TRUE CRIME-Suicide in Trunk of Car? Murder by Parachute Tampering?

Here's a True Crime Update and we've got some serious stupid criminals plus the winner of this year's Stella awards…or lawsuits you will not believe.

How about this, a couple kill an unwanted spouse by parachute? Also, can someone really committ suicide in the trunk of a car?

A horrific child pornography crime, the Hornbeck's get a new house, pets killed by PETA, the organization that should protect them.

And what's this about new Winkler pics from a cell phone?

Pic of the Day

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Quote of the Day "Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." - William Penn

Web Site Worth the Visit How Many Words Can You Read in a Minute? I took the test at the site linked below as instructed. And yes I did, yes I damn well did, I read between 200 and 350 words a minute. See my score, bolded below. You read between 300 - 350 words per minute. Above-average reading level. (The average rate is between 200 - 250 words per minute.) It is assumed that you did not skim the words nor fail to understand the meaning of what was read. Of course there's no way this test can measure how well a test-taker COMPREHENDED what they read but hey, don't cheat. Read along as you normally do then follow the instructions to measure how fast you can read. I am not surprised that I read 100 words more per minute than average. We can thank this country's deteriorating public schools, not to editorialize or anything. But myself was edumacated in Catholic schools all my life and hey, we learned reading, riting and rithmetic. When I was a young lass in my early 20's I had to take a reading test in my first year of community college. I was a night school student at the time and likely about 4 to 5 years older than the other students. STILL...my reading score went completely off the top of the rating range they set up because, hey...I CAN READ! They taught me how in school. Heh. CLICK HERE

TIDBITS Stuff You Didn't Know About Your Body-Part 2 Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second! The average human produces 10,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime. If you ate too many carrots you would turn orange. The force of 1 billion people jumping at the same time is equal to 500 tons of TNT. A baby is born every seven seconds. You can tell if a skunk is about if you smell only .000000000000071 ounce of its spray. You breathe about 10 million times a year. The colder the room you sleep in, the better the chances are that you'll have a bad dream. The foot is the most common body part bitten by insects. The most common time for a wake up call is 7 a.m. The typical person goes to the bathroom 6 times a day. The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger. The most sensitive finger on the human hand is the index finger. The human body weighs 40 times more than the brain. After eating too much, your hearing is less sharp. A person swallows approx. 295 times while eating dinner. Your urine will turn bright yellow if you eat too much asparagus. There are more people alive today than have ever died. The human body is better suited to two four-hour sleep cycles than one eight-hour one. A man's beard contains between 7000 and 15,000 hairs. A beard grows an average of 140mm a year A hair is 70 per cent easier to cut when soaked in warm water for two minutes Women's hair is about half the diameter of men's hair During an average lifetime, a man will spend 3,350 hours removing 8.4 meters of stubble 4.5 million people have their health 'adversely affected' by air pollutants each year. 4 million children die each year from inhaling smoke from indoor cooking fires that burn wood and Dung 4 million people die annually from diarrhea infections, caused by poor sanitary conditions The hardest bone in the human body is the jawbone.

 


Murder by Parachute Tampering

It's murder worthy of any creative American. Only it happened in Belgium and I must suppose that Belgians have jelousies and rivalries which require elimination of a spouse or significant other in that same manner which leads to American heinous and absurd crimes.

From AOL.com:

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Jan. 25) - Authorities have opened a murder investigation into the death of a skydiver, saying they believe someone tampered with her parachute in an apparent fight over a lover.

Els Van Doren, 37, fell 13,000 feet to her death last November after her parachute and emergency chute failed to open.

A fellow female skydiver was detained for questioning last week and is the "prime suspect" in the investigation, prosecutor Michel Zegers said Wednesday. No charges have been filed.

Notice that there's none of this "person of interest" nonsense in Belgium. A fellow female skydiver is a "prime suspect", let's not mince words here.

The victim's parachute and backup parachute failed to open? Well why not paint a big red neon bullseye on the crime because surely such a coincidence is too much to bear?

As for the fellow who caused such a viperous jealousy that would lead to such a murder, dear Lord, the guy must be hung like a horse and make love like he has viagara running through his blood. This "Marcel" character was evidently dating both ladies at the same time. Instead of maybe casting a jaundiced eye on fine Marcel and his two-timing behavior, Marcel's lady friend had to ,but of course, murder the competition!

Found Dead in Trunk of Car...Could It Really Be Suicide?

May Zhou, from all appearances, had everything to live for. She graduated from MIT, completed her Masters degree and was working on a PHD. Yet, according to investigators, she drove her car almost a hundred miles from her school, climbed into the trunk of her car and from this point it's not clear what happened. It IS clear that Zhou was discovered dead in the trunk of that car and as of this writing, it's not clear how it all came down.

From Pressdemocrat.com:

The body of a missing Stanford University student was found Thursday in the trunk of her car in a Santa Rosa Junior College parking lot, where the car may have been parked for days as her family and police searched for her.

