Picture of the berm in daylight – great for a stalker to use to sneak around on in the cover of darkness
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 – the 22nd day of Morgan’s stalking
I wake up to the smell of coffee, and the glow of Steve’s computer monitor. Our motion detector lights outside our Master Bedroom went off multiple times last night. Steve has already made rounds of the neighborhood, and noticed the BBQ and furniture have been shuffled around on our neighbors back patio. They are still out of town, so he wants me to call the sheriffs whenever I have the time. The red fold-up chair has been moved again, and the officers want us to report anything different that we notice going on around our house – this looks suspicious. No one has been at that house for quite a while now, so why should that chair be moving from one spot to another? I go with Steve so he can show me the chair & BBQ and how they have been moved.
I call dispatch late morning, and a sheriff’s deputy arrives just before lunch. First we walked around the house talking about the stalker. Since this is still not considered felony stalking yet, and only misdemeanor trespassing, we have to explain the situation every time an officer comes to the house, unless they have already been to our house and they know what has been going on. I tell him that since we put up all the detectors it has been only alarms that have been triggered, and pebbles (we think that is what is making the noise, but we really have no idea) against the windows – it’s very unnerving to us knowing the stalker is right out there, but we can’t see him/her. I tell him that my husband is going crazy trying to figure out a way to trap him, and I ask the deputy if he has any ideas that might help.
The deputy goes out to the berm behind our house (this is the grass and treed berm that divides the houses from the ranch), and is wondering if anyone lives at the ranch next door. I know most everyone there, because our horse is boarded there. I run through them all again in my mind. They are all horse people, except for the renters in one of the buildings on the ranch. I don’t think any of them are capable of this – but you never know, I don’t know them. They are all in the least likely group on our suspect list. The deputy was walking up the berm when he stopped, and pointed out a trail well worn into the tall grass. He asked me if we had ever seen this before, and I tell him we search for footprints around the house, but not out on the berm. We have never see anyone up on the berm – there is no reason to be there. It’s not a short cut to anywhere, the gardeners never work on it, it’s just wild natural growth, meant to block the view of the ranch. He sees another trail, and thinks it leads to our neighbor’s house. He walks towards the back of their house, and asks if I know who lives there. It’s Ken’s house (the house that has the red chair that has moved recently, again). We have a key to his house in case of emergencies, we always keep an eye on it when no one is there, as is most often the case.
The deputy is checking doors, and finds one that is not locked. I remember him asking if he has my permission to enter the house. The next thing I know his gun was drawn, the door swung open, and he was calling out “Garfield Sheriff’s Department, is there anyone here, I’m coming in!” I was frightened, I have never been in a situation like this, and in my mind I imagine a shoot out, I don’t know if I should drop to the ground or run. He keeps calling out, while inside the house for a long time, and then he comes back out, the house is clear, and he didn’t think anyone was hiding out inside. He wanted me to contact the owner, get the house locked up and keep a closer eye on the berm behind our house. Also, call if anything at all happens, even just our motion detectors going off, especially out back. He thinks the trails worn into the berm are obviously where the stalker is approaching our house from – he was right. https://morgansstalking.com/?p=744
The sheriff’s patrol officers were all very passionate about wanting to catch this stalker, they were great people, great warriors in my opinion, but the methods they were taught to employ, the protocol they were told to use, never had a chance against this type of stalker.
Standing on our neighbor’s patio, I can see my closet window. Morgan is still sleeping in that closet, because she feels safer there, and I wondered if she really is safe in there. I called Steve and told him we need a gun. We were joining that group of people that feel they need a loaded gun, one that is ready to go at all times. At first Steve didn’t want a loaded gun in the house, but I was insistent, and he said we would get one. It has been 23 days now, and I feel danger all around us.
Months later, in one of our moments of desperation, when we were thinking of what to do next, Steve went on the Internet to look at Google Earth. He saw the satellite maps for our neighborhood that had been updated at the end of summer, September 22, 2011. There, plain as day, were the trails in the berm behind our house. It was sickening to see them. You can still see them today on Google Earth. If you don’t have Google Earth it is free from the Google site, once you have it, enter – 62 Corral Drive, Carbondale, Colorado, 81623 – and zoom in. We did not realize it at the time, but the trail was going to prove very important in connecting the dots later on.
Click here to read about the 23rd day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=737
Morgan, before the stalking started, sitting in our backyard, with the berm in the background, reading a book. Her peace & tranquility should never have been taken from her.
August 22, 2011 – Morgan’s 21st day of her stalking
Morgan sends a text to her friend Patrick, “Aw Pat! I miss you dearly!! What have you been up to?” Then Morgan sends a text to another friend in Carbondale saying she is coming into town, text me, call me or find me.
