John Allore has written this up, with some input from me and Doreen Prior, and suggested that we all post this in our blogs.
Naturally, I agreed.
----------------------------------------------------------
How To run your own Cold-Case – Top Ten
Doreen Prior made an interesting comment recently that she was equally dialed in to unsolved cases in the Montreal region from the 70s. If you don’t know Doreen, she has been advocating longer than me for a resolution to the unsolved death of her sister, Sharron, http://www.sharronprior.com/ who was murdered in 1975. Doreen knows this process better than anyone. As well, Bill Widman has been actively seeking to solve the murder of his friend, Debbie Key. In the interest of helping other families who may be trying to conduct their own investigations, Doreen, Bill and I offer these top ten suggestions for conducting your own cold-case investigation:
1. Information Management – The Internet: If you can afford it, get a subscription to Lexis-Nexis. http://www.lexisnexis.com/
This will allow you to data mine old newspapers back to the early 80s. There’s gold in them hills.
2. Information Management – Your local library: Most major libraries keep copies of all regional newspapers on microfiche. For Theresa’s case I was able to have the Provincial Library in Quebec mail me microfiche of old newspapers like the Montreal Star, Photo Police, Allo Police to my local library in North Carolina! I know Doreen Prior also accessed local libraries for Sharron’s case. Newspapers offer you good information about activities in the area of investigation leading up to, and immediately after any murder.
3. Google is your best friend: http://www.google.com/alerts
I have Google Alerts set up for all key words associated with my sister’s death (names of regional towns, suspects’ names, the name of each regional police force). This is a good way to stay a step ahead of anything that may be relevant to your investigation.
4. Accessing public records: Things like medical records and autopsy reports… these are public information and readily available from your local medical examiner or coroner.
5. Makes friends with the appropriate law enforcement agency: In many circumstances a case grows cold due to perceived ineptitudes of the investigating police force. Despite the frustration you must ultimately make peace with the investigating force. Ultimately they are the only body that can bring the case to justice. Despite friction, you must work to find an understanding. This doesn’t mean you can’t continue to challenge the force, just realize that you must retain balance. Crime scene reports? Evidence? Primary information? All of this is in the hands of the investigating force. You must make amends if you hope to gain access to this information.
6. Psychics: Useful? As secondary evidence, possibly. Just realize that anything psychic / medium offers is not admissible as evidence. It can be a great resource (myself and Bill have used them), but be aware of their limitations. And don’t get strayed into kooky theories: you can see patterns in any amount of randomness. Remember that some things are a coincidence.
7. Network: Read everything. The internet is an incredible resource. Become familiar with advocacy and justice initiatives. Make friends, get educated, attend conferences.
8. Publicity: The media can be a great tool to get your story out. Remember one thing: ultimately they are exploiting you, so feel free to exploit them. “If it bleeds it leads”… and the stories the media usually are attracted to in cold cases are something gruesome or something very personal ( perhaps too personal for a crime victim… I always hated when they asked me about “closure”). Be professional, cautious and guarded. Don’t offer up anything you feel is crossing a line. You have a right to say, “no, that’s too far” with these people. Also, don’t feel bad if they don’t want to cover your story. I have spent many hours offering up angles to media (suspects, new information, a personal-interest moment, a tidbit that is relevant to a current case), if they aren’t interested, don’t take it personally. Move on. It’s a business. One of the main reasons myself, Doreen and Bill started blogs was to control the distribution of information. So you can start one too! That too is media attention!
9. Get support: Guess what? You’re only human. And very quickly you will reach a burnout threshold. Get help. Find something positive other than this cold-case that gives you energy ( a hobby, your family, a sport, your shrink). We’ve all been to the bottom. It’s no fun, but we will support you on your journey back up. One of the best things I did? Made friends with fellow victims and investigating colleagues on Facebook. At first this seemed counter-intuitive: I wanted to isolate my personal life from my cold-case life. In the end it was the right decision because it was healthy to see these people without the victim stigma, in a normal light: families, loves, interests.
10. If all else fails: Contact the Vidocq Society, http://www.vidocq.org/ a group out of the Washington area comprised of retired forensic and investigative experts dedicated to solving old cases. Slightly pretentious, but if you’ve exhausted numbers 1 – 9 at this point you have nothing to lose. A word of caution: Vidocq will only consider your case if you have support from your local police jurisdiction (so no coming here if you’ve got a beef with how the police screwed up your case).
Go forth and solve!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Guy Fawkes Night
Image by Photobucket
The 5th of November is a holiday that never did catch on in the USA, at least not since Colonial times. It is said that George Washington forbade the celebration of the holiday by his troops, for he saw it as anti-Catholic and pro-British. It is the 4th of July that we Americans celebrate with fireworks.
Most Americans that I know have never heard of Guy Fawkes until the movie "V for Vendetta" came out in 2005, exactly 400 years after November 5, 1605. I myself have not heard of Guy Fawkes until I met a friend of Debbie's who had contributed photos to this website and blog. This person told me all about it.
There's a poem that I've heard referred to as a nursery rhyme, but the actual title to it (I have learned recently) is "The Bonfire Prayer." This, I am told, is recited at the lighting of the bonfire on November 5th. Since those of us here who know it at all know only the first few lines, I present it here in it's entirety.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Remember, remember the fifth of November
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot.
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
to blow up King and Parliament.
Three-score barrels of powder below
to prove Old England's overthrow.
By God's providence he was catch'd
with a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
A penny loaf to feed the Pope
A farthing of cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to wash it down
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah hoorah!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Whether you perceive Guy Fawkes as a hero or a villain may depend on whether you are a Catholic or a Protestant, or how you may feel about the political climate of Old England at the time.
Whether or not you choose to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, let us always try to remember the lessons that history has to teach us.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Beyond This Place
My favorite story about what happened to Debbie Key is "Bad Dream House" by John Allore. During our Halloween weekend I have learned that John had written a sequel to the story. It is called "Beyond This Place," and the first chapter now appears in his WKT? blog.
http://theresaallore.com/?bloggerURL=/.com/
Below is a sample of the first chapter, edited by me.
(...) indicates where I left out sentences.
(You don't have to tell me I'm biased because I already know that, but I also want to make it shorter for this post)
------------------------------------------------------------
I live in a house once inhabited by a psychopath. (...) Each day there are a dozen little things reminding me that Deborah Key – the young woman who was most likely murdered by the former owner of our home – is still missing. Working in the garden, I’ll unearth some artifact belonging to the former owners. Inevitably, it will be some weapon or instrument of torture – an arrow, a spear, the broken blade from a sword. One time I found a gigantic hunting knife with brown stains on the blade. (...) Another time I found the remains of a dismembered Barbie doll.
