Couple Caught Driving with Decomposing Body in SUV

A California couple has been arrested after police found a decomposing body in the SUV they were driving.  Their 13 year old daughter was also riding in the SUV, near the dead body.  Who does this?  These people did.  

 

Darwin Alaskari and Sherrie Boggess were taken in to custody in San Luis Obispo County while their daughter was taken by Child Protective Services. They are being charged with child endangerment due to her sitting in close proximity to a decomposing body and for illegal drugs found in the SUV.  The name of the deceased has not been disclosed, but is believed to be known to the couple.

The couple is reportedly homeless.  Does this mean had they had a home or apartment that dead body would be buried there or decomposing in a closet?  What's with these people?  They are homeless, yet they had illegal drugs.  They apparently had money for drugs but not for shelter or food?  I'm sounding a little judgmental here, but I'm betting their 13 year old daughter is going to need some serious therapy after riding around with a decomposing corpse.  Chances are she knew the person if her parents did.

Again, what kind of people could do something like this?  I suppose it's possible the person died a natural death - but then why keep it in your car and cruise around with it in the cargo area?  I doubt it was far carpooling issue because homeless people using drugs normally don't commute to a job.  Wow I'm getting quite cynical.  Maybe I should just call this a wrap!  This has to be one of my strangest blog entries yet. I promise the next one will be of better quality.

Beauty in the News

There has been so many tragedies and ugliness in the news lately, I thought I'd post some beautiful photos I came across just to cleanse the pallet. First there was 9/11 and terrorism, a frightening time for the entire world as we couldn't believe what our eyes were seeing as millions were glued to their television sets and thousands of people perished in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, a lonely field in Pennsylvania and those passengers in the doomed jetliners.  There was a long war that followed with daily updates of casualties, fatalities and collateral damage.

There have been serial killers and now the mass shootings are plaguing our country.  Gang violence has never seemed worse, especially in the great city of Chicago.  It's time to look for the good in the world - it's sometimes difficult to remember we do live in a beautiful country and most people are kind, honest and hard working people.  We must never forget it.  There are volunteers who give their time for others, there are philanthropists who share their good fortune with the less fortunate.  There are many people who give of themselves and ask nothing in return.  Those are the people we need to focus on, but they rarely make the evening news.

Here are some gorgeous photos to lighten your day.  Enjoy, and do something kind for someone today!

The Enchantment Alpine Lake Wilderness - WA

"Sugar Daddy" Shooting - Pharmacuetical Sales Mgr Michael McNew Shot In the Face

This story is a cautionary tale of what can happen when "Fatal Attraction" meets Sugar Daddy arrangements. I'm not completely versed on the sugar daddy/sugar baby lifestyle, but I believe a "sugar daddy" is a man of wealth who is willing to spend money on or support his "sugar baby".  These seem to be May-December type relationships (I hesitate to call them romances) where a successful and wealthy man may want or need the companionship of a beautiful young lady and is willing to compensate her for her time. Doesn't seem far from the definition of prostitution, but they've invented the term to make it more marketable.  Like "escort".

I'm not putting anyone down who seeks to gain financial support through a relationship - if that's your thing. I just personally think it's a bad idea to take money on an hourly basis for your emotional or physical "work".  I think the first time we saw a glamorized version of this type of arrangement was in "Pretty Woman", however that was a movie with two big stars in it so it didn't seem so seedy.

Now let's talk about the crime at hand and the people involved.  On August 8,  64 year old Michael McNew was found dead in his home outside of Trenton, New Jersey.  He was a District Sales Manager/Pharmaceutical Executive for Chicago phama giant AbbVie.  MvNew has 2 adult children and grandchildren and had been divorced for 11 years.  Law enforcement weren't sure what to make of the death scene. It appeared to be staged to look like a robbery gone bad.  Isn't that staging of choice by the unseasoned criminal??  I think I'd try to be a little more imaginative, but then again I'm no killer!

It didn't take long for law enforcement to discover that McNew had recently broken up with a girlfriend who had sent him some threatening messages after the breakup.  33 year old Jennifer Morrissey is a sometime dancer in the "hospitality" sector (more commonly referred to as stripper) and a motorcycle mechanic.  Tattooed and with a minor rap sheet, she seemed like an unlikely match for the buttoned down District Sales Manager.  Must have been a Sugar Daddy thing.

McNew and Morrissey met at a social function and began to see each other and before long, Morrissey moved herself into McNew's home.  She was clearly receiving financial support but the exact nature of the relationship hasn't been detailed.  The relationship was short lived - no pun intended.  By August of 2017 McNew kicked Morrissey out of his home.  What is believed to have been the catalyst for the killing is that McNew began to box up her belongings and was sending them to storage because he didn't want her to ever return to his home.

She sent him a number of threatening text messages which gave the police a lot to work with in pressuring her into talking.

