Morgan had jazz dance class early today, and she was not feeling well. After class she Skyped with her big sister, and lounged around the house. She was reading and resting. Steve and I needed to go get something in Glenwood Springs and pick up some dinner, of course Morgan didn’t want to go, so instead she just went and picked up a friend, she came back to the house with her friend before we left, so she wouldn’t be alone in the house. For a 20-year-old who is used to having so much freedom to come and go, or just be by herself if she wanted, this was making me feel really sad for her. She always had to be with someone…I was praying that this would end soon, and everyone’s lives could go back to normal…especially Morgan’s.
I texted Morgan at 7:43 pm, “What yarn from Walmart?” Morgan answered. “Caron simply soft grey heather, will you grab two just in case?” I told her “Will do.” And Morgan said, “Thanks!! At 8:08 pm I told Morgan, ”we got three just to be safe, and we are on our way home now.” And Morgan said , “You guys are the (image of love bomb) !” And I said, “Too cute love the bomb!”
After dinner the detective answered my questions and we had a case number, case #11-20197, this was now the 58th day of the stalking. The detective had lots of input about getting a restraining order against Keenan Vanginkel, and I sketched them all out on a piece of paper. He felt that on one hand it could keep him from entering our yard, which is not necessarily a bad outcome. But then it would also limit our ability to get any additional evidence to charge him. With stalkers you never know, it might make him do it more frequently. And of course it would interfere with surveillance, something the detective wanted to do at least twice in the 9:00 pm to 1:00 am time slot as soon as possible. He said things had come up, and there would be no surveillance this week, so he was hoping we could hold off for a couple of weeks before we did get a restraining order against Keenan. We would hear from the detective next week, and he would update us as to plans for the week.
I was actually relieved to not be seeking a restraining order right away. I knew Steve would not be happy about this decision, nor would Morgan, but I thought, okay it was just for a few weeks, and if we caught him in that time it would be so much better. Let me share the reason I was relieved we didn’t go for a restraining order yet…I know this sounds strange to you but I felt that I had a good reason. In July of 2010 Vonnie Flores was killed by her next door neighbor in Leadville, CO. She knew the man that was stalking her for 5 years, as he was her next door neighbor. She had filed a restraining order against him one week before she was killed. He had been arrested in June of 2010 and was out on bail, this was in July of 2011 – the summer before Morgan’s stalking started. https://www.denverpost.com/2010/07/08/sheriff-says-leadville-woman-killed-by-stalker-out-on-bail/ He shot her in her own driveway – so needless to say I was a little concerned about getting a restraining order.
(Police reports later show the “suspect” was not working on 9.28.2011)
Today is September 26, 2012, and it is time to answer the question about all those rocks!
Imagine yourself in a room, even the room you are in will do. Take a moment to imagine – it’s quiet, you are alone, it is dark, and then there is a noise, or is there a noise? A tap? A scratch? What is it? You are not sure, and you strain to hear, to know, then BANG, loud reverberating, rattling. You jump, startled by the sound, you are not alone, and not in a good way! Your heart is beating more rapidly, fight or flight kicks in, uncertainty, call out, stay silent, you are not sure of what to do. Try it sometime, see how easily you could be frightened, by just two noises. Welcome to a fraction of Morgan’s life at that time, because this and more happed on a regular basis. And it is was not just Morgan, it is the same fear, the same uncertainty for every single person who is a victim of stalking! And whenever it wasn’t happening, I knew from being with Morgan, as well as when it happened to me, that she was on guard for the next time, she knew would come, never really feeling safe. Does a longer time period between startles make the next one worse than the last? Some experts believe that is absolutely the case. What if is a shorter interval? Yes, of course, bam, bam, bam, – make it stop!
