My stepbrother was a rebel when we were teenagers and didn't have much respect for the law. The first time he went to jail was at 16. We had been at a party with a bunch of friends and he and his best friend went to pick up one of my friends to bring her to the party. On their way to get her the gas light and oil light came on, so their solution was to do a gas and go. while on their way to the gas station they had stolen gas from previously the blew the engine of my car by going high speeds with little oil in the car. I got a phone call at the party saying I needed to go pick them up, and by they time I got there they had vandalized the grocery store that they were parked by. Just after we picked them up and were leaving the parking lot the police showed up. Someone had witnessed them vandalizing the store and called the police. I was ticketed for being out past curfew, and after making smart remarks and pushing the officer at the scene, my stepbrother was taken to jail for the first time.
After this incident you would think that he had learned his lesson, but things go worse from then on. He started hanging with a different crowd, doing and selling drugs, and we were not close anymore. When he turned 18 he moved out of our parents house and we rarely spoke or saw each other. Just before his 19th birthday he was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to sell. while in custody he managed to break out of the jail question cell by smashing a chair thought a window. He escaped in inmate clothing with no shoes. He was later found in hiding in the ceiling of a car dealership. He broke into the dealership to find a clothing and possibly steal a car. He had cut his foot while fleeing custody, and the police K-9 was able to track his scent.
He was not only trying to escape getting jail time for the drug possession, but was also a suspect in a series of armed robberies, which he was in fact guilty of. He and his buddies had robbed three fast food restaurants at gun point in our hometown. All of his buddies were apprehended for the robberies, although not all of them participated in all of the robberies. His written confession stated that the first robbery was set up with an employee who worked in the restaurant, and there were a total of five guys who participated in the robbery. The second robbery was just he and two of his buddies, and the last robbery he committed alone.
Due to gun laws at that time, and the fact that they had robbed taxpaying businesses, they were charged for there crimes at the federal level. Because his friends rolled over on him and because he was involved in all three robberies, he received the harshest punishment of them all. although, he could have seen a lot more jail time than he did. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Of his accomplices, one was given a pass, one was given a year on probation, another was sentenced to three years prison time and the last was sentenced to five years.
They were all barely 18 and 19 years old when they committed the robberies. While they did have some issues during their sentencing, they are all free now and fairly successful. All of these guys did their time and changed their lives around. My stepbrother is now happily married and stating a family of his own.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Terrorist Attacks
I remember hearing someone say that no one would ever forget what they were doing on the day the country came under attack by terrorists. They were right, I can remember that day like it was yesterday. On the morning of September 11, 2001 I woke to my alarm clock saying that New York City was under attack. I lay in bed for a few moments listening to the commotion and chaos that was being broadcast and then quickly turned on the tv. Within moments my mother called telling me to get up that we were under attack. With the briefness of her comment and what I was seeing on TV, my mind thoughts quickly changed to Oh God, did she know something I didn’t know, was it happening here in Wichita too. It is after all the Air Capitol of the World. I told mom to slow down, that I was watching the news, and asked If something had happened her too. She calmed herself a little and reassured me that we were in no direct threat.
I had to work at 10 am that morning, and it felt like everything was in slow motion. Business was slower than I ever recall that day, and pretty much all that we did was watch the news, just to try and get some answers as to what the hell was happening and why was it happening here in the United States! You hear about terrorist attacks and mass killings from many other countries, but its not something Americans would ever expect to experience.
I look back 10 years later and recall how scared I was, but today I can say yes I was scared, but my fear is nothing compared to the fear of those who lost their lives, those who lost their loved ones, and the brave men and women who jeopardized, and many who lost their lives in a heroic effort to help their fellow Americans.
There have been several movies and documentaries of the attacks produced over the past decade. The actual footage of the attacks is so hard to watch, with people jumping to their death, and rescuers running in the burning buildings not knowing if they will ever make it out. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been as a victim or loved one of a victim.