Last year my wife started a business; a children’s resale shop in downtown Carrboro. Carrboro is a little bedroom community of Chapel Hill in North Carolina. My wife’s shop is cute. She has a lot of nice stuff. (...) As fate would have it, my wife rented the space where the bar Sticks and Stones was formerly located. The same Sticks and Stones where Deborah Key was last seen alive. Every day after work I pull into the parking lot to pick up the kids. I always park in the spot where Deborah was last seen kissing Andrew Dalzell against the hood of her car. Deborah’s mother placed a small memorial on the spot with flowers and a plaque. It’s nice that it’s there to remind me. Just in case I forgot.
Not long ago I got another call from our local police. Deborah Key’s body still had not been recovered. Chief Henderson wanted to return and search our property. This time they weren’t bringing a cadaver dog; they were bringing a psychic.
I don’t understand this “psychic” business. They always seem to be able to see everything that is totally extraneous. They do everything but the one thing police ask them to do: solve the crime. (...)
“She had a vision that Deborah’s body was in a place with woods and a lake.”
(...) That was the thing, it wasn’t a gimmick; my friend had done it. It was amazing. She had a conversation through the medium with her dead relatives. It was creepy. There were details this medium knew about my friend’s life that only people who had “passed” could have known – little pieces of knowledge that no one could find through deception. My friend came to a conclusion. Either the medium was really a psychic and she was reading your mind; or it was for real, and she talked to the dead. My friend suggested I arrange for a consultation with my sister. The medium charged two hundred dollars an hour. I said I’d think about it.
On the weekend I phone my parents and ask them about the medium. They say, why not? I talk with my brother. He can’t think of a reason not to do it either. Curious. I was hoping one of them would stop me. At Barnes & Noble I “inadvertently” wind up in front of the New Age section. My medium’s staring at me from the cover of her book. What’s going on here?
--------------------------------------------------------------
IN OTHER NEWS:
Today is the day the trial begins for Curtis Lavelle Vance, who last year murdered TV news anchor Anne Pressly in Little Rock, Arkansas. I plan to keep up with this case.
Here is some more news on the prison release issue.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6304543/
Tomorrow will be the 31-year anniversary of the murder of Theresa Allore - November 3, 1978.
Also on this day, 3 years ago, Michelle Young was killed near Raleigh, NC - November 3, 2006.
http://theresaallore.com/?bloggerURL=/.com/
Below is a sample of the first chapter, edited by me.
(...) indicates where I left out sentences.
(You don't have to tell me I'm biased because I already know that, but I also want to make it shorter for this post)
------------------------------------------------------------
I live in a house once inhabited by a psychopath. (...) Each day there are a dozen little things reminding me that Deborah Key – the young woman who was most likely murdered by the former owner of our home – is still missing. Working in the garden, I’ll unearth some artifact belonging to the former owners. Inevitably, it will be some weapon or instrument of torture – an arrow, a spear, the broken blade from a sword. One time I found a gigantic hunting knife with brown stains on the blade. (...) Another time I found the remains of a dismembered Barbie doll.
Last year my wife started a business; a children’s resale shop in downtown Carrboro. Carrboro is a little bedroom community of Chapel Hill in North Carolina. My wife’s shop is cute. She has a lot of nice stuff. (...) As fate would have it, my wife rented the space where the bar Sticks and Stones was formerly located. The same Sticks and Stones where Deborah Key was last seen alive. Every day after work I pull into the parking lot to pick up the kids. I always park in the spot where Deborah was last seen kissing Andrew Dalzell against the hood of her car. Deborah’s mother placed a small memorial on the spot with flowers and a plaque. It’s nice that it’s there to remind me. Just in case I forgot.
Not long ago I got another call from our local police. Deborah Key’s body still had not been recovered. Chief Henderson wanted to return and search our property. This time they weren’t bringing a cadaver dog; they were bringing a psychic.
I don’t understand this “psychic” business. They always seem to be able to see everything that is totally extraneous. They do everything but the one thing police ask them to do: solve the crime. (...)
“She had a vision that Deborah’s body was in a place with woods and a lake.”
(...) That was the thing, it wasn’t a gimmick; my friend had done it. It was amazing. She had a conversation through the medium with her dead relatives. It was creepy. There were details this medium knew about my friend’s life that only people who had “passed” could have known – little pieces of knowledge that no one could find through deception. My friend came to a conclusion. Either the medium was really a psychic and she was reading your mind; or it was for real, and she talked to the dead. My friend suggested I arrange for a consultation with my sister. The medium charged two hundred dollars an hour. I said I’d think about it.
On the weekend I phone my parents and ask them about the medium. They say, why not? I talk with my brother. He can’t think of a reason not to do it either. Curious. I was hoping one of them would stop me. At Barnes & Noble I “inadvertently” wind up in front of the New Age section. My medium’s staring at me from the cover of her book. What’s going on here?
--------------------------------------------------------------
IN OTHER NEWS:
Today is the day the trial begins for Curtis Lavelle Vance, who last year murdered TV news anchor Anne Pressly in Little Rock, Arkansas. I plan to keep up with this case.
Here is some more news on the prison release issue.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6304543/
Tomorrow will be the 31-year anniversary of the murder of Theresa Allore - November 3, 1978.
Also on this day, 3 years ago, Michelle Young was killed near Raleigh, NC - November 3, 2006.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monsters on the Loose?
When I first read this article, I had trouble deciding whether to believe it or not.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6218918/#
I kept thinking this had to be hoax, such as the one that occurred many Halloweens ago, when Orson Welles made a radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds," pretending to be news coverage of an actual event.
Just in time for Halloween, on October 29, the state of NC will release 20 inmates who were sentenced to life for violent offenses.
The news article was dated October 15. They didn't give us much time to prepare for it.
"How can they do that?" I kept asking myself. Surely they don't intend to release dangerous criminals back into society. But that's what it says. Five pages of Google Search shows the same news story on many different websites. If this was intended to scare us, it is certainly working on me.
WRAL is a news source that I trust, and I like Gerald Owens. I read what he had to say about it, and it isn't comforting.
http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/blogpost/6221200/
Visions of angry mobs storming the state courthouse flash through my mind, with torches and pitchforks like in old movies I've seen.
Visions of murderers and rapist turning up in our towns are even more disturbing, with more victims, and more horrible deaths.
"They can't let this happen!" I keep telling myself over and over again.
For the rest of the evening my mind desperately searches for some comfort from my fears. After serving an 80 year sentence, they must be too old to do much harm. Wrong! These have only served 30-some years. I didn't know time off for good behavior and work could cut a sentence down to less than half. If they got good behavior and other brownie points, maybe these inmates are considered less at risk for repeat offenses. Wrong! Many of them have several infractions on their prison records. So what exactly is "good behavior" anyway?
All of these inmates due to be released were sentenced for murder or rape, except for one, who was sentenced for attempted rape. Some of these rapes include victims who are children. Is this what "life sentence" means now? I don't like even the thought of it. I'd rather take my chances on vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, then to chance an encounter with someone who until recently was on death row for murder.
Finally I convinced myself that this is probably some political publicity stunt, so that the politician who manages to stop the release in time is sure to get re-elected. Yeah, that's it. That worked for me, and so I was able to sleep on it.
