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Thread: Molly Young (21) was found shot to death in ex-boyfriend's apartment

  1. #176
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    http://thesouthern.com/news/local/ca...b1e3c3592.html




    1 hour ago

    CARBONDALE -- City Manager Kevin Baity said Police Chief Jody O'Guinn's firing wasn?t related to his work history or ongoing litigation, but O'Guinn's tenure was characterized by periodic controversy.

    In June 2011, O'Guinn's Colt .380 pistol was taken from his vehicle while the vehicle was parked at his residence; the gun was later used in a homicide. The gun theft wasn?t reported immediately; archived news reports indicate a week passed before it was reported. A subsequent investigation found "a simple data entry error" was the reason the stolen-gun report was originally filed as an animal control violation.

    In March 2012, 21-year-old Molly Young died from a gunshot wound to the head in the Carbondale apartment of her ex-boyfriend, Richie Minton, a Carbondale police dispatcher at the time. No charges were filed in the case.

    In February, 19-year-old SIU student Pravin Varughese went missing. His body was found in wooded land along Illinois 13 five days later. Police learned Varughese received a ride from the 600 block of West College Street on Feb. 12, but after some type of dispute, Varughese ran into the woods. Varughese's mother recently filed a $5 million lawsuit against the city, the police department and O'Guinn, among others.

    "I want to stress that my decision to dismiss Chief O'Guinn is a confidential matter and has nothing to do with the unsolved cases or recent litigation filed against the city and the chief," Baity said in a prepared statement this morning. "Any assumptions/allegations to this effect are completely unfounded."

    Deputy Chief Jeff Grubbs has been named interim chief. No timetable has been established for finding a permanent replacement.

    "I have full faith and confidence in Deputy Chief Grubbs' ability to lead the Carbondale Police Department,? Baity stated.

    O'Guinn served from June 2009 until today

  2. #177
    Senior Member Queena's Avatar
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    Good. Now it's time to clean up the rest of Carbondale PD.

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  4. #179
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    STILL nothing from the special prosecutor's office. But Mr. Minton is doing 14 days in county lock up.

    http://carbondaletimes.com/111214minton
    Minton gets jail time for DUI charge
    Submitted by Carbondale Times on Wed, 11/12/2014 - 11:28

    Geoffrey Ritter
    Weekend Times



    MURPHYSBORO ? A one-time police dispatcher perhaps most known because of the mysterious 2012 death of his girlfriend, Molly Young, was sentenced last week to 14 days in jail for a recent DUI charge ? the second such charge he faced in the span of less than a year.

    Richard L. Minton, 26, of West Frankfort was sentenced Nov. 6 in Jackson County to two weeks in the county jail and 12 months of probation for a DUI charge that originated in October 2013 in Carbondale. Minton also was ordered to pay court costs and attend alcohol treatment.

    On Oct. 8, 2013, a Carbondale Police officer observed a car disobey a traffic light at the intersection of South Wall Street and East Grand Avenue, and the driver, Minton, was arrested after he failed field sobriety tests.

    The arrest followed another DUI conviction in 2012. Minton was still on court supervision for that incident at the time of last year?s arrest.

    Minton, who once worked as a dispatcher at the Carbondale Police Department but parted ways with that agency prior to his arrest, may be most known for his association with the death of Molly Young at his former Carbondale apartment.

    Minton made an early-morning 911 call to report Young?s death, which was found to be the result of a gunshot wound to the head.

    Young?s family and friends, largely through the Justice for Molly Facebook page, have questioned Minton?s involvement, alleging that he shot Young.

    Some evidence also has been presented showing that the 21-year-old Marion native might have shot herself. Minton worked for the police at the time and reported the death about four hours after it is presumed to have occurred. He told first responders he must have slept through the gunshot in his bedroom.

    In early 2013, a Jackson County inquest jury ruled the cause of Young?s death undetermined due to a lack of evidence. The case has been in the hands of a special prosecutor since fall 2013, but that office has yet to publicly say what it will do with the case.

    Minton has not been charged in Young?s death. His attorney did not respond to a message left Friday.

  5. #180
    Senior Member ShellJett's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=portia;3577826]STILL nothing from the special prosecutor's office. But Mr. Minton is doing 14 days in county lock up.

    Does he still get to keep his job as a Dispatcher?