The one movie that has stuck in my mind the most is the movie “Remember Me.” I downloaded the movie not knowing what it was about, and as I watched it I just thought it was just a love story, it wasn’t until the end that I realized what the movie was really about. The movie may be based on a true story, I couldn’t find anything saying it was, but even if it was not based on any one particular persons exact life, I’m some can relate. The movie is about a young couple who fall in love and regardless of coming from different backgrounds, they want to make it work. It made me smile, laugh, cry and at the end, when I realized that it was leading up to the attacks on the tower, and that the young man would die, I finally sobbed.
The movie “Remember Me” really opened my eyes up to what the Americans of New York City went through that day. None of them woke up expecting to die or lose a loved one. They went about their normal daily routines without knowing that they would experience hell on earth. Women kissed their husbands goodbye before work for the last time, children hugged their parents expecting to be picked up from daycare knowing only innocence and good in the world, and bosses barked hateful orders assuming they could make it up the next day over a cup of coffee. The lives of so many were changed in just a moment.
I had to work at 10 am that morning, and it felt like everything was in slow motion. Business was slower than I ever recall that day, and pretty much all that we did was watch the news, just to try and get some answers as to what the hell was happening and why was it happening here in the United States! You hear about terrorist attacks and mass killings from many other countries, but its not something Americans would ever expect to experience.
I look back 10 years later and recall how scared I was, but today I can say yes I was scared, but my fear is nothing compared to the fear of those who lost their lives, those who lost their loved ones, and the brave men and women who jeopardized, and many who lost their lives in a heroic effort to help their fellow Americans.
There have been several movies and documentaries of the attacks produced over the past decade. The actual footage of the attacks is so hard to watch, with people jumping to their death, and rescuers running in the burning buildings not knowing if they will ever make it out. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been as a victim or loved one of a victim.
The one movie that has stuck in my mind the most is the movie “Remember Me.” I downloaded the movie not knowing what it was about, and as I watched it I just thought it was just a love story, it wasn’t until the end that I realized what the movie was really about. The movie may be based on a true story, I couldn’t find anything saying it was, but even if it was not based on any one particular persons exact life, I’m some can relate. The movie is about a young couple who fall in love and regardless of coming from different backgrounds, they want to make it work. It made me smile, laugh, cry and at the end, when I realized that it was leading up to the attacks on the tower, and that the young man would die, I finally sobbed.
The movie “Remember Me” really opened my eyes up to what the Americans of New York City went through that day. None of them woke up expecting to die or lose a loved one. They went about their normal daily routines without knowing that they would experience hell on earth. Women kissed their husbands goodbye before work for the last time, children hugged their parents expecting to be picked up from daycare knowing only innocence and good in the world, and bosses barked hateful orders assuming they could make it up the next day over a cup of coffee. The lives of so many were changed in just a moment.
Stimulating Analytical Skills
Margie, a retired employee of the school board, and her family, had a garage sale over the weekend of September 24, 2011. Margie is in her late 60’s and lives with her daughter, late 40’s, grandson 24, granddaughter 19, and great granddaughter 9 months. They are an upper middle class African American family. The sale was at 2282 N. Belmont in Wichita, KS, which is located about one block north of 21st St., between Hillside and Oliver. The house sits on a 1.24 acre lot and is a 3,820 sq. foot ranch style doll house; it lists for nearly $250,000. It was built in 1976 and had only one previous owner until June of 2010, when Margie and her family purchased it. It has 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths and a basement with 2 more rooms that can be made into 4th and 5th bedrooms. The neighborhood is very nice and clean, and appears to be a low risk area for crime. The house is a great, spacious house for a growing, multi-generation family that lives together. From the appearance of the well maintained house, landscaping and newer vehicles, Margie and her family value hard work and appreciate nice belongings. Margie and her family were very welcoming and friendly. She seems to be a kind, loving mother and caretaker; the kind of person that always has a house full of family and friends.
Margie mentioned that her husband passed away less than a year ago and she was selling his clothes and personal items. We think that he died suddenly because we didn’t notice any medical supplies or equipment. It’s possible that the family is living together so that Margie doesn’t have to be alone as she gets older. One of the relatives just recently moved in and they were getting rid of furniture they didn’t have room for. They were selling a nice leather couch, end tables, and wall hangings. Also for sale was many gospel and soul CDs, so they are apparently religious. One of the men in the household is, or was a craftsman or construction worker because there was a workshop in back of the house, and they were selling used tools, drills, saws and a chainsaw.