Steve and I had had a talk that morning about how we just spent a weekend at a lovely wedding, and with us, all the time was the stalker – in the back of our minds. He has completely invaded our thoughts, during the wedding we were both more concerned about where Morgan was, and what she was doing than our little 2 year old granddaughter. We would be looking off, not at the beauty that surrounded us, but searching for a stranger that did not belong. Other guests at the ranch were suddenly suspects to us. We have become “hyper-vigilant.” This is what people mean when they say, “this stalking has completely changed my life.” Now we have joined them, it’s nice Morgan is not acting like she is taken over with fear, but that also makes me worry about her all the more.
Our front door lock had suddenly broke at the end of last week, Steve figured it was from age, so he did not make a big deal out of it with the sheriff’s officers. He bought a new key pad lock, that looked very substantial, and had it installed. Steve had figured it was better than just a key that someone could take from Morgan’s car or get a hold of and copy somehow. This lock you would have to punch numbers, and a loud beep sounded with every press. We would always be able to hear the front door being unlocked now.
Tonight I was awakened by a the sound of those beeps – I only hear 2 out of the 4 buttons pushed, but the sound is very distinct. I jump out of bed to go look at the front door, but no one is there. Steve is up and getting dressed, he runs past me at the front door, and out into the dark. He is gone for a long time before he comes home, and gets into his truck, driving around the entire neighborhood, and writing down every car that is home and every light that is on. Later when we are going to sleep again we talk about how we can knock the list of suspects down faster. We decide we’ll work from both ends, having a group of more likely at the top, and a group of not likely at the bottom. Then we’ll be able to better focus our efforts on nights like this. The Master Bedroom motion detectors went off multiple times tonight, We always got up and looked, but we were unable see anyone outside. Needless to say we were both exhausted the next morning.
Now today, 8.22.2012 – I would like to share some information about locks. Never install a key pad lock like we did, without some kind of shroud on it. Like the ones on the ATM terminals that prevent other people from seeing you enter you pin number. A retired federal officer helping us with the case, after Morgan was murdered, took one look at our front door lock, and explained how it should have been shielded like the ones at military installations are. He said the way it was now someone hiding in a bush across the street could figure out our code in a matter of days. We had changed the code after that night after I heard the beeps, and we were cautious when entering the number afterwards, but it was not enough. Make sure that any doors (like our front door) that have glass windows, have double key locks…with locks on both sides. Also employ deadbolts on the inside of all exterior doors. Make sure you have solid core, or steel doors. There are door stop alarms (very inexpensive – about $10) that you can place under a closed door, and if that door opens it sounds an alarm. You should place one under each door leading into your house, as well as under your bedroom doors. And most importantly, while you have a stalking situation going on, do not minimize the potential importance of anything that happens, especially something out of the ordinary. You can hope it’s just a coincidence – but if there ever was a better safe than sorry time – this is it.
I would also like to say that the loss of a child is unbearable, and totally unimaginable, and I know our life without Morgan will never be the same. But, I would also like to express how hopeful I am for the future. A future where laws will change, where there is more protection, and education for potential victims (targets), where none of us will ever have to be victims again, because of a problem that could have been corrected.
This week we have made huge strides in discovering additional details about who was involved in Morgan’s murder, and what their part in it was. This valley from Aspen to Glenwood Springs may seem like a big place to some people, but it still is a very small valley. Steve always likes to say there is only one degree of separation here. People want to help, and they are. There is so much positive energy going in the right direction now, that I have no doubt that there will be justice for Morgan, and great strides made in the future, with the changes that we all want to see.
Thank you all so very much for helping! Every person has helped in a different way, and every single one of you has made a huge difference. For the people out there (and you know who you are), who have been brave enough to share with us important information – you will get to see how your bravery has facilitated the changes that are needed in this world.
Click here to read about the 22nd day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=723
Morgan’s photo – more love…
For all my followers on this Blog – please read:
Your are all so amazing! Steve and I have been following the stats on this website, and Blog since the beginning when it first went live, and I just want to let you all know that in the beginning we were getting between 150 – 360 viewers per week. That number kept climbing as you were all reposting, and sharing this website, and blog with others, in order to get the word out and to raise awareness…well you are all doing it! We are now over 5,700 viewers last week!
Please keep reposting, or tweeting, or emailing the website www.morganingram.com or www.morgansstalking.com to as many people as you can – this is really making a difference in Morgan’s case, attention of law enforcement to changing their protocol, to the education of others, etc. I can’t tell you how many people have contacted us wanting to help, wanting to share their stories of stalking, or just letting us know that they had no idea that any of this kind of thing was happening, and thanking us because now they are more aware. Even in the deepest darkest moments of my despair over losing Morgan, I can feel so much love, and happiness from all of you that are reading and sharing Morgan’s story.
I just want to share one more thing with you – this past Saturday morning, as I was waking up from a dream, I heard Morgan’s voice tell me, not once but twice…Heaven is inside all of us. At first when I completely woke up I was confused, but then when I told Steve what I just heard he said it made perfect sense to him, and now I must say it makes perfect sense to me and I just wanted to share this with all of you.
John Lennon said the following – this is also how Morgan lived her life:
