VA VA - Michael, 50, Mary, 36, & Jennifer Short, 9, Bassett, 15 Aug 2002

[gatetrekker44]

such a big buildup to the press conference only to find out that these three jerks were only being charged with lying to the grand jury and obstruction-HOWEVER I did find it interesting that one of the individuals was already in jail related to the murder of his girlfriend-why would these three go so far to try to point the finger at someone else unless they themselves had something to hide?

 

[SewingDeb]

I live in Guilford Co. NC, which is the county below where poor Jennifer's remains were found-this case was never allowed to be far from the media. Prayer vigils, news media updates, family rememberances, all contributed to letting LE be reminded that people did care and no matter how long it took, that the community wanted answers. I will be watching the media coverage on all local channels tomorrow as well as checking the print media for info-I'll post as soon as the info comes out. I truly hope this may be the beginning of the answers that we all have been seeking in this horrific crime-and that finally, this family may rest in peace!

I lived in Alamance County when this took place, but since I moved I've lost track of it. Somehow I thought Gary Bowman was long since arrested.

 

[gatetrekker44]

Gary Bowman was arrested by Canadian authorities for entering Canada illegally-they were looking for him because authorities in NC and VA wanted to question him in the Short family murder case-especially since he left for Canada just a few days after the murders occurred-before Jennifer's remains were discovered. He was questioned and released because there was no ACTUAL evidence linking him to the crimes-just those three jerks who evidently "talked him up" to LE. At this point, without a major break in the case, there are simply no new leads for LE to follow up on. HOWEVER, I hope the agencies involved take a real hard look at these three, there may have been more motivation than just wanting to collect a reward. Especially since one of them is accused of a murder and is currently awaiting trial; point the finger in a direction other than your own!


Bring Maura home!

 

[CandleInTheWind]

So the three individuals were the ones that tried to blame this on Bowman just to collect the reward money?

I thought the one already in jail for murder sounds suspicious also.

 

[less0305]

I don't think all three individuals worked together. I think it might have been a case of two were in cahoots (as we say around here) with each other and the third person was out there on his own. They gave false information regarding the case in hopes of cashing in on the reward. It kept LE out chasing down information that wasn't true and led to these arrests for obstruction of justice, etc. I'm not sure that the information they gave was all to do with the Bowman guy, or if it was some other type of information. They all three had records, and if I'm not mistaken they all were currently incarcerated anyway for other things, murder being one. I still hear rumors that there is one person who also led the LE in a certain direction and rumor has it that he has purposely tried to finger a particular person. He's the one I think has something to hide, but I guess we may never know. Long ago I did think the Bowman guy was THE guy.....but now I've come to the conclusion that he has been wrongfully fingered and quite possibly by someone very close to him that knew him very well, but also had knowledge of the Short family.

 

[BluIs]

Less...I'm with you I was so sure Bowman was the one too...but after these individuals were exposed I don't think it was Bowman. Someone obviously had it out for Bowman and really hosed him. I feel sorry for people that have their lives ruined when they were/are actually innocent. Reminds me of Richard Jewel.

I find this case so troubling because nothing out of the ordinary was uncovered on this family yet the crime was so brutal. The Short family just seemed like honest, hardworking family people and that is what has bothered me so much. Wonder if they checked sex offenders very closely in this case?

 

[stevie]

Who on earth in Bowman's little redneck world could've had the prowess to pull this off on him? The man is a liar. He had a pat answer for all accusations. If Bowman was above board, how could anybody think they could pin it on him? His accuser, Gary Lemons, passed a polygraph test about his information. Also, the house where Bowman lived was torched. Why would three men risk an investigation into themselves over a three way split of reward money? If they did it, they would stay quiet, especially to the F.B.I. and other agencies. The guilty man left no DNA and will not confess. His name is Garrison Storm Bowman.