The next day I thought I would probably write the angriest blog I have ever written, but then decided it would be better to talk to some people, and see if I can get a better perspective on it. I decided I would bring up the subject with whoever I could talk to that I come across today.
One such person gave me a "f--- you!" and one I never thought I'd hear such words from. I was accused of being self righteous for thinking that convicted criminals who have served their sentences do not deserve the opportunity to make a better life for themselves. I tried to say that people who murder and rape are dangerous, and should never be released, but I am told that most people like this learn their lessons in prison, and they should get a chance to redeem themselves.
I was told that once a person is sentenced, that sentence cannot be changed unless another offense could be added to it. A sentence is determined by the laws that were in place at the time, and there is nothing we can do to change it once it has been passed.
I thought about Charles Manson. Wasn't he given the death sentence? Didn't that change after the State of California decided to ban it? Isn't that why he's still alive?
Another person I talked to said 'yes' to my idea of storming the courthouse, but without the torches and pitchforks. Let's leave our weapons at home and keep it peaceful, like good citizens, but make sure our voices are heard.
Even the NC Fraternal Order of Police are against the release.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6235442/#
We have seen in our history that whenever people loose faith in the law to protect them, they tend to take the law into their own hands. I have heard more than a few voices say it's time for vigilante justice to return. I have made a promise to never support vigilantism, and now I'm afraid it will be getting harder for me to keep that promise. I'm sure that if these inmates are released as planned, and if any one of them ever kills or rapes again, our state justice system will be blamed for it. I'm afraid to think about what would happen after that.
Citizens of North Carolina, I say that if we don't get tough on crime, then crime will surely get tough on us.
Now let's hope the scariest things we see this Halloween are bats, spiders, and pumpkins.
Special thanks (again) to NC Wanted and WRAL News.
-----------------------------------------------------
UPDATE - Oct 22
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/6261276/#
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6218918/#
I kept thinking this had to be hoax, such as the one that occurred many Halloweens ago, when Orson Welles made a radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds," pretending to be news coverage of an actual event.
Just in time for Halloween, on October 29, the state of NC will release 20 inmates who were sentenced to life for violent offenses.
The news article was dated October 15. They didn't give us much time to prepare for it.
"How can they do that?" I kept asking myself. Surely they don't intend to release dangerous criminals back into society. But that's what it says. Five pages of Google Search shows the same news story on many different websites. If this was intended to scare us, it is certainly working on me.
WRAL is a news source that I trust, and I like Gerald Owens. I read what he had to say about it, and it isn't comforting.
http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/blogpost/6221200/
Visions of angry mobs storming the state courthouse flash through my mind, with torches and pitchforks like in old movies I've seen.
Visions of murderers and rapist turning up in our towns are even more disturbing, with more victims, and more horrible deaths.
"They can't let this happen!" I keep telling myself over and over again.
For the rest of the evening my mind desperately searches for some comfort from my fears. After serving an 80 year sentence, they must be too old to do much harm. Wrong! These have only served 30-some years. I didn't know time off for good behavior and work could cut a sentence down to less than half. If they got good behavior and other brownie points, maybe these inmates are considered less at risk for repeat offenses. Wrong! Many of them have several infractions on their prison records. So what exactly is "good behavior" anyway?
All of these inmates due to be released were sentenced for murder or rape, except for one, who was sentenced for attempted rape. Some of these rapes include victims who are children. Is this what "life sentence" means now? I don't like even the thought of it. I'd rather take my chances on vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, then to chance an encounter with someone who until recently was on death row for murder.
Finally I convinced myself that this is probably some political publicity stunt, so that the politician who manages to stop the release in time is sure to get re-elected. Yeah, that's it. That worked for me, and so I was able to sleep on it.
The next day I thought I would probably write the angriest blog I have ever written, but then decided it would be better to talk to some people, and see if I can get a better perspective on it. I decided I would bring up the subject with whoever I could talk to that I come across today.
One such person gave me a "f--- you!" and one I never thought I'd hear such words from. I was accused of being self righteous for thinking that convicted criminals who have served their sentences do not deserve the opportunity to make a better life for themselves. I tried to say that people who murder and rape are dangerous, and should never be released, but I am told that most people like this learn their lessons in prison, and they should get a chance to redeem themselves.
I was told that once a person is sentenced, that sentence cannot be changed unless another offense could be added to it. A sentence is determined by the laws that were in place at the time, and there is nothing we can do to change it once it has been passed.
I thought about Charles Manson. Wasn't he given the death sentence? Didn't that change after the State of California decided to ban it? Isn't that why he's still alive?
Another person I talked to said 'yes' to my idea of storming the courthouse, but without the torches and pitchforks. Let's leave our weapons at home and keep it peaceful, like good citizens, but make sure our voices are heard.
Even the NC Fraternal Order of Police are against the release.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6235442/#
We have seen in our history that whenever people loose faith in the law to protect them, they tend to take the law into their own hands. I have heard more than a few voices say it's time for vigilante justice to return. I have made a promise to never support vigilantism, and now I'm afraid it will be getting harder for me to keep that promise. I'm sure that if these inmates are released as planned, and if any one of them ever kills or rapes again, our state justice system will be blamed for it. I'm afraid to think about what would happen after that.
Citizens of North Carolina, I say that if we don't get tough on crime, then crime will surely get tough on us.
Now let's hope the scariest things we see this Halloween are bats, spiders, and pumpkins.
Special thanks (again) to NC Wanted and WRAL News.
-----------------------------------------------------
UPDATE - Oct 22
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/6261276/#
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Jennifer Schuett: Voice of Victory
This story may sound unbelievable, but I have checked out several sources and found it to be true.
On August 10, 1990, in Dickinson, Texas, a little girl, 8 year old Jennifer Schuett, was abducted from her bed out of her bedroom window. The abductor carried the girl to his car, drove her to a field, raped her, then slit her throat. She was left lying naked on an ant hill bleeding to death. 12 hours later she was found and brought to a hospital.
Now here is the amazing part of the story.
That little girl is still alive! She is now a young woman of 27 years. Doctors told her she would never be able to talk again, but she proved them wrong. Her voice is still being heard. She lived to tell her story, and to seek justice.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/25/texas.rape.victim/index.html
Now here's the really good news!
On Tuesday October 13, 2009, Dennis Earl Bradford was arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas, thanks to DNA evidence he left behind at the scene of the crime. His drivers license photo from that time 19 years ago is a near perfect match with the composite sketch from Jennifer's description.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/13/texas.rape.arrest/
America's Most Wanted tells the story of Jennifer Schuett's victory, the arrest of Bradford, and to top it off, an interview with John Walsh and Jennifer in a video I'm sure you'll enjoy!
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/video_photos.cfm?id=64363
A nice reminder that sometimes justice does prevail!
Thank you Doreen Prior for calling this story to my attention.
