MD MD - Keith Warren, 19, Silver Spring, 30 Jul 1986

Keith Warren

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I am reaching out to you today to ask your help for a family in need of closure and a young man in need of justice. July 2011 will be the 25th anniversary of Keith Warren being found on a tree in Montgomery County Maryland. Keith died in Silver Springs, Maryland in 1986, one month away from starting college. Paramedics found Keith in a wooded area behind the family townhouse, hanging from a tree by the neck, bent double with his weight. After a ‘very’ brief investigation, the authorities concluded that Keith had committed suicide and closed the case despite the fact that rope was tied around the bigger tree to support the smaller tree, how can a suicide victim tie ropes around two separate trees and hoist themselves up? There was no note or any other evidence for the officer to rule it a suicide. The officer released the body to the funeral home of his choice, which embalmed the body. It took the officer 5hrs to notify Keith’s mother even though he had her work address and phone number. A witness says, before Keith’s death, a car full of suspicious characters were looking for him, the type of individuals Keith did not associate with. Several days later and the night before Keith’s body was found, another man was desperately looking for Keith by the name of Mark Findley.

A month later The Warren family had returned home from an outing, one of the relative’s wanted to see the tree in the back, where Keith was found. When they arrived at the spot, the tree had been cut down without their knowledge by the police department (who admitted cutting it down and were holding it for evidence). The tree was mysteriously destroyed in a warehouse fire. On Keith’s birthday in 1993, his mother received a package, the package contained 5 official police photos which are attached to this email, which showed different angles of Keith hanging by the neck, wearing someone else’s clothing. The personal items and clothing the family received in 1986 were not the same clothing Keith had when he died. Someone knew the right items to give the family and destroyed the other clothes. The family hired a private investigator; who was instrumental in having the body exhumed. The independent Medical Examiner which the family paid for found high levels of TCE (potent chemical found in glue and solvents) in his body. This chemical is so potent; after digesting, you are dead before you hit the ground. The Forensic Pathologist stated, “I believe Keith Warren’s death being listed as a suicide is medically not supportable.” Also the paramedic who arrived to the original crime scene prior to the officer wrote and signed a notarized document that he didn’t believe Keith’s death to be a suicide. There is a copy of the document on the justice site as well as on Facebook.

Shortly afterward getting the pictures, Keith’s mother received a note which said, “Ms. Warren, don’t worry, Mark Findley will be next.” Findley was an associate of Keith’s. Findley found out about the threatening note and contacted Keith’s mother, “Ms. Warren, I will be by to see you, I need to unload.” Findley was also rumored to have bragged after Keith’s body was found in 1986 that he helped put Keith on the tree. One month later, before he could visit Ms. Warren, Mark Findley was found dead. According to police, Findley died accidentally when his bike struck a curve and he was thrown from the bike at 2am in the morning. The ambulance crew said the damage to Findley didn’t fit the accident. The damage to his face look like someone hit him with a baseball bat. This case was never reopened and remains close. Keith’s sister and a hand full of friends have launched a facebook campaign to bring awareness to this situation.

