Tribute to Eve Carson

'Twas the week before Christmas when I got the news that Lovette had been sentenced to life w/o parole. Somehow the news seemed to brighten my holiday. It's kind of strange that putting someone away can make someone happy, but sometimes it does.

When it comes to prosecuting dangerous offenders, there are three things that piss me off more than anything else.

ONE - The totally outrageous excuses the defense comes up with, that a self-respecting individual would never think to use for himself.
"He wasn't raised properly, badly toilet trained, didn't get enough chicken soup, etc. This is the one we should feel sorry for, not the victim."

TWO - The equally outrageous attitude that says the "rights" of such offenders are more important than the lives of our children.
"Yes it's too bad your daughter was so brutally murdered, but the important thing now is to make sure the killer gets another chance in life."

THREE - Blaming the victim.
"She shouldn't have gone out dressed like that."

During the trial of Eve Carson's killers, I didn't see much of that.
Not that I'm complaining, but I wonder why.

Perhaps because unlike so many other murders that have hit the news, the victim was a person already known in Chapel Hill before she was murdered.
And no one dared try to suggest she might have been at fault.
It seems if you know anything at all about Eve Carson, it would be very difficult to find something negative to say about her. You will find proof of this in how well she is being remembered.

When Atwater was at trial, he pleaded guilty. This may have been the first smart thing he had ever done. The most surprising thing to me about it was that he had shut up his lawyer who was trying to gain sympathy with a sob-story of his life. Even the defendant was tired of hearing it, it seems, and he wanted to get it over with. "I'm guilty, dammit!"

But when Lovette went to trial, he pleaded not guilty. That didn't work for him.

This was one murder I have taken very personally. Although I now live in Chatham County, I still consider myself a Chapel Hillian, having lived in this town longer than anywhere else. Eve Carson was "one of us."

Some fiends came into our town and killed one of our people. They must die.

My feet have tread on the pavement where Eve's body was found. I know that neighborhood very well. This was too close to home for me not to take it personally.

Whenever I'm in Chapel Hill, I always like to walk across the UNC campus. The Student Union is a fun place to hang out. You can pick up a copy of the Daily Tar-Heel there, and read posters about upcoming events. I couldn't swear to it, but I think I once saw Eve there. Didn't she have an office in that building? Eve was the kind of person who tends to get noticed.

I recall someone saying how unfair it is that the pretty missing and murdered persons get so much more attention, when it's just as tragic when it happens to someone not so attractive. I agree, this is true, but to that let me say that every cause has their poster children.

Oh, and there's one more thing to consider.
Eve Carson was also beautiful on the inside.

I don't think it's very likely I'll ever find anyone who will disagree with me on that.

I was walking across the campus the day after her murdered body had been identified. I saw a lot of people crying. I saw grown men with quivering lips and tearful eyes.
I felt an impact I will never forget.

Now there's a memorial garden to Eve on the campus. It's between the Student Union and the Campus "Y." I like to go there. It feels good to know Eve Carson will be remembered.

It's hard to think about this when reading about the trial of her killers, but then again, it's hard not to. (Does that make sense?) It seems to me that people who used to be opposed to the death penalty were now for it. Some thought that maybe just this once we should bring back public hanging. Speaking of poster children, Atwater and Lovette were said to be the perfect pair to campaign for this cause.

Sentencing Lovette will not bring Eve Carson back to us, nor will it un-do any of the pain we had to bear, but it was the best thing we could hope for.

Do I dare believe that our society has evolved to the level where we finally have a reasonable sense of priorities when trying a killer? No one pleaded this time for a second chance, as we all know how many chances have been used up. They should have already been in jail on the night of the murder. It was this very case that prompted our state governor to write the Probation Reform Bill. This much needed improvement came at the cost of a promising young life.

Is there anyone who knew Eve who did not love her?
I don't think so.

Madeleine McCann Anniversary

Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 3, 2007.
Her birthday is May 12, 2003. She was almost 4 years old when she went missing, and will soon be 7 if still alive.