On August 10, 1990, in Dickinson, Texas, a little girl, 8 year old Jennifer Schuett, was abducted from her bed out of her bedroom window. The abductor carried the girl to his car, drove her to a field, raped her, then slit her throat. She was left lying naked on an ant hill bleeding to death. 12 hours later she was found and brought to a hospital.
Now here is the amazing part of the story.
That little girl is still alive! She is now a young woman of 27 years. Doctors told her she would never be able to talk again, but she proved them wrong. Her voice is still being heard. She lived to tell her story, and to seek justice.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/25/texas.rape.victim/index.html
Now here's the really good news!
On Tuesday October 13, 2009, Dennis Earl Bradford was arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas, thanks to DNA evidence he left behind at the scene of the crime. His drivers license photo from that time 19 years ago is a near perfect match with the composite sketch from Jennifer's description.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/13/texas.rape.arrest/
America's Most Wanted tells the story of Jennifer Schuett's victory, the arrest of Bradford, and to top it off, an interview with John Walsh and Jennifer in a video I'm sure you'll enjoy!
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/video_photos.cfm?id=64363
A nice reminder that sometimes justice does prevail!
Thank you Doreen Prior for calling this story to my attention.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Birthday for Charley Project
The Charley Project will be 5 years old on October 12, 2009.
The predecessor for the Charley Project was the Missing Persons Cold Case Network, (MPCCN) founded by Jennifer Marra, who was also one of the founders of the Doe Network. She resigned from MPCCN on December 2003, turning over control to Meaghan Good, who ran it until March 2004. At that time the site was attacked by hackers and had to be taken offline. Meaghan founded the Charley Project on October 12, 2004, using much of the original content of MPCCN.
Meaghan Good also has her own birthday just one week earlier. She was born October 5, 1985, and has recently turned 24 years old. You can read about her here.
http://www.charleyproject.org/administrator.html
On August 23 this year Meaghan was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio, and you can check it out here.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PEASINTHEIRPODS/2009/08/24/News
Here is the Charley Project data on Debbie Key.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/key_deborah.html
Here is the Blog.
http://charleyross.wordpress.com/
The Charley Project is named after Charley Ross, a boy who was kidnapped for ransom on July 1, 1874 in Germantown, PA, when he was 4 years old. He has never been found since.
Families and friends of missing persons owe a debt of gratitude to this one-person network, who has done a great service for all of us. Meaghan has earned my personal thanks a long time ago.
Happy Birthday Meaghan. Happy Birthday Charley Project. Keep up the good work!
The predecessor for the Charley Project was the Missing Persons Cold Case Network, (MPCCN) founded by Jennifer Marra, who was also one of the founders of the Doe Network. She resigned from MPCCN on December 2003, turning over control to Meaghan Good, who ran it until March 2004. At that time the site was attacked by hackers and had to be taken offline. Meaghan founded the Charley Project on October 12, 2004, using much of the original content of MPCCN.
Meaghan Good also has her own birthday just one week earlier. She was born October 5, 1985, and has recently turned 24 years old. You can read about her here.
http://www.charleyproject.org/administrator.html
On August 23 this year Meaghan was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio, and you can check it out here.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PEASINTHEIRPODS/2009/08/24/News
Here is the Charley Project data on Debbie Key.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/key_deborah.html
Here is the Blog.
http://charleyross.wordpress.com/
The Charley Project is named after Charley Ross, a boy who was kidnapped for ransom on July 1, 1874 in Germantown, PA, when he was 4 years old. He has never been found since.
Families and friends of missing persons owe a debt of gratitude to this one-person network, who has done a great service for all of us. Meaghan has earned my personal thanks a long time ago.
Happy Birthday Meaghan. Happy Birthday Charley Project. Keep up the good work!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Michaela Garecht
For anyone who is still not 100% completely outraged yet over the slack job of keeping tabs on Phillip Garrido by his parole board, I think this story would do it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/02/crimesider/entry5281480.shtml
As investigators continue to look into possible connections between Garrido and some unsolved missing children cases of the same time and space, the one that stands out the most is the case of Michaela Joy Garecht. It will soon be 21 years since this girl was abducted, supposedly by the same fiend, November 1988 in Hayward, CA. The parallels between Michaela and Jaycee Dugard go on and on and on.
The mother of Michaela Garecht, Sharon Murch, has never given up hope that her daughter may yet be found alive. This mother deserves much credit for making sure everyone gets the chance to learn about her daughter's story. Here she is being interviewed by one of my favorite people, Todd Matthews, for the Missing Pieces Show.
http://missingpiecesshow.homestead.com/MissingPiecesEpisode33Archive.html
Sharon Murch was at the scene while police were digging up bones at the Garrido home, and has been the guest on several TV and radio shows telling her story. Her faith has inspired many parents who are still hoping to find their own missing children.
This is Michaela's story on America's Most Wanted.
http://www.amw.com/missing_children/brief.cfm?id=23712
Michaela's story in The Charley Project.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/garecht_michaela.html
A childhood friend who had witnessed Michaela's abduction describes what she has seen.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?id=7018517
Her official website,
http://www.missingmichaela.com/the_investigation
and her mother's blog.
http://www.thewonderingheart.blogspot.com/
Whether or not you believe the cases of Michaela Garecht and Jaycee Dugard are connected, you would have to agree that the parallels are remarkable, and that the spirit of Michaela's mother is truly impressive.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/02/crimesider/entry5281480.shtml
As investigators continue to look into possible connections between Garrido and some unsolved missing children cases of the same time and space, the one that stands out the most is the case of Michaela Joy Garecht. It will soon be 21 years since this girl was abducted, supposedly by the same fiend, November 1988 in Hayward, CA. The parallels between Michaela and Jaycee Dugard go on and on and on.
The mother of Michaela Garecht, Sharon Murch, has never given up hope that her daughter may yet be found alive. This mother deserves much credit for making sure everyone gets the chance to learn about her daughter's story. Here she is being interviewed by one of my favorite people, Todd Matthews, for the Missing Pieces Show.
http://missingpiecesshow.homestead.com/MissingPiecesEpisode33Archive.html
Sharon Murch was at the scene while police were digging up bones at the Garrido home, and has been the guest on several TV and radio shows telling her story. Her faith has inspired many parents who are still hoping to find their own missing children.
This is Michaela's story on America's Most Wanted.
http://www.amw.com/missing_children/brief.cfm?id=23712
Michaela's story in The Charley Project.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/garecht_michaela.html
A childhood friend who had witnessed Michaela's abduction describes what she has seen.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?id=7018517
Her official website,
http://www.missingmichaela.com/the_investigation
and her mother's blog.
http://www.thewonderingheart.blogspot.com/
Whether or not you believe the cases of Michaela Garecht and Jaycee Dugard are connected, you would have to agree that the parallels are remarkable, and that the spirit of Michaela's mother is truly impressive.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Phillip & Nancy Garrido
Good evening, Friends.
I don't claim to be psychic, or a prophet, or that God tells me things He doesn't tell other folks.
