Tag Archives: morgan’s story

November 7, 2011 – Day 98 of Morgan’s stalking – a very dark day for all of us…

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Wylah looking at the front door

Today started out OK – last night was quiet.  The grandchildren slept over and Dave, Steve’s friend, still never answered his phone.  Steve decided to drive into Aspen extra early, and go straight to Dave’s house.  He wanted to check up on him, and deliver the food, since we were unable to last night.  We felt terrible, because we knew Dave never wanted to accept help, but he had just returned from the hospital, and couldn’t really do much of anything for himself.  We were still in disbelief in regards to everything that was happening with the stalker, the sheriff’s dead batteries, and just about everything else.   Morgan was losing hope in the sheriff’s department, and so were we.  We were trying to come up with ideas – then everything turned black.

Steve got to town, and went straight to his friend Dave’s place.  He knocked and knocked…yelled Dave’s name – nothing.  He called their other friend to tell him what was happening – his other friend told him where the key was hidden, and said he was on his way.  Steve opened the door, went inside and found Dave on the couch – he was not moving (Dave had already been dead for quite awhile, but Steve had no way of knowing), Steve called 911 and started CPR.  By the time his other friend arrived, and the EMT’s had gotten there to take over, it seemed like a lifetime to Steve.  He was devastated.  He called me to tell me what had happened, and was so shaken up he couldn’t drive his truck home for hours.  This was our first dark, dark day – we never realized that the darkness would be returning again on December 2nd.

I didn’t read my emails until later in the day – there were 2 emails from Detective Glassmire.  They were both from yesterday, after they left our house.  He said when they stopped at Starbucks in Rifle they saw a Green Ford Fiesta with a female driver.  They jotted down the license (don’t ask me why since it was in Rifle, not Glenwood or Carbondale, and it had a female driver), and it wasn’t registered to Keenan so what was the point?  He mentions they are all doing this to follow up on any sightings of a vehicle they think might be Keenan’s and to let us know this could be the vehicle witnesses have seen near Thunder River Market.  Are you kidding me?  Morgan said whenever she saw his car at the Thunder River intersection she saw Keenan in it, and now I feel like this email is trying to make it sound like it’s not him that she is seeing in the car.  The next email he sends me says an off duty deputy saw one at the Rifle Walmart registered to a couple somewhere else, and mentions these cars are a little more popular than we thought.  I am now thinking, OK – this is a little ridiculous at this point, do you know how far away Rifle is from the Thunder River Intersection?  Am I supposed to feel like they are actually watching out for this car and Keenan, or just trying to make excuses?  At this point I still trust them, but it’s starting to wear a little thin.

Morgan gets a text message from her sister that says, “I wish you could come here soooooo bad!!!  I need help with my shows & I miss you!!”  (She really just wants to get Morgan out of Colorado) Morgan answers, “I miss you!  I just can’t ditch out on Wylah and ballet. :(”  Her sister texts back, “When is ballet over?  Maybe Mom can watch the dog…I need my Morgana!” Morgan writes back, “In December.  I can’t leave Wylah though.  I’d be so sad.”  Her sister writes back, “:( you could Skype with her.”  Morgan says, “Haha I don’t think that would do it unfortunately.” Her sister says, “Fine!”  Morgan says, “I love you!!!”  And her sister says, “I love you!!!”  When I read these texts now I remember Morgan’s older sister calling me on the phone later, and chastising me for not forcing Morgan to go stay with her to get her away from the stalker.  She was starting to panic, she had a really bad feeling (she was very intuitive and always had been), and she was getting upset with me, because she wasn’t getting anywhere trying to convince Morgan to leave.  I explained to her that Morgan was 20 years old, she was a Leo, and very stubborn, and I couldn’t make her do anything.  I explained that I wanted her to leave too – I pleaded with her to go back to visit her Godparents in Hawaii for a while (that was pretty far away), and I would take care of her puppy, but she wouldn’t do it  – she didn’t want the stalker to force her to leave and she was also concerned that if she left, and he followed her then what would she do?

At 8:46 pm Morgan sent me a text to say, “On my way.”  I watched for her to drive up so I could meet her in the driveway as usual.  Morgan spent some time watching TV and knitting.  She was making homemade Christmas presents as usual…here is a picture of the gloves she was making at the time (she looks so worn out, but still her happy self).  She almost finished the present before she was killed.

Morgan’s last knitting project just before she was killed

Click here to read about the 99th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=2011

October 20 – 24, 2011 – Days 80 – 84 of Morgan’s Stalking – Morgan goes on a babysitting trip and I just want to be sure, this is considered felony stalking – Isn’t it?

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On October 20 at 10:17 pm Elliott, our neighbor across the street, sends me a text, “walking dogs now.”  He told me earlier that he wanted to be sure we did not catch him on camera, and think he was the stalker, and then call it in.  Now Steve is surprised by something about the cameras.  If he changes where they point, and aims them closer to the house, there is not much difference.  But when he aims them far away from the house they seem very capable of capturing decent images far beyond their stated 20 meters of “vision.”