We didn’t find any criminal statistics for the house or the immediate area. There was however, some registered sex offenders located only a few blocks away. According to the wichitaeagle.com, the house is located in the North beat 47. In that beat from September 24th to 29th there were 3 drug offenses, 1 burglary, 1 larceny, 2 vandalisms, and 1 vehicle theft. For the month of September there were 2 aggravated assaults, 4 burglaries, 9 drug offenses, 6 larcenies, 3 vandalisms, and 4 vehicle thefts. From January to September there were 48 aggravated assaults, 55 burglaries, 49 drug offenses, 77 larcenies, 4 robberies, 54 vandalisms, 35 vehicle thefts, and 2 homicides. Although Margie appears to live in a safe neighborhood, because there is so much criminal activity in the closely surrounding areas, it’s possible that in time, crime will migrate and the value of her neighborhood will depreciate.
Margie mentioned that her husband passed away less than a year ago and she was selling his clothes and personal items. We think that he died suddenly because we didn’t notice any medical supplies or equipment. It’s possible that the family is living together so that Margie doesn’t have to be alone as she gets older. One of the relatives just recently moved in and they were getting rid of furniture they didn’t have room for. They were selling a nice leather couch, end tables, and wall hangings. Also for sale was many gospel and soul CDs, so they are apparently religious. One of the men in the household is, or was a craftsman or construction worker because there was a workshop in back of the house, and they were selling used tools, drills, saws and a chainsaw.
We didn’t find any criminal statistics for the house or the immediate area. There was however, some registered sex offenders located only a few blocks away. According to the wichitaeagle.com, the house is located in the North beat 47. In that beat from September 24th to 29th there were 3 drug offenses, 1 burglary, 1 larceny, 2 vandalisms, and 1 vehicle theft. For the month of September there were 2 aggravated assaults, 4 burglaries, 9 drug offenses, 6 larcenies, 3 vandalisms, and 4 vehicle thefts. From January to September there were 48 aggravated assaults, 55 burglaries, 49 drug offenses, 77 larcenies, 4 robberies, 54 vandalisms, 35 vehicle thefts, and 2 homicides. Although Margie appears to live in a safe neighborhood, because there is so much criminal activity in the closely surrounding areas, it’s possible that in time, crime will migrate and the value of her neighborhood will depreciate.
The Wichita Massacre
In the snowy winter of 2000, the city of Wichita was frightened and shocked by the horrible crimes spree of 20 year old Jonathan Carr and his brother 22 year old Reginald Carr. That December the Carr brothers went on a crime rampage starting with the kidnapping and robbery of a 23 year old Wichita man. A few days later the brothers shot a 55 year old female outside of her home, and she died several days later. This was only the beginning of the Carr brother’s massacre.
On December 15, 2000, the Carr brothers invaded a home in a wealthier part of Wichita were they took captive five young adults, three men and two women in their 20’s. The Carr brothers ransacked the house for valuables while they held the victims at gun point. They then raped them and forced them to perform oral sex and other sexual acts to them and on each other. After all of the sexual humiliation, they drove the naked hostages to an ATM and forced them all to empty their bank accounts. Then finally they drove the victims to a deserted soccer field and shot them in the back of the head, execution style. Their last attempt to make sure there were no survivors; they drove the truck over the bodies before fleeing into the night. They then drove back to the residence where they had taken the hostages and took anything of value. They all so killed the victims’ dog.
After all of the torture, humiliation, and grief one of the female victims survived. She played until the Carr brothers drove away, and freezing cold and naked she ran more than a mile for help. After finding help she told the story of what had happened to her and her friend, before being taken by the paramedics. It turns out that the plastic hair piece the victim was wearing deflected the bullet from entering her skull, therefore saving her life.
By morning the Carr brothers were apprehended at the home of Reginald Carr and his girlfriend. A witness spotted the stolen truck, seeing a black male unloading a tv from it in front of his apartment complex. Jonathan Carr was picked up later that day. The men were tried together and both sentenced to the death penalty, which was appealed and later revoked giving them a sentence of life in prison.
