Media Links Only (No Discussion)

[SeriouslySearching]

FBI: No Serial Killer In LaCrosse
LaCrosse, Wisc. (AP) ― There is no serial killer, investigators insist, no boogeyman lurking in college-area bars, waiting to drown good-looking young men.

Since 1997, eight college-aged men have drunk heavily at local taverns, then turned up dead in one of the area's rivers.

Each death rekindled the killer talk, but FBI profilers and other investigators have all reached the same conclusion: The deaths were accidents.

~snip~

The series of mysterious deaths began in July 1997, when the body of 19-year-old Richard Hlavaty was found in the Mississippi. The rumors became near hysteria in 2004 when the body of UW-La Crosse wrestler Jared Dion, 21, was found in the Mississippi off Riverside Park.

http://wcco.com/crime/serial.killer.lacrosse.2.370055.html

[SeriouslySearching]

Is A Serial Killer Stalking Students?
One St. Cloud, Minn., Criminologist Has His Theories

St. Cloud, Minn. (AP) ― Vanishing students. Dead bodies. Fears something sinister is lurking in the shadows.

A string of college student drownings across the Midwest has all the makings of great mystery. Or does it?

Rumors have persisted for years that a serial killer is prowling Interstate 94, hunting young men in college bars and plunging them underwater. Investigators, though, say there's no evidence of foul play. They say the victims were so drunk they fell in the river and died.

Not so fast, says criminologist Douglas Gilbertson.

An assistant criminology professor at St. Cloud State University, Gilbertson has spent most of the past year researching the drownings. He completed a study this spring he believes shows patterns that indicate some of the cases could be murders -- and could be linked.

"We definitely do have some cases that are just not accidents. When you fill in the patterns that are coming out, that's the next logical step," Gilbertson said.

http://wcco.com/topstories/st.cloud.state.2.363562.html

[SeriouslySearching]

La Crosse Drownings Still Accidental, Police Say

Madison, Wis. (AP) ― Police said Tuesday they still believe a string of mysterious drownings in La Crosse, Wis. were accidents, despite Minnesota investigators' new ruling that a student drowning in Minneapolis believed to be accidental was really murder.

~snip~

Rumors of a serial killer stalking La Crosse's bars have persisted for years. But detectives say there's no evidence to suggest any of the deaths was anything but an accident.

La Crosse investigators also have asked the FBI to review their work to make sure they didn't overlook anything.

http://wcco.com/topstories/Drownings.La.Crosse.2.363026.html

[SeriouslySearching]

Jared Dion had been out with his friends and his brother Adam that night. A strapping, 21-year-old sophomore -- he was a member of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse wrestling team and had been an outstanding athlete in his high school days -- Dion had clearly been drinking. But by all accounts, he was not so drunk that fellow revelers took much notice when he staggered out of one of those downtown bars clad in his baseball cap and a maroon UW-LaX sweatshirt. It was a pity that they hadn't taken more notice. It was the last time any of them would see the gregarious young wrestler alive.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/la_crosse_wisconsin/index.html


"The probability is virtually zero that five intoxicated students just happened to walk similar or even different routes (and) end up on the river bank," said criminal investigative psychologist Dr. Maurice Godwin, who analyzed the police and autopsy reports in the case at Stuff's behest. In his mind, there is a high probability that there is, or was, a serial killer in La Crosse, involved in some, if not several of the deaths in the past seven years.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/la_crosse_wisconsin/6.html

[shadowraiths]

Is there a homicidal maniac at work in La Crosse, Wisconsin?
Crime Library

Excerpt: Those rumors had receded in the months and years following Geesey's death. But they all came flooding back when Dion's body was found.

[...]

But as Stuff magazine reported, there was an equally compelling argument to be made that "police might have too readily dismissed that a killer or killers were responsible for some or all of the deaths simply because it seemed unlikely." What's more, the magazine found, there were strong indications that police "failed to thoroughly investigate any of the deaths as possible homicides."

