My Apologies for Yesterday's Offensive Photo

I wanted to apologize for the photo posted with yesterday's story about a large mural that appeared suddenly on Christmas Eve in NYC.  I did not intend for this photo to show up on Facebook when I shared the story.  I'm sorry if anyone was offended - I was shocked to see that someone could/would paint something of that size and detail overnight and apparently nobody noticed until Christmas Eve when it appeared.

Anybody who has been a regular reader of my blog posts knows I never post anything offensive or pictures of questionable nature.  This blog is mainly for news about the criminal justice system, unsolved and solved murders, trials and the like.  As you know it was started with the Jodi Arias circus/trial.  Thank you for your continued support and please accept my sincere apology for the photo.

MyForte

Shocking Painting Appears on NY Building on Christmas Eve *WARNING..EXPLICIT MATERIAL*

OK, this is not something I would normally post - but I found it so shocking that I just had to.  A very unusual painting showed up on a NY building on Christmas Eve - a giant penis.  How it was painted overnight is anyone's guess.  Please be advised, this picture may be offensive so beware before you scroll down!

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Giant Penis Painting Shows Up Overnight on Christmas Eve! (Photo by Levine Roberts)

There is an "artist" taking credit for the four story painting.  It is said to have been commissioned in response to another painting on East Pike of the female equivalent of this subject matter.  The painting is on the side of an apartment on Bloome Street on the Lower East Side and is said to have been commissioned by a "local art foundation".  The artist is said to be Carolina Falkhort who has had other murals/paintings of questionable subject matter.  Obviously many residents are not at all happy about their children being exposed to this giant .........

A NYC building inspector was sent out to review the mural and says "it may be out of our hands". I guess anything he says is going to sound like a pun.  Most residents want it removed immediately.  Others don't have a problem with it....  This is New York after all.  What are your thoughts?  I believe in free speech, but this borders on vandalism.  If I lived in that neighborhood, I wouldn't want to have that painting front and center for all guests to see.  Shock value is everything in this world today, and I believe the artist achieved it.

NYPD Cops Suspended After Failing to Show for Welfare Check - 22 Year Old Pregnant Woman Found Dead

Another police story in the news, this one is inexcusable.  Two NY police officers have been suspended after failing to respond to a 911 call to conduct a welfare check on a 22 year old pregnant woman who was reportedly afraid of her husband.  

Torie and Barry Wells

The 911 call was made by Torie Wells's sister and the officers were told she was scared of her husband. The officers allegedly drove by the house but failed to get out and investigate or conduct the welfare check.  She was later found strangled to death and her husband was arrested.  What a monumental failure on the part of the NYPD.  If they were already in front of the house, why didn't they bother to get out of their squad car and conduct the welfare check?  Welfare checks don't take that long, and cops know that potential domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous situations they come across.  I don't understand their decision.  Perhaps they got another more "pressing" call, however even that wouldn't excuse investigating this call.

The officers have not been named and have been suspended for their lack of action.  It's possible the murder had already been committed by the time they arrived but it's also possible it hadn't.  I guess the coroner's report will give us an idea of her time of death and what responsibility these officers have towards this murder.

It's been a bad month for officers ad we seem to be hearing these types of stories weekly if not daily.  Torey Wells' body was found at 9:50AM with visible bruising on her neck and body.  Her husband was arrested later that day.  Although we don't know the full story of why they took the time to drive to the residence and then failed to investigate, it seems the officers had an obligation to check out a potential domestic violence situation.  In this case, it was the ultimate domestic violence case that resulted in a young pregnant woman being murdered.

These situations make the "protect and serve" slogan seem like a joke.  Come on now - officers should know better. I'd love to hear their side of the story.  They had better have a pretty good explanation as to why they failed to get out of the car and conduct that welfare check.

I will follow up when more information becomes available.

Still No Answers in Shooting Death of Det. Sean Suiter

Detective Sean Suiter

There has been little news released on the progress of the FBI Investigation into the shooting death of veteran Detective Sean Suiter in Baltimore.  If they have any suspects or persons of interest, they aren't saying.  The Baltimore PD brass continues to insist the death (MURDER) had nothing to do with Det. Suiter's expected Federal Grand Jury testimony the day after he was killed.  How is that ruled out so quickly and suicide remains on the table? 

After reading all I've read about the Baltimore Police Department, I find this all hard to believe.  There is something rotten in Baltimore.  I believe there are more secrets, possible being covered up internally and if everything comes out along with the crimes the DA is already aware of, they will be "draining the Baltimore PD swamp".

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis continues to convey that they are cooperating with all investigating agencies.  The FBI says additional personnel and agencies could be brought in to assist in this case. It's difficult to understand how a detective with 18 years of experience under his belt could be ambushed by a "suspicious man" in a vacant lot with a partner nearby in broad daylight.  There had to be witnesses - even a neighbor peeking out from a window.  Somebody saw what happened.  I'm surprised the reward money hasn't led them straight to the shooter.  Unless they are too scared to come forward because of the people involved.  There is a good possibility that fear is slowing down this investigation but I believe the FBI and any outside agencies that assist WILL get to the bottom of this hideous crime.

The crimes in which the 8 officers were indicted for are very serious - in particular, for a person who the public puts their trust in to actually rob the very citizens they are sworn to protect, for sworn officers to help or facilitate the distribution of drugs into this "troubled and dangerous" part of Baltimore is inexcusable and unforgivable.  We expect and deserve much more from our officers.  We pay their salary and if they do something that egregious, they need to be fired, prosecuted and whatever else the law allows.  Enough already!  We need to be able to trust the first responders, not fear them.

