Inmate killed in prison fight

11-7-2012 Ohio:

A former Massillon man serving a life sentence for raping a young girl was killed Tuesday night during a fight with his cellmate at the Mansfield Correctional Institution.

No charges have been filed in the case, which is being investigated by the Ohio Highway Patrol and the state’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Authorities say Robert Parr, 62, was unresponsive when security guards found him inside his cell at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday. He was rushed to Mansfield MedCentral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. by the Richland County Coroner’s Office, said Lt. Anne Ralston, Highway Patrol spokeswoman. An autopsy is expected to be performed today, a Coroner’s Office spokesman said.

The suspect’s name is being withheld because he has not been charged, Ralston said. There is no timetable for the completion of the investigation. The Highway Patrol handles all criminal investigations on state-owned property. Ralston said the agency is cooperating with the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office on the case.

“We are gathering all the information and processing evidence,” she said.

The cellmate was the only other person in the cell with Parr. No details of the incident are being released due to the pending investigation, Ralston said.

JoEllen Smith, public information officer for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, declined to comment on the status of the other inmate involved in the altercation.

“We’re not releasing anything. This is both a criminal and an administrative investigation to make sure officers were conducting their appropriate rounds,” Smith said.

Smith said corrections officers are required to complete rounds every 30 minutes on staggered intervals. Mansfield is rated a closed security prison, one step lower than a maximum security facility. The prison houses 2,500 inmates.

Parr, formerly of 514 Tremont Ave. SW, pleaded guilty to two first-degree felony rape charges in March 2007 in Stark County Common Pleas Court, according to court records. Parr received a life sentence but was eligible to apply for parole after serving 10 years. Judge Charles Brown also designated Parr a sexual predator. Parr was charged with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl between August 2002 and September 2006 at a home in Canton. ..Source.. by Corrections Special Ops

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OH inmate dies after fight with cellmate

MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) - Authorities say an inmate has died after a fight with his cellmate at a prison in northern Ohio.

The State Highway Patrol said Wednesday that staff at the Mansfield Correctional Institution found 62-year-old Robert Parr in his cell shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday. Patrol spokeswoman Lt. Anne Ralston says Parr was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead about an hour later.

The cause of death has not been released.

Ralston says no details of the fight have been released and no charges have been filed. She says the cellmate was the only other person in the cell with Parr.

Ralston says Parr entered the prison in 2007 after his conviction on rape charges. He was serving a sentence of 10 years to life. ..Source.. by WFMJ.com

Big Bend murder suspect says brother sexually assaulted him

11-7-2012 California:

A Big Bend man who told sheriff's investigators he shot his younger brother twice in the back of the head with a .22- caliber rifle because he had been sexually assaulting and abusing him was formally charged with murder Wednesday.

His alleged co-conspirator was arraigned on identical charges stemming from the fatal shooting early Saturday morning of Sonny Moss Potts, 27.

Noah Ryan Potts, 28, and co-defendant Colin Horn Kennedy, 25, pleaded not guilty through their attorneys to felony counts of murder and conspiracy during their arraignments in Shasta County Superior Court.

A Shasta County sheriff's summary of the case filed with the court said Noah Potts told detectives his younger brother got out of prison about a year ago and has sexually assaulted him on a few occasions since.

Potts said his brother would pin him against a wall and grab his genitals against his will, the sheriff's report said.

He told deputies that on the night of the shooting Sonny Potts gave him a hug, grabbed his genitals and told him that he would be his "b---h" for the night.

The Record Searchlight does not identify sexual assault victims under normal circumstances. The newspaper is reporting Noah Potts' allegations of abuse because they are at the heart of his case and potentially central to any defense.

According to the sheriff's summary, Noah Potts told detectives he and Kennedy had hatched a plan to kill his brother while they were out poaching deer.

"Noah told us when they went out looking for deer (and) Kennedy made comments about 'cleansing the (Native American) reservation' of rapists, child molesters and the like," the sheriff's report said. "Noah told us when they got back to the residence he and Kennedy both knew that they were going to kill Sonny Potts."

Noah Potts said he went into the house several times trying to "get the courage" to shoot his brother, but could not do so.

Kennedy, who was outside the residence, told him it was OK if he did not have the heart to shoot Potts, the sheriff's report said, adding that Kennedy told him to stay in his vehicle and that he would do it.

However, the report said, Potts later got out of the vehicle and went inside the house.

Potts said he found Kennedy sitting with his brother and all of them began to smoke methamphetamine, the report said.

At one point, the report said, Kennedy asked his friend, "Are we going to do it?" without getting a reply from him.

But shortly afterward Noah Potts shot his brother in the back of his head with a rifle that Kennedy had loaded beforehand and he then fired a second shot from only inches away as his brother was lying facedown, the sheriff's report said.

Deputies have said they went to the house about a quarter-mile north of the Pit Stop store in Big Bend in eastern Shasta County after getting reports of a gunshot victim around 4:48 a.m.

When deputies arrived, they found Sonny Potts inside the home, dead of gunshot wounds.

Both Kennedy and Noah Potts were later arrested.

Despite protests Wednesday from Redding defense attorney Elliot Burick that Potts was not arraigned within a required 48-hour time period, retired Superior Court Judge Richard McEachen declined to consider a verbal motion to dismiss the case and continued with the arraignment.

McEachen set a Nov. 21 preliminary hearing for both defendants.

An attorney from the Shasta County Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent Kennedy.

According to electronic court records, Sonny Potts has served time in prison for assault and drug offenses and was sentenced last year to three years in prison for false impersonation.

A petition to revoke his parole was filed in August.

According to electronic court records, authorities arrested Kennedy on a warrant out of Missouri in May. But the records do not specify the nature of the warrant, though he was extradited in June.

Noah Potts' criminal history includes arrests for public intoxication, interfering with emergency personnel, obstructing police officers and petty theft.

Potts is being held in Shasta County jail in lieu of $2.1 million bail, while Kennedy is in custody there in lieu of $2 million bail. ..Source.. by Jim Schultz

Court documents: homicide victims found lying in bed, shot in head

Posted in Related Deaths

11-8-2012 North Carolina:

Clyde and Ida Valentine were found lying in the bed of a back bedroom of her northern Charlotte home last week, dead from gunshot wounds to the head, according to a search warrant obtained by the Observer on Thursday.

Still, police have not said who they believe is responsible for the deaths. Clyde Valentine had tape over his mouth. Police say the case is classified as a death investigation and spokeswoman Officer Jessica Lawrence said investigators were not looking for a suspect.

Authorities said a man called police on Nov. 1 and said he’d found his parents’ bodies in the home on Swift Arrow Lane. The search warrant identified that man as Malcolm Valentine, who came to his the house after his girlfriend said she couldn’t get anyone to come to the door.

Records show the Valentines had divorced in 2004, and Clyde Valentine had remarried three years ago.

Officers at the scene told reporters they believe the deaths were domestic-related. But they would not comment about whether the deaths were related to child sex charges filed against Clyde Valentine earlier this year.

Clyde Valentine was arrested in June on three felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. In September, he was charged with one count of statutory rape. He was expected to appear in court Nov. 13 on the charges.

Detectives said during the summer that the charges against Clyde Valentine involved a relative, and not a student at Phillip O. Berry Academy where he once taught electronics. ..Source.. by Cleve R. Wootson Jr.

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Man found dead with wife had protection order against family member

A day after Clyde Valentine and his wife Ida were found in their home neighbors are still wondering what happened.

"It gave me goose bumps just to hear about it," said neighbor Darcy Farman.

The bodies were found Thursday inside the home on Swift Arrow Lane by the couple's son.

Details of trouble inside that home are starting to unravel.

A source confirmed to Eyewitness News that Clyde Valentine had a domestic violence protection order against a family member who was not his wife Ida.

Channel 9 also learned the protection order is probably related to an ongoing criminal case against Clyde Valentine.

Clyde Valentine was facing charges and accused of sex acts against a child.