I do claim, however, to be able to tell when a news story is about to take off big time, and this is one of those stories.
My first clue is rather obvious. Anytime you see a story getting heavy coverage by every major news station in the country, it's a pretty safe bet it's gonna continue for awhile.
But that's not all, Folks!
We clearly see that Phillip Garrido has a long history of violent sexual offences, and that he SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OUT OF PRISON when he began abducting young girls, of which Jaycee Lee Dugard was but only one.
Things like this tend to really piss me off, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So there's my second clue that this is likely to really hit the fan. SHEER OUTRAGE!
But there's still more to come!
There are 3 other girls, besides Jaycee, that this deranged person is suspected to have kidnapped, whose bodies have never been found.
Yep! That's right! Three!
Michaela Garecht, age 9, abducted 3 months after Garrido was released from prison for (guess what?) kidnapping and rape, in Nov 1988.
Ilene Misheloff, age 13, abducted Jan 1989. (2 months after Michaela)
And little Amanda Campbell, only 4 years old, in 1991.
Oh but wait, there's STILL more!
Garrido has been also declared a "Person of Interest" in the murders of up to 10 prostitutes near Antioch in the late 1990's.
Then in 1999, while still on parole, he was arrested again for rape, and sentenced to seven months. (WTF?)
And to top it all off, this deranged individual claims to be a messenger of God! (Excuse me while I puke.)
So what was happening today in Antioch, CA? Police continue to search the Garrido home with cadaver dogs, underground radar, and other equipment, where they have already found a few bones which may be human.
Phillip's wife, Nancy, is just as crazy. She is now being kept in solitary confinment, because other inmates have threatened to rape and kill her, as she has done to innocent children. So Nancy spends most of her time reading her Bible. I hope she reads Leviticus 24:20 while she's at it.
So you see, Folks, this story is only just beginning!
Get ready for the storm!
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/08/30/2009-08-30_i_remember_monster_someone_dropped_ball_sez_cop_who_busted_sicko_in_1976_rape_an.html
I don't claim to be psychic, or a prophet, or that God tells me things He doesn't tell other folks.
I do claim, however, to be able to tell when a news story is about to take off big time, and this is one of those stories.
My first clue is rather obvious. Anytime you see a story getting heavy coverage by every major news station in the country, it's a pretty safe bet it's gonna continue for awhile.
But that's not all, Folks!
We clearly see that Phillip Garrido has a long history of violent sexual offences, and that he SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OUT OF PRISON when he began abducting young girls, of which Jaycee Lee Dugard was but only one.
Things like this tend to really piss me off, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So there's my second clue that this is likely to really hit the fan. SHEER OUTRAGE!
But there's still more to come!
There are 3 other girls, besides Jaycee, that this deranged person is suspected to have kidnapped, whose bodies have never been found.
Yep! That's right! Three!
Michaela Garecht, age 9, abducted 3 months after Garrido was released from prison for (guess what?) kidnapping and rape, in Nov 1988.
Ilene Misheloff, age 13, abducted Jan 1989. (2 months after Michaela)
And little Amanda Campbell, only 4 years old, in 1991.
Oh but wait, there's STILL more!
Garrido has been also declared a "Person of Interest" in the murders of up to 10 prostitutes near Antioch in the late 1990's.
Then in 1999, while still on parole, he was arrested again for rape, and sentenced to seven months. (WTF?)
And to top it all off, this deranged individual claims to be a messenger of God! (Excuse me while I puke.)
So what was happening today in Antioch, CA? Police continue to search the Garrido home with cadaver dogs, underground radar, and other equipment, where they have already found a few bones which may be human.
Phillip's wife, Nancy, is just as crazy. She is now being kept in solitary confinment, because other inmates have threatened to rape and kill her, as she has done to innocent children. So Nancy spends most of her time reading her Bible. I hope she reads Leviticus 24:20 while she's at it.
So you see, Folks, this story is only just beginning!
Get ready for the storm!
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/08/30/2009-08-30_i_remember_monster_someone_dropped_ball_sez_cop_who_busted_sicko_in_1976_rape_an.html
Thursday, September 17, 2009
WKT? is Back Online
We don't know how or why, but it seems Google has decided to restore "Who Killed Theresa?" for the good of all concerned.
Now when you go to that Links list over there -->
and click the WKT? link, it will take you here.
http://www.whokilledtheresa.blogspot.com/
Thank God!
And thanks to all the people who signed the petition.
Now when you go to that Links list over there -->
and click the WKT? link, it will take you here.
http://www.whokilledtheresa.blogspot.com/
Thank God!
And thanks to all the people who signed the petition.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Megan Maxwell
Since Jaycee Lee Dugard has been found alive, the missing persons I have heard the most about are Kelly Morris and Megan Maxwell.
Monica Caison, who has become a special person to me this year, was the first to call the case of Megan Maxwell to my attention. For me, this is a story that, the more I learn about it, the closer to home it becomes.
After checking out what YouTube has about Megan, I've decided this video gives a pretty good idea of how people are affected when a person goes missing. So much of what I see here is so familiar.
If you wish to learn all you can about Megan Maxwell without spending all day web surfing, I suggest you try 'Help Find the Missing,' where they have, at this time, four pages about her story.
http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/missing_database/index.php?s=megan+maxwell
Friday, September 04, 2009
Shanksville PA 9/11 Memorial
We all know the story of what happened in America on September 11, 2001. Evil terrorists made a series of attacks on our nation using American commercial airliners as weapons. The attack that got the most attention was the World Trade Center in New York.
An attack that didn't get as much attention was near Shanksville, PA. That one made the least amount of damage, as the plane crashed down on an empty field, killing only those who were on board. Yet, it was the most heroic.
The courage of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 defeated the efforts of the hijackers, causing the plane to crash a long way from the intended target of Washington, DC, and away from any heavily populated areas. Because these people were brave enough to fight back, hundreds of lives have been spared.
New York City was a major disaster area, and the Pentagon in Arlington, VA was under heavy guard. But in that field in rural Pennsylvania, there was nothing to keep people away who came to see where the plane went down. People were walking around with tears in their eyes, thinking about those who lost their lives to save others. After the flames were out and the smoke had cleared, people began working on a memorial.
The true beauty of the memorial that was built on that site was that it was done entirely by private citizens. There were no committees, no town meetings, no assignments, just people wanting to express their sympathy for what happened there.
For a long time afterward, people were traveling from all around the country to visit the crash site, bringing memorabilia with them to add to the display. One of the first things erected on the site was a chain link fence that the visitors used to display their various items. Others brought signs, plaques, and sculptures. Many brought flowers and flags. Soon it became the largest makeshift shrine in America, if not the whole world.
Eventually, the US Government decided they didn't like the idea of citizens doing their job, and sought to make the crash site into an official memorial park. Everyone liked the idea, of course, except for the part about the government wanting to take credit for it, the bad taste of the "crescent" design, and the fact that they were so bound and determined to prove they could do such a better job than everyone else, that they went way overboard on how much land they would need, and how much to spend on it. This is why it took so long to reach an agreement on it.