While Morrissey was actually in jail for a probation violation when detectives met with her, she told them she hadn't been McNew's home since July 31.  She did however try to implicate her new boyfriend in the murder.  That's right, she attempted to throw her new 55 year old boyfriend Charles Kulow under the bus.  It's unclear whether he is also a Sugar Daddy.  Kulow has not been charged with any crime and is not in custody - for now.

Morrissey isn't the brightest of motorcycle mechanic/strippers.  She eventually began talking without a lawyer present and told detectives that she got into a confrontation with McNew and he was shot during a struggle over the gun.  "It was an accident".  People are more quick to admit their involvement in a murder if they believe they can sell it as an accident.  I don't know if it was murder or accidental - but her story stinks.  She told detectives after McNew was killed, she took his laptop and phone and was going to bury them in the yard of new boyfriend Charles Kulow.  Hmmm....doesn't seem like a terribly good idea.

In another sophomoric attempt to fool the police, Morrissey had boyfriend Kulow urinate on her hands in an attempt to rid her skin of gunshot residue and other evidence.  Can you believe this?  What CSI episode was that shown on, because I thought soap and water would suffice.  If a man hadn't been killed it would almost be laughable the way these two attempted to cover their tracks.  Morrissey is being held without bail and awaiting trial.  The most damning evidence against Morrissey would seem to be the text messages recovered from her phone where she told McNew:  "get the gun ready cause I'm coming.  I already told you that I'll be there tonight.  Guess your just going to have to shoot me or I'm going to stab you". 

Another text message stated "you have a choice - touch my stuff and I cut your throat".  All this over him packing her things and wanting her out?  There had to be something that precipitated the breakup.  There are definitely details missing here and it will be interesting to see what comes out in court documents.  Just another domestic violence cautionary tale with a twist.  Find yourself a regular person to have a relationship with.  Anybody who pays you is technically your boss and he can fire you whenever he wants.

Mass Shooting in Texas Church - Another Day, Another Tragedy

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It's happened again. The deadliest mass shooting in Texas history occurred in a church in a small town.  26 people between the ages of 5-72 were killed while attending a church service.  If there were ever a place where the public should feel safe it's a church.  Nothing is sacred anymore.  How are these people getting assault rifles anyway?  NRA, are you listening now?  Is this what the right to bare arms means?  I think you need to change your mission statement.NOBODY has the right to do this, not in the United States of America.

The shooter has been reportedly identified as 26 year old Devin Kelley, who received a bad conduct discharge from the Air Force and has previously been charged with domestic violence for assaulting his spouse and child. He served 12 months before being court martialed.  Rehabilitated?  You decide. Kelley allegedly posted photos on social media of a AR-15 semi-automatic gun.

Devin Kelley

Kelley reportedly pulled into a gas station across the street from the church at approximately 11:20AM wearing tactical gear and bullet proof vest. His intentions seemed clear.  Didn't anybody notice him crossing the street dressed in this gear?  He approached the church and immediately began firing shots into the church building - the congregation had nowhere to run or hide. They were virtually trapped in that building.  He walked down the middle of the church and fired at will into the pews before walking back out.

A brave bystander stepped up and confronted the shooter with his own rifle. Some time later, Kelley was found dead from a gunshot wound in his vehicle.  The hero bystander had some help from a passing motorist who assisted him in attempting to detain Kelley.  Johnnie Langendorf witnessed the confrontation between Kelley and the bystander and the two men chased Kelley in Langendorf's truck. Kelley eventually lost control of his vehicle and crashed.  If it wasn't for these two brave citizens, who knows where Kelley's next stop may have been or how many more people he planned on gunning down.

Authorities are still searching for a motive for this mass shooting.  Kelley's life clearly seems to have been unraveling, but many people have problems in their lives and do not do this.  There is no legitimate motive for killing innocent people period.  Churches are sacred places of safety - or at least that's what they are meant to be.  People go to church to worship, pray for hope and health and generally serve the communities where they live.  It's about faith and family.  After several church shootings, do people have real reason to fear?

It's amazing that this man was able to obtain the weapon used in the shooting. He has a felony record of assault and was court martialed from the Air force. It's being reported that he worked as a security guard after lying or failing to disclose his criminal history on his history. Why didn't a background check catch this?  Did the system fail?  Being in the military, he knew how to use the weapon(s).  These weapons in the wrong hands cause tragedies of epic proportions..

Among the dead is the 14 year old daughter of church pastor Frank Pomeray, who was out of town with his wife at the time of the shooting.  When is it going to be enough for the citizens in this country to take a hard stand and demand change?  WE pay taxes, we elect the officials to take our concerns to task.  WE NEED TO DEMAND CHANGE and better gun control laws now.  There is no time to waste.  Let's make these legislators earn their pay or find someone who WILL listen to the words of the people they are supposed to represent.

