was involved in a variety of social activities on campus, including 4-H, band, sports, music, and junior leadership. A scholarship in her name will benefit students who participate in their communities in the same way she did.
Light snacks and drinks will be served at the event. Visitors are invited to hear stories about Bryant and to share their own. If the weather is bad, the dedication will be held indoors.
For more information, call 307-754-6110 and ask for Shelby Wetzel, the NWC Foundation’s Executive Director, or write to Shelby.
BUCYRUS—A talented young golfer from Colonel Crawford won the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association tournament for the second week in a row.
Bryant Berry shot a 35 last week in Marion. He shot a 42 on the back nine this week and is now 2-0 in the 12-and-under division this summer. He had one birdie, three pars, and four bogeys from the red tees.
Berry finished 10 strokes ahead of Griffin Gates of Delaware and Nolen West of Pleasant, who both shot 52.
Both Galion’s Nick McMullen and Pleasant’s Nathan Newell shot 76 to finish second in the 16-18 age group. Minoy Shah of Mount Pleasant won his first summer tournament with a 73 that included an eagle, three birdies, and ten pars.
Logan Keller of Galion finished tied for fifth with a 79, and Logan Niese of Buckeye Central finished seventh with an 83.
Wes Prenger of Wynford finished ninth (84) and Micah Greene finished tenth (87). Nate Barre and Braylan Hart of Galion tied for 11th (88), Cody Pennington of Bucyrus was 14th (90), Noah Burke of Bucyrus was 17th (100), and Gavin Crim of Galion was 19th with a 111.
Maura Murphy of Pleasant won the girls 13-18 age group with a 75-point total that included three birdies and nine pars. Colonel Crawford’s Lucy Myers (89) and Sophie Beck (95) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Olentangy’s Kaden Ottley won the boys 13-15 age group with a score of 79. Carson Walker of Galion finished second with an 85.
The next HOJGA tournament will be held at the Marysville Golf Club on June 22.
In October 1996, a young college student with her entire life ahead of her was brutally murdered. Berry Bryant’s family has been dealing with the fallout from the case since it happened. “Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death: The Dark Road” on Investigation Discovery delves into the events leading up to Berry’s death. Let us learn more about this case, shall we?
Berry Alexis Bryant was born in March 1978 in Montana. During high school, she was regarded as a multifaceted individual who participated in sports, band, and drill teams, among other activities. People liked the saxophonist because he was nice and friendly to everyone. He was a sophomore at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. Berry became well-known and made good friends in just one month at college.
The 18-year-old attended a school dance on October 5, 1996. She then went to a party in her dorm room. Berry had to leave the room at some point during the night, but she had no idea she’d never return. When the police had more information, they were able to locate Berry’s body 16 miles outside of Powell. She was in a pool of blood on the ground, with several defensive wounds. This indicates that she fought her attacker hard. Berry had almost lost her mind because her throat had been so badly cut.
Berry did not return, and Berry’s roommate became concerned. There was no one with that name receiving care at the nearby hospital, and her car was still parked. The investigation revealed that Levi Collen, 19, was present at the party with the other teenagers. Berry was someone he’d met before at a conference. Despite the fact that Levi appeared to be in love with Berry, the show stated that she was not interested.
Berry and Levi were seen for the last time leaving the party. Later, a bloodied Levi entered the hostel, claiming that he and another man had gotten into a fight. He was bleeding and had small cuts on his body at the time. Levi told his friends that he killed Berry after raped her on the way there. So they arrested him and immediately called the police.
Levi initially told various versions of what happened. He claimed that they had consensual sex in his car before Berry jumped out and hit him with a beer bottle, as shown on the show. Levi claimed he stabbed her in self-defense. Because the cops didn’t believe him, they demanded that he show them where the body was. Levi stated that he did what occurred after telling the police where to find Berry.
Levi claims he and Berry left the party together and drove approximately 16 miles away from Powell. As shown in the episode, he tried to get intimate with her, but she refused. Berry continued to fight while Levi held out his knife. She was raped and her throat was severed from ear to ear. Her body was then buried in a grove of trees. A second woman, who had been attacked by Levi sometime during the summer of 1995, also provided police with information.
According to the woman, she and her friend met Levi while drinking and then went for a drive with him. Levi wanted to sleep with her, but she refused, according to the episode. He drove her to an empty lot, pulled out a gun, and raped her. According to the victim, the person who harmed her bit her on the face and arms and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what had happened.
Levi was found guilty of first-degree murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping by a judge in November 1996. He was also accused of sexual assault in connection with the summer of 1995 incident. As a result, he received three consecutive life sentences. According to prison records, Levi is still incarcerated at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington, Goshen County.
