LE did very little when Johnny went missing and next to nothing at all when Eugene did.
I have nothing but respect for LE but the West Des Moines Police Dept felt that Johnny had just ran away and didn't want to really spend any time or resources to look for him. They did but only because Noreen went to the media and spend a lot of her own money, forcing LE into the spotlight and then they felt they had to do something.
Eugene's family were the polar opposite dynamically from the Goschs. Parents were divorced. Donald Martin had a low paying blue collar job. I think Noreen did what she could to keep Eugene's story breathing because she felt they were connected. Otherwise no one would know the name Eugene Martin.
Last night I was reading over WS threads and looked at Noreen's websites. I will never criticize Noreen no matter what people think of her now. Her son is missing and she has done a great deal to help focus attention on missing children. I know Gene's family did not have the resources or the support necessary to find their son. I think it's one of the reasons I can't forget Gene. He still needs to be found.
That being said, I do find it difficult to believe in the great conspiracy which Noreen believes is responsible for her son's disappearance. Such a conspiracy is possible, but not probable in my opinion. However, I do believe it's possible "pedo-rings" exist, that some children may be targeted and sold to the highest bidder. Again, I don't think these types of groups are common or are even necessarily large. I just think it's worth considering the possibility. What did we know about human trafficking 20 or 30 years ago compared to what we read now?
My other theory would be a serial killer. I believe Marc Allen's disappearance in 1986 (?) could be connected to Johnny & Gene's abductor. I think there is even less known about Marc than Gene. So where did this mystery abductor/killer go after 1984 or 1986? Possibly incarcerated, deceased or moved out of state? I think it's worth looking around the country for any similar abuctions in the 80's. It's very frustrating trying to find information about missing teenagers as so many are believed to be runaways. Maybe most are, but that leaves a small number we just dont' know about.
A few things really disturbed me about Noreen's web site. One was the sketch of 'Tony' the man with long, dirty blonde hair and the pock-marked face. The sketches posted on Noreen's site are the same ones which were made after the Michaela Garecht (sp?) kidnapping. From what I've read, there are no sketches of Johnny's or Gene's abductor(s). I know Noreen believes 'Tony' is responsible for Michaela's & Johnny's abductions but I don't have enough information to make that connection. I think it's a very large stretch.
The numerous pictures of tied up boys (which Noreen says were sent to her) are also very disturbing. I know she believes some of them are Johnny. She's even said that photo analysis has proven it is indeed him. I'd like to know if this is an accurate statement. Perhaps photo analysis indicated it was "possibly" Johnny, not definitively. I know there are also claims at least some of the photos have been altered. Still, I can't discredit them all completely.
I've never forgotten the photo of the teenage girl and the young boy found in a parking lot in Florida. They were both bound and gagged in the back of a van. There was much speculation the girl was Tara Calico but the boy was unidentified. (There is a thread on WS for her) As far as I know, nothing has been proven one way or the other about these photos.
Sorry for the lengthy post. And I've only begun to read about Ted Gunderson's (retired FBI) involvement. I realize those who have followed these threads longer than I have, probably already discussed all these topics. I just wanted to toss in my 2 cents. I hope we can begin a new discussion. There are so many twists and turns and dead ends to follow here. Despite how bizarre some claims are, there may be some partial truths buried within them. I'll keep reading the threads.