It sickens me to read about these shootings on the front page on a near daily basis.  It's time to do something.  Go to Change.org and sign as many petitions as you can find relating to assault rifles, gun control, the modification of weapons etc.  One person won't make a difference, but together we can exact change.  It's our problem as a society. LET'S STAND TOGETHER PEOPLE.

Gun Fight in Wal-Mart - Colorado

Are having more people armed the answer to our nations gun violence problem?  There was yet another shooting reported - this time at a crowded store many of us shop at, Wal-Mart.  The shooter sent cashiers, employees and shoppers scrambling for safety while some shoppers took out their own weapons in an attempt to defend themselves.

This caused a problem as police arrived as they could not differentiate the good guys from the bad.  See how this could be a problem? Bad guy can blend in with good guy and then they have to review surveillance footage to sort it all out.  This happened in a Denver suburb and the result was a headache to all in law enforcement.

 AP Photo - suspected shooter Scott Olstrem's car being impounded

Naturally, gun advocates are praising the shoppers who were themselves armed and who sought to keep the gunman at bay. The incident resulted in 3 people being killed.  Law enforcement says that well intentioned gun owners may have believed they were helping, but it ultimately hindered their apprehension of the suspected shooter.

Here we go again - another day, another mass shooting headline.  The brazen nature of bringing a gun into a popular store such as Wal Mart shows how little concern these people have for human life, their own included.  It's a wonder the body count wasn't higher given the circumstances and number of shoppers at a store like Wal Mart.

47 year old Scott Olstrem was arrested after an extensive review of video surveillance footage.  The NRA didn't immediately comment on the incident (guess they have to find a positive spin to put on this one).  Bystanders in a crowded store should not pull their weapons unless they have the proper law enforcement training.  I suppose my viewpoint might be different if one of these vigilantes would have saved MY life - but I'm thinking of all that could have gone wrong here.

Another example of America being too damned armed for our own good.

Prosecutor Seeks Longer Sentence for Oscar Pistorius - Celebrities Getting Special Treatment

Oscar Pistorius - AP Photo

Olympic standout Oscar Pistorius shot girlfriend Reeva Steemkamp to death through a closed bathroom door on Valentine's Day 2013.  What a Valentine's Day to remember.  The circumstances surrounding this crime were bizarre to say the least.  I for one have a difficult time understanding how he could have mistaken his girlfriend for a burglar, prowler or someone breaking into his home.  Did he believe they stopped to use the toilet before getting on with the theft or crime?  Whatever, Oscar.

Secondly, wouldn't you immediately notice that Reeva wasn't in the bed with you at that point?  You hear a noise, you are alarmed - don't you look for the woman you are supposedly in love with to ensure she is OK?  Wouldn't protecting her be a priority?  Even with his disability, he had a gun.  Guns protect.  I don't understand (or buy) that he woke up and believed there was a stranger in the bathroom. Makes no sense, unless he was on some sort of sleep medication and not thinking clearly.  Even then, you'd look for your loved one before you started firing rounds into the closed bathroom door! 

This is where the "celebrity" justice factor comes into play.  If you believe you would receive the same sentence that Oscar got, you are fooling yourself.  He was sentenced to a paltry 6 years.  People have gotten more time for drunk driving convictions.  Pistorius was initially convicted of "culpable homicide".  In 2015, prosecutors successfully appealed the conviction and he was found guilty of murder instead.  The conviction may have been altered, but the sentence went from 5 years to 6 for murder?  Chief prosecutors Andrea Johnson called the punishment "shockingly light" and "unjust".  I agree.

The prosecutor argued the original trial judge put Pistorius' personal disability ahead of justice for Reeva Steemkamp and Pistorius has yet to show any remorse for killing his one time "love".

June Steemkamp - AP Photo

Reeva's mother June was back in court to hear the appeal for the sentence for Pistorius.  It has to be very difficult knowing what a horrible and terrifying death her daughter experienced at the hands of a man she thought would love and protect her.  This is a story that plays out for parents all over the world. Domestic violence is a cancer that needs to be cured.  Too many wives, mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and even some men suffer in silence at the hands of someone who is supposed to love them.  Many are too embarrassed to let people know what they are going through.  Nobody wants to believe they would end up in this type of relationship.  We all believe we are strong enough to stand up to an abuser and JUST LEAVE.  Many cannot, for emotional or financial reasons - so they stay and often times no reports are filed.

Domestic violence needs to be in the spotlight, front and center.  The shame belongs with the abuser, not the victim.  The more people that bring it out into the daylight and start the discussion, the easier it will become for the victims that follow.  This wasn't supposed to be about domestic violence but I feel so strongly about it I got sidetracked.  This is about celebrity injustice.