Steve and I were privileged to be put in contact with individuals who really do understand that you can be scared to death – and could explain it in terms that we could understand…almost. But, as always, I encourage you to research for yourself, just google – “homicide by fright” – or if you feel that is too narrow of a subsection, broaden out to – “scared to death” – and wade right in. Bottom line is that it happens, and we spent a good deal of time researching this cause of death because doctors and professors heard:
- 20-year-old, and very healthy
- Four months of stalking
- Terrorized
- No real obvious cause of death (which we now know was not true – the pathologist just ignored the scientific evidence he had, either through gross negligence or as part of a cover-up
This was of course before the tox report was revisited, and the pathologist, Dr. Kurtzman’s explanation of “Pay no attention to these results, they are insignificant”, and stapled to the top, was peeled back and the actual results were scrutinized by other forensic experts. Then it was established that Morgan actually had been killed by a massive dose of the sexual assault drug Amitriptyline. That of course was before the latest coroner twist, which produced a report with six other date rape drugs in her gastric system – drugs that never even made it into her blood stream as she was already dead when they were put in her stomach. And of course he forgot to mention that in the suicide finding. Am I sounding paranoid or just stating the obvious?
So what does all that have to do with rocks, you ask? You can be scared to death by your stalker and it is important for every person being frightened by their stalker to know this. In Morgan’s case, after her death, there was a period where we thought it was homicide by fright. But it has been clarified into an massive overload of one drug that was injected into her, enough for a 1,200 lb horse, then many other drugs, a date rape cocktail of drugs put into her stomach after she was already dead, all that is left is to determine who gave them to her and how, or maybe there was more than one person involved. That is was not Morgan by herself is with out doubt, and besides how does she steal all of her own jewelry at the same time, assault herself and then move her own body after she is already dead?
The lesson I wish to share is that if you are being startled don’t take it lightly, protect yourself from fright. I’ve even read that in the overtime of a soccer game heart attacks will spike. Think about it , soccer game, goes into overtime, heart attacks spike. I remember the pathologist, Dr. Kurtzman, telling Steve it was impossible for Morgan to have died from mere fright, “mere fright,” that’s what he called it. When so many doctors, professors and specialists have told me that is pure nonsense, of course you can die from fright and if the correct things are tested in the tox screen you will have proof as well, what is a normal person supposed to do? I guess this is what they mean by fighting City Hall…
Now back to rocks. Steve was obsessed with the noise on the windows, he wanted to know how did the stalker do it? How was there never any evidence of how it was being done. He would stand in the yard, stare at the house, it just came to him. We had a planter around the house with rocks in it, but that did not seem like how it was being done. The detectives theorized ice chunks and we would go out right after a noise and search for ice, nothing. Steve thought he had figured it out once with the bb gun theory, so he bought bb guns. Laser sights, long range, plastic bbs, and he could make noise on the windows from a great distance, way out of range of the cameras, without breaking the glass. And when we did it we could not find the bbs either. But the next deputies out to the house had lots of experience with bb guns said over time the ground would be covered with bbs, so that was not it. In shear desperation Steve wanted to smear a film of Vaseline over the windows so we could read the streaks left after noises. Morgan was freaked out by that idea, so instead we mowed the grass extra short in front of Morgan’s windows, raked the ground thoroughly right there too, picked it all up and added it to the grass clippings. Then took the bags of mixture and spread them out, one by one, over plywood and examined it piece by piece. And found nothing out of the ordinary.
Steve was tearing his hair out. Then we met with an Intuitive who, among a lot of other things, said to look on the roof, there is evidence on the roof. And bingo, two detectives, half dozen deputies, and Steve gave it their all, but didn’t look on the roof until now. The first time Steve was up on the roof after this meeting he called me and said, “I know how he did it.” Why couldn’t we figure this out sooner?
With a fixed length piece of metal or wood, a broom handle, or countless other things that could have even been left up there, it was a simple matter to lean over he edge of the roof and tap or bang on any of the upper windows. Our roof is quite high and from the ground it seemed way too far up there, but it was not. Most of our windows went all the way up o almost under the eaves. With a telescoping rod, like say collapsing hiking poles or trekking sticks, it would be even easier, collapse and take with you, nothing to leave behind – Morgan was right when she covered up her clearstory windows with thick sheets.
