FL FL - Michelle O'Connell, 24, St Augustine, 2 September, 2010

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After reading the NY Times article and learning about the history of this case, TWO things become obvious:
1) SHADY A$$ Sherriff.... WOW..... Just WOW
2) Good Ole Boys club Mentality.

:shame::sick::maddening:
 
Seems like a tragedy. I'm going to see if i can find the Frontline episode.
 
I hope one of the Administrators will look at this and tell me if it would be okay to put this Case here.

I was reading Google News About 2am and I came across an Article About The Death of Michelle O'Connell, age 24 on Sept 2, 2010. Her death was ruled a suicide by the local Sheriff and the Medical Examiner. But later investigations by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) concluded that it was not a suicide but a homicide.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/familys-battle-sheriff-prove-relative-killed/story?id=54429754

I was really trying to send a private message to one of the Admin people who monitor this channel.. This is an unusual case for us to sleuth because the Sheriff Office in St. John's County Florida and the County ME declared it as an Suicide. But in 2014 Governor Rick Scott was going to appoint a Special Prosecutor to reexamine the case because questions that have surrounded the initial examination of the Case. I have not mention any other names yet because no one has been charged in the case. So is this something that we/I can post her or somewhere else in the forum. There is a ton of stuff on Google about the case so getting collaborating material will not be hard to find. I would think a reliable source as 20/20 Investigation would make this worthy (Crimes in the News). IDK but I think it would work.
 
Figbarinc said:
I hope one of the Administrators will look at this and tell me if it would be okay to put this Case here.

I was reading Google News About 2am and I came across an Article About The Death of Michelle O'Connell, age 24 on Sept 2, 2010. Her death was ruled a suicide by the local Sheriff and the Medical Examiner. But later investigations by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) concluded that it was not a suicide but a homicide.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/familys-battle-sheriff-prove-relative-killed/story?id=54429754

I was really trying to send a private message to one of the Admin people who monitor this channel.. This is an unusual case for us to sleuth because the Sheriff Office in St. John's County Florida and the County ME declared it as an Suicide. But in 2014 Governor Rick Scott was going to appoint a Special Prosecutor to reexamine the case because questions that have surrounded the initial examination of the Case. I have not mention any other names yet because no one has been charged in the case. So is this something that we/I can post her or somewhere else in the forum. There is a ton of stuff on Google about the case so getting collaborating material will not be hard to find. I would think a reliable source as 20/20 Investigation would make this worthy (Crimes in the News). IDK but I think it would work.
Click to expand...

This is so similar to the case in GA where the woman survived, but had her children taken away because she tried to “commit suicide.” Same situation with
Significant other being in LE. Her first name is Jessica. Can’t remember the last name at the moment.

Thanks for posting - I had not heard about this case.
 
Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious death at a World Golf Village residence. This case was referred from St. Johns County Sheriff's Office to Putnam County Sheriff's Office due to a conflict of interest.

According to the PCSO, a 911 call was made to St. Johns County around 7:30 a.m. SJCSO's initial investigations found that the victim was doing an independent investigation of the death of Michelle O'Connell.

Due to the conflict of interest, St. Johns County referred it to Putnam County.

MICHELLE O'CONNELL CASE: Investigation of a suspicious death at a World Golf Village residence
 
Legally Bland said:
Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious death at a World Golf Village residence. This case was referred from St. Johns County Sheriff's Office to Putnam County Sheriff's Office due to a conflict of interest.

According to the PCSO, a 911 call was made to St. Johns County around 7:30 a.m. SJCSO's initial investigations found that the victim was doing an independent investigation of the death of Michelle O'Connell.

Due to the conflict of interest, St. Johns County referred it to Putnam County.

MICHELLE O'CONNELL CASE: Investigation of a suspicious death at a World Golf Village residence
Click to expand...

I am relieved that SJCSO has referred the case to another county's sheriff's office, but would have preferred they had it investigated by a larger office with more resources than tiny Putnam County. Putnam County, west of St. Johns, is about a quarter to a third of the population of St. Johns and is much more rural - worried the resources of that office may be limited in a similar ratio. Duval, to the north, is much larger.
 