There was a lot of controversy saying that this was a racial hate crime against whites. However, the Carr brothers were not charged of hate crimes, prosecutors found the motive to be robbery.
On December 15, 2000, the Carr brothers invaded a home in a wealthier part of Wichita were they took captive five young adults, three men and two women in their 20’s. The Carr brothers ransacked the house for valuables while they held the victims at gun point. They then raped them and forced them to perform oral sex and other sexual acts to them and on each other. After all of the sexual humiliation, they drove the naked hostages to an ATM and forced them all to empty their bank accounts. Then finally they drove the victims to a deserted soccer field and shot them in the back of the head, execution style. Their last attempt to make sure there were no survivors; they drove the truck over the bodies before fleeing into the night. They then drove back to the residence where they had taken the hostages and took anything of value. They all so killed the victims’ dog.
After all of the torture, humiliation, and grief one of the female victims survived. She played until the Carr brothers drove away, and freezing cold and naked she ran more than a mile for help. After finding help she told the story of what had happened to her and her friend, before being taken by the paramedics. It turns out that the plastic hair piece the victim was wearing deflected the bullet from entering her skull, therefore saving her life.
By morning the Carr brothers were apprehended at the home of Reginald Carr and his girlfriend. A witness spotted the stolen truck, seeing a black male unloading a tv from it in front of his apartment complex. Jonathan Carr was picked up later that day. The men were tried together and both sentenced to the death penalty, which was appealed and later revoked giving them a sentence of life in prison.
There was a lot of controversy saying that this was a racial hate crime against whites. However, the Carr brothers were not charged of hate crimes, prosecutors found the motive to be robbery.
1994 Stabbing at East High School
Going to high school is supposed to be an exciting adventure for all teenagers, as was mine at Wichita East High in the fall of 1994. However, there are always rules to high school; don’t park in the senior lot, don’t sit at the wrong lunch table, and in my experience, avoid the first floor if at all possible. The first floor at East High School was where the rough, tough kids hung out. It just went without saying, you didn’t go there unless you belonged or had business there. That is where most of the student fights took place and most of us just wanted to go about our day without having to acknowledge that there was violence in our school. We were just trying to enjoy high school.
One morning my freshman year in 1994 I made my way to my locker on the second floor to put up my belongings before my first period cheer practice. As I came to the top of the stairs there was a lot of commotion, and I was directed by school staff to go around through the other hall. As I passed, I noticed there were brown bathroom towels all over the floor covering what looked like blood. Being a teenager, and in my own little world, I didn’t think much of it and continued to my locker, and then to practice in the far west gymnasium.
When class assembled, we received an announcement over the intercom for all students to stay in their classrooms that there had been an incident. Shortly after the announcement, other classes began to fill the gym. Rumors circulated, but the truth was that had been a fight between a few female students and one had been stabbed. It was assumed that assailant was still on school property somewhere so precautions were being taken to keep other students safe from harm’s way, and from seeing the gore of the crime on the second floor of the school. Many classes were kept in the gym, some In the auditorium, and others locked In their classrooms. Students were not released until a parent or guardian picked them up.
For years, even after I graduated and spoke of where I went to school, people said that’s a horrible school, wasn’t someone stabbed there. But honestly, as frightening as that incident was, I felt pretty safe the rest of my high school years.
One morning my freshman year in 1994 I made my way to my locker on the second floor to put up my belongings before my first period cheer practice. As I came to the top of the stairs there was a lot of commotion, and I was directed by school staff to go around through the other hall. As I passed, I noticed there were brown bathroom towels all over the floor covering what looked like blood. Being a teenager, and in my own little world, I didn’t think much of it and continued to my locker, and then to practice in the far west gymnasium.
When class assembled, we received an announcement over the intercom for all students to stay in their classrooms that there had been an incident. Shortly after the announcement, other classes began to fill the gym. Rumors circulated, but the truth was that had been a fight between a few female students and one had been stabbed. It was assumed that assailant was still on school property somewhere so precautions were being taken to keep other students safe from harm’s way, and from seeing the gore of the crime on the second floor of the school. Many classes were kept in the gym, some In the auditorium, and others locked In their classrooms. Students were not released until a parent or guardian picked them up.
