The Deadly Diary

Sometime, way back when, people got it into their heads that writing a daily diary was a good thing. Therapy. Collecting and organizing thoughts, etc. Some parents encourage their kids to write diaries - then the kids - realizing that parents are sneaking peeks - hide them.

In a tragic story I was recently told, I was given cause to wonder if keeping a diary is really such a good thing or even a safe thing. The person who told me this story is in the murder business. He investigates murders for a living. He used to work for the state, but now he has his own shingle and works for lawyers who defend murder suspects.

It seems that several years ago that there was a young girl that was murdered. It seems these days that young girls get murdered all the time. In this case, the young girl kept a diary. Whether mom knew about the diary, we'll never know. However after her daughter was brutally murdered mom "found" the diary. While reading her murdered daughter's diary, she made a starting discovery. Her young girl was socially very active - if you get my drift. She told of her experiences and mentioned names. Sometimes the names of prominent young men in the community. Distressed and devastated the mom did what she thought was the right thing to do. She gave the diary to the head police official investigating the murder.

The head police official - not a very straight up guy - recognized many of the names in the diary and realized the value of the book was much greater for himself than using the book to solve the young girl's murder. He took the diary to the person who would be most threatened by its contents. That person asks him - What are we going to do about the mother who gave this to you? The high police official - who is now a conduit - shrugs and says this is not his problem.

Finally it is decided that it would be much better for the interested parties to "buy" the mother off than use the diary as evidence in a murder trial. That's the way it came down. The rather humble and semi-impoverished mom and dad, get a nice house and piece of property out of the deal, the diary disappears, and the prominent well-connected murderers and accomplices never make it to trial - all because of a diary and a naive mother who thought the high police offical would do the right thing.

Did this really happen - or is it my friends imagination?

New topic - related to the above. We all know there are collectors, right? Did you know that there are collectors of murder artifacts? Things like a serial killers knife, clothing of a victim, hair, blood stained items, etc., many times end up in collector's hands for - in some cases - a lot of money. Rumors of secret auctions abound in the murky world of death.

Was a copy of the little girl's diary made during the brief time it sat in custody. Who has the copy? Is it a macabre collector's item? Is the original still out there somewhere?


Alaska,Arizona,Alabama,Arkansas

Patsy Ramsey is Dead! Who killed JonBenet?

This is such a botched case, I don't like to even bring it up except in the context of its motive. Why would anyone - parent, brother, stranger, whoever, kill a six year old girl in her home? What is your opinion as to motive? I want to hear from you. Chime in!




Florida,Georgia,Hawaii,Idaho

Movtive for Murder - being the victim of a sociopath

Do you know any sociopaths? Many look like ordinary people and are quite charming. Some are successful politicians, some have well-to-do families and some might be sharing a bed with you. All have one thing in common - that part of the mind that feels guilty or contrite - IS NOT THERE! One of the most interesting sites I have found lately, I have linked below. If you know a bigamist, a con-artist, or one of many other categories - you definitely need to visit the following site. Your life or the life of someone you love may depend upon it.

LOVEFRAUD

By the way, I'm on the trail of a bigamist and a con-man who might also be something much worst. He has defrauded several unsuspecting women as well as the victims of his con. I have others helping me in this hot pursuit. It won't be long...

See the preview of Mike Thomson's book about the murder and rape of a 16 year old girl in south Alabama. See The Publisher




Kentucky,Louisiana,Maine,Maryland

Murder in The South

Maybe it's the culture, maybe it's the water, but whatever - unsolved murders in the South have sort of a spooky quality don't they? Corrupt Sheriff stories compete with corrupt lawyer stories in Dixie. The victims range from "suicides" at the jail to so-called "hunting" accidents. In my new website, The Dixie Bugle(which is still in development)I wish to devote at least one column a month to a whodunit in Dixie. If you are from Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana,Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, or Maryland and know of a story of an unsolved murder that has baffled the experts. Let me know about it and I will highlight it in The Dixie Bugle. In the meantime send me an email with a synopsis of the story and possibly the newspaper's name that originally wrote about it. I look forward to your input. Don't try this for a few days, but next week you can start visiting The Dixie Bugle

See the preview of Mike Thomson's book about the murder and rape of a 16 year old girl in south Alabama. See THE PUBLISHER




Massachussetts,Michigan,Minnesota,Mississippi

Mob Hit

I'm going to generalize here. If you go into a club that has strippers or you use the services of a bookie for sports betting on a football, basketball, or in some cases a hometown sporting event - you are doing business with the mob. Maybe not Don Corleone of Godfather fame, but some aspect of organized crime either directly or indirectly.

