The Te of Piglet
Another of Morgan’s favorite books
Jumping all over the place!
Today’s post is not about a day in the history of Morgan’s investigation, it is just about a plain old day right from the start as I just left a store and witnessed something that is just not fair – to all the victims of peeping toms and stalkers, and whatever other individual names there are for, “offenses against the person”.
This incident I saw is off the record, so I won’t name names or even the store I was at, but it went like this…a single police officer arrives, the officer goes to a back office, there is a person waiting that is put in handcuffs. This is the first thing the officer does! And after a brief conversation, the officer takes the person to the squad car, actually it’s Colorado, so it’s an SUV, but this person is taken away to jail, bye-bye.
I honestly did not know what was going on, so I found out. And while this may be obvious to some, it turns out that this person was observed shoplifting, and was detained while the police were called, and came to arrest the person. It is not a common occurrence, but this is how it is handled when it does happen.
On my drive home, I became emotional about this simple observation of mine. Because Morgan, one evening, went against everything she had been told to do, and stopped her car, while being followed by her stalker, to get out and be able to positively identify him, as this had been a sticking point up until then. Morgan wanted it over, and she wanted to be sure that it was him.
But when we called the Garfield Sheriff’s Department, they did not arrest him, did not even go search him out and talk to him or question him, Morgan got the big “nothing.” Of course he would have denied it. I mean do they ever really admit it? The person in the store was in cuffs as they were advised of their rights, before they spoke a word.
Morgan encountered her stalker at an intersection numerous times on her way home from a class, which always ended at differing times, but within 10 or 15 minutes either way of the intended end time. These incidents were reported to Detective Glassmire sometimes one at a time, or sometimes more than one at a time. The detective said there was a trailer park somewhere back in the direction the suspect was coming from, and “surmised” K.V.G. “might” live there. So the detective said it was probably always just a chance meeting. My grandmother would have said, “bologna!”
I have to ask, have you ever made left turns at an intersection at random times, and found yourself saying – hey, there’s so and so again, making a left turn at the same time as me, we are going to meet right in the middle, and darn if he isn’t staring me down again, what a coincidence! Sorry, not possible…I have made that left turn easily over a hundred times, and never have seen him there once, let alone making a turn on the same light cycle as me, and even more remotely meeting in the middle of the intersection. Morgan makes the left turn seven times, and it happens six and that’s mere coincidence, I don’t think so. I have been assured that the statistical probability of this happening just by coincidence is off the charts. To think that this would not have taken surveillance, and precise timing to achieve, is pure fantasy.
Those encounters, just at the intersection alone, were not by chance, and as a part of Morgan’s stalking case meet the elements of stalking, where the state of Colorado, by legislative decree;
Recognizes the seriousness posed by stalking, and adopts the provisions of this part 6 with the goal of encouraging, and authorizing effective intervention before stalking can escalate into behavior that has even more serious consequences.
In case you want to read all about it – here is the link at the end of the paragraph. If you or someone you know, even thinks they are being stalked or has ever wanted to know what the State of Colorado believes should happen when stalking is suspected, it is very informative, and illuminating, and I can guarantee you the Sheriff’s Department never really discussed any of this with us, and oh how I wish they had – Colorado Stalking law .
So this person at the store is cuffed, and led away on a phone call, for a misdemeanor offense, but when the Sheriff’s are called about Morgan’s stalker, which is a felony case, and told that this happened, here he is, and, nothing… here he is again, and nothing… here he is again, and nothing again. Now she’s dead, the eyewitness is gone. It is not fair for the victims of stalking. And yes, I made the calls, because Morgan was, a) shaking like a leaf, b) crying, or, c) both, and yes, she did tell the officers in her own words when they arrived at our house. But the real question is the time when Morgan stopped the car, unlocked the door, and got out of the car, in order to positively identify K.V.G., when she knew she was being followed home one time, did she set off the events that led to her death? Was she now the only eyewitness, the one thing he can not have? I have never thought about this before, but now I have to really wonder.
So many of the stalking victims I talk to are so upset because, a) they feel as if they are not believed, b) the police won’t do anything to stop it or, c) both. If the legislative branch goes to all the trouble to draft and pass a law against stalking, and even calls it an, “extraordinary risk crime”, where does law enforcement get off reducing it to a nothing where the suspect isn’t even interviewed when identified, and then when I ask the detective 5 months after Morgan’s murder if he had ever been to the suspects new house, it actually turns out they never even knew where he lived after he moved out of our neighborhood.
