Mysterious death leaves St.L, MO police at odds w deceased/"victim's" family

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al66pine

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News from yesterday re an event from May, 2013.
Geoffrey Wilson came to St. Louis to celebrate a college classmate’s wedding. The Canadian chiropractor left in a casket, with the imprint of a fire hydrant on his back.
What happened in between was murder, insist relatives who refuse to accept any other explanation for the Memorial Day weekend death of the dashing 29-year-old.
But St. Louis police say they exhausted every reasonable possibility before concluding that Wilson, intoxicated, must have been run down accidentally by his rented SUV before climbing back into the driver’s seat and passing out with mortal injuries.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mysterious-death-leaves-st-louis-police-at-odds-with-victim/article_145344f7-cf1b-5005-b188-8ee7620fb4c5.html

A long story and some good comments.

Caught my attention, because it reminded me of Kendrick Johnson gym mat death in Valdosta, GA a year ago.

So unexpected? strange? bizarre? weird? freaky? if this death (and/or KJ's) was an accident.
Apparently unbelievable to the deceased's mother and family (like KJ's fam), that it must have been a homicide.

Yet some 'stuff happens' without a 'rational' explanation that would offer comfort to the fam and the rest of us.

A request - rather than responding to the above quote only, can you pls read entire story before posting? Maybe the linked comments too, as they contain links to google maps and street view re location of incident. Link also has pix of damaged car and autopsy summary.

I'm still on the accident-or-foul-play fence, because I can't quite understand how car damage and his injuries fit with the LE's sequence of events chronology.

Maybe someone here can offer a better way to put these puzzle pieces together.

Hoping that, even without further evidence being discovered and without a conviction, mother is able to come to terms w her adult son's death so far from her.
 
I read through the article and comments. I saw a lot of speculation about the friend he was with in the comments. I don't know why when it appears that he thankfully, was easily ruled out by cameras.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...f1b-5005-b188-8ee7620fb4c5.html?mode=comments

Jackson collected surveillance pictures from every camera he could find in the area, but none showed the incident. Video from Harry’s shows Wilson walking north from the bar at 2:36 a.m. and disappearing into the night. Pinkston leaves at 2:43 a.m. and remains in sight of the cameras until he gets into a cab at 2:56 a.m.
Click to expand...
 
Besides some tragic, freak accident, the only other thing that makes any sense to me, is there was someone else driving that backed into him.

Since he didn't leave with anyone from the bar, I don't know why someone else would be in the drivers seat of the vehicle. After backing into him, they would have then had to of left the scene and he would have climbed back in the vehicle injured.

There's evidence consistent with his body impacting the fire hydrant, so I don't think that the mothers theory of him being beaten with a baseball bat or something like that is the case.

He had the fire hydrant imprint on his back. The vehicle bumper has a dent and paint consistent with hitting the hydrant. There is also a oval shaped dent on the rear of the vehicle which I'm guessing was his body imprint. I am taking this from the article. When I tried to click on the link to the vehicle I got a blank screen.

Alpine, can you elaborate a little more on what isn't adding up for you in the sequence of events by LE? Maybe I missed something and it will open my eyes.
 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...-who-died-in-missouri-seeks-answers-1.1312226

Virginia Wilson said on CBC Radio’s Calgary Eyeopener on Monday that she's frustrated with the lack of progress in her son’s case.

"My son died in the States, and we're Canadians — I don't think our case is a priority," she said.

"The Canadian embassy said they will try and help us but nothing. I've made all my phone calls every week. They never return my call."
Click to expand...

I think it would be hard living in another country and understanding what goes on here. From the link it the opening post, it appears that the crime rate is much lower in Calgary than in St. Louis. Or Canada compared to the US. That may have add an element of how the US is viewed from Canada.

If Mrs. Wilson were to ever happen to read here, I would want her to know that investigations take a long time. I can attest to that from all the reading and following of cases here on this forum and cases in my own city. I honestly would have to say that I think law enforcement was thorough, from the information that was provided in the article on their investigation.

eta: Sorry, I wasn't done and accidently hit enter.

I just don't see any elements of a intentional murder. Unfortunately, many times all of the answers cannot be found. The most perfect situation would be to have everything on video, or a witness of the events. Without either, then you go where the investigation leads and come to the most logical conclusion.

I'm so very sorry to the family for the loss of such a wonderful young man. I would have a hard time with accepting such a odd accident as well, but it does happen.
 
BL
Were you able to see the StL newspaper link's photos (under Wilson's head shot)showing car damage and hydrant?

Also thanks for the Calgary Sun link.
 
I agree with the investigators - he was highly intoxicated and I believe he left the car in neutral, went behind the vehicle for whatever reason his highly intoxicated brain came up with, the vehicle rolled back and crushed him and bounced forward off the curb and he then returned to the driver's seat, probably not realizing how mortally injured he was and either intending to call for help or intending to still attempt to drive

if he had the car in neutral instead of drive or reverse, he may have not realized why it wouldn't move and got out to investigate, thinking his tires were 'stuck' on something but since he was so wasted, his brain wasn't functioning properly enough to clue in that he didn't have the vehicle in the correct gear

I hope his family can someday find some peace with his death but I believe they are causing themselves much grief by insisting he was murdered

it's another strange case (like Kendrick's) but sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction
 
al66pine said:
BL
Were you able to see the StL newspaper link's photos (under Wilson's head shot)showing car damage and hydrant?

Also thanks for the Calgary Sun link.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I didn't see those. I'm going to have to go back and reread the article again for clarity.
 
BeginnersLuck said:
I think it would be hard living in another country and understanding what goes on here. From the link it the opening post, it appears that the crime rate is much lower in Calgary than in St. Louis. Or Canada compared to the US. That may have add an element of how the US is viewed from Canada.
Click to expand...

I think it has more to do with denial and being too close to the subject to be able to be objective. I'm Canadian and yes, some of our crime rates may be lower but it's clear to me that this was a bizarre accident. His mother thinks that her son's case is not a priority but it looks to me like they did a very thorough investigation.
 
Looking at the photos there is impact with the vehicle and fire hydrant on the right rear of the vehicle. On the left rear is the impact of the vehicle with his body, where his body was trapped between the hydrant and the vehicle.

I'm not understanding how the two impacts dents are so far apart.
 
LadyL said:
I agree with the investigators - he was highly intoxicated and I believe he left the car in neutral, went behind the vehicle for whatever reason his highly intoxicated brain came up with, the vehicle rolled back and crushed him and bounced forward off the curb and he then returned to the driver's seat, probably not realizing how mortally injured he was and either intending to call for help or intending to still attempt to drive

if he had the car in neutral instead of drive or reverse, he may have not realized why it wouldn't move and got out to investigate, thinking his tires were 'stuck' on something but since he was so wasted, his brain wasn't functioning properly enough to clue in that he didn't have the vehicle in the correct gear

I hope his family can someday find some peace with his death but I believe they are causing themselves much grief by insisting he was murdered

it's another strange case (like Kendrick's) but sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction
Click to expand...

Ok, I guess the bouncing off the curb caused the vehicle to change course resulting in the second impact with the hydrant on the right hand rear.

Thanks for giving me your perspective from Canada on the crime in the US.

I agree, the freak nature of the accident is just to hard to comprehend for the mother.
 
BeginnersLuck said:
....
There's evidence consistent with his body impacting the fire hydrant, so I don't think that the mothers theory of him being beaten with a baseball bat or something like that is the case.

He had the fire hydrant imprint on his back, per autopsy. The vehicle bumper has a dent and paint consistent with hitting the hydrant. There is also a oval shaped dent on the rear of the vehicle which I'm guessing was his body imprint. I am taking this from the article. When I tried to click on the link to the vehicle I got a blank screen.

Alpine, can you elaborate a little more on what isn't adding up for you in the sequence of events by LE? Maybe I missed something and it will open my eyes.
Click to expand...
BBM SBM

His injuries were consistent w. a single impact event, his body being crushed between hydrant (in back) and car, maybe car bumper) in front.

Seems consistent w. traffic accident reconstructionist's theory of events,
-his initially being in driver's seat, putting in neutral,
-for unknown reason (answering nature's call?) exiting car,
-walking alongside it toward rear, getting behind car,
-somehow (losing balance?), essentially sitting down w back to fire hydrant,
-car continuing to roll toward hydrant, w car (bumper?) hitting him in chest.
That explains injuries to him.
One photo (split screen effect) shows damage to back side of car and how it lines up w hydrant's contour. Ok.

But what about other damage to car?
One photo shows back of car w damage from hydrant impact (behind right/passenger side) plus oval-ish damage to hatch-door (behind driver/left side).

So if he was sitting w his back to hydrant and crushed by car rolling into him, how did car get oval-ish damage to hatch-door under taillight, which LE attributed to rolling into him? That suggests to me the car rolled into the hydrant for one impact, then rolled into him in a second impact.

Since I may be misunderstanding or misreading, I wish we could see the LE reports, more pix, autopsy rpt, accident reconstrution, etc.
I may be all wrong about this.
 
BeginnersLuck said:
Looking at the photos there is impact with the vehicle and fire hydrant on the right rear of the vehicle. On the left rear is the impact of the vehicle with his body, where his body was trapped between the hydrant and the vehicle.

I'm not understanding how the two impacts dents are so far apart.
Click to expand...
BBM

Beginner -
Exactly. You said in one sentence what I tried to covey in several paragraphs.
 
al66pine said:
BBM SBM

His injuries were consistent w. a single impact event, his body being crushed between hydrant (in back) and car, maybe car bumper) in front.

Seems consistent w. traffic accident reconstructionist's theory of events,
-his initially being in driver's seat, putting in neutral,
-for unknown reason (answering nature's call?) exiting car,
-walking alongside it toward rear, getting behind car,
-somehow (losing balance?), essentially sitting down w back to fire hydrant,
-car continuing to roll toward hydrant, w car (bumper?) hitting him in chest.
That explains injuries to him.
One photo (split screen effect) shows damage to back side of car and how it lines up w hydrant's contour. Ok.