Also known as Maddie, she went missing from Proia Da Luz, Portugal, while on vacation with her family, from the apartment where they were staying.

Here is the McCann's official family website
http://www.findmadeleine.com/
and blog.
http://findmadeleine.blogspot.com/

Here is a very nice tribute page made to Madeleine in Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?init=srp&sfxp=&q=madeleine%20mccann#!/pages/Madeleine-McCann/29095946153?ref=search&sid=1847184243.418146390..1
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IN OTHER NEWS;

Todd Matthews is 40 years old today. Mr. Matthews has done more for missing persons, I believe, than any other living individual I know. Happy Birthday, Todd! Keep up the good work!

The trial of Demario Atwater continues today here in NC for the murder of Eve Carson.

On Wednesday May 5, it will be 2 years since the murder of Ira Yarmolenko. There is a tribute page to her in Facebook as well.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123464587668298#!/group.php?gid=13079847854&ref=search&sid=1847184243.3600478404..1

And tonight, Bill Tomsick goes on the radio to talk about getting NASA to help find missing persons. Get access here.
http://www.560thesource.com/

Atwater Pleads Guilty

Demario Atwater pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. This may be the smartest move he has ever made. This works for us as well, for it will make the rest of the trial go a whole lot smoother. No more endless appeals. (Thank God!)

Life without parole - This is the best we can hope for.
Of course, I would rather see him at the end of a rope, but we know that will never happen. We may never see a punishment that will truly fit the crime. Still, if Eve's parents are pleased with the plea bargain, then I am happy for them.

I've read a lot of news articles about the results of the trial so far, and I've decided WRAL tells it best. Besides, they have some good videos too. Check it out.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7442761/

BTW - Here's something I found in Topix.
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/durham-nc/T1FGV0CPI1U5A3C2H
I wonder who this "Mr Bill" character is. Any ideas?

In the Garden of Eve

March 5, 2008, is a date that has been embedded in my brain. It has now been two years. Her killers have still not been to trial yet.

Writing about Eve Carson has always been difficult for me, whenever I try to be objective about it. Having been a Chapel Hill person for a long time, I tend to think of her as one of us. I may not have known her personally, but I knew who she was. She was the student body president of UNC. It was hard to pick up a copy of the Daily Tar Heel without being reminded of that.

But it wasn't until two years ago that I realized how much she was loved by just about everyone around here. I was walking across the UNC campus and saw so many faces in tears. I noticed everyone was moving towards The Pit. That was when the impact of what has happened really hit me for the first time, and I haven't completely recovered from it yet.

To this day I can not look at a picture of her smiling face without thinking about what has been taken from us, how much we have lost. I can still feel moisture forming in the corners of my eyes whenever I read about her. When I tried to write about her before I'd get too angry, or too bummed out to continue.

I got upset when I read some statement someone made about how it is always the pretty white female blonde victims that get all the media attention, and how unfair that is. People get murdered in Durham and Raleigh all the time, who don't get nearly as much attention. I say, hold on there, you're comparing a person who was well known and loved with people we never heard of before. It's not just looks we're talking about.

http://mojomom.blogspot.com/2008/03/eve-carsons-murder-gender-race-and.html

I don't think anyone would dare argue with me when I claim that Eve didn't get elected student body president on her looks. She may have turned quite a few heads, but what really made her popular was that she cared about people, and it showed. She didn't just give lip service to how much she cared, but demonstrated it in action. Her work speaks for itself.

Eve was the kind of person who would have forgiven the people who killed her a lot quicker than I ever will.

I was very surprised to read that the parents of Eve Carson are against the death penalty, considering what happened to their daughter. There was at least one survey that I know of that claimed more people in NC are in favor of the death penalty since her murder, and that people who used to be against it have changed their minds. I personally would gladly volunteer to assist in the executions if I were asked.

But when you think about the loving heart that Eve was well known for, it hardly seems fitting that we should honor her memory with such feelings of hatred.