How on earth can the Sheriffs report that they enforced that part of the statue that reads, “a peace officer shall have a duty to respond as soon as reasonably possible to a report of stalking, and to cooperate with the alleged victim in investigating the report”? This is a mystery to me.
But on the heels of that mental exercise, while I was driving home came really good news, and on a Sunday good news of this magnitude is unusual. A very big piece of Morgan’s case came together today, in what began as an innocent long shot idea for Steve almost a year ago.
To explain I have to share that when Morgan’s case goes to court I have been forewarned that the admissible part will be a most excruciating exercise in hair-splitting. I really don’t completely understand it all, but I do understand excruciating, in fact I talked about it yesterday.
The good news is there is a narrow stream that will undoubtedly survive all challenges and anything within that stream has become very exciting to me. My excitement stems from something I can’t tell you all just yet, but trust me, just knowing it exists has Morgan smiling, I’m sure. It is laboratory evidence, and it connects quite a few dots in a way that I really could not have foreseen. So a big quiet thanks to those out there who spent their time and made this happen, and you know who you are!
And I apologize for getting so excited over something I can’t tell anyone, but I just could not help myself. And I keep smiling, even in what seems to be the darkest hour, because if Morgan could do it, than I certainly can too…and we know there is light at the end of this really long tunnel we have been in.
What happens along the path in the search for justice?
I really have parallel efforts going on at the same time, and have had for quite a while. First is the search for justice for Morgan Jennifer (Steve always called her MJ), which ends up being far more frustrating, angering, and convoluted than I ever could have imagined. If it were not for the unending assistance of those truly interested in solving a crime I don’t know what I would have done, honestly!
The second is the basis, the core of justice. The search for truth – I always say that the truth never changes, which is a primal belief of mine, that also will never change. For the truth is elusive when there is a price for revealing it. In Morgan’s stalking there were of course guilty parties. Perhaps the same party(s) responsible for the string of stalking and peeping tom incidents in that rather confined area dating back at least four years.
It boggles my mind that this could go on for so long and be a complete mystery to the Garfield Sheriffs Department when they are the ones responding to the incidents as they are called in. There is a reason for that, and I am trying not to allow it to be a concern of mine at the moment, so I am very aware of it, but I try to put it on my back burner for now, and it is very hard to do. Knowing all these people now who were also victims of peeping toms and terrorization, seeing how it is still a fresh wound for them even after years makes me really want to scream at someone sometimes.
So, largely with Steve’s help I focus on the truth of what happened to Morgan. The guilty parties will never be willing to tell the truth, that is obvious, and just for starters if they did it would be a confession, something they seek to avoid at all costs. And if you think you have gotten away with it, well then maintaining silence on a few key facts, becomes all so important.
So therein lies the problem for the perpetrators, the truth must never come out, and if it should, go immediately to plan B, deny, deny, deny. But they do not just stop there, the perps go on the offensive and attack anyone that is simply thinking, hey this does not quite add up, maybe it should be looked into, maybe, just maybe, Morgan’s case deserves at least a little more looking into. Verbalize just that single thought and, “Katie bar the door,” you are fair game for whatever may be slung your way, and it seems that it will.
Furthering this is a disturbing trend for the perp to go to the courts and sue the victim(s) of the crime. It has become such a problem that states around the country have already or are enacting laws to prevent this from happening. Just google criminals suing victims, I read about a man up on a roof (not his roof of course) and he fell through the skylight. Then it became not, what was he doing over the skylight, peeping tom perhaps? And basically instead he sued for the skylight not supporting his weight and allowing him to fall through and get hurt, no mention of caught in the act, or what were you doing up there anyway? To me it is more than crazy, it’s criminal. But somehow that’s redundant, isn’t it?
Steve and I were the recipients of frivolous prosecution. A TRO based on the fear that my blog was creating. Our attorney suggested that they just not read it, if it caused them any fear at all. Along this trail of justice, I removed first the names of the scared parties, and I refused to allow any of these distractions or negative energies affect me or slow me down.
I want to point out that I have been asked a few times by people to take their name out of the blog and replace it with their initials, modify a picture that revealed something they would have wished was not, and every time I have said no problem and done it. I also have a page on Morgan’s website (that this blog is a part of) that clearly explains if you feel that there is any inaccuracy you find please bring it to my attention and I will deal with it. Nobody has ever clicked that link to report an inaccuracy. I would be naïve to think that I might get a few now, so fair warning, if you complain using twelve different names, all from the same IP address, I have a spam button and I will press it, that is if it hasn’t already been pressed in your honor, your second of harassment.
