crime, interrupted

Blog Changes

2009-06-06T17:30:00.003-07:00

Hello Readers!

I am excited to tell you about some changes going on at Crime, Interrupted. As of today, this blog will be transfering to Wordpress. All posts have been moved to the new location so it should be no problem commenting and reading the same posts that are already here. The new location is still a work in progress so I would only ask for your patience as I make the move to Wordpress.

Here is a link to the new location: New Crime, Interrupted
If you have any questions about the move or feedback, please let me know. I appreciate your patience!

Sincerely,
Tami

Featured Book: Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing

2009-06-04T08:22:00.007-07:00

[book cover image courtesy of University of Michigan Press]

Decades before Columbine and Virginia Tech became household names, there was a school called Bath Consolidated School in Bath, Michigan. On May 18, 1927, the Bath Consolidated School fell victim to a tragedy that would leave a toll of 46 victims, most of them young children. In the center of the tragedy was the perpetrator, Andrew Kehoe, who reportedly committed the crime because of a school tax that sent his farm into foreclosure. Kehoe spared no one in this tragedy, including his wife, Nellie. In the end, as happens in most of these mass murders, Kehoe took his own life as well.

[top, Bath Consolidated School; bottom, the aftermath of the north wing. Photos courtesy of Bath School Museum]

I would like to take the opportunity to share with my readers a fascinating book by Arnie Bernstein called "Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing". The decades old tragedy in Bath has many of the same aspects we still see in more modern tragedies. I believe it would lend some insight to how we see these massacres today.

For more information about the book and how to purchase it, please visit Arnie Bernstein's website, www.arniebernstein.com

There is also a Wikipedia page that chronicles the Bath School massacre and provides a lot of information.

Sources: www.arniebernstein.com; Wikipedia.org (Bath School disaster)

Drew Peterson Indicted (Commentary)

2009-05-08T12:50:00.007-07:00

Yes, it's true.

Captain Smirkypants, AKA Drew Peterson has been arrested and indicted in connection with the murder of his 3rd wife Kathleen Savio. Peterson is also a person of interest in the disappearance of his 4th wife, Stacy Peterson. The former Bollingbrook, Ill. police officer has given several reasons for the disappearance of Stacy and claims his former wife had a bad accident in a dry bathtub that led to her death.

For more on the history of the case against Drew Peterson and an awesome opinion article on the case, please visit Michelle Simonsen's true crime blog, Michelle Says So.

Payne and Gonzales Sentenced

2009-05-01T09:02:00.003-07:00

Days after the mother of Ariana and Tyler Payne eloquently told her story at a child abuse rally in New York, their killers were sentenced.

On April 27, 2009, Reina Gonzales was sentenced to two 22 year terms, running concurrently. The sentence was not a shock for those who have been following this case, as Gonzales had plead guilty in August 2008 to spare herself from a trial. Her plea to two counts of second degree murder was exchanged for her testimony against her former boyfriend and child killer Christopher Payne-the father of Ariana and Tyler.

On March 17, 2009, Christopher Mathew Payne was found guilty of murder in the case of both Ariana and Tyler Payne. Two weeks later, on March 31, 2009, he was sentenced to death . After the trial and the rendering of the death penalty by a jury of his peers, Chris Payne still awaited sentencing on the other charges of which he was found guilty. Those charges were two counts of child abuse against Ariana Payne, one count of child abuse against Tyler Payne, and two counts of concealing a dead body.

On April 30, 2009, Chris Payne was sentenced to an additional 51 years on the child abuse and concealment convictions.

To say the case of Ariana and Tyler Payne has touched my heart in ways that I cannot describe would be a gross understatement. Sitting at their memorial service in August 2007 was heartbreaking. Hearing the disparaging remarks about their mother, Jamie Hallam were angering. Reading the details of the horrific suffering they went through was unimaginable. Imagining little Tyler, barely clinging to life while shut in a closet with his baby sister's lifeless body has left me wondering if there would ever be justice for what these people put Ariana and Tyler through. Thinking about Tyler, who will probably never be truly laid to rest, his tiny body forever buried in a landfill with little hope of ever being found.

As much anger, pain, and heartache I feel for Ariana and Tyler, I can never imagine what it's like for their mother, and everyone else who knew them and truly loved them. The book will never truly be closed for them, only more chapters will keep beginning. The difference is now, the new chapters will bring hope, awareness, and love for all children. Our children deserve to live better lives than Ariana and Tyler were able to. The ones that we can't save deserve justice, just like Ariana and Tyler now have.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Jamie Hallam was a speaker at a child abuse rally in NYC. Her speech should serve as an inspiration for anyone who has ever gone through child abuse and anyone who has lost a child because of it. I would encourage everyone to listen to her words and watch the video.

Source: Tucson Citizen

Cold Case New Mexico: Thomas and Judy McKnight

2009-05-01T08:34:00.005-07:00

Thomas and Judy McKnight [photo from NM Dept.of Public Safety website]

After nearly 25 years, New Mexico authorities are still trying to solve the murders of Thomas "Cotton" McKnight and his wife Judy McKnight.

The McKnights were found shot to death in their ranch house in Lincoln County, New Mexico on November 15, 1984. According to the file on New Mexico's Department of Public Safety website, the McKnights likely knew their killer, as there was no sign of forced entry. The fact that they were murdered in their kitchen would support that theory, in my opinion. I don't know about the McKnights, but I don't invite too many people into my kitchen unless I know them. So the fact that they were killed in their kitchen is very interesting to me, as I am sure it is to the authorities.

In any event, the authorities still have no suspects in this case and are asking for the help of the public. Someone, somewhere knows something.

If you have any information on this case, please contact Capt. Scott D. Weaver at (505) 827-9089 or Lt. David C. Martinez at (505) 827-3431

Source: New Mexico Department of Public Safety website

Cold Case Utah: Rosa Tapia

2009-04-29T09:16:00.004-07:00

Rosa Tapia [photo from SLC Police Department website]

In the early morning hours of August 13, 1995 , a little girl named Rosa Tapia, age 6, was discovered to be missing. Only her 4-year-old sister remained in the bed where Rosa normally slept. According to the Salt Lake City Police Department website, Rosa's mother immediately reported her missing. A screen to the bedroom window had been removed with no sign of Rosa.

Sadly, hours later Rosa's tiny body was found floating in a surplus canal by an unidentified man walking his dog. She had been sexually assaulted prior to being dumped at the canal.

Almost 14 years later, authorities are still trying to solve the murder and sexual assault of Rosa Tapia. An article on the website for an ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City reported in March 2008 that the police have offered a reward of $30,000 for information in the case.

The police have not given up on solving this brutal rape and murder of such a beautiful child. Her mother, as every family of a murder victim, deserves to know who did this to her child. And Rosa Tapia deserves justice. Someone, somewhere knows something.

If you have any information that could help solve this case, please call the Salt Lake City Police tipline at : (801)-799-INFO.

Source(s): Salt Lake City Police Department website, ABC news 4 -Salt Lake City

Update: Body Found in Utah Likely Christopher Coan

2009-04-09T18:09:00.003-07:00

I previously reported about Christopher Coan, a young man from Enoch, Utah who went missing after finishing his shift at a Subway restaurant in Cedar City.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a vehicle matching the description of Chris Coan's Chevy Blazer was found by a man searching for his dog in the Right Hand Canyon with a body inside. The person was a single occupant of the vehicle and clothing matching what Chris was last known to be wearing was on the body. The vehicle appeared to have been in a wreck.

Of course, the only logical conclusion seems to be that this is indeed Christopher Coan. It's very sad news for his family and I pray that they are able to find peace in knowing that this was a horrible accident. I hope it also puts to rest all the terrible speculation that Chris left his family intentionally.

Binghamton Shootings: The American Nightmare

2009-04-04T08:02:00.005-07:00

**Please Note: The following article is based solely on opinion. I have no knowledge of the alleged shooter's true motivation, nor do I have any psychological or psychiatric background. Any references to possible motivations are general commentary

Editors Note: I lived in the Binghamton area for 29 years before moving to Tucson, Arizona. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families during this time of tragedy.