I have little doubt this crime will be solved, and I also have little doubt it will not be found to be a "random" act of violence.  There are too many coincidences.  This must be related somehow to the multiple indictments coming down the pike. The timing of the murder alone speaks volumes if you open your mind to the possibility that these bad cops could have done one more despicable thing.  I believe they did.  If they did, it might be difficult to prove because they are so well versed on how murder investigations are conducted and they would have taken precautionary measures.  I believe the best hope is to make a deal with the shooter in order to get the people who organized the murder.

I'm going to stay with this case until we see some answers come out.  You don't need to live in Baltimore to care about what's happening there.  This is our country and ALL police departments need to adhere to the same "Protect and Serve" mantra.  If they wanna be dirty, don't become a cop.

 

Recognizing the Signs of Dementia & Alzheimer's Disease

I've. recently read that dementia isn't technically a disease (it's a "syndrome")and that confused and surprised me because my mother has it.  I've watched the changes in her and they have occurred faster than I believed possible.  It's painful and sad to see the fear and confusion on her eyes and it's painful for me to be losing one of my best friends.  Anybody who knows me knows I have a close relationship with my mom.  Even as a small child, I always worried about my mom.  My parents divorced when my sister and I were young and I didn't always approve of the men my mom dated, but she eventually remarried and although I wasn't thrilled with her choice for husband #2 they remain married to this day (40+ years later).  They love each other and I eventually came to respect his devotion to her.

As I became an adult our relationship changed, she was still my mom but also my friend.  We shared secrets, we had breakfast almost every weekend at Doug's Place in Castro Valley when I was a young adult and I saw her at least once a week.  We remained close when I relocated to Phoenix for work and she was a frequent visitor.  She started showing signs of confusion over a year ago.  She always told me it was the medications she was on for her other health problems and that made sense to me.  But as the confusion and loss of memory progressed it became clear something else was going on.  She started doing things that didn't make sense, like putting the TV remote control on the phone charger.  She always would laugh and play it off and say she was just tired.

Her husband has been in long term care for almost 2 years now and I've been her caregiver.  Her physical & mental health has been rapidly declining, especially during the last month.  I had a difficult choice to make, to put my life in a storage unit and quit working (which I have always done and enjoyed) but it had to be done.  I believed she would improve having companionship and more care during the day but I was wrong.  Her health continued to decline.

Dementia is a very generic term in my opinion but a very cruel condition.  What it does to people varies, but what it's done to my mother has been hard to watch.  She does not want to go into a long term care facility - in fact she refuses.  She's been in and out of the hospital more times that I can count in the last year.  She's at the point now where her last trip to the hospital a difficult choice had to be made since she was refusing long term care facilities once again - she's now home with hospice help and my care.

I'm still caring for her full time, but now I have a whole team of people helping me keep her comfortable and clean.  The point of this posting is to tell you how quickly this condition can progress and change your loved one.  While I feel extremely lucky to still have both my mother and father alive, I can't help but feeling that I've lost my mother already because the mom I knew is no longer here and I miss her.

  

Many of my friends from high school have had parents with dementia and Alzheimer's pass away - there are no cures for either disease or syndrome. With research perhaps progress can be made towards finding out more about these two closely tied illnesses and prevention could be an eventuality.  There are many organizations that help patients and families of dementia and Alzheimer's  and if we all supported them with a small donation it would go a long way towards the answers that are badly needed. 

http://www.alzheimersresearchfoundation.com/

Courtesy of Sherri's Facebook Page - loved the photo

Tomorrow I am attending the funeral service for a man I've known since Jr. High School - he was one of the kindest people I've had the pleasure of knowing.  He had 4 daughters and a big Italian family (can you imagine) and he will be greatly missed by many.  He lost the battle with this disease.  Mr. Dietrich Tasto was a self made business owner who ran a successful glass company with his wife Carol and his daughter's Judi and Coreen.  He was a savvy businessman but more importantly he was a kind soul who people liked.  There are many organizations out there that conduct research into the cause of Alzheimer's and dementia, but here is one that seems to do it all:  

http://www.alzheimersresearchfoundation.com/

On their site, there is a tab where you can make a donation should you wish to help find answers towards a cure.  Perhaps you have a loved one who has suffered from one of these similar diseases and want to do something. Together we can make a difference.  

I am still looking for answers as to why my own mother's dementia is progressing so rapidly - I've gotten answers that vary but basically the prognosis is not great.  I'm trying to come to grips with this but it's not easy watching somebody deteriorate before your eyes.  I don't want this to be a depressing post - I also wanted to honor "Mr. T" , who did so much for all of his children and their friends.  He generously sponsored and was involved with our softball leagues for many years.  Many of my best memories were playing softball and hanging out at the Tasto house, where you could ALWAYS find a big fresh roll of salami, French bread and mayo.  

If you would like more information on recognizing the signs of dementia or Alzheimer's, please email me.  I have a guide saved on my computer and I'd be happy to share it with you.  Knowledge is power.  

Suicide Still a Theory in Det. Sean Suiter's Death (MURDER)

RIP Det. Sean Suiter

It's very annoying that law enforcement continues to contradict themselves in bringing up suicide as a possibility in the murder of Baltimore Detective Sean Suiter.  On Dec 1, 2017 there was an article online on WBALtv.com stating that since Suiter was shot at close range with his service revolver, they are still considering suicide as a theory - although it's not the lead theory.  Should it really be a theory at all?  Let's look at the few facts the police have disclosed:

1.  There was a distress call made by Suiter on his police radio.  Why would he request assistance if he were about to commit suicide?

2.  Why would he commit suicide on the job with a partner with him?  Even if his family would benefit financially if he were killed on the job, there are no indications he was suicidal.

3.  The police indicate they KNOW there was a "brief but violent" struggle because of the state of Suiter's clothing.

4.  The police have stated there were more than one type of shell casings found at the scene.  Did Suiter have two guns and miss the first try?