  6. #181
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    No, he quit sometime after Molly's death. I forget the timeframe. According to the wrongful death suit Molly's dad filed against him, it appears his last occupation was at the West Frankfort K-Mart....if I'm reading that correctly.


  7. #182
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    Parkinson has declined to pursue this case.

    What a crock of shit.

    http://www.disclosurenewsonline.com/....6ntLNJiO.dpbs

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    Senior Member hamdinger125's Avatar
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    I was just going to post that. :(

    Justice for Molly! Does her family have any recourse left after this?

  9. #184
    Senior Member bermstalker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by portia View Post
    Parkinson has declined to pursue this case.

    What a crock of shit.

    http://www.disclosurenewsonline.com/....6ntLNJiO.dpbs
    Ugh, I hate this. I suspected it, but I still hoped that they would investigate.
    There is no way they want to expose how the police dept f'ed this whole case up right from the start.

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    l only found this thread yesterday and have read every page. This case makes me angry and sad. Cop corruption, much?

    There is so much circumstantial evidence that points to this is only being a homicide, not a suicide - not to mention the physical evidence that exists. One thing that bugs me is how flippant the cops have been backing up their theiries; do they think Molly washed her hands and wiped the gun posthumously or something?

    What does this turd and/or his former police force employee father have on those still serving? Sorry, but maintaining the same stance since the start to save face doesn't wash. It stinks, and bad.

    His stories are in complete contradiction of each other. Why would you, drunk, continue to ask your friend/ex to help you when you have just learned they are suicidal? You'd straighten your mind as much as possible through the alcohol haze and help THEM out, right? Why are the cops treating the texts as gospel but have dismissed hard physical evidence? I'd put money on him being the one that sent them.

    I hate to be sinister, but since the first page of this thread I've been considering the possibility of him forcing her to write that UNDATED suicide note at gunpoint? Then when I read uniforms were allegedly coming and going throughout the night, which has since officially been denied, I got thinking what if Molly was killed so she couldn't report the illegal activities of active members/employees?

    I'll get off my soapbox by asking a couple of non-rhetorical questions: Where is this 'special' prosecutor from? Same city/state/acquaintance circle? I want to know how impartial this guy really was. And couldn't the FBl be called in or some other federal agency? I'm not American, so I don't know how that works. Did they test her for DNA anywhere else other than her fingernails and who did the DNA of the other two guys belong to? Did they find drugs in his apartment? Molly truly does deserve justice.

    In Oz we had a fairly similar case a long time ago where a lady (I think her name was Jennifer Tanner) was found with a shotgun that had two spent shells and her death was deemed suicide for a looong time. Her brother in law, Dennis Tanner, who was also a former cop, was eventually alleged as the person behind her death but he was never found guilty of it. Google it for verification of facts, I'm only recalling that incident from the depths of my tiny brain and I was too lazy to Google it myself.

  11. #186
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    Quote Originally Posted by hamdinger125 View Post
    I was just going to post that. :(

    Justice for Molly! Does her family have any recourse left after this?
    From what Larry has posted online, this is the end of the road. other than the civil case he's brought against CPD and Minton. Apparently they've contacted numerous people above the prosecutor (Carr) and the special prosecutor (Parkinson) and were told each and every time that there is NOBODY above either of them, they have complete control over anything that could possibly ever be done about this.

    Now, I don't know Parkinson's history - though Monica Zukas had posted early on after Parkinson was appointed Special Prosecutor to review the case, that she had full faith in Parkinson doing the right thing, that he was a straight dude. But she posted yesterday that she had a feeling this would be the outcome after speaking with him about this for the first time after he took it over....so I don't know.

    The only thing I can figure, is that there's quite a few heads down in Jackson County that would roll if the true details of this case were made public. I think there are several key people down there with dirt (and blood) on their hands not only with Molly's case but other shit like that Spencer chick who was murdered with O'Guinn's "stolen/lost" service weapon and god knows what else these people have concealed for each other that might mushroom if Molly's case were to be pursued.

  12. #187
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    The wrongful death civil suit got started.

    http://thesouthern.com/news/local/ju...c47ff7524.html
    Judge Solverson asked to step down in Molly Young wrongful death lawsuit
    February 09, 2015 6:00 pm By Molly Parker

    MURPHYSBORO - The lawyer representing Molly Young's father in a wrongful death lawsuit against her on-again, off-again boyfriend Richie Minton plans to file a motion asking Judge Christy Solverson to recuse herself from the case.