When I think of Binghamton, New York, I think of childhood memories. The trips to Ross Park Zoo. Picking up trash to ride the carousel at Recreation Park. The Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally. I think of going to "The Arena" to watch the Whalers games (hockey). Walking around Otsiningo Park. Fond memories that I will carry with me always.

Binghamton is home to many great things: IBM, B.C Open golf tournaments, the late Rod Serling (Twilight Zone). The city has many beautiful, historical buildings. The architecture was alluring enough for a little-known film, Liebestraum, to be filmed right in the downtown area.

Sadly, it's not any of those things that will make Binghamton, New York a greater part of our history. It is a senseless tragedy that the residents and the nation will remember Binghamton for.

They were only trying to better their lives. It's part of the "American Dream". Immigrants entering the country through the legal and required avenues. Learning our language so that they may take it for their own, vowing to honor our great country, and using that to make a better life for their families. At 10:00 AM, April 3, 2009, that dream would become a nightmare.

According to reports, 41-year-old Lihn Voong aka Jiverly Voong aka Jiverly Wong, had enough. He allegedly barricaded the back door of the American Civic Association in downtown Binghamton, with his vehicle. He then went to the front of the building, entering it, and opened fire. Two receptionists were shot. One was dead, one seriously injured. The injured receptionist played dead, while the gunman entered a classroom, firing upon a group of students in a citizenship class. In the meantime, the injured receptionist called 911 and bravely risked her own life in doing so. The response time of the police department was less than two minutes. Other people in different classrooms, fled to the basement boiler room to safety. In the end, 13 people were dead and the gunman took his own life. Only later would police learn the level of premeditation Voong apparently had. The blocked door. The two legally-owned handguns. The bag of ammo hanging around the dead man's neck.

But why?

Anytime a senseless tragedy occurs, we ask ourselves that question. Voong was a U.S. Citizen. He had been in the country about 28 years, according to reports. The people in the Civic Association building were just beginning what Voong achieved years ago- U.S. citizenship. A piece of the pie.

Apparently, Voong had recently lost his job at a vaccuum cleaner company. The Shop-Vac company closed in November 2008. Despite having spent 28 years in the U.S., he also had issues with English. He couldn't speak the language very well. It has been suggested that he was angry about not only losing his job, but the way he was treated regarding his lack of English language skills.

We may never fully know what motivated Voong to carry out such violence against complete strangers-people that were here for the same reason as he. Like many of these mass shootings, the shooter is motivated by perceived wrongs by society. The tension and anger builds like a pressure cooker-then the explosion comes. Each person that is shot, in the shooter's mind, is representative of all those perceived wrongs. While most people would relieve the tension and stress in their lives by going to the gym, a firing range, talking it out, or a jog around the park- the people who commit mass shootings seemingly bottle up their tension and save it until they no longer have rational feelings. The whole world is their firing range.

As more information is released, it becomes increasingly clear that Voong was a deeply disturbed man. It also becomes increasingly clear, as in many cases, that people knew he had many of the signs that precede these types of shooting. But there's really no clear cut way of knowing when and if a person in such obvious peril will snap and commit such a cowardly act. There are signs, but it can be hard to tell exactly which sign will be the final straw. The signs could build up over days, weeks, months, and years.

In the end, Mr. Voong chose to take matters into his own hands. He chose to take the lives of innocent people. People who wanted to become part of this country. People who wanted to have the same rights as Voong. These people didn't get a chance to become part of the "American Dream". Instead, they became a part of history that will forever be known as the "American Nightmare".

The shootings in Binghamton is the deadliest U.S. mass shooting since the Virginia Tech shootings-the second anniversary is this month.

So, what can we learn from these shootings, other than the fact that the people that commit them are obviously disturbed? Is there any real way to prevent them, and if so, how? How involved should we get in other people's lives-friends, family, co-workers, strangers-before it becomes intrusive? If we do get involved, what if we are wrong?

Then again, what if we are right and don't get involved?

Sources and related information: Press & Sun Bulletin(pressconnects)

The Murder Trial of Christopher Payne

2009-02-26T07:48:00.026-07:00

READER NOTICE: THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED AS TESTIMONY CONTINUES. PLEASE CHECK BACK. YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED!

Two years after the decomposing body of Ariana Payne was found in a plastic tub, the murder trial of her father has started.

Opening statements in the Christopher Mathew Payne murder trial started Wednesday morning in Tucson, along with a handful of witness testimony. He is accused of killing his two children, Ariana and Tyler Payne. At the time of their deaths, Ariana and Tyler were ages 3 and 4, respectively.

The trial is being covered extensively by my friend at The Tucson Citizen, journalist A.J. Flick. I will post links to her articles at the bottom of the page, because I believe her journalism skills to be most accurate and fair. I will, in turn , post bullet highlights of the trial. Some of the testimony highlighted, along with content in the links may be graphic. Please take this into consideration when you are reading or surfing to the links. These are details about the deaths of two young children. Please consider yourself warned.

As a side note, there are times when you may notice some sarcasm in this writing. These remarks are my opinion and will most likely be noted in parenthesis. They are not facts
in the case, nor should they be considered as such.

OPENING STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS- STATE

Both Payne and his girlfriend, Reina Gonzales made sure they fed themselves and their son that they shared while Ariana and Tyler were not fed. Payne and Gonzales also made sure they had money for heroin while the children starved.
Ariana Payne's tiny body was put in a trash bag and then stuffed in a duffel bag. Her body was then stored in a plastic storage bin and kept in the apartment Payne shared with Reina Gonzales. Tyler also died and was stored in the same plastic storage bin. Eventually both bodies were transported to a storage unit.
Payne and Gonzales stopped making payments on the storage unit.
Tyler Payne's blood was found in a bedroom closet where both children were alleged to have died.
The smell of the apartment that Payne and Gonzales were renting at the time of Ariana and Tyler's death was so bad that it took months to remove the smell.
The extent of decompostion on Ariana's body was such that a formal autopsy could not be conducted.
Broken bones, in different stages of healing, were extensive throughout Ariana's body.
Broken ribs were consistent with the child being picked up and squeezed to the point that the ribs were fractured.
A shoulder injury was inconsistent with a fall.
Ariana also had a compressed vertebrae.
The child that Christopher Payne and Reina Gonzales shared appeared to be healthy, well-fed and developmentally within normal range.
Sightings of Ariana and Tyler became less and less.
Payne and Gonzales "freaked out" when they discovered Ariana was dead.
Payne and Gonzales lied to police when initially questioned about Ariana and Tyler.
Payne and Gonzales made up excuses to friends and family regarding the whereabouts of the children.
Payne told police that the children starved themselves when they realized they could not go back and be with their mother.
Payne concealed the remains of Ariana and Tyler so he could continue his life as normal with Gonzales and his son.

OPENING STATEMENTS HIGHLIGHTS-DEFENSE

Christopher Payne loved his children and did not abuse them.
Jamie Hallam was a bad mother; Reina Gonzales hated the children and wanted them dead.
Jamie Hallam was addicted to methamphetamines.
Tyler was taken to a doctor at age 2, and described as underweight (24 lbs).
Ariana was taken to a doctor at age 2 because of nightmares and was given a prescription for "psychological" evaluation and "suspected abuse environment". She was also diagnosed as having high levels of lead in her system.
Defense highlights some allegations against Jamie Hallam by CPS. The allegations were unsubstantiated, but the defense did not reveal that to the jury. (Surprise, surprise)
Payne quit his job in 2004 to be a "stay at home" dad to his son with Gonzales. (Or was it to avoid paying child support to Jamie Hallam?)
In mid 2005, Payne acquired employment for a medical transport service. Later that year, he wanted to get together with Ariana and Tyler amid rumors that Jamie was abusing drugs.
Payne claims in January 2006, Jamie Hallam "left" the children with him.
The children were allegedly dirty, ill-clothed, and underweight. The public defender eluded that one of the children was missing a shoe.
Reina Gonzales couldn't stand Ariana and Tyler, didn't want them around.
Gonzales called Payne at work constantly and demanded he come home to care for the children.
Payne's boss suspected he was using drugs, due to his "erratic" behavior, and he was terminated.
Payne was caring, while Gonzales yelled, screamed, and denied Ariana and Tyler juice, among other things.
Payne begins selling drugs, after being fired from his job.
Gonzales pled guilty to second degree murder, so she is completely responsible.
Payne was distraugt over the death of Ariana, so much so that he allegedly gave her CPR all day and kept her body in bed with him.
After Tyler died, Gonzales allegedly just wanted to throw the children away. (Being the good parent he is) Payne couldn't do that and kept the kids in the storage bin and eventually the storage unit.
Defense plans to call a pediatric pathologist that will say it's possible Ariana's shoulder was broken before she came to live with Payne and Gonzales.

