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Thread: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

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    random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I know that I have seen some of these guys here on MDS but my brain is currently shut down and I didn't have a chance to search out some more of the specifics. These guys are either listed as "drowned", "missing-found", or "suicide". I just saw this story on the news and I had to run here and post this information, because I just know it is related to some of these. I'm turning it over to you super mds slueths here, and I'll be back tomorrow. Maybe we can all put our heads together and see what we can come up with? (by the way, I am a long time lurker-first time poster, so please don't rip me apart if I posted this in the wrong section, thanx)
    http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?se...amp;id=6108153

    Retired NYC detectives spend 11 years connecting the drowning deaths of 40 young men across the country  By Kristi PiehlChris Jenkins was a popular student at the University of Minnesota who disappeared one night in 2003.
    Four months later, he was found dead in the Mississippi River. At first police thought Jenkins was just a drunk college kid who accidentally fell into the river and drowned after a night on the town.
    But for two retired New York City Police detectives, Jenkins' death became the link that connected the drowning deaths of 40 young men -- usually high-achieving college students -- in 25 cities in 11 different states.
    Chilling discovery
    Detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte have been tracking the suspicious drowning deaths of young men across the country ever since they investigated the death of college student Patrick McNeill, who drowned in New York City in 1997. Gannon made a promise to McNeill's parents that he would never give up on his case.
    When the detectives took a look at Jenkins' death, they discovered that the position of his body and other physical evidence proved that the college student didn't drown accidentally. The cause of death on Jenkins' death certificate was changed to "homicide."
    While most local investigations focus on where a body was recovered, Gannon and Duarte wanted to know where the body went into the water. If they could figure out that location, the detectives believed they'd be able to gather evidence from the actual crime scene.
    In city after city, the detectives found a smiley face painted somewhere at the crime scene. The color of paint used and the size of the faces varies, but the detectives are convinced it is a sick signature claiming responsibility for the homicide.
    The detectives found the smiley faces in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.
    Gannon and Duarte also came to the surprising conclusion that more than one person is involved in the murders. "Because there's such a wide range of states the killings are through," Gannon said Monday in an exclusive interview on "Good Morning America." "Besides the fact that we have multiple victims on the same night."
    At the crime scene of a drowning in Michigan, Gannon and Duarte discovered grafitti that they believed was written by the killers, but were puzzled by a word they hadn't seen before.
    "We found 'sinsiniwa,' which was very suspicious at the time," said Gannon.
    Then the detectives found the strange word in Iowa, where they were investigating the drowning death of 24-year-old Matt Kruziki.
    Bloodhounds tracked Kruziki's scent to an intersection near the Mississippi River. The detectives believe that is the location where the killers slid Kruziki's body in the water -- it was at Sinsiniwa Avenue.