 

[mic730]

I live in Roanoke and like most here this case really crawls under my skin so close to home. I so hope it gets solved.
Michelle

Who on earth in Bowman's little redneck world could've had the prowess to pull this off on him? The man is a liar. He had a pat answer for all accusations. If Bowman was above board, how could anybody think they could pin it on him? His accuser, Gary Lemons, passed a polygraph test about his information. Also, the house where Bowman lived was torched. Why would three men risk an investigation into themselves over a three way split of reward money? If they did it, they would stay quiet, especially to the F.B.I. and other agencies. The guilty man left no DNA and will not confess. His name is Garrison Storm Bowman.

 

[gatetrekker44]

there is simply NO physical evidence linking him to the crimes. And without any physical evidence, LE simply has no new leads at ths point. Whoever committed these deeds was very methodical, starting with the cutting of the phone lines. The parents were shot in their bed-since Jennifer's remains were found quite a while after she disappeared and she had been dumped in a creek, only bones and very little else was found. I know LE was at one point searching for Jennifer's biological father-and I don't know that he ever was id'd much less located. Unless somone gets loose lips, this will be a VERY tough case to solve!


Bring Maura home!

 

[Snikx]

I've been wondering about a possible connection between Joseph Duncan & the Short family murders. North of Bassett, VA is a large lake, the Smith Mountain Lake, which is a place that is popular with scuba divers and sounds like a great place to visit.
http://www.virginiasbestkeptsecret.com/scubadiving.html

The Short family murders occurred on August 15. In mid-August there is an annual antique boat show at the Smith Mountain Lake. Is it possible that Joseph Duncan, who liked to travel as evidenced in his hobbies of geocaching & scuba diving, who even visited his "doctor friend" Richard Wacksman in Florida where he scuba dived, traveled south and east to southern Virginia, visited Smith Mountain Lake, and while there continued his campaign of "revenge on society" by murdering the Short family and molesting and killing Jennifer Short? If you were traveling south from the Northwest and were going to go to Florida, it wouldn't be that far a stretch to go a bit further east on your way and visit Smith Mountain Lake. Especially since it is said to be so good for scuba diving.

I did call the investigators at the Henry Police Dept. to tell them my idea.
It's just not that common for someone to kill an entire family in order to abduct a child. If it is known that there is someone who has been out of prison for 5 years now and he has done a crime like that, is it unreasonable to think he may have done it before? In his blog he states that he has done two other acts that he hasn't been caught for and more.

 

[lady-eowyn]

Hi snikx...I think there are going to be alot of cases where people are going to wonder if Joseph Duncan was repsonsible...and I bet Duncan, if he would talk, would point to others that he has murdered. I'm glad you passed the thought onto the Henry Co Police. There didn't seem to be as much violence and rage associated with the Short murders, BUT that can build up over time. We see it often when serial killers crimes get more horrific as they get more confident.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Well, they handed down indictments for perjury and obstruction of justice against three individuals who they say gave false and untrue information to the task force leading the task force astray.

From day one I thought the perpetrator(s) were someone known casually to the Shorts. A person who has a mobile home transport business carries large amounts of cash. The workers are usually paid daily. A regular crew is usually four or five plus the driver of the semi.

In all honesty this type of work is extremely hard to do, fighting the heat, cold, mud, snakes, spiders you name it they come across it at one time or another. It is back breaking work, as when the home is set up the workers are under the belly of the home for hours, leveling it up and tying it down and if there is a trade-in on property it too has to be broken down (taken apart) and it is grueling work.

The only reason I explain this is to let you know these kind of workers aren't Mr. Rogers types, far from it.......many of them are scary as h*ll. Many drifters only wanting work for a day or two. Many with criminal records that they will boast about to other workers. Some of them are alcoholics too and druggies unable to get a "regular" job and some running from the law.

I think one of them or more came to the Short home and robbed them and murdered them so they could not identify them and took sweet Jennifer as an afterthought just because they could and did horrible things to the innocent child before they threw her away like trash.

IMO, the key is in who worked for him but therein lies the biggest problem, they dont give their real names, they are drifters unknown to the people of that town so they just move on just like a serial killer does. Many are very nomadic.

Did it ever say who these three individuals are and their link to the Shorts?