DAY ONE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS-DIANE HANSELMAN, "U-Store-It" STORAGE FACILITY MANAGER

Diane Hanselman opens storage unit number C-19 after Payne and Gonzales fail to make payments on the unit. She is accompanied by Lori Jones, a lady from an auction company.
The unit contained a blue plastic tub, which they attempted to open. The smell was extremely foul and detered them from opening it any further.
Hanselman delayed cleaning out the storage unit until February 16th, mainly because of the smell.
The tub had bugs and flies around it and was stuck to the floor of the unit.
When Hanselman attempted to throw the tub in the dumpster, fluid and more bugs leaked out of the tub.
Hanselman testified she saw the zipper of a duffelbag and that the smell from the plastic tub made her physically ill.
Hanselman spoke to a friend in Texas about the smell and the tub. The friend advised she call police, which she did the next day.

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS- OFFICER BEN SOLTERO

Officer Soltero was the first officer to respond to the storage facility.
Officer Soltero testified he found the plastic tub in the dumpster.
The officer says he opened the tote bag that was in the tub and cut the plastic trash bag open. The bag revealed the remains of Ariana Payne.
Officer Soltero called supervisors.
No further searching of the dumpster was performed.
Police had no idea the tub contained another body nor did they know Tyler Payne was missing.
By the time they were told about Tyler's body, the dumpster had been dumped in the Los Reales landfill.

[SOURCE]

DAY TWO: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009

So far, one witness has been excused and another witness, Carl Olson-a bug expert-has not shown up to testify. (What the heck is up with that? Miscommunication, perhaps?) The jury took an early lunch and the trial is expected to resume in about 5 minutes (1:30 PM).

(Can't wait to hear the reason for the no-show witness. Meanwhile, I have been playing Wii to vent my frustrations about this whole sad case.)

COMMENTARY (4:18 PM, MST): I'm chatting with A.J. and she tells me that Jamie is currently on the stand. She says Jamie is holding up "VERY well". Her direct testimony focused on learning about the deaths of Ariana and Tyler and the types of kids they were. Her cross-examination focused mainly on CPS and currently Jamie is on the stand for re-direct. She says Jamie looks "exhausted". I will update with the bullet points in a little bit.

UPDATE, 2/26/09, 8:50 pm MST: I planned on updating the rest of today's testimony, but some things came up that I had to tend to. This post will be updated with the remainder of today's testimony, as well as tomorrow's.

UPDATE, 2/27/09, 11:10 MST: As suspected, Dr. Carl Olson misunderstood when he was supposed to testify yesterday morning. This morning, the detective that interrogated Chris Payne will testify, and a 5 hour DVD of that interview is expected to be released to media. Now on to the rest of yesterday's testimony.

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS- DR. CARL OLSON, "THE BUG MAN".

Samples of bug larvae were brought to Olson from two locations: The apartment and the storage unit.
Samples were exoskeletons.
Olson was asked how bugs could get to a body that was concealed in the manner Ariana's body was encased.
Olson explained how easily bugs could get in the tiniest of spaces.

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS- JAMIE HALLAM, MOTHER OF ARIANA & TYLER PAYNE

Ms. Hallam testified about the type of children Ariana & Tyler were.
She testified about Chris Payne wanting to be in the childrens' lives around December 2005.
She allowed several visits in public places before allowing the children to spend a weekend with Payne.
She testified that Payne kept making excuses to extend the weekend visitation.
Eventually Payne told her he was in contact with CPS, who he claimed was investigating her.
CPS sent Hallam a letter thanking her for her cooperation in their investigation and told her in the letter that neglect and abuse allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.
Hallam tried to get her children once she learned the investigation was over, but when approached at his home by police, Payne presented paperwork that claimed he was attempting to get custody. CPS recommended the children stay with Payne.
Hallam admitted abusing crystal meth, but denied the defense allegations that she physically abused either of the children. She also denied the defense's contention that an injury to Ariana's shoulder was caused before Payne took the children. Hallam also testified that she has been drug-free for about 2 years.
Hallam recalled when she was asked to provide a DNA sample in February 2007, but did not know why.
She later learned at the police station that Ariana was the child in the storage unit. She learned Tyler was presumed to be deceased as well.

[SOURCE]

DAY THREE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009

COMMENTARY: 1:26 PM, MST-Before I get into today's testimony, I would like to direct your attention to another friend of mine who has been on this case since the beginning. Mark Horner was the reporter assigned to the Payne case at the ABC affiliate in Tucson, KGUN. To my knowledge, Mark is the only reporter who has had an interview with Ariana and Tyler's mother, Jamie Hallam. Mark currently keeps his own blog, Beyond90Seconds and although he no longer lives in Tucson, I know this case is never too far from his mind. So please give his article(s) on this case a read.

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS: DETECTIVE MICHAEL OROZCO

Detective Orozco spent most of the time testifying about blood and bodily fluids found in the plastic tub and in the apartment Payne shared with Gonzales. He showed graphic photos of the decomposed remains of Ariana Payne. Jamie Hallam left the courtroom when the photos were being shown.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALLEGED KILLER

The jurors heard from Chris Payne in his own words, as they watched his videotaped interrogation. The interview was conducted by Detective Mike Walker.
Highlights of Payne's interview are as follows.

Payne claimed he hadn't seen his children in years, but his aunt told police otherwise.
Payne then demanded to see Reina or his stepsister before he would tell them anything.
He kept insisting the children refused to eat.
He said the children were in "cahoots" and refused to eat because they wanted to go back to their mom.
He knew Ariana died but was too scared to get help.
He said when Tyler died, he was too scared to get help because he was scared to be taken away from Reina and his son he shared with her.
He also claimed the children died within a week of each other.
He admitted to putting both bodies in the plastic tub when asked about Tyler's whereabouts.
He seemed shocked to learn there was only one body found.
Payne downplayed his role in Ariana and Tyler's deaths, claiming he was only guilty of not getting them help.
He denied the children were killed because of close to $19,000 worth of back child support he owed to Jamie Hallam.
He claimed Ariana and Tyler were eating their own feces because they were angry with him for not taking them back to their mother.
He repeatedly asked for methadone, to keep from getting sick. He also insisted he was using only enough heroin to keep him well.
Several times, he asks Detective Walker to "walk him around".

DAY FOUR: MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2009

UPDATE: 8:56 AM, MST

The morning court session has not started yet, but as soon as there is information to be posted, I will post it. Meanwhile, if anyone is interested in talking about this case, I have a thread started on my forums. Please feel free to join the forums and look for the forum called "Crime in Arizona". Of course you will have to register to be a part of the forums and to post. You can find the link below:

Crime, Interrupted Forums

UPDATE: 11:57 AM, MST

A.J. tells me that the morning court session is over. The jury was sent to lunch. There was no testimony, just more of the 5 hour video interview with Chris Payne.

The video is posted on the Tucson Citizen website . It shows the first hour of the interview. You have to scroll down and look for the multimedia center/news video section on the right side of the screen. The video contains offensive language and details of the deaths of Ariana and Tyler. Again, please be advised.