We had the grounds around the house well covered. We watered and raked the dirt, preparing it to get some good footprints, so many times. And all we had to do was look up. He owned the roof, and we did not figure this out until months after her death. And really – when there is noise on the glass, no footprints in the freshly watered and raked soil, and nothing caught on camera. He had to be somewhere, and we missed it completely. There was a “seam” between two cameras that was utilized to get to the house and then once on the roof every system in palace to catch him was rendered ineffective.
Don’t let this happen to you! Not just look up on the roof, look everywhere, your stalker will have some other plan every time. If something unexplained is going on take the time to explain it, no matter how long it takes. A little piece of information like that could prove to be more important than you would ever know.
Click here to read about the 59th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1462
Hi Toni,
I know in yesterday’s reply to my post you mentioned the reports had been released somewhere and that unfortunately you had not been able to view exactly what reports and information had been released. So, I just wanted to provide you the two links to both of the reports(seeing as how it is your beautiful daughter whom is the subject of both) it was bothersome to me for you to have not yet even had the opportunity to see what was being publicly released regarding you all’s daughter.
Many of us understand fully your need to not publish all information and documents that you have. Due to preserving certain specific information in hopes of having the case reopened and thereby ensuring the integrity of the investigation with hopes of a prosecution at some point down the road.
Whether you and Steve like it or not there has from this emerged a “TEAM MORGAN” 🙂 that has very much banded together and extend literally worldwide in our support for seeing this through all the way to the bittersweet end of JUSTICE FOR MORGAN.
Morgan’s light was not extinguished from this earth last December 2nd. Yes, robbed you have been of Morgan’s beautiful earthly body but the bright and vivacious energy of who and what Morgan was and exuded from the inside out is very much still here, alive and well and guiding you two towards the justice of which you seek. Morgan’s beautiful, creative, and wise beyond her years soul carries on and because of you, Toni so very many of us are now having the privilege of knowing your beautiful Morgan. She is unique, she is different, she stands out in the crowd in so very many ways that have become evident to me and others in our learning and getting to know your beautiful daughter.
Thank you, Toni. Thank you for trudging the daily battle that any of us mom’s would do in a heartbeat for our child were we to ever been in similar circumstance. And most of all thank you for choosing to be Morgan’s earthly voice and allowing us to have glimpses into your lives and in learning the inner beauty above all else of your daughter. Thank you for allowing us to fall in love with the radiant spirit of Morgan and to be here for you and Stever, her parents as you continue to fight for that which should have been you all’s right from the start…that being an open and thorough investigation into both the stalking and the death of your daughter.
“TEAM MORGAN” is here for the long haul of however long it takes to receive that which is only fair and right..JUSTICE FOR MORGAN!
Much love to both you and Steve
Lieza – thank you on so many levels…Steve and I really appreciate it. Take care!
Hi Toni,
Just wondering — When did you notice Morgan’s jewelry was missing? And when did you report it stolen? (Or did you?) Following this trail seems really important! Thanks, and stay strong xo
48 hours after she was killed they told us we could take down the crime scene tape over her room and go inside – her cat was still in there hiding so we had to go in. It was hard but I sat on her bed, and started to look on her shelves at her personal stuff like her jewelry, and hair clips, and bobby pins, etc., and I started to look through everything and noticed her costume jewelry was till there, but I didn’t see the more expensive things – they were gone from where they usually were. At the time I really didn’t care about it, but then after a few days I started to think this is really strange. And yes, I told the detectives, and then later sent them an email with descriptions. Then after December 23rd when Keenan was arrested on a warrant for stolen jewelry, and then was found to have drugs, scale, etc. in his possession a family member called me after reading about it in the Post Independent newspaper. Our detectives had no idea – I tried to find out from the Glenwood Springs Police if Morgan’s jewelry could have been in with the jewelry that he brought to the Cash for Gold place, but they would never tell me. Our detective said we needed to give him pictures of the jewelry in order for him to look into it – just a description and then showing us pictures of the jewelry that was sold would be, “the worst example of bad police work.”