So now, eight years later, the plans are officially under way to build this great big park that will cost millions of dollars, to be completed in time for the 10-year anniversary in 2011. I'm sure it will all be very nice, but I would want everyone to remember it was the people who started it. Just ordinary, everyday, American people.
For an impressive example of what American people are capable of doing on their own, take a look at the pictures on this website.
http://www.donnan.com/Flight_93.htm#FLIGHT_93
Just as in the case of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, there are those who believe this whole 9/11 thing didn't really happen, that it was all just a big hoax. They have yet to convince me.
Special thanks to Chris Hurlbert, whose stories and photos have inspired me to write this.
An attack that didn't get as much attention was near Shanksville, PA. That one made the least amount of damage, as the plane crashed down on an empty field, killing only those who were on board. Yet, it was the most heroic.
The courage of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 defeated the efforts of the hijackers, causing the plane to crash a long way from the intended target of Washington, DC, and away from any heavily populated areas. Because these people were brave enough to fight back, hundreds of lives have been spared.
New York City was a major disaster area, and the Pentagon in Arlington, VA was under heavy guard. But in that field in rural Pennsylvania, there was nothing to keep people away who came to see where the plane went down. People were walking around with tears in their eyes, thinking about those who lost their lives to save others. After the flames were out and the smoke had cleared, people began working on a memorial.
The true beauty of the memorial that was built on that site was that it was done entirely by private citizens. There were no committees, no town meetings, no assignments, just people wanting to express their sympathy for what happened there.
For a long time afterward, people were traveling from all around the country to visit the crash site, bringing memorabilia with them to add to the display. One of the first things erected on the site was a chain link fence that the visitors used to display their various items. Others brought signs, plaques, and sculptures. Many brought flowers and flags. Soon it became the largest makeshift shrine in America, if not the whole world.
Eventually, the US Government decided they didn't like the idea of citizens doing their job, and sought to make the crash site into an official memorial park. Everyone liked the idea, of course, except for the part about the government wanting to take credit for it, the bad taste of the "crescent" design, and the fact that they were so bound and determined to prove they could do such a better job than everyone else, that they went way overboard on how much land they would need, and how much to spend on it. This is why it took so long to reach an agreement on it.
So now, eight years later, the plans are officially under way to build this great big park that will cost millions of dollars, to be completed in time for the 10-year anniversary in 2011. I'm sure it will all be very nice, but I would want everyone to remember it was the people who started it. Just ordinary, everyday, American people.
For an impressive example of what American people are capable of doing on their own, take a look at the pictures on this website.
http://www.donnan.com/Flight_93.htm#FLIGHT_93
Just as in the case of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, there are those who believe this whole 9/11 thing didn't really happen, that it was all just a big hoax. They have yet to convince me.
Special thanks to Chris Hurlbert, whose stories and photos have inspired me to write this.
Monday, August 31, 2009
New Theresa Allore Blog
John Allore has created a new blog as we await restoration of "Who Killed Theresa?" This includes old and new material, and also the petition. While Google/Blogger has provided such good service for so many of us, it is sad to find they are not working so well for the best crime blog I know of today. We always find, however, that there is a "never surrender" attitude among advocates of victim's rights, and WKT? is no exception.
So Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the new "Who Killed Theresa's Blog?"
http://www.theresakilledagain.blogspot.com/
Fighting the never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way! Hey hey hey! What can I say?
So Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the new "Who Killed Theresa's Blog?"
http://www.theresakilledagain.blogspot.com/
Fighting the never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way! Hey hey hey! What can I say?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Jaycee Lee Dugard
Unlike the last missing person I have mentioned, this one has been found alive.
On June 10, 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was last seen by her stepfather being abducted at her school bus stop, in South Lake Tahoe, CA.
On August 27, 2009, 18 years later, a 29-year-old woman entered a police station in Northern California, claiming to be Jaycee Lee Dugard. Before the end of the day, her identity had been confirmed.
The news traveled fast, and before long, it was all over the USA. The captors, now safely locked away, had forced her to work as a sex slave during her 18 years of captivity, along with two daughters she had with her male captor, Phillip Garrido.
You don't need me to provide a link for you on this story. Just type "Jaycee Lee Dugard" into any search engine, and you can spend all day picking out which articles you want to read about her.
The question that weighs on my mind now is how the child's development has been affected. Those 18 years were among the most important years of her life, including the rest of her childhood, all through her teens, and into early adulthood, During captivity, Jaycee and the other girls have never been to school, or had any contact with the rest of the world. I can't help wondering what her rehabilitation will be like.
The good news, of course, is that Jaycee now has a chance at a normal life. But how much of a chance remains to be seen. Still, it is not often that any person, child or adult, who has been missing for over a decade, is ever found alive. In this regard, we can say she is indeed very fortunate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Of all the missing persons websites I know of, I believe it was the Charley Project that was the first to cover this story. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
http://charleyross.wordpress.com/
On June 10, 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was last seen by her stepfather being abducted at her school bus stop, in South Lake Tahoe, CA.
On August 27, 2009, 18 years later, a 29-year-old woman entered a police station in Northern California, claiming to be Jaycee Lee Dugard. Before the end of the day, her identity had been confirmed.
The news traveled fast, and before long, it was all over the USA. The captors, now safely locked away, had forced her to work as a sex slave during her 18 years of captivity, along with two daughters she had with her male captor, Phillip Garrido.
You don't need me to provide a link for you on this story. Just type "Jaycee Lee Dugard" into any search engine, and you can spend all day picking out which articles you want to read about her.
The question that weighs on my mind now is how the child's development has been affected. Those 18 years were among the most important years of her life, including the rest of her childhood, all through her teens, and into early adulthood, During captivity, Jaycee and the other girls have never been to school, or had any contact with the rest of the world. I can't help wondering what her rehabilitation will be like.
The good news, of course, is that Jaycee now has a chance at a normal life. But how much of a chance remains to be seen. Still, it is not often that any person, child or adult, who has been missing for over a decade, is ever found alive. In this regard, we can say she is indeed very fortunate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Of all the missing persons websites I know of, I believe it was the Charley Project that was the first to cover this story. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
http://charleyross.wordpress.com/
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Another Missing Person Found
You absolutely must read this.
http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_strand/article/human_remains_identified_as_alice_donovan/65812/
Another missing person has been found, Alice Donovan, thanks to a special person in Wilmington, NC, and her cadaver dogs.
(good doggies!)
http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_strand/article/human_remains_identified_as_alice_donovan/65812/
Another missing person has been found, Alice Donovan, thanks to a special person in Wilmington, NC, and her cadaver dogs.
(good doggies!)
Friday, August 14, 2009
Who Killed Theresa's Blog?
If you go to visit Who Killed Theresa today, you may be in for a surprise. It seems the blog has come under a spam attack, making it disappear.
