Murder In Slow Motion!!!

 

“Stalking and domestic violence is just Murder in Slow Motion!” said Laura Richards. I have never heard it put so well…

So, if you THINK stalking is no big deal, then think again…stalking is dangerous and always needs to be taken seriously!

Chief of San Diego Police, William Lansdowne, told Panorama that their stalking unit was set up originally because of the number of tragic murders that had occurred in the city and in the state of California.  Chief Landsdowne added: “We have found now that we’re not having the homicides that we had before we aggressively went after stalking. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/6431605.stm

Know the facts…believe the victims…help raise awareness.

3 years after her death…A breath of love about Morgan

 

MorganscandleBurning candles all around our house today for Morgan

This post was written by Morgan’s daddy, Steve.

This morning there are so many things of Morgan’s surrounding us, her paintings, photographs, a little silver charm with her first name engraved on it, and family pictures, everywhere.  I feel her smile and her love of life in everything, and of course I feel that love always because it was so very strong in everything Morgan chose to do.

At the same time the story of her death becomes part of the legacy in a lawless county of Colorado, and what it has meant for so many others, step by plodding step.  Fresh experiences with so many new twists, new turns and new surprises fill today, three years after the day she had every last thing so viciously stripped from her.

We all lost the bright shining light that is Morgan three short years ago.  Her puppy Wylah seems to be watching her mom sometimes…and she is starting to get over the fear she has had of that certain type of young man ever since Morgan’s sudden death.  Morgan’s kitty Mo has never really repeated his very vocal, ma… ma, since Morgan’s death – he knows she is no longer right here, and our family dog Tessi still stops in her tracks and turns to look whenever she hears Morgan’s name called out.

For Toni and I learning new truths never seems to stop. The desire to fill in the blanks goes on too.  They feed each other, and both continue to be so important to us.  But then they have their own internal schedule as if not to release too much all at one time. We both think we could have handled it, only deep inside we both know that would not have been possible.  The ever unfolding truth about Morgan’s death has been precipitated by unseen events I have no control over, and they continue to happen, entirely on their own circadian rhythm.  The unchanging truth just keeps managing to bubble up with new bits and pieces of evidence, whenever and wherever it wants to.  I can sense that what at first was manifestations of lies and deceit by others sworn to protect her is now borne so much more of guilt and fear by these very same people.

We wish to never lose the tiniest slice of who Morgan was, her intense caring, nurturing and of course uncanny ability of seeing it all on a more simple straightforward prism of life.  How she could distill it all into just that one point.  Of course it might have taken her an entire poem to completely express that one point, but that was Morgan.  Her presence and abilities are always missed. There is such a growing knowledge and understanding of how the selfish uncaring and vindictive lives of others can touch us all through what happened to Morgan.  For some people Morgan is closer now than she has ever been in the three long years since her death.  To be able to feel how strong she is brings such comfort, and is such a blessing.

While the world moves on today Toni and I will take a moment to let time just stop for us this moment. We’ll allow all things Morgan to permeate as much as they wish. We’ll look at pictures, watch videos, read her pose and share our memories.  A light that bright can’t be allowed to have been extinguished from the world completely and forever.  We intend to let her memories burn brighter and touch us more deeply than ever as we go forward from today.

And to all of you who have followed and learned from the story of Morgan, you have gained a little sense of just what she meant to this world.  And there are so many who knew Morgan and could add immeasurably to that little sense which has begun with her story.  That one particular part, friends who really knew Morgan, adding to her ever growing story.  That specific part, Toni and I both want to happen more and more, and I know that it will, because an eerie frightening darkness of deceit that began with her death has managed to live on – day by day, even minute by minute – that darkness needs to be pierced through now.  Not only for the causes she started and had begun to dedicate her life to need full reign to blossom and move onward, but even more the tragic actions of stalking that stole first her freedom and then her life need to be fought on her behalf.  Toni and I together, with so many other co-victims, know in our hearts this to be true, and more importantly in our actions we wish to make a real change so that others will not be made to suffer as Morgan did on that day, and how she has ever since.