There is now a memorial garden on the UNC campus in Chapel Hill, which was dedicated in Eve's memory today with a very nice turnout.

http://alumni.unc.edu/article.aspx?sid=7475

This does my heart good to know she will be remembered for a long time to come.

Top Stories of 2009

I thought this would be a good way to start for January 2010.

May I present NC Wanted's Top 9 stories of 2009.

http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/6736970/

You know, it really makes me feel good that the arrest of Andrew Dalzell is included in this list, along with the news stories of Kelly Morris, Shaniya Davis, and Jason Young.

I'd like to take this opportunity now to say that of all the news teams I've had the pleasure of contacting, NC Wanted has been the most supportive. Thanks again, you guys!

This year, I look forward to (finally!) blogging the murder trial of Eve Carson, which has been delayed so many times it's outrageous.
I keep thinking about how the killer of Anne Pressly of Little Rock, Arkansas, was tried and convicted less than a year (but close to it) after he was arrested. Perhaps NC should follow Arkansas's example. They don't mess around when it comes to murder. The trial lasted two weeks.

I have recently been contacted by News 14 Carolina, in Wilmington, NC, about Debbie Key. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Special thanks to Monica Caison with the CUE Center for Missing Persons.

Here's hoping for a better year to come!

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/

Remembering Ira

It has now been a year since the world was robbed of the life of Ira Yarmolenko.
We were still in recoil from the death of Eve Carson in March, when the word came around.
Ira had lived in the Chapel Hill area since 1998. It comes as no surprise that a person of her charisma should have so many friends in the area. Still, I was amazed how much I was able to learn about her in a short time.
Listening to the testimonies of people who have known her, I began to wonder if a sweeter person has ever lived.

It is sad that murder rarely weeds out the worst of us, but more often targets the best of us. To lose Eve Carson and Ira both is a great loss to humanity.
Everything I have heard about Ira has been positive. To this day, I have never yet heard a negative about her.
This is a trend I am glad to see. Friends of Debbie Key had to fight pretty hard against the "blame the victim" syndrome.

IRA = Is Really Awesome

Ira was a one-of-a kind person, a unique individual who has touched so many lives it's barely believable. It boggles the mind to imagine the impact she would have had on the world if she had lived longer, considering the impact she has had in just 20 years, on nearly everyone she has encountered.

I am sorry to say, I am not impressed with the Gaston County Police.
They have been way too secretive in their investigation, when every detail is a potential clue. With so many friends, family, and fellow students willing to co-operate with law enforcement, they still end up arresting a most unlikely pair, after 7 months, who picked a bad day to go fishing.

I believe we can solve this case.
I believe we collectively have all the information we need. We only need to communicate with each other, and fit our pieces of info together. Too many clues have been ignored. Let's try picking them up.

I have learned more about the details of the investigation through 'Topix' than through any other source. I have much more confidence in the bloggers of this case than in the police. I want to see the forums open back up. Good slueths have always said that someone knows something. I say, especially in this case, that everyone knows something. With so many people who knew Ira, who are dedicated to seeking justice, it appears to me that we already have a very good start.

"The world is a dangerous place.
Not because of the people who are evil,
but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
-- Albert Einstein

Remembering Eve Carson

Remembering Eve Carson
From WRAL.com

Posted: Mar. 5, 2009
Updated: Mar. 5, 2009


Eve Carson, the slain University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president, was a Tar Heel through and through.

She loved Carolina basketball, going to Franklin Street and playing intramural sports. Friends say James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" was one of her favorite songs.

As a student leader and prestigious Morehead-Cain scholar, she personified what retired UNC Chancellor James Moeser last year called "the Carolina spirit." She was "compassionate, inclusive in her dealings with everyone … fairness, justice and tolerance."

The biology and political science major found time to tutor and teach science at a local elementary school. On summer breaks, she studied in Havana and volunteered in Ecuador, Egypt and Ghana.