Now, back to the course of justice for Morgan, after removing all the names of the scared parties that was not enough. I then had to remove all their initials and they became question marks. Now just so there is no doubt one of these people, Brooke Harris was another prime suspect of the detectives very soon after they began to investigate, and soon after if it was her or Keenan Vanginkel that was the ringleader, it took time for the detectives to sort them out.
Another of the “frightened” people admitted to one of his clients that the Sheriffs used to think he was the stalker, but that now they knew it was his daughter’s ex-boyfriend. Luckily for Morgan, this client felt that a truth like that had to be shared, not hidden at all costs.
If fact all parties seeking this TRO, to be followed by a permanent restraining order, had some documented involvement in Morgan’s stalking. After she was killed they, “clammed up”, as they say. Resorting to the now famous, “where’s the proof”? I guess the fact that even her father is telling people that the Sheriffs used to think it was him, but now they know its her ex-boyfriend conveniently escapes her, along with the fact that in most solved murders the perp is not caught at the scene with murder with weapon in hand. They are apprehended after investigation, many times extensive, slow, and agonizing investigation. And Morgan knows that however long her investigation for the truth takes – Steve and I are all in.
I firmly believe that wherever she is now, Morgan also knows that we intend to help however many victims we can, avoid the peeping toms, the stalkers, and the horrific murderers that lurk and ply their trade without conscience, terrorizing so many innocent victims, for years and years in some cases. And I also firmly believe that Morgan is very happy and thankful that Steve and I do this.
So as this trail of justice wound to an end, the counsel for those seeking a TRO suddenly recused himself from the case. And then eventually it was dismissed completely. In the end, they wanted my blog taken down because their names were in it – but their names are in it because they were a part of the events that unfolded, part of the truth, and it never changes. My neighbor who sells fabulous wines, and tried so hard to help us, as the crime was ongoing, doesn’t mind if I put her name in when it was she that saw something I talked about, or her very macho dog, that barked his heart out to warn us, and tried his best to help protect Morgan. Is it just me or is it obvious that when some have such a problem with their name associated with something they said or did – there might be a reason? Just an observation here.
I don’t think I ever spoke a word in our first court experience, but if I had, I would have said that I am really not trying to frighten anyone with Morgan’s blog about her stalking and murder. I am telling the truth, and some of it comes after painstaking work over a long period of time. Little ends are still falling into place and this is day 477 of Morgan’s murder investigation. Like I said Steve and I are all in, we didn’t choose this, but now we fight for our little girl.
On March 22, 2011 Morgan sent me the following Facebook message:
I miss my youngest baby, Morgan – it seems too cruel that her life was stolen from her. She was the sweetest person I have ever been around in my whole life, and I miss her with all my heart!
Many years ago, almost in a different life it seems, Steve was involved in a little investigation. A simple case of being in the right place at the right time to his thinking, not the wrong place at the wrong time as some suggested at the time to him. Steve asked me if it bothered me that he was involved, and it could conceivably cause some danger for us. Without a seconds thought I told him that, “if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem”. Then the bonehead told me that was good, because he was going to do it either way, but it was great I had said that to him.
Now it is so wonderfully refreshing that along the search for truth for my dearest daughter Morgan Jennifer, I have met people who embrace this thought, that – if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem, and they have shared that little part of the truth they know. And so many others have spent their time to do what they are best at, and find truth for Morgan where I lack the years of training and expertise they have, and would have otherwise never known about Morgan’s stalking and murder. For all of these people I am eternally grateful. It is what helps shape the world into a better place for us all, and I hope, that even if it’s somewhere deep inside of us, we all know it.
Breaking News! Why do people assume the wrong thing, and run with it?
Today I just need to get this out. I don’t know what the heck is going on in this valley, but it’s just not right! There seems to be a handful of people who always come up with the wrong conclusion to something they know nothing about or someone that don’t even know, and then spread it around as if it were the gospel truth. What is up with this? I have lived in this valley since the 70’s and I have never seen this happen as much as it is now.