    "We believe they were specifically leaving a clue for us or anyone who was paying attention to these drownings, that the cases were ultimately linked," Gannon said.
    Paul McCabe of the FBI office in Minneapolis said the bureau investigated some of the deaths late last year and concluded that they were accidental drownings. He said an FBI behavioral analysis, requested by a Wisconsin police chief, concluded that there was probably not a serial killer at work.
    McCabe said his office is not actively investigating any of the deaths but would be interested in seeing any new information that Gannon and Duarte had discovered.
    Gannon said they were publicizing their conclusions now because they are looking for help.
    "Right now really we're out of finances and really can't do any more on the cases. In fact, we looked at 89 cases in totality. We knocked out 30 right away and there was 19 cases that we haven't even done yet and out of those 19, they look like at least 10, 15 of those could be connected," Gannon said.
    Chris Jenkins' mother, Jan, like the McNeills and other families, want answers about how their son died.
    "The people that murdered Chris have murdered before him and they've also murdered people after him and those people are still at large," Jan Jenkins said.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Do you know if there is a listing of the suspected 40 victims and the dates of their deaths?  I've had friends "go missing" and am just wondering if they're on the list since at least one of them was found in the Mighty Mississip.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I'm trying to hunt that down right now. I do know that i recall having seen several deaths here on MDS in the last several months with article details listed like "he got drunk and must've wandered down to the water" and so on.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    ok. Found more info and a list of "possibles". I'm going to search through MDS for about the next two hours it would seem (lol) and see if I turn up anything or any direct links. It all just sounded way to familiar to me i guess. Heres the link.
    http://footprintsattheriversedge.blogspot.com/2000_01_01_archive.html
    and another interesting one:
    http://chicagoist.com/2008/04/26/did_a_serial_ki.php
    and the list :
    VANISHED
    41. Christopher Melancon, 24 (WI)
    40. Brad Olsen, 26 (IL) MISSING
    39. Abel Bolanos, 19 (IA)
    38. Wade Steffey, 19 (IN)
    37. Nick Rossini, 21 (MN)
    36. Jesse Ross, 20 (IL) MISSING
    35. Lucas Homan, 21 (WI)
    34. Brian Shaffer, 27 (OH) MISSING
    33. Scott Radel, 21 (MN)
    32. Kenji Ohmi, 20 (WI)
    31. Patrick Kycia, 19 (MN)
    30. Matt Kruziki, 24 (IA)
    29. Matthew Soumakis, 31 (IL)
    28. Josh Snell, 22 (WI)
    27. Chris Thiem, 19 (IN)
    26. Chris Olberding, 18 (OH)
    25. Marlon Blue, 21 (IL)
    23. Glenn Leadley, 23 (IL)
    24. Jared Dion, 21 (WI)
    22. Nathan Herr, 21 (WI)
    21. Chad Sharon, 18 (IN)
    20. Josh Guimond, 21 (MN) MISSING
    19. Michael Noll, 22 (WI)
    18. Chris Jenkins, 21 (MN)
    17. Craig Burrows, 23 (WI)
    16. Chris Nordby, 27 (MN)
    15. Eric Blair, 18 (MI)
    14. Ryan Katcher, 19 (IL)
    13. Brian Welzien, 21 (IL)
    12. Patrick Runningen, 23 (WI)
    11. Ken Christiansen, 19 (MN)
    10. Nathan Edberg, 21 (MN) MISSING
    09. Jeffrey Geesey, 21 (WI)
    08. Trevor Hoheisel, 27 (IL)
    07. Keith Noble, 19 (OH)
    06. Nathan Kapfer, 19 (WI)
    05. Ryan Getz, 21 (MI)
    04. Anthony Skifton, 19 (WI)
    03. Charles Blatz, 28 (WI)
    02. Richard Hlavaty, 19 (WI)
    01. Morgan White, 19 (MI)
    Unconfirmed - James Rowe, 31 (IL)
    Unconfirmed - Scott Langois, 36 (WI)
    Unconfirmed - Dale Shields (MI)