Carson's enthusiasm for community service was contagious, friends say, and so was her ability to get people involved. Friends say that she was ready to conquer the world.

"Just whatever she was going to do, she was going to be great just being herself," said UNC junior Katherine Novinski, a Morehead-Cain scholar whom Carson mentored.

Instead, the world has come to know her in a much different way.

The 22-year-old native of Athens, Ga., was kidnapped at her campus rental house in the early morning of March 5, 2008, robbed, shot and killed in a neighborhood near the UNC campus.

Two men – Demario James Atwater and Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr. – face state and federal charges in connection with her death, which Chapel Hill police have called a random act of violence.

The crime sent shockwaves through the university community, which hadn't experienced a tragedy of such magnitude since 1995, when a law school student went on a shooting rampage and killed two people.

Within hours of hearing of Carson's death, thousands gathered on campus for a memorial service and a candlelight vigil.

"Something happened that day at UNC," said junior Hogan Medlin, also a Morehead-Cain scholar whom Carson mentored. "It was a literal coming together of the student body."

One year later, UNC is turning its grief into action, having already started a scholarship in Carson's honor – the first recipient was named last month – as well as a variety of other projects.

At a remembrance on Thursday, Chancellor Holden Thorpe will ask students, faculty and staff to give back to the community during the month of March.

"What matters most is who did you inspire? Where did you make your mark in this world?" Medlin said. "Eve made her mark, and it's evident in every person you can talk to."

Lisa and Emily Martin are living Carson's legacy of service. The women and about 80 other students will spend spring break in New Orleans. They plan to rebuild communities still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

“Eve Carson made a big difference on this campus. You can tell by the people who were affected by her death. So, I think it's really cool how we have the opportunity to make a difference in society as well as she did,” said Emily Martin, UNC student.

“I think it speaks about her life and what she meant to do,” said Lisa Martin, UNC student.

Carson's family has grieved privately, but her younger brother has taken on a very public cause that started before she died.

Andrew Carson helped produce an award-winning documentary called "Darius Goes West," which has sold nearly 22,000 copies and raised more than $1.5 million for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. The goal is to sell 1 million DVDs in one year.

The film follows the quest of 15-year-old muscular dystrophy patient Darius Weems, who sets off on a cross-country quest to get MTV's "Pimp My Ride" to customize his wheelchair. Along the way, Weems touches the lives of those he meets and shares his story.

Friends say Eve Carson encouraged the project.

"She would take the time to ask you the questions that others wouldn't ask," Medlin said. "She would meet you and immediately ask you what your passions are."

Thursday's remembrance begins in The Pit on the UNC campus at 4 p.m. with music starting at 3:45 p.m. It is expected to last about 30 minutes and feature remarks by Thorp and a performance by student a cappella group, The Clef Hangers.

"For many of us, the loss of Eve Carson continues to occupy our thoughts," Thorp said. "This ceremony gives us a chance to remember and celebrate Eve together after a difficult year."

Also on Thursday evening, friends will gather at Carson's alma mater, Clarke Central High School in Athens, for a moment of silence.

Copyright 2009 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/4675337/

Me Being Sarcastic

Can you imagine being a criminal defense attorney?
How would you feel if your job required you to defend someone you knew was guilty?
What would you do if the person you were trying to defend was guilty of the most horrific crime imaginable, and you knew you were sure to lose?

Whatever job it is that you have, I'm willing to bet you are much happier doing that.

So do I feel sorry for these people? Maybe I would, if it weren't for seeing how they perform in the courtroom.
I mean, if you were doing a job that you hate, wouldn't you want to get it done as soon as you could?

Well, they don't seem to think that way.

So it's day one of the Carson trial, and the judge orders the sealed warrants to be opened, and immediately the defense attorneys object.

Na, Man! We can't have that! Then everybody will already know they're guilty, and we aint got no defense!

I think the objection went something like that, or perhaps it was more like they were afraid the defendants would be convicted too quickly, before they even had a chance to attempt a defense. We sure don't want it to take any less time.

