MI MI - Alexandra Brueger, 31, fatally shot while jogging, Rose Twp, 30 July 2016 #1

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No...I would say at this point that the “random stranger hypothesis” seems extremely unlikely. Not impossible of course, but highly improbable in my view.
And just to be clear... I’m not just saying this based on a hunch I have or some “feeling”.


It’s hard to explain my thought process here but I’ll do my best...

I’ve spent endless hours since Ally’s death trying to rationalize and understand what happened that day and why. I think about the time leading up to that day and everything that happened and everything that I’ve learned and observed since that day.

After Ally was killed, Nikki and I both knew that her and I were by far the two closest people in Ally’s life, and if anyone could relate in anyway to the pain we were going through, it was each other. We had grown close and had kept in regular contact, a couple times a week, for over a year after Ally died.

Over that year I had noticed a lot of strange things about Nikki and Franz’s behavior and odd things Nikki would tell me about Franz.
Nikki had repeatedly told me that she felt like she was grieving the loss of her daughter alone in that house.
That Franz was is no way supportive at all and that he seem completely unable to relate to why she was in so much pain.
There was also quite a bit of fighting going on, followed by days of them not speaking to each other on a regular basis.... but she would never give me any more details than that.


Eventually I had grown more and more suspicious of Franz. I eventually shared this with Nikki and told her that she really needs to consider this possibility since she wasn’t home with Franz when Ally left her run or when she was killed.
Now keep this in mind, Nikki had originally told me that when she left the house earlier that day Ally was still sleeping and Franz was the last person to see her before her run.

Nikki suddenly started completely flipped out on me and having a melt down over the phone. When I brought up that we both know just how bad things really were between Ally and Franz...
Nikki drastically downplayed it saying, “So they weren’t very close, so what!...that doesn’t mean anything! Just STOP! I just know it wasn’t Franz ok!?!?”

So again, I told Nikki that I know she doesn't “believe” it was Franz... but she couldn’t really say she “knows” it wasn’t because, again, she wasn’t home!

What Nikki said next changed everything for me...
“I know it wasn’t Franz because he was with me!”
She then went on to tell me that she actually never left earlier that day, she was home with Franz the whole time and I was just “confused”.

I immediately called ******** on this and told her I think she either know it was him, or at a minimum, strongly suspects Franz and is scared to death to accept it and she’s trying to protect him.

Nikki and I have never spoke again. Six months later crime watch came to town and she found out they were going to interview me... she knew what was coming!
She knew I would bring up Franz. That’s when it became very important to her to do as much creditably damage to me as possible! Saying things like, “He hardly knows us, he only met us once! I don’t even speak to him!”
You’ll also notice it’s the first time she ever mentions this mysterious guy she was supposed to go visit and it’s the first time she suddenly starts saying she actually suspects me!
Then I discovered that in the months after our falling out over me suspecting Franz... Nikki had been coming up with completely fabricated suspicious stories about me and feeding them to the police.
When Chris Hanson asked Nikki her number one reason for suspecting me, Nikki told him that one day I was over her house and she asked me to go on a walk with her to the spot where Ally died, but got mad I kept refusing and I didn’t want to go there and I couldn’t tell her why!
Ok... that NEVER happened! So in other words, her number one reason for suspecting me was something she had to completely make up? What hell is going on here? If you don’t actually suspect me then why pretend like you do? Wouldn't this compromise the actual effort to find the person who really killed her daughter?

I could go on and on, but I’m basically at a point where if they were to arrest some stranger and charge them with Ally’s murder it would actually create far more questions than answers! It would still leave everything about Nikki’s recent behaviors and lies completely unexplained!

I thought Nikki said in her early interviews that she said goodbye to Alex as she went on her run - in the usual way? Something like 'be safe.' Isn't that in her early media statements and news articles?

But you are saying she first told you she left when Ally was asleep (and then she changed her account).

It all sounds very muddled. I'm imagining that what she told the police was consistent as it hasn't led to her or Franz's arrests.
 
This is an interesting observation. Did he see a car? He never mentions actually seeing a car or another person. Yet he believes/assumes that she came out of a car. Did he perhaps hear a car?
This is very puzzling.

When I first read the news on this I didn't recall LE stating they had the empty shell casings so erroneously thought the killer made the shots while still sitting in the driver's seat of the car. With the ejection port on pump and semi-auto shotguns on the right side the empty casings would all have likely ended up in the car and not on the road. Assuming the windows on the right side were up.

Now when I hear LE has empty casings, I picture the killer stopping the car and getting out and THEN shooting. This would lead to the empty casing outside and not in the car. If it happened like that then the car door heard closing was likely the driver's door as the killer reentered the car before driving off.