Eyewitness News discovered the list of accusations against him dated back to 2003. He was fired, just Tuesday from his teaching job with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

A source told Eyewitness News the domestic violence protection order was issued after a family member was accused of assaulting Clyde Valentine. Channel 9 learned the fight may have been linked to the child sex allegations against him.

Police are not calling that family member a suspect in the deaths of Clyde and Ida Valentine.

Police are not saying how the Valentines died and they aren’t naming any suspects.

Neighbors said they want answers for the sake of the family and to make sure they are safe as well. ..Source.. by Tina Terry

Death Of Convicted Sex Offender Under Investigation In Otero County

10-14-2012 Colorado:

The body of a registered sex offender was found inside a home outside La Junta Friday night, prompting officials to begin an investigation into the circumstances around his death.

Byron Griffy, 76, was a funeral home director in Fowler, Colo. prior to his 2011 arrest for sexually assaulting a child. Court records indicate Griffy pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced in May of this year. He was put on strict sex offender probation.

The Otero County Sheriff's Office is investigating Griffy's death as suspicious, but will not say if they believe his death is related to his sex assault conviction. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation assisted in processing the scene.

The Sheriff’s Office says an autopsy is scheduled for early next week by the El Paso County Coroner's Office. ..Source.. by KKTV.com

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Cause of death released, family of Byron Griffy want him remembered for his lifelong kindness

New details today in the death of a Fowler man.

We've learned that Byron Griffy died from a gunshot wound to his head.

We spoke to those at the Otero County Sheriff Office who are investigating along with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Family members found Byron Griffy dead in a home on his farm one day before his 76th birthday.

"The circumstances surrounding the gunshot wound are still pending," said Otero County Sheriff Chris Johnson.

Griffy did plead guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child several months ago, but his family says too much focus has been placed on that.

"My sisters and I would like you to know that our father was a caring, compassionate, love man who spent his life taking care of others in their time of need," said Amy Griffy, Byron Griffy's youngest daughter.

Many in Fowler told us they always admired Griffy and do not believe he was guilty.

"God knows it," said JH McCuistion, a close friend of Griffy. "He knows the truth of this whole thing, and I feel the same way God does."

Close friends believe he only pled guilty for a lesser charge, so he would be able to see his family more often.

"There will never be anybody to change my mind that Byron Griffy was one of our greatest men to help in our community of Fowler," said McCuistion.

Griffy was described around town as a funeral director who was so giving, those who couldn't afford a funeral had one for free.

He was also President on the school board for many years and always sent a lot of flowers to people in town.

"I had a little surgery a time or two," said McCuistion. "You know, I didn't even tell him I was going to have it, but he found out and he brought me a plant."

Sheriff Johnson says nothing at this time connects Griffy's death to his recent plea.

"We're still investigating," said Sheriff Johnson. "It's still early in the investigation. We're talking to a lot of people." ..Source.. by Lacey Steele

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Man Pleads Not Guilty In Murder Of Convicted Sex Offender

5-3-2014:

A Canon City man has pleaded not guilty in death of a convicted sex offender.

Anthony Wright, 43, will go to trial in September for the 2012 death of former funeral home director Byron Griffy. An autopsy showed Griffy died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Griffy, 76, was a funeral home director in Fowler, Colo. prior to his 2011 arrest for sexually assaulting a child. Court records indicate Griffy pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced in May the following year. He was put on strict sex offender probation.

He was found shot to death five months later.

Wright has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder on Thursday. He is out on a $250,000 bail. Wright will go to trial in September.

Wright and Griffy knew each other through the funeral home business. ..Source.. by KKTV.com

Sheriffs office releases name of homicide victim

9-24-2012 New York:

KILL BUCK — The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office late Sunday morning released the name of the deceased in a Friday night shooting at a Route 417 residence in the Hamlet of Kill Buck.

Henry Francis Ackley, 58, of 6263 Route 417, was killed around midnight Friday at the hands of a still-unidentified gunman. Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb told the Times Herald his department was following up on leads around the Olean area on Sunday.

It was unclear if a motive or any other circumstances surrounding the alleged shooting had been determined.

“We’ll be looking into persons of interest in (Olean) here Sunday — around the city I should say,” Sheriff Whitcomb said outside the New York State Troopers Barracks in Olean around 11 a.m. Sunday. “But we are releasing the identity of the victim.”

The sheriff formally announced the wrongful death was indeed a homicide involving a firearm. He was unable to provide further details, however, as they could potentially compromise the investigation.

“We’re just confirming there was a homicide at that address sometime before midnight on Friday night,” Sheriff Whitcomb said. “We’re aggressively pursuing leads.

“Any of the other details of what exactly we’re working on, we’re keeping those close to the collar right now. Just for the continuity of the investigation, we’re being careful about what we release.”

When asked if he could say how close law-enforcement agencies were to making an arrest, Sheriff Whitcomb wouldn’t venture a guess.

“I hope we’re close,” he said. “I’m optimistic.”

Mr. Ackley’s neighbor told a Times Herald editor Saturday afternoon the deceased was a helpful neighbor who often kept to himself.

“He would do anything for you,” said the neighbor, who spoke on a condition of anonymity. “If I needed help with anything, he’d help.”

Authorities said the homicide is not believed to be connected to Mr. Ackley’s 1986 conviction for a sex offense.

According to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Mr. Ackley was convicted of first-degree sodomy, a class B felony, in 1986. He was released from Orleans Correctional Facility in 1991 on parole. He is not listed on the state Sex Offender Registry, which is reserved for Level 2 and 3 offenders — those considered a higher risk to the community.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office at (716) 938-9191. ..Source.. by Kelsey Boudin Olean Times Herald

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Homicide victim was a registered sex offender

The man shot and killed late Friday in this Cattaraugus County hamlet has been identified as 58-year-old Henry F. Ackley, sheriff's officials reported.

The shooting death occurred shortly before midnight at a home on Route 417.

Sheriff's officials have released no other information on the killing but The Buffalo News confirmed through state prison records that Ackley served about six years at the Orleans Correctional Facility for a 1985 first-degree sodomy conviction in Cattaraugus County.

Because of that conviction, Ackley was a state-registered sex offender who had to alert police agencies about his home address and if he planned to move. Whether his killing was related to his criminal history was a topic the Sheriff's Office would not discuss.

Ackley's last obligations to the state prison system over his conviction expired in December 1994, records show. ..Source..

Dispute Turns Relatively Quiet Neighborhood into Crime Scene

8-25-2012 Massachusetts:

Stockton Police are on the lookout for a man who cops say shot a 68-year-old family friend to death. The victim was a convicted sex offender.

The shooting happened early Saturday morning, with police responding to calls near Dwight Way and N Tuxedo Avenue. During the same shift, officers in Stockton were out on a violent crime sweep.

The only problem is they didn’t come to this area.

“Last night the multi-agency operation was all over the city,” Detective Joe Silva said. “We don’t have that large of a crime issue in that neighborhood,” Silva added.

68-year-old Jesse Jimenez was found shot and killed. His family told FOX40 that an argument broke out between Jimenez and a longtime family friend, 44-year-old James Morales. In the heat of it, they say Morales shot Jimenez, got up, and left.

Police believe the incident is not gang related.

It’s Stockton’s 44th homicide of the year. Compare that to only 26 last year at this same time.

The almost four dozen murders has the community shaken.

“To me it’s like being in an earthquake, but you can’t do nothing about it. You just try to ride through,” a neighbor said.

Police consider Morales armed and dangerous. He drove away from the murder scene in a small, white, 2006 Nissan Altima 4-door, with California plates 5WPB726. ..Source.. by KTXL-TV

DOC inmate from Nashua found dead in cell

Here we have a death which authorities keep saying "under investigation" and by now a "autopsy" has been done with no report of why! If a suicide, there are signs, none of which are mentioned here. So who/what caused his death? It is now December and no answers...

8-13-2012 New Hampshire:

MANCHESTER – An autopsy is scheduled for Monday on the body of 43-year-old Nashua resident Mark John Amsden, an inmate at the N.H. Department of Corrections who died Sunday afternoon after being found unconscious in his cell, officials said.