They say they want to see justice served in due process.
Does this mean they want to drag it out as long as they can?

Perhaps it's because they have so little to defend with, that they grab onto anything they've got, and milk it for all it's worth.

How would you defend these suspects, knowing that everywhere you look there are lynch mobs already gathering?

I have a suggestion.
Talk about how much they have contributed to our community.
No, really. Just think about it.
What have we learned about from these two young men?

For starters, we clearly see that it is completely uneffective to keep letting offenders get off on probation, when they keep on coming back for more crimes they get to do as soon as they're set loose.
After so many times, you'd think that one would eventually get the idea that this wasn't working.
We want to give them every chance to do better? That would work if they made use of the chances they got.

Yes, we should thank these young men for illustrating this point more elaborately than anyone in an NC courtroom has ever done before.

Now we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that cutting slack for a habitual offender only serves to allow them to offend some more.

Sure, you say, we already know that. It's common sense.
But hey. We're talking about court. We have a different set of rules here.

It's like, when you have to listen to someone lying his butt off, and you know damn well he's lying his butt off, but you still have to listen to him, because, hey, it's the rules.
Then, of course, you have to pretend that you don't know he's lying, and try to make up a reason to believe that he's not. Then, you have to pretend that the reason makes sense.

Not only do we have two young men here who have committed a crime most foul and inhuman, but they have given us the opportunity today to see what asses we really are!

Now that's got to be worth something. Don't you think?

Back to Eve

I apologize to my readers who were expecting me to blog the Eve Carson hearing. The truth is, I chickened out when we got to Day 2, when they unsealed the autopsy report.

I didn't know until then that she had been shot in the face with a shotgun. This struck me as a final insult, to rob us of her beautiful face, as well as her life.
That's where I lost it.
The report says that she was unrecognizable, that she was initially identified by her jewelry. I was outraged to think that Eve's loved ones were deprived of seeing her face one more time before burial.

SIGH!

I went to writing instead of 4th of July fireworks, taking advantage of the holiday to change the subject, after seeking comic relief from YouTube.
So there you have it. I see no way that I can write about Eve Carson objectively anymore.

Okay, I admit it. It's not like I knew her personally. I did not.
It's just that I have accepted her as "one of us."
It has been said by many that Eve Carson embodied the True Tarheel Spirit, and I myself am inclined to agree. I've always thought of her as Ms. UNC.

Just because I live outside the Chapel Hill city limits doesn't mean that I live outside Tarheel Country. Even in my rural Chatham neighborhood one still sees mailboxes of Carolina Blue, with either the "UNC" or the "Tarheel" logo on it.

Eve Carson was considered by me, my neighbors, and my friends, as a highly respected member of our community, and for good reasons.
Need I explain why?

I know I said this before. Humor me, okay?
Unlike Debbie Key and Kristin Lodge-Miller, Eve was someone we read about in the news before she became a murder victim, not just after.
We already knew she was a good person, and no one ever attempted to challenge that opinion. I'm glad.
Now I don't have to stand on a soapbox and preach about how good people can be victims of crime too. That point has been clearly made already.
That is what I appreciate most about Eve Carson.

I can tell you from personal experience that reading about her last moments alive is enough to make a grown man cry.

After confessing to a friend of my desire to execute her killers personally, I was told that this would make me no better than them.
I'm afraid I have only one defense against that, and that's this.
I'm sure I will be more easily forgiven for killing her killers, than for killing her.

Yes, I agree, the lesser of two evils is still an evil.
Still, I am willing to support any effort that promises to eliminate the greater evil, any way I can.

Eve Carson Trial

The Eve Carson pre-trial hearing began today.
The sealed warrants were open, all 6 of them, having been sealed to protect the identity of the informant.

The attorneys for Lovette and Atwater objected to it.
Should we expect otherwise? Consider who they are defending. If it were my job to defend the likes of these, I think I would resign.

