September 26, 2011 – Day 56 of Morgan’s stalking – we meet our detective

snow on Mount Sopris

After her classes, Morgan came home and just hung out and rested.  I worked and waited to meet our detective at 4:00 pm.  Steve came home early from work, and we laid out our array of papers for the meeting.

The detective called and he was running late, I told him we were all home and ready anytime, so that was fine.  Just before 5:00 pm we met, it was 56 days into Morgan’s stalking, and now it was officially a felony stalking case.  We hadn’t called the sheriffs on day one of the stalking, so it was actually more like around 52 days since the first call to the Garfield sheriffs, but they knew when it had first started.  The detective didn’t have the case number with him, but said he would get that to us once he got back to his office and looked it up.

We went over our records, showed him the cameras and the systems in place to protect Morgan.  He told us that not many people went to such lengths, and we could certainly file a claim, a compensation claim with the victim’s rights coordinator, and get reimbursed for at least part of what we were spending on all of our stuff.  That was nice to hear as it was a considerable expense so far, but we never did.  We were more hopeful about putting an end to all of this, and there had not been one in sight up until now, we all discussed exactly where this case was at this moment in time.

The detective had obviously talked with some of the deputies who had become our “regulars” on the case so far. He said Garfield County had a protocol of shifting the officers around to different areas of the county on a regular basis, and we did not have a group of the same two or three deputies, over time, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had met all of the patrol deputies eventually in the entire department.  He knew that the deputies so far had zeroed in on one person, but he said he was going to be revisiting everything and would, “go where the evidence led him.”  It was too late to cast any of the footprints or fingerprints, and at that time none of our pictures were clear enough to identify one exact person, so it could take a while.

Morgan explained the usual events, and how she had been followed, and was not certain when it had really began, but knew that since August 2 it had been pretty constant.  The detective asked her for suspects, and Morgan had one name for him, Keenan Vanginkel, we added a few more to the list, but those names we thought might be helping the stalker, and not actually the stalker.  She was downplaying her fear, and how upset she would get, so I felt I had to encourage her to tell the detective how she really felt as this was happening – that helped.  Morgan had built up a wall to what was going on, and when she let that down she instantly started to tear up, and almost cry, as she explained how she felt about what had been happening.  Morgan never liked to be thought of as weak, and it was uncomfortable to watch her struggle, but it had to come out.  I wondered if the detective was seeing the same thing I was.

After he left, Morgan could not get out of the house fast enough.  She was upset that she had shown a little weakness, and was now going to see her friends in Carbondale, where she could pretend everything was normal.  Steve and I talked about the meeting, and were not sure what to make of it, it was not what I had expected, but then I had nothing to compare it with either.

Steve texted Morgan at 7:35 pm, “Just left for dinner. Text me when you gonna come home cuz mom left her phone at home.”  Morgan answered, “Will do. :). “ Later, at 8:40 pm Steve texted again “We are home.”  Morgan came home at 10:00 pm and went to bed.  She didn’t say anything about the detective or her stalker.

In a replay of the last few nights, the motion detector went off at 10:43 pm, and I waited for another rock on Morgan’s window.  That did not happen, but I had heard noise outside our room, when Steve went to look, he didn’t find anything out of the ordinary, and we went to sleep.

(Police reports later show the “suspect” was not working this evening.  On 9.26.2011 he worked from 8:30 am – 12:59 pm & then from 1:30 pm – 5:27 pm)

Almost 2 years after Morgan’s murder we finally received the police reports (see this one supplemental below) – his date is incorrect – he called us on Sunday the 25th, but he did not meet with us until Monday the 26th:

Supplement Report #5 2011-20197

Print Date/Time: 10/01/2012 11:29 October 3, 2011

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
ORI Number: CO0230000

A few weeks ago, I was advised of this case. It was further requested that I contact the victim family and consider putting up sheriff’s office issued wildlife cameras in an attempt to capture photos of the suspect(s).