5.  The police believe the suspect may be wounded - mostly because of the multiple shell casings.

How does ANY of this point to suicide?  Get that theory out of the media for the sake of his memory and his family.  When information/evidence is contradicting your theory, you need to rule that theory out.  Rule it out already.  Did Detective Suiter fake a struggle and do something to his clothing to make it appear there was a struggle?  Did he bring 2 guns to work that day and try to kill himself with a partner in the area, miss the first time and then use a second gun to shoot himself in the head?  Does any of this sound reasonable?  I don't think so.

The police have also said they are certain there is no connection between the murder and Suiter's expected testimony in front of the Federal Grand Jury the following day.  How can they be so sure about that yet still toss around the suicide theory?  Just shows me the Baltimore PD has a lot to hide.  There's more to this story - it may or may not have anything to do with Suiter's murder but I sense a big cover up.  The FBI or another outside agency should be able to pluck through the muck of this story and get to the bottom of this murder.  Perhaps it was a random shooting.  Let's find the answers and give this family some peace.

RIP Detective Suiter - just a reminder, Suiter was not one of the indicted officers and was not facing any type of charges at the time of his death (murder).  He was an 18 year veteran and said to be a good officer.  Maybe in Baltimore being a good officer can get you killed.

 

Surprise Surprise - ex wife of former NBA Player Lorenzen Wright Arrested in Connection With 2010 Murder

Ex wife Sherra Wright

Surprise surprise the ex-wife was involved in murder plot

It's police work 101.  The spouse, the side-dish, the jealous ex or someone very close to the victim who is usually involved in a murder.  There are fewer stranger on stranger murders these days.  Here comes another one of those where the killer was very close by but remained in the shadows for 7 years.  Sherra Wright was arrested in Riverside CA on Friday night, nearly 7 years after Lorenzen Wright's bullet ridden and badly decomposed body was found.  

According to Deborah Marion, Lorenzen's mother, the indictment on Sherra Wright is sealed but she indicated the charge is for murder.  Perhaps murder for hire or conspiracy to commit murder since another man has also been arrested and is presumed to be the shooter?  Billy Turner, a deacon at the church both Lorenzen and Sherra attended was arrested and charged with first degree murder.  He has plead not guilty.

The murder had been a long standing mystery and was one of Memphis' most high profile cases.  Wright played for many teams over his career, but at the time of his death he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The 34 year old was last seen on July 18, 2010 as he left his ex wife Sherra's home.

It seems there was a delay in reporting Wright missing - the 911 center actually received a call from Wright's phone on July 19th, it was brief and dispatchers believed they heard a gunshot before the phone went dead.  Dispatchers failed to alert anyone because they couldn't confirm the call was in their jurisdiction so the ball was dropped somewhat due to confusion over where the call was initiated. Dispatchers did eventually bring the call forward to the Memphis PD but valuable time had been wasted in the process.

On July 22, 2010 Wright's mother filed a missing persons report with the Collierville Police Department. There were apparently missed opportunities in this investigation and the 911 call wasn't linked to the disappearance until much later.  The crime scene investigators found shell casings from guns of different calipers.  They believe there may have been more than one shooter and gun used to shoot Wright 5 times.

Lorenzen's mother believes Sherra had him killed for a $1,000,000 life insurance policy in which she would have benefited from.  It's one of the oldest motives known to man - greed.  She was already divorced and may have gone through her settlement money and wanted more.  The story is still developing and I'll bring you more as information becomes available.  My thoughts are with those who loved and miss Lorenzen Wright - may justice prevail!

Mass Shootings in America - The Numbers Keep Rising

Since 1982 there have been more than 85 public mass shootings in America in 34 different states.  48 of the shootings have occurred since 2006.  This is a very disturbing trend that needs to be reversed.  What exactly is the cause of this rise in violence?  Guns have been around for decades, people have been around even longer - which has changed?  More than likely it's the people who have changed.  Aside from the scenario where a student or employee goes into a workplace where they have been fired or a school where they have been bullied and take aim, people in general just seem more angry.

There is a population of people who crave attention and the media attention these events generates may be a motivating factor. Even negative attention is attention.  It really seems to have started in full swing following the Columbine shootings in Colorado.  Those two young men are actually idolized by many misguided youth - because of the "strength" and courage it must have taken to walk into your own school and kill so many people.  They felt persecuted and bullied and they were not going to stand for that for that when they had guns to fire.

I'm not blaming the video game industry, but many of these teen aged shooters end up being proficient in violent video games in which killing people is actually glorified and makes the player a winner.  This isnt' real life. The video fails to show the victims families devastation, the funerals, the grief.  This is a fantasy world that sometimes they cannot separate from the real world. Other kids may not feel they have any other way to deal with a problem if they have been bullied or picked on throughout their high school years.  Bullying isn't new - I can remember people making fun of our center on the girls basketball team because of her height - she was 6'7.  That was tall back in 1982.  It's still tall today but even more so then.  We stuck up for her against the bullies on the other team.  Not one of us thought of bringing a weapon and using it to kill the bullies.  Times have changed and it's changed people.

Naturally only a portion of the mass shootings are committed by teenagers.  There are plenty of adults who should know right from wrong yet they choose to commit these acts anyway.  Perhaps they are suicidal and angry and want to take out as many people with them before they die.  Again, they may feel persecuted, picked on, laughed at - and feel like they have not been successful in life as they had hoped.  This description fits many people - life can be tough.  People lose jobs, lose relationships, lose houses and experience financial problems.  Thankfully not everyone responds with violence.

I can remember the fire drills at school.  I remember earthquake drills, being evacuated from class.  I can't imagine this generation being so accustomed to "active shooter" drills.  The fact that they are makes me sad.  So what do we do as a society? How can we collectively make the world a better and safer place?  I don't have the answer.  I know we can each try to be better people, let a car in a heavy traffic area, smile, hold the door open for someone else.  Random acts of kindness are so much better than random acts of violence.

