8.16.2011 – Today was Morgan’s birthday – she turned 20. This morning when she woke up, I asked her if she would like french toast, or eggs-in-a-hole, for her birthday breakfast (2 of her favorites). She giggles and decided on french toast, but says she wants her daddy’s french toast. Morgan loves his french toast. Steve is more than happy to cook that for her. When she was a little girl he used to like making her pancakes in the shape of mickey mouse, dogs or fairies, she would always get so excited when he was creating special one-of-a-kind pancakes for her.
Tonight, Ryan, Morgan’s brother, Leesa and the kids came over to celebrate Morgan’s birthday, they wanted to do a sleep over. We make dinner together, and birthday cake, with presents for Morgan. A little later on we send Morgan off, for just a little while to go visit friends, while Steve goes out the back of the house with Ryan (both dressed all in black). Steve hides in the back of the house on the berm, and Ryan is randomly running through the whole neighborhood trying to look for movement – Ryan wants to observe Morgan when she drives into the subdivision, so he can see if someone is following her, and parking somewhere nearby, then coming in on foot. Once they are ready, Steve sends Morgan a text, “We are in position, come on home honey,” he then sends a text to Ryan, “On her way back now.” A few minutes later Steve sees a small red light moving across the street from our house, we are pretty sure the stalker is using some kind of night vision goggles, as we have seen a small little red light moving off in the dark right after we know the stalker was at our house twice. Morgan sends a text back, “in drive?” Steve answers, “Yes, and Ryan is here, but I think he has now lost his phone, so you might as well come home.” Morgan replies, “K” Moments later Steve sees the little red light again from his position on the berm, he tells me later that he thinks the sheriff’s deputies were correct, despite how hard it was to believe, this stalker was most likely living right in our neighborhood. Otherwise, how else does he manage to be at our house so quickly after Morgan arrives home? Steve is thinking that solving who the stalker is just got a little easier. But now we are asking ourselves another question, is there someone who’s tipping the stalker off, right as Morgan leaves Carbondale? Because this night he appeared just minutes after Steve texted Morgan to come home! Steve tries to contact Ryan so they can coordinate a chase of the person with the little red light, but can never reach Ryan till much later. We hatch many plans to corner this person, using the little red light against them, but that night was the last time we ever saw the little red light off in the distance. Leaving us to only wonder how the stalker is always managing to stay one step ahead of any plan we have to catch him.
Click here to read about the 16th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=623
Now today on August 16, 2012 my heart is so heavy with sadness, because today would have been Morgan’s 21st birthday. We had talked to her last Fall about where she would like to go on her big 21st. I knew some of her friends had gone to Las Vegas, so we discussed that possibility. She didn’t really know where she wanted to go to celebrate at first, she wasn’t a big fan of Las Vegas, so we then talked about going to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Morgan loved Santa Fe, and thought that was a good place to be on her birthday, the three of us in Santa Fe…but we were not able to do that with her today, because of this sick and twisted stalker – Morgan never made it to her 21st birthday.
I imagine these special dates will always be harder than other days. My thoughts and prayers are with your family, happy belated birthday Morgan.
Thank you Amanda – it is so true they are hard to get through, but we feel Morgan’s spirit around us and even though we cry we feel happy that we have these beautiful memories of her.
I’ve been reading your blog and I’m deeply saddened and my heart goes out to you and your family. My mind can barely fathom people like this exist in our world. One thought of mine while reading this is perhaps be planted a bug on a phone device or something inside a car or some sort of survailance of his own. I feel deeply for your family. Although I live in southern California it’s almost as if I wish I could have come to help catch this sick person or help out any way I could. I cannot believe the Police did so little. (Up to this point i’ve read). No Stake out? or Under-cover ?.. The thought of people carelessly ruining other’s lives sickens me. Happy Belated birthday Morgan! and Thank you for sharing your story and keeping us aware, you are doing a great service.
One stake out for a little over an hour, no dogs, no undercover, no education in our local law enforcement that helps them understand the seriousness of stalking and procedures that needed to be taken. Thank you for your kind words.
I am so sorry for your loss, Mom and Dad. Your daughter seemed like a remarkable person.
Thank you so much – she really was remarkable…we used to call her our little miracle because she always made everyone so happy. I know it sounds silly but I was recently watching some videos she took of herself playing music, dancing around the house and teasing everyone…so much fun. So much more to miss.
Like the previous poster said, it seems like he was able to read your texts or had some way to access your phones. Maybe that will come out later. It would be scary to think that technology might exist.
Emily we now know that it does exist…that technology does exist but I don’t think most law enforcement agencies even know how to check victims cell phones to see if that is what is happening
I just wanted to offer some information here. As a LPC we learn about Borderline Personality Disorder as well as many personality disorders. One Hallmark is that “seeming to just know” piece. Abandonment is one thing Borderlines fear above all else so it seems that they develop a sort of sick sense of what “could” happen to keep them from feeling that abandonment. It is terrifying! They always seem to be one step ahead because they are! They develop it as a means of survival. We used to think our home was “bugged” when dealing with a Borderline person in our lives.
Lindsay thank you for your comment – I wish I knew all these things during Morgan’s stalking, but I didn’t so now I hope the things we have learned + all the things people like you are sharing on this blog will help others with information that may help them if they are ever in a similar situation
This post reminded me of my own experience with “my” stalker. I was mercilessly harassed by hang up calls for weeks on end (that was only the beginning) and this was back in 1986 so it wasn’t nearly as easy as today to track a phone number. After a few weeks of logging my calls (required back then) I was able to get a trace from the phone company and IMMEDIATELY the calls stopped. I remember telling my best friend/sister-in-law that it was like this person KNEW and sure enough as soon as the phone company took the tracer off the calls started again.
Well many stalking events and years later I learned why…it was my very own best friend/sister-in-law!
The worst thing happened…we ended up building houses side-by-side on our family land. Land that years later after we were forced to moved 800 miles away to get away from this sociopath (unable to prosecute the many offenses) and 15 years later she STILL will not leave me alone!
In fact, I firmly believe she killed my father…but, of course I can’t prove this and there is simply too much to write in this short reply.
Because my mother refuses to believe me…I know she still gets updates on my life and the general area-who knows exactly WHAt she knows-but I NEVER feel safe anymore.
Unfortunately you have to suspect people you might NEVER suspect. How did the stalker know Morgan was leaving? I don’t trust all of those friends (well there might be ONE).
When I first read your comment I was shocked, but then I thought…why am I shocked? So many stories have come in to us in the past year and they have been just as shocking. One family was able to catch their stalker on film and an arrest was made but they were shocked themselves, as was their own neighborhood as it turned out to be a female neighbor that everyone thought was so nice – when things don’t add up there is a reason – I don’t believe in coincidence and there are always clues that point you in the right direction if you listen to your gut. I believe you.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Hello Mrs Ingram. I stumbled randomly across your blog. I haven’t got anything to offer but I just really wanted to say something and offer you and your husband my sincerest condolences for your loss. Morgan seemed like an exceptionally wonderful person. I’m sure that by journaling these tragic events, you are helping so many people to stop/prevent being stalked, and raising the seriousness of the problem. With love from the UK.
Tom thank you so very much for your kind words…Steve & I really appreciate it.