DAY FIVE: TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS: REINA GONZALES, FORMER GIRLFRIEND OF CHRIS PAYNE/MOTHER OF HIS YOUNGEST CHILD.

COMMENTARY: For those who don't know already, Reina Gonzales pleaded guilty in August 2008 to second-degree murder. She agreed to testify against Chris Payne in exchange for the guilty plea. She was sentenced to 22 years.

Gonzales says Ariana and Tyler started being kept exclusively in the closet around June 2006.
A dresser was put in front of the closet so the children could not get out.
She says Payne would feed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches once a day.
Payne stopped feeding them eventually, about a month later.
Payne would check on the children every day.
When they discovered Ariana dead, Payne put her on the bed and "freaked out".
After Ariana's death, both Payne and Gonzales got high on heroin.
Tyler passed about a week later. Again, they got high on heroin.

[SOURCE]

DAY 6: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2009

WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS: RON GENUNG, FORMER NEIGHBOR OF PAYNE AND GONZALES

Testified he saw Payne and Gonzales with their youngest son, but doesn't recall seeing Ariana or Tyler.
Once complained about a loud TV from the Payne/Gonzales apartment. The noise came from their side of a shared wall and was constant, night and day.
Noticed a foul odor coming from an outside closet on a shared balcony.
Genung testified the odor smelled like "something died".
Genung noticed Chris Payne was much thinner in September 2006 than he had previously appeared.

[SOURCE]
WITNESS TESTIMONY HIGHLIGHTS: ANA ONTIVEROS, APARTMENT COMPLEX EMPLOYEE WHERE PAYNE/GONZALES LIVED.

Payne and Gonzales were late paying rent in September 2006
A bed was in the livingroom.
Payne and Gonzales left the apartment later that month.
The apartment was left in poor condition.
Housekeeping crew opened the outside closet door, which emitted a foul odor again described as an "animal died".
Closet was filled from top to bottom with trash.
The damage to the apartment was such that it could not be rented immediately.

[SOURCE]

DAY 7: THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009

COMMENTARY: This day's testimony mainly focuses on Chris Payne's taped conversation with his stepsister, Deborah Barbone while in jail. You can read more about that HERE.

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009: CLOSING ARGUMENTS & WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU'RE A WITNESS IN A HIGH-PROFILE CRIMINAL TRIAL.

COMMENTARY: Closing arguments are set to begin this morning at 10:45 AM, MST. Over the course of the last couple weeks, this case has taken some bizarre turns. Perhaps one of the more interesting twists involved the Child Protective Services caseworker that was assigned to the Payne case in October 2005-March 2006.

Cindy Graupmann investigated an anonymous claim that Ariana and Tyler Payne were being neglected by their mother, Jamie Hallam. Jamie was also suspected of using drugs-specifically methamphetamine. According to testimony, Graupmann met with Jamie, Ariana, and Tyler twice. Jamie was asked to take a drug test, and three days after the request, she did and tested clean.

Graupmann accused Hallam of not cooperating with CPS, a claim that even Chris Payne knew wasn't true. In early February 2006, she advised him to seek custody of the children. Keep in mind that these children have been out of his life for 3 years. Keep in mind that Payne has been considered a threat to Jamie Hallam, as he had his rights to visitation stripped by a judge. He's been accused of domestic violence in the past. Keep in mind that on February 14, 2006 Jamie told Cindy Graupmann that Payne was a 'deadbeat dad' and had not been in the childrens' lives for 3 years. Keep in mind that 3 days after that, February 17, 2006, Jamie again attempted to get her children back from Payne. After learning all of this from Hallam, Graupmann made no attempt to help Jamie get her kids back. What's more, she had never personally met with Christopher Payne. She never visited his home, never checked his background, and never checked out Jamie's claims of having full court-ordered custody of Ariana and Tyler. A case aide (not Graupmann) did stop by Payne's residence on February 21, 2006 and noted that the children seemed fine, but the electricity to the apartment was off. It was noted that they had food available, but Payne was offered a food box and refused.

On March 1, 2006, Jamie Hallam received a letter from CPS informing her that the case against her was closed and the allegations were unsubstantiated. Eight days later, March 9, 2006, Hallam tried again to get her children. This time, she got the Tucson Police Department involved. Payne showed the police officer a petition for custody that he claimed to have filed. The petition was not signed and no record exists of Payne's filing for custody. The officer called CPS, talked to Graupmann and her supervisor, Christy Tarpley. Graupmann advised the children should stay with the father, as they have an open case on the mother, Jamie Hallam.

In June 2008, Jamie Hallam settled a wrongful death lawsuit against CPS for 1 million dollars. Cindy Graupmann was also named in the suit. You would think being found civilly liable for the deaths of two young children would keep you behind the woodwork.

Flash forward to the last couple weeks....

As many of you know, I've been following this trial through the Tucson Citizen for the most part. I've been reading some of the comments. Most are in support of Jamie and her family, some are not. Everyone has their own opinion. I can respect that and it doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that a person who knows the facts and knows mistakes were made still feels the need to try to make this whole tragedy look like it's Jamie Hallam's fault.

Thoughts to be continued..............

LINKS TO ARTICLES AND BLOGS BY A.J. FLICK:

AJ's Blog (I'm sure she would welcome your comments)

Jury will hear gruesome details of young kids' deaths

Defense says Payne loved his children

Ex-girlfriend to testify in Payne double-murder trial

Sticks and Stones

2009-01-01T10:32:00.005-07:00

You probably remember the phrase from you were a kid-

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me".

Although I disagree that names don't hurt people, there are some that take retaliation for name-calling a little too far. In Ogden, Utah, a 15 year-old girl apparently called a group of girls "scraps". A "scrap" , in case you are wondering, is evidently a gang-related insult. I, on the other hand, grew up thinking a "scrap" was leftover food you would give to the dog. Either way, the girls were angry and proceeded to beat the ever-loving crap out of the 15 year-old. Somewhere along the lines, they allegedly recruited 24 year-old Paloma Veronica Lopez, and 18 year-old Alexandria Elizabeth Gutierrez. Yes, adults who should know better than to beat, stomp, and severely injure a child.

But the whole incident could have ended differently had it not been for the sheer stupidity of someone. Luckily, some criminals are just not too bright and the whole incident was caught on video, and posted on- - you guessed it-- You Tube!!

The victim in this case suffered severe injuries to her eye socket and a broken nose. The two adults were charged with third- degree felony rioting and the three younger alleged perpetrators face charges of rioting and assault.

Source: Deseret News

Dell Vanderschuit Pissed Off The Wrong Pimp

2008-12-31T12:11:00.009-07:00

Phoenix, ARIZONA

His private MySpace account features a quote from Ella Wheeler Wilcox:

"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."

Dell Vanderschuit was definitely determined, but he didn't count on irony to circumvent his determination. An unlikely hero and good, old-fashioned police work would thwart his effort to reach his alleged ultimate goal-a sexual encounter with a 10 year-old girl.

Dell's story begins with a pimp who was so outraged that he would want to solicit a child, that he turned him in to the police. You see, even pimps have some morals and know it's disgusting to want to have sex with a young child. Thanks to the tip from the pimp, investigators took over and Vanderschuit allegedly began contact with an undercover officer via the internet and attempted to solicit a threesome, which included a 10 year-old child for $1,500.00.

In the meantime, according to the reports at the above link, Vanderschuit moved back to his native Chino, CA and also took a nice, relaxing vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He was promptly arrested upon his entry back into the USA. He will be extradicted to Arizona where he awaits charges of attempted child prostitution.

I never thought I would ever use a phrase like this but, kudos to the pimp.

Source: AZfamily.com

A Special Message

2008-12-31T10:51:00.003-07:00

Dear Readers of Crime, Interrupted:

As you may have noticed, this blog has been slightly dormant for the past month. Many people who are readers and also good friends know that I have been dealing with some personal matters in my life. After 7 months of battling with cancer, my mother-in-law passed away, only days before Thanksgiving. This holiday season has been a rough one for my family, as I am sure it has been for anyone who lost someone close to them this year-or any year for that matter.