So now we get to learn the horrible details of the final moments of Carson's life, and I'm not sure I can take it. Next they will unseal the autopsy report. I'm beginning to wonder if such info as this will inspire more of us to support the death penalty.

After you read this, you might want to hang them yourself.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2811/story/1123431.html
------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE
Sorry about the confusion, Folks...
The trial date WAS set for Nov 2, 2009.
The trial date is NOW set for May 3, 2010.
(If they change it again I'm gonna scream!)
PLEASE NOTE: This is for the trial of Atwater. I still don't know when they will try Lovette. They are still saying prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty.

Today in History

It was one year ago today when this website, in its current version, made its first appearance on the 'Net. If you were to keep working back through the blog to the beginning, you will find this to be true. Those of us who can still remember past last year may recall the original Debbie Key website, in its one-page form.

The year 2007 was when we had the 10 year anniversary of Debbie's departure from us. I don't mind saying it was an honor for me to be managing the website at that time. I am pleased with the progress that has been made since then, and I'm feeling optimistic about the next year to come.

This year, the month of June began with a baking 88 degrees, making it really feel like summer. By evening we enjoyed a cooling rain.

The entire month of May, I've been hoping to get a report up here about the ID of the skeletons found in Wilmington. All I found was that they are still conducting the DNA test, and have sent the bones to a lab in Texas. Here it is.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080528/ARTICLE/576199540/0/NEWS 

Not saying that I was pleased with the murder of Eve Carson, but I was pleased with the fact that, this time, no one tried to blame the victim.
Unlike Debbie Key and Kristin Lodge-Miller, Eve Carson was someone we read about in the paper BEFORE she was killed. We already knew who she was when the tragic news was announced, and no one questioned her character as contributing to her death.
Honestly, I was glad to see that.
Ira Yarmolenko, just last month, provided another example of the same thing. I have not heard one single negative word about her, and believe me, I have heard a great deal of praise for this individual.

So have we destroyed the myth yet? You know, the one that says we should blame the victim? If not, I'd say, at least, that the myth has had a great big chunk taken out of it, and I'm glad of it.

One sure way to offend me is to blame the victim. Yea, it pisseth me verily!

I have had the pleasure of connecting with many praiseworthy individuals through the managing of this website, including John Allore, Todd Matthews, Doreen Prior, and my special Web Goddess, Judith Gadd. I have enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other families and friends of murder victims, and we have learned a lot from each other's stories.

Yeah, I'd say I'm ready for another year.

Eve Carson Memorial Concert

Eve Carson Memorial Concert is this Saturday, April 12, at the Wilson Library on UNC Campus in Chapel Hill, NC, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.
info on the concert here
http://media.www.dailytarheel.com/media/storage/paper885/news/2008/04/11/Arts/Concert.To.Benefit.Carsons.Fund-3319010.shtml


More News

Members of Friends of Debbie Key got married.
Joy Preslar and Steve Moriarty were married on Feb 29 of this year, but have been keeping it secret until now. Joy and Steve both sing and play for "Storm Front," a popular local rock 'n' roll band, and will be performing for Carrboro Day on May 4.
Joy has a birthday this month on April 26.

My wonderful niece, Julie Higgins, also has a birthday this month on April 23.

Has it become a fad for people on probation to see how much more trouble they can get into? Check out the clowns who shot at a Raleigh police officer to get out of a ticket for littering.
http://ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/2689048/
They could have just paid a fine.

Spring Cleaning for DOC

Robert Lee Guy, director of the Division of Community Corrections, has described the situation as "Flat-Out Embarrassing."

The NC Department of Corrections is under investigation due to the tragic loss of Eve Carson, and it doesn't look good for them.
So far, the top 3 managers have already been removed from Wake County Probation Dept., and it looks like many more will lose jobs before this investigation is over.

It appears that Lovette was released from jail 2 days before the shooting death of Abhijit Mahato, which was just 6 weeks before the death of Eve Carson. During this time, Lovette has never once met with his probation officer.