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/la_crosse_wisconsin/3.html

[shadowraiths]

River Drowning- “Serial Killer or Urban Legend”

Excerpt: This presentation will present all the facts and similarities in the 7 cases of College age males who have drowned in the La Crosse Area between 1997-2004

Power Point (http://www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/departments/Medical%20Examiner/docs/River%20Drowning.ppt)
HTML (http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:3oUR87EE9x8J:www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/departments/Medical%2520Examiner/docs/River%2520Drowning.ppt+la+cross+no+serial+killer+p pt&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us)

[shadowraiths]

Mystery River
Stuff Magazine
September 9, 2004

Excerpt: To the students and the locals of La Crosse, the notion that four strapping young men drowned in the river in a span of two years seemed like too much of a coincidence—even if they all were drunk. On campus and in town, the serial-killer theory grew in popularity.

http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=817

[SuziQ]

DETECTIVES: Chris Jenkins murder connects dozens around country Could there be a calculated, cross-country plot to kill young college men, including some in Minnesota? It seems a little hard to believe, but two New York detectives say they can prove it.

Now, they are revealing years of their evidence for the first time to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS...

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s421846.shtml?v=1

******

What are officials doing about the new Jenkins evidence?

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S424705.shtml?cat=5

[SuziQ]

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S426475.shtml?cat=1

A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation into the mysterious river deaths of young men around the country has now gone national.

Investigative reporter Kristi Piehl appeared on ABC NEWS’ ‘Good Morning America’ to discuss the case with detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte.

Watch Monday morning’s interview in the viewer on the right….

[SuziQ]

A series of investigative videos over the past two years. Click on the player on the right of the page:

FEB. 17, 2006: We reveal that the case is open

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417975.shtml?v=1

MARCH 29, 2006: Water testing done with fake body

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417976.shtml?v=1

JULY 31, 2007: County decides not to file charges

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417977.shtml?v=1

ETA: The last link is missing the video. I have sent an email to the station asking for it.

[aj1020]

A good read with some background info on the investigative work of these detectives: http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18453015&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554432&rfi=6

[Blink34]

A series of investigative videos over the past two years. Click on the player on the right of the page:


FEB. 17, 2006: We reveal that the case is open

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417975.shtml?v=1

MARCH 29, 2006: Water testing done with fake body

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417976.shtml?v=1

JULY 31, 2007: County decides not to file charges

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s417977.shtml?v=1


ETA: The last link is missing the video. I have sent an email to the station asking for it.

SQ- I got the video when I clicked it, maybe fixed?

[DeltaDawn]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4738621&page=1

INFO from the 4/28/08 GMA show where detectives and their investigation was featured.

[SeriouslySearching]

Their contact information was listed on the GMA site (if correct):

Posted by:
Troglodytes aedon 3:08

The contact info for the investigators is here, for those who want to give money to help them continue their work: http://nationwideinvestigations.us/contact.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/comments?type=story&id=4738621

[MissHolmes]

A blogpost from a FoxNews anchor in 2006, interesting theory here.

http://marksuppelsa.typepad.com/closerlook/2006/05/missing_drowned.html

[SeriouslySearching]

Lacrosse, Wisconsin may be the best example of this debate. Seven college men have drowned there, in recent years. The police chief thinks they stumbled or fell into the river.

But the chief's wife is convinced a serial killer did it.

http://marksuppelsa.typepad.com/closerlook/2006/05/missing_drowned.html

[SuziQ]

Related Links

La Crosse Police Dept. Press Release (page 1) (http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/lcpd+2.pdf)
La Crosse Police Dept. Press Release (page 2) (http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/lcpd+2.pdf)

[shadowraiths]

Killer Gang Drowns 40: Sleuths Say Nyer a Victim
By Murray Weiss and Andy Geller
NY Post
April 29, 2008

Smiley faces - some with horns - were drawn on walls at 22 of the crime scenes in five states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. The paint, size and shape of the faces varied.

There were other unspecified symbols at some other crimes sites, but none at all in New York.

[...]

When he retired, he enlisted Duarte, his old partner, and devoted his life to keeping that promise, mortgaging his house and spending tens of thousands of his own money.

[...]

Gannon said that after studying the water flow and land contour, he concluded the similarities weren't coincidental.

In both cases, he believes the victims were drugged with GHB, a date-rape drug, and then placed in the water.