    "It is a possibility the judge may become a witness if the case moves forward," said Belleville-based attorney Charles Stegmeyer, who is representing Molly's father, Larry Young, in the civil suit filed last summer.

    A hearing had been scheduled for Monday on a motion to dismiss, but was postponed. A review hearing has since been scheduled for Feb. 24.

    Solverson was the judge who signed off on a search warrant requested by Illinois State Police on the day of Young's death, March 24, 2012, inside Minton's apartment.

    State police had been called to the scene because Minton was a dispatcher with the Carbondale Police Department.

    But Young's family has questioned the delay in obtaining and executing the search warrant. That's one of many concerns they've raised in what they believe was a botched investigation into the death of Young.

    According to Illinois State Police records, the search warrant was issued the day of her death at 3:52 p.m. for the seizure of cheek swabs, blood, urine and fingernail clippings from Minton. That was seven hours after Minton called 911 to report that Young had committed suicide at the Carbondale apartment he shared with a roommate. Samples were drawn about 7:10 p.m., records show, 10 hours after her death was reported.

    A November report by the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor said there was no conclusive evidence to issue an indictment while also stopping short of ruling her death a suicide.

    The case remains open and the manner of death is undetermined, the report says.

    Minton originally reported to dispatchers that he believed Young overdosed, but later advised that it was a gunshot wound. Young was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Questions have been raised about how Minton, who reported to police he was intoxicated and passed out, could have slept through a gunshot.

    The appellate prosecutor report stated that the sound of a gun held to a "soft-tissue surface" can be substantially muffled.

    In seeking a search warrant from Judge Solverson on the day of Young?s death, an ISP special agent said Minton declined consent for search of his apartment, his cell phone and vehicle.

    "Because Young's body was found in Minton's apartment, a warrant is needed to process the scene of her death," the request read. "A warrant is needed for a search of Minton's cellular phone because he claims that Young had text messaged him while he was out drinking. A warrant is needed to search Minton's vehicle in order to ascertain whether there was any notes left by Young in the vehicle or any other evidence of suicidal ideation."

    The lawsuit filed by Young's family seeks $1 million in damages, though Larry Young has said it's not about collecting money and "he doubts Minton has much" but rather exposing the truth regarding the death of his 21-year-old daughter.

    Benton-based attorney Bryan Drew, who is representing Minton in the case, described Monday's action as procedural in nature. Minton did not attend the hearing.
    Molly and Pravin's family's held a joint press conference Friday with Charles Stegmeyer (the lawyer representing both families) and Sal and Ira from Archangels of Justice. (https://www.facebook.com/archangelsofjustice). I haven't seen any posts linking to any media covering it yet.
    Last edited by portia; 02-15-2015 at 06:52 AM.

  13. #188
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    The press conference is online now, Monica Zukas posted it from her facebook page. I'm just going to copy/pasta from her FB post:

    RealityCheck MonicaZukas
    22 hrs
    This is the FULL press conference. Part 1.
    Intense!
    Larry Young 3:18
    Lovely Varughese 12:00
    Monica Felts Zukas 19:30
    Stegmeyer 27:15
    Archangels 51:00 (part 2 finishes their speech)

    Part 1


    Part 2

  14. #189
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    another article stating some officials and/or their representatives were present at Pravin's memorial service.

    http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/no-...ung/2015/02/21
    No justice for Southern Illinois University students Pravin Varughese and Molly Young

    For the past several months, we have been looking into suspicious death cases in and around Carbondale, Illinois.

    We have determined an inordinate number of homicides have been falsely classified as suicides or by hypothermia apparently to make it appear as if the local crime rate is lower than it actually is. (Does this sound familiar, Baltimore?)

    The main campus of Southern Illinois University is located in Carbondale and has had a recent drop in enrollment in large part, to a high-crime rate. Various articles published in the past few years have shown the area to have the fourth highest crime rate per capita in Illinois and the 64th nationally.

    Now the Illinois State?s Attorney, Jackson County Illinois Coroner, and the Carbondale Police have decided to strike back against crime. Instead of properly reporting the homicides and attempting to solve them, they hide them.

    In most cases they don?t contact valuable witnesses who have information even though they are easy to find.