Sherri (Keith’s sister) question is “if you think about it who holds the entities, that hold us accountable for our actions, accountable for theirs? The thought and premise is to use the network and web to update the situation, to show how the state of Maryland local and state government everyday for the last 25yrs has allowed someone to get away with murder and turn their backs on the family. It is to also let those involved know that the family and friends are not going away. We are in desperate need of help. This situation could happen to you or someone you know. You have a black man strung up on tree in 1986, you have physical evidence that was admittedly destroyed by local law enforcement, you have an additional questionable death surrounding this situation, and you have crime scene photo's which clearly show evidence of cover-up. What more would you need if you were in law enforcement to re-investigate, re-open or at the least care about Keith Warren. The family and friends of Keith Warren are working hard to put as much information out to show that this is not speculation but FACT! The family needs YOUR help in getting the information out to those in the national media. Please share your ideas, comments and concepts. The family is open to any and all suggestion. The family believes the local media is hesitant to cover this story due to political connections. That is why we have to now step outside of Maryland and show how utterly ridiculous it is for the Maryland judicial system to ignore this situation hoping that it will go away. We sometimes become frustrated but that will not stop us we will continue to put the STATE OF MARYLAND and MONTGOMERY COUNTY on BLAST!.... There are others victims of the Maryland state medical examiner in the 80's and 90's and we will find them and join with them to expose the inaccuracy and laziness of that office. We want everyone to know that as you sit comfortably in your house, office, car wherever you may be you are just a moment in time from your life being changed and damaged by those sworn into office to protect and serve. Whether or not the police were directly involved why won’t they try to do right? Their silence is just as damaging as the crime of putting Keith on the tree. I invite you to review the information given listed below. This is a conspiracy that extends to the highest ranking government office's in the State of Maryland. There is much information, that shows this suicide is NOT the TRUTH! There is a Facebook (Keith W Warren) campaign to get this case re-opened and re-investigate. Ms. Mary (Keith’s mom) passed in '09 and Sherri watched her fight the last 23yrs of her life trying to get help from those who are in the position to give it. But all she got was ignored and disrespected. This July will be the 25th anniversary of Keith's death. This story was profiled on Unsolved Mysteries, Jet Magazine, as well Ms. Mary was interviewed several times on the local ABC news channel 7. Your help is greatly needed. Below are the links to the above mentioned video's. I ask you to view the information and give your opinion of what you think happen. Why did the police department do so much to cover it up? Why wont the state of Maryland help the family and re-open this case. I appreciate your time and energy.



http://tinyurl.com/4h5xsvj,
http://tinyurl.com/4rv9s9s,
http://tinyurl.com/4j5efrg
http://tinyurl.com/4hpj8uy,
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/keith.w.warren
www.keithwarrenjusticesite.blogspot.com
 
Sounds like such an interesting case. It is so maddening! I feel so badly for his mother and sister. Sounds like a case of jealousy and racism, which should not be tolerated ever. This case needs to be reopened.

Other than the Unsolved Mysteries segment, I haven't had a change to read all the articles. I tend to when I have a little bit more time.

Good luck to you finding justice in this tragedy.
 
...

And I have not read all links.
What i have read, has lead me to ask 3 questions.

1. The autopsy report.
Did it list the cause of death as suicide.
But not asphyxiation do to Hanging/Suicide?

2. This meeting he wanted to have. Mark to "I need to unload"
What was the conversation about.
Anything one could share?

3. These photos left at the frontdoor, with the note.
"Dont worry, mark Finley is next"
I am not sure of the context that was writing in.
So I am not sure how that should be read. So I wont comment on it. But what I would like to know, is if those photos that were left were EXACT copies of what LE had on file at the time.
They admitted, it was copies from there files.
But they didnot elaborate they were EXACT copies of what is in there possession.

If they were exact copies, then that may indicate someone working for or as with LE made those copies from inside a LE building. If they are not exact copies, but are different pictures of the same batch of photos from the crime scene. Then that may indicate that they came from someone whom had access to the negatives, and not specially someone working for LE.

I hope the above made sense to you.

One could argue/speculate, that at the crime scene.
When it was being investigated, someone on scene decided to call it a suicide to save time and the resources it would have taken to investigate as a murder.

Someone may have to have this case reopened with a federal grand jury investigation, instead of something local.


 
The following is just speculation, a opinion on what may have transpired at the crime scene. But I am posting nothing as being fact. Just want to make that clear.

He was taking there, and laid on the ground.
The rope was then put into place, He was dragged closer to the noose, and then by pulling the rope around the bigger tree, they were able to hoist him up and off the ground. And left him there.
He was already deceased before that even occurred.

I speculate he was killed elsewhere.
The changing of the cloths may indicate he was at a party, or a gathering of other people. And they changed the cloths he was wearing, so when they took him out, no one would have recognized him AS leaving with such person/persons. Because he was not wearing the same cloths he was wearing when he arrived. Or they feared some evidence may had remain on the clothes he was wearing, and decided to remove all and replace with someone else s.

If those clothes are still available, for DNA collection.
The cloths he was found wearing. I would try and see if they could be connected to any place he was that night with anyone.