On September 25, 2011, I met with the Ingrams at their home located at 62 Corral Dr. Carbondale, CO. We went over the case history. The Ingrams explained to me that the suspect(s) began to harass them in the first part of August 2011. Since then they have had a continuance presence by the suspect(s).

Activity will include small rocks being thrown at the house, scratching of the windows, and a known presence in their yard. The Ingrams have installed motion sensor lighting and wildlife cameras of their own.

On a regular basis, motion detectors will go off and the lights will turn on. Further evidence of suspect(s) activity will include shoe prints in a dirt area along the house. In one instance, outlined in Deputy Locklear’s previously submitted supplemental report, the Ingrams captured a photo of the suspect using one of their wildlife cameras. Deputy Locklear obtained the photo and submitted it into evidence. The photo depicts a male person but is not clear enough to show identity.

I requested that the Ingrams document every suspicious activity so that a log could be generated. Furthermore, I advised that the documentation would support a subsequent criminal prosecution.

I then took a tour of the home so I could learn the floor plan of the home. I also walked the exterior of the home. I then installed two wildlife cameras on the north side of the home. This area between the Ingram’s and the neighbor’s house is near where a lot of the activity is occurring. It is also the location of Morgan Ingram’s bedroom.

Click here to read about the 57th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1401

How under reported is the problem of stalking, and what can we do about it?

As I write a blog called Morgan’s stalking it should come as no great surprise that I come in contact with victims of stalking – before this I would have never known this was such a hugely under reported crime.  Before Morgan was stalked, and murdered, yes absolutely and very shockingly murdered, Steve and I really did not know very much about stalking.  It was a word that had meaning, but in that far away sense, never to cross our universe.

Now it is different for me, the victims of stalking mean more than I can explain.  I have this drive now that compels me not want what happened to Morgan to happen to anyone else.  Is that such a bad thing?  I will never believe that it is, and I know that the solution starts with the truth.

First comes a change that must happen for all of us.  In a 2009 study by the Bureau of Justice on stalking in the United States, over 60% of stalking victims never reported the crime, I believe that, and suspect that today it is not very different.  Yet that is a number that has to change, drastically.

How does this happen?  Again, with the truth – stalking is a crime under the laws of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government.  Research it and read it, assume your stalker has already done the same.  Also, research the victim’s rights laws in your state, know them and expect them to be upheld.  I have no doubt that our stalker already knew all about the laws he was breaking, how else could he have done it so well?

Next, after you contact law enforcement, ask yourself a simple question.  Are they being reactionary?  Are they reacting to your calls about another stalking incident, or is there a plan of prevention being put in place?  If it is just reaction, don’t be surprised, that is the way law enforcement is taught.  Crime occurs – react.  Until every agency in the country has a protocol to step forward and seek to prevent your stalkers next step, instead of sitting back, and reacting – the stalkers have been given the upper hand.  And, unfortunately for us all, that is the situation that I believe far too many of us are saddled with today.  This is why education, as well as a change in existing protocols needs to be implemented.

Do I think for one second that our detective wanted to see Morgan end up dead, no of course not.  He has children of his own that he loves dearly, he was devastated the day Morgan was found.  For me to be frustrated that he came to our door without any of the right tools, when I thought he had all the answers is to be expected.  No matter what I am ever told, I doubt I will ever, as a mother, fully forgive myself for allowing my daughter to be murdered, and Steve feels exactly the same way.  It does not help, we know this, but if that is how we feel, don’t expect us to let anyone else off easy.

In what may be a very unscientific conclusion, all of the many victims that have contacted me, with the exception of two, feel that they are receiving the cold shoulder from law enforcement.  Do not be surprised if this is how you feel.  Two had their stalkers arrested, after proactively using cameras that were able to snap photographic evidence of their stalker – their LE agencies confronted their stalkers, as they had obvious proof, and the stalkers confessed. This is so wonderful – but trust me it doesn’t always happen like that.