The world will always have need for the love, the ideals and the deep, deep caring of Morgan… perhaps now more than ever.

We all love you Morgan, forever and ever.  Daddy.

November 27, 2011 – Day 118 of Morgan’s Stalking – Is He Standing Right Behind Steve?

Steve was up early, and left for work.  I was in the kitchen when Morgan walked in, it was late morning by then and she still looked tired.  She wondered if we were really moving, she knew what a job it was going to be, and hated to see us go through it, because of a stalker.  We had a great talk about how strangely enough her dad, and I had talked about it this morning before he left, and he was going to call the people we were dealing with today and start the process.

I told her how her father was very confident this was all going to work out for the best.  I didn’t tell her he was also going to move his shop at the same time so he would be a block away most every day, and his only reservation was that with our new home being so difficult to approach, the stalker would be forced into something that did not involve the house at all.  We had no plan for that yet, but Steve was insistent that we did before we moved.

Morgan had lived through enough fear, and fright for a lifetime, and then some.  I could not bear to start talking about what might go wrong after we moved, when all of a sudden she seemed to be warming up to the idea.  Obviously it had been on her mind the night before.

I made her tea and encouraged her to go back to sleep.  We had a lot of stuff coming up just as soon as the details were worked out.  Morgan went back to sleep and I spent a few hours packing up those things you know you are not going to need for the next month.  It was a really good feeling to think we were about to put an end to this stalking.  I can’t remember if I was concerned or not that we had not caught him yet.  I do remember a time when it was so important for Morgan that we did.  But right at that time I’m not sure how I really felt about it.

At 12:30 pm Steve was home from work, and his shop would be humming till late as he liked to put it.  He had a project to wrap, and he could carve out the time for a double move.  Sounded quite daunting to me, and I knew he was underestimating.  He had not gotten a call back from the bank, but thought they would be OK with the move.

Morgan had planned to come with us at 1:00 pm to a belated Thanksgiving with Steve’s brother and his family, but after her cousin Camille had to leave early, she wanted to just stay home in bed.  Her friend Nathan came over to stay with her and we felt she was very safe with him, so we left for another round of Thanksgiving and family.

Another of Morgan’s friends started texting her around 7:45 pm and she was telling them about her lingering flu.  She felt it had been going on for over a week and she was all the way up to just feeling “yickish”

Steve and I were enjoying our day, which was now turning to evening, so much and at 8:30 pm I checked in with Morgan again.  I texted her, “Any rocks or noise?”, and she answered, “Nope. We’re going out though. Nate’s sleeping over. We’re taking wyla.”  Nope, how nice that word sounded, nothing happening.  How simple it would have been if it was always like that. Steve wanted we to ask Nathan a question and since he didn’t have a cell phone yet, I texted Morgan for him, “Ok Nate’a going to work with Dad in the morning? Remember to lock the front door love you.”  Morgan answered, “Love you too.”

I asked her to have Nate check the bushes by the front of the garage on their way out.  The motion detector light kept going on and off, like the one on the corner of the house by our room had done a while back.  Steve had switched it with another light just like we had with the one by our room and the new one still kept going on and off at certain times.  It was so frustrating to have something happening, and never see what it was that was causing it to happen.

Morgan answered that “He is. :)” about Nate going to work with Steve and I told her, “Ok”

We were home before 9:00 pm and Steve immediately went to the task of putting together some motion detectors that he had been “custom” painted to match where he intended to place them, so they would blend in.  There was something going on in the front corner of the house, and he was working to catch it.  At around 9:21 pm he placed the detectors, and then called me on my phone.  He wanted me to stand by the alarms in our room and see just how close he could get before the alarm went off.  After a few tries he was satisfied with his new setup and came in the house.