    Then to perpetuate their ?cover-up? they malign the victim and any person who questions their unethical and criminal conduct by assassinating the character of the deceased, experts, and all witnesses.

    We have been working with the families of some the deceased, and have clearly identified the actual alleged killers in at least two cases. But to date the state?s attorney has refused to take action.

    On Feb. 13, 2014 Pravin Varughese, 19, and an SIU student had been badly beaten and left in a wooded area to die.

    An Illinois State Trooper came upon the scene and even though he was told by the assailant that Pravin had tried to rob him (which was false) and had just run away he took no further action to intercede, nor did he call for assistance. He wrote a report about it ? six days later. Six days!

    The county coroner and pathologist then reported Varughese?s death was from hypothermia with no additional injuries. Upon identifying the body, Varughese?s mother and family observed severe damage to his head and then retained a national pathology expert to conduct a second autopsy, which determined three areas of severe blunt trauma to his head were the primary cause of death.

    Varughese also had a defensive injury to his right arm that went all the way to the bone. And the state?s attorney continues to block all efforts to seek the truth.

    Now, more than a year later he continues to withhold the reports from the family and their attorneys. He hasn?t even sought a copy of the second autopsy report even though he could easily subpoena it. Nor has he questioned witnesses that claim they heard a confession from the killer.

    On March 24, 2012, Molly Young, another SIU student, was fatally shot in the head. A Carbondale Police Dispatcher at the time, claimed he was at the scene but drunk and never heard the 45-caliber gunshot. He was only a few feet away from her at the time.

    It appears that Young?s death had been staged as a ?suicide? scene. With the police present the dispatcher was alledgedly allowed to destroy valuable evidence and change his clothing. He had two deep scratches on his body and his DNA was determined to be under Young?s fingernails.

    Young did not have gunshot residue on either hand. The dispatcher then obtained a lawyer and refused to answer questions. Four different witnesses have been located that claim the police had been knocking on their doors at 7:00 a.m. but the police state they didn?t receive the call until 9:00 a.m.

    A female dispatcher friend of the drunk dispatcher already has admitted destroying records and communications from him that relate to his alibi. And the police put him on administrative leave with full pay for three months where he worked another seven months before being terminated.

    On Feb. 13, 2015, a year after Varughese?s death, a news conference was held in Murphysboro, Illinois, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Headquarters directly across from the State?s attorney?s office, to disclose the facts of these two cases and others. About 150 citizens heard from family members of Varughese and Young, their attorney, and us.

    Lovely Varughese speaking at the press conference.
    Lovely Varughese speaking at the press conference.

    Two days later, Varughese?s family hosted a memorial at their church in a Chicago, Illinois, suburb where more than 500 supporters attended. Various dignitaries, including three members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, state and local mayors and officials, were either present or sent people to represent them.

    Rastrelli spoke and displayed the program containing the names of the dignitaries and told the audience to keep it so they would know who was present and who would take action and who wouldn?t. Robins quoted from the Illinois State Constitution and Governor Rauner?s own website that describe his official duties and then demanded the State?s Attorney be removed from office and charged with covering up the crimes.

    The congressmen and women have all asked for, or received at that time, a copy of a 27-page sworn affidavit created by Robins and Rastrelli in support of their request for a federal investigation. All gave positive statements of concern and support. Numerous people asked questions of Rastrelli and Robins about Pravin?s murder and received fact specific answers. Although the meeting was scheduled to run from 4:00 p.m.. to 6:00 p.m.., the Varughese family and Rastrelli and Robins spoke with concerned citizens until after 8:30 p.m..

    As of today, Rastrelli, Robins, the Varughese and Young families, and concerned citizens from all over await the announcement that a federal investigation has been initiated.

    Stay tuned!

  15. #190
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    A couple different updates.

    New judge was assigned to the wrongful death suit:

    http://thesouthern.com/news/local/ne...4585f7db4.html
    New judge assigned to Molly Young wrongful death suit

    February 26, 2015 6:00 pm ? By Molly Parker

    MURPHYSBORO ? A new judge has been assigned to the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Molly Young?s father against her former boyfriend, Richie Minton.

    Court records indicate the case has been reassigned from Judge Christy Solverson to Judge Chuck Grace, following a request by the lawyer representing Molly?s father, Larry Young, in the case.