Example: Jeff Walker an Aspenite has been missing for 20 days as of yesterday. I did not know him, but from everything I have heard about him he was very much-loved, just like Morgan. He skied Aspen Highlands almost on a daily basis. He went on the Exhibition chairlift at 12:04 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. By Saturday his friends were really concerned, as they had not seen him since Thursday, so they contacted the authorities. That Sunday, and Monday dozens of personnel, dogs and even a helicopter were unsuccessful in their search for Jeff. The authorities decided to stop looking for a while and Jeff’s friends and family were not about to give up. They kept looking and then his family contacted Jennifer Shaffer – remember Jennifer? She is the Psychic Medium Investigator that has not only helped police, fireman, and therapists just to name a few, but has also been involved with Morgan’s case. She has always been 100% right on everything she sees, and she helps solve crimes, and helps in the location of missing loved ones.
Yesterday Jennifer was on the phone for hours in the afternoon with the search party looking for Jeff’s body. She had told his family he was dead and buried under 3 feet of snow, and that our Tuesday’s melt off helped part of his body to become exposed, and she was guiding them to where he was. She said his body would be found yesterday and it was. A snowboarder – not part of the search party, found the body and reported it yesterday afternoon. Jeff’s body was found in the same back bowl area that Jennifer had the search team looking as well…it was very steep with deep snow so Mountain Rescue could not get his body out until today.
The point I am trying to make with this blog is that there was a rumor circulating Aspen while Jeff was missing – it said that Jeff had just run off…this is the craziest accusation that anyone could make in this situation, but that’s what the rumor mill was stating. This really infuriates me because of how this affects his family and friends. I feel like if you really don’t know about a situation, don’t make up lies – because that’s what they are – lies! No benefit to them, just hurt for people who are already hurt as much as they can be. Just like some people have done with Morgan’s case.
Jennifer very gently told Jeff’s family that he was dead, and that his body would be found yesterday, and it was – people want to know the TRUTH not LIES. There are a few more bodies around this valley that have not been found yet, and yes there are plenty of lies spread about those missing people too – like they just ran off, but they didn’t, and it should not have to be that until their bodies are found they are fair game for rumors. And then what happens to all these people spreading the lies when the TRUTH appears? Probably nothing, but the damage the lies do in the meantime is immeasurable.
So I guess I am at the end of my rant now.
I hope the best for Jeff’s family and friends because I know this is hard, very hard. I hope the community comes together to give them the support they will need. And I hope that people in this valley that heard the lies can turn around to the person that was spreading the lies and tell them they don’t appreciate lies being spread. Truth and only the truth should be spoken, and if you don’t know the facts keep quiet or do the research, ask questions, don’t try to act like you know someone when you don’t, and don’t act like you have some inside information – which you don’t. This world is hard enough on all of us who have lost a loved one, and we don’t need naysayers with nothing better to do that to bump us off course.
February 15 – 29 , 2012, Day 75 – 90 of Morgan’s Investigation – Leap year and many surprises to come
Wednesday, February 15th
At 4:00 pm I went to my appointment in Aspen again to meet with a spiritual advisor.
Thursday, February 16th
K’s court date – V J wanted to be there instead of us and she thought it should be on a Wednesday, not a Thursday because of the charge. She said court starts at 8:30 am and suggested we talk to Detective Glassmire & Detective Alstatt and they should speak with the Glenwood Police so the Police and the Judge know he is also being investigated for Morgan’s stalking case – it shouldn’t look like he is squeaky clean and this is his only one mistake! Detective Glassmire said Trent Cook is the Manager at City Market that vouched for Keenan and told him that K is an ideal employee and squeaky clean, never did drugs, and has never been in trouble. Really? Obviously we were not talking about the same person here. I wonder if they have standards at City Market, like who can be a checker and request your daughters drivers license because she is buying products that you have to be eighteen to purchase?
Friday, February 17th
Not much of anything important happened today.
Saturday, Februrary 18th
Our son and his family have a sleep over and a movie night tonight at our house – it’s nice to have kids around and noise in the house again, even if only for one night.
Sunday, February 19th and Monday, February 20th
Not much happened.
Tuesday, February 21st
Called and spoke with Detective Glassmire – he gave me the name of the man that owns the truck/SUV that we saw slowly cruising our neighborhood before Morgan died and every time we tried to pull out to catch it, it would take off. One time we were close enough to see in through the tinted windows of the driver’s side, and we viewed a young male with dark hair and sunglasses. The name was not familiar to us so that evening we googled the owner’s name, and it was not him in the car. He is about our age, came to the valley in the 70’s like us and then we checked and he does have a son named DS (DR knows him and says he is a good guy, maybe it is his truck and just registered in his father’s name). DS sounds like he is about 24 years old. Does he know K? (K used to live in the valley close to Basalt when he was younger before his parents’ divorce, he went to the same church that we had Morgan’s memorial service at, he also went to school there with people Morgan knew very well). Did this DS work at City Market, and did he unknowingly lend his car to K, was he an unwitting pawn in the crime somehow? K surely knew everyone was watching out for his little green car after he moved out of Aspen Equestrian Estates neighborhood. There are live video surveillance cameras all around City Market, even in the back where the employees park – why didn’t K’s manager offer up footage to Detective Glassmire as evidence that K did not leave during the times Morgan was terrorized? The manager never even mentioned the cameras to Detective Glassmire. We told the detective about the cameras and he was surprised to discover they had them.