Can we start a campaign of kindness in an effort to offset the violence we are saturated with every time the news comes on?  Let's give it a go.  It can't hurt, right?

Vehicle Transporting Det. Sean Suiter to Hospital After Shooting Was in an Accident

We are just now hearing details about the car & officer rushing Detective Sean Suiter to the hospital after he was shot was involved in an accident.  An ambulance arrived and transported him, where he later died of the gunshot injury.

I may have missed this detail earlier when researching this story, but I think I'd recall a detail such as this - another "coincidence"?  Reportedly he was being rushed to a trauma hospital by another officer when the collision happened.  Authorities say the delay in transport and the accident itself did not contribute to his eventual death.

Authorities also believe the shooter may be wounded - more than one round was fired from Suiter's service gun - guess that itself would blow the suicide theory out of the water, right Commissioner Davis?  Or did he try once and miss and then try to kill himself a second time and succeeded?  Outrageous theory.

There is a growing reward fund of over $200,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.  Hopefully the reward will entice somebody who is in the know to come forward and help authorities.  Even people against snitching can't ignore that type of windfall.  I will continue to follow this story to it's conclusion because I really want to know what happened and why.    

Martin Martinez Murder Trial - Court Documents Provide Aggravating Evidence in Crews' Murder

Amanda Crews, Elizabeth Ripley, Martin Martinez

Thanks to the Internet, we can take a peek into the justice system and review court documents relating to criminal trials in Stanislaus County.  They don't divulge all, but there is some telling information to be found in the case of CA vs. Martin Martinez.  Martinez is facing a total of 6 murder charges in 2 separate cases (that may be combined) for the killings of his girlfriend (or ex-girlfriend) Dr. Amanda Crews, Rachel, who was his own 6 month old daughter with Crews, Elizabeth Crews - Amanda Crews 6 year old daughter with ex husband Timothy Ripley and Martinez's own mother and niece were among his victims.  In a separate case, he stands accused of aggravated child abuse and murder in the death of 2 year old Christopher Ripley.  Christopher and Elizabeth were the children of Amanda Crews and Timothy Ripley but Martinez was reportedly close to both of the children.

Christopher suffered a fatal head injury in 2014 while under the care and supervision of Martin Martinez.  He died in a hospital two days later of massive head injuries.  The injuries were inconsistent with Martinez's changing stories of  how the injury happened and his death was subsequently ruled a homicide.  It's not surprising that a man facing 6 murder charges is facing the death penalty.  The death penalty is for these types of cases where an entire family has been eliminated from life on earth but the delays in getting to trial can be brutal for the families.

Martinez has plead not guilty to all charges and has remained in the Stanislaus County Jail since his arrest the day after the July, 2015 murders.  He has had several court appearances and subsequent delays in appearances.  I was at the last court date and saw him with my own two eyes.  I've only seen a few pictures of him prior to the court viewing and his look has changed substantially.  Gone is the short clean cut hair, instead Martinez now has hair that goes well beyond his shoulders and a beard and mustache.  He appears much heavier than prior photos - I would bet money that he is trying to bulk up for his eventual prison sentence because the CA prison system is full of very large inmates who don't appreciate killer's of women and children.

Martinez is facing a lifetime of having to look over his shoulder, and that's only IF he is spared the death penalty.  I'd have to say that a death sentence is more likely based on the sheer volume of murders and the violence and broken trust involved.  (Allegedly) killing 3 little girls aged from as young as 6 months to 6 years old is going to put a big target on his back in prison.  He also killed (sorry, allegedly) his own mother and 5 year old niece.  In the second case, he is accused of causing the death of a 2 year old little boy.  He'd better be bulking up because he is going to be a marked man when he enters prison.

According to the Stanislaus County Court's website, the state plans to enter aggravating evidence during the penalty phase including but not limited to:

• Testimony of friends and relatives who discovered the victims bodies
• Photographs and video of the victims in life
• Victim impact evidence including testimony of family and close friends of the victims
• The defendant's lack of remorse at the scene of the homicides
• Evidence of the defendant's statements about the victims
• Violence used to commit the homicides
• Crime scene details showing advance planning and lack of remorse
• All guilt phase evidence showing premeditation and deliberation, multiple murders and lying in wait

The State will also provide evidence of the defendant's character, background and history will include but not be limited to:

• Defendant's prior acts of child abuse and domestic violence

I don't know what type of defense Martinez has planned, but it will have to be spectacular to spare his life if he did murder 6 people in cold blood.  It seems to me that in most cases if the defendant can be put at the scene of the crime via DNA evidence (his blood mixed with victims, etc.) then for a man who can't necessarily claim he was an abused boyfriend - he may go for an insanity plea or temporary insanity.  That's the only way he could try to explain away the excessive violence it would take to kill those 5 people he knew so well.  I personally think "temporary insanity" is a bunch of bull.  If you were sane enough to plan this out, and then lying in wait - and killing one person, and then the next and the next and the next and the next...3 of the 5 were little girls.  Cowardly act if I ever heard of one.

Martin Martinez is a scary looking man.  You often hear people talking about the hair on the back of their neck standing up or certain reactions in the presence of certain people - I had that very reaction.  I wouldn't want to be in a room alone with Martinez.  He had his back to the gallery but he just had an evil aura about him.  I believe there is another hearing scheduled for December 18 and then a more substantial hearing in late January of 2018.  If I'm here in Modesto, I'm planning on attending both.  It's fascinating to see the justice system in action.  There has been so little disclosed about this mass murder case that I want to hear the whole story from start to finish.

I don't have some morbid fascination with death.  I am just very interested in the criminal justice system and true crime cases.  This just happened to have happened in my back yard and I may never have the opportunity to attend this type of trial again.  I look forward to posting if I'm able to attend.

