Why would you ever want to help a #stalker?

One of the last series of pictures that Morgan took of herself was this picture.  This is Morgan holding some ribbon on which she wrote, “Fate, the illusion that you get the things you want without working for them”

One of the last series of pictures that Morgan took of herself was this picture. This is Morgan holding some ribbon on which she wrote, “Fate, the illusion that you get the things you want without working for them”

Morgan truly believed that a person needed to work hard for things that really mattered in their lives – she didn’t think you could just sit back and believe that you deserved them so fate would give them to you some day.  Morgan always worked very hard for everything in her life, and now Steve and I are doing the same thing in our quest to find justice for Morgan.  We can not just sit back and believe that someday it will happen – it has taken a lot of hard work – gut wrenching tears, and tons of support from others all around the world, but we can now see light at the end of this horrible dark tunnel, and we know that our perseverance in the end will also help others that have given up all hope in their situation.  We know Morgan wouldn’t have given up…ever…so we never will either.

And now my question of the day is, “Why would you ever want to help a stalker?”  Doesn’t it seem that if you knew someone close to you was stalking someone, and terrorizing them there would be a moment of “instant distance,” at the very least between you and that person, and you would want to say something to them, or try to put a stop to it?  Or is it just me?  To just ignore, or pretend it’s not happening I could not understand at all.  But that is exactly what happened.

Given enough time to expose themselves, it became painfully obvious that our neighbors helped the stalker.  To what extent, everyone tended to minimize.  Other than the fact that Keenan lived 3 houses up the street, and shared a house with them, not much else was known.  And at first it was the farthest thing from our minds, the Deputies too, and then when Morgan’s case became “felony stalking” and the Detectives came on board, they thought the same.  It seemed to all that it was too big a stretch that two adults, with children of their own, would have the slightest clue, and actually be trying to help the stalker – it was just too strange to believe for any of us at the time.

That was a period of time when we were all confident that when the neighbors reached the conclusion that Keenan, was not only “possibly” the stalker, but most likely was the stalker, all others would take it seriously, and aid in the swift end of this nightmare.

This continued right up until the incident when a group of Deputies descended on the house James Harris was leasing, and tried to question Keenan about the stalking.  There were obvious signs he was there, and Brooke admitted he was, she just would not wake him up.  The Deputy noted there was a freshly crushed beer can in the driveway.  And the Deputy at the door heard a, “commotion,” inside the house as he talked with Brooke.  Since the only living thing inside the house at that time was supposed to be Keenan, the Deputy made a comment about the noise, but was once again denied entry to talk with Keenan.

Further damaging the belief Brooke would have a willingness to help, the next morning Elliott (the neighbor across the street) said he had heard from Christine, Brooke’s mother that the Deputies were at her house the night before because they were supposedly told Morgan had gone missing, and the Deputies had come to ask her about it.  Once I had told Elliott what really happened, and that Morgan had not gone missing, in fact she wasn’t even home while this was going on, that I was the one that got the rock thrown at the window I was standing in front of, that was actually enough for him, he leaped right to the conclusion that they all knew what Keenan was doing, Brooke, and both her parents, and he later told me he called Brooke’s mom back after speaking with me to tell her she better wake up, and do the right thing.

We should have all listened to Elliott, sharing any information with them only served to put Morgan in greater danger.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Once Elliott made up his mind there was no turning him back, except he was still a suspect to the Detectives, so it was complicated.

After the refusal to cooperate at her door, and the lies quickly circulating Corral Drive, Brooke was a suspect too, the Detectives would wonder aloud, off and on, about Brooke’s true involvement in it all, but her parents, being adults with children were off the list.

Except Christine had this behavior of coming up with stories about the stalking at well placed intervals.  All of them explaining away how Keenan was not the stalker. After enough of these stories originating with Christine the Detectives went and talked to her, to clear it all up, and it only got far more convoluted.  That was the incident when Detective Glassmire talked to Christine, the mother, who claimed to get all her information from Brooke, her daughter.  Brooke told the same story in reverse, and Detective Glassmire chuckled and thought they could at least get their lies straight.  Morgan is now dead, and I don’t think looking back he would chuckle any longer.  Now if he had to do it over again he would probably keep interviewing Brooke and her mother to get to the “bottom” of who was actually creating the lies to cover for Keenan and why.