That's another aspect that puzzles me. If it happened like this. Why take the extra time to get out of the car? Not only does the killer have to take more time, but they leave evidence - empty casings and possibly shoe prints - at the scene.

This crime is absolutely baffling to me. Any murder is senseless, but this was done in daylight hours and with no obvious motive.
 
IMO, not if there were problems at home that were being covered up, as in a big façade. Plus, if families are dysfunctional, patterns seem to return/repeat.

Property is a problematic subject between generations.
Will, a motive please come forward...?

Bolded by me: How so? Family definitely is not the only one with a motive. There are a lot of other possibilities.

a disgruntled lover
a rejected suitor
an angry co-worker
a jealous woman
a drive-by shoot for fun at any “target" easily available
a relative (could be several reasons but none make sense to me yet)
An angry home-owner

We probably can come up with several more ...

Count me in, this ought to be interesting.

Childhood adversaries
Obnoxious youths
Annoyed abusers (mandated reports?)
Moving helpers
Reclusive renters
Territorial dealers...

But whom among them, has persistently passive aggressive issues to a monomaniacal degree? Shall be fascinating to find how many more personality problems emerge among key players as I've already cased entire neighborhoods & counties here for probable personas.

This crime is absolutely baffling to me. Any murder is senseless, but this was done in daylight hours and with no obvious motive.

All very good points you've made, but in the end left one out: Ally alone had the power to provide something specific to this perp.

They left unfulfilled, and ultimately unchanged.
 
Once again, you seem to think that there’s some motive here for me to convince YOU. If If I convinced everyone, or no one, on this forum, at the end of the day it doesn’t actually change anything. This isn’t a court trial. You understand this right?

Furthermore, I’m perfectly aware that there actually is no convincing you. Anything I tell you will always be me completely written off as deflection. That’s perfect fine by me, but it’s your loss, not mine.

I’d also like to point out a clear an very obvious doubly standard here. You say, “Until LE can give us info that points to them, I cannot and will not consider them as less than a victim.”
Do you grant me this same curtesy? Of course not. The police have yet to present even a single shred of anything even resembling anything like evidence that I had anything to do with Alex’s death. The reason for this is because there isn’t any, and I know they know this. Nor will there ever be any because I’m not a murder.
So to be completely honest with you, I have absolutely ZERO fear that LE will ever try to hold me responsible for this crime.
I do, however, have a great deal of fear that LE either botched this case by over looking the parents in the beginning, or that they know the parents are guilty but lack the evidence to ensure an actual conviction in court.

As far as “bashing the family” goes. Well I really hate to have to tell you this but everything I’ve said about Nikki and Franz is true and LE knows this is true. Or is that just irrelevant to you? Like doesn’t matter to you if it’s actually true or not... it’s not “nice” and people should only be allowed to say “nice” things about her parents. Never mind LE has repeatedly called them suspects in this case.

Nothing about your expressed views here have any basis in objectivity or rationality. You’re clearly always going to view this from the emotional lense that you just don’t want it to be the parents because it’s such a repulsive conclusion. And I would agree with you, this isn’t a conclusion I wish for or hoped to come to in any way when I started this journey.
I never wish or ask for any of this, losing Alex, having my life turned upside down, dealing with severe depression for the first time in my life, having people look at me with suspicion for absolutely no reason other than I loved and dated her. I never wished for any of this, especially the eventual conclusion I came to.
Im honestly am filled with tremendous guilt they I ever let her move back into that house with Franz. I should have been more comprising and less stubborn about getting married and moving into a bigger place together.
I feel guilt for not being there to protect or save her in that moment when she needed me to protect her. I was an army medic for 6 years, 2 tours in Iraq, I’m excellent at saving people from life threatening gunshot wounds. If I couldn’t have stopped it I could have at least saved her life if I had been there. I think about how scared she must of been laying there on that guy’s front lawn bleeding out.

These are the kind of thought that haunt me daily. But I’m not asking for anyone’s sympathy or benefit of doubt.
It’s not like I’m just asking this for myself but no one else. I don’t want ANYONE to be giving any benefit of doubt, that includes her parents! I want everyone to be looked at, everyone questioned, no one should be able to play the hurt feelings card to escape this scrutiny. I want answers and I want justice, however unwelcome and appalling that eventually conclusion ends up being.


I don’t know why you are jumping on me for having a different opinion, but I never said anywhere in this thread that I do not believe you. I only stated that I cannot believe the parents are responsible without further proof — whether by facts or circumstantial. Perhaps someone who has had a similar experience with the family, even. so far all friends I have read comments from have supported the family and their words have been opposite of your experience. perhaps I mistook your reason for being here?