According to Mr. Guy, Lovette's probation officer should not even have been working as a probation officer, as she had not completed her basic training.

See my sources here,
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2665364/
and here
http://www.newsobserver.com/2811/story/1022005.html/

A trial date has been set for May 5.
Chances seem to be rather slim they will get out on probation again.
Meanwhile...
Last Sunday night in Durham, another murder has occured. This one also was by a man who was on probation, Cory Anthony Jiggets.

Another Killer Busted in Durham

CHRISTMAS MURDER MYSTERY SOLVED!
Those who were around this part of NC during Christmas may remember there was a murder in Durham on the morning of Christmas day. Way to mess up the holiday, I thought. Well, today an arrest was made by Durham Police, and the suspect's name is Kenneth Lamont Lunsford.

"Police could not confirm whether the incident was gang related, but told NC WANTED that the crime was not random."

Now here we have in one sentence an attempt to answer two questions that everyone seems to be asking these days whenever an arrest is made.
1 - Was the crime gang related?
2 - What exactly is a "random" crime?
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NC WANTED INSIDER-
03/20/2008

ALERT: In the early morning hours of December 25, 2007, Durham Police officers found a 1992 white Lincoln Town Car pinned against a guardrail.

They also found a bullet hole in the car. The driver – Jalil Stokes, 21, of North Elizabeth Street – had been shot. He soon died.

Durham PD has just announced an arrest in this murder case. NC WANTED is investigating the possibility of gang ties.

For more, go to www.ncwanted.com


THIS SATURDAY NIGHT ON NC WANTED: They were once labeled as 'Missing and Endangered.' Now, authorities in both cases suspect murder. This Saturday night, join NC WANTED for the latest on the death investigations of Pamela Mikels Waldher of Fayetteville, and Jimmy Nelson Davis of Dunn.


NC WANTED airs Saturday night after the 10 O'Clock News on FOX50, and after WRAL's 11 O'Clock News on WILM-TV in Wilmington
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Thanks, NC Wanted. Now tell us when you'll be showing the Debbie Key episode. I'm sure we're all looking forward to that.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Judge Craig Brown says, "NC Needs Anti-Gang Laws Now."
Check him out at
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2581231/

And in the News and Observer, staff writer Ruth Sheehan has written an article comparing the murders of Eve Carson and Kristin Lodge-Miller. This one is certainly worth checking out.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/987355.html

We have a Full Moon in Libra, Good Friday, Purim, and First Day of Spring, all happening on the same day. Now let's get ready for Easter!

For Want of a Nail

John Brownstone of Mt. Holly, NC, who wants me to mention his name, has submitted this statement to me.

"If Atwater and Lovette had been put in jail instead of on probation, Eve Carson would be alive today."

I could not get that statement out of my mind.

While pondering this I came across this information in the NC Wanted website. There is a link provided on this page for your convenience if you want to check it out.

An arrest in 2005 earned Atwater a sentence of 3 years probation. In June of 2007 Atwater had violated his probation by possession of a firearm. But it took until November of 2007 for his probation officer to process the charge for this offense. This should have placed Atwater in jail, as per the terms of his probation, but many clerical errors worked to prevent that from happening. He wasn't arrested for this violation until last month, on February 20.

On March 3 of this year Atwater and his probation officer showed up for court, where he was to be tried and sentenced for violation of probation. But yet another clerical error kept him from going to jail.
They could not find the court records in the 3rd floor courtroom of the county courthouse, and had determined the records were sent to the wrong courtroom, so the trial was rescheduled for March 31.
Where were the court records sent to?
Get ready for this.
To the 4th floor courtroom of the same building.

If you think I'm making this up, check out "MURDER SUSPECT WAS IN COURT 2 DAYS BEFORE CARSON'S DEATH" Posted March 13, 2008, Updated March 14, 2008, in the NC Wanted website at www.ncwanted.com.
There is was, right before my eyes. I couldn't believe it.