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    #39. http://mydeathspace.com/article/2007...eaving_a_party
    #38. http://mydeathspace.com/article-list...Wade%20Steffey
    ok, i did a search on MDS of every name on the list and this is what I cam up with that MDS currently has listed. I'm gonna try and google some of the names after while when I have more time and and try to search myspace for them too. Hope this helps.
    I knew I had seen some of them here!

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    ok...here we go again. Took me a bit but I did a myspace search on every name on the list and this is everything that turned up. Looks like more than half of them are comfirmed to have died according to the myspace pages, so I guess we could likely go ahead and add them to the deaths list here on MDS. Any more ideas kids........?


    #37. Nick Rossini http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=21966505



    #36. Jesse Ross : http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=12822717


    #34. Brian Shaffer:http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=43805665

    #28. Josh Snell: Possible myspace?http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=83675007

    #10. Nathan Edberg : http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=124263439

    Unconfirmed - James Rowe, 31 (IL) : http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid =126362830



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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    This was in the British press today so i guess they really are looking in to it.

    This could turn into something very, very sinister...

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Wow. This story kind of gives me the chills - with all the smiley face clues and stuff. I totally remember when that kid disappeared from the hotel in Chicago and they found him in the lake.

    I also remember the Wade Steffey story from mds. I wonder why they're linking that, though? He was found electrocuted in a transformer room.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I don't know either...unless they found the happy face drawing or something in the area? This was all I could find from that site in reguards to it after digging a little deeper:
    Saturday, January 13, 2007
    01/13/07: Wade Steffey, 19, West Lafayette, IN


    Wade Steffey, a freshman on a full-ride academic scholarship at Purdue University majoring in Aviation technology, was last seen on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at a party at the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house at 900 David Ross Road on the north side of campus. He left the party around midnight and was on his way to pick up his coat, which he had left in a friend's room at Owen Hall. Police are confident that Steffey was not intoxicated when he left the party. A witness believed to have seen Steffey around 12:30 a.m. outside Owen Hall (1160 West Stadium Avenue) a short walk from his room in Cary Quad (1016 West Stadium Avenue). At about the same time, he placed two cell phone calls to friends who lived in Owen. That was the last time anyone had seen or heard from him. Wade Steffey's body was found Monday, March 19, 2007 in a utility room in Owen Hall. He had been electrocuted.

    Initial Investigation
    After Steffey went missing, police determined that his bank account had last been accessed on Friday, January 12 at 8:30 p.m. (the day before he disappeared) when he withdrew $50 from the walk-up ATM in the Ford Dining Hall at 122 W. Stadium Avenue. However, police were unable to positively confirm it was Steffey who withdrew the money because the machine's camera was broken. Steffey's identification card, which he would swipe to gain access to his residence hall, had not been used.

    The Search
    A massive search effort was launched for Steffey or any evidence linked to his disappearance, including his silver Verizon flip phone, clothing, wallet, or any other personal effects. The searches included multi-agency cooperation of the FBI, Lafayette Police Department , West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police, Purdue Fire Department, Purdue Police Department and the Indiana Deparment of Natural Resources. The search effort also received help from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, IN Hope, Team Adam, K-9 teams and ultimately, more than 700 volunteers.

    Two major ground searches took place on January 23rd and February 3rd, concentrating on the area where Steffey's cell phone signal was last picked up. Five K-9 searches also investigated a list of areas that police have received tips or suggestions to check, including the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering construction site and cars in several parking lots between the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house and Cary Quad, including Owen Hall. Boats were brought in to search along the Wabash River, helicopters searched by air and sonar was also used to check a retention pond.

    Wade Steffey found
    Steffey's body was found by a maintenence worker who had been called to a utility room in Owen Hall. The room, which was roughly the size of a one-car garage, housed three electrical transformers connected by high-voltage wires. The body was found near one of the transformers. According to Purdue spokesperson Jeanne Norberg, "It seems likely that Wade somehow entered the room sometime shortly after he was last seen thinking that it was a way to gain entrance to the residence hall. The utility room would have been dark, and he apparently tripped over high-voltage lines that connect the three transformers as he was trying to find his way out." The utility room has both an interior and exterior door. When the utility worker was first called to check the room, she entered using the interior door, which was locked. Police found that the outside door was unlocked.

    The building had been searched thoroughly after Wade's disappearance, but campus officials could not say with any certainty that the utility room had been checked and they were uncertain of the last time a school employee had accessed the room. "The location of Wade's body inside the room would have made it difficult for anyone to see him from any of the doorways," Norberg said. Steffey was last seen talking on his cell phone around 12:30 a.m. on January 13 in front of Owen Hall, about 50 yards away from the outside entrance to the utility room. He was reported missing two days later.

    Unanswered questions
    Purdue University police are investigating how Steffey was able to enter the utility room when it should have been locked. Police are examining the lock to determine if it had been tampered with or whether it was faulty. If you have any information about this case, call the Purdue University Police Department at (765) 494-8221 or the anonymous tip line at (765) 496-3784.

    An Academic All-Star
    Personal accomplishments: Steffey graduated from Bloomington High School South. When he graduated, he received a number of awards, including Principal’s Scholar Award, Academic Honors Diploma, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar Award,Presidential Scholar, Conference Indiana Academic Award, National Honor Society, Varsity JETS Team Memberand Purdue Academic Success Award. He was accepted to Purdue University with a full scholarship.

    Facts of Interest
    Name/age: Wade Steffey, 19 (from Bloomington, IN)
    College: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
    Major: Aviation Technology
    Physical Description: 5'10", 150#, brown hair, blue eyes
    Last seen: 1/13/07, 12:00 am, Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house (900 David Ross Road), believed to have been seen again at 12:30 outside Owen Hall (1160 West Stadium Avenue).
    Recovered: 4/19/07, Owen Hall utility room
    Cause of death: accidental electrocution

    Sources:
    http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0307/2002_wade_steffey.html
    http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/070320PoliceSteffey.html
    http://www.amw.com

    Read More...