Amsden, of 3 Kehoe Ave., Apt. A in Nashua, had been held at the facility since July 27, a day after Nashua police arrested him on three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and one count of felonious sexual assault.

Police said that Amsden was arrested on a warrant issued after a woman, whom Amsden reportedly knew, told police she had been sexually assaulted on several occasions.

DOC superintendent David Dionne said Amsden was alone in his cell when he was discovered unconscious at 1:17 Sunday afternoon.

“We had no indication Mr. Amsden was in any form of distress,” Dionne said.

He said correctional officers and on-duty medical personnel began emergency medical treatment, which continued until American Medical Response and Manchester Fire Department personnel arrived. Efforts to revive Amsden failed, and emergency personnel pronounced him dead at 1:51 p.m., Dionne said.

Dionne said Amsden was being held at the DOC on $50,000 bail since his July 27 Nashua District Court arraignment.

Dionne also said Amsden had 13 previous admissions to the DOC.

According to Telegraph archives, Amsden’s local criminal history dates back to at least 2004, when Nashua police arrested him in December on three counts of forgery in connection with the theft of checks from his neighbor. He was indicted in March 2005. At the time, Amsden gave an address of 4 Auburn St., one of several he had over the years.

In August 2005, Amsden, then of Revere, Mass., was charged with violation of a protective order. Two months later, he pleaded guilty to stalking, and received a suspended sentence.

Amsden was 37 when he was charged in February 2007 with felony failure to register as a sex offender. He lived at 28 Railroad Square at the time; In August that year, he lived at 18 Abbott St., Unit B, when he was charged with criminal trespass.

In February 2008, Amsden lived at 20 Harvard St., No. 3, when he was arrested for driving after revocation or suspension, records state. In October that year, while living at 24B Fletcher St., Nashua police picked Amsden up on a warrant for assault out of Portsmouth.

About a year later, Amsden was arrested for criminal threatening and stalking. On July 4, 2011, he resided at 23 Temple St., No. 302 when police arrested him on stalking and domestic violence charges.

And about a month before his most recent arrest, Amsden was again arrested on domestic violence – stalking.

Dionne said Amsden’s death is under investigation by Manchester police and corrections officials. ..Source.. by Dean Shalhoup

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Nashua Man Found Dead in Prison Cell

8-20-2012 New Hampshire:

A Nashua man with a long arrest history was found dead inside his prison cell Sunday.

Mark John Amsden, 43, was found unconscious at about 1:15 p.m. at Valley Street Jail in Manchester, according to Manchester Police Lt. Maureen Tessier.

Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead just before 2 p.m.

Amsden, of 3 Kehoe Ave., Nashua, was arrested July 26 by Nashua Police, charged with three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault; and one count of felonious sexual assault, a class B felony. Amsden had been incarcerated more than a dozen times over the past decade on charges ranging from forgery, stalking, and assault to criminal threatening.

Cause of death remains under investigation, pending results of an autopsy, which is scheduled for today, Tessier said. ..Source.. by Carol Robidoux

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Nashua Man’s Jail Cell Death Under Investigation

An autopsy is planned for a 43-year-old inmate at a New Hampshire jail who was found unconscious in his cell.

Mark John Amsden of Nashua had been at the Manchester Department of Corrections facility since July 27. He had been arrested on charges of aggravated felonious sexual assault.

he Telegraph of Nashua reports Superintendent David Dionne said Amsden was alone in his cell when he was found Sunday afternoon. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him.

His death is under investigation by Manchester police and corrections officials.

Amsden had a criminal record going back to 2004 including charges of forgery, stalking, and failing to register as a sex offender. ..Source.. by CBS Boston

Paralyzed Chicago Heights man shot, killed during argument

7-31-2012 Illinois:

A paralyzed Chicago Heights man who was a registered sex offender and had an extensive criminal record was shot and killed Monday night during an argument at his home, police said.

Kevin Allison, 42, was found slumped in his wheelchair in the driveway of his home in the 500 block of Concord Court with a single gunshot wound in his head, police said.

Allison was pronounced dead at 9:44 p.m. at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A source said Allison had been arguing with people when someone shot him.

No one was in custody as Tuesday. The South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force is assisting in the investigation.

According to the Illinois State Police sex offender information website, Allison was convicted of aggravated criminal sex abuse/bodily harm in Cook County when he was 27. His victim was 38 years old.

And court records show he had an extensive criminal record dating to 1991.

Some of the past charges included aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, battery, resisting a police officer, criminal trespassing, assault and robbery. He served time in jail for several offenses, according to court records. He was charged with battery and resisting arrest June 25.

Neighbors on Tuesday didn’t deny that Allison had his problems and, as one said, “a tough life.”

But several agreed with neighbor and friend Emma Edmond, who called Allison “a good man and didn’t deserve this.”

Edmond said Allison was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot about 15 years ago. She’s floored someone would shoot a man in a wheelchair.

“This should have never happened,” she said.

Allison, nicknamed Kevo, moved into the Beacon Hill neighborhood from Harvey three years ago, she said.

“He brought a lot of joy to Concord,” she said. “Kevo, there was something special about him. You know, he talked a lot of (trash) but he didn’t mean no harm.”

“I used to take him to the medical supply place to get him things for his wheelchair. I used to go grocery shopping for him. I used to cook for him. I used to give him cold water when he’d be riding through here. He called me Mama Emma,” she said.

“I don’t know why, but I took to him. If he was out here getting into it with some person, I could tell him, ‘Kevo, shut your ... mouth. Get your [butt] home.’ And he would listen to me,” Edmond said. “But I wasn’t there (Monday) night. I was in the house watching TV.”

Latrisha Bell said she last saw Allison shortly before he died.

“I walked him down (to his house) and 15 minutes later, I heard one pop and I saw all the cops flying down the street,” Bell said. ..Source.. by y STEVE METSCH Sun-Times Media

Body found in cemetery identified as sex offender

6-14-2012 Michigan:

We now know the identity of a man found dead Thursday morning in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Around 7:15 a.m. a person walking along a path through the cemetery found the body near the intersection of Eastern and Hall Street SE.

Tracing a license plate of a vehicle near the body, WZZM 13 has learned the man is Robert Shields, 67. He was a registered sex offender living in Omega Life Alternatives, a halfway house on Eastern Avenue about half a mile north of the cemetery.

Records show Shields was convicted of first-degree sexual assault in Newaygo County in 1981. In 1999, Shields was convicted in Kent County of one count of second-degree sex assault involving a victim younger than 13. He was released from jail in January 2011.

Police say Shields was lying next to a grave stone and they also found a van registered in his name near his body. The scene was marked off with crime tape Thursday morning and investigators used several cones marking evidence of some sort.

Authorities have yet to confirm the body's identity to the media or release the circumstances surrounding his death. They tell WZZM 13 the death is "suspicious." ..Source.. by Chris Zoladz, Multi-Media Producer, WZZM 13

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Police: Man found dead in Oak Hill Cemetery died of multiple stab wounds

Robert Louis Shields, the man found dead this morning in Oak Hill Cemetery, died of multiple stab wounds and police are investigating the case as a homicide.

Shields, 67, was found by a walker in the cemetery about 7:15 a.m. and police found his van parked on the south side of the grounds this morning.

In a release issued late today, police named Shields as the victim. But he was identified earlier in the day as the victim by officials at Omega Life Alternatives, a halfway house at 722 Eastern Avenue SE where Shields had lived for a little more than a month.

Shields is a registered sex offender and was released from prison in January 2011 after spending several years behind bars for a 1999 sex assault against a 7-year-old.

Oak Hill Cemetery, at Eastern Avenue SE and Hall Street, is not far from the halfway house.

Eric Price, a manager at Omega Life Alternatives, said he believed Shields had been out with his girlfriend Wednesday evening.

He was supposed to return for an 11 p.m. curfew, but did not.