I received some very good counsel from a very wise individual today, and it has helped me very much.  And let me share part of it with you, if you even think you may have a stalker, seek help, early and often.  Because if you keep silent and do not, then it is just you against your stalker, and what more could your stalker ask for?

Please – the time is now – Take Stalking Seriously!

September 25, 2011 – Day 55 of Morgan’s Stalking – We have a detective and a case number…almost!

We make plans to all go to Glenwood Springs, and do some good old fashioned shopping.  Morgan has a list of things she needs, and it promises to be a great little get away.  Steve goes out to clean my car, and finds all kinds of Morgan’s friend’s stuff piled up in the back.  He comes in to tell Morgan, and this prompts her to send a text to her friend Calder,  “Dude… You’ve got to stop leaving your **** everywhere.”  Problem solved!  If only everything were so simple.

After a successful day of shopping we come home, and I get a call from our new detective that has been assigned to Morgan’s felony stalking case, Garfield County Sheriff Detective Rob Glassmire, he introduces himself and we make plans for him to stop by the house the following evening, he said he works Sunday – Wednesday, and times will vary because of his work load, so he will usually be in the later part of the day.  We’ll go over the case in detail when he comes and he wants me to get together what we have so far.  Then we can go over it all while he’s at the house.

I hang up and relish the feeling for a moment, a detective, for our case.  We’ve never had a detective before, because we have never needed one.  I instantly thought that my information so far was lacking, that I had to spend the rest of the evening updating and organizing.  Steve tries to assure me that what we have will completely overwhelm the detective.  I don’t agree, and sit myself down to the task.

Before we go to sleep Morgan explains that she was way too on edge the other night when she rang the bell, and we both came running that she could not go back to sleep for hours, waiting for a repeat that never happened.  She wants to avoid that.  We compromise on her agreeing to send me a text when it happens and only use the alarm button in an emergency.  I will hear the text come through and then see the text, and we will have a record that is time and date stamped to give the detective.  It will all work out.

At 10:45 pm the motion alarm in the back goes off.  We think it could be anything (dog, deer, rabbit), and we wait to see.  Two minutes later I got a phone text from Morgan that a rock just hit her window.  Steve curses, and we both get up to review the cameras again.  And again there is nothing caught on camera.  The review takes us about an hour and we go back to sleep at midnight.

There was a clear pattern developing – it seemed like a quick hit and run.  I could almost picture him coming over the berm, setting of the motion detector, and minutes later being at Morgan’s window.  But he was not invisible, and how this was happening without anything showing up on cameras had to be answered. Much later when we find out how he was doing it things became clear – the motion alarm in the back of the house was the tip off…

At that time we thought the detective would know what was going on – he had to know…again, we were wrong.

Click here to read about the 56th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1346

(Police reports later show the “suspect” was not working this evening.  On 9.25.2011 he worked from 12:58 am – 6:04 am & then from 6:32 am – 10:24 am)

If they sweep Morgan’s stalking and murder under the rug will that keep your daughter safe? These type of perpetrators never stop…they just move on to the next victim.

I know I have already blogged about the following article, but I just wanted everyone to read it one more time, because since September 3rd when this article was submitted to the Post Independent Newspaper in Glenwood Springs, CO, and then never printed, our Garfield County Sheriff has come out on camera to say he will never reopen our daughter’s investigation – so the stalkers/murderers will still reside within our valley…or maybe he just hopes our daughter’s stalkers/murderers (all parties involved) will just move away and continue to terrorize, and kill somewhere else, because in reality these types of perpetrators do not ever stop…please know this.

To the Post Independent in response to an article written on Sept. 1, 2012 by Jon Colson:

As previously reported in both the Aspen Times and the Post Independent Newspapers, Garfield County and Pitkin County in western Colorado both have an extremely high rate of “suicide”, with Pitkin county at over three times the national average and Garfield County even higher. Yet both these superfluously ideal, recreational Colorado counties show an almost nonexistent rate of murder. In fact, in the State of Colorado more people die of “suicide” than they do by motor vehicle accidents or any other method.