It reminds me of the case in Alabama about 3 years ago, two men came to a man's home to rob him (he too was known to carry large amount of cash) they killed his little son while the little boy was trying to be protected in the arms of his father and they tried to murder the man too, he almost died. They thought they had murdered them both......they buried the father on top of his dead son and he lay there until he thought it was safe to claw his way out. They both received the death penalty.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Just thinking about this case today.

IMO

Ocean :twocents:

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Who on earth in Bowman's little redneck world could've had the prowess to pull this off on him? The man is a liar. He had a pat answer for all accusations. If Bowman was above board, how could anybody think they could pin it on him? His accuser, Gary Lemons, passed a polygraph test about his information. Also, the house where Bowman lived was torched. Why would three men risk an investigation into themselves over a three way split of reward money? If they did it, they would stay quiet, especially to the F.B.I. and other agencies. The guilty man left no DNA and will not confess. His name is Garrison Storm Bowman.

Do we have a media link that shows the reasons these three were indicted and what they actually said? It seems to me that I would find them highly suspect that they were singing like a canary that it was the "other guy" (Bowman). Was this is protect themselves? Who are these people....how were they involved....did THEY ever know the Shorts...was that checked out?

I really dont think this crime took much smarts. Cutting outside lines have been done for years, entering a home when a family is sleeping and putting a bullet in their heads doesn't take much brains either, imo just a high amount of evilness.

I think Jennifer was taken from the home because the people who came in there saw her and decided they could take her and have their way with her and then kill her. I do not believe the taking of Jennifer was the motive of these murders, only an afterthought. I think it was the fact that Mr. Short was known to carry large amount of cash.

TIA

IMO

Ocean

 

[mic730]

I live about an hour from where this crime was committed.
Here is the link to the US District attorneys press release into those indicted.
I think they were considered to be after the reward money in the case and never actually witnesses anything. I persoanlly still think Bowman is still a suspect.

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vaw/press_releases/short_stmt_04mar2005.html

Do we have a media link that shows the reasons these three were indicted and what they actually said? It seems to me that I would find them highly suspect that they were singing like a canary that it was the "other guy" (Bowman). Was this is protect themselves? Who are these people....how were they involved....did THEY ever know the Shorts...was that checked out?

I really dont think this crime took much smarts. Cutting outside lines have been done for years, entering a home when a family is sleeping and putting a bullet in their heads doesn't take much brains either, imo just a high amount of evilness.

I think Jennifer was taken from the home because the people who came in there saw her and decided they could take her and have their way with her and then kill her. I do not believe the taking of Jennifer was the motive of these murders, only an afterthought. I think it was the fact that Mr. Short was known to carry large amount of cash.

TIA

IMO

Ocean

 

[mic730]

The Henry County Sheriffs office issued a statement after Jennifer Shorts remains were found that Mr. Short was her biological father. That was a rumor in the case that was NOT true.

there is simply NO physical evidence linking him to the crimes. And without any physical evidence, LE simply has no new leads at ths point. Whoever committed these deeds was very methodical, starting with the cutting of the phone lines. The parents were shot in their bed-since Jennifer's remains were found quite a while after she disappeared and she had been dumped in a creek, only bones and very little else was found. I know LE was at one point searching for Jennifer's biological father-and I don't know that he ever was id'd much less located. Unless somone gets loose lips, this will be a VERY tough case to solve!


Bring Maura home!

 

[jblfelines]

I've been wondering about a possible connection between Joseph Duncan & the Short family murders. North of Bassett, VA is a large lake, the Smith Mountain Lake, which is a place that is popular with scuba divers and sounds like a great place to visit.
http://www.virginiasbestkeptsecret.com/scubadiving.html

The Short family murders occurred on August 15. In mid-August there is an annual antique boat show at the Smith Mountain Lake. Is it possible that Joseph Duncan, who liked to travel as evidenced in his hobbies of geocaching & scuba diving, who even visited his "doctor friend" Richard Wacksman in Florida where he scuba dived, traveled south and east to southern Virginia, visited Smith Mountain Lake, and while there continued his campaign of "revenge on society" by murdering the Short family and molesting and killing Jennifer Short? If you were traveling south from the Northwest and were going to go to Florida, it wouldn't be that far a stretch to go a bit further east on your way and visit Smith Mountain Lake. Especially since it is said to be so good for scuba diving.