At 9:46 pm the newly placed detectors were very carefully taken from their perches and placed face down on the ground.  They need heat moving to detect motion and if one were to grab them from the behind and slowly move them toward cold ground there would be no alarm.  And even if there had, Morgan’s stalker had plenty of hiding spots nearby.  He would probably have sat patiently and watched Steve show up wondering how the alarm had ended up on the ground, so quickly.  But we would not know they had been moved until after a series of events the next day.

Today is November 22, 2012 – Thanksgiving is today and it has been a long and lonely day for Steve and I.  I constantly receive screen shots by email now from some of our readers.  Little clips about what is being guessed at about Morgan around the Internet.  Some people seem to be amazingly certain of what they think they know.  My decision to tell what happened that day last year perhaps plays into this and of course free speech is free speech for all, well almost all, but don’t get me started on that.

For all of you who read Morgan’s Blog about Morgan’s stalking, at the end of the day the story I tell is for all of you, and your families.  Stalking is under reported, pervasive and lethal.  So many more know these three truths than when Morgan was being stalked – and Steve and I are so grateful for the chance to be sharing this information and raising awareness.

I will also let you all in on something most of you know already.  The people who work on Morgan’s case now are quite a different group then the Garfield Sheriff’s Department, and there are things I ache to share with the world. But I am not allowed to, not because of any court in the land, but because the investigators go over it with me, apologize for the obvious pain it has caused and remind me that this is not going on Morgan’s Blog, not yet.  I believe very strongly that even Morgan agrees with the decisions being made.  It is not to appease the court of public opinion – it is important for an eventual criminal trial.  We miss you honey, and have no idea what Thanksgiving looks like up in Heaven.

Trust me – Hollywood is a lot harder than it looks!

I was unaware, but I guess a few of you were busy asking the Dr. Phil Show to share their thoughts on the story of Morgan’s Stalking.  They spoke with me, and then asked others to be on the show to give them a chance to tell their side.  Unfortunately, no one would agree but then ? and ?’s dad did agree to be on the show.

Well – I had to miss work for a few days, and am now furiously, but without any complaints scrambling to catch up.  Steve and I were in Los Angeles since Friday, guests of the Dr. Phil show.  They are all amazing people, and work so hard at what they do, and I assure you both Steve and I were humbled to watch them all at their craft.  We met so many people we want to thank for what they did on behalf of our daughter Morgan.

Monday November 12, the episode will air and I honestly don’t know what it will come across as, but I hope you can all see it.  Showing the world what Morgan was really like has always been a goal of her blog, and it does get lost at times.  Her cousin Camille and Dr. Dobersen had a brief chance to tell their feelings about Morgan and I thank both of you two sooo much!

Please don’t hold back, tell everyone you know about the show, and as always, feel free to comment, good or bad, after you have had a chance to see it.  Steve and I have never been on TV once before, a few seconds on CBS Denver news,  but for Morgan, and all the other stalking victims out there, we would do anything.   We both are feeling more than a little self-conscious about how we will look on the show right now – but I know I can’t think about that.

Finally, with all of the best wishes Steve and I can ever express – thanks to Lindy and Sam and Alex and of course Dr. Phil, I had never met him before, we met on stage and I think he is a really wonderful man…no wonder all of his employees love working for him.

Daddy and I miss you dearly Morgan!  But we are happy a lot of people will get a chance to meet you, not in person, but perhaps the next best thing – this coming Monday.

November 16, 2011 – Day 107 of Morgan’s Stalking, Why Not Give It One More Try?

At 4:00 am the motion alarm in the rear corner of the house goes off and two minutes later Morgan is startled by a rock on her window.  The puppy is frightened too, and has an accident in her room.

Steve was getting up already, and almost dressed when Morgan texted that she heard tapping on her window.  I ask Steve if I should call dispatch.  At first he says no.  Lately they have been showing up way after we make a call in and then we are up with them for at least an hour, so I really can’t blame him, we are exhausted.

In the beginning they had some good suggestions and good observations, but after the footprints and the few plans they executed there had not been anything in the way of a new idea to catch him.