But what about other damage to car?
One photo shows back of car w damage from hydrant impact (behind right/passenger side) plus oval-ish damage to hatch-door (behind driver/left side).

So if he was sitting w his back to hydrant and crushed by car rolling into him, how did car get oval-ish damage to hatch-door under taillight, which LE attributed to rolling into him? That suggests to me the car rolled into the hydrant for one impact, then rolled into him in a second impact.

Since I may be misunderstanding or misreading, I wish we could see the LE reports, more pix, autopsy rpt, accident reconstrution, etc.
I may be all wrong about this.
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume when the vehicle was found it was in contact with the fire hydrant. So, the dent on the right rear was the second impact.

This is how they know that he was crushed first by the vehicle (dent on left rear). The vehicle then apparently bounces off curb and impacts again with just the hydrant. (I'm really having a hard time visualizing this, I would need to see it or a diagram)

If the hydrant dent came first, I would think maybe he backed into it, got out to look, the car rolled back and crushed him. But apparently they know the right rear dent came second due to how the vehicle was found.
 
Is this a possible sequence of events?

He got in the car, put it in neutral,
-got out of the car and walked behind it,
-fell down sitting against hydrant, the car then rolled back and crushed him,
-car rolled or "bounced" back 1.8 feet and apparently stayed there thus
- allowing him to (presumably) walk or crawl back into the car and close the door.

THEN
the car rolled back a second time and stayed resting against the hydrant?
 
Another strange thing: the damage/dent location on hatch-door, left/driver's side.
To explain the single crushing injury to him,
he has to be virtually sitting on sidewalk, with his back to hydrant
(per autopsy, the imprint of a fire hydrant on his back).
Then back end of car rolls into him.

Pix in stltoday link show LE tape measure (as best I can tell)
--- at rear of car, w bottom of license plate ~30" high.
--- at bottom of left/driver side dent is ~30" high.

If we measure top of head of a 6' tall man sitting on ground, top of his head is ~28"-32" high. I don't know Wilson's height.
Am I misreading the tape marks?
Does it make sense that the bottom of dent is approx same height as top of his head? As I read info, there was no injury to his head or face. His ribs were cracked and his spleen, liver and kidneys were lacerated.

Per article, a smooth surface consistent with the SUV’s bumper caused an injury to Wilson’s abdominal area.
It seems like bumper would be too high to hit his abdomen.

Time for me to move to another thread.:seeya:
 
Unforeseen, improbable things happen that cause injury & death. I certainly see the comparison of Mr Wilson's & KJ Johnson's tragic demises. If someone had been nearby & aware of the circumstances, intervention might have changed the outcome. What happened to them is crazy, unheard of & millions-to-one odds. The explanations are almost unbelievable, but it did happen.

I guess sudden deaths, especially of young people, are more difficult to accept. My heart breaks for the families.
 
BeginnersLuck said:
Looking at the photos there is impact with the vehicle and fire hydrant on the right rear of the vehicle. On the left rear is the impact of the vehicle with his body, where his body was trapped between the hydrant and the vehicle.

I'm not understanding how the two impacts dents are so far apart.
Click to expand...

I wonder if he backed into the hydrant, put the vehicle in Neutral (thinking it was in Park), went back to see what he hit, and the vehicle rolled back into him. He may have turned the wheel just enough as he was pulling forward that it caused a different dent?

Just thinking out loud.
 
al66pine said:
Another strange thing: the damage/dent location on hatch-door, left/driver's side.
To explain the single crushing injury to him,
he has to be virtually sitting on sidewalk, with his back to hydrant
(per autopsy, the imprint of a fire hydrant on his back).
Then back end of car rolls into him.

Pix in stltoday link show LE tape measure (as best I can tell)
--- at rear of car, w bottom of license plate ~30" high.
--- at bottom of left/driver side dent is ~30" high.

If we measure top of head of a 6' tall man sitting on ground, top of his head is ~28"-32" high. I don't know Wilson's height.
Am I misreading the tape marks?
Does it make sense that the bottom of dent is approx same height as top of his head? As I read info, there was no injury to his head or face. His ribs were cracked and his spleen, liver and kidneys were lacerated.

Per article, a smooth surface consistent with the SUV’s bumper caused an injury to Wilson’s abdominal area.
It seems like bumper would be too high to hit his abdomen.

Time for me to move to another thread.:seeya:
Click to expand...

The crushing injuries are in his mid section. I have no idea how, or why he was in the position for the bumper to hit him there. Maybe he was slipping or fell.

The car was a rental so he wouldn't be use to it and easy to accidentally put it in neutral instead of park.

I don't want to overthink the body position on impact.

There are definite similarities with the Johnson case. There has to be a term used by professionals for loved ones that....I don't know how to say it properly....get so far into denial that they believe there is some kind of conspiracy or coverup. This is the fourth one I have seen on WS's. I'm sure there must be many others that I haven't heard about.
 
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