Prosecutor Andrea Johnson is suggesting a 15 year sentence to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Will the Courts give Pistorius a sentence more appropriate for murder?  Whether it be first or second degree, he still should get more than 6 years!  We will see when the decision comes in.  Have a great weekend!

Today's Youth Dealing With Too Much Gun Violence

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We are living in a different world these days. It seems every time the news comes on there are reports of shootings and deaths involving young people, either targeted or caught in the crossfire of somebody elses beef with another person or group of people.  When I was in middle and high school, the biggest threat one might face is an actual fist fight.  Your hair might get pulled and you may be called names, but never did we fear a gun would be introduced and used in a schoolyard fight.  What is happening to our world?

My sister and her husband are both high school teachers, and I have to say I honestly fear for their safety. They don't have much security at their school and they deal with some angry young people on a daily basis.  Who will protect them?  School security?  The police?  By the time anybody responds to an active shooter, a lot of damage can be inflicted.  From Columbine, to Virginia Tech to Sandy Hook - it's happening at an alarming rate.  Columbine has been glorified by a number of unhappy and perhaps inbalanced teenagers who long to become part of this violent history.  This would be their fifteen minutes of fame - and they want to set records of becoming the worst of the worst.

While there seems to be no clear cut answer, GUN CONTROL of some kind seems to be an obvious place to begin.  The NRA is so influential and powerful that few dare to challenge them and their "right to bare arms" mantra. It's true, we do have that right. But what we don't have the right to do is bare arms and blow away dozens of innocent tax paying citizens with families, hopes and dreams. Nobody had that right. The NRA can't even admit there is a problem.  Blame the people SOLEY and not the gun laws that make is pretty simple to get a handgun - even felons find a way.

The kids who tote these guns to school in their backpacks with their turkey sandwich get them from their parents for the most part.  Parents, LOCK UP YOUR GUNS....or be held 100% responsible.  Now I'm really sounding like an old crackpot, but violent video games don't help the cause. This is where the training for the future killers takes form.  Training grounds,so to speak. Corporate America has a responsibility in all of this too - I firmly believe it. Obviously not everybody who plays these video games go out and commit mass murder. But quite a few of them seem to admit to being familiar with them.

Deadly school shootings since Columbine:

Theo J. Buell Elementary School
Feb 29, 2009

6 year old boy shoots and kills classmate Kayla Roland, also 6, at a school at a school in Mount Morris Township. The boy was not charged because of his age.

However, Jamelle James, 19 at the time was living with the boy was sentenced to 2 to 15 years in prison for storing the gun where the boy could easily access it.  The boy's uncle who owned the house the boys were living in plead guilty to possessing the stolen gun.



Lake Worth Community Middle School
May 20, 2000

Honor student Nathaniel Brazill, 13, shoots and kills his teacher Barry Grunow on the last day of classes in Forth Worth, FLA.  He was sentenced to 28 years in prison.










Santana High School
March 5, 2001

15 year old Charles "Andy" Williams opens fire inside the Santee, CA high school killing 2 students and injuring others.  He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.









Sept 24, 2003
Rocori High School

15 year old freshman John Jason McLaughlin shot and killed classmates 17 year old Aaron Rollins and 15 year old Seth Bartlett.  McLaughlin was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for killing his classmates.

March 25, 2005 - Red Lake Senior High

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16 year old Jess Weise killed 5 students, a teacher and a security guard before taking his own life at Red Lake Senior High School. The High School is located on an Indian Reservation. Law enforcement later discovered Weise had also killed his grandfather and a companion of his grandfather in addition to the killing spree at school.

November 8, 2005 - Campbell County Comprehensive School

15 year old Kenneth Bartley shot and killed assistant principal Ken Bruce and wounds two others at a Jacksborough, TN school.  Bartlett avoided a first degree murder conviction somehow, but was instead convicted of reckless homicide.






August 30, 2006 - Orange High School

Former student Alvaro Castillo, 19, is arrested after murdering his father and then opening fire in the Hillsborough NC school's parking lot - wounding two.  He was allegedly obsessed with the Columbine shootings and police found two pipe bombs and two rifles in the van he was driving.  he was later found guilty of murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.  In an eerie side note, prior to the shootings he allegedly sent a letter to the principal at Columbine forewarning him of the horror yet to unfold.

Sept 27, 2006 - Platte Canyon High School

Adult gunman Duane Morrison takes six girls hostage at the Bailey CO High School and fatally shoots 16 year old Emily Keyes before killing himself.











September 29, 2006 - Weston High School

Weston High School

15 year old Erik Hainstock shoots and kills school principal John Klang. Hainstock had received a warning the prior day for getting caught with tobacco.













As you can see, I'm only on 2006 events and will have to finish up at a later date..  Just goes to show just how many of these school shooting have occurred and continue to happen..  We need CHANGE N OW!!