Full article: click here (http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292008/news/regionalnews/killer_gang_drowns_40__sleuths_108571.htm)

[shadowraiths]

National TV Report Raises Questions About East Dubuque Drowning
By Dave Franzman
Apr 28, 2008

TV9 contacted East Dubuque Police Chief Steve O'Connell, the lead investigator in the two-year-old case. O'Connell said those retired detectives mentioned have never talked to him about any information concerning Kruziki.

O'Connell said Sinsinawa Avenue in East Dubuque is a street where bars are located and Kruziki was last seen alive. But it is not a street next to the river where the body was eventually recovered.

O'Connell also said in spite of dozens of investigators on the scene over days and weeks, no officer even mentioned a "smiley" face.

"Because we were searching in such a remote location and the time of year and such I would like to think if somebody saw a fresh smiley face it would have been brought to somebody's attention," O'Connell said.

The East Dubuque chief says unless new information comes forward he does not anticipate reopening the Kruziki death case. Kruziki's father, Bill Kruziki, told TV9 that he has spoken with the two detectives that are looking at all the cold cases.

Full article: click here (http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/18340619.html)

[SuziQ]

From this mornings Today Show. Video at link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24366804/

By Mike Celizic
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 44 minutes ago
Could a national gang of killers that leaves smiley-face calling cards be getting away with murdering dozens of male college students by making all the deaths look like accidents?

[shadowraiths]

KSTP
April 29, 2008

The La Crosse Police Department has been in contact with many of the other jurisdictions where young people have drowned and, of course, we remain open to any new and relevant information. There is no evidence at this time to connect La Crosse area drownings with any other deaths around the country.
Full article: click here (http://kstp.com/article/stories/S428411.shtml?cat=1)

[Salem]

Barb0301 originally found this link and posted it in A.B. thread in the "located" forum.

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel08/statement042908.htm

FBI News Statement. They have to be saying this in order to protect the investigation, right? Can they seriously believe there is no connection and these deaths are accidents? Seriously? How do you scream through a keyboard AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH or as SS says GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

It has to be because they don't want to spill the beans or send the perps underground. It has to be, I absolutely refuse to believe anything else!

Salem

THANKS BARB!

[Woofie]

More at the link:
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S430604.shtml?cat=1

[SuziQ]

Complete list of National and International coverage. Websleuths is on page 5.

http://kstp.com/kstpImages/Chris_Jen...ink_Report.pdf (http://kstp.com/kstpImages/Chris_Jenkins_Link_Report.pdf)

[shadowraiths]

By Steve Perry , Minnesota Monitor
May 07, 2008

If you missed Kristi Piehl’s breathless April 25 KSTP-TV report on the pair of retired NYPD detectives who believe there’s a network of serial killers murdering college men around the country — over 40 to date, they claim, and perhaps up to 100 — then you’ve probably also missed the overnight growth of a new urban legend on the web.

[...]

The smiley-face killers story is making the rounds of chatboards devoted to serial killers, UFOs, white supremacy, horror movies, Notre Dame alums, video gaming — and that’s just in the first hundred or so results. And let the record show that Kristi Piehl of KSTP has done her part to bring the yarn to the huddled masses yearning to breathe the vapors of another massive conspiracy: The same night her story ran, she did an hour on the Coast-to-Coast AM radio show. C to C is the former domain of the underground radio legend Art Bell, the maestro of paranormal and paranoiac palaver who was once cited, albeit disapprovingly, by the Council for Media Integrity “for encouraging credulity, presenting pseudoscience as genuine, and contributing to the public’s lack of understanding of the methods of scientific inquiry.” (Incidentally, C to C is where I got the claim that Gannon and Duarte believe there are 100 or more victims in all; Piehl mentions it on the air.)
Full article: click here (http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2008/05/06/smiley-face-killers-born-minneapolis-urban-legend-takes-wing.html)

[curious_mom]

New details have emerged in the search for missing 19-year-old Middlebury College freshman Nicholas Garza that could link him to the so-called "Smiley Face Gang," which a group of retired detectives believes is responsible for the apparent drowning deaths of dozens of young men across the country.

