A little history on JMK....

John Mark Karr is a 41-year-old Georgia native who claims to have taught children around the world after apparently leaving the country to avoid child-*advertiser censored* allegations in California in 2001.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4923180,00.html

Karr's brother, Nate Karr, told Fox News he was shocked by the allegations. He described John as a loving family man and "wonderful person. It's just beyond us how this could be possible," Nate Karr said from Atlanta.

John Karr went to live with his grandparents in the small town of Hamilton, Ala., when he was about 12, Nate Karr said. He didn't say why.

As a high school student John was at the top of his class. He played musical instruments and attended Bevill State Community College in Hamilton, where he also made the dean's list. At least 13 years ago Karr got married, Nate Karr said. The couple has three sons.

Nate Karr also said that his brother, who was a student teacher for a time in Alabama, almost always returned to Atlanta for the holidays. He believes John may have been in Atlanta in 1996, the year JonBenet was killed, though he said the family hadn't had time to check photo albums to make sure.

Around 2001, John Karr and his family moved to California. Around that same time, Karr also began doing research for a book he wanted to write about men who commit crimes against girls, Nate Karr said. He believes the research, which included reviewing police and coroner reports about the JonBenet murder, may have been what landed his brother in trouble.

"He was trying to get in as in-depth as he could, to not only this case but to other cases as well. It wasn't . . . something that he was like obsessed with the JonBenet Ramsey case. He was researching multiple incidences," Nate Karr said.

"That is the only possible way that we think that he could have been brought into this, because, of course, there is going to be no physical evidence. If they do in fact have DNA at the scene, please test him immediately so he can be vindicated."

Nate Karr also said he hadn't communicated much with his brother since John Karr moved to California. He said it's possible John Karr traveled overseas because he was having marital problems, but said he didn't know he was in Thailand.

Ok now this brother Nate seems to be about as clueless as a person can be about his brother! He describes him as a "loving family man" yet says nothing about the fact he had a restraining order to not have contact with his own children. His father has been quoted as saying he hadn't heard anything from him and years and thought maybe he was dead... yet he's a loving family man? He also says he's not communicated much with him since he moved to California, how many years ago was that? Marital problems? Umm the guy was divorced and had absolutly no contact with his ex or their children, yeah I guess you could say there were marital problems! It's obvious this brother has no idea what his brother has been up to for many many years. Maybe he remembers a young brother from 20 years ago but that is not who this man is, IMO the years and his perversion has taken quite a toll on John Karr.

OB

JMK was about 12, according to his brother Nate (age unknown), when he went to live with his grandparents in Hamilton.

Wex Karr, JMK's father is now 85. JMK is 41 or 42. Wex was about 44 when JMK was born.

That means that when the 12 year old went to live with his grandparents, Wex was 56, and the grandparents were probably in their late 70's.

When JMK graduated from Hamilton H.S., his grandparents would have been in their 80's.

I wonder what kind of Karr family dynamics made it necessary for a 12-year-old to be raised by his 75+ year old grandparents in tiny little Hamilton, AL.

I've been wondering the same thing Lovely Pigeon. I have also wondered if Karr was already a problem child when he was 12.

So far I've only heard about the brother, did JMK have any sisters?

OB

LovelyPigeon said:

JMK was about 12, according to his brother Nate (age unknown), when he went to live with his grandparents in Hamilton.

Wex Karr, JMK's father is now 85. JMK is 41 or 42. Wex was about 44 when JMK was born.

That means that when the 12 year old went to live with his grandparents, Wex was 56, and the grandparents were probably in their late 70's.

When JMK graduated from Hamilton H.S., his grandparents would have been in their 80's.

I wonder what kind of Karr family dynamics made it necessary for a 12-year-old to be raised by his 75+ year old grandparents in tiny little Hamilton, AL.

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Given his facination with little girls, I have been wondering what kind of person his mother was, and what part if any did she play in his childhood. I have not heard any mention of his mother. If someone reads info regarding his mother please post it.

dragonfly707 said:

Given his facination with little girls, I have been wondering what kind of person his mother was, and what part if any did she play in his childhood. I have not heard any mention of his mother. If someone reads info regarding his mother please post it.

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I read in the excerpts from the e-mails , I think it was in the Rocky Mountain News, that his mother was raising him like a girl.