    Attorney Charles Stegmeyer, who represents the Young family, said previously that the motion was made to assign the case to a new judge because Judge Solverson may be called as a witness as the case moves forward.

    Stegmeyer was not clear about what she might be called to testify. However, records show she was the judge who signed off on a search warrant by Illinois State Police on the day of Young?s death, March 24, 2012.

    Young?s family members have questioned why police waited so long to secure a search warrant. Records indicate that State Police secured the warrant about seven hours after Minton called 911 to report Young?s death.

    A hearing has been set on the motion to dismiss filed by Minton?s attorney, Bryan Drew, for 1:30 p.m. on March 24 at the Jackson County Courthouse.

    No criminal charges have been brought in the case.

    A November report by the State?s Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor said there was no conclusive evidence to issue an indictment, while stopping short of ruling her death a suicide.
    Also, because Mike Carr is the douche SA that both of these families are dealing with:

    Copied from the Justice for Pravin FB page:
    Justice For Pravin
    Michael Carr, the Jackson County States Attorney, called the family attorney today to let him know that a grand jury for Pravin's case was conveyed. He did this without presenting the second autopsy to the jury, nor did the jury hear the testimony of Dr. Margolis. The jury has decided that there was not enough evidence to charge Gaege Bethune, the driver of the vehicle.
    This isn't a dead end, it is just the beginning.
    Here's an article about Mike Carr's secret grand jury and no indictment. I can't even read it for some reason, so if someone else can open it and copy/paste it for me.
    http://thesouthern.com/news/local/co...b8031c03e.html

    This was copied from the Justice for Molly FB group, it is a copy of the letter Ira from Archangels of Justice sent to the Governor's office:
    Dear Ms. Kalus,
    Last night I was made aware that Jackson County State?s Attorney Michael Carr announced that he had convened a Grand Jury and that they returned a verdict that no criminal acts had occurred and there would be no prosecution in the Pravin Varughese murder. However, Carr deliberately withheld the testimony of Dr. Ben Margolis, the Pathologist who performed the second autopsy on Pravin, nor did he call other witnesses who have direct knowledge of the criminal acts involved.

    That is a shame because there is absolutely no doubt that he is aware of Dr. Margolis? autopsy and those other witnesses. The false testimony that Carr very obviously presented was that of Coroner Kupferer and his independent pathologist Jacobi that falsely claim there was no evidence of foul play. He did that in an attempt to continue his cover-up and protect himself and Kupferer and Jacobi who were working in behalf of Jackson County at the time.

    On February 20th, 2014, in Congressman Robert Dold?s office you personally received the 27 page affidavit of Lovely and Mathew Varughese and Archangels of Justice by Salvatore Rastrelli and me containing photographs and the autopsy report of Pravin which had been performed by Dr. Margolis. You, and whomever you gave that affidavit to, can plainly and easily see the disfiguring injuries to Pravin?s head, arm and torso. That is absolute proof that he had been brutally beaten before being left outside to die. Pravin?s entire family, Mark Rizzo, the Funeral Director, and others observed the injuries immediately when they viewed his body.

    Carr has presented evidence to the Grand Jury which he knows, or should know, is false as he previously contacted and spoke to Dr. Margolis himself. He did that, in order to protect himself, Kupferer and Jacobi. Two problems for the State of Illinois are obvious.
    1. Carr committed a criminal act by deliberately misleading or withholding true information from the grand jury in order to not obtain a true bill of indictment with the express purpose of protecting himself,
    2. Carr was acting in a conflict position as his own web site clearly states that he prosecutes criminal acts and simultaneously defends the Jackson County from civil actions. Since Kupferer and Jacobi represent Jackson County his pathetic cover-up actions were also in violation of the attorney?s code of ethics.

    Please pass this on to those people in the Governor?s office who are looking into this matter. Also be advised that the supporters of Justice for Pravin Varughese, and all interested parties, will not go away. Car has started a fire storm that will only be extinguished by State or Federal action.
    Thank you very much.
    Be well,
    Ira B. Robins

    I have shared this to KFVS-12, WPSD-6, WSIL-3, and The Southern llinoisan
    and, this image was posted in the comments of Ira's copy of his letter:

  16. #191
    Senior Member bermstalker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by portia View Post
    Here's an article about Mike Carr's secret grand jury and no indictment. I can't even read it for some reason, so if someone else can open it and copy/paste it for me.
    http://thesouthern.com/news/local/co...b8031c03e.html
    ]


    Feb 25
    CARBODNALE — No charges will be filed against Gauge Bethune in the death of Pravin Varughese, a 19-year-old SIU student found dead in the woods near Illinois 13 in February 2014.

    A memorandum of decision released by the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office said a grand jury returned a no true bill, on four different counts of first- and second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and concealment of homicidal death.

    The jury considered evidence from June through December. Witnesses and matters occurring before a grand jury are kept secret.

    “From my perspective," said Jackson County State's Attorney Michael Carr, "the criminal investigation is over."

    Carr released his findings to the media Wednesday in a news release.

    Bethune is alleged to be the last person to see Varughese alive on the night of Feb. 12, 2014. He told a state trooper that night he picked up a black male walking on East College Street. After a physical altercation, the male got out of Bethune's vehicle and ran into the woods near Buffalo Wild Wings.

    Varughese family attorney Charles Stegemeyer said he received a call from Carr between 4:30 and 6 p.m. Tuesday informing him of the grand jury’s decision.

    Stegemeyer had no knowledge of the jury, he said, and neither did the family.

    Stegemeyer said Carr did not contact Dr. Ben Margolis, the Chicago pathologist who performed the second autopsy showing blunt force trauma to the head as a contributing factor in the teen’s death.

    “He knew Ben Margolis had a second autopsy and failed to call him,” Stegemeyer said.

    The grand jury’s finding that the cause of death was environmental hypothermia is consistent with the first autopsy conducted by Dr. James Jacobi.

    The grand jury found that blunt force trauma was not the cause of the death, according the report.

    Jacobi gave an opinion in the autopsy report that there is no evidence that there was a fracture to the skull, bleeding in the brain or any brain damage. The report said two independent, board certified, forensic pathologists agreed with Jacobi’s finding.

    Lovely Varughese, Pravin's mother, said this was not a surprise, but saddening.

    “I knew it all along that he was going to do this,” she said. “He told me point blank in May that he was not going to charge anybody.”

    The family is still moving forward with its wrongful death suit against Bethune, but she said she wants Carr removed from his job.

    “I will knock on every door possible to get him out of his job,” Lovely Varughese said. “He is not a fair person and if you are not a fair person, how can you do a prosecutor’s job?”

    The Varughese family recently teamed up with the Archangels of Justice, comprised of Ira Robins and Salvatore Rastrelli, two retired law enforcement officers, to draft a 27-page affidavit to report the facts in the case as they believe it to be true. They said they have reached out to several state representatives and senators.

    Carr said he had plans to release of the documents that he could to the public, but because of pending litigation involving the city of Carbondale, former Carbondale Police Chief Jody O’Guinn and Jackson County Coroner Dr. Thomas Kupferer, he said, “it is inappropriate to release information to the public at this time.”http://thesouthern.com/news/local/co...b8031c03e.html

  17. #192
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    thanks berm! mike carr posted this press release. as posted by monica zukas, carr asked Dr. Margolis back in October if he would participate by testifying to a grand jury. Dr. Margolis requested that carr produce the documentation and files he needed to conclude his autopsy and carr never complied, so Margolis told him to subpoena him. carr never did.


  18. #193
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    New article.

    http://hosted2.ap.org/ILALT/Article/...%20Development
    Mar. 14, 2015 10:16 AM ET

    Families seek answers after 2 student deaths in Carbondale

    By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER

    CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) ? Pravin Varughese was 19, a criminal justice major from suburban Chicago. Molly Marie Young was 21, an aspiring photographer from Marion.

    They never met while studying at Southern Illinois University, but after their unresolved deaths, their grieving families have joined together to press for answers. Last week, the families' campaign led the local state's attorney to step down in favor of a special prosecutor in the Varughese case, as he did earlier with Young, amid questions about whether foul play was involved.

    Young died in March 2012 at the apartment of her ex-boyfriend, a Carbondale police dispatcher. Her case remains open after the state's prosecutor couldn't determine whether a single gunshot to her head was an accident, suicide or homicide.

    Varughese died in February 2014 after getting into a fight with a driver with whom he had hitched a ride from a late-night party. A county coroner ruled he died from hypothermia, but an autopsy done for the family noted blunt force trauma to the head.