You are very mistaken if you cannot tell from my previous posts that I give you the same courtesy I would give to all victims, being the former fiance’ to Ally. Your viewpoints are valid, even if I do not agree or understand all of them.

On this we can agree: LE may not have the evidence to ensure an actual conviction in court. Even if they have strong suspicions.

and I also know the nicest people have been known to commit horrendous crimes. I have ruled no one out completely, I assure you. As I said: " I will have my eyes/ears open to the possibility, but am not actively pursuing that angle."

I honestly do not feel I am looking at this from a purely emotional view. I do not know any of the participants and cannot possibly have an opinion based on anything other than facts received.

And I will also agree with your last comment: "I want answers and I want justice, however unwelcome and appalling that eventually conclusion ends up being."
 
That's another aspect that puzzles me. If it happened like this. Why take the extra time to get out of the car? Not only does the killer have to take more time, but they leave evidence - empty casings and possibly shoe prints - at the scene.

Possibly:

- Murder is seeking to confront the victim due to some kind of dispute
- He / she then sees the victim, stops their car and confronts her. She/ she then demands an apology, money, a promise, an affirmation etc.
- The victim refuses to reply, and turns to leave.
- The enraged accoster then shoots the victim as she leaves.

Though this possibility would explain the casings on the road, it does not explain why the victim would be targeted. This is especially so as she did not lead a high risk lifestyle.
 
As reported two months ago -
Mom, dad, and Wes Sutherland are suspects.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/local-new...of-metro-detroit-nurse-murdered-while-jogging
“We have spoken with Wes. We’ve interviewed him a couple of times now. He’s a suspect in this incident,” said Michigan State Police First Lt. Michael Shaw. But F/Lt. Shaw says Sutherland is not the only suspect.
“Unfortunately, unless you rule people out or have a very solid alibi, everybody’s a suspect. Including mom and dad right now,” said F/Lt. Shaw.


https://crimewatchdaily.com/2018/03...gunned-down-while-jogging-on-rural-dirt-road/
Perhaps just as surprising as Sutherland's accusation against Ally's parents is the reaction of the police to it.
"We have not ruled out anyone. Including mom and dad," said Lt. Shaw.
Nor Wes Sutherland.
"He's not been ruled out," said Shaw.
 
Combatmedic,

May I ask when you last saw Alexandra in a private setting, as opposed to at work?

Did you notice anything different about Alexandra? Was she worried about anything? Did she say anything about her relationship with her parents?

Was there anything in particular she was looking forward to? How about her upcoming trip to Florida?

One of my closest friends is someone I dated over 20 years ago. We were each other’s confidant for the first two years of college (met on the move-in day), but after a few months’ dating, we realized things weren’t working.

We still remained close: I even went and stayed with him for a few days after he transferred to a university many states away, and we had so much fun, pretty much just being our silly selves, really, because we simply enjoyed each other’s company. He has been married for over ten years now, I was married for about 15, have been divorced for two, but he, his wife and I are great friends to this day.

So, personally, I can picture her being really excited about visiting someone she might have been close to in the past.

Just curious as to if you noticed anything unusual about her in the days leading up to the murder.
 
I thought Nikki said in her early interviews that she said goodbye to Alex as she went on her run - in the usual way? Something like 'be safe.' Isn't that in her early media statements and news articles?

But you are saying she first told you she left when Ally was asleep (and then she changed her account).

It all sounds very muddled. I'm imagining that what she told the police was consistent as it hasn't led to her or Franz's arrests.

RBBM

“And each time she left the house, mom would give Ally the exact same warning: ‘Be careful out there.’

Those were the last words she'd ever speak to Ally as her daughter set out on her usual afternoon run on July 30, 2016.
(BBM)

https://crimewatchdaily.com/2018/03...gunned-down-while-jogging-on-rural-dirt-road/
 
I thought Nikki said in her early interviews that she said goodbye to Alex as she went on her run - in the usual way? Something like 'be safe.' Isn't that in her early media statements and news articles?
But you are saying she first told you she left when Ally was asleep (and then she changed her account).

I believe what she said in an earlier media statement was something like, “I’ve always told her to lookout and be safe. I was always worried she’d get hit by a car.”
But I honestly can’t remember her quote exactly.

It wasn’t until the far more recent interviews where Nikki brings up, “The last words I said to my daughter that day right before her run...” where she holds her by the shoulder, looks right at her and says, “Be careful out there!”