In the meantime, I'd like to find out more about Dr. Amanda Crews.  Everything I've read about her is "heart of gold" type of descriptions - but who was she?  What did she enjoy in life?  She obviously loved being a doctor and had many many patients who were devastated at the loss of her.  That says a lot about a person.  How did she end up in Modesto?  Where did she meet and marry Tim Ripley?  I'm inquisitive.  I'll keep digging until I find what I'm looking for.  This is a tragic story, but one I really would like to tell.  Have a great week!

Another Assist For Cold Justice Team - The Murder of Nori Jones

A murder that has haunted Pocatello, Idaho for 13 years is nearing a conclusion.  In September of 2004, 25 year old Nori Jones was found stabbed to death in her home.  Her body was discovered by worried colleagues the following day when she failed to show up for work and they went to her home to check on her.

Nori Jones

At the time of the murder, police found no real evidence to assist them in finding the perpetrator of this crime.  Only a partial finger print was found.  Fingernail scrapings and rings found on and off Jone's body were also kept in evidence for future comparison against potential suspects.  Ten long years went by before the arrest of 39 year old Brad Scott Compher, aka Ralph Roy Compher. Compher legally changed his name in 2008 to Brad.

Police believe Jones was killed during a botched robbery and may have been sexually assaulted.  Early suspects in the investigation included registered sex offenders Robert Roy Spillet Jr. and Lonnie Lee Haggard.  They were excluded as suspects.  Another early suspect was Torey Adamcik - Adamcik is incarcerated for the 200 6 murder of a Pocatello High School classmate (and friend) Cassie Jo Stoddard.  That case has been profiled on TV being compared to the "Scream" movie because the killers wore similar masks when they killed Stoddard.  That was another incredibly sad murder case, particularly since her two classmates were the killers and they planned the whole thing.R

Brad Compher

A fellow inmate came forward and claimed Adamcik admitted to killing Jones, and at the time of her murder Adamcik reportedly lived within 50 yards of Jone's house.  That seems like a reasonable person of interest, however he was eventually eliminated as a suspect as well.  The Cold Justice team spent 10 days in Pocatello and assisted police as witnesses were re interviewed.  Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary were said to be "invaluable" to the investigation into this murder.

Due to a grant by the Cold Justice production company, the DNA evidence was sent to a lab and the results were rushed back to the police department.  Compher became a person of interest when the partial fingerprint came back to him, although the police did not have enough evidence to link him to Jone's murder he remained under surveillance.  When he carelessly tossed a cigarette butt to the ground, that sealed his fate.  The police were watching him and they collected the still warm cigarette and sent it to the lab for comparison to the  DNA evidence and they got an absolute match.

Compher was arrested almost 10 years to the day after the murder of Jones.  He has plead not guilty and has been held without bail since the 2014 arrest.  His trial has been delayed several times and is tentatively scheduled for January of 2018.  Several law enforcement agencies have been credited with working to bring this case to conclusion - including the Pocatello PD, Idaho State Police, State Crime Lab, Bannock County Sheriff's Office, Chubbock PD, and the Cold Justice team.

There are an unprecedented number of murder cases going to trial in this county which has been a factor in delays in the Compher murder trial.  If he does go to trial in 2018, it will have been 14 years after the murder.  Whoever said the wheels of justice turn slowly was spot on!  Happy to hear Yolanda McClary is back on the show - or appearing in some episodes because these two are a great pairing.  Add Johnnie Bonds and you've got a great trio.  Fun to watch and they actually help solve these cold cases.  That's pretty incredible television.  Keep watching - we want a 6th season!  Thank you to Oxygen for picking up this great true crime series. 

Suicide Theory Puts Det. Sean Suiter's Benefits at Risk

Baltimore Police Commissioner Davis' continues to contend they cannot yet rule out suicide in the shooting death of veteran Detective Sean Suiter.  I've always believed this to be the most ridiculous of theories, mostly because the commish has contradicted himself at every turn - describing a brief but violent struggle with the unknown suspicious man before Suiter being shot in the head with his own holstered service revolver.

Signs of a violent struggle and a radio transmission call for help from Suiter certainly point away at the suicide theory.  Witnesses who don't want to be named as well as Suiter's partner that day have given vague descriptions of this suspicious man in the vacant lot - unless he struggled with Suiter trying to prevent him from killing himself, this is a bogus theory.  That would make suspicious man a witness and not a suspect.  I think in order to show a little compassion to Sean Suiter's grieving family, they need to rule this suicide theory out and quickly.  

If an officer is killed in the line of duty, certain benefits kick in that could help the family survive after losing their father & husband and his income.  The family could be eligible for $1,000.00 per week in workers compensation benefits as well as lump sum payouts from state & federal governments, a special pension arrangement and more.  The value could be several hundreds of thousands of dollars.  This would also be a show of support to the family and I feel they are dishonoring this detective by even considering suicide under these circumstances.  They may need to rule it out, but quit putting it out there in the media!  What I don't see the commish considering is that the indicted officers, or in particular Officer Jenkins being mentioned as persons of interest.  After all, Jenkins would have likely benefited from Suiter's death - hopefully he had a taped deposition on the drug planting case against Jenkins that can be used in court, but Suiter was due to testify before a Federal Grand Jury the day after he was killed and Jenkins involvement in the heroin planting incident surely was on the list of questions he was due to answer to.

The Suiter family deserves better from the police department.  He was an 18 year veteran, and as far as I know he was a good officer.  He was not part of the dirty cop squad, robbing and pillaging their own community.  He deserves to be portrayed as such - not a suicidal man who set up an elaborate scenario to make it appear he was murdered while really committing suicide.  Ridiculous.