Steve wants me never to mention to anyone what exactly what is seen, or not seen on the video system.  He thinks whoever the stalker is, is innocently asking everyone, and good gossip is in high demand right now.  I agree, and am very careful to be intentionally vague about what exactly is being seen, and recorded by the cameras.

I do wish the detectives would take this stalking case more seriously.  Whenever I call now that we have detectives assigned to the case it seems like if we have a video of the incident that just happened then any kind of follow up can wait.  That was not the idea, we thought the cameras might reinforce some intelligence that had been gathered by the Garfield Sheriffs department, not become a replacement for officers on the ground.  We had lots of video of strange things happening at night around this “quiet” neighborhood. And there was plenty more to come.

Wylah ready to go with Mr. squeakers

On the 21st Morgan was packing in the morning, we were babysitting her puppy, and after school she picked up her friends, and left to work at a military retreat.  Armed forces returning from oversees were availing themselves to rebuilding opportunities while Morgan was a part of the group that helped the process by making sure their children were happily entertained.  Morgan was very proud to be doing this.  She was gaining a new respect for the pressure put on families of service men, and women and she was quick to shares stories with me, after a weekend like this.

I was also hoping she would leave behind her own problems with her stalker back home, and this weekend could be a good weekend for her.

On the 23rd Detectives Glassmire and Alstatt came over for a meeting.  They checked their wildlife cameras, and found nothing – I told them that as usual, when Morgan was away, there was not much activity.  We gave Detective Glassmire a thumb drive with the latest videos on it, and Steve set up a drop box on the Internet so he could constantly update video as it happened.

Glassmire was hoping for some way that we could capture a video with a face clear enough for a positive ID (which to me sounded a little crazy as Morgan already believed Keenan as her stalker), while Steve was hopeful, but uncertain that we could manage this feat.  The stalker had to go along for this to happen.  Give up his caution for a day of two and walk right up to one of the cameras, and we didn’t think that would happen.

We all spent a lot of time going over the video of person in the driveway.  When Steve held up a photo of Keenan and his car everyone agreed the car was as close of a match as you get, but this is where we differed…Detective Glassmire was certain it was Keenan in the driveway, as was Morgan and I.  But Steve thought maybe it was not, maybe he was someone close, but not Keenan. I think Steve was thinking it was a friend of Keenan’s, driving Keenan’s car, trying to divert the attention away from Keenan.  Steve did believe, as did the rest of us, that the car was Keenan’s car.  We did the research, and that was the only car with that exact grill and emblem.  Detective Glassmire was going to have a specialist in the department look at the video, and see what he could do with it.  We were happy with that, and after going over the latest gossip of the neighborhood the detectives left.

Later in the night, on Sunday, Morgan came home from her weekend, tired and happy…

Today is October 13, 2012 – That night, last year, was such a perfect example of why this year is so frustrating for Steve and I.  After her weekend with the children, they all wrote a little something to Morgan. Of how happy she had made them, of how they loved coloring with her, or how she was such a good big sister, and of how they hoped to meet her again someday. They were all beautifully misspelled in crayon, on pieces of torn paper, and Morgan could vividly explain to us every little girl who had written the notes.  How the writer thought or felt, of some very special quality she had found so amazing.  All the little notes are in a zip lock bag now, and they remind Steve, and I of just who Morgan was, how she really was.  There are so many reminders she has left.  They will never be the same as having Morgan, but they help us never waver from those who would like us to forget this travesty of justice.  We want #Justice4Morgan!

Click here to read about the 85th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1758

Morgan in the rear view mirror, looking for a picture

October 5, 2011 – Day 65 of Morgan’s Stalking – Faces in the Sky

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Faces in the Clouds

Cool rock formations from Hawaii and More

Morgan took this picture in Hawaii and I said, “What a cool rock formation,” and Morgan said, “Mom! – Look at all the faces in the clouds!!!”

In the wee hours of the morning, at 22 past midnight Morgan texts me “You aren’t still up, are you?” I was, and I feel like she caught me, I answer “Yes, why?” Morgan says, “Nevermind.” Now she’s really caught me and I ask her “Why are you still up?” Which is a silly question of course, 20-year-old girls stay up late. Before she had a stalker she would be up working on some project or watching movies or talking on her phone till way late all the time. Now she was tired and interested in a good nights sleep, as much as we were. Morgan does not answer, and I let it go at that.

At 1:12 am the motion light outside the back of our room goes on. I reach over for Steve, but he is already awake and grabs my arm before I can tap him. That startles me deeply, everything seems to startle me now. There is a crash noise right outside and Steve doesn’t bother with lights or clothes and just hops up and runs out our back door. I get up and lift the blinds. I don’t see anything, not even Steve. Which is a concern, but then I see him coming over the berm. He sees me and shakes his head.