I heart breaking story to be sure...
Except for the fact that a month after Alex’s death I was sitting at Nikk’s kitchen table with her having coffee together and she said she’s been meaning to ask me how Ally’s last night at work was.
Nikki said that usually when Ally got home from work in the morning Nikki was around awake and they’d usually drink coffee together and talk about how Ally’s shift went that night before...

The morning she was killed, however, Nikki said she had over slept, and by the time Nikki had woken up Ally had already came home and gone to bed.
Nikki said she was really hoping to talk to Ally before she had to leave that day but Ally was still sleeping, so Nikki just let her sleep because she must of needed the rest. Nikki said that she regrets not waking Ally up before she left.
That she’d, “Always regret not getting to talk to her daughter on that last day of her life!”

Another completely heartbreaking story... BUT only one of these two heart breaking stories can possibly be true!
Also keep in mind, in one of these stories Franz ends up having an alibi, in the other one he doesn’t!
That’s really the important point of all this!
 
When I first read the news on this I didn't recall LE stating they had the empty shell casings so erroneously thought the killer made the shots while still sitting in the driver's seat of the car. With the ejection port on pump and semi-auto shotguns on the right side the empty casings would all have likely ended up in the car and not on the road. Assuming the windows on the right side were up.

Now when I hear LE has empty casings, I picture the killer stopping the car and getting out and THEN shooting. This would lead to the empty casing outside and not in the car. If it happened like that then the car door heard closing was likely the driver's door as the killer reentered the car before driving off.

That's another aspect that puzzles me. If it happened like this. Why take the extra time to get out of the car? Not only does the killer have to take more time, but they leave evidence - empty casings and possibly shoe prints - at the scene.

This crime is absolutely baffling to me. Any murder is senseless, but this was done in daylight hours and with no obvious motive.

RBBM

“Michigan State Police say they found four shotgun casings at the scene. Only one of those shots hit Ally. She was shot in the back, presumably as she was trying to run away from her killer.” (BBM)
https://www.wxyz.com/news/local-new...of-metro-detroit-nurse-murdered-while-jogging

As I read your post, I began to theorize maybe the first three shots were fired from the inside the car, and then when they realized none of them hit her, they got out of the car.

But if the information in the article is correct, all four shell casings were recovered at the scene, so that doesn’t fit my theory.

If the killer was known to Alexandra, they knew they had to kill her, so that she wouldn’t be able to identify them. Maybe they didn’t have much experience with shotguns, so they had to get out of the car to get a better aim.
 
Family definitely is not the only one with a motive. There are a lot of other possibilities.a drive-by shoot for fun at any “target" easily available

I don't think that this is likely.

Though a drive by style shooting could well result in cartridge casings on the road, actually hitting the running victim four times in the back in rapid succession from a sitting position and using one hand from a moving car would be very difficult.

I am not saying that it could not be done, just that the skill to do so would be way beyond the skill level of casual shooters, and also beyond the skill level of more than a few active fire arms afficionados.

In short, I think it is very probable that the murderer got out of the car. This is not the usual drive by mo.
 
I don't think that this is likely. Though a drive by style shooting could well result in cartridge casings on the road, actually hitting the running victim four times in the back in rapid succession from a sitting position and using one hand from a moving car would be very difficult.

I am not saying that it could not be done, just that the skill to do so would be way beyond the skill level of casual shooters, and also beyond the skill level of more than a few active fire arms afficionados.

In short, I think it is very probable that the murderer got out of the car. This is not the usual drive by mo.

Wasn't she only hit once in the back?
 
I don't think that this is likely.

Though a drive by style shooting could well result in cartridge casings on the road, actually hitting the running victim four times in the back in rapid succession from a sitting position and using one hand from a moving car would be very difficult.

I am not saying that it could not be done, just that the skill to do so would be way beyond the skill level of casual shooters, and also beyond the skill level of more than a few active fire arms afficionados.

In short, I think it is very probable that the murderer got out of the car. This is not the usual drive by mo.

I don’t disagree at all, I was just was adding “possible” other persons of interest besides the parents in response to another post

i agree the murderer probably exited the car, whoever it was. There have been conflicting reports, I believe she was actually hit only one time.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/local-new...of-metro-detroit-nurse-murdered-while-jogging
[FONT=&quot]Michigan State Police say they found four shotgun casings at the scene. Only one of those shots hit Ally. She was shot in the back, presumably as she was trying to run away from her killer.[/FONT]
 
My guess from looking at the news footage is she was running north on fishlake. The run the locals held in Alexandra's honor where they left the pile of running shoes(which I thought was awesome), where I take it she fell on the lawn by the tree also suggests this. That is unless she ran past the house and collapsed which I doubt is the case. Looking at the area, if I knew the area and was planning to either shoot her outright or attempt a confrontation with a shotgun, it would not be right between these two houses. Much more isolated spots down the road a bit.
 