Santa Rosa police said there are signs that Mengyao "May" Zhou, a 23-year-old graduate engineering student, killed herself. But they left open the possibility a crime may have been committed.

Zhou's parents are, as one would expect, very skeptical that their daughter committed suicide. Almost every loved one of a suicide doesn't believe their loved one killed themselves. Oriental-Americans are very goal-oriented and failure of any kind often leads to depression which in turn leads to suicide.

While there's an uproar to investigate this death as a homicide, myself is inclined to believe that this really IS a legitimate suicide. So very sad.

Hornbecks Get New House

The weirdness about the Shawn Hornbeck abduction continues while commentators remain speechless for the necessity of political correctness. So allow this humble Blogger to wonder aloud about a young fellow allegedly taken against his will. This same fellow had complete freedom of movement at the home of his abductor, he had his own cell phone, goodness, he even had a girlfriend during his "captivity".

His parents, meanwhile, both quit their jobs and took on full time positions at a foundation they founded for missing children. NOW we learn that the Hornbecks will soon be receiving a new house, completely free! And this new house will also house an office for the "Shawn Hornbeck Foundation" even though the parents have informed this organization that they will be resigning from their prior duties what with their son now being home.

I sure hope that investigators are looking closely at Shawn's parents, checking into the source of their funds those years that Shawn was missing, also looking closely at the family's phone records these past few years. Because hand to God I am starting to wonder if Shawn perhaps had communicated with his parents and in some sort of strange familial pact decided to keep the abduction ongoing to continue receiving funds.

Sure, it's a grossly political incorrect thing to say, goodness, what with a family missing a beloved child, said child likely terrified that his parents and family would be killed if he tried to escape. At some point in time, ladies and gems, unusual circumstances require a clear look-see with unprejudiced eyeballs.

If nothing else, my whisper above will receive scathing comments and often those comments come from friends and relatives of the victim themselves. Maybe the Hornbecks will rise up from the woodword to attack my suspicions. For now, let me state clearly, I still believe that Shawn Hornbeck is a victim, a confused and scared child that didn't know what to do to escape from what he considered his prison. However, with each new revelation about his parents, especially his stepfather who couldn't wait to get in front of the cameras, I begin to wonder about things.

I'm just saying ...

From STLTODAY.com:

Shawn Hornbeck and his family could move into their new 4-bedroom, $300,000 home by May, according to officials of the West County construction company that is building the house.

The ranch-style house, which will have two bathrooms, a three-car garage and a full basement, will be built on the Richwoods property where the family's current home now stands. The current house will be razed over the next several weeks and the family will live temporarily at another location until the home is finished.

HATE Crime Backfires

A group of black youths attacked three white women this past Halloween at a popular Haunted House and the attack was not only horrific and unjustified, the air was filled with racial epithets.

From Presstelegram.com:

LONG BEACH Capping an emotional and polarizing trial, a Long Beach judge on Friday found nine black youths responsible for the beating of three white women during a Halloween melee in Bixby Knolls.

I've always thought the notion of "hate" crime to be an extremely dumb notion and frought with peril. If there is a criminal attack or death on a person than there is a criminal attack or murder. Period. Struggling to ascertain motives for a crime is the job of the prosecutor for jury presentation, not a basis for an actual crime. Humans should not be charged with trying to decide why someone committed a crime on another, just that a crime was committed. ALL crimes of one individual against another ARE "hate" crimes as, go with me here, we don't generally beat up or muder someone we love fully at the moment of the crime.

The legislation was initiated by mostly black legislators in a perhaps well-intentioned effort to prevent crimes against other races, sexual orientation, etc, for no other reason that hatred of the race or sexual orientation of the victim. The whole notion just adds murkiness and confusion to prosecuting crimes and likely does not discourage such terrible actions in the manner intended by the legislation.

In this particular case, the "hate" crime got reversed a bit in that the victims were white and the perpetrators were black. We must assume that the attack on the victims was based simply on the fact that they were caucasion as opposed to any matter more personal.

At any rate, as of this writing a large portion of this gang of hoodlums has been found guilty. Several more prosecutions on the attack are still pending.

Such brave young people, those who would attack innocent women with a group some ten member strong. Here's hoping they learn a thing or two with their punishment.

Gives Cop the Finger and Crashes Car

Stupid Criminals are a dime a dozen but this case of drunken road rage takes the cake.



From Dailymail.com:

Police said they arrested a South Charleston man for driving under the influence after he flipped his middle finger at Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford and then crashed his car.

Glenn Harold Vickers, 53, was arrested Thursday night near the Microtel Inn off the Montrose Drive exit in South Charleston.

Hey, the Sheriff wasn't even on duty when the lovely Mr. Vickers got into a drunken road rage snit and decided to chase the unmarked Sheriff's Jeep all over the place, crashing into guard rails and causing all manner of traffic hazards with the chase.

Vickers has been released on bond. I'd love to be a fly on the wall during this nice guy's trial.

Speaking of Stupid...This Year's "Stella Awards"

Well they're not exactly stupid criminals. In fact, winners of the following awards are pretty damn shrewd.

