Tag Archives: FOHVAMP

Today is National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims

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It is estimated that 14,249 people each year are murdered nationwide…this is 39 murders per day – and that is only the reported murders!

The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims on September 25 came to be after the U.S. Senate unanimously passed resolutions on October 16, 2007 (S. Res. 326) and the U.S. House of Representatives on May 14, 2007 (H. Res. 223). On this day we honor the memory of victims who have been killed by violence. We also acknowledge the long-term trauma that survivors of this violence deal with every day. Survivors and co-victims include family and friends, as well as their communities…they all suffer, every single day, in their own way. For each and every victim there are many co-victims left behind, they are called the survivors.

Raising awareness can bring about positive changes for victims and survivors, that is why we must never forget the victims. Families deserve answers and everyone deserves justice.

It has been said, “Awareness is most certainly the greatest agent for change,” and that is exactly what FOHVAMP http://www.unresolvedhomicides.org is trying to accomplish…change. Not only in supporting the co-victims, but also by trying to bring about positive changes for victims and survivors, by leveling the ‘playing field’ for victims, as well as co-victims, for those families and friends left behind after a horrific murder. 

Let us NEVER forget. Please remember to read the book, “Survivors” by Dennis N. Griffin https://www.amazon.com/dp/195071201X

Since its inception, the song below, We Are the Survivors© has reached and touched so many people around the country. The song was adopted as the National theme song for Parents of Murdered Children, Inc®. and has been shared with many other support organizations as well. https://www.pomc.com/songs/new_survivor_song.mp3

Richard Wright and Kim Tewksbury were the original creators of the song, We Are the Survivors©.

We Are The Survivors 

There are those of us whose mothers have been taken from our arms,
There are those of us with children we could not keep safe from harm.
There are those of us who’ve lived to see our fathers lose their lives,
and in our dreams we’ll keep them all alive,
cause each and every one of us survives.

Chorus: 
We are the survivors, left behind to carry on.
We are the survivors, joined together we are strong.
We will speak out for our loved ones who were not given a choice.
We are the survivors, hear our voice.

Maybe some of us have brothers who were here, but now they’re gone,
You can ask about our sisters, because their memory is strong.
We are sons and we are daughters, we are husbands, we are wives,
and friends who try to keep their dreams alive,
And each and every one of us survives.

Repeat Chorus: 

Bridge:
With a part of us that never heals, and a fear of the unknown,
There’s a strength in knowing through it all, you’re not alone.
We are the survivors, hear our voice.

On December 2, 2018 Remembering Morgan…none of us will ever forget her

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Thank every one of you for burning a candle on Sunday in Morgan’s memory and praying for justice

One of Morgan’s cousins wrote:
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about my cousin Morgan is that she had the Biggest heart. She was always was there for me and she could make you smile just by being next to her. She was an Angel. Of course like all teenages she had spunk, but her spunk was beautiful. She was outgoing, caring, and a great listener. She was creative and everything she did perfectly. It was like she did a beautiful dance with everything she did. I do have to say before I continue this, it’s really weird to talk about her and use ‘would like’ was instead of ‘is’. I just cant get over the sadness I feel when I think of her and what happened, but then I see her face in my head and just by picturing her face, and knowing what kind of person she was, I feel better because she would be the first one to say, “Its ok and everything will get better there’s no need to cry and she would give this smile and and at that time you knew she was right.” 
I have known Morgan since the day she was born. She was more like a sister to me. I know when it comes to friends and memories, the two just go together like coffee and mornings. Hahaha. I have so many memories with her because I use to live with them (my Aunt Toni & Uncle Steve), I can remember the dinner table talks, and when we use to babysit Morgan when she was little, but I think my favorite memory was the most recent and last one when we all went to Disneyland (this was just before they left to go back to Colorado and then the stalking started). It was at the hotel, we (Morgan & I) went downstairs while everyone was in the room and we just caught up on what was going on in our lives. It was a great talk about her friends and her dancing and I talked about what I’ve been up. We talked about how we don’t see each other enough and how I should just move back out there. I asked about the silly ferrets she had, and if she had gotten anymore pets. We talked about how cool it is that my daughter and her are Leos and that if I ever moved out there she would be my number 1 babysitter, and she was so happy because she just adored my daughter Christina. Oh, there’s one more memory I remember, I went out there (to Colorado) when I was pregnant and Toni and Steve were gone one afternoon, and they had this fish in their room. Something happened and the darn fish fell out of the bowl and was flopping around. We (Morgan and I) were screaming like little girls. It was really funny. I guess you had to be there. 
The day my Aunt Toni called me to say “Morgan’s dead” – All I kept saying to Aunt Toni was NO, NO, NO I think that’s all I said the whole conversation. I couldn’t even talk. I dropped to my knees and started to cry. It felt like a dream. A really bad dream. After that there were just questions going through my head like how could this happen to someone like her. Why would God take someone like Morgan away from us. I felt like it didn’t make any sense and I was very confused.
People need to know when Morgan died we lost an Angel. We lost a soul that was the most caring and giving person in the world. I can only hope that my daughter grows up with the moral and respect and love that Morgan had. She put a extra pep in every step she walked on this earth and everywhere she went she touched people’s lives.  Morgan loved life and everyone around her.
Her murder has affected me tremendously and the reason is that we have no closure. I wish we could just find out who did this to her and give them the punishment they deserve and lock them up so they won’t hurt anyone else. I am sad all the time because of what they have taken from our family.
#JusticeForMorgan!