Many theories abound on why this rate is extremely high but one logical theory is completely overlooked…that possible murders…are being called suicides by County Coroner’s and Law Enforcement agencies without either the investigative skills or the desire to fully investigate any death.

It often seems, and is the butt of many local jokes, the only time a death will be termed a homicide in this valley is if there are fifty witnesses to a point blank shooting or stabbing and a suspect stands holding his bloody hands out, begging to be arrested.

Any other scenario the majority of investigative effort seems to be put into finding excuses as to why a death is NOT a homicide rather than actually being investigated. If in doubt, local Newspapers are then used as tools of both the Coroner’s office and law enforcement to print misinformation in such a way as to sway the public and therefore the families of victims into a position of acceptance out of fear of  public ridicule. Families who insist on investigations or make any waves are publicly branded, by those who are paid to protect them, as being so overwhelmed by grief they are being ridiculous or ‘dramatic”, or even as downright enemies of the involved departments. And so, possible murderers…walk calmly on their way…safe in their own perfect killing grounds.

The case of Morgan Ingram is a prime example. Many factors have been overlooked in the investigation of Morgan Ingram’s death, including a lack on both the Coroner’s office and those who investigated the scene of death. Nothing in her life indicates any desire to commit suicide yet events leading up to her death present a classic preclude to murder.

Had Morgan Ingram simply been a confused, depressed teenager who’s life had fallen apart at the seams, then to investigate her death as a possible suicide or accidental death would be logical. But Morgan was not the atypical suicide poster child.

Morgan was a young woman who had her life by the proverbial balls with one minor flaw. In recent months she had been continuously terrorized and victimized by a stalker. Even IF her death in any possible theory could have been termed a suicide, it would still put responsibility on the criminal for driving her to this point.

But Morgan was NOT driven to this point of no return. In fact, she was ANGRY. Angry people do not end their own lives, angry people go after those who are stealing their  personal joy in life. In fact, the very night of her death Morgan had told a friend on Facebook “I love life!” in response to something silly from her day. Morgan steadfastly refused to let her terrorizer drive her from her home, school, activities or friends. Instead, she became annoyed with those who begged her to allow herself to be bullied into leaving her home to go into hiding.

Her stalking was not the figment of a young woman’s imagination. Her terrorizing was not only observed by others, but also recorded on security cameras placed around her home. The case was elevated to the level of felony stalking by the Investigators due to escalating events, not by Morgan or her family. In other words, evidence was there to prove a perpetrator existed.

There is a certain responsibility to reporting the news. One of those responsibilities is to not allow yourself to be used as a tool of deceit or coercion by elected officials for their own agendas.

There is a responsibility to know if you are reporting facts instead of what someone else wants you to report as in the death of Morgan. The reporter states “there were no signs of assault”. Does this reporter know this for sure? Was he there? Or did he simply take the word of those who never even LOOKED for any signs of assault? Assault is not always apparent by the naked eye and physical assault is not always a necessity or intent of murder.

Murderers are not all clumsy, in your face, messy murderers of passion. As many serial killer cases have shown and documented, there are killers who are intelligent, crafty, and very capable of covering their crime. These are the killers who move silently through our society, often enjoying long, full lives before ever being apprehended…if ever. Each success gives them more satisfaction in the knowledge they have once again outsmarted law enforcement. Unlike the portrayal in books and television, these killers do not all want attention or fame…some want only to engage in their own secret fantasies and get away with it for as long as possible.