Price was told that Shields' girlfriend was in the hospital, but it was unclear why.

Police released no other details about who may have stabbed Shields or how the van ended up in the cemetery. ..Source.. by John Tunison

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Body found in cemetery identified as sex offender

We now know the identity of a man found dead Thursday morning in Oak Hill Cemetery.

The Executive Director of Omega Life Alternatives says the victim is 67-year old Robert Shields. A resident at the transitional home. "Last night was the first night he broke curfew, we knew something was wrong," says Price. He says Shields moved-in a month ago. "We mentor guys who have been in trouble with the law or they don't have family or may have made mistakes in general."

Sheilds had been in prison off and on for criminal sexual conduct since 1981. He was released early last year and had been working as a maintenance man before he moved to Omega Life. "And everything he put his hand to, he saw that needed fixed-up, he did it, so he was kind and generous."

Just after 7am someone walking at Oakhill Cemetery discovered shields body near a grave. Grand Rapids police taped off a large portion of the cemetery and marked potential evidence with cones.

Captain Eric Payne says, "Well, just because of the size of the cemetery, we want to make sure we're not missing anything. it's a large area to process."

Because of the injuries to shields body, police are investigating the death as a suspicious death. At Omega Life, Price says although he didn't know Shields very long, it's sad to hear. "No matter what they've done in the past, you hate seeing tragedy like that." ..Source.. by Chris Zoladz

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Girlfriend held in GR cemetery stabbing

6-14-2012:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A woman is being held in the stabbing of a 67-year-old man found dead early Thursday morning by a jogger along a path through Grand Rapids' Oakhill Cemetery.

On Thursday evening, Grand Rapids police announced they had ruled the death of Robert Louis Shields a homicide.

Authorities said he was stabbed multiple times.

Christina Miller is being held in the Kent County Jail in connection with the case, 24 Hour News 8 confirmed.

Jail records indicate Miller was charged on two counts of obstructing police, one count of providing false information, and one count is failure to obey instructions on Friday.

No arraignment has been set yet.

Sheilds's brother told 24 Hour News 8 earlier Thursday that Miller was Shields's girlfriend. He also said she is mentally unstable.

"He may have had some enemies I didn't know about," older brother Bill Shields told 24 Hour News 8 before becoming aware of the arrest. "It's hard to say because I don't know."

Bill Shields said he didn't know why his brother was in the cemetery. He said no one in their family is buried there.

"It hurts me, but what can I say or do?" he said. "It's not going to change the fact. He's dead. He's gone. All we can do is live with his memories. And I believe my brother's had a very rough life."

Shields had an extensive criminal record, including convictions for felonies and criminal sexual conduct. He was listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.

Shields lived for six months at Omega Life Alternatives in Grand Rapids. The pastor there, Eric Price, said Shields made his mark in more ways than one. He mowed the lawn and fixed things around the house.

"He came here with a willing heart, not just to hold a bed for him, but he came with a willing heart to really work and to serve. ... Whatever he can to help out things around here," said Price. "Robert tried to live a good life and I'm sorry that this had to happen."

Like Price, Bill Shields remembered his brother as a hard worker.

"He was a hard-working boy, I'll tell you that. He worked all the time," said Bill Shields. "I don't think he's hardly ever missed a day of work."

But Price he said he was aware there was another side to Shields.

"It came as a shock, but the company he was keeping, I've seen it happen before," said Price.

Price said he thinks Shields's friends may have been involved in drugs and perhaps that had something to do with his suspicious end, which he called a tragedy.

"He definitely didn't deserve this tragedy upon this life, no matter what he's done," Price said. "I wouldn't want anybody to suffer that way."

About a dozen officers and a K-9 unit were sent to the cemetery near Hall Street and Eastern Avenue around 7:15 a.m. They taped off a large section of the property and placed several evidence markers throughout the area as they searched for clues.

Police continue to figure out how Shields died and why he ended in the cemetery.

"It's a very large area. We want to be thorough and make sure we check the entire area to see if there's any evidence out there if in fact it is foul play," Grand Rapids Police Capt. Eric Payne told 24 Hour News 8 before the announcement that the death was homicide.

"It doesn't happen every day to have a body discovered in a cemetery, but we're processing it and we'll wait and see on the determination of the medical examiner whether or not it's foul play," he added at the time.

Police towed a van from the scene that family members confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 belonged to Shields. ..Source.. by Amanda Jarrett and Dani Carlson

Coloorado Sex Assault Suspect Killed

6-3-2009 Colorado:

Sometimes all we have is a News Video which is the case here. So we post it and hopefully someday find further information on the person mentioned. This one has been very elusive, so if anyone can find anything please let us know where.



Colorado authorities say a man found shot to death in a park earlier this week was facing child sexual assault charges. Investigators say they haven't ruled out his accuser or her family as suspects in the case. (June 3)

Murdered Libby man was a registered sex offender

Why would the Sheriff make that comment, esp. when it is unknown who did kill him and why?

3-22-2012 Montana:

LIBBY- The Libby man found who authorities say was murdered in his van in the lower Yaak River area over the weekend was a registered sex offender in Lincoln County.

Ernest Judd, 69, was convicted of one count of sexual assault to a 10-year-old female in 2006 and was designated as a Level 2 offender, meaning there was a moderate risk of a repeat sexual offense.

His body was found in his van in the lower part of the Yaak River area on Sunday and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says he suffered fatal injuries from blunt force trauma to his body.

Sheriff Roby Bowe says at this time there seems to be no connection between the murder and Judd's sex offense. ..Source.. by KAJ18.com

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Yaak Valley Murder Victim Identified, Was A Registered Sex Offender

The death of a Libby man in Northwest Montana's Yaak Valley over the weekend has sent the tight-knit community into a state of disbelief.

"We had no idea that this guy had gotten killed up there," said Libby resident Kevin Martin.

69-year-old Ernest Judd was found in his minivan on Sunday and had been beaten to death.

"I have known Ernest for little over a year now and he's come in and out of the store," explained fellow resident Lisa Block, "He was always quiet when he came in, kept to himself. I don't... I'm just kinda shocked with what has happened."

But Judd had a tainted past - court documents reveal that he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in 2006 and was released from Montana State Prison after serving only 6 months of a 10 year sentence. Locals who knew him say his past did not matter.

"I'm not gonna judge him," continued Block, "he served what was put down by the judge as far as I know, I'm not gonna judge him. It's not my place."

Sheriff Robe Bowe says there's no obvious link between Judd's criminal past and the murder, but locals say they hope justice is served.

"That'll definitely be up to the judge and the jury to decide," said Martin, "all that and questions and everything. And hopefully we'll get some answers and know exactly what happened."

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says the homicide is currently under investigation. ..Source.. by Rebecca Vogt, KCFW Reporter

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Suspected murder victim identified

The 69-year-old man found dead of blunt force trauma in his minivan in Lincoln County has been identified as Ernest Cleon Judd of Libby.

Judd and his vehicle were found by a passing driver at about 2 p.m. Sunday in the lower part of the Yaak River area on a gravel U.S. Forest Service road. Initially investigated as a suicide, Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe reported Tuesday that the department now believes Judd was murdered.

According to the Montana Department of Justice’s Sexual or Violent Offender Registry, Judd is a tier 2 registered sex offender. He was convicted in 2006 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl the year before.

His tier 2 assignment means he was deemed to have a moderate risk of being a repeat sexual offender.

Bowe said his department is aware of Judd’s history, but that there is currently no indication that it has anything to do with his death.

Bowe also addressed a rumor that Judd had recently won a sizable amount of money at a casino, which could have been a possible factor in a murder.

“We’re following all those leads, and as of right now we can’t pin that as a motive either,” Bowe said. “We’ve heard the same rumors, and all they are right now are rumors.” ..Source.. by JESSE DAVIS, The Daily Inter Lake

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Lincoln County death investigated as murder; victim identified

Authorities in Lincoln County have released the name of a man whose body was found in a minivan along the Yaak River last weekend, and continue to investigate the death as a homicide.