For years, even after I graduated and spoke of where I went to school, people said that’s a horrible school, wasn’t someone stabbed there. But honestly, as frightening as that incident was, I felt pretty safe the rest of my high school years.
Monday, December 5, 2011
BTK, Wichita Kansas
My hometown of Wichita, KS, known as an “All American City,” and the “Air Capitol of the World,” but for 30 years my hometown was haunted by the many unsolved murders of the many people who fell victim to the BTK Killer. The first known BTK killing was in 1974, which is only six years before my birth. My family has lived in Wichita since the late 50’s, and have been residents since before the beginning of his killing spree. My mother and grandmother were single moms and could have easily fell victim to BTK had they been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
BTK stands for Bind Torture Kill, which is the name Dennis Raider gave himself in a letter he wrote to police. He named himself BTK claiming his MO would not change, that manner in which he killed his victims was a fetish killing; he bound, tortured and then killed his victims. BTK preyed on his victims, got to know their routines, and then entered their homes, where the felt safe, and tortured them until their lives ended.
BTK put fear into society. He was a sick son of a bitch! He wrote many letters to authorities admitting that he had a monster inside of him, and it was too late to get rid of it, that authorities would have to find him to end it. He killed men, women, and children, and left semen throughout his crime scenes. In most cases, the females, regardless of age, were left bound and mostly undressed, but never sexually assaulted. The fact that he was sexually aroused is sickening but he was aroused just by the killing itself. He was truly a monster.
When BTK was finally apprehended I was working for a law office in Wichita and my manager was a resident of Park City and a neighbor to Dennis Rader. She told of how he had stalked her, using his authority as a city employee to gain access to her property. He wrote her several citations for her dog being a nuisance, and then for her dog being out of the yard. She would come home from work and he would be there. Although she had left her dog locked in the house or in the backyard, Rader would write her a ticket for the dog being out. There were times that she came home, the door which she had locked was open and the dog was loose or in custody of Rader.
I feel that Wichita is overall a safe place to live. It is really sad and scary to have our city recognized because we had a crazy serial killer attack our safe haven! I’m so glad that he finally made a mistake after all these years and was put in prison for the rest of his life!
The Disappearance of Nancy Shoemaker
As a child my friends and I felt safe to run the neighborhood any time of day, playing at the golf course, in the creek, and walking to the Wichita mall. In 1990, after the disappearance of Nancy Shoemaker, a young girl my age, I discovered the reality of fear for the first time. The thought of her disappearance ran through my mind over and over again. I was horrified to think, what if that had been me, and I’m always s out and about alone. The news said that Nancy had walked to the store to get a bottle of 7-U for her brother who was sick but she never made it home. She lived and disappeared in a neighborhood only a few miles from where I lived, and I recall the news saying the bottle of 7-up was found not far from the Fantastic Sam’s salon where my mother took my brother and me for haircuts.
Nancy’s body was not found until 7 months after her disappearance in Sumner County. She had been kidnapped, raped and strangled to death. Her murders were not brought to justice for many years to follow. Doil Lane finally confessed to Nancy’s murder after being sentenced to death for the murder of an 8 year old Texas girl in 1994. While in custody, Lane confessed to killing Nancy, saying that his friend Donald Wacker made him do it. Wacker was later convicted sentenced to 15 years for aiding in the kidnapping of Nancy. He has been denied parole twice. Lane was found to be mentally restarted, therefore, due to a law eliminating the death penalty for mental retardation and limited mental competence, Lane was later taken off of death row and sentenced to life in prison.
In my opinion Lane should have been left on death row! He was competent enough to kidnap, rape and murder two innocent children, smart enough to flee, knowing he what he did was wrong, and adult enough to lie and say that other people made him do it. To me he sounds pretty smart. He may have a learning disability, but he is no idiot. Wacker also should have been given a harsher sentence. He drove Nancy to Sumner County where Lane defiled and murdered her, and watched the whole thing. Any human with a conscience would not sit back and watch a grown man hurt a child like that. To me Wacker is as guilty and should be charged with the same crimes and sentenced the same as Lane.
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