If the FBI and/or another outside agency takes over this investigation I feel there is a much better chance for the truth to come out and the shooter will be identified - and who was behind the shooting will be known.  I'm praying for the resolution of this case so Det. Suiter's family can collect the benefits they are entitled to.  Losing their father and husband is bad enough, but losing out on death benefits because of a ridiculous theory of suicide is just a slap in the face of this man.  Come on Commissioner Davis, do you have a heart?

Former AZ Police Officer Acquitted in Shooting Death of Unarmed Man

A former Arizona police officer has been acquitted by a jury of second degree murder and reckless manslaughter for the January 2016 shooting death of 26 year old David Shaver. The incident occurred after a call from a La Quinta Inn that someone was pointing a gun outside a window of a fifth floor room. 

Responding officers believed David Shaver was the person with the gun and ordered him out of his room.  A nearly 5 minute video has been made public of the incident, in which Mr. Shaver can be seen on his knees with his hands behind his head - following all of the commands of the shouting officer.  Shaver can be heard begging for his life and appeared to be sobbing and confused as he followed instructions to crawl down the hallway towards the officers.

Former officer Philip "Mitch" Brailsford shot David Shaver 5 times as he inched forward (as commanded to) towards him.  His reason for the shooting was that Shaver was allegedly reaching for something in his waistband - another officer reviewing the video said it appeared Shaver was pulling his pants up.  Either way, in the video the officer seems very angry and aggressive.  If he perceived Shaver had a gun and was reaching for it, why did he have to shoot him 5 times?  Wouldn't once had been enough to disarm him? Shaver did not have any weapons found on his body.

I understand officers have a difficult job and have to make split second decisions but after hearing and viewing this video, the shooting seems excessive and unnecessary.  Watch it for yourself and see what you think.  

David Shaver - 26 year old married father of two shot by officer

The acquittal on all charges was surprising.  David Shaver's widow plans to file a $75,000,000 lawsuit against the police for excessive force.  Mr. Shaver also leaves behind 2 children.  Two pellet rifles were discovered in Shaver's hotel room - it seems likely he may have been the one seen at the 5th floor window. If I hadn't watched the video and heard David Shaver begging the officers not to shoot him, I may have a different opinion of this shooting but it's disturbing that this former officer fired an assault rifle 5 times at a man crawling on the hallway floor and following the instructions of law enforcement.  The officer's voice is also concerning - quite frankly he sounds pissed off.  Maybe something happened before the body camera began recording but I didn't see or hear anything to justify the seemingly angry officers commands.

David Shaver seemed clearly confused and the man was sobbing.  He seemed to be in emotional distress but not dangerous!  Another senseless shooting.  Do police just get a pass when they kill someone in this manner?  I believe his widow would win an excessive force suit because it doesn't seem like it was necessary to fire 5 shots into this man. Officer Brailsford was terminated immediately by Mesa Police Chief John Meza after he reviewed the case and video footage.  Smart move.  My condolences to the family of David Shaver.  I don't believe the police had to shoot him and I hope you prevail in your civil suit.

Baltimore Police Commissioner "Still Not Ruling Out Suicide" in Det. Suiter's Death

Baltimore Police Commissioner Davis reportedly has stated that they still are not ruling out suicide in the shooting death of Detective Sean Suiter.  This is the most ridiculous theory yet and makes me even more suspicious that the department has something to hide.  How can there be a "brief but violent" struggle - even heard on a brief radio transmission call for help by Suiter and this be a suicide?  I seriously doubt a detective who was planning to kill himself would make a radio call for help with a suspicious man.  The struggle theory was based on Suiter's clothing - there are witnesses who don't want to be identified who saw a subject running down an alleyway after the shooting.  How can they raise this ridiculous theory?  What a slap in the face to Det. Suiter's family.  What is the theory based on?  Was he suicidal?  Was he in financial trouble or did he have marital problems?  If they are going to put this theory out there they should explain why they believe this is plausible.

I don't buy it for one minute.  Why would he kill himself while on duty with a partner in a public place?  This theory needs to be put to rest and they need to focus on finding the shooter.  Find the shooter and you will find out who was really behind this murder.  It seems much more likely that Suiter's fellow officers who were facing serious federal charges had motive to want him dead.  Particularly the officer that set Suiter up to find the planted drugs in the car of a person they had pulled over.  If these officers have admitted to and plead guilty to the serious crimes they committed while on duty, why is it so hard to believe they could have something to do with Suiter's murder? They need to explain the basis of the suicide theory or keep it out of the news.  How disrespectful to his family these statements are.

The people of Baltimore want answers - Suiter's funeral was attended by thousands of people who turned out to show support and respect for the murdered detective.  I believe the truth will come out.  The mayor of Baltimore needs to tie a big fat reward for information leading to the arrest of the killer and somebody out there will talk.  The murder took place in a reportedly "troubled and dangerous" part of Baltimore.  People there may jump at the chance to collect a reward for information.  Even if they need to make a deal with the killer if he/she was hired to kill Suiter, it would be worth it to find the truth.

Det. Sean Suiter's funeral (ydr.com)

Det. Suiter's funeral (ydr.com)

Unlikely Hero's of Aztec High School Shooting Include 74 Year Old Teacher

Teacher Kathleen "Katie" Potter (courtesy of Kathleen Potter)

There is a report out praising a 74 year old substitute teacher as a hero for barricading her classroom with a couch.  Kathleen Potter is the substitute teacher who wedged a couch up against the door in an effort to keep her students safe.  She didn't have a key to lock the classroom door, so she hid the students in a storage room and put a couch against the door.  Talk about quick thinking and pretty darned impressive for a 74 year old woman.  Our hats are off to you Mrs. Potter!  The gunman was able to enter the classroom and began shooting at the room where the 17 students were hiding on the ground.  Thankfully nobody was hit.  Potter said she has actually

Kathleen "Katie" Potter

gone through several active shooter drills throughout her teaching career and that prepared her for what happened that day.  She's a hero in my eyes.