I did call the investigators at the Henry Police Dept. to tell them my idea.
It's just not that common for someone to kill an entire family in order to abduct a child. If it is known that there is someone who has been out of prison for 5 years now and he has done a crime like that, is it unreasonable to think he may have done it before? In his blog he states that he has done two other acts that he hasn't been caught for and more.

I definitely feel Duncan should be investigated for this murder. He brags in his blog of doing things and not getting caught. I am glad you called the Henry Police Dept. Poor family needs the media and the public to keep this case open since they are no longer able to. Duncan was not a suspect in the Groene case either. If he had not been found with Shasta the case would also be unsolved.

 

[stevie]

Bowman and his landlord were having a dispute over a mobile home. The mobile home needed to be moved. MR. SHORT WAS A MOBILE HOME MOVER. The landlord, Mr. Lemons, stated (and passed a POLYGRAPH that he witnessed this), that Bowman was upset with a mobile home mover and said he was going to have to KILL the mover who ripped him off. The mobile home that Bowman lived in is ONE MILE from where Jennifer's body was found (thirty miles from the crime scene). After the murders, Bowman fled to Canada. He said it was to retire and said he had prepared this move for MANY MONTHS. When Bowman was captured, he was living above a CAR REPAIR GARAGE. Nobody, unless a diehard, obsessive NASCAR fan, would retire, with much preparation, to live above the sounds of air-ratchets and revving motors. He had it more peaceful in his little trailer of horrors out in the country. Nobody, especially opportunistic, depraved child molesters are going to TIME a triple murder to when a little country bumpkin decides to retire. They would not be able to fish that info without raising a red flag on themselves. There was a map found in the trailer with the general location of the Short's home marked with an X. Nobody would go to that kind of trouble to pin the blame on an old man who quietly lived alone on a country road, in a non-descript mobile home. The quiet old man probably paid some younger guy to walk in the house and kill the Shorts. Bowman left no physical evidence because he was probably sitting in his idling van outside. The hired killer (and there are some low bastards in Rockingham County who'd do it for forty dollars), probably took Jennifer as a bonus to himself because there was no way for Bowman to object. The girl was probably taken to a secondary location (not Bowman's trailer) and used like a dishrag. They took the child and dumped her off a bridge in an area Bowman was familiar with. This is why Bowman cannot be tied to it by physical evidence. Despite his humble appearance, he steadfastly denied his accusers a confession, because, I believe, he felt the crime was his right to execute. Some people actually think that way. It all adds up to Bowman and his well crafted lies, nobody he would be associated with is smart enough to do this without eventually bragging or being exposed. :woohoo:

 

[Bobbisangel]

If Bowman was planning to retire to Canada why was he moving his mobile? It isn't cheap to move a mobile...you have to hire a crew to take it apart...clean up the lot it was on..and put it back together. And then you have the actual movers who come in when the mobile is ready to be moved. That is the way they do it here anyway. Wonder why he didn't just sell it instead.

I hope they check ole Joseph Duncan out too. Can't hurt anything. If the landlord took a poly and passed then he must have been telling the truth. It probably is Bowman or someone he paid. Hope someone pays for taking 3 lives. That poor little girl. Wonder if they have checked out the sex offenders in that area?

 

[stevie]

The dispute with Bowman and Lemons was the future ownership of the trailer. Lemons (and I know this because he screwed me on an engine deal) is a crook. I'm sure he lowballed Bowman because the trailer was already in place. If I remember it right, Bowman sold the trailer to another man for a better price. Bowman needed it moved off Lemon's property, this is one of many reasons it is so highly coincidental since Mr. Short was a mobile home mover. I wish the tight-lipped LE would at least give their reasoning behind not indicting Bowman. I realize the technical part of it, but is there ANYTHING they have on him as possible proof? :behindbar

 

[mic730]

Stevie were almost neighbors.
I thought a grand jury declined to indict Bowman.

give their reasoning behind not indicting Bowman. I realize the technical part of it, but is there ANYTHING they have on him as possible proof? :behindbar