Ernest Judd, 69, of Libby, died of blunt force trauma, Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said Friday. His body was found March 18 in a minivan parked on a Forest Service road in the lower Yaak River area.

The death was originally thought to be a suicide, but Bowe said further investigation revealed that it was a murder.

“As of right now, we don’t have any motive,” Bowe said. “We don’t have any inclination at all why this person or persons did this to him.”

Bowe said investigators have spoken with people who knew Judd, and who reported that the man recently won a substantial amount of money at a casino. However, the amounts have varied between $700 and $1,700 and Bowe has not verified the winnings.

“There is speculation that he won money at the local casino, and we are following up on all those leads right now,” Bowe said. “Right now we haven’t confirmed anything, and we are just trying to determine what is true and what’s not.”

Investigators have also taken into account the fact that Judd has a criminal history, but Bowe said nothing so far indicates the murder is connected to the victim’s past legal troubles.

The state Sexual or Violent Offenders Registry lists Judd as a tier-2 registered sex offender. He was convicted in 2006 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl the year before.

“There is no indication right now that his criminal past has anything to do with this,” Bowe said.

The Montana Department of Criminal Investigations is assisting with the case, and Bowe said the Montana State Crime Lab is processing forensic evidence. So far, there are no suspects.

Judd’s death marks the fourth murder investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in four months, and the only one without an arrest or a suspect.

In December, Kristina Lynn Welch was arrested for the shooting death of her husband, Charles Welch. Then in January, Dale Kinniburgh Jr., 51, killed himself after reporting to police that he had murdered his wife, Catherine Kinniburgh, 55.

Days later, James Bonifas, 75, was arrested for the death of his daughter, 41-year-old Suzanne Campbell.

Bowe said the string of deaths has kept the department busy, but detectives are fully committed to solving the most recent homicide case.

“We are going to take it slow and careful and find out who did this,” he said. ..Source.. by Tristan Scott

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Man, 69, killed; identified; was known sex offender

The Western News on Tuesday learned the identity of the 69-year-old man who was found dead in a vehicle in the lower Yaak is Ernest Cleon Judd of Libby.

Earlier Tuesday, a press release from Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe confirmed the death was determined to be a homicide. However, Bowe did not confirm Judd as the victim, whose body was found about 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Western News learned Judd’s identity independently.

Bowe’s updated statement about the investigation revealed the deceased died of blunt-force trauma to the back of the head. The deceased was found in his minivan.

“The problem is we have not been able to notify his next of kin,” Bowe said. “Sometimes, families are tough to locate, and I don’t know when we might be able to do that.”

Conceding to next-of-kin concerns, The Western News has agreed to not post the news of Judd’s slaying on its Website www.thewesternnews.com until the geographically distant family members are notified by the Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Bowe was asked whether he could confirm the deceased recently won a sizeable amount at a casino.

Bowe, who stated his department is continuing its investigation, is looking into reports that the deceased boasted about recent winnings — talk that could have made him a target.

“… We’ll be pursuing that,” Bowe said.

The deceased’s body was taken to the Montana State Crime Laboratory where the cause of death was determined, clearing the way for the homicide investigation.

Judd’s slaying is the fourth such homicide in recent months, dating back to December when Kristina Welch allegedly shot her husband, Brian Charles Welch, in their home. Subsequent deaths of Dale and Catherine Kinniburgh, in a murder-suicide in which Dale killed his wife on Jan. 3 before turning the gun on himself.

Three days later, James Bonifas alledgedly shot his daughter, Susanne Campbell, in their home.

In those cases, police had immediate suspects.

Judd’s alleged killer or killers is still at large.

According to the Montana State Web site, Ernest Cleon Judd is a registered sex offender. Judd’s physical description listed him as a 5-foot, 9-inches tall, with blue eyes and white hair. He reportedly weighed 295 pounds. ..Source.. by Western News

Sex Offender Found Shot Dead In Car

3-7-2012 North Carolina:

EDWARD -- A convicted sex offender was found dead in Beaufort County, and deputies there are treating it as a homicide.

Bobby Ray Buck, 33, was found shot at what was at first believed to be the scene of a car accident.

Buck is listed in the N.C. Department of Corrections website as a convicted and registered sex offender. Buck was convicted of indecent liberties with a minor in 2004, according to records.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call early morning Wednesday reporting a motor vehicle accident on Minor Run Road in the town of Edward. First responders from Aurora Fire and EMS responded to the scene and discovered a man in a car with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Deputies responded to the location and secured the scene with the assistance of the Aurora responders.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252)974-6400. ..Source.. by WCTI Staff

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Man Murdered In Beaufort County

3-7-2012 North Carolina:

A man is dead after deputies say they found his body inside a vehicle early this morning. The victim had a criminal record dating back to 1998 and was due in court this week on misdemeanor drug charges.

A man is dead after deputies say they found his body inside a vehicle early this morning.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office says they were called to Minor Run Road in the Edwards area at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday for a traffic accident. When they arrived they found an Aurora man dead in a vehicle on the side of the road.

Lawmen say Bobby Buck had a gunshot wound. The 33-year-old man has been a registered sex offender since 2005.

Buck was convicted in Beaufort County in 2004 for taking indecent liberties with a child and he spent just over two years in prison for that crime. His criminal record dates back to 1998, including several B&E convictions.

Buck was supposed to appear in court Tuesday on pending misdemeanor drug charges.

Deputies say they have now identified a suspect in the Buck's murder, but have not released any information about an arrest. They are asking anyone with additional information to call them at 252-946-7111. ..Source.. by WITN.com

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911 call uncovers homicide

3-7-2012:

Deputies investigate after victim discovered with gunshot wound

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday night on Minor Road in the town of Edward.

At 12:15 a.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a passing motorist who had seen a vehicle off-road, in a ditch and stopped to investigate. According to Major Kenneth Watson, Aurora Fire and EMS arrived at the scene and found a deceased male with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as Bobby Ray Buck, 33, a resident of Hall Avenue in Aurora, and formerly of Tranquility Lane in Blount’s Creek.

The motorist called in what looked to be a car accident.

“(He) saw the vehicle, checked the driver and reported a vehicle accident with an injury,” Watson said, referring to the initial 911 call.

Sheriff’s Office investigators have identified a suspect in Buck’s homicide, but because of the ongoing investigation, are unable to release any information as to whom Buck was with or why he was at the location, Watson explained.

“We’re following up on a lot of information. We’ve identified a suspect and hope to have additional information to release soon,” he said.

Buck attended Aurora High School and received his G.E.D. from Beaufort County Community College. According to Lt. Jamie Cahoon of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations unit, Buck was unemployed, but “did odds and ends jobs for people in the community.”

Buck’s run-ins with law enforcement date back to 1998 when he was charged with the first of five DWIs. He served 22 months in prison for a 2004 conviction of indecent liberties with a minor. Buck’s most recent arrest was on Jan. 29 of this year, in which he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and simple possession of schedule IV controlled substance. His court date had been rescheduled to April 3.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252) 974-6400. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in this case. ..Source.. by Vail Stewart Rumley

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Deputies investigating homicide of sex offender

6-8-2012 North Carolina:

WASHINGTON, N.C. - Deputies say they have a person of interest for a Beaufort County homicide.

Deputies responded early this morning to a 911 call on Minor Run Road in Edwards.

They say they found a man shot to death in a car.

The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Bobby Ray Buck from Aurora. We checked and found out he’s a registered sex offender according to the state's registry.

Deputies say their investigation is on-going. They are willing to pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. ..Source.. by WNCT Staff

Victim of shooting caught on video ID'd

2-25-2012 Texas:

A man found shot to death in his pickup on U.S. 90 Thursday afternoon has been identified as George Munoz, 49.

Police Chief William McManus said the man was shot several times by a passenger in an SUV. He was found dead in the westbound lanes of U.S. 90 near the Southwest Military Drive exit.

The shooting was not random and the entire incident was captured on video, police said.