I am sure you have already exhausted this avenue, however was there a chance the Cash for Gold would tell you what the jewelry looked like? Or was the jewelry taken as evidence at LE department and just sitting there, couldn’t an attorney subpeona photos of the jewelry K was caught with. This has been bothering me from when you first mentioned this in the blog, that seems awfully fishy to me, why is LE hiding information like that from you??? What does the medium have to say about this.It seems this is a huge piece of valuable information that could prove he was in her room at some point and the investigation could move forward. Thank you for sharing your families story with all of us. Prayers and hugs for you and Steve.
I agree – following up on the jewelry seems like a good lead. Do you have any photos of Morgan wearing some of the pieces that are missing? If they match the stolen pieces (assuming they are still being held as evidence), it would seem to directly incriminate K. Stay strong – Justice for Morgan will prevail!!! Love and hugs to you both.
That’s what I thought but after months and months asking the detective to do something about it finally in May he told us that even if they found the jewelry on him he could just lie to them about where he got it and there is nothing they can do about it. Would this be different if it had been a murder investigation, like it should have been at the time? I believe the answer to that is yes…and why wasn’t it a murder investigation at the time? Your guess is as good as mine but I put the blame on Dr. Kurtzman the Pathologist because for the first 7 months he insisted it was natural causes and then when we wouldn’t let it go he changed it to suicide. But it wasn’t just him – what about the morning of the death scene, the person in charge there never even collected evidence that would normally be collected if it was a murder scene. Was this incompetence or something much more insidious?
He’s going to lie, so we just won’t ask him any questions. ???! If all police operated that way, no one would ever be interrogated and no crimes would ever be solved! And the death of a healthy 20 years old with no apparent signs of trauma is ALWAYS suspicious and should ALWAYS be investigated. There is nothing natural about it.
We did go to the Cash for Gold shop. The woman recognized the picture of Keenan, but could not find any files or pictures and assumed the Police took it all. I do believe we could get a subpoena, but that would mean a lawsuit. The Medium said he was in her room…the most horrible thing for us to imagine, but just because we didn’t want to imagine it we knew it was true.
Thank you for your prayers.
While I agree that there are some things the LEOs did that don’t quite add up, I also have to agree with the Detective that showing the family photos of the stolen jewelry would have been bad police work.
My husband is a detective, and we regularly discuss his work. He’s very, very good at what he does. And he agrees that he would never do such a thing either. Why? Because a detective has to work on facts — facts that can be upheld without a reasonable doubt in court. If he showed a victim a picture of the jewelry, and the victim said “yes! that’s mine!” he has no way of knowing *without a reasonable doubt* that it is, in fact, their jewelry. The victim could be lying (for all kinds of reasons). So, it is really optimal if the victim provides pictures of the jewelry in question (even descriptions aren’t enough, as it leaves it open to some interpretation), so that way it can be confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt that there is a match.
I agree with that also, except I gave the detective a detailed verbal description of the jewelry before hand and also on an email – there were some other gold necklaces that I couldn’t give a great description of because, they were little gold necklaces (mostly with crosses on them) from gifts when she went to Catholic school (all gone). But all the other jewelry that was worth the most like the large silver and turquoise bracelet, pink freshwater pearls, mermaid enameled delicate necklace, etc. were given to him in that description, and he could have checked himself, but wanted pictures of the jewelry with Morgan wearing it – that was near impossible, because Morgan liked wearing her homemade and costume jewelry a lot more and only wore her more expensive stuff when she went out on a special occasion. Also, at that time Steve and I were not strong enough to go through all the thousands of pictures we needed to go through and I expressed that to the detective. But I guess most other people could have done it because it then went in the reports that we never gave them the description which isn’t true.
If this is always the case then I would suggest that everyone take all their jewelry out, and place it on a white surface, and document it all with pictures that you keep safely tucked away – even your children’s jewelry.
-I would just like to say that as I came across this yestursay evening I found myself reading everything til around four in the morning. I am currently 19 and what happened to your daughter is terrible. Its an outrage what you have to go through to help find who it was. Police and law enforcement are suppose to help us not make things more difficult. I have showed my mom and dad this and they are currently reading I wanted them to be aware of these. Thing because I have four baby sisters and 3 brothers. And this is so education and emotional. I will keep sharing it as well with others. Greatest. Sympathy and justice will happened. I can feel it.