To my dear friends, thank you so much for your love, support, and for just listening. If it wasn't for all of you, as well as my children--the pain would surely be harder to overcome. Your support has meant the world to me!

My sincerest apologies for not explaining my situation sooner. I hope everyone continues to have a safe and happy holiday season.

Sincerely,
Tami

Psst.....She's Not There.

2008-11-14T16:43:00.004-07:00

Meet Checkie Hessel, 33. Like many moms out there, Checkie uses day care to look after her 4 year old daughter when she is working or whatever it is that she does...

One day, Wednesday to be exact, Checkie went to the day care to pick up her precious daughter. But Checkie's daughter is not there . Any mother would be panicked to find their child was not where they left them, of course. The only problem was that apparently Checkie had already picked up her daughter earlier in the day, according to the day care employees.

So, where in the world was Checkie's daughter and why the lapse of memory? Well, allegedly the day care workers thought Checkie appeared intoxicated and she obviously didn't recall picking up her daughter. Thinking her story was a little bizarre, and allegedly observing the forgetful mom driving, the day care workers did the right thing and called authorities.

Her 4 year old, in the meantime, was found home alone by neighbors, apparently feasting on cheese and powdered Ovaltine.

Of course, Checkie doesn't remember a thing because she allegedly drank large amounts of vodka. Regardless, Checkie faces charges of child abuse and extreme DUI.

Source: azcentral.com

Discuss this case at the forums!

New Feature! Crime, Interrupted Forums

2008-11-12T15:41:00.003-07:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know about a new feature here at Crime, Interrupted.

It's the all-new......

Crime, Interrupted forums!

Edited to add--I messed up and put the wrong link for the forums. I was playing around with a couple different ones, but the link has been fixed. Thank you

I'm still learning about the forums, but in the meantime, please feel free to join! Then we can really get the discussion going!

Thanks!

Ralph Gonzalez

2008-11-07T09:35:00.016-07:00

There are certain cases that I write about that stick in my mind like glue. Those cases are the ones where you think and wonder if justice will ever come. Will a fugitive be caught? Will the victims and those they left behind ever have justice?

The case of Dr. Peter Normann is one of those cases.

Over the last year, I've been watching and waiting for justice in this case. When I first read about it, I would receive emails that Dr. Normann is in California and Germany. Comments on other sites would confirm that it was believed that Normann was in another country. At that point, it seemed unlikely that he would be caught, let alone extradicted to face his accusers.

Throughout the year, I would still see on my blog traffic reports that people were interested in this case. If there was a major peak, I would check for updates. Then, one email last month brought this whole case back into focus for me. The email was from a woman named Patti. She wanted to thank me for my original blog post on Peter Normann and wanted to let me know that he had been indicted on two counts of second-degree murder and one count of manslaughter. She also informed me that she was a good friend of Ralph Gonzalez. Ralph was the first alleged victim of Peter Normann that died. He died in December 2006.

I was excited about the recent development, although it meant that Peter Normann was being indicted in absentia. He was still, at that time, believed to be in Germany. Then reports that Normann had been arrested upon reentry to the United States on a flight from Germany gave more cause for celebration. The accused doctor, disgraced and stripped of his medical license in both Arizona and New York, was extradited back to Arizona to face charges. The video below shows Normann at his initial court appearance in Maricopa County. His latest court appearance was yesterday (11/06/08) and he has a Pre-Trial Conference scheduled on 12/08/08.

Shortly after receiving the email from Patti, I received another email from her sister-in-law,
Lisa Gartner. She wanted to express her thanks, as well. I learned that Ralph Gonzalez was a good family friend. For me, the interest in this case is one of wanting to see justice for the victims and those they left behind. For the friends of the victims, Lisa and Patti--it has a much deeper meaning. This is a person they knew and loved. Now that the alleged perpetrator is caught, the true victims can finally be heard.

Ralph Gonzalez (photo from the legacy.com guestbook)

He was known to his friends and family as "Ralphie". Lisa estimates that she met Ralph around 1993 when he moved from New York to Phoenix and began working with her husband as an electrician at RB Electric. The families became close, spending a lot of time together during holidays and other family gatherings. Ralph seemed to love Phoenix and was amazed at some of the things that he could do in the Arizona desert that just wasn't possible in his native New York.

"One time we took him out to the desert to shoot some guns and he just could not believe wecould just shoot them at a mountain, In New York that is not an optionat all. He was so excited that day."

In her email, Lisa relays that Ralph was the type of person who "would do anything for anyone, always had a smile on, and would give his last dollar if you needed it." He would always drop by at birthdays and give her kids money, something which naturally the kids would love. She says that Ralph loved to talk on the phone.

"...if the phone rang and it was Ralphie you knew you were going to be on the phone for awhile. "

Lisa spoke of a man who worked hard and eventually opened his own electrical business. He ran an excellent business and took good care of his clients. He knew his job, he knew it well, and people loved him. Lisa jokingly recalled the condition of Ralph's van, which he used for work.

"His van was the messiest conglomeration I ever saw, but he could pull out anything at any given time and knew just where everything was."

Ralph's helpful nature and willingness to go above and beyond wasn't only limited to his business. Just three days before his death, he was at Lisa's house helping her fix her spa. She had dropped the drain plug and it went under the spa. With water all around, Ralph reached under and pulled it out. It may not seem significant to some, but to Lisa, he was her hero that day. The next memory Lisa shared with me may bring to light the reason Ralph's willingness to get down in the water is significant. Lisa says it's one of her favorite memories of her friend.

"My husband and several of his friends went on a
four wheel drive trip to Crown King. Ralphie rode in this guy Steve's
blazer. Well the back window didn't roll up so all the dirt would come
in the back. I wasn't there, I was camping with my in laws, but when
Steve and Ralphie pulled up at my house Ralph was covered from head to toe in dirt, he was so mad at steve cuz apparently he had almost made them fall off the side of the mountain, he jumped out of the truck and just yelled "Never again, Never again". Ralph was the type of guy that dressed really nice and was never dirty."

Only days after the incident with Lisa's spa, she would be mourning the death of her friend "Ralphie". It was at the funeral that she had first met Ralph's mother, a woman who undoubtedly adored her son and was proud to share stories about him. Another person was at the funeral, a man that would go on to be accused of the murder of Ralph. His name, of course, is Peter Normann. At the time, no one knew the extent of his involvement.

The memories of Ralph's friends and family will never fade. That is one thing his alleged killer cannot take away from them-the memories of a wonderful man who made a difference in other people's lives. I didn't know Ralph, but I can say he made a difference in my life by bringing his friends to me and sharing their memories.

Sources: Legacy.com online obituaries/guestbooks
Video courtesy of Maricopa County Superior Court
*Special Thanks to Lisa Gartner*

Please feel free to comment on this case below. Thank you.

Update in the Case of Dr. Peter Normann

2008-10-20T08:54:00.006-07:00

**IMPORTANT UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!!**

Peter J. Normann

It was just a little over a year ago that I first wrote about Dr. Peter Normann and his alleged barbaric acts in his Anthem, Arizona clinic. At the time, there were no charges being brought against Normann in the deaths of three patients. The deaths occured between December 2006 and July 2007. Family members of two of Normann's deceased patients had filed lawsuits. But Normann was nowhere to be found and rumor has it he skipped the country and now resides in Germany.

On October 15, 2008, the former "doctor", Peter J. Normann, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of second degree murder and one count of manslaughter. Jose Lopez, aka Joey, a massage therapist that was employed by Normann was also indicted for practicing medicine without a license.

You can read the complete press release from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office on the AZfamily.com website. A video featuring a former patient of Normann's, also from the AZfamily.com website, can we viewed here.