In reality we were all under-reacting to the true threat to Morgan, but at the time we thought we were moving toward an arrest.

The absolute worst part of all this was that days before Morgan was murdered Detective Glassmire was talking with James Harris about the case.  This conversation was only because James wanted to be present as his daughter Brooke was being questioned.

James wanted Detective Glassmire to know that he had “heard” that Morgan’s parents were basically overreacting.  James was then told, “Detective Alstatt is going to formally interview Morgan on Tuesday December 6, 2011.”

My understanding of this interview was that it was very important in order for an arrest to be made. The Detective had to talked to Morgan, Steve and myself usually once a week during this case, but a formal interview was now in order.  Morgan was going to be able to tell, in her own words about the Thunder River eyewitness incidents, other eyewitness incidents, and give her statement about the fear, and deep impact this was all having on her.

Morgan didn’t live long enough to have this interview, and tell on video about every time she had seen Keenan in a stalking situation, and everything else that had been going on to terrorize, and turn her life upside down.

The interview with Brooke, with James Harris present, was on November 27th, four days before Morgan’s murder began, and five days before her body was found.  But we did not know the full impact of all this for months, because I was waiting for Detective Glassmire to question a witness that James Harris had left a telephone message for on the morning we had crime scene tape wrapped around our house – the morning we found Morgan’s body.  A voice message that was recorded on a client’s message machine, in which he said the police knew Keenan was the stalker.  Not the suspect, not allegedly the stalker, not believed he could be – James said the police knew Keenan was the stalker.  So of course James also knew that fact very well.

And another pertinent fact came up many months later.  I found out that James explained his actions to his client the following week as only wishing to protect his daughter.  After all this is added up I come to the conclusion that Elliott was right when he said the Harris’ all knew about the stalking.

And once again the totality of events spanning a week, from three days before Morgan’s death to four days after infuriate me, just some of the highlights:

  • Nov 27, 2011 – 2:15 PM James Harris has a conversation with the Felony Stalking Detectives for a moment about the events occurring in the neighborhood as it relates to the stalking investigation.
  • Nov 27, 2011 – after 2:15 PM James Harris tells Detective Glassmire and Detective Alstatt that he had heard from neighbors what was going on, that he had seen some Sheriff’s Deputies walking around in the neighborhood, and that he contacted one of the Deputies who gave him a synopsis of the case.
  • Nov 29, 2011 – before 5:00 PM Detective Glassmire is over at our house and tells me that he is 100% certain that Keenan Vanginkel is the stalker.
  • Nov 29, 2011 – before 5:00 PM Detective Glassmire tells me that he believes the stalking is going to escalate.
  • Nov 29, 2011 – before 5:00 PM Detective Glassmire tells me that he will be picking up Keenan’ s work record from City Market that coming Tuesday (same day Morgan is due to give her official statement), and when he overlays that work schedule with my timeline he is confident he will be very close to making an arrest for Felony Stalking.
  • Unfortunately Keenan knows that his hours for the period of the stalking are being given to the Sheriff’s department because he signed the release, even worse I believe that Keenan now knows that Morgan’s formal interview is to be held on that same Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011.
  • Nov 29, 2011 – Morgan sleeps at a friends’ house – she is so exhausted, and doesn’t want to sleep in her room
  • Nov 30, 2011 – I tell Morgan about all of the promising developments, and how it may be over soon.  She is very happy about this.
  • Nov 30, 2011 – Morgan wakes me up at 12:45 am, and says she has been getting constant tapping on her window for 15 minutes and can’t take it anymore – I go outside with her and make sure her and her puppy leave for safety to sleep the rest of the night at a friend’s house.
  • Nov 30, 2011 – Morgan sees her doctor in the afternoon, and at my request has a conversation about how she is feeling in general, and about the stalker in particular with her doctor.  Her doctor will later state that Morgan had no suicidal ideology, and did not want the sleeping pills, or pills to help her feel better that were offered, her doctor will also insist on talking with the Forensic Pathologist, I will tell the Forensic Pathologist this, but he will never call her.  She will finally get a hold of him on the phone herself, and he will tell her that her findings just back up his.
  • Nov 30, 2011 that evening Morgan has a friend come home with her to sleep on the couch – she doesn’t feel very safe
  • Dec 1, 2011 10:33 AM – Keenan will end his swing shift at City Market
  • Dec 1, 2011 – Morgan will attempt to spend the evening on the couch at her friend’s Aunt’s house, as the stalker has been very active, and she really needs sleep.  It does not work out, and Morgan comes home
  • Morgan is killed
  • Dec 2, 2011 2:00 AM – Keenan will clock in for another swing shift at City Market
  • Dec 2, 2011 6:35 AM – Toni unlocks car, and drives it out into the street.  First responders are on Corral Drive, and headed for the house – Steve needed her to get off the phone with the 911 operator and move the car so the responders could quickly come up the driveway.
  • Dec 2, 2011 6:37 AM – Keenan Vanginkel clocks out for a break from City Market.  Where he goes, and who he calls on his cell is unknown.
  • Dec 2, 2011 AM – James Harris claims that he knows that the police know that Keenan, his daughter’s ex-boyfriend, is the stalker – and tells people this after Morgan is killed!  (Yet, on Dr. Phil James Harris claims, on camera, to not even know there was a stalking or a stalker)
  • Dec 2, 2011 Late morning – Detective Robert Glassmire goes to City Market and talks to Keenan Vanginkel – so yes – all those stories that he was not even in the state when Morgan was killed are nothing but lies – what else is new?
  • Dec 2, 2011 2:00 PM – Morgan’s body is at the morgue, the investigation into her unattended death under suspicious circumstances ended hours ago, and her death was now declared a mystery. Her autopsy was completed in around 2 hours.
  • Blood samples are sent off for a toxicology screen which will come back with a massive level of Amitriptyline 7,909 and no others drugs or alcohol were found in her blood.  Even the prescription drugs the Sheriff’s will suddenly claim in their reports that she was prescribed, and taking will not show up – because she was not taking them, and they were old prescriptions, not current.  Just one thing showed up in her blood Amitriptyline, about ten times the amount that would have killed her.
  • Morgan never stood a chance, and the first of many memorials for our youngest daughter was then held on Dec 5, 2011.

There will be no official interview of our daughter Morgan Ingram, she will never have the chance to recount the face-to-face meetings with her stalker on camera, or anything else about her stalker, or stalking.  All of her jewelry of value that went missing that Dec 2, 2013 will never be found, nor will the PJ’s she wore to go to sleep that night.  Two dark figures will be caught on video surveillance, and the neighbors that saw odd behavior in her bedroom lights will never be questioned by the Sheriff’s Detective.

As if there was ever a doubt it will now be up to her parents (Steve and I), and our supporters, to get justice for Morgan, while Garfield County will throw up every roadblock they can.

20 thoughts on “Why would you ever want to help a #stalker?

  1. What a horrific nightmare and a disgusting display of humanity in it’s lowest form. Even though they appear to have no conscience, I pray that guilt creeps upon THEM like a stalker creeps…that it invades their every thought…that THEY are awakened by serrated pangs of it~like Morgan was awakened by the rapping on her windows.

    …that FEAR and suspicion of each other crawls into their minds (do they REALLY think they’re safe from The Stalker?)

    …and because The Statute of Limitations has no expiration date~One Day the Murderer and his accomplices WILL be arrested.

    …may they feel the ever-presence of JUSTICE that lurks and waits until that Fateful Day when it will strike

    …and ALL will be made known to those of us who wait expectantly for it!

    • Just got done watching Dr.Phil is how I became aware of this story,,,,,wondering why Dr.Phil didn’t offer to do a lie detector test on this girl and her dad to see if she was lying, to see if she knew anything about how this girl died,,,has this girl had to do a lie detector test? are they willing to do a lie detector test?

      • Gia – she had her lawyer with her who I guarantee would not agree to a lie detector test – our Sheriff’s never asked her to take one and now the investigation is closed. I believe once the murder case is opened they may ask for one.