Thank you for sharing and caring!
Toni,
I’m here every day reading, praying and wishing I was near to just make you smile, hug you or whatever you may need. I know you have Steve and what wonderful loving people you are. Surely that will not go unrewarded! Justice for Morgan!!!!!!
God Bless
PS: For me, I don’t need more information, your case was made way back towards the beginning of this blog. You’ve shown Morgan’s character very well. It is as if, I was living in your house and Morgan was my daughter. I know Morgan wouldn’t have taken a pill, she wouldn’t have ended her life and I know the Coroner was and probably is still LAZY.
I’m a firm believer that Justice will prevail. Their Karma will catch up to them and all who has helped them. Either this lifetime or the hereafter, there will be Justice.
You’ve shared a part of Morgan to me/us here and I don’t think I will ever forget her.
TG thank you for sharing your feelings with us – we really appreciate it. You are right – Morgan had no pills or remnants of pills in her stomach, but had been forced to have a date rape cocktail and it killed her. I do believe in Karma and I know in the next lifetime everyone that was involved in extinguishing her bright light will have to deal with their own Karma. I still hope LE will do the right thing to get this person off the streets and save others.
I’m just curious, but did you guys ever try to talk to K or ? yourselves? I’m wondering since the LE didn’t seem to be able to, that might be their chance to explain some or all of their behaviors during that time. If I were them, I’d love to talk to you to clear my name in this mess. Since the case has been closed and their parents are protecting them, you’d think they’d want to talk to clear their names. (If that’s possible)
No we never did. After Morgan died ? came towards me (I didn’t want her to, but all of a sudden I realized I had to let her) and she put her arms around me and sobbed into me saying over and over again, “I am so so sorry, I am so so sorry” now the words themselves sounded like words others had said, but when she sobbed those words into me I felt the truth that she was so so sorry, and really didn’t think Morgan would die from this – sometimes people think they are in control, but in reality they are just easy for sociopaths to use and then discard.
I feel like the people that were involved don’t want to admit anything because they are scared that they will be arrested. So sad, because if they had come forward I am sure they would have gotten in much less trouble then they will be in eventually.
What a shame that you had to face your situation in your neighborhood without the help of local law enforcement! The police should have already asked the questions that were running through your mind when you saw the people you suspect of this heinous crime. It shouldn’t be the victims’ responsibility to wonder what the police could have found out if they would have just asked. It was important to take this seriously before it came to this. How many more times has happened or is going to happen? People with the responsibility to protect others should take that role seriously. I think the police should have questioned them thoroughly just because you had your suspicions. Like another poster said, you’d think they would want to clear their names. Regardless of the incorrect manner of death on the certificate. That is just a technicality that they are hiding behind. We are here for you, Toni. No family should have to go through this hell to ensure that the right thing be done. It should have been done from the start. Unfortunately, some criminals are so conniving from being through the broken system that all they learn is how to manipulate their way around laws to get away with murder; literally in some cases. It is blatantly obvious that any potential suspects’ rights are more protected under present protocol than any victims’! That must change… Love & Light to all of you!
Thanks again Lisa Marie. They all know who they are – our detective kept promising us over and over again that certain questioning was going to happen and we believed him…but it didn’t happen. We were so naive to believe everything we were being told. There was always an excuse/reason why it didn’t happen when we were told it was going to happen. Eek, so frustrating, and so wrong – Morgan would still be with us if this had been handled correctly, and I will not sit by and watch it happen over and over again to future victims!
No we never approached them because we felt that an investigator needed to do that so it stands up in court…I believe it will still happen. Maybe I just wish it will still happen…either way we will keep pushing for it to happen. I think when you are guilty the best thing you can do is lay low and that is just what they are doing.
It seems to me that the stalker (K?) must have already been in your house at this point – if he knew exactly where the “seam” in the video cameras was, so he could sneak between them, get on the roof, etc. and not be seen. Could he have gotten access to the system and viewed all the screens sometime when you weren’t home? It is so awful to think about but I know you want to consider all possibilities. Keep up your amazing work. Team Morgan is here for you.