Also credited with bravery is school custodian Thomas Hill.  He reportedly first heard the shots and saw the shooter.  He followed him and warned school officials to lock down the school.  He showed extreme bravery for actually following a man with a gun who was shooting at random.  If not for these brave acts and a very fast police response, who knows how bad this could have been.  It seems clear that 21 year old William Atchison intended to kill as many people as he could as he was found with "multiple" magazines on him.

It has been determined that he encountered victim Francisco Fernandez in the restroom and shot him, walked into the hallway and then encountered the second victim - Casey Marquez.  He shot and killed her. Atchison continued through the hallway shooting off rounds.  I can't imagine what would have happened had the students been just entering school or at their lockers.  They would not have stood a chance.  Two victims is bad enough, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as the cowardly shooter intended. 

William Atchison reportedly lived with his parents in Aztec and worked at a gas station.  There are reports that in 2016, there was a Federal Investigation into comments Atchison made in an online gaming room about committing a mass shooting using an assault rifle - he was looking for advice!  When the FBI interviewed Atchison about the perceived threat, he was said to be "cooperative" and convinced the FBI he was just "trolling the Internet".  The case was closed as no crime had been committed.  This just goes to show no threat should be taken lightly.  I'm sure there are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of comments online that could be similar in nature and it's nearly impossible to predict who would really follow through with a mass shooting.  It's just a shame there was a red flag last year and there were still fatalities.

Aztec Vigil

I believe there are just too many guns in America.  You don't hear about mass shootings very often in countries with strict gun control laws.  There are still tragedies and murders, but not these mass shootings that are becoming all too familiar across America.  

Also credited with limiting the casualties is the Aztec Police Department, who reportedly were dispatched and arrived within minutes.  See below for the dispatch call:

Courtesy of Broadcastify.com and Channel 4 KOB

This is a good police story, as opposed to the Baltimore PD mess I've been writing about for the last week.  Thankfully the Aztec PD was alert and ready to go - they weren't out robbing citizens or assisting drug organizations with their heroin distribution business.  OK, I know that was cynical but I'm still so outraged at the broken trust of these officers who are supposed to protect and serve, not rob and pillage.

Back to Aztec High School.  Students, teachers and to the whole community - we feel your pain and will not forget what you lost on that awful day.  We stand with you and support you fully and pray that your pain lessens with time.  God bless your community.

Charges on More Than 125 Criminal Cases To Be Dropped Due To Crooked Gun Trace Task Force

I hate to say "I told you so", but I did tell you so.  According to the Baltimore Sun, Prosecutors reported that the number of criminal cases that have been or are planning on being dropped because they were reliant on the testimony of the indicted Baltimore PD "Elite" Gun Trace Task Force has reached 125.  I'm betting it will rise faster than a hot IPO once everything is said and done. 

How can we believe the testimony of officers who have admitted to robbing people, planting evidence, falsifying police reports and other offenses?  Who are the real criminals here?  The domino's are just going to keep falling.  This isn't going away for a long time. I'm betting every inmate who was arrested by any of these officers has contacted their attorneys already and should get new trials at the very least. I can't imagine the number of lawsuits and settlements that will follow due to people not getting a fair trial or being arrested under trumped up charges.

There are dozens of cases under review according to the Baltimore Sun.  Nearly three dozen cases involving the indicted officers have been reviewed and the outcomes stand, because the case was not dependent on the testimony of the indicted officer.  Prosecutors say dozens of cases involving the officers and drug or gun charges are being reviewed.  This is going to take a lot of manpower and the cost to the city of Baltimore will be (and should be) staggering.  Let this be a lesson for any other unit that thinks they are above the law.  You can get caught and your shield will not protect you from the consequences of your actions.

I read something else that was very troubling on the Baltimore Sun site.  There have also been three separate investigations into police arrests in which their body camera footage picked up some questionable images in which officers can be seen planting evidence, according to defense attorneys.  If true, another disturbing find. Naturally the officers have denied planting evidence.  It would be prudent to get an outside source clean up and review the video evidence so we can be reasonably certain nothing has been altered.  These types of stories can make the citizens paranoid - and for good reason. 

On Monday, Prosecutors announced they have dropped or will drop more than 200 criminal cases linked to officers involved in the recorded incidents.  Another STAGGERING number of cases, more potential for lawsuits and settlements.  If people's civil rights are being stomped on by the police than the city better get out their checkbook and start righting their wrongs.  

To say that the Baltimore PD is experiencing problems would be a gross understatement.  First the indicted gun trace task force and now the questionable body camera footage allegedly showing the planting of evidence and bad arrests.  Wow.  Find one more major snafu and you'd have yourself a trifecta.

Some of the really hideous incidents I've read about involving the arrogant gun task force members include:

• Three of the officers stopped a man on the street , searched his car without a warrant, took him home and stole $1500.00 from him.  The victim was a supervisor at a nursing home.  Det Rayam wrote a false report and failed to report the theft of the victim's money.
• Five of the officers stopped a man leaving his storage facility and stole $2,000 from a sock containing $4800.  They lied about having a search warrant. 
• Four of the officers arrested a man and they confiscated (and kept) drugs and approximately $6,000 of the $21,500 in cash they located in the car.  Hey, at least they turned in MOST of the dirty drug money. However, after that they went to the mans home and stole $200,000 from him as well as an expensive wrist watch from a safe deposit box.

I really don't need to hear any more, do you?  These guys were outright crooks.  How they remained on active duty for as long as some of them were is a mystery.  It makes you wonder at what point did they turn to the dark side?  I It's mind blowing.  If this is what we know to be true, I can only imagine what still hasn't been exposed.  I want to know who killed Detective Sean Suiter.  That's what keeps me coming back to this story.  I'll continue to come back to it until we need the team from "Cold Justice" to come take a look! Wouldn't that be something to see.........