My opinion:

Ralph Gonzalez, Alicia Santizo Blanco, and Leslie Ann Ray were the three victims that lost their lives to Normann's blatant disregard for human life and compassionate care. Others who were allegedly treated by Normann and his band of unqualified "personnel" are victims that are scarred for life, not only physically, but emotionally. These people came to this man and entrusted him with enhancing their physical appearance. He took that trust, allegedly, and made a mockery of it. Good doctors make mistakes, we all can understand that to be true. They are only human as we are. But what Peter Normann allegedly did goes way beyond the scope of what we can consider to be a human error. He took these people's lives, their trust, and their dignity, and left it in the dust. In this blogger's opinion, he is the very definition of a coward. One can only hope that he will do the right thing and come back to face his accusers.

**Special thanks to Crime, Interrupted reader, Patti, for the update on the case.**

Source: AZfamily.com

**UPDATE 10/25/08

Peter Normann, booking photo.

Peter Normann was arrested at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport by US Customs and Border Protection officers upon entering the United States from an international flight originating in Frankfurt, Germany. He was arrested on 10/22/08.

From KPHO.com:

CBP officers said they arrested Normann after a positive identity match revealed that he was the subject of a National Criminal Information Center warrant. NCIC is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies.

After confirming his identity and warrant with authorities, the airport police took custody of Normann and transported him to the Boone County, Ky., jail to await extradition.

Thanks to "stopcriminals" for posting a message about the arrest of Peter Normann.

Please feel free to discuss this case here. Your comments are welcome.

48 Hours Mystery: Into Thin Air

2008-10-16T12:09:00.008-07:00

What I miss most in the summer is my favorite shows and new episodes. Now, one of my favorites, 48 Hours Mystery, is back with an all- new investigative report. This Saturday kicks off with a broadcast about the Jean Zapata case.

Jean Zapata with Linda(L), Jean Zapata(M), Linda Zapata(R)

A WIFE AND MOTHER DISAPPEARS, LEAVING BEHIND A MYSTERY THAT WOULD HAUNT FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR 30 YEARS

"48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON SATURDAY, OCT. 18

As the wife of promising engineer Eugene Zapata and mother to three children, Jean Zapata was not your typical stay-at-home mom. Strong and independent, she was a trailblazer, one of the few female flight instructors of her day. But in 1976 she vanished from her Madison , Wis. home leaving behind friends, family and a mystery that would take 30 years to resolve.

After just three weeks, the initial investigation into her disappearance went cold. The Zapatas’ youngest daughter Linda, who was 11 years old at the time, grew up thinking her mother had abandoned them. Linda remained haunted until she received a visit from local authorities 28 years later. Thanks to the persistence of Jean’s lifelong friend Peggy Weekly, the case had been reopened. And with the help of Madison detective Marianne Flynn Statz, these women were united in their quest for answers, one that would involve sexually explicit photos, hidden documents, a safety deposit box and a secret that would tear the family apart.

Richard Schlesinger reports on 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Into Thin Air," Saturday, Oct. 18 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. This broadcast is produced by Brian Leonard and Daria Hirsch. Nancy Kramer is the senior producer and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

Below is a video preview of the broadcast.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Sources: Photos and preview text courtesy of Danielle Lynn, CBS news. Video courtesy of CBS News.

Press Contact for CBS News: Louise Bashi 212-975-2856 or bashil@cbsnews.com

Erica Marshall Was Missing

2008-10-13T08:43:00.006-07:00

Erica Marshall [MySpace.com]

I first heard about Erica Marshall last Wednesday, October 8th, after reading an article about her in the online version of the Arizona Republic. Erica had been involved in a job training program through Job Corps in Phoenix, Arizona. From what I understand, she was studying for Culinary Arts. It was 2 weeks into the program that Erica disappeared from her dorm with no explanation.

I attempted to get more information about Erica, possibly from other articles, with no luck. No one else was covering the disappearance of this young woman, who- from looking at the photo-appears shy and sweet. After doing a little searching, I was able to contact her mother, Trudi, to find out if there were any updates to Erica's case. I received a response from Trudi, in which she informed that as of 8:30 PM on October 10th, Erica had still not been found. She also informed me that she had just filed a final affidavit with the Phoenix Police Department, regarding her missing daughter (there was a 72- hour waiting period to file a missing persons report).

The problem with Erica's disappearance is that she is 18 years old. She is an adult in the eyes of the law- she can pack up and leave when she wants. For a mother, like Trudi, who knows her daughter and her maturity level-it is understandably frustrating. Like many young adults, Erica is automatically labeled a "runaway". In the eyes of most media, Erica's story would just not attract as much interest as the disappearance of a 3 year old little girl or a young mother would attract. These cases are important, that much is true. Just as important is the family of a young woman who is seemingly troubled enough to run off, leaving her family worried sick. The circumstances may be different, but it's still someone's child. Trudi shared some of the frustration with me through her first email to me. She gave me permission to share the conversations on this blog. At the time of this email, Erica was still considered missing.

[...]I tried to get our news stations up here to run a picture over the airwaves, but I guess since we are not rich they don't even think it deserves to make the airwaves, the newspaper has been pretty good. One reporter I talked with yesterday said she would run it by her Editor and then I didn't hear from her since, no picture yet and no mention over the airwaves. It's all I can do not to break down and cry. I just want to know if she's dead or alive and if she's alive, I want to know where and why she disappeared the way that she did. Sorry as I'm typing this I'm trying to wipe the tears from my eyes.

The next morning, I received a message through MySpace from Mrs. Marshall.

[...]I got an interesting phone call from a Mountain View Police Officer, in Mountain View, CA. They located Erica, she's fine, but she won't talk to me or tell me anything that's happened over the last four days, she was in a hospital there. They were discharging her this evening, she says she doesn't want to go home, so they're going to discharge her to homeless shelter[...]

I expressed my relief and joy to Trudi about her daughter being found. I thought since Erica was apparently safe and decided she wanted to stay in California, that was the end of the story. But it wasn't the end of the story. There's still a family that doesn't have their child home. Although Erica is an adult, Trudi is still her mom and she still worries about her safety.

[...]If you can I would like for people to know that although she chooses to remain lost for the time being, that if they see her, they can let myself or my son know where she's at. If nothing else maybe her older brother can talk some sense into her. At this point it's all about her being safe. She has severe asthma and requires inhalers of both Flovent and Pro-Air. She only has Arizona AHCCCS, and I've been told that doesn't work in CA[...]

In the meantime, Erica's brother is hoping to contact Erica and have her stay with him and his family, if she would like to. I'm hoping that if she decides not to come back to Arizona, that she at least considers staying with her brother until she decides where she wants to go in life. Her mother just wants what any mother would want-for her child to be safe.

Trudi has asked that if anyone comes in contact with Erica, that they please email her at Ccowgirl64@aol.com or contact her through her MySpace account.

*Special thanks to Trudi for allowing me to share her conversations with my readers.*

Missing: Anne Carver Found!

2008-10-01T09:57:00.008-07:00

Anne Carver

On Monday, September 29th, a Gilbert, Arizona woman named Anne Carver went missing. Anne apparently left her parent's home and went for a jog with her dog, Xena. The dog returned, but Anne did not.

This morning, the website azfamily.com reports that Anne returned home.

Police said they were contacted shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday and advised that Anne Carver had returned.

It's unclear at this time if Anne decided to leave for personal reasons, or if there is something else that happened. If there are any updates, I will post them below.

As a footnote, I spent quite a bit of time yesterday morning doing some research to find anything I could about Anne in an effort to help bring a resolution. One of the things I found was a prayer request from Graceland University, where Anne attended college. Other things I found were in relation to [possibly] her profession. I have decided against posting that information, because the name is spelled differently, therefore I cannot confirm that it is actually her or her profession. Just a decision- nothing more, nothing less. For reasons I have no explaination for, my day [yesterday] became busier and I was unable to post Anne's story yesterday as I intended. So, when I found out this morning that she had been found, I was of course elated, but struck by the fact that I had inadvertently delayed posting about Anne. In any event, I am glad she is safe and back with her family.