A few years ago in Maryville, Tennessee, an up and coming entrepreneur and his brother thought they would go into the arcade machine business. You know - pinball machines and other machines that gave the possibility of betting on the outcome of a session. A building was constructed and the machines were moved in. A short time later in the early hours of the morning - BOOM! - the building was blown up - and never reconstructed. Somebody had sent a warning. You don't buy pinball machines or other gaming machines unless you go through the right channels!

Turf wars are not uncommon in the murky world of organized crime. Sometimes these wars become violent. People are found dead.

Next week at my website ThomsonTalks I will tell a story of two bookies too many in a small Southern town. The story is fiction of course but it follows a pattern that has occurred in many small cities across the U.S. Be watching for it.




Missouri,Montana,Nebraska,Nevada

Motive for Murder - Ethnic Custom?

This is a weird one for most citizens of the U.S. However with so many new immigrants this motive becomes increasingly common. Here is a scenario: Two missionaries go to the Riff Valley in Central Africa to serve their church. They have children - two sons - who assimilate very quickly into the pagan culture that surrounds them i.e. even though their parents are white Americans, the two boys playmates are young men of a tribal culture that has a set of very strict rules of retribution for things like infidelity etc.

Years later, one of the boys moves to Illinois and marries. The marriage turns rocky. A divorce takes place and the husband suspects marital infidelity. Suddenly the couples 10 year old son is found murdered. Even though there is no evidence linking her to the crime, the mother is convicted. The father goes free. A question lingers - Did the father follow a tribal custom of killing the first born as retribution for infidelity? It's weird, but how much can we assimilate into the customs of another country - especially when we are young? Does your police department ever consider ethnic tribal customs as possible motives for murder?






New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York

Murder for Enjoyment

The FBI estimates there are 20-50 serial killers at large at the present time in the U.S. Our country has the largest number of serial killers in the world.






South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah

Murder to cover-up a crime

Murky waters here, but it happens a lot.




Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

Murder for Power

Saddam Hussein stayed in power quite effectively for years by murdering his rivals. Can you think of any cases where this has happened in the United States?





Wisconsin, Wyoming, Puerto Rico

Murder for Revenge

Very high on the list of motives. Post your comments.

Murder for Money

This ranks up at the top of motives for murder. If you know of any recent, old, or unsolved murders where the motive was money, please post your comments.

Statistics on rape in the United States

These statistics are startling. The first link is the actual statistics - The second link is preventative measures. Startling Statistics Some good tips for protecting your daughter: Helping your daughter have fun and stay safe

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"

Criminal Conspiracy

Many times a prosecutor will tack the above charge onto an already loaded list of indictments. Let's say several people get together to deny another person their civil rights. Is this a crime? No it's a jury! Got you! No more jokes. There is a great website called "Find Law" that gives a definition of "Criminal Conspiracy." The link I have provided also lists a hold host of other crimes - if you are interested. You have to give them your zip code so they can direct you to the correct legal jurisdiction. Criminal Conspiracy.

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"

Credentials of the Medical Examiner

For a defense attorney to do a proper defense of his/her client - in a capital murder case, one of the first things they should do is check out the medical examiner.

What are the ME's credentials? Can the ME legally practice medicine in the community?

Who is the lab tech? Where did they grow up? Did they ever have any friends or relatives murdered? Were they ever bullied? Do they have relatives in law enforcement? Who visited them or the M.E.?

Finally, Is there a list of everyone who visited the M.E. or lab tech at their facility? Does the defense attorney have the list?

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"

Will police manipulate evidence?

Read this interesting article about a state trooper who manipulated evidence. Trooper Details Manipulating Evidence.

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"

Drug Corruption among Police and Sheriff Departments - how prevalent is it?

Read this interesting article about arrests and convictions of corrupt law enforcement agents. This Week's Corrupt Cop Stories

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"

Is plea bargaining unconstitutional?

Suppose there is more than one person involved in a crime - the state knows it, but claim the evidence is weak to prosecute any others except the suspect they feel like they can expedite the quickest. That suspect makes a plea. The state accepts. Voila! The case is concluded. The suspect goes to jail, but there are others now walking free. Others who will never testify and will never be charged for their culpability in the crime.

There are some who say that plea bargaining is unconstitutional. Read the following:

Is plea bargaining unconstitutional?

Visit Mike Thomson's website and see the preview of his book, "The Publisher"