Yes if he was in our house he would have seen the monitor that showed all the different camera angles…Thank you for sharing and caring!
If he had been in the house at other times, then yes he could have seen the monitor with all the different camera angles. That never occurred to me…thanks.
Somehow the thought of Team Morgan is so very reassuring!
Toni, thank you for being a voice to so many victims whose voice is silenced or will not be heard by others because it is too unthinkable to believe. God bless you, Steve, and your family.
This post struck such a cord with me on many levels. It is exactly what happens to those who are going through a stalking situation. It is exhausting, overwhelming, and frightening. God must truly be carrying you through this journey for to live it daily, then to lose your daughter, and not have justice, and you continue to push on. God bless you!!
Picking up from a post I recently shared on June 1, my first son is now married and I am left alone to defend my life and my nine year old’s son’s life from a stalker who has followed me since last October. Just One day after my son was married my stalker returns and we are woken at 3AM with a loud thud on the roof, then footsteps in my attic and loud cracks from the stress placed on wood beams. My heart is pounding, i reach for my gun and I wonder if this is the day I will have to shoot. All the while I’m praying I’m wrong but intuitively I know I’m right. I lay awake listening to the movement and dial 911 when it gets too close for comfort. I console myself as I remember your words to me “call EVERY time.” Police are unable to walk off the attic and we leave to stay with a friend. The next day I walk the attic off with my security company and find three beams suffering with deep stress fractures from top to bottom above my bedroom and bathroom. The attic cameras recored movement, even reveal a hand waving in front of one—but no positive identity to report. It is my first time walking in my attic and I am stunned how open it is and how easy it is to move around the cameras and not get caught. I resolve to buy more cameras as soon as possible to ensure my safety.
I am the neighbor living next door with terror. I am the single mother living at the end of a street that opens up to a vast field with no neighbors on my right. I put on a brave face during the day at work but spend my nights comforting my scared little boy and researching every partial evidence I find and preparing information for police. I know the police are only trained to react, my security system can only warn me, and I must act inspite of fear. Never knowing when it will escalate, always wondering about every noise and desparetly wanting normalcy, freedom and peace. I try to get home before its dark outside and I look under every bed and in every closet before going to bed. I have finger prints but no face yet. We found a master key that was used to enter the home until new locks were made. Stalking is real. I wish I didn’t ignore other incidents, but I’m listening now!
Kathy the fact that you are now empowered gives me the feeling that the person doing this to you will not get away with it too much longer…he or she has come up against an impenetrable force to be reckoned with. Stay strong – you can do this!
regarding a telescoping device… my husband uses a small telescoping mirror when he hunts so that the deer aren’t scared away if he is sitting near a tree and hears something or wants to see how close the deer is. Also, regarding something that the stalker could have been wearing in the wildlife cam… they make cameo hunting “fanny” packs
I honestly did not know that – thank you so very much!
Hi Toni,
It would be so terrifying and startling to hear those loud noises out of the blue. I don’t know Morgan could endure it or you and Steve either. It had to be hell for all 3 of you. Then not to be able to find the source of them would be so hard to live with. As well as not getting any real help from law enforcement while the stalking was going on. You have to be very strong people to have withstood it. Did you find that you prayed more throughout the stalking? I just hope and pray that you get justice for Morgan soon.
You are right Charlotte – I did pray during the stalking, as well as trying everything we could think of to keep Morgan’s safe…the problem is, God doesn’t cause people to do bad things – people decide to do bad things, so I know now that the problem is really all about people that do bad things, so we all need to find solutions to stop these people from doing bad things to innocent people, whether it is raising awareness of the situation so people are on the lookout and don’t become easy targets or if it is changing laws to make it harder for these predators… I now pray for strength, courage and focus in order to do whatever I can do to find justice for Morgan and to help the next victim.
Toni,
You are so right. God doesn’t make people do bad things. I’m praying that you get some good news soon and that there is justice for Morgan soon. She seems like she was so sweet and she was so beautiful and she seems like she loved life and people and was so good to animals too. I can’t imagine the pain you feel.