snow on Mount Sopris
After her classes, Morgan came home and just hung out and rested. I worked and waited to meet our detective at 4:00 pm. Steve came home early from work, and we laid out our array of papers for the meeting.
The detective called and he was running late, I told him we were all home and ready anytime, so that was fine. Just before 5:00 pm we met, it was 56 days into Morgan’s stalking, and now it was officially a felony stalking case. We hadn’t called the sheriffs on day one of the stalking, so it was actually more like around 52 days since the first call to the Garfield sheriffs, but they knew when it had first started. The detective didn’t have the case number with him, but said he would get that to us once he got back to his office and looked it up.
We went over our records, showed him the cameras and the systems in place to protect Morgan. He told us that not many people went to such lengths, and we could certainly file a claim, a compensation claim with the victim’s rights coordinator, and get reimbursed for at least part of what we were spending on all of our stuff. That was nice to hear as it was a considerable expense so far, but we never did. We were more hopeful about putting an end to all of this, and there had not been one in sight up until now, we all discussed exactly where this case was at this moment in time.
The detective had obviously talked with some of the deputies who had become our “regulars” on the case so far. He said Garfield County had a protocol of shifting the officers around to different areas of the county on a regular basis, and we did not have a group of the same two or three deputies, over time, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had met all of the patrol deputies eventually in the entire department. He knew that the deputies so far had zeroed in on one person, but he said he was going to be revisiting everything and would, “go where the evidence led him.” It was too late to cast any of the footprints or fingerprints, and at that time none of our pictures were clear enough to identify one exact person, so it could take a while.
Morgan explained the usual events, and how she had been followed, and was not certain when it had really began, but knew that since August 2 it had been pretty constant. The detective asked her for suspects, and Morgan had one name for him, Keenan Vanginkel, we added a few more to the list, but those names we thought might be helping the stalker, and not actually the stalker. She was downplaying her fear, and how upset she would get, so I felt I had to encourage her to tell the detective how she really felt as this was happening – that helped. Morgan had built up a wall to what was going on, and when she let that down she instantly started to tear up, and almost cry, as she explained how she felt about what had been happening. Morgan never liked to be thought of as weak, and it was uncomfortable to watch her struggle, but it had to come out. I wondered if the detective was seeing the same thing I was.
After he left, Morgan could not get out of the house fast enough. She was upset that she had shown a little weakness, and was now going to see her friends in Carbondale, where she could pretend everything was normal. Steve and I talked about the meeting, and were not sure what to make of it, it was not what I had expected, but then I had nothing to compare it with either.
Steve texted Morgan at 7:35 pm, “Just left for dinner. Text me when you gonna come home cuz mom left her phone at home.” Morgan answered, “Will do. :). “ Later, at 8:40 pm Steve texted again “We are home.” Morgan came home at 10:00 pm and went to bed. She didn’t say anything about the detective or her stalker.
In a replay of the last few nights, the motion detector went off at 10:43 pm, and I waited for another rock on Morgan’s window. That did not happen, but I had heard noise outside our room, when Steve went to look, he didn’t find anything out of the ordinary, and we went to sleep.
(Police reports later show the “suspect” was not working this evening. On 9.26.2011 he worked from 8:30 am – 12:59 pm & then from 1:30 pm – 5:27 pm)
Almost 2 years after Morgan’s murder we finally received the police reports (see this one supplemental below) – his date is incorrect – he called us on Sunday the 25th, but he did not meet with us until Monday the 26th:
Supplement Report #5 2011-20197
Print Date/Time: 10/01/2012 11:29 October 3, 2011
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
ORI Number: CO0230000
A few weeks ago, I was advised of this case. It was further requested that I contact the victim family and consider putting up sheriff’s office issued wildlife cameras in an attempt to capture photos of the suspect(s).
On September 25, 2011, I met with the Ingrams at their home located at 62 Corral Dr. Carbondale, CO. We went over the case history. The Ingrams explained to me that the suspect(s) began to harass them in the first part of August 2011. Since then they have had a continuance presence by the suspect(s).
Activity will include small rocks being thrown at the house, scratching of the windows, and a known presence in their yard. The Ingrams have installed motion sensor lighting and wildlife cameras of their own.
On a regular basis, motion detectors will go off and the lights will turn on. Further evidence of suspect(s) activity will include shoe prints in a dirt area along the house. In one instance, outlined in Deputy Locklear’s previously submitted supplemental report, the Ingrams captured a photo of the suspect using one of their wildlife cameras. Deputy Locklear obtained the photo and submitted it into evidence. The photo depicts a male person but is not clear enough to show identity.
I requested that the Ingrams document every suspicious activity so that a log could be generated. Furthermore, I advised that the documentation would support a subsequent criminal prosecution.
I then took a tour of the home so I could learn the floor plan of the home. I also walked the exterior of the home. I then installed two wildlife cameras on the north side of the home. This area between the Ingram’s and the neighbor’s house is near where a lot of the activity is occurring. It is also the location of Morgan Ingram’s bedroom.
Click here to read about the 57th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1401
I have been reading all of your blogs and am trying to imagine how awful this all is for you and your family.
I was wondering if, after these stones would hit the windows, both yours and your daughters, did u find these stones near the windows in the morning?
No but you have to know there were stones, dirt clumps, everything around the house – we live in the mountains and even though this was a subdivision and there were lawns the grass didn’t come up to the houses there was dirt and trees, etc. around the houses. The 2 days before Morgan was murdered the detective came over to our house and walked around to Morgan’s windows and I asked a similar question…he bent down, picked up a clod of mud and threw it at the side of the house…it made a large noise and he looked at me and said you don’t see anything different on the ground now do you? Up till then Steve and I actually combed the ground trying to find little BB’s or something that could have caused the banging but never found BB’s or pellets or anything, although that is tough too with all the vegetation.
Toni… I think the psychic you consulted with was an audience member on the Rikki Lake show today. Did you watch it? She did not mention names, but she gave the ‘consulted on a case where a young girl was found dead after 4 months of stalking and her parents were told it was natural causes’ story. I yelled at my kiddo to hush, and rewound it. Sure enough she said exactly that. Was it her??
Yes, I was just on the phone a 1/2 hour ago with her and she told me – I haven’t seen it yet, but she confirmed that it was her. She is amazing and has been a consultant, not only for us, but for others in this area, and she is really helping us all find evidence, etc. She is a close friend, and has never charged a dime – she is doing what she does out of love too – see there are angels all around us.
Maybe Rikki will have you on the show to gain more exposure??
You never know
Thank you for your reply, I understand now how hard it would be to find something like this.
Toni, have you considered having a forensic astrologer taking a look at Morgan’s case? I’ve seen the astros on Websleuths do some amazing things, though that forum is now closed. But I bet they could give you great insight into her death by running some charts. You should be able to find someone reputable by researching online.
Someone we know in Aspen offered to do that after Morgan died and he did – he ran Morgan’s, Steve’s, Morgan’s two siblings, as well as mine all compared with Morgan’s, and it was amazing the things I did read.
Morgan was very much into astrology, and charts, but I had never looked into it before that. Morgan’s chart actually said she would give up her life if she had to for the greater good of others – I don’t think Morgan wanted to leave us, but I do believe in her death other will get helped. I just wish we had her back – selfish I know, but I will never stop wishing it.
A forensic astrologer can create a chart for the night she died as well. It may give you insight into the circumstances surrounding her death. I’ve seen them be able to determine state of mind, manner of death, descriptions of suspects involved, etc. I’d encourage you to browse Websleuths’ forensic astrology threads for some high profile cases and see what’s possible. I truly believe this may help you figure out how and where to focus. They can even run charts on suspects, though you’d need some pretty specific info about the person in order to do that.
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=318
You said it wasn’t what you expected…..can you clarify that? I ask because you had mentioned that the deputies seemed more interested in capturing the stalker than the chief. I was wondering if he was complacent or if he genuinely seemed to give your case the attention and urgency it so obviously deserved. Did you feel he did everything he could have done, starting with that initial meeting? Of course you very well may not be able to say, in which case I understand.
Lisamarie – not 100% sure I know what you are asking, but I will try to answer. Steve and I both thought the Patrol Officers tried very hard – they wanted to catch this guy and protect Morgan, in my opinion the instructions, training, protocol they were given were never going to work in this situation . The detective in charge of Morgan’s felony stalking case also wanted to solve this, but it felt like once it became a felony stalking the detective was in charge so the Patrol Officers could only do what they were told by the lead detective so they no longer surrounded the suspects house and tried to talk to him. It almost seemed like we went backwards…I feel like this was due to the wrong protocol as well.