    Summary only...

    Posted by Lisa at 12:30 AM 0 comments Links to this post   

    Labels: academic, bar/party, fraternity, My Space.com, State: Indiana

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I read about the happy face thing.  And I've always thought these college guys, and the disappearance of them is curious.  It's starting to sound really sinister, and creepy.  They're all in pretty much the same area in the Midwest, same age..and I think they all have kinda the same look going for them.  I hope someone finds out what is going on though.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Creepy. I might be wrong, but doesn't the FBI normally try to keep their involvement in any possible serial killing investigations pretty secret squirrel? Serial killers love the attention, for one thing, and knowing that they'd "bested" the feds would probably make them more active.
    [quote author=Olivia link=topic=21574.msg1377077#msg1377077 date=1251870961]<br />You are every kind of fail<br />[/quote]

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/tri..._students.html
    some of these names looked different from the one I had posted before in the list.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    [quote author=MeMeMeMe link=topic=13964.msg837255#msg837255 date=1209687338]
    Creepy. I might be wrong, but doesn't the FBI normally try to keep their involvement in any possible serial killing investigations pretty secret squirrel? Serial killers love the attention, for one thing, and knowing that they'd &quot;bested&quot; the feds would probably make them more active.
    [/quote]

    Sometimes the FBI will give the serial the press he/she craves in an attempt to bring him/her out.&nbsp; They will sometimes purposefully &quot;leak&quot; incorrect details trying to prod the perp into giving away him/herself.&nbsp; But yeah, for the most part, they try to keep it secret to prevent copy cats or the perp changing his/her MO.&nbsp; This case sounds like maybe multiple people working in conjunction so maybe they're playing it different.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I'm still searching through this, I promise, I'm sane. They added some more names to the list. They are as follows:


    54. Brandon Swanson, 19 (MN)
    Myspace http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=77293515
    53. Willie Jacobson, 19 (NY)
    52. Nicholas Garza, 19 (NY)
    51. Josh Szostak, 21 (NY)
    MDS: http://mydeathspace.com/article/2008...e_went_missing
    50. Christopher Melancon, 24 (WI)
    49. Brad Olsen, 26 (IL) MISSING
    MySpace: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=161697218
    48. John Pike, 19, (MA)
    MDS http://mydeathspace.com/article/2007..._a_house_party
    47. Josh Kaneaukua, 19 (MN)
    46. Abel Bolanos, 19 (IA)
    45. Nick Rossini, 21 (MN)
    MySpace: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=21966505
    And: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=146032624
    And: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=146070436

    44. Jess Ross, 20 (IL) MISSING
    43. Luke Homan, 21 (WI)
    42. Max Walker, 26 (WI)




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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    The general consenses on this whole thing is that they ar being committed by a &quot;group&quot; of people.
    A network of serial killers so to speak. : &quot;All things considered, the killers appear to be a sophisticated group, having the benefit of official mentorship, logistics and other kinds of support a criminal gang rarely has at its disposal.&quot;

    There also seems to be an interesting set of coincidences between these cases. &quot;Timing: Jeffrey Geesey and Nathan Edberg disappeared within one day of each other. Christopher Melancon and Luke Homan drowned on the same day exactly a year apart just as the city's Oktoberfest celebration was beginning. (Charles Blatz also drowned during Oktoberfest.)&quot;


    As well as : Lincoln:



    Brad Olsen was last seen on Lincoln Hwy.
    Nick Rossini and Nathan Edberg's mothers worked at Lincoln Elementary School.
    Nathan Kapfer attended another Lincoln Elementary school.
    Max Walker was from Lincoln, NE.
    Josh Stostak is believed to have last passed by Lincoln Park by Martin Luther King Monument.
    Brian Welzien spent his evening at a bar on Lincoln Street. [Note: There is also an area in Chicago known as Lincoln Park, but at this point, I do not know where it is to be able to find a connection to any of the Chicago men.]
    Abel Bolanos' car was said to be parked on Lincoln Way. His body was found in Lake Lavern near Lincoln Way.
    The search for Brandon Swanson is taking place in Lincoln County.
    It may be a stretch, but Willie Jacobson was a member of a student group called Youth Against War and Racism (Lincoln was instrumental in ending slavery).