Linda7NJ said:

I read in the excerpts from the e-mails , I think it was in the Rocky Mountain News, that his mother was raising him like a girl.

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I read this too in a post but so far have not read it in print or heard it actually reported. Thank you.

I haven't heard about other sybllings but I wonder who JMK's mother actually is.

Those age differences suggest the possibility that JMK might have an older sister who isn't really his sister.

Linda7NJ said:

I read in the excerpts from the e-mails , I think it was in the Rocky Mountain News, that his mother was raising him like a girl.

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So maybe he didn't have sisters and this woman was trying to make a daughter out of him? Looks like she succeeding in completely effing him up!!!

I find it rather pathetic he was able to work with children in the schools in Alabama in 1996. He enrolled in the community college in 1996! What's wrong with this picture?

He didn't obtain his degree until the year 2000!

Where I live, to be a substitute teacher, one must have a degree and also have a crimninal background check done. And this was the way it was in the 80's!

from the Rocky Mountain News:
Karr wrote later that his father was a "strong influence but rarely around," and then responded to Tracey's question about whether his "fascination with little girls - which clearly has a strong erotic component - is a way of going back."

"Maybe I am not going back but have simply stayed consistent," Karr wrote. "My peer group has not changed since I was a little boy, and girls were the people I was with always. Referring to them as a peer group is somewhat incorrect, but might also be the very definition of what they continue to be in my life."

At another point, Tracey wrote, "You told me once that your mother tended to raise you as a girl. This must have had a powerful effect on your developing sexuality - confusion maybe?" --->>

"I am tortured mostly because of my present situation. I appreciate that you would refer to my childhood. It was unique . . . " - http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4926302,00.html

I find it rather pathetic he was able to work with children in the schools in Alabama in 1996. He enrolled in the community college in 1996! What's wrong with this picture?

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Not every state requires substitute teachers to have to have college degrees.

In 1996, JMK apparently had no criminal record, so even if a check was run, it would have been negative for charges or arrests.

I know that! I live where I live because the educational standards are TOPS!

However, due to his lack of training/expertise in the classroom, he was dismissed from one school where he had been a substitute teacher! Per interview, sorry no link LP!

Even removing him from that one classroom, could have been a blessing!

englishleigh said:

So maybe he didn't have sisters and this woman was trying to make a daughter out of him? Looks like she succeeding in completely effing him up!!!

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I would be interested in knowing if he was the youngest, maybe in a family of all boys. If his father was 44 when he was born, his mother (more than likely) was around the same age. IOW, he would have been born late in her life. If she didn't have any girls, if he was the youngest, that was her last chance?

As far as living with the grandparents? Maybe he wanted to. Maybe his grandmother babied him and made him feel 'special' if he wasn't getting enough attention at home?

Well, I'm sure not arguing that Karr should be a teacher, a substitute teacher, or even allowed access to children in any way. I think he should not be.

JMK first began as a substitute teacher after he was married, mid-twenties, and the father of 3 in his hometown of Hamilton. He had no criminal record at the time.

His substitute teaching stints were always short-lived in Alabama because of complaints about his over-familiarity with female students.

When he moved to California and finished a college-degree long-distance, he also worked as a substitute teacher on a school system emergency-certification. By one principal's remarks, Karr was not wanted back at one particular school because of his ineptitude in the classroom.

This article has some details: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/18/KARR.TMP

This article says JMK and his older brothers all moved to Hamilton when JMK was 12, to be raised by their grandparents.

Karr grew up in the 9,000-population town of Hamilton, where he came at age 12 with his two older brothers to live with his grandparents on a home on Rural Route 4, about four miles from the heart of town.

"John was never in trouble -- he was always quiet, he was always the good one,'' said Bryan Frederick, who grew up down the road. -
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/18/KARR.TMP

It's the first I've read mention that there was more than one sibling, and that they all went to live with grandparents. I hope it's accurate information.

The other thing I would like to know is if he had any experience in sailing or boating, or was in Scouts or some other "outdoorsy" club where he would learn about rope and knot tying.

I've never thought anyone had to be into boats or Scouts to tie the knot on the garrotte.

Whoa!

On Sept 1, 1989, when Lara was about 16, the couple had twin daughters born dead in their home. They named them Angel and Innocence and they were buried at a local cemetery.

And Patsy's book was entitled "The Death of Innocence".

Wierd, huh?