When he’s back inside he tells me that he thought he saw something, maybe a man, hard to be sure. He went as far as over the berm and then he saw nothing, he just stood there and froze and waited for something to move, but the cold eventually convinced him to come back in. There is always a next time and we go to sleep.

Morgan calls me in the morning and wants to go see her doctor. She is in pain, her back has been hurting more and more. I think it was sleeping on the closet floor all that time, and Morgan thinks it is just stress. I told her, of course go see the doctor – she doesn’t miss class very often, so once is not going to be that big of a deal.

Morgan sends her teacher a text message, “I am going to run to the doctor this morning so I’m going to miss class. I’ll see you tomorrow!!” Her teacher texted back, “OK.”

She goes to see her doctor and he helps by realigning her back, tells her she has strained her hip and needs to be careful on it for a week or so until it really feels better. Dr. Jensen is a great holistic doctor and Morgan really trusts him.  She is so much happier when she gets home. I tell her that her deal with her dad to not wake me is off and I promise I won’t talk or call, but just to send me a blank text whenever there is a noise against her window that wakes her.  She is a tough sell, but finally agrees.

That night as we are going to bed I tell Steve the new plan with Morgan and he says I will never be able to do it. I tell him something like, just watch me. Then at 1 minute before 11:00 pm she sends me one bubble on my phone. I didn’t realize how hard it would be. I lie there having to know if it was a little noise or a big noise, or if she was sleeping soundly or lightly.  I want to know something, but a deal’s a deal, and I let her sleep. And then I lay there wide awake.

Today is October 3, 2012 – I miss Morgan a lot today, I move throughout my day for my job, but otherwise I feel like I am not doing enough for Morgan. I asked her friends to write something about Morgan when they get a chance, and her best friend wrote the most beautiful thing. I read it to Steve and he said, “True friends, so hard to find, and even harder to have taken away.” We know it’s hard for her friends to sit down and write something – they are still dealing with the loss, just like us. This past Saturday night we met with two of her friends and one of them said to us that it was the first time he could face us to talk about Morgan, because it hurt so much. We both miss her a little more right now.  I’m not sure why. The pain never goes away.  So many people are working hard to help her, and us – to get the truth out.  And I really want to tell them all thank you again, Morgan and Steve and I appreciate what you are doing so very much. We could not do what we are doing without all of your help, it means the world to us while we still continue to fight an uphill battle to try to get justice for Morgan.  It seems like there are also people out there that don’t care about the truth, they only want to be right, and for them I feel sorry, because the truth is there, and won’t change.

Click here to read about the 66th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1576

September 21, 2011 – Day 51 of Morgan’s Stalking.

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Morgan in the yard

Morgan outside, just catching rays

Morgan’s teacher sends her a text, answering Morgan’s text to her the night before, “Ok…..c u Thursday.”

There is a farmer’s market today in Carbondale, and I ask Morgan if she wants to go with me when I take a lunch break, or she can give me a list.  She’s juicing in the mornings, and she always likes to use organic produce, and the farmer’s market seems like such a good place for that.  Plus it’s relaxing.  Morgan passes on going with me (she has somewhere else she has to be), but has a little wish list in case I still go.

The cameras are still doing their trick, and we go to bed later than usual.  Then at 11:05 pm the motion lights, that cover the area right outside Steve’s window, go off.  We were talking in bed, and hear something outside.  We had decided early in the week that we would give full chase to anything that happened, and then replay it on the video later.  This was the first try using that theory.

Steve was out the side door, and did a big circle around the house.  Nothing.  He went back, and looked for prints, and found nothing.  He searched with the thermal imaging scope, and saw nothing.

For an hour we replayed the whole thing.  Steve showed up just fine, we could chart his progress around the house from camera to camera, but nothing else.  Steve was sure he had heard something, and was frustrated to say the least.  All he could do was look at me and say, next time, next time we’ll see something.  He’s being super cautious right now.  We knew there were areas around the house that were not covered by the cameras, and we had foolishly never even considered checking our roof :(…we only had 6 cameras to go around, but we really thought we had placed them where they could catch the stalker…

(Police reports later show the “suspect” did not work on 9.21.2011)

Today its September 19, 2012 ,  and the questions are coming faster than I can answer, so please bear with me, I will get to them all.  I just want to give each of you my undivided attention.  And the questions themselves are so provoking.  You have Steve and I going back through records, and looking for things we would never have thought of before.  He’s even hooked an old computer back up to look for some old documents on that.  And please don’t apologize for using the tip line, that is what it is for, and if I want to share some of it, I’ll always ask first. 🙂  And as always it is so wonderful all the inspiration you give me with your kind words.  Steve and I will never stop fighting to get Justice for Morgan, and it will happen.

Click here to read about the 52nd day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1305