But i would start at the place where his boots and other items were giving back to the mother, to see if those replacement cloths in fact match anyone through DNA at that location.

I may have some information confused with other written articles from the links. But i Sense you understand all i Have written. Ill check back from time to time, and see what is going on.

The police at the time, may-have engaged in some not so clean police work. Dont want to say sloppy. But i don't believe that they had a hand in this young mans death. They may be guilty of calling it a suicide to soon, for whatever reasons.

Unless you can supply some facts or links to facts that may substantiate that speculation.

And perhaps those photos were left behind, to let the mother i believe it was, know that the police, or at least one of them, knew that it was more likely a murder then a suicide, and wanted that fact to be know. And they also knew the other young man was also a possible victim to be.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART.
NOTHING POSTED AS BEING FACT. UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.
 
I know this has already has most likely been done, but....

Has the family tried to contact any show like 48 Hours or Date Line. Or even Discovery ID Channel. This could even be a cause or story that Oprah would feature on her show or network.

Though I have come to the conclusion that they only like to feature cases that are already solved (which in my opinion is dumb) on many of these shows. It wouldn't hurt.

This is such an intriguing story that would surely enrage many people in this country, if they could only see it.
 
Just saw this case on an Unsolved Mysteries rerun a few days ago. My impression was that LE mishandled the case by releasing the body prematurely and subsequently obstructed the investigation to avoid admitting they had goofed. This may sound simplistic but all it takes is an individual in charge with an overinflated ego or even someone just afraid they'd lose their job.
 
...

And I have not read all links.
What i have read, has lead me to ask 3 questions.

1. The autopsy report.
Did it list the cause of death as suicide.
But not asphyxiation do to Hanging/Suicide?
A:The ME who conducted the autopsy that the family paid for said that he could not give a definitive cause of death due to the length of time the body was in the ground. But he did say that in his medical opinion Keith was dead before he hit the ground due to the chemicals in his body

2. This meeting he wanted to have. Mark to "I need to unload"
What was the conversation about.
Anything one could share?
A: Mark was said to have bragged the month after Keith was found that he helped put Keith on the tree. Mark never made it to meet Mrs. Mary. He was found dead a month after he left the message on her voicemail.

3. These photos left at the frontdoor, with the note.
"Dont worry, mark Finley is next"
I am not sure of the context that was writing in.
So I am not sure how that should be read. So I wont comment on it. But what I would like to know, is if those photos that were left were EXACT copies of what LE had on file at the time.
They admitted, it was copies from there files.
But they didnot elaborate they were EXACT copies of what is in there possession.
If they were exact copies, then that may indicate someone working for or as with LE made those copies from inside a LE building. If they are not exact copies, but are different pictures of the same batch of photos from the crime scene. Then that may indicate that they came from someone whom had access to the negatives, and not specially someone working for LE.

A: Yes the photo's are the copies that were in the police files. Someone took the negatives from the police department had them developed put the negative's back and gave the developed photo's to the family.

I hope the above made sense to you.

One could argue/speculate, that at the crime scene.
When it was being investigated, someone on scene decided to call it a suicide to save time and the resources it would have taken to investigate as a murder.- if this were true the LE did way too much to be lazy. He sent the body to the funeral home of his choice, had the body embalmed, changed Keith's clothing, cut the tree down a month later even though the case was closed.

Someone may have to have this case reopened with a federal grand jury investigation, instead of something local.- Both state and local officials in Maryland have not tried to assist the family in getting answers. Both entities have the same information as well as much more but refuse to look further into who took Keith's life.



The hope is to use the web and worldwide media to spread the information and force the hand of the state and local government into doing the job they took a sworn oath to do.
 
I know this has already has most likely been done, but....

Has the family tried to contact any show like 48 Hours or Date Line. Or even Discovery ID Channel. This could even be a cause or story that Oprah would feature on her show or network.

Though I have come to the conclusion that they only like to feature cases that are already solved (which in my opinion is dumb) on many of these shows. It wouldn't hurt.

This is such an intriguing story that would surely enrage many people in this country, if they could only see it.
The friends and family sent the information to the general email address given to all the shows listed above. They have not heard back from anyone yet. We will keep trying.
 