Again, instead of being put in jail, Atwater was turned loose, and Eve Carson was killed 2 days later on March 5.
One floor above the courtroom was the nail that was needed to shoe the horse for the rider who was needed to win the battle.

It is this writer's opinion that too many nonviolent offenders are in prison, while too many violent offenders are not.
Which would you rather have locked away?

Letter From a Reader

Not all visitors to this website are registered bloggers, and many of the comments I receive arrive via e-mail by clicking on the "Contact" tab. Since the murder of Eve Carson my inbox has been getting flooded. I have decided I should be posting some of the better messages I've been getting, and would like to start with this one.
-BW-
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In all branches of the US Armed Forces, military personnel are sworn in "To defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
Gangs are to be considered as domestic enemies of our nation, and dealt with as such.
If America is to declare war on terrorists, criminal gangs are to be included.
Gangs are terrorists by definition. They rule by force and fear. They deprive us of our freedom to walk our own streets, to feel safe in our own homes, and in Chapel Hill, our right to have our traditional Apple Chill Fair.
It is not the organizers of Apple Chill, nor the participants, who are responsible for the shoot-out that occurred on Franklin Street after the fair was over. It was a Durham street gang who was responsible. Yet it was decided to cancel the Apple Chill Fair because of this.
This is not the American way.
America does not surrender to terrorists.
Gangs of criminal nature should be regarded as domestic enemies and not as citizens.
They contribute nothing to our community but fear, death, and destruction. It is time we take steps to reclaim our right to live as a free and peaceful community in our own country.

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Would anyone care to comment?

Both Suspects Now In Custody!

Can you believe it only took a week?
Early this morning Lawrence Alvin Lovette Jr. surrendered to a heavily armed Durham Police Selective Enforcement Team, just 24 hours after capturing Demario James Atwater. See story here -- http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2561551/

As well as for the murder of Eve Carson, Lawrence Alvin Lovette is also a suspect (one of three) in the murder of Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato from Tatangar, India, on January 18, 2008.
See story here -- http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2569358/

Both Lovette and Atwater have heavy criminal records, were both on probation at the time of the murder, and were both already scheduled to appear in court this month.

There will be a memorial service for Eve Carson on Tuesday March 18 at the Dean Smith Center at 4:PM. For more information on this go to -- http://universityrelations.unc.edu/alert/carson/

It is still being debated if this crime is gang related or not. Readers are invited to respond. Thanks to all who have done so already.

And Another One!

Good news, if you ask me, but now these alerts just keep on coming in! I'll just post one more here for you, and remind you to look to the right of your screen, to the Links List, where you can click on NC Wanted to get to the website and read the latest updates. --- Bill W --
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NC WANTED INSIDER-
3/12/2008

ALERT: Sources confirm that Demario James Atwater, 21, has been charged in the murder of UNC student body president Eve Marie Carson.

For more on this story, go to www.ncwanted.com and www.wral.com Updates will be made available throughout the evening.


SATURDAY NIGHT: The manhunts for the killers of Eve Carson, Maria Lauterbach and Jenna Nielsen.

NC WANTED airs Saturday night after the 10 O'Clock News on FOX50, and after WRAL's 11 O'Clock News on WILM-TV in Wilmington

More from NC Wanted

-NC WANTED INSIDER-
03/12/2008

ALERT: Sources close to the investigation have just confirmed to NC WANTED that Durham PD has detained a person of interest and turned over this person to the Chapel Hill Police Department. This person is now in the custody of Chapel Hill PD and being questioned at this very moment about the murder of Eve Carson.

For more on this story, go to www.ncwanted.com and www.wral.com throughout the day.

THIS SATURDAY: NC WANTED brings you the latest on the manhunts in the cases of Eve Carson, Maria Lauterbach and Jenna Nielsen.


NC WANTED airs Saturday nights, after the 10 O'Clock News on FOX50, and after WRAL's 11 O'Clock News on WILM-TV in Wilmington