John Allore informs me he has appealed to Google to restore WKT. In the meantime, he has temporarily moved to this location.
http://cultvulture.blogspot.com/
Topics currently being discussed shall continue here, until WKT has been restored.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 30 -- SIGN THE PETITION TO BRING BACK WKT?
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/google-blogger-please-restore-who-killed-theresa
John Allore informs me he has appealed to Google to restore WKT. In the meantime, he has temporarily moved to this location.
http://cultvulture.blogspot.com/
Topics currently being discussed shall continue here, until WKT has been restored.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 30 -- SIGN THE PETITION TO BRING BACK WKT?
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/google-blogger-please-restore-who-killed-theresa
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Important Question(s)
Why isn't Christopher Lamont Cooper a suspect in the murder of Ira Yarmolenko?
http://www.crimeincharlotte.com/2008/05/vcat-arrests-rape-suspect.html
Back in February I posted this link, saying, "Nothing more for me to say here." Boy, was I ever wrong!
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/1391754.html
Another question; (okay, more than one)
Why did WSOC-TV not take advantage of the opportunity to be the first to report receiving a written confession from Cooper? Were they under gag order? Why have they STILL not mentioned it?
This is all I've found this year on blogs still active discussing the murder of Ira Yarmolenlo.
First there's Topix,
http://www.topix.com/forum/charlotte/T7TJ6BIG9TM4QST65/p31
then "Don't Worry I'll Think of a Title,"
http://babydoc3.livejournal.com/tag/ira+yarmolenko
Morons in Chapel Hill,
http://moronsinchapelhill.com/
and of course, Chris's Crime Forum.
http://chriscrimeforum.freeforums.org/ira-2-t3249.html
If I've left anyone out, please let me know.
This year there seems to be a division among the bloggers between those who believe the Gaston County Police have arrested the true killers, and those who believe they have not. (I think you know which side I've taken.)
Now there's a problem I want to see fixed. Police are no longer looking for the TRUE killers, and the case is getting colder. Cold cases are difficult to solve. I say it's time to get back on the bandwagon.
Come on people. Let's get it together. We have a murder case to solve. Let's start by asking and answering the right questions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sorry, I DID leave someone out.
http://annyjacoby.blogspot.com/2009/06/celebration-of-life-in-memory-of-ira.html
http://www.crimeincharlotte.com/2008/05/vcat-arrests-rape-suspect.html
Back in February I posted this link, saying, "Nothing more for me to say here." Boy, was I ever wrong!
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/1391754.html
Another question; (okay, more than one)
Why did WSOC-TV not take advantage of the opportunity to be the first to report receiving a written confession from Cooper? Were they under gag order? Why have they STILL not mentioned it?
This is all I've found this year on blogs still active discussing the murder of Ira Yarmolenlo.
First there's Topix,
http://www.topix.com/forum/charlotte/T7TJ6BIG9TM4QST65/p31
then "Don't Worry I'll Think of a Title,"
http://babydoc3.livejournal.com/tag/ira+yarmolenko
Morons in Chapel Hill,
http://moronsinchapelhill.com/
and of course, Chris's Crime Forum.
http://chriscrimeforum.freeforums.org/ira-2-t3249.html
If I've left anyone out, please let me know.
This year there seems to be a division among the bloggers between those who believe the Gaston County Police have arrested the true killers, and those who believe they have not. (I think you know which side I've taken.)
Now there's a problem I want to see fixed. Police are no longer looking for the TRUE killers, and the case is getting colder. Cold cases are difficult to solve. I say it's time to get back on the bandwagon.
Come on people. Let's get it together. We have a murder case to solve. Let's start by asking and answering the right questions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sorry, I DID leave someone out.
http://annyjacoby.blogspot.com/2009/06/celebration-of-life-in-memory-of-ira.html
Monday, August 03, 2009
Remains Found in Eno River Park
Yesterday evening a hiker found decomposed human remains in Eno River State Park and reported it to Durham Police. No information yet on race, gender, or cause of death. Police say the remains have been there a very long time.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1631876.html
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6945236
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 4. -- It's a MAN.
http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/5724335/
and some more to read.
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2009/08/human-skeletal-remains-found-in-durham-nc.html#more
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 25 -- IDENTIFIED!
It is Jonathan Richard Gardenour, missing Durham man.
http://wwwcache.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/5864277/
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1631876.html
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6945236
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 4. -- It's a MAN.
http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/5724335/
and some more to read.
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2009/08/human-skeletal-remains-found-in-durham-nc.html#more
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE August 25 -- IDENTIFIED!
It is Jonathan Richard Gardenour, missing Durham man.
http://wwwcache.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/5864277/
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Probation Reform Bill
From WRAL News
Governor signs probation reform bill.
Posted July 30, 2009
Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Bev Perdue has signed a bill that will give law enforcement and probation officers the authority to perform warrantless searches in certain situations and give probation officers limited access to juvenile records.
"With these reforms, I really do believe, we in North Carolina are on the right pathway to make sure we do all that we can do to help these 115,000 to 120,000 people who are on probation in our system understand we mean business," the governor told a crowd outside the Raleigh Police Department Thursday afternoon.
"When you're on probation, you're still a ward of the court, you're still a ward of the system, and we'll put you back in a city minute, if you play outside the box."
The new law allows any law enforcement officer to perform a search of a probationer without court permission, if he or she has reasonable suspicion that a probationer is involved in criminal activity or has a weapon.
"We're going to draw a strong box around that search," Perdue said. "It’s not going to be used for anything other than what it is."
Effective immediately, all warrants for parole-commissioned violators will also be expedited immediately, regardless of the infraction.
"We've eliminated the idea of routine under this administration," Perdue said. "There is absolutely no warrant in this state that should be deemed routine. Every warrant is important to somebody."
The legislation also allows officers to examine juvenile records of a probationer for offenses that would have been felonies had they been committed while the offender was an adult. Juvenile records are usually sealed.
The disclosed records will help a probation officer determine what kind of supervision the adult probationer needs.
"This is important stuff," Perdue said. "You've seen what's happened."
Problems with the probation came to light in the wake of the 2008 shooting deaths of Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato in January and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson in March.
Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr. and Demario James Atwater, who are charged in Carson's death, were on probation at the time.
Officials later said Lovette – who is also a suspect in Mahato's death – was charged with nine different crimes during six weeks while he was on probation but that he never met with his probation officer.
Atwater's case was handled by 10 different staff members who failed to follow procedures between 2005 and 2008, the state has said.
Atwater was twice ordered to be placed under intensive probation, which includes mandatory curfews, weekly contact and warrantless searches, but the officers handling his case never did so.
Carson was killed a few days after Atwater was first scheduled to appear on a probation violation resulting from firearms charge to which he had pleaded guilty eight months earlier.
He was sent to the wrong courtroom and the probation hearing was delayed.
Reviews of the probation system – both internally and by the National Institute of Corrections – found that inadequate staffing, high turnover rates, case reassignments and lack of training led to deficiencies in supervision.