Originally Posted by ThatJeffGuy


1. he didnt die from hanging or if he did he was unconscious or immobile. he had an almost lethal dose of a combination of chemicals in his body that would have either killed him or rendered him almost unable to move. this was determined years after his death in an autopsy performed because of questions raised. the ME stated that a man with as much of this stuff in him couldnt do this and it was six years after his death that he still had these huge concentrations in his body. a hanging might get noticed as a suicide, while a bullet would have to be investigated as a murder.

2. while suicide is always a possibility it isnt in this case. theres just too much evidence pointing at foul play. the before mention drugs in his system, the way he was hung (who ties a rope to the base of one tree, then loops it around the base of a smaller tree, then slings it up not far enough to hang freely and then hangs themselves from there. the first responder EMT said it was a staged hanging. keith had leaves all over his back which would indicate he was on his back on the ground, perhaps because he was dragged. of course since there was NO INVESIGATION they didnt look for drag marks), there was no suicide note, the clothes he was wearing werent his: in the crime scene pictures keith is wearing white tennis shoes, too tight pants and a long sleeved shirt in july (keith always wore boots. we even gave him a hard time about this. he even wore boots when he played basketball. i dont think he even owned a pair of white tennis shoes).

4. who knows who murdered him. there are theories and some of them sound awfully good but we will probably never know because the initial investigation was bungled so badly.

5. there is no proof of criminal wrong doing by MCPD but the way they handled this investigation was a travesty. my theory... keith was just another black kid. it looked enough like a suicide to satisfy the responding officer. i could be wrong, they might have been involved. remember that 1986 was the year that crack came to town. maybe keith was involved with the wrong people, probably not. most likely mark findley was and used keiths name when it was convenient for him. thats why i think keith was murdered and why mark was eventually killed.

by the way... my name is jeff rupp and i went to john f kennedy high school in wheaton, maryland with keith. i graduated a year before him but we were friends. i knew him at least ten years before he was killed.
 
Hello Jeff, I just signed the petition and joined both FaceBook pages.

It is such a great thing you are doing for keith and his family. You are truely a wonderful friend, keith was very lucky to have you in his life. We should should all have such loyal and determined people in our corner. I'm sure all of your efforts will help shed some light on this case and hopefully bring the truth out.
 
This is actually a very good friend of Sherri. On behalf of Sherri, the family and Keith's friends THANK YOU for your support. Every voice counts! You support will make a difference in this fight!
 
Please sign "Justice for Keith Warren" petition to send to the state officials in Maryland to let them know that Keith was murdered 25 years ago_Our request's; We want the death certificate changed, the case reactivated and properly investigated by law enforcement outside Montgomery county, Maryland, and a formal apology from the governor and Montgomery county police officials attention to Mrs. Mary Couey for ignoring her cry for 23yrs of her life. . http://tinyurl.com/Justiceforkeith
 
We have officially launched the website. On the site you will find photo's, official documents, videos, and all information related to the case. Please go and read how utterly ridiculous the disrespectful the State of Maryland and Montgomery County has treated this family. Your time and energy is greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome here, Keith Warren!!! I apologize if I am late to the posting here-let me first say how incredibly sorry I am for what you have gone through to date.

At Websleuths, we have a verification process for someone such as yourself who is an insider into a case.

Please send an email to wsverify@xmission.com. Just include the name of the case, your Websleuths Identity, and your real name as well as the association to the case. All of the information is kept confidential.

Take care and I know that the sleuthers here will be a great sounding board for you as well as a source of information.
 
I looked at the pictures and it seems to me that rigor mortis had set in before he was hanged. Just a 2nd thought to the crime scene should have clued any investigator in, IMO.

I hope something more is done on this case. Thoughts to the family.
 
I think it's great how you are getting awareness about this case out to the public. I see that the face book page is growing everyday. Hopefully this will get the proper authorities to do the right thing. Even if it takes the shame of everyone knowing what a terrible injustice they have caused.
 
The Maryland police confirmed to ITeam news that they did in fact cut the tree down.

Wondering why a poster would call this misinformation and outrageous?
 

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