Wednesday, February 22nd
Today I am updating this time sheet – I have been so busy with work, I haven’t been able to put much detail into it.
Thursday, February 23rd
At 10:14 am I emailed Detective Glassmire with the call in # for Dr. Kurtzman, and himself for Monday’s conference call with Steve and I at 4:00 pm. We are going to California for a meeting with Morgan’s Doctor at UCLA and want to talk over exactly what is important and what we need to move forward on the possible influence the stalking had on her death.
Friday, February 24th
Mogwai (Morgan’s cat) woke me up around 2:00 am by petting my face and saying “Nana”! This completely freaked me out. I have never been a cat person (although I love all animals) I am more of a dog person I guess you can say. So when Mogwai woke me up like that, I jumped out of bed – he went flying and was not very happy with me. I guess Mogwai has always been a talker, but that was just a little over the top for me.
Steve has been having such bad chest pains and my sister D emails me article from Johns Hopkins http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2005/02_10_05.html
I went to have my hair cut today – I had not seen my hairdresser/friend since 2 weeks before Morgan was murdered, when she had cut Morgan’s hair. That same day she said Morgan looked like her stalker was “sucking the life out of her”, and this had made her very angry that day. Maybe that is why I took those pictures of Morgan, right after she had her hair cut, just 2 weeks before she was murdered. When you see someone every day, and your whole life has been turned upside down from being woken up at all hours of the night, you tend to not see what is right in front of you, but that day, I must have intuitively known to take those pictures with my cell phone, because of what I had just heard that day. Now when I look back on those pictures of Morgan I can see how exhausted she was and what a toll this had taken…she was trying so hard to keep with her happy demeanor, but on that afternoon you could see just how much it was getting to her, what a toll it was all taking on her health.
Saturday, February 25th
Gary Katzenberger (the head of the Theatre Dept. at CMC) spoke to me about Morgan – she had been his student in Philosophy and Comparative Religions, etc., and after we spoke about the Scholarship fund we had set up in Morgan’s name he then told me about a woman from GWS – he said she is a published writer and might help do a book about what happened to Morgan and maybe they can do a play at CMC to bring about stalker awareness. I told him I would love to do that at some point in time – if we could get information about stalking out to not only the general public, but also to high schools and college age students that would be wonderful.
Sunday, February 26th
Sent Detective Glassmire a text with TK’s cell #. Also asked him to call her. He texted me back that he was sick, but would be in on the Monday call with Dr. Kurtzman
Had a big dinner party at our house tonight. I am starting to get the picture that all these wonderful friends of Morgan’s, everyone in our family, and a lot of our friends are trying to make sure we don’t just turtle from life and hold up in the house by ourselves, so they keep making lunch and dinner dates over at our house to keep us company. It’s so nice of them, honestly if it weren’t for them we would have really would want to just curl up in a ball and disappear at times. Mogwai looked at Wylah, and said “Wylah” again tonight when we went to bed. I can’t believe that cat keeps talking like this – it’s a little strange…
Monday, February 27th
Went to Aspen for a meeting this morning – stopped by to pick up mail on the way home, then got a strange feeling, and went through the El Jebel City Market parking lot to look for K’s car. His car was there so I took more pictures of the front, back and driver’s side of the car. It looked to me exactly like the car that came up our driveway the night Morgan was alone and our cameras caught someone coming up our driveway.
At 4:15 pm Steve and I had a conference call with Detective Rob Glassmire & Dr. Kurtzman (Forensic Pathologist). Then Dr. Kurtzman sent me a fax directly following our call.
Tuesday, February 28th
Got fax from Dr. Kurtzman’s office again as well as the last of the records from Valley View hospital and a GWS doctor of Morgan’s to bring to Dr. Zeltzer in California. The fax was concerning her postmortem Amitriptyline blood levels, and how they were insignificant.
Wednesday, February 29th
Steve and I flew to Los Angeles for meetings today.