The Murder Trial Of Galareka Harrison

2008-09-13T19:04:00.005-07:00

On Wednesday, September 5, 2007 a young woman named Mia Henderson was brutally and fatally stabbed in her dormitory room at the University of Arizona. Her alleged killer was her roomate, Galareka Harrison. The first-degree murder trial of Galareka Harrison began earlier this week.

I posted two blog entries regarding this case, here and here. Rather than rehashing my feelings on this case, and giving a blow by blow account of everything, I have opted to point you to a source that is there in the courtroom, covering the case. My friend, and Tucson Citizen's crime reporter extraordinaire, A.J. Flick will take you through all the latest in the trial, as she blogs live from the courtroom. I'm sure she would love to hear your thoughts and questions on this unique case. As always, any comments on this case are welcome here as well.

As a teaser, A.J. may have a special treat for my readers once the trial is over. Stay tuned!!

Cold Case: Anna Palmer

2008-09-11T11:12:00.005-07:00

Anna Palmer (Salt Lake City Police Department)

Ten years ago, on September 10, 1998, a 10 year-old girl named Anna Palmer was brutally stabbed to death outside her home. In a news release from their website, the Salt Lake City Police Department is asking for the public's help in renewing interest in the case and hopefully solving the case.

As a parent, I can't help but to take cases like this personally. There is no sense to be made as to why or what kind of person would brutally murder a young child such as Anna. The police, many of them who are likely parents, would probably agree. The focus as of this moment is finding the person who committed this heinous crime and bringing them to justice. The family of Anna Palmer and the community in which she lived in, as well as the police department deserve justice in this case.

The following excerpts are from recent news articles, related to the case.
From KSL.com:

Colleen Hackett remembers the brutal murder of the 10-year-old like it was yesterday. She lived across the street from Anna. She said, "I think about it. I think about her."

On Sept. 10, 1998, Anna's mother found the girl with multiple stab wounds on the front porch of their home. It was 7:30 at night but still light out. Police believe the attack happened less than 30 minutes before.
Anna's friend was the last one to see her alive. Lara Jones, with the Salt Lake City Police Department, said, "We know that she was alive at 7 o'clock because she and a friend made it a habit to walk each other halfway home."

From: The Salt Lake Tribune

Police suspected the killer might have been a prowler or burglar, but nothing was stolen from her home, and officers could not immediately target any suspects, according to 1998 reports. They later canvassed the neighborhood and talked to witnesses who said they saw a man near the Palmer home before the murder.

From: Deseret News

Despite what would seem to be an area that had lots of people that night, there were no witnesses to the crime. Detectives received hundreds if not thousands of tips in the days immediately following the killing, but none of them panned out. A computer-generated sketch of a man seen struggling the day before with Palmer was released a month afterward with no results. Now, years later, the case has gone cold.

After 10 years, the police have not given up hope on solving this case. I can only hope that the person that killed Anna all those years ago has spoken to one person about what they did. I hope the person that was potentially told of this deep, dark secret has the decency to come forward and give Anna's family, friends, and the police--justice.

Tips on this case should be directed to Salt Lake Police Department (801) 799-INFO. The case number is 98-178523. You can call anonymously. There is a $6, 000 reward.

Source(s): Salt Lake City Police Department, KSL.com, Deseret News.com, Salt Lake Tribune.

The Mysterious Disappearance Of Christopher Coan

2008-09-05T17:07:00.008-07:00

Christopher Robin Coan

On September 3, 2007 Christopher Coan left his job at Subway in Cedar City, Utah and hasn't been seen or heard from since. At the time of his disappearance, Chris was 18 years old. Today, he would be 19 years old.

Chris was last seen wearing his black Subway shirt with a green shirt underneath and black cordouroy jeans. His vehicle, a 1994 Chevy Blazer S-10 maroon/burgundy and silver in color, are missing as well. The vehicle had a temporary license tag. It also had several bumper stickers.
Vehicle similar to Chris' vehicle

This green shirt is the same shirt Chris Coan was wearing at the time he disappeared.

From the beginning, the family of Chris Coan have maintained that he would never have run off like this. They have diligently worked to get as much help and information out to the public to help locate Chris. Although the possibility that Chris decided to start a new life exists, it seems highly unlikely. His family and friends only want answers. I would imagine that for the family and friends of a missing person-giving up hope is not an option.

Shortly after Chris' disappearance, a website was set up to help find Chris Coan. There, you can find several photos, videos, and information. There is also a MySpace account set up in another effort to get the word out about Chris. That's where I came across this plea from Chris' father, Dave Coan:

Chris has just turned 19. His birth date is August 6, 1989.

Who would have thought that this nightmare would have gone on for a full year?
Chris went missing on Monday evening September 3, 2007 when he left work at the Subway Sandwich Shop in Cedar City, Utah.

On Saturday night, September 2, 2007 Chris had called me to confirm that we were going to Church together which is something we commonly did together. It was our special thing.

On Sunday, we did go to Church. Everything seemed fine. That afternoon Chris, his younger brother Shaun and I went for a hike. When we got home Chris stayed for awhile, even had dinner with us. When he left to get into his 1994 Maroon/Burgundy and Silver Chevy S10 Blazer I ran up to him, gave him a hug and told him I loved him. Still, everything seemed fine. That is the last time I saw my son.

On Monday, Labor Day weekend. Chris walked out the door from work and was never seen or heard from again. No one saw him get into his vehicle and leave, though the vehicle is still missing.

On Tuesday, Chris' girlfriend Sasha whom he lived with in a room with a separate entrance built inside her parent's garage called me to tell me that Chris was missing and we began immediately searching for him. Aerial and ground searches were conducted in the surrounding areas. On Friday the Iron County Sherriff's office had their search and rescue team out looking for him.
The thinking was that he might have left a little bummed out because his 3 hour shift did not go very well. He had trouble with a very rude customer, his boss had a talk with him about getting things done a little faster. Though that was a little upsetting, it would not be a big enough deal for him to just up and leave everything and everyone behind. We were concerned that he may have gone into the hills to think about things, maybe joy ride in his newly purchased vehicle. Perhaps he had trouble with the vehicle and was stranded or had rolled it or gone off the side of the hill or what have you. The area around Cedar City is sparsely populated and there is plenty of wide open spaces and ravines. Going up the canyon is heavily wooded with a river running beside it coming from the lake several miles above. After several hundred people joined forces to thoroughly canvas the area, both ground and air, we were pretty certain that he was not in close proximity to Cedar City. Hunting season came and went hunters on the lookout with no sign of Chris.

During the time that Chris has been gone there have been reports of seeing him and or his vehicle in various places. Supposed sightings have been in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. None of these places or the eye witnesses has turned up any conclusive evidence that it was indeed him or maybe a person that resembled him and his vehicle. In all reports the one thing consistent is that the person that they assume was Chris was never seen connected with the vehicle. The person seen was always walking or skateboarding, which is something Chris liked to do. No one could identify the driver of the vehicle.

There are many kids that resemble Chris. He wears the typical skateboarding hair cut and clothing. He is approximately 5'6" tall, slim build, about 125-135 lbs. He was last seen wearing a Subway uniform top over a green t-shirt that had the words "Almost, Almost, Almost" written on it. He had on black corduroy pants that would look brown in the right lighting. He was wearing a new pair of skate shoes. His hair is a very brilliant blonde that sweeps to the side below his blue eyes and just below his collar in the back. He is a very avid reader, has a very witty personality and likes to study history and the subculture of the 60's.