Police Sgt. Chris Benavides said authorities don't want to disclose the origin of the video for fear of compromising the investigation. ..Source.. by Michelle Casady

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Victim ID'ed in Hwy. 90 shooting death

2-26-2012 Texas:

The man killed in last Thursday's Hwy. 90 shooting has been ID'ed, and his criminal history is now clear.

The medical examiner says the man was 49 year-old George Munoz.

And his rap sheet includes a child sex assault, and failing to register with the state for that sex crime.

Munoz also had DWI and driving with a suspended license convictions.

And he'd been convicted of assault and drug possession.

Police say someone shot at Munoz' truck as he drove along the Hwy. 90 access road.

Police Chief Bill McManus said Munoz' shooting death does not appeared random.

Investigators say they have obtained video surveillance of the area, and hope to use that to identify Munoz' killers. ..Source.. by KSAT.com

Folsom prison inmate killed in assault

2-25-2012 California:

Law enforcement officials are investigating a homicide that occurred this morning in a medium security unit of Folsom State Prison, according to Corrections Lt. Paul Baker, who is stationed at the prison.

He said Richard Allen Leonard was assaulted with a "slashing type weapon." Responding staff instituted life-saving procedures, but could not revive Leonard, who was pronounced dead at 8:01 a.m.

Leonard, 44, was serving a 25-to-life term for aggravated sexual assault on a child. He was convicted in Orange County and began serving his sentence on Sept. 2, 1998.

The matter is under investigation by personnel at the prison and from the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, Baker said. The Office of the Inspector General's Bureau of Independent Review has been notified of the incident, he added.

He said there is no suspect at this time. The prison has been placed on a partial lockdown pending further investigation.

The prison houses more than 3,100 inmates and employs nearly 1,000 people. ..Source.. by Denny Walsh

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Investigation Into Inmate Death At Folsom State Prison

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Law enforcement officials are investigating an inmate death that happened at a medium-security unit at Folsom State Prison early Saturday morning.

Officials said 44-year-old inmate Richard Allen Leonard died after being assaulted with a slashing-type weapon.

The inmate was received from Orange County on September, 2, 1998, and was serving a 25 to life term for aggravated sexual assault on a child.

The case is being investigated as a homicide by Folsom State Prison Investigative Services Unit and Sacramento County District Attorney’s investigators. The Office of the Inspector General’s Bureau of Independent Review was notified of the incident.

There is no suspect at this time. Folsom State Prison has been placed on a modified program pending further investigation.

Folsom State Prison is a medium security that houses more than 3,100 inmates and employs nearly 1,000 people. FSP opened on July 26, 1880 as the second oldest Prison in California. ..Source.. by KCRA.com

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Pair Suspected In Folsom State Prison Killing

3-2-2012 California:

2 People Removed From General Population

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) -- Two people were removed from the general population at Folsom State Prison, nearly one week after an inmate was killed, police said.

Richard Allen Leonard died Feb. 25 after he was assaulted with a slashing-type weapon, Lt. Paul Baker said in a news release issued Thursday.

Leonard's death in the medium-security unit is being investigated as a homicide.

The 44-year-old was brought to Folsom State Prison from Orange County in 1998. He was serving a term for the aggravated sexual assault of a child, police said.

"The majority of Folsom State Prison population is back to a normal program," the news release says. "One segment of the population remains on a modified program pending further investigation."

The suspects' names have not been released by officials. ..Source..

Sex assault suspect killed by police

12-19-2010 California:

LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A California man suspected of sexually assaulting a minor family member was fatally shot Sunday by an officer who went to a home to question him, police said.

The Long Beach Police Department said in a statement officers were flagged down about 5 a.m. by a female who made the sex assault allegation.

Police said when the officers contacted the unnamed suspect, he produced a handgun and was shot by an officer, the Long Beach Post reported online. He was pronounced dead at the scene by city paramedics, the news Web site said.

No officers were hurt.

The minor who was allegedly assaulted was treated at a hospital.

City homicide detectives and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office were investigating the officer-involved shooting. ..Source.. by UPI

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UPDATE: Long Beach Police Officers Fatally Shoot Sexual Assault Suspect

12-20-2010 California:

UPDATE 9:34am Monday | Chief of Police Jim McDonnell issued a statement and took questions from the media Sunday afternoon after the early morning officer-involved shooting that killed a sexual assault suspect in Long Beach. He reiterated the story released by the department yesterday (which you can read below) and also added new details.

After last weekend's controversial shooting of Doug Zerby, in which it appears officers did not notify Zerby that they were present nor asked him to drop his weapon (it would turn out to be a water nozzle), McDonnell on Sunday made it very clear that officers confronted the suspect and announced themselves in both English and Spanish.

The suspect had fled to a nearby home and officers told him to exit in both languages. When he did not, they entered the home in an attempt to arrest him.

They found the suspect in a second-story bedroom and again told him to surrender in both English and Spanish. The suspect was sitting on a bed and rolled to the other side, where he grabbed a handgun and three officers opened fire, killing him. ..Source.. by Ryan ZumMallen

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Competing Claims And Motives In The Zerby Case

12-27-2010:

11:31am | I've never liked the adversarial system as it plays out in American jurisprudence.

Even if you're unfamiliar with the term 'adversarial system,' you know what it is: the prosecution and the defense each put on its best case, and a judge or jury decides the winner.

Especially in the context of criminal justice, where people are accused of the worst sorts of inhumane behavior, the term 'winner' is crass; nevertheless, it fittingly reflects the reality: within the parameters of what is legally allowable1, each side tries to win, period. Thus do you often hear variations on a theme: "If you're looking for truth in a court of law,

you're looking in the wrong place." The adversarial system is not about finding truth, it's about beating your adversary. It's about winning.

While I am completely on board with the state trying to prove its case and the accused getting a competent, vigorous defense against prosecution, I have always imagined it would be possible to have a system wherein both sides' first priority is to serve truth. That, it seems to me, would always make for the best chance to find "justice."

This oppositional frame shapes events far outside the courthouse walls. Historically we have found it alive and ill-but-thriving in police going to criminal lengths to justify their criminal behavior, and attorneys materially obfuscating fact and truth in the pursuit of victory.

I'm on this a priori tangent about the Zerby case because I've just been comparing the contrasting versions of the December 12 shooting of Doug Zerby offered to us by Long Beach Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell and by Brian E. Claypool, the attorney hired by Doug Zerby's family. And while I still count myself in that nearly all-inclusive group of people who are in no position to know what happened on December 12, what I do know is that already we are seeing both sides positioning themselves for combat, and it does not seem certain either is primarily driven by a search for truth.

Let us start by considering Claypool's version of events, which he animatedly offered on December 17, five days after the shooting. Piecing together everything he said, "Here's what really happened":

A very drunken Zerby did not wish to drive, and so he stumbled to his friend Doug's house and knocked on the door. Since Doug was not home, Zerby sat on the porch to wait, killing time by playing with a water nozzle he found there, apparently sometimes handling it as if it were a gun2. Police received a 911 call from an individual claiming he saw Zerby with a gun, though admitting that he didn't know much about guns3. "[A]t least five to six […] possibly more; could've been upwards of seven or so" officers arrived on the scene, and during a period of 10–15 minutes they took up positions around Zerby, one officer as close as 12 feet away behind a brick post that would have protected him from harm even if Zerby had a gun and opened fire. They observed Zerby with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap. "We know they [i.e., the officers] […] didn't fear for their lives." Eventually one of the officers made a noise, and Zerby turned in that direction, though with his arms still down, and one officer began firing, which triggered at least two and maybe three others to do the same4, "blast[ing] 20 rounds" at Zerby, 10 to 12 of which hit him, some after he was slumping forward from being shot5. "It was target practice for the Long Beach Police Department […] a flat-out ambush." Zerby's body ended up leaning against a banister, which suggests Zerby never made an aggressive maneuver.