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    The more I look the more I seem to find.
    01/19/08: Tommy Booth, 24, Woodlyn, PA

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Theres been several new ones,http://footprintsattheriversedge.blo...ehm-20-il.html
    including one that was featured tonight on Americas Most Wanted http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=50773

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Ryan Katcher (14 on the list) was from my hometown.&nbsp; He was missing for the longest time with no real leads.&nbsp; His friend had taken him home from a party in the early morning, and then he was just gone. They found him after six years in a dinky pond in one of the city's state parks.&nbsp;
    I really want to know what happened.&nbsp; How did his truck get into the pond without leaving behind any indicators, like brake marks, disturbed barriers, tracks, etc?&nbsp; Where was he going?&nbsp; It was 2 AM, and there's nothing to do at night in that park.&nbsp; It's very sketchy.

    PS- It's always freaked me out to think about how many people (myself included) fished and waded in that pond while he was less than 100 feet away, waiting to be found.&nbsp; :|

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    Milwaukee magazine a couple of months ago had a huge article on this case. A couple of the men on the list are from around here.&nbsp; You can read the article here:&nbsp; http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/currentIssue/full_feature_story.asp?newmessageid=23450

    Warning:&nbsp; The writing is terrible, but the subject matter is fascinating.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I'm pretty sure reading that article gave me a headache,lol.
    But yeah, that was the most complete article I have seen thus far on this case. Is it just me or does it seem as though the FBI isn't being pushed enough to probe deeper into this? Or are they keeping this on the downlow to avoid copycats? *shakes head*
    I don't get it.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    [quote author=modifiedgirl link=topic=13964.msg1171724#msg1171724 date=1233537681]
    I'm pretty sure reading that article gave me a headache,lol.
    But yeah, that was the most complete article I have seen thus far on this case. Is it just me or does it seem as though the FBI isn't being pushed enough to probe deeper into this? Or are they keeping this on the downlow to avoid copycats? *shakes head*
    I don't get it.
    [/quote]

    I get the feeling that the FBI isn't willing to acknowledge yet that there are similarities between these murders.&nbsp; The idea of a group of individuals committing these crimes as part of some larger agenda does seem like a movie plot, but isn't that why we say that life is stranger than fiction?&nbsp; I also wonder if the sheer volume of evidence and victims is just taking this long to process.

  22. #22

    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    This theory is HUGE in Columbus, Ohio, due to 4 different college students going out to a bar, leaving (or in Brian Shaffer case, no video of him leaving), then being missing for a long period. 3 were found around the same reservior, all ruled suicide. In one case, Mohamed Rihani was supposedly found with hands tied together, yet was ruled suicide by driving his car into the water. Brian Shaffer is still missing, &amp; yet another suicide by car in reservior has been discovered last month. Even odder, apparently 3 of the missing college students were driving Honda Civics, thank god I bought a Ford.

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    I have to say this...though it will send me to Hell I am sure.

    Disgruntled Wal-Mart employees perhaps? They are nation wide....hmmm

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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

    April 3
    ‘Smiley face’ brings Scranton family grief
    Retired NYPD detective still working case made contact with family.

    By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
    Business Writer

    SCRANTON – Near the creek where Matthew Grendel’s body surfaced two years ago, sinister graffiti glared back at a retired detective on the trail of suspected serial killers.

    The 2007 death of their son Matthew Grendel could be connected to others committed by a group targeting young men across the country, and Patty Grendel and her husband Dennis are ‘willing to talk with anybody’ to help end the killings. The couple visited their son’s gravesite in the Cathedral Cemetery, Scranton.

    The 20-year-old college student’s disappearance sounded eerily similar to the other cases Kevin Gannon and his team investigated. The similarities brought them to Grendel’s house in Minooka and to Roaring Brook by the falls under the Harrison Avenue Bridge in 2007.