Because Chris had just turned 18 and is considered an adult the FBI refused to get involved because, at 18, he is considered an adult and therefore not breaking any laws. Chief David Browning of the Enoch, Utah police department had already begun a full scale investigation into his whereabouts deeming the case "suspicious circumstance". What is suspicious about Chris' disappearance is that he gave very little indication through his mood or his manner that anything was wrong. He left with no wallet, though he had $100 cash and his ID and drivers license inside the wallet and no ATM card to withdraw cash from his bank account. The bank account to this day remains untouched. He had ample opportunity to go home and retrieve his clothes and other personal belongings without being observed if he were to just leave.
Due to financial time restraints the Enoch Police department called this a cold case within two months. Chief Browning has since come to the opinion that he may have just left voluntarily though nothing has changed since his original opinion that it was Suspicious Circumstances. No new evidence has been produced to substantiate that conclusion which adds to our desperation and inability to get media and other law enforcement to take this seriously and get involved in this case. A private investigation is currently and actively being conducted, still with no substantial leads or evidence.

I appeal to everyone out there to help us find our son. We love Chris and miss him very much. His brothers and mother are very much affected by his disappearance as well. Not a minute goes by that we don't think about him. We are stuck in a kind of limbo. We cannot move forward with our lives not knowing where he is or if he is alright. The stress, most days, is almost unbearable.

My personal message to Chris: If you are out there, son, we love you and miss you very badly and please call and let us know you are ok.

If anyone knows his whereabouts please let us know. You can report anonymously at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmZpbmRjaHJpcy5vcmcv or on myspace at www.myspace.com/findchriscoan . There is a reward for anyone is directly responsible for finding my son. This must be verified, of course. All we want to do is know that he is ok. If you know something, and someone out there does, please let us know.

Dave Coan

Someone out there knows where Chris is and what happened to him. His family only wants to know that he is safe. As with any disappearance, not knowing is the hardest part. They need answers and they need help. Please, if you can provide any information as to Chris' whereabouts, please go to www.findchris.org or call the Enoch Police Department at 435-586-9445.

Jason Lee McRoberts Teaches Beastiality

2008-09-05T15:15:00.004-07:00

According to reports at The Denver Channel, 30 year-old Jason Lee McRoberts of Castle Rock, Colorado (and formerly from Grand Junction) has been accused of having sex with a dog. Even more shocking is the accusation that he forced a 7 year-old boy to watch the alleged sex act. According to the victim, McRoberts told him he should "learn how to do it himself".

From what I can understand, the victim and McRoberts have both moved since the act took place. It was only when the victim's mother caught her son trying to perform what he allegedly learned from McRoberts on the family dog that she learned what happened.

Yuck. It's bad enough to abuse a poor, innocent animal. But to involve a child is even more disgusting. As of now, McRoberts is not being charged with child abuse, but in my opinion he should be.

McRoberts is free on $1, 000 bond. He faces a felony obscenity charge, and has a warrant for indecent exposure.

For the record: Yuck.

Source: thedenverchannel.com

Move Over, McGruff--There's A New Sheriff In Town!

2008-09-05T08:58:00.003-07:00

It looks as though McGruff, the crime-fighting mascot that children across the country grew up with, may have a little competition in Utah.

According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, a black bear has been credited with putting the kabash on a secret pot farm in Panguitch, Utah.

Investigators say a large black bear raided a clandestine marijuana growing operation so often that it chased the grower away. "This bear is definitely law-enforcement minded," said Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins. "If I can find this bear I'm going to deputize him."

Well, maybe the black bear can team up with McGruff and his nephew, Scruff. We could use all the help we can get with the war on crime and the war on drugs.

Guilty Plea In Ariana and Tyler Payne Case

2008-08-26T09:10:00.014-07:00

Ariana & Tyler Payne (photo courtesy of Jamie Hallam)

WARNING: The video testimony that is posted below contains disturbing details of the deaths of Ariana and Tyler Payne.

On August 25, 2007, I sat at the memorial service at the Adair Funeral Home in Tucson, Arizona to pay my last respects to little Ariana and Tyler Payne.

On February 18, 2007 Ariana Payne's decomposing body was found inside of a storage tub in a trash bin located at the U-Store-It storage facility. Police soon learned that Ariana's older brother, Tyler was missing as well, and had reason to believe that he was deceased. An extensive search of a nearby landfill yielded few clues and to this day, Tyler's body has not been found.

According to past reports, the children's mother, Jamie Hallam-who had sole custody of the children-allowed Christopher Payne visitation with the children, Ariana and Tyler, even though a judge ruled he was not allowed to have any visitation. There have been alot of comments on reports by people who are seemingly confused as to why Jamie allowed Christopher Payne to see these children in the first place. First of all, Jamie did not "hand over her children" to this man. He had not seen Ariana and Tyler for a couple years. Knowing the kind of person Chris Payne was, his violence against her, she was very hesitant when he contacted her to visit the children. He had a new girlfriend, a new son, and a job. He seemingly had some stability in his life. There were several supervised visits between the first visit and the visit in which the Payne children would ultimately be forever taken away from their mother. The last time Jamie Hallam knew her children were alive was March 9, 2006. That was the day she took her court ordered custody agreement and contacted the Tucson Police Department. In turn, TPD contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) and told the police to keep the children with the father. CPS never checked on them again.

Soon after Ariana's body was found the following February, her father, Christopher Payne and his girlfriend, Reina Gonzales, were charged with first degree murder. Reina Gonzales claimed to have no knowledge of what happened to Ariana and Tyler. Past reports have her claiming that she left the apartment for a week and when she came back, the children were gone. She claimed that Chris Payne told her he sent the children back with their mom. With her trial date rapidly approaching, defense attorneys pulled out all the stops to prevent Reina Gonzales from getting the death penalty. Attempts to prove Reina Gonzales is mentally retarded were unsuccessful.

So, as of yesterday, August 25, 2008-a year to the day of the memorial service for these precious little angels-Reina Gonzales is a confessed murderer. Reina Gonzales pleaded guilty to two charges of second degree murder.

In video taped testimony a tearful Reina Gonzales recounted events surrounding the last couple months of Ariana and Tyler's lives. She also acknowledges her role in the deaths and that she sat back, getting high on heroin and did nothing to help Ariana and Tyler.

[***NOTE TO READERS: PRIOR TO THIS DAY (9/11/08) THIS BLOG POST CONTAINED AN EMBEDDED VIDEO OF REINA GONZALES' TESTIMONY. I'M UNSURE IF ANY OF MY READERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VIDEO AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING WHEN THIS PAGE WAS LOADED. WHILE I BELIEVE THE TESTIMONY AND THE VIDEO IS IMPORTANT, I FEEL IT'S MORE IMPORTANT FOR ANY FAMILY OR FRIENDS OF ARIANA AND TYLER TO NOT FEEL DISRESPECTED OR OFFENDED BY A VIDEO AUTOMATICALLY PLAYING THAT DETAILS THE HORRIFIC EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO THEIR LOVED ONES. FOR THAT REASON, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILY, I HAVE DECIDED TO REMOVE THE VIDEO AND REPLACE IT WITH A LINK TO THE VIDEO WHICH YOU CAN FIND BELOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING***]~Tami

LINK TO VIDEO

So, there we have it, in her own words. Reina Gonzales admits she did nothing to help these children. She knew that Ariana and Tyler were locked in a closet with no food or water. She knew that Tyler was suffering from a horrible head injury. She knew that Ariana was dead and was put in a tub. She knew that Tyler was forced to stay in the same closet, with his dead sister's body, to suffer and die. Finally, she knew Chris Payne was violent and by her own admission , he was abusive to her. She did nothing but drug herself up to numb herself of what was going on.

With all of Reina Gonzales' admissions comes the undeniable truth that these children suffered far beyond what any child should have to go through. Yet we still have people who focus on Jamie Hallam. People who call her a drug addict who gave away her children. The truth is all abuse/neglect allegations and drug allegations in relation to Jamie Hallam, which was checked by CPS, was found to be unsubstantiated. No proof found from an agency determined to keep children with a dangerous person. No proof found from an agency who did nothing to verify court custody records.

Chris Payne is due to go on trial in January 2009. Reina Gonzales will testify against him at his trial as part of her plea agreement.

Source: Tucson Citizen; Video source-KVOA.com

You can find my past blog entries about this case here.

Your comments are welcome on this case.