      • Watched this on Dr.Phil today. My heart breaks for Morgan’s family! I agree why not have them take a lie detector test?!! Praying for comfort & peace for your family in Oklahoma!

  2. I just finished watching the Dr. Phil show and I strongly agree that your daughter DID NOT commit suicide. The father and the daughter did not come off as very truthful to me and seemed to want to divert the whole thing as if you were in denial and grief. I hope you will find the justice you seek.

  3. That girls first response to the mother accusing her of murdering her daughter was”wheres the proof?””” really????? id say that was it right there with her response!!!!

  4. I just saw the end of the Dr Phil show and from the little I saw, it’s a murder. How can anyone not see it. Dr Phil , your rich and made money on this story hire the best and find out the truth.

  5. With all of this exposure, a district attorney must want to open this case wide open and get the truth out in order to charge the guilty. You have done the framework for the DA. My most sincere condolences to you, your husband, and your family. I cannot even imagine what you are going through. As Dr. Phil said to you today, it’s important that you take time to grieve your loss. My prayers got out to you, your family and to the truth being told. Sincerely, Margherita from Canada

    • Margherita,
      It has been very difficult but we have a support group, led by our grief therapist that is nothing short of amazing. They all help us press on to justice for Morgan. We have had a meeting with our honorable DA and she told us that the Garfield Sheriff’s Department has so thoroughly botched Morgan’s investigation she does not think we could ever have a successful prosecution. In the wake on that, others have stepped in to lend their help and we have switched directions accordingly until we are very confident major portions of Morgan’s case can be proven, beyond a reasonable doubt.

  6. I pray the truth comes out. God will have justice eventually. Nothing goes unseen or unknown and right is right. I hurt for you Toni and your husband and all this has taken from all of you. It isnt fair, but know that no one gets away with ANYTHING! I understand how the pain gets worse with the unfair way you have been handled. Makes perfect sense and it would to anyone in your shoes. I cant even read the heartless comments coldly thrown at you and your efforts for justice! I was hoping to read new conclusions or arrests made in an update somewhere, but it can take a long time sometimes. I plan on mentioning you in my prayers nightly and will continue praying for clear justice no matter how long it takes. Find your peace in the fact it is promised that you will again be with your lovely God given daighter and truth will be known. God promises. Bless you and your husband. Will be hugging you in my prayers. -Mother of 2, Traci

    • Traci we so greatly appreciate your kind words and prayers. When you talked about seeing Morgan again I just want to say we believe that with all our heart and that thought makes us very happy. Take care!

  7. I am extremely sorry for your loss..I’ve watched the Dr. Ohil show and have followed your blog. I am having a very hard time understanding what your trying to say..The blog is very confusing to understand in parts.Don’t get me wrong I strongly believe fowl play. I do wish you the best in your search and hope someone in your county get’s a clue to whats right in front of them

  8. I also watched Dr Phil today and my thoughts are this: If someone accused me of murder and I was innocent, I wouldn’t be so calm. I would be freaking out and crying. There is no way that Brook and her father are not somehow involved with the murder of Morgan. My heart goes out to you the parents. I pray you get justice for your beautiful daughter.

  9. I too just saw the Dr. Phil show and was very disappointed. I feel as though there are too many unanswered questions and you as parents deserve the true with all the facts even it the police made mistakes……..they need to own up. Your daughter deserves justice too, and it makes me sick to think that girl and her ex boyfriend have gotten away with murder!! Keep fighting and I pray that the true will come out. Hopefully one of their friends who know something will decide to do the right thing and go to authorities. Also I think it you should continue with your blog, it made me extremely mad that dr Phil told you to stop…….does he know what it feels like to lose a son or daughter to an unsolved murder. I lost a ton of respect for him and his show after watching how he handled this story!
    Sincerely,
    Casey-a mom from Texas

  10. Brooke is very suspicious. If a police officer came to my house and wanted to talk to my boyfriend about a stalking case you better believe he’d be out of bed answering questions. But its seems so far what I have read that Brooke and Keenan never ask questions, because they already know whats going on. They are the ones doing the stalking. I also watched the Dr. Phil show and Brooke saying, “Where’s the proof!” Who says that if your accused of stalking/murder!!

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