Two other high-profile cases this summer – including a man in North Carolina recently paroled from prison whom authorities believe killed five people in South Carolina before he was shot and killed in Gastonia – have also highlighted strains in the state's probation and parole system.
--------------------------------------------------------------
See the rest of the story here.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5690269/
Governor signs probation reform bill.
Posted July 30, 2009
Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Bev Perdue has signed a bill that will give law enforcement and probation officers the authority to perform warrantless searches in certain situations and give probation officers limited access to juvenile records.
"With these reforms, I really do believe, we in North Carolina are on the right pathway to make sure we do all that we can do to help these 115,000 to 120,000 people who are on probation in our system understand we mean business," the governor told a crowd outside the Raleigh Police Department Thursday afternoon.
"When you're on probation, you're still a ward of the court, you're still a ward of the system, and we'll put you back in a city minute, if you play outside the box."
The new law allows any law enforcement officer to perform a search of a probationer without court permission, if he or she has reasonable suspicion that a probationer is involved in criminal activity or has a weapon.
"We're going to draw a strong box around that search," Perdue said. "It’s not going to be used for anything other than what it is."
Effective immediately, all warrants for parole-commissioned violators will also be expedited immediately, regardless of the infraction.
"We've eliminated the idea of routine under this administration," Perdue said. "There is absolutely no warrant in this state that should be deemed routine. Every warrant is important to somebody."
The legislation also allows officers to examine juvenile records of a probationer for offenses that would have been felonies had they been committed while the offender was an adult. Juvenile records are usually sealed.
The disclosed records will help a probation officer determine what kind of supervision the adult probationer needs.
"This is important stuff," Perdue said. "You've seen what's happened."
Problems with the probation came to light in the wake of the 2008 shooting deaths of Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato in January and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson in March.
Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr. and Demario James Atwater, who are charged in Carson's death, were on probation at the time.
Officials later said Lovette – who is also a suspect in Mahato's death – was charged with nine different crimes during six weeks while he was on probation but that he never met with his probation officer.
Atwater's case was handled by 10 different staff members who failed to follow procedures between 2005 and 2008, the state has said.
Atwater was twice ordered to be placed under intensive probation, which includes mandatory curfews, weekly contact and warrantless searches, but the officers handling his case never did so.
Carson was killed a few days after Atwater was first scheduled to appear on a probation violation resulting from firearms charge to which he had pleaded guilty eight months earlier.
He was sent to the wrong courtroom and the probation hearing was delayed.
Reviews of the probation system – both internally and by the National Institute of Corrections – found that inadequate staffing, high turnover rates, case reassignments and lack of training led to deficiencies in supervision.
Two other high-profile cases this summer – including a man in North Carolina recently paroled from prison whom authorities believe killed five people in South Carolina before he was shot and killed in Gastonia – have also highlighted strains in the state's probation and parole system.
--------------------------------------------------------------
See the rest of the story here.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5690269/
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Introducing NamUs
From KnoxNews.Com
Names, the missing matched on NamUs
By Jim Balloch
Posted July 19, 2009 at midnight
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, is the first national system designed to compare information about unidentified remains with missing persons cases.
Funded by the U.S. Justice Department, it is available, free of charge, to law enforcement and the public, at www.namus.gov
"This has the potential to truly revolutionize the handling of cases of missing persons and unidentified remains," said Todd Matthews, the Southeast regional director for NamUs. "It is a huge step forward for investigators, and it gives the families and friends of missing persons a chance to become part of the process of finding their loved one."
Victims' families, police agencies, medical examiners, coroners and the general public can search for possible matches between missing persons and unidentified decedents.
To keep ongoing investigations secure, part of NamUs is set aside for law enforcement access only, so investigators can post and share information or details they do not wish made public, Matthews said.
NamUs has two databases: One has information about unidentified bodies, entered from medical examiners and coroners. It can be searched using characteristics such as sex, race, tattoos or other distinct body features, and dental information. The other contains information on missing persons cases.
Law enforcement users will have the ability to automatically cross-reference the two databases, reducing the time it takes an investigator to search them. If a close match is found, the investigator can turn to forensic services to conduct further testing, such as a dental records check or a DNA test.
NamUs only began taking records in January and is still in the growing stages. While the FBI's National Crime Information Center, or NCIC, will have around 100,000 missing persons cases listed as "active" at any given time, NamUs currently has 1,828 such cases, plus cases of 5,329 unidentified human bodies, according to Justice Department spokeswoman Sheila Jerusalem. But 43 states and 225 law enforcement agencies have started participating, and more are expected to enroll as they become aware of the program, she said.
The News Sentinel asked the Justice Department when and if current cases in the NCIC database would be added to the NamUs system, but that information was not provided in time for inclusion in this series.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jul/19/names-the-missing-matched/
Names, the missing matched on NamUs
By Jim Balloch
Posted July 19, 2009 at midnight
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, is the first national system designed to compare information about unidentified remains with missing persons cases.
Funded by the U.S. Justice Department, it is available, free of charge, to law enforcement and the public, at www.namus.gov
"This has the potential to truly revolutionize the handling of cases of missing persons and unidentified remains," said Todd Matthews, the Southeast regional director for NamUs. "It is a huge step forward for investigators, and it gives the families and friends of missing persons a chance to become part of the process of finding their loved one."
Victims' families, police agencies, medical examiners, coroners and the general public can search for possible matches between missing persons and unidentified decedents.
To keep ongoing investigations secure, part of NamUs is set aside for law enforcement access only, so investigators can post and share information or details they do not wish made public, Matthews said.
NamUs has two databases: One has information about unidentified bodies, entered from medical examiners and coroners. It can be searched using characteristics such as sex, race, tattoos or other distinct body features, and dental information. The other contains information on missing persons cases.
Law enforcement users will have the ability to automatically cross-reference the two databases, reducing the time it takes an investigator to search them. If a close match is found, the investigator can turn to forensic services to conduct further testing, such as a dental records check or a DNA test.
NamUs only began taking records in January and is still in the growing stages. While the FBI's National Crime Information Center, or NCIC, will have around 100,000 missing persons cases listed as "active" at any given time, NamUs currently has 1,828 such cases, plus cases of 5,329 unidentified human bodies, according to Justice Department spokeswoman Sheila Jerusalem. But 43 states and 225 law enforcement agencies have started participating, and more are expected to enroll as they become aware of the program, she said.
The News Sentinel asked the Justice Department when and if current cases in the NCIC database would be added to the NamUs system, but that information was not provided in time for inclusion in this series.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jul/19/names-the-missing-matched/
Friday, July 17, 2009
Something to think about
"Life doesn't cease to be funny when people die, any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
George Bernard Shaw
1856 - 1950
"It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this."
Bertrand Russel
1872 - 1970
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Martin Luther King Jr
1929 - 1968
George Bernard Shaw
1856 - 1950
"It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this."
Bertrand Russel
1872 - 1970
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Martin Luther King Jr
1929 - 1968
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