    In both cases, the parents say local and state police mishandled the death investigations, claiming investigators were too quick to blame the victims' behavior. They've hired the same Belleville lawyer and held a news conference last month to pique interest.

    "I'll do everything I can to see that justice is brought for my daughter," said Larry Young, a retired electrician.

    The Carbondale police chief and the Illinois State Police declined to comment, citing the pending investigation. SIU spokeswoman Rae Goldsmith said the campus is safe, and that: "We need to be very careful to avoid drawing conclusions from distinct, unlinked events that are very specific to the individual circumstances."

    The death of Varughese, who was Indian-American, has resonated in the ethnic enclaves of Chicago and Carbondale.

    In late February, Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Carr released a 10-page summary of his office's investigation into Varughese's death, which noted that two independent pathologists supported the finding of hypothermia as the cause of death.

    Varughese's body, clad in a T-shirt and jeans despite single-digit temperatures, was found in a heavily wooded area six days after the party. Witnesses said he had consumed at least six alcoholic beverages before leaving the party.

    The driver told police that he hit his passenger in the face only after Varughese hit him as they argued inside the pickup truck. The fight continued as the pair got out of the truck, fell to the ground and rolled down a hill, with Varughese running into the woods as the state trooper arrived, Carr reported.

    A county grand jury declined to issue an indictment. "Speculation, suspicion and rumors may help in developing investigative leads and evidence, but are inadmissible in courts of law and ... can never replace facts," Carr said in his report.

    The Varughese family has filed a wrongful death civil suit against the driver, the city of Carbondale, its former police chief and the Jackson County coroner. A second suit is pending against the trooper for not filing a missing persons report. The driver did not return a message requesting comment.

    "There is no doubt in my mind that my son was beaten to death," said Varughese's mother, Lovely Varughese, of Morton Grove.

    The Young case has drawn tens of thousands of followers on the "Justice for Molly" Facebook page and yard signs are scattered throughout southern Illinois.

    Young had withdrawn from Southern Illinois for health reasons but planned to re-enroll, her family said.

    Young's ex-boyfriend, Richie Minton, told Carbondale Police Department colleagues in a 911 call that his ex-girlfriend had suffered a drug overdose. Soon after, the investigation was handed off to the Illinois State Police because Minton was a police employee. He has since left the department.

    Minton, who has denied wrongdoing and whose attorney didn't return a message requesting comment, told investigators he didn't initially hear the gunshot because he had passed out drunk. He also attributed two long scratches on his side to Young grabbing him while he performed CPR.

    A January 2013 coroner's inquest was unable to determine a cause of death. The state prosecutor's report, issued in October, was also inconclusive. It cited a series of suicidal text messages sent from Young's phone to Minton and others the night she died, as well as handwritten suicide notes found at the home she shared with her grandmother.

    But the special prosecutor also noted that "the trajectory of the bullet does not exclude Minton as the shooter."

  19. #194
    Senior Member Queena's Avatar
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    In Varughese case, I believe that he was drunk, got into a fight, and ran into the woods and died from the elements. Exactly what his COD is blunt force trauma and hypothermia. I'm not sure if the driver should've been arrested, it's obvious that he didn't kill Varughese. He had interaction with the within minutes of Varughese running into the woods, and he informed the police of everything that took place. The police neglected to follow up. I'm not sure why the family is suing that young man. By all accounts, their son was pretty drunk and rowdy that
    night.

    Molly Young's killer needs to be charged already. I think he's since moved from the area.

    Jackson County is so corrupt it's a shame. What goes on in Ferguson, goes on here. They ticket and arrest you for revenue. They drag you through the court system for revenue....however, if you know the right people, you can avoid all of that. Which is how Molly Young killer walks freely.

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    I think the biggest issue with Pravin's case is that the Jackson County coroner did not note any injuries to Pravin's body at all. When the family is told that he had no injuries and that he died of hypothermia, then they receive his body at the mortuary and it is clearly evident that there is blunt force trauma, it causes the family to question the validity of the original autopsy. if they can't take note of obvious injuries during an official autopsy, what else have they dropped the ball on?