Time once again to review the winners of the Annual "Stella Awards."
The Stella Awards are named after 81 year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued McDonald's (in NM). That case inspired the Stella Awards for the most frivolous, ridiculous, successful lawsuits in the United States.

Here are this year's winners:

5th Place (tie):19-year-old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.

5th Place (tie):Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up since the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage
locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation, and Mr. Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of
Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish . The jury agreed, to the tune of $500,000. (this is so outrageous that it should havebeen 2nd Place!)

4th Place: Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded $14,500. and medical expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next door neighbor's beagle. The beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. The award was less than sought because the jury felt the dog might t havebeen just a little provoked at the time by Mr. Williams who had climbed over the fence into the yard and was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun.

3rd Place: A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, $113,500. after she slipped on a soft drink and broke her coccyx (tailbone). The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.

2ndPlace:Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware, successfully sued the owner of a night club in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge . She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses

1st Place:This year's runaway winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mrs. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, (from an OU football game), having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back & make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned.

Mrs.Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising her in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually do this. The jury awarded her $1,750,000. plus a new
motor home. The company actually changed their manuals on the basis of this suit, just in case there were any other complete morons around (apparently there
are and they all serving on juries!).

Horrific Child Pornography Charges

According to the story below, these child pornographers produced over a million, a MILLION, photos of child pornography.

From Foxnews.com:

PHILADELPHIA — A man and two women have been accused of producing sexually explicit videos of children after an investigation that also revealed the man sexually abused a 3-month-old, authorities said Thursday.

John Worman, 39, of Colwyn, was charged in a federal indictment with 51 counts of producing and possessing child pornography. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on its Web site that Worman also faces hundreds of counts of rape and sexual assault charges in Delaware County Common Pleas Court.

Dorothy Prawdzik, 43, of Drexel Hill, and Concetta Jackson, 44, of Collingdale, were charged in the federal indictment with helping Worman produce the child sex videos.

What's particularly disturbing about this case is that many neighbors reported sounds of children screaming at all hours of the day and night. The neighbors who reported all of this became discouraged as the local authorities seemed to take no interest in their reports.

Which makes me wonder...if I heard a child screaming anywhere in my surround, sure I'd call and report it. But if nothing was done by those who should be doing something, I can't believe I'd turn a deaf ear the next time it happened, all smug that I'd done my job.

A child screaming in horror is damn hard for most people to ignore. At some point, at least as I'd like to believe in myself, I'd be going over to that place directly to help that screaming child.

It's easy for me to say, however, without knowing all the details. What I DO know is that the torment of those children went on entirely too long.

Hints at New Winkler Cell Phone Pics to Come?

Mary Winkler is the wife of a preacher who murdered her husband in cold blood early one morning then ran off to parts unknown with their children.

A reader sent this question and link to me. Check it out and any updates would be appreciated.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "True Crime Update 6/20/06": do you know anything about these mary winkler "pictures?

That PETA Trial

Okay, here's a True Crime that fell below even my own well-honed radar.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) actually KILLS animals?

Now I'm not at all clear what's going on behind the scenes but two PETA members have been charged with picking up animals from various locales, euthanizing them, then dumping the bodies in a dumpster.

Below is but one story from this ongoing trial, covered comprehensively on a day-by-day basis at the link below.

PETA KILLS ANIMALS

One of Reesie's co-workers, a veterinary technician named Susan Dunlow, testified about the moment when Tonya first showed Adria Hinkle the cat and two kittens:

"Tonya held up the carrier to, like, face level. And Adria was looking into the carrier, saying 'Oh! They're so cute!' At that point, Tonya was telling her that we've had them for several weeks, they were very socialized, they were very healthy, and that we hoped they would be able to find homes for them. At that point, Adria said 'We shouldn't have any problems finding homes for these kittens. They're absolutely gorgeous! Do they have names?'"

Later, when Asbell showed her an evidence photo of the dead felines found in the PETA-owned van Hinkle was driving, Dunlow shed the trial's first tears. A bailiff was nearby with tissues, and Dunlow regained her composure, but some jurors appeared moved right along with her.

So they took a mother cat and her two kittens? A mother cat and kittens that were deemed very likely to be adopted but it was no mind, these PETA members murdered them and dumped their bodies along with their other victims.

I'm not at all sure if these two awful people are renegade PETA members or this is a normal modus operandi of PETA. Does PETA view as part of its job to be euthanizing animals it considers will soon be loose and reproducing even more stray animals? Not that this is a logical thing or anything but it might explain their misguided notions.

Whatever the case, let the world know now that the Moonbats at PETA, who often grace our TV's with pundits who excoriate those who wear fur or incite campaigns to save the lab rats, are nothing like what they purport to be. Let the truth be known. There's a gazillion animal-rights organizations across the fruited plains. Not only do these dedicated groups NOT get the attention PETA gets, for sure they do not murder those they are charged with protecting.

Look for more on this trial on this Blog in the near future.

More True Crime Updates HERE
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