Victims deserve justice, families deserve justice – it’s as simple as that…

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FOHVAMP

This past Fall, on September 30th, I flew to Denver, CO in order to attend quite a few meetings – one of which was the FOHVAMP Annual Meeting and Cold Case Domestic Homicide Study, “The People VS George Ruibal,” on Saturday, October 1st.

After I landed and checked into my hotel I found out from a friend that this very evening, Friday, September 30th, was a Black Moon Eclipse!  I was then told that Chani Nicholas said this new moon is in Libra –  it is actually called the JUSTICE MOON because the sign for Libra is the “scales of justice”… this was a really a positive sign for me to hear on this evening before the FOHVAMP meeting.  Here is the link to what she says about the new moon http://chaninicholas.com/2016/09/new-moon-in-libra-horoscopes-for-the-week-of-september-26th/

scales-316888_1280

I was extremely honored to have been appointed the position as the West Coast Regional Director, representing FOHVAMP (Families of Homicide and Missing Persons, and OCCA (Organization of Cold Case Advocates). I was also very excited about connecting with some of the Colorado co-victims that I had been working with.

I met one of my friends from Northern California shortly after my plane landed.  The other 2 in our group had had their flight delayed, so my friend and I left in an Uber for the hotel.  After many hours enjoying the company of my friends and associates from the JS Intuitive Investigations Alliances, of which I am proud to announce that I am the Law Enforcement Investigations Case Manager, I excused myself and went up to my room to get some long needed rest.

I opened the curtains to my room and gazed out at the sites of Denver.  I felt a twinge of sadness that I no longer lived in Colorado.  Then I asked out loud, “Morgan, tomorrow’s a big day, please send me a sign.”  After that I went to sleep.  The next morning while getting ready to go to the meeting, I called Steve.  This is when something very strange happened. My phone was set on speaker, after I clicked on Steve’s number I had laid it on the counter top on speaker phone – I heard it start to ring Steve’s number, then all of a sudden, out of the blue, it started playing the song by the Beatles “With a Little Help From My Friends.”  It was not only playing the song, but it was playing it REALLY LOUD!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-uTocAlIyw

I had no idea how to turn it off – I was shocked, then all of a sudden it went silent and I heard Steve’s voice say, “Hello.”  I told him what had just happened.  I asked him if he knew why my cell phone just started playing that song, then all of a sudden stopped when he said hello.  He laughed and said, “It was Morgan sending you a sign that everything that is about to unfold this weekend will be fine, and you will get by with a little help from your friends.  Now why didn’t I realize that?  It made perfect sense.  My team from JS Intuitive Investigation Alliances had flown in with me to attend the meetings.  Well I guess “signs” are always coming to us, but we don’t always recognize all of them. 🙂  After I “got it” I said thank you to Morgan out loud.

fohvamp

Toni Ingram, Jennifer Shaffer, Rob Wells, Michelle Eddins and Joyce Jackson

Having had a great meeting, earning my P.O.S.T. credits, talking with some amazing people that are doing amazing work in Colorado for the families of victims, and spending time with some of the co-vicitims that I have worked with over the years, left me feeling really wonderful by the end of the day.  The next meeting was just as enlightening.