  21. #196
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    Quote Originally Posted by Queena View Post
    In Varughese case, I believe that he was drunk, got into a fight, and ran into the woods and died from the elements. Exactly what his COD is blunt force trauma and hypothermia. I'm not sure if the driver should've been arrested, it's obvious that he didn't kill Varughese. He had interaction with the within minutes of Varughese running into the woods, and he informed the police of everything that took place. The police neglected to follow up. I'm not sure why the family is suing that young man. By all accounts, their son was pretty drunk and rowdy that
    night.

    Molly Young's killer needs to be charged already. I think he's since moved from the area.

    Jackson County is so corrupt it's a shame. What goes on in Ferguson, goes on here. They ticket and arrest you for revenue. They drag you through the court system for revenue....however, if you know the right people, you can avoid all of that. Which is how Molly Young killer walks freely.
    Queena, I had to go back and look before I opened my mouth. :)

    This first picture is of Jackson County's death investigation paperwork on Pravin listing him as a Female. He is noted as FEMALE twice in their official paperwork.


    This second picture is the toxicology report for Pravin, provided by Mike Carr. It was done by Dr. Jacobi, for Mike Carr. This completely contradicts Jackson County's official statements that Pravin was highly intoxicated and on drugs during the altercation with Bethune.

    I don't blame the Varughese family AT ALL for questioning the transparency or truthfulness of Pravin's death investigation by Jackson County.

  22. #197
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    I should clarify, I'm not going by anything the police or the coroner has stated. These are statements that his friends gave that night. They said that he was drunk/high and combative. Jackson county sucks, and they messed up the autopsy, the investigation, and eeven looking for the kid. I don't think they did many searches for him. The area did get quite cold within a few days of him going missing. However, that's no excuse for Carbondale police not searching, or even the State police officer or Bethune not coming forward to give details about the incident from that night. No one will never convince me that they didn't know that it was V missing.

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    Today was the first hearing of the young/minton civil trial. just looking quickly, this is the first article I saw that was about the hearing today.

    http://www.dailyegyptian.com/news/ar...ca4fa05be.html
    Molly Young lawsuit to proceed or dismiss within two weeks

    Posted: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 3:07 pm | Updated: 7:38 pm, Tue Apr 7, 2015.

    by Marissa S Novel

    The ruling to dismiss or proceed with the million-dollar lawsuit filed against Richie Minton for the wrongful death of his former girlfriend, Molly Young, is to be determined within the next two weeks.

    Judge Charles Grace said he needs to review new documents presented to the Jackson County court before making a decision.

    Young died of a gunshot wound to the head on March 24, 2012 in Minton's apartment.

    Young?s father, Larry Young, filed the civil suit in July before a report filed by the state's attorney's appellate prosecutor found there was too little evidence to claim the death a homicide in November.

    ?We?re just trying to get the truth by filing a civil case now because it?s been three years and we still don?t have answers,? Larry Young said.

    Illinois law states the statute of limitations, or when someone can file a civil lawsuit, is two years in most cases.

    There was a motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit because it was filed on June 30, 2014, about two years and three months after Young's death.

    But, the Young family's attorney requested it should be extended to five years because of fraudulent concealment, or the withholding of information.

    It was the first hearing under Judge Grace, who is substituting for Judge Christy Solverson. Young's lawyer, Charles Stegemeyer, requested Judge Solverson's removal citing that she could possibly be called as a witness if the case progresses.

    Judge Solverson signed the search warrant for Minton's apartment seven hours after Young's death, according to a February report by The Southern Illinoisan.

    Bryan Drew, Minton's attorney, represented him in his absence.

  24. #199
    Senior Member Queena's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by portia View Post
    Today was the first hearing of the young/minton civil trial. just looking quickly, this is the first article I saw that was about the hearing today.

    http://www.dailyegyptian.com/news/ar...ca4fa05be.html
    What do you think? I think they will dismiss. I love my birth state, and birth area, but it's so crooked in Southern Illinois that it's sad. This is election night....

    I do like Judge Grace, but who knows what has happened behind closed doors.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Queena View Post
    What do you think? I think they will dismiss. I love my birth state, and birth area, but it's so crooked in Southern Illinois that it's sad. This is election night....

    I do like Judge Grace, but who knows what has happened behind closed doors.
    Yeah. I just told my husband that it would be SUPER EASY for Grace to dismiss this, since they were 3 months late filing. and then I'm like, WTF dude....why did you wait 2 years and 3 months?!?!

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