    The killers they were tracking left a crudely painted smiley face at the spot where some of the victims’ bodies were put in water.

    “We did find a smiley face down there,” Gannon said Wednesday.

    He declined to say where the graffiti was found, but said it matched what he and others of the Nationwide Investigations team discovered when looking into other deaths around the country.

    “The case appears to be connected to our pattern that we’re looking at,” Gannon said from his home in New York state.

    Grendel traveled back home from Philadelphia where he was a junior studying biochemistry at the University of the Sciences.

    His parents last saw him March 10 at their Cedar Avenue house when he left with friends to party at the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

    After becoming separated from his fellow revelers, a friend called Grendel on his cell phone at 4:17 p.m. that day. Grendel said he was at a party near the university. The school is within walking distance of Roaring Brook where Grendel’s body was found 78 days after he disappeared.

    His death was ruled accidental and his cell phone was not found.

    Patty Grendel recalled her husband Dennis telling her two men stopped by one night before their son’s body was found. She was not yet home from her 3 to 11 p.m. shift at St. Joseph’s Center. “They gave my husband their card,” she said.

    The couple, who have a son and daughter older than Matthew, in turn ran it by the Scranton Police, who verified that the visitors were whom they claimed to be.

    A call to Scranton Police Chief David Elliot was not returned Thursday.

    At that time the couple had not heard of the group suspected in the “Smiley Face” killings.

    “I didn’t think anybody knew what to do,” she said.

    Television broadcasts about the killers has piqued her interest and elicited an offer to help.

    “If this is true, I don’t want this to happen to any more boys,” she said.

    Grendel said her husband feels the same way. “Anything he and I can do. We’re willing to talk with anybody.”

    A week ago Thursday on CNN’s Larry King Live show, Gannon discussed the investigations of the nearly 40 suspicious deaths of college-age men in more than 10 states that he believes are connected.

    The men between the ages of 19 and 23 disappeared after drinking in bars. Gannon’s group contends the men, all highly intelligent and athletic, were drugged and abducted, and possibly held for a period of time before being put in water.

    “We have enough to prove at least 10 or 12” were murdered, Gannon said.

    The 12-year-old case of Patrick McNeill is one of them. It was the first Gannon investigated and the one that motivates him to solve the killings. “I’ve made relationships with these families,” he said.

    McNeill, 21, a Fordham University student, went missing in February 1997 after last being seen at a Manhattan bar. His body was found two months later in the East River.

    Gannon’s television appearance followed Kristi Piehl’s on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on March 23.

    Piehl, a former investigative reporter for KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, Minn., recently added Grendel’s case to her list.

    Working on her own, Piehl’s efforts run parallel to Gannon’s and the two met when she was reporting on the Halloween 2002 disappearance of Chris Jenkins. His body was found the following February in the Mississippi River.

    “These are happening in different jurisdictions,” Piehl said of the deaths.

    Some occur on the same night in different states, which leads her to believe more than one person is involved. Often the medical examiner rules the death a drowning and the police call them accidental, she explained.

    The Jenkins case was ruled a homicide. It is an open investigation, however, not an active one, she said.

    “In most cases the police wouldn’t have any other option to do what they’ve done,” Piehl said.

    Her goal is to have federal authorities take over, something Gannon also wants done.

    “Eventually we’ll force them to get involved,” Gannon said.

    In the meantime, Grendel said if her son was killed, she wants to let the person or people involved know that she forgives them.

    But she said she understands there are also legal issues to be addressed if others were involved in the death.

    She continues to pray for help by asking that “the Lord convict their heart so they could not live another day without confessing about what they’ve done.”

    If the person or people were intoxicated at the time and forgot what they did, she prays “the Lord would bring it to their memory,” she said.
    On the Web

    For information about retired NYPD Det. Kevin Gannon and other investigators looking in to the “smiley face killers,” visit http://nationwideinvestigations.us

    To read Kristi Piehl’s investigations into the deaths visit www.sfkillers.com.

    http://www.timesleader.com/news/_lsquo_Smiley_face_rsquo__brings_Scranton_family_g rief_04-03-2009.html

  25. #25
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    Re: random drownings? PLEASE LOOK!

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