The Post Independent reporter also stated the accepted uses of amitriptyline. What he did not state were the less desirable, nefarious uses of this drug…as a tool of not only date rape but also murder. Several high profile and many lesser reported cases throughout the world have documented the use of amitriptyline as a weapon against other humans. The reporter also failed to mention the reason for this particular drug’s use by rapists and murderers. Amitriptyline not only has the ability to produce fast results in subduing a victim (when administered in medically unaccepted methods), but also is easily available, not only on the street but via online shopping. In reality, the wide spread use of antidepressants by over zealous Doctors has guaranteed each one of us most likely know someone who has amitriptyline (or more commonly known as Elavil) in their medicine cabinet.

The Coroner’s office and the Sheriff’s office are negligent in their duties as employees of the people when they choose to label a death by drugs as a “suicide” when there is no evidence to support drugs were taken willingly by the victim or with a particular intent. “Morgan Ingram died from “amitriptyline intoxication” according to Kurtzman’s report.” This is not definitive of “suicide” and the only conclusion for the Coroner’s office giving this new diagnosis of death to the public, months after Morgan’s death, is the Coroner, in an attempt to stop any further investigation by the family & friends…decided to publicly discredit any information that was in direct disapproval or contradiction of his departments procedures and actions.

The Post Independent reporter was extremely negligent in his duty as a reporter of “news” by neglecting to mention the Coroner’s office only decided to reclassify the victims death in retaliation for her family and friends pushing for justice. The reporter was also negligent in his duty as a person attempting to write about an investigative matter by not fact finding, nor asking to see all pertinent documents pertaining to the circumstances prior to and after Morgan’s death…and instead, taking a hand fed story and running with it, regardless of damage said story could cause.

Morgan’s family has made great strides towards engaging the community and raising awareness of stalking and it’s consequences. With one reckless, ill written article the writer has attempted to destroy the Ingram families efforts.

None of us know how or even when the deadly dose of Amitriptyline was introduced to Morgan’s body. Not the Coroner, not the reporter, nor the public. Only the one responsible knows how this drug was utilized and for what purpose. The evidence is not there to support the victim willingly took the large amount needed to end her life (which was apparent by not only one but also two Coroner reports), and the evidence has never been sought to prove another human was responsible.

With this lack of evidence, Morgan’s case should remain open as should the minds of those in the public, including those we depend on to report accurate facts and news, and those we pay to protect and serve us.

All reports by the pathologist and Coroner’s office state Morgan’s death can once again be reclassified if new evidence presents itself…which means…just as in a Court of Law, reasonable doubt still remains. It is irresponsible by all parties concerned to then definitively state an intelligent, happy, talented young woman willingly gave away a life she herself said she loved.

 

Darcy Sautelet

September 24, 2011 – Day 54 of Morgan’s Stalking

Morgan

Today starts Carbondale’s Potato Days celebration.  Morgan is texting her sister in the morning about how someone has hacked her email, and now people are getting emails from Morgan, that are not really from Morgan.  Her sister warns her to notify Yahoo.

Later, Morgan went to babysit in Aspen from noon until early evening, it runs late, and Morgan calls me on her way home at 9 pm.  She arrived home to the usual drill with me waiting in the driveway, pepper spray in hand, and we show her the latest addition to our stalking arsenal.  Steve has installed a simple wireless doorbell from the hardware store that afternoon. so the button is stuck to the side of her nightstand, and the bell is in our room. We call this her panic button. Our bedroom is on the far back end of the house and her bedroom is in the far front – really far apart and the hardcore bedroom doors, when closed, dull any noise. There is absolutely no way for us to hear anything going on in Morgan’s room if we are asleep in our bedroom so this alarm will really help. But, I was thinking Morgan may feel like this was getting to be a little too much, as it has been quiet since the video cameras went on, but Morgan was happy about it.  She thought we were great for putting it in, now if anything at all happens she can just press the button, we will know instantly, and come to see what’s up.  It gives her even more security.