Needless to say, Version Claypool differs from the LBPD version of events, which, as outlined by Chief McDonnell at his December 13 press conference, goes like this:

At approximately 4:40 p.m. police were dispatched to the scene based on the 911 call, which involved two witnesses who believed Zerby was brandishing a gun identified as a "six-shooter." Officers arrived and "took positions where they could watch the suspect until more officers arrived,"6 from where they observed an apparently intoxicated Zerby brandishing what appeared to them to be a handgun. They did not establish contact with Zerby because they first wanted to set up "containment" in case Zerby tried to exit the scene; and because they first wanted "a helicopter […], K9 units, and […] our mental-evaluation team." Over the course of 10–15 minutes as they waited for these resources to arrive, the officers observed Zerby pointing the presumed gun at the apartment building, then continued to play with the object, "which made noises that were similar to that [of] a handgun." As soon as Zerby became aware of the officers' presence, he pointed the supposed gun at the officers, using a two-handed grip typical of an individual about to discharge a handgun, at which point two officers shot him, including with two shotgun rounds. The officers did not speak with Zerby before shooting him "due to the actions of Mr. Zerby […]." "The message is: you're responsible for your actions."7

There's plenty in both accounts to wonder about. In Version Claypool, it strains credulity8 to think three to four officers who didn't fear for their lives fired 20 times on someone sitting cross-legged with his hands in his lap, including at least some shots after he was leaning forward, incapacitated. In Version McDonnell, there are frighteningly obvious questions, such as why officers had to wait for dogs and a helicopter before saying, "Long Beach Police Department. Drop your weapon."

Then there's also the matter of the factual discrepancies. From the little I know about forensics and ballistics, the number of shooters and their distance from Zerby when they fired is absolutely determinable—which means either Claypool or McDonnell can (and eventually will) be shown to have, for whatever reason(s), put forward inaccurate information.

Lastly, we have both Claypool and McDonnell inserting themselves into the mix by offering conclusions. To begin with, aside from spinning the incident as an "ambush," Claypool's account includes information he cannot possibly know, such as assertions about the intentions of the officers involved and Zerby's state of mind. And so whatever else is the case regarding his various assertions of fact, Version Claypool is at least somewhat embellished, in that it is not confined to the facts involved.9

For his part, McDonnell's stated conclusion that Zerby's own actions caused the officers not to speak with Zerby and then to shoot him can be nothing but spin, an attempt to exonerate the officers' actions in the forum of public opinion in advance of the investigation being conducted to determine whether that conclusion is valid, or whether what is truer is that the officers killed a man due to a deadly ineptitude (isolated or systemic). I'm open to the possibility that the officers and the LBPD may be blameless, but I cannot see how on December 13 anybody—especially those of us who weren't there—was in a good enough position to have determined it to be so.

That a mere one day after an officer-involved shooting of an unarmed man the chief of that police department seems already to have determined the shooting to be justified might reasonably cause one to be concerned about whether any departmental investigation of the incident isn't compromised from the start.10

In a tragedy such as the death of Doug Zerby, there are inevitable questions, especially in the immediate aftermath. Unfortunately, Claypool and McDonnell, by focusing on more than simply finding and acting upon truth, have made the process more questionable than it needs to be. In going forward, we should urge both sides not to be focused primarily on coming out of their corners fighting. Because this is not a boxing match; this is not a debate. An unarmed man was killed, and we should have a common goal, a goal that none of our behaviors should compromise: to find out why it happened, and to take whatever steps we might to minimize the chance that such a calamity will again befall us.

Beyond that, there may be a time when we can definitely assign blame, and there may be appropriate actions to take in that regard. But that time was not within a week of the shooting. Those who would play the blame game in that time frame might fairly be said to be posturing, digging trenches and hunkering down for an upcoming battle. That is not about justice; it's just another way of burying one's—and others'—head(s) in the sand.

Let's not go there.

Footnotes
1And, on occasion, outside of those parameters.
2Claypool skips over the question of what Zerby was doing with it, but he doesn't dispute that Zerby must have been doing something with it that made it appear to at least one person—namely, the 911 caller—that it was a gun.
3While this is true, Claypool takes the statement out of context: the caller was committed to his belief that Zerby had a gun; his statement about knowing little about guns was made in relation to the 911 operator's asking what kind of gun it was, to which the caller stated his belief that Zerby was brandishing a "a little tiny six-shooter or something like that" and not a 9 mm or a .45 caliber handgun. "Do you actually see a gun?" the 911 operator asks. "Yes, I do," the caller replies immediately.
4Regarding two of the officers, Claypool says, "All they did was barge in the apartment […] go to the side deck, and start shooting a shotgun at Doug Zerby."
5"Doug had already been incapacitated, and these police officers continued to shoot."
6Later McDonnell indicates that they tried to take positions of cover, and implies they were "30 to 40 feet" away—well beyond the effective range of the tazers they possessed, he says.
7This may sound harsher than it was meant, as McDonnell never (otherwise) implies that Zerby "deserved" to be shot; but this was McDonnell's statement in response to a reporter's question about what message this shooting sends to members of the community.
8Unless we were talking about, for example, a racially-motivated killing—as once were common enough in this country and which, unfortunately, are not extinct—but no one is suggesting this kind of factor is in play.
9This includes one assertion by Claypool that already we know to be false: "There was no indication from that 911 call that Doug Zerby had committed a crime," he says, even though brandishing a handgun in public—which is what the caller stated Zerby was doing—is a crime in California. (See California Penal Code Section 417.) That it turned out Zerby was not committing a crime does not lessen the fact the 911 call was indeed an "indication that Doug Zerby had committed a crime."
10Something I like about American jurisprudence is built into it is the possibility of outside investigations.

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IN PRINT: Zerby Shooting

11-20-2011

Homicide Unit investigating prisoner’s death

12-9-2011 Maryland:

North Branch Correctional Institution inmate found unresponsive inside celll

CRESAPTOWN — The suspicious death of an inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution on U.S. Route 220 is being investigated by the Internal Investigative Unit of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit.

Correctional officers found the 57-year-old inmate unresponsive in his cell in Housing Unit 3 of the maximum-security prison shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday and immediately started CPR until paramedics arrived. Officers were alerted after “an inmate approached a correctional officer and said something was wrong with his cell mate,” police said.

The unresponsive inmate was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The identity of the inmate is being withheld pending notification of his family. He was serving 40 years on a rape charge.

Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department ambulance responded to the call at 6:20 p.m., according to the Allegany County 911 center.

The Maryland State Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.

By law, Maryland State Police are the lead investigators in the case of a suspicious death inside a Maryland correctional facility. ..Source.. by Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

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Inmate's death caused by strangulation, ruled a homicide

12-12-2011 Maryland:

CUMBERLAND, Md. — Maryland State Police say an inmate who was found unresponsive in a Cumberland prison was strangled and his death has been ruled a homicide.

Fifty-seven-year-old Lewis J. Thompson Jr. was found in his cell at the North Branch Correctional Institution on Dec. 8 and pronounced dead at a local hospital. He was serving a 40-year sentence on a rape charge.

The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown reports that state police are conducting the investigation into Thompson's death. No charges have been filed yet. (http://bit.ly/sCAG6j) ..Source.. by The Republic

Inmate death at Augusta Correctional Center under investigation

8-11-2010 Virginia:

CRAIGSVILLE — The Virginia Department of Corrections is investigating the death of a 57-year-old inmate at Augusta Correctional Center.

Donald L. Mawyer of Arrington died in late July, according to the VDOC.

Larry Traylor, a spokesman for the VDOC, wrote in an e-mail Monday, "We had an inmate death at Augusta Correctional Center on July 24th. The incident is under investigation and I cannot comment further."

In 1999, Mawyer was released from prison after spending five years behind bars for a rape in Nelson County. In 2003 on Valentine's Day, Mawyer received a 30-year prison sentence in Albemarle County Circuit Court after being convicted of abduction, according to the VDOC. He also had a parole violation in 2000, along with a conviction in 2002 for failing to register as a sex offender. Mawyer was scheduled for release in August 2028 at the age of 75.