Steve suddenly changes his mind to yes.  He grabs the thermal scope and goes out the back door.  “Just once let me see where he is going”, Steve says, “And give the Detectives something to chase, that’s what they need.  Never going to catch him on foot, me or them,”  Steve finishes as he walks out the door.

The alarm in the other corner goes off As Steve heads the opposite direction for the first alarm and crosses over the berm.  But ten minutes later Morgan texts again that the noise is now coming nonstop.  I call Steve and he says naturally I go the opposite way to circle in on him and he goes bananas.  He feels like he is just right there watching him.

He wants me to go into Morgan’s room and stay with her.  Steve says he wants him to run for the window, but he is not going to be there.  He wanted me to throw open the drapes when I was in her room.  We need a visual.

I hang up and go in with Morgan and turn off all the lights.  I tell her Steve is standing back over the berm watching her window. And we waited for just a minute and there was a big tap, loud then another.  I jumped at the first one and texted Steve with the second.  There was a pause, he did not see anything. He asked if I was sure.  Yes, I told him sure!!!  There wasn’t another noise for a while and I texted him that.  He said he wasn’t sure whether to come in or wait.

So we waited.  It was cold and quiet and dark outside now.  I cleaned Wylah’s accident on the floor.  There was no more noises and I told Steve to come back in.  He did and put his stuff away.  Then there was a knock on the front door and I had forgotten all about the Deputy coming.  Steve said he would take him on a walk.  That they had to figure something out and Steve went out to show them exactly what had happened this morning.  He walked them down to where he stood and tried to wait him out.  He told them he thought is was not projectiles before, but now he does again because he was watching the window from less than 75 yards and saw nothing as we herd the noises inside the room.

They patrolled the area together and didn’t see anything.  He didn’t talk about it when he came in, but called me later and said we are just going through the motions with the Deputies. He felt like the detectives could question, and trip him up somehow.  That was our best chance.

That evening Morgan went to the Penny Hot springs with some of her friends.  She didn’t stay long, but they had a great relaxing time talking together.  When Morgan went out she was always surrounded by friends as much as possible.

Today it is October 30, 2012 – Almost Halloween in our new neighborhood.  Steve and I have decided it will be too rough to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters by ourselves, so we have alternate plans for tomorrow.  There is so much deeply researched information that has been shared recently.  I want to thank you all again for all of your effort.  And I am not just saying this to be polite.  If we had been able to harness all of the positive thoughts and concerns I am sure there would have been a different outcome.  Not nearly as bleak as what we have ended up with.

I never thought of a “help me with my stalker” blog while it was going on, but it was just what we needed.  If you remember back to the Memorial weekend trip to Steamboat Springs to meet family we all talked about how to stop this guy.  And we ended up with the wildlife camera – which was one of the closer moments we had to catching him.  Wildlife cams have also proven successful for a few others around the country.  But what I really want to say is that the collective thoughts of concerns need to have a larger voice.  There has to be a way to tap into that better than we do now.  I know some law enforcement probably won’t greet it with open arms.  But it certainly can’t be ignored.  It was the trying to ignore similar crimes in our area that led to Morgan’s stalking.  Quite sure of that.  Also, quite sure that until we are more worried about stopping the crime than covering it up it will happen again.  Someone did stalk Morgan, and had part in her killing.  What’s to stop them next time?

Please read above, Keenan thought maybe “Brooke” (her name was again redacted) did it, but that did not make much sense to him…seriously?  She was the other “suspect” in Morgan’s case – this was a gang stalking, there were more than 2 people involved, and they were all part of a “gang” – the Appletree gang in Newcastle.  Haven’t heard me mention this before, because I thought I should leave that part out.  I have had many people email me about that connection, as well as being told directly to my face by people that know their families.  This was not a game – this was serious stalking and danger!  And why do criminals always know how to use the law to their advantage?  And why do they always get away with directing the blame to others?