We don’t have to wait long to see if she will ever need to press the button as the bell rings at about 11:30 pm.  I shake Steve, and jump up myself.  We run to her room and it was a noise on her window, but she said it was different this time.  Before it was tapping, or banging, usually tapping first, then banging later.  Morgan calls this softer like small rocks (for lack of a better way to describe the noise).  She points to the window top, of the clearstory window in her room, where the sound came from.  Steve goes outside in his robe and slippers to look at it from outside.  While he is gone I find out from Morgan that she was reading, and saw the outside motion light come on about an hour ago, but did not think that rose to pressing the new alarm button. Then when she heard the familiar sound she alerted us.

Steve came back in and of course he didn’t see anything out there in the still of the night – we then all said good night after reassuring Morgan to please push the button again if she hears anything.  I had no idea how Morgan would react to the sort of, “panic button,” idea, but I was so glad then that we had put it in, and she wasn’t afraid to use it.  When we were back in the room, we went straight to the camera monitor, and played back the video.  First we checked the camera that covered her windows, we could clearly see Steve approach, and stop to stare up at her end window (when he went out in his robe), then turn and leave, but rewinding, and replaying, there was nothing else (again, we had no idea that the cameras should have been pointing up at the roof).  We went to the cameras on either side of that one, and replayed that video too – also nothing.  This was so very frustrating, we should have seen something, but did not.  We went through it all again and again.  It would be hard to tell Morgan the next morning all we ever saw was Steve, and we were both troubled by this – there was a very good reason our cameras were not catching the stalker, but we would not learn how he was doing it until it was too late.

Steve reasoned that it was rocks from a distance, so that is why we did not see anything on any of the video.  I guess our minds were continually trying to make a logical excuse for the cause of the noise. We went to sleep with that thought on our minds.

(Police reports later show the “suspect” was not working this evening.  On 9.24.2011 he worked from 12.58 am – 6:11 am & then from 6:40 am – 9:24 am)

Today it is September 22, 2012 – I have been in meeting after meeting, and one thing has become very clear to me.  The “average everyday citizen” is far more outraged by what has happened than the officials of Garfield County have ever been.  People, universally, without exception, want to know answers from me,  what do I think could have been done differently, how do I suggest we go about creating change, how do I think we could improve, how do we as a community stop this from happening again, how do we go about protecting the next young woman?  How, how, how?  I’m sure that together we have all made progress toward that goal, productive ideas, strategies, lists of importance.  Yet at the same time, is it just me, or is every elected official in Garfield County who is responsible to us the citizens ignoring us?  It seems like they are all equally intent on looking the other way, and claiming it did not happen, or promising how there will never be an investigation, or that it used to be natural causes, but now with all these date rape drugs in her system it must have been suicide!!!???  Am I missing something here?  I want the truth, from day one all I have wanted was the truth, I traveled to Los Angeles to hear from some of the best this nation has to offer in their respective fields for the truth.  Morgan deserves the truth.  Yet here at her home, here in Garfield County, I am nothing more than a grief stricken mother who can’t accept it?  Can’t accept what?  That the truth is that every single expert that has been consulted on the death of our daughter Morgan does not agree with natural causes, or suicide as a manner of death, and there have been many experts consulted.  While I do not feel like I am grief stricken, in denial, or having issues with acceptance – I am absolutely positive that the esteemed professional experts that we have consulted with so far are not grief stricken, in denial, or having any acceptance issues!!! They gave their expert opinion, they offered to talk to our Pathologist, they offered to go on camera and explain, they offered to fly to Colorado, and to testify as to their expert opinion.  They are all in agreement that what we have right now is not the truth.  It is anything, but the truth.  But so far it seems to be all for naught, because here it would seem the corner of the carpet had been raised ever so slightly, and a broom is attempting to push all this underneath that carpet.  It is my opinion that firmly grasping the handle of that broom are all the hands of all of the elected officials sworn to protect…to protect Morgan, and protect you.  All I ask is the simple question – why…what is so wrong with the truth, and why is Garfield County so intent on preventing it from ever surfacing?

Click here to read about the 55th day of Morgan’s stalking https://morgansstalking.com/?p=1336