Daniel A. Braxton, warden at Augusta Correctional Center in Craigsville, referred all media inquiries to the Department of Corrections. The Medical Examiner's Office in Roanoke said Monday that a cause of death has not been determined.

A phone call placed Monday afternoon to a Mawyer family member was not returned. ..Source.. by Brad Zinn/staff

Preble County remains identified

3-12-2010 Ohio:

Dayton man's body was found near West Alexandria in July 2008

WEST ALEXANDRIA, Ohio -- The Preble County Sheriff's Office has released the name of the person whose remains were found July 18, 2008, on abandoned property near West Alexandria.

The victim was James M. Rembowski of Huffman Avenue in Dayton, Ohio. He was 54 at the time his body was discovered by two scrap metal seekers near a barn on the abandoned property in the 7000 block of Lexington-Salem Road. The preliminary period of death was estimated to be between fall 2007 and spring 2008.

In February, forensic scientists identified the remains by entering DNA information into a national database, revealed a match between the victim and a convicted sex offender.

Rembowski had a criminal record and was a convicted sex offender from Florida who had moved to Montgomery County.

The Preble County Sheriff's Office is handling the death as a homicide investigation and deputies have begun interviewing Rembowski's friends in Dayton.

Anyone who knew Rembowski or might have information about his death is asked to contact the sheriff's office at (937) 456-6262. ..Source.. by Palladium-Item

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Remains found in 2008 identified as that of Dayton sex offender

2-2-2010 Ohio:

EATON — The skeletal remains of a man found in July 2008 on an abandoned property near West Alexandria are those of a registered sex offender from Dayton, the Preble County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Sheriff Mike Simpson said his office is investigating the 54-year-old white male’s death as a homicide. He declined to identify the man, saying “we need to start our investigation on this end and backtrack what may or may not have happened.”

Simpson said someone found the remains July 18, 2008, inside a collapsed barn at 7016 Lexington Salem Road. He said the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the man using a national database and DNA taken from his remains.

Simpson said the man lived in Dayton after moving here from Broward County Florida. He declined to reveal the manner of death. ..Source.. Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer

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Sex offender may have been murdered

12-12-2012:

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The 2008 death of a sex offender may have been murder.

Dayton Police are expected to release new details about the death of James Rembowski in a news conference Wednesday.

Rembowski’s remains were found in the 7000 block of Lexington – Salem Road near West Alexandria in July 2008.

Sources tell 2 NEWS that police suspect Rembowski may have actually been killed at an address of Huffman Avenue in Dayton.

Rembowski was convicted of a sex crime in Florida before moving to Dayton. He was under indictment for failure to register as a sex offender at the time of his death. ..Source.. by WDTN.com

IN- Police: Father killed his son in an argument

9-11-2007 Indiana:

Man, 69, is charged in the shooting of namesake, 40, in Northside home

Police say a family argument led a father to shoot and kill his 40-year-old son in a Northside home early Monday, but investigators have not said what the spat was about.

Charles M. Long, 69, was held without bond Monday in the Marion County Jail on a preliminary charge of murder.

Officers said Long bolted from the home and eluded police for more than eight hours after he shot his son Charles A. Long to death about 2 a.m. in a house in the 300 block of Harvard Place.

"It stemmed from an argument between the father and son," said Sgt. Matthew Mount, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. "The father shot the son," who was dead when police arrived.

Acting on a tip, the U.S. Marshal's Service, Indiana State Police and IMPD officers staked out I-65 in Greenwood for Long's white Cadillac, IMPD Capt. Phil Burton said.

Officers spotted the vehicle and captured Long without incident in the westbound lane of I-465 near the East Street exit about 10:30 a.m., Burton said.

Police searched Long's car for evidence, Burton said, but did not find the weapon used in the shooting.

Three or four people were in the home at the time of the shooting, Burton said.

Long requested a lawyer, Burton said, cutting short an interview with homicide detectives.

The elder Long was arrested on robbery and forgery charges 49 years ago, Burton said. He also has prior arrests on charges of drunken driving, disorderly conduct and reckless driving, Burton said, but had not been in trouble with police since 1989.

In July 2006, a pregnant woman accused Long of pushing her to the floor twice after he returned to find her sleeping in his home, according to a police report. The woman declined medical treatment. Long wasn't arrested, records show.

The younger Long was a registered sex offender who spent 17 years in prison for rape and criminal confinement. Indiana Department of Correction records show he was released from prison in November. ..more.. by Vic Ryckaert

Police say cabdriver killed sex offender

1-28-2004 New York:
YONKERS — Police yesterday identified 24-year-old Joshua Torres of Yonkers as the man who fatally shot a paroled sex offender as he walked along a street in the southwest section of the city Monday, and said Torres believed the man had molested his 2-year-old daughter.

"We consider Mr. Torres to be armed and dangerous," Police Commissioner Robert Taggart said yesterday during a news conference where he called on Torres to surrender. "This man has a violent criminal history."

Torres is accused of shooting at 50-year-old Richard L. Tunley nine times, striking him with six bullets outside 290 Riverdale Ave. shortly after 4 a.m.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Torres with second-degree murder, a felony, Taggart said. Torres contacted police twice since the shooting to arrange a surrender but reneged. Police said they will contact the FBI's violent fugitive task force to help them find Torres.

The Tunley homicide — the city's first of the year — was the violent end to a series of events that unfolded in a Nodine Hill apartment Sunday.

Tunley's sister, Leandra DeGree, 54, yesterday said Tunley had been living with another sister, Denise, at 26 Loudoun St. in Yonkers, but he sometimes stayed with his niece on Elm Street at Van Cortlandt Park Avenue. There — despite his classification as a Level 3 sex offender — he baby-sat for the niece's 2-year-old child and two other children.

According to Tunley's family, the baby began to cry around 2 p.m., and Tunley went to change her diaper. He was about to put on a fresh diaper when an unidentified nephew, who is in his 20s, walked into the room. At this point, accounts by police and family differ. DeGree said Tunley was simply caring for the child. But police said the nephew told them he caught Tunley in the act of molestation.

Another nephew, James DeGree, 35, also said yesterday he didn't believe Tunley had done anything to the child.

Police and Tunley's family agree, however, on what happened next: The nephew who walked in on the diaper change viciously beat Tunley, breaking his jaw, teeth and ribs, and then the baby's mother threw Tunley out of the apartment. After Tunley left the apartment, his niece called her boyfriend, Torres, a cabdriver. Torres arrived, and he, Tunley's nephew and another unidentified man jumped into a car to look for him and beat him again.

"If they beat him, why beat him again and shoot him like an animal in the street?" asked Haygood Tunley, a brother of the victim.

Tunley, fearing that he would be pursued, called his girlfriend and told her he was afraid for his life. For safety, he took a different route home to avoid the pursuers, his family said.

Torres and the others checked his girlfriend's house, another sister's home and just after 4 a.m., spotted Tunley walking on Riverdale Avenue and shot him, Leandra DeGree said. After the shooting, Tunley's nephew returned home and went to sleep, his family said.

Taggart said a doctor examined the toddler and the two other children and determined that they were not sexually abused.

Some of Tunley's relatives yesterday said they are furious that the slain man was portrayed as a worthless sex offender. "He did not give him a chance to explain," said Leandra DeGree, referring to the nephew. They were upset that police found the nephew and did not arrest him.

"They let him go," said James DeGree. "He is an accessory to murder, and they let him go."

Meanwhile, Taggart yesterday said Tunley had registered with police last fall after moving to Loudoun Street. The commissioner said Monday that Tunley had not registered. Police, however, had not yet notified residents in the Loudoun Street area that the sex offender was living there. In the past, police notified residents in two other neighborhoods that Tunley lived in their area.

Tunley had 15 arrests, including six felonies and nine misdemeanors, and a third-degree rape conviction.

Torres was convicted of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, on Oct. 25, 1999. In July 1999, he was convicted of second-degree assault. He was convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance in October 1997. He also has a conviction for fifth-degree criminal possession of a marijuana. ..more.. by