The following day was very special, as I watched and helped as my “Team” gave of their time (as always) to grieving parents.  The time passed so fast that before I knew it it was time to head back to the airport.  Taking one last look towards the snow-capped mountains, I felt a pull at my heart.  I love Colorado, and yet until things change, I do not want to live there.  Since my trip to October I remember my thoughts, and know it is up to me to make sure these changes take place.  Yes, I know I have done a lot – I know I have helped many…and yet I have not done the last things Steve and I have known all along we would have to do…tell Morgan’s whole story.  Yes, I have told her story, and it was painful, but not her whole story.  We also held back information, always in the hope that the state of Colorado would open her investigation, but they didn’t.  Not to say they didn’t try, but it didn’t happen.  So now we keep climbing up higher and higher, knowing that eventually our voices will be heard.  Cross your fingers that 2017 will be the year of justice for Morgan.

When it comes to capital murder, luckily there is no statute of limitation.  Because justice is a RIGHT!

Morgan’s Music & Honoring Morgan…

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sheetmusic

Morgan’s keyboard & Morgan’s sheet music – photo taken by Morgan Jennifer Ingram

Every afternoon I remember Morgan sitting down at her keyboard and playing her sheet music – it filled our house with such joy. Sometimes she would sing while playing and that was always an additional treat.  I loved hearing her music, as well as her sweet, soft voice.

When Morgan was in elementary school she learned how to read sheet music.  Then when she was in middle school she decided she wanted to teach herself how to play the piano, which she did.  We bought her a keyboard and she practiced all the time.  Eventually, when she was in high school, she asked if she could have lessons.  We were blessed to know of an amazing piano and vocal coach.  Morgan then took lessons for a few years and loved it.  After that she just enjoyed coming home from school, sitting at her keyboard, and playing whatever sheet music that interested her.

This was just one of Morgan’s passions, and I was always so grateful to be able to hear such beautiful music being played in our home.  Morgan also had many friends that were musicians, and when they came over it was so much fun to listen to them play on the keyboard, bongos and guitars…I loved it!  And I miss it.  I miss Morgan and everything that was Morgan.  It hurts so much at times that I can’t even swallow.  It’s hard to hold back the tears while my heart constricts and I try to put on a “good” face on for everyone around me.  It’s not fair that she was taken from this world – but I know life isn’t always fair.  I know bad things do happen to good people.

I have so many beautiful and happy memories of Morgan, even though she was only on this earth for such a short time.  She was our youngest child and very loved.  What I have learned from our family, as well as so many other families that have had their loved ones murdered…the horrible toll that it takes on the whole family, the parents, the siblings, the aunts and uncles, the nieces and nephews, the Godparents, the cousins, as well as close friends – the ripple effect goes on and on.
ripple-effect

I have seen and heard the damage to the lives of everyone that loved the “victim” and when the murderer(s) are still at large, the damage continues.  😟

As per Scripps News there has been more than 211,000 homicides committed since 1980 that remain unsolved – a body count greater than the population of Des Moines, Iowa. The FBI estimates that the homicide clearance rate in 2012 was only 64 percent, down from 90 percent reported in 1965 when the government first reported statistics.

This is just not acceptable to me – and probably not to you either, so I have become extremely involved in moving towards a solution.  Something that has a chance of solving more of these cases.  I want to honor Morgan in everything I do in my life, so not only have I been working with other victims of stalking, I have been chosen to be the West Coast Director for FOHVAMP (Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons).

fohvamp

At this time the US does not have a national database in which law enforcement can share their cold case information.  In an effort to assist in the creation of a national database FOHVAMP will announce a national initiative to create awareness of this pressing issue and to further advance resolution in cold case homicides and missing person cases nationwide.  The database will provide information to law enforcement, as well as the public with the hope that someone/somewhere will recognize the persons described in the case descriptions and provide additional information that may help solve these cases.  We intend to bring about social change using a new perspective.

I am also involved as the Case Manager for Law Enforcement Investigations for the JS Intuitive Investigation Alliances, working on missing person cases, cold cases and unresolved deaths.  Working alongside families, law enforcement, the FBI, and the DEA helping with leads. Both of these organizations do work pro bono for the families, as well as law enforcement.  I give my time to both of these organizations because justice is a right, and I want to be a part of a solution.

alliances

I know Morgan is also helping from the other side, so even though I may no longer hear her beautiful music I can “feel” her presence in everything I do – she is still guiding me, and I am eternally grateful.