Searchers have found smiley-face graffiti near Garza's campus like that painted near some of the locations where about 40 bodies have been discovered across 11 states, FOX 44 News reported.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354386,00.html

[Blink34]

http://www.mediaeater.com/cameras/info/cb-03.html

[DeltaDawn]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/21/smiley.face.killer/index.html

The detectives also believe the victims were targeted. All of the young men were popular, athletic and good students.
Who would commit this type of crime?
"The type of person that would be the opposite, not smart, someone not good in school, maybe doesn't have a job, not popular," said Duarte.
Gannon and Duarte believe the young men were drugged to weaken them -- and given a substance that couldn't be detected by an autopsy.
"I believe these young men are being abducted by individuals in the bars, taken out, at some point held for a period of time before they're entered into the water," Gannon said.
He also believes the victims were abused mentally and sometimes physically abused before they were killed.
"This is a chance for them to have power and control over somebody else and manipulate. The fear of death is just as important as the act of death itself," Gannon said.

[ArizonaGiGi]

Brandon Swanson's father on FoxNews. There is a search this weekend 6-7 & 6-8
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=1089396&referralPlaylistId=949437d0db05ed5f5b9954dc049d70b 0c12f2749

[DeltaDawn]

Orignally posted by nursebeme
http://smileyfacekillers.blogspot.com/2008/05/new-photos-in-smiley-face-killers.html

Article about more of the graffitti showing 3 different pics, one of a monkey.

[DeltaDawn]

http://www.wgy.com/pages/onair/onair_roney.html

WGYN pod cast with Gannon , some new info on the murders.

[DeltaDawn]

Links to info on gangs in the military.


http://www.stripes.com/07/feb07/gangs/gangs1.html

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41005&archive=true

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/28/eveningnews/main3107316.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3107316

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/5255692/detail.html?rss=dgo&psp=news

http://gangfighters.blogspot.com/2008/05/gangs-in-military-ranks-its-really.html

[SeriouslySearching]

http://www.wgy.com/pages/onair/onair_roney.html

WGYN pod cast with Gannon , some new info on the murders.I couldn't get it to run...what is the new info?!

[DeltaDawn]

It was the 3 pod casts from last week, we were discussing them in the discussion thread. The info is about some similarities in the cases, ie..regional tagging similar in certain states/regios, the 3 vics from the same town, 2 from the same high school..new info from Bill Szostak about the way his son was found with the shirt over his jacket.

It is 3 separate pod casts, 2 with Gannon and one with Szostak.

It won't let me edit so I'll just have to leave that link there.

[Roxye]

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2008/06/criminal_profil.php

Criminal Profiler Debunks "Smiley Face Killers"



For one thing, she says, sociopaths probably wouldn't work that hard, traveling to several states to find victims.


Second, a serial killer's motive is generally pretty clear. "It's usually a sexual assault," Brown says, which isn't the case in these drownings.


Third, serial killers prefer to work alone. "Sometimes you'll get a pair of them," she says, but not working in separate locations.


Fourth, their choice of victims doesn't match the serial killer profile. "They don't pick on big college boys. They pick on little girls, or teenage girls, or young teenage boys like 14 years old who can't fight back."


Fifth, the idea that they could abduct 40 male college students and drown them all without leaving a suspicious mark on their bodies strains all credibility.

[Roxye]

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S475747.shtml?cat=5

PIEHL: 'Smiley Face' update

My understanding is that none of the other drowning cases have been reopened or reactivated.

More at site on specific cases.

[fran]

Updated at: 08/21/2008 05:53:00 PM

By: Kristi Piehl

PIEHL: 'Smiley Face Killers' - Your Questions

Almost everyday, someone emails me a question about the Smiley Face Killer story or a missing persons case. If one person has a question and sends it to me, then there must be more people thinking the same thing.

Here are the answers to a few questions that I've recently received.


1. "I thought I heard an arrest was about to be made. Any word on that?"

The FBI has said agents are not investigating these drownings and blame the cases on alcohol. While some of the drowning cases are classified by the local police departments as "open", my information is that one or two could considered "active."

.........................snip..................... ......

<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>



http://kstp.com/article/stories/S551638.shtml?cat=1