I’ve only come across you blog in the last few days, My heart breaks for your family. I’m not sure if this has been suggested to you before and I don’t know a lot about these things however I have noticed in a few posts that you have forgotten you mobile phone and left it at home while out. If the stalker did have access to your home could it be possible he may have bugged your phone if he found it in the house while you where out? That way he would have access to texts and calls between you and Morgan.
Probably a long shot but if you haven’t already had your phone checked it might be worth doing so.
Wishing you and your family so much love from Australia.
Toni, my deepest condolences for your loss. I would not wish on my worst enemy the horrendous things you and your family have had to go through. Thank you so much for your overwhelming strength and outpouring of info. I have no doubt countless people will be helped because of it! If I may ask you a question…I’m sorry if this makes you uneasy. I know this possibility makes me sick. Do you think the stalker could have entered your home when no one was there and read through the text messages on your phone during the times you left your phone at home? It’s something that just crossed my mind and I felt compelled to tell you.
Did Morgan ever suspect her stalker hacked into her email? And if the stalker would have been caught, what would have been the penalties he would be facing? Time in jail/prison? Could this have been a motive for murder?
That is a very good question. At the time of the stalking Morgan was concerned that her phone or her car had been hacked. She asked her dad to look for any kind of GPS that could have been put on her car, but at the time he did not find one. Doing what you are saying is obviously against the law and we did discuss it with the sheriffs at the time – we were told it’s hard to prove…everything we asked them about they said was hard to prove. Now after Morgan’s murder I have worked with other victims of stalking in that same area one of which knew her computer and phone were hacked. She brought them in to the sheriffs and they had their “IT officer” check them out – she was told they were clean. She then had an expert at the federal level check them and they had been hacked. I really wish the sheriffs would take stalking seriously and refer the evidence to real experts instead of pretending nothing is really happening. It is so frustrating for me to see this continual behavior when victims are suffering and could loose their lives just as our 20 year old daughter did. Morgan never hurt anyone in her life – she was sweet and kind, and in the end that is one of the reasons she became a target of hateful, jealous people. It is so very wrong.
I’ve only just gotten this far and I’m so terribly sorry. Gosh I don’t have the words to say how sorry I am for your loss and pain. I want you to know that when her phone broke or whenever she switched to her dads old iPhone I’m pretty sure she was being tracked on that other phone bc the tracking you can hear what’s going on around you, you can even see, also intercepted text which there are times earlier in the blog it seems that’s exactly what happened also it’d track her to exactly where in the house she was, her AppleID would’ve been the same as her email I’m guessing and the password for both not too far apart so honestly that’s all you need to be invisible in someone’s life and know everything and there’s no way to know it’s there or present at all. The phones battery can lose power faster, there can be weird text bc they can text to and receive and intercept text so a bill would be the only way to see that, weird data usage. He could tell where in the house or where ever she was and in the closet after the phone it would’ve slowed him down a bit bc often a phone reset can boot the malware but not always and a new phone all together he may have not realized why he’s spyware wasn’t working so quick or she changed the password to he AppleID which would’ve made it harder to get in to a different phone. I can’t explain yet for the life of me any other way he’d know where she was in the house all the time unless he had put surveillance in the house when you guys went out of town for a day. For him to do that would be easy but for long term it’s need batteries or an outlet. It seems like the obvious places it’d put it first her room, the living room (the couch she slept on with the dog) your room…..and honestly maybe it was just her room it’d be easier that way for him to get in put it wherever it can look like a picture frame, a pen, an alarm clock, literally thousands of things you’d never suspect or think twice about.
Toni, you would think, even if only for their own peace of mind, that all of the people in authority who were working on Morgan’s case, would have wanted to find the truth. Also, it seems like they would have wanted justice for Morgan and you. They are supposed to be fighting for truth and justice and help the victims and their families. Something is seriously wrong there and there needs to be a huge investigation into the system there.
I couldn’t agree more BUT when citizens are up against people in political office (coroner & sheriff in Colorado) then where do you turn?
That’s so true. It’s like that all across our country.