JaxFlaGal said:
I am relieved that SJCSO has referred the case to another county's sheriff's office, but would have preferred they had it investigated by a larger office with more resources than tiny Putnam County. Putnam County, west of St. Johns, is about a quarter to a third of the population of St. Johns and is much more rural - worried the resources of that office may be limited in a similar ratio. Duval, to the north, is much larger.
Click to expand...

The Michelle O’Connell case really had some strong indicators (in my opinion of course) of her being murdered versus suicide.

This latest twist is hard to comprehend because the deceased being described as “self styled investigator” I presume is because they weren’t officially a private investigator and not LE. When I first saw the news break I thought it was someone from out of the area investigating in some official capacity for the O’Connell family but it looks more likely to be someone not unlike many of us here who track cold cases. Because the info released indicated there was no danger to the public (versus there being a killer at large), it’s a 99% safe bet this too will go down as a suicide. SJCSO referring it to another agency makes sense but cannot believe they chose PCSO when there were other more qualified options.

So many unanswered questions...
 
swedeheart said:
i had not heard of this case, but now i have. hmm.
Private citizen is shot dead while investigating the death of Michelle O'Connell in St Augustine | Daily Mail Online
Click to expand...
Here's another article on this:

A family's battle against a sheriff to try to prove relative was killed

Read the next article under the first one, to which states the person who was investigating her murder was found murdered. The article under that one- holey moley, definitely a cover up there- his own department has suspicions and in my opinion only, we not allowed to investigate further,
 
Ray_of_hope said:
FDLE sits out death investigation linked to O'Connell case This victim had ordered public information regarding the Michelle O'Connell case and was doing an independent investigation. The condo where he was found is a gated community. So hopefully there will be video around the condos too.
Click to expand...
It says a lot when the state bureau (FDLE) declines to assist in a suspicious death investigation! Doesn’t quite seem to be in the best interest of the citizens of St. John’s County, especially the family of the most recent deceased. I would simply think FDLE would assign investigators that weren’t involved previously in the O’Connell case. Hopeful that the national media will look into this recent case to help shed light on whether it’s related to the O’Connell case or not.
 
Are we sure that this 2nd death isn't a websleuths member? That was my first thought, concern that it was one of us! It appears if it is, they weren't very vocal in her thread. This is so far past being suspicious it's not even in the same solar system as suspicious.
 
2/4/19 From CBS47 Action News-Jacksonville:

A neighbor of the victim found shot and killed in World Golf Village said the victim feared for their life, knowing someone was coming after them.

On Monday, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim found dead Thursday as Ellie Washtock, 38.
The Sheriff’s Office said Washtock has identified as a male and a female, and that delayed the identification process.

Deputies said Washtock had just started investigating the controversial Michelle O’Connell case.

“(He was) not making plans to die.(He was) making plans to keep his kids safe, knowing that he was going to (die),” said Washtock’s neighbor, Alec Laughlin.

“I couldn’t get into my place for 12 hours,” Laughlin said. “They were locking it down.”

Laughlin lives right across the hall from Washtock at the Laterra Condominiums. He said he knew the victim as Eli.

“He knew that somebody was coming for him, so he rented the place downstairs, didn’t tell anybody, let his kids stay there, and he stayed in his regular place,” Laughlin said. “So, he knew it was coming.”

An Eli Washtock made a public records request through the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in August, asking for crime scene photos for the O’Connell case in 2010.

Washtock was a friend of the O’Connell family.

Michelle O’Connell’s mother, Patty, posted on Facebook of Washtock: “My heart is broken. He was another son. He cared about Michelle.”

Though the case was ruled a suicide, many suspect O’Connell’s boyfriend, St. Johns County Deputy Jeremy Banks.

Putnam County deputies said Banks is not a suspect in this case.

According to court records, Washtock changed his name from Craig to Ellie in 2009. Records show he was involved in two domestic court cases that year, as well.

PCSO said it has no suspect information in the case.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ac...ng-victim-speaks-to-action-news-jax/914763872
 
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