More Details on Aztec High School Shooting

Slowly more information is coming forth about the shooting at Aztec High School that left 3 people dead in New Mexico.  Two of the deceased were students and the third was the shooter. According to KOB.com the shootings were planned by a former student identified as 21 year old William Atchison from Aztec.  

Suspected shooter, William Atchison (KOB.com)

Atchison apparently gained access to the school by "disguising himself" as a high school student.  At 21 years old that probably wasn't too difficult to do. According to law enforcement officials who executed a search warrant at Atchison's residence, a piece of paper was found that pointed to planning of this event.  It reportedly said "work, pack up, prep, walk, die".  The paper was found in a wastebasket.  There was more evidence discovered on a thumb drive for Atchison's computer that pointed to a planned attack.  According to the Aztec Police Chief, Atchison purchased the handgun used in the attack legally in November and he had several magazines with him.  

The first victim he went after was Francisco Fernandez - he was killed in the boy's restroom.  There has been no motive for the murder of Fernandez offered and police believe he was a random target.  Atchison then reportedly walked up and down the school hallways "firing at random".  It's surprising that he was not able to gain access to a classroom full of students and shoot at them.  The death toll could have been a lot higher.  Thankfully the police were reportedly there within a minute of the distress call.

KOB.com is reporting that the police shot out windows to gain access to the locked down school just moments before Atchison killed himself.  Law enforcement officials are praising the actions of the school officials who quickly made that announcement and locked down the school so quickly.  I went to high school in a small town, and I can't imagine this happening.  Everyone knows everyone in these small communities which makes it that much more devastating.

Casey Jordan-Marquez & Francisco "Paco" Fernandez (GoFundMe)

These two beautiful lives have been lost - for what?  Was it random?  What did Atchison have against Aztec High students?  Police officials believe Francisco was in the wrong place at the wrong time - the restroom.  He wouldn't have stood a chance trapped in a bathroom with a gunman.  How cowardly can a killer be?  I feel the motive for all of this will be revealed when law enforcement completes their investigation and the findings on Atchison's hard drive may be telling.  Did he even know the victims?  One thing is for sure, there were many people who did know and love these two innocent young people with their whole lives ahead of them.  Why why why does this keep happening?  It's such a disturbing trend.

I worry constantly about my sister Kathy and her husband Robert, both of whom are long time high school teachers.  They have next to nothing in the way of security at their school.  Every time I hear one of these stories I pray it's not THEIR school.  

What can we as US Citizens do to combat this growing trend of gun violence?  It's not just at schools, churches are not even sacred.  It's truly frightening what's happening out there.  Why is our society becoming so violent?  You always hope that love overcomes hate and peace prevails over war.  That doesn't seem to be the case but we can't give up on our society.  Something needs to be fixed and we are the ones who need to brainstorm and contact our local and state legislators and demand change.  It can happen if we stand together.  The world is going in the wrong direction and we need to correct this before the next generation is so used to "active shooter" drills that it doesn't phase them.

This is no video game, and these aren't some avatars gettinCMarg gunned down.  This is real life and these are real people with real families, friends, hopes and dreams.  I for one am pissed!  This needs to stop.  President Trump, what are you going to do to get the ball rolling??

It's Happened Again - Shooting at New Mexico High School Kills Two + Shooter

I can't believe this is happening again.  Shootings at high schools are becoming all too common.  I can't imagine being afraid of somebody bringing a gun to school when I was in high school (decades ago).

This time the shooting happened at a high school in a small town called Aztec in New Mexico.  Two students were killed, Casey Marquez and Francisco Fernandez.  The shooter has not yet been identified but he apparently too was killed.  It's unclear whether he died by suicide or if the police shot him.  Students described hiding in classrooms and being terrified.  Not much is yet known about the students that were killed but Casey Marquez was apparently a cheerleader.

Aztec High School, New Mexico (AP News)

According to AP News a vigil was held for the slain classmates.  Police have said more information will be released.  Senior Bryn Divine says she first heard noises that sounded like somebody hitting the lockers with a baseball bat.  An announcement was made over the intercom that this was not a drill.  That announcement may have saved many lives as teachers began locking the classroom doors.  This sounds like it could have been much worse.  The police reportedly responded to the call for help within a minute, gaining entrance to the school through a window and door since the school was already locked down.

Aztec High, AP News

Press Conference - AP News

Vigil for Aztec High - AP News

It sounds like Aztec High was well prepared for an "active shooter" situation, which is sad.  It's sad the children have to even think about what could happen while they are at school to learn.  Aztec is a small town of approximately 6,500 people so this is hitting them hard.  SOMETHING MUST BE DONE WITH GUN CONTROL.  How many of these stories will we have to endure before the government gets involved and enacts more federal laws and tightens the screws to the NRA? The NRA seemingly will do anything to protect peoples rights to own a gun.  It is a right, but it's supposed to be for self protection and hunting - not hunting humans.

I realize it's people that are doing the killing.  The guns don't aim and shoot.  But it seems that guns are too readily available and they are getting into the hands of people who shouldn't be anywhere near a weapon.  It seems Columbine started this whole school shooting scenario and not to downplay only two people being killed here, but if the school administration and police hadn't acted so quickly it could have been as bad.  This happened right as school was beginning - first period.  Some students are afraid to go back to school and want teachers to be allowed to carry guns.  Not a bad idea, but I suppose you could get a rogue teacher as well.  What is the answer to this epidemic?

No motive has been given for the shooting - all that is known is that both of the students killed were reportedly student athletes. The police haven't even said if the shooter was a current or former student at Aztec High.  When more details are released, I will post them.

My thoughts and prayers are with all involved in this tragedy.  What is happening to our country?C