I don't think that this is likely.

Though a drive by style shooting could well result in cartridge casings on the road, actually hitting the running victim four times in the back in rapid succession from a sitting position and using one hand from a moving car would be very difficult.

I am not saying that it could not be done, just that the skill to do so would be way beyond the skill level of casual shooters, and also beyond the skill level of more than a few active fire arms afficionados.

In short, I think it is very probable that the murderer got out of the car. This is not the usual drive by mo.

I believe anyone who hunted deer from a tree stand or ground blind knows you aren't going to be in the perfect position when you're sitting in your stand and practices accordingly. Even if all you do is get in the stand and sight down your gun at the various directions the deer might approach from as you get there in the early morning. Any such person could be capable of this. It has been years since I've hunted, but if had a shotgun designed for deer hunting or self-defense with a 5-6 round capacity and an 18"-20" barrel I could make the shot from my driver's seat with very little familiarization with the gun. (I hate saying that because it makes me sound like some cold hearted professional hitman.)

That said, I agree - this still doesn't seem like a typical 'drive-by' MO. I can see a scenario where the killer stops and gets out, words are exchanged and the killer, for whatever reason or motive, reaches back in the car for the gun.
 
Woman killed in Rose was a nurse in Novi

Philip Allmen, pallmen@hometownlife.com 5:52 p.m. EDT August 1, 2016

The parents of a 31-year-old Holly woman killed Saturday in norther Oakland County set up a ******** account Monday, asking for assistance in funeral costs.

The woman, Ally Brueger, was a registered nurse at Providence Park Hospital in Novi, according to her parents on the ******** page.

“Ally was our beloved, only child. She was kind, thoughtful, considerate,” her father Franz Brueger wrote on the page. “She had a witty sense of humor but she was also a very serious-minded individual

He wrote that she was working on her master’s degree in creative writing...

http://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/2016/08/01/woman-killed-rose-nurse-novi/87930110/

Bbm. Dad seemed like he cared. Jmo.
 
Here’s a question I have for anyone with knowledge on the issue.
It’s in regards to Ally’s page and medical costs...

But here’s my actual question... on the page, Franz (really Nikki) is asking for $30,000 to help pay for funeral costs and “Ally’s medical expenses”... of which they’ve received $22,000.
Now, like I said before, Ally wasn’t receiving benefits from work. However, I know that she DID have a private health insurance plan she was paying for.
Insurances have a max out of pocket expense. Depending on the policy, some are reasonable, some are not. While I’m not sure the exact legislation, I believe there is a cap on how high the max out of pocket can be. The most I have ever seen is $8,000 out of pocket to be paid by the member (I’ve worked in healthcare for 19 years)
I’m unaware if she had private life insurance policy. (If anyone knows a way to find this out please let me know!). But for now, let’s just assume she didn’t have any life insurance.

Ok, so Nikki and Franz get $22,000 for funeral and medical costs...
Since you work at the same hospital that Ally did, check with your Human Resources and see if she was eligible for employer life insurance. I know you’ve stated she was not eligible for benefits because she was contingent BUT most hospitals still provide you with life insurance even as a contingent, equal to one years wages and also give you the option of purchasing another policy through their underwriter
As for Ally’s funeral, it was done at a local church and they had Ally cremated at a local funeral home...
Crime victims services often helps victims family cover costs in the event of a crime.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71548_54783_54853_54855---,00.html


Here’s what I really need some help with... since when do medical bills of deceased adult children fall back on the parents? Ally was an Adult, non-dependent. If anything her parents were dependent on her. Franz had recently retired and even when Ally lived with me, I paid most of our bills, while she regularly helped her mom pay their bills.

So again, why would Nikki and Franz be held responsible for Ally’s medical bills? I could understand maybe them falling on a husband if she was married... but parents? Maybe I’m wrong about this, that’s why I’m asking all of you.
And if they weren’t responsible for Ally’s medical bills... where did the other $18,000 go? Why couldn’t they afford to bury her properly?
Not to mention any life insurance policies we’re unaware of...
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Her parents would have had to set up an estate for Ally. Because she was an unmarried adult, everything of hers had to go to probate (by law) even in the chance she had a will. Once an estate is established, any outstanding debts owed by the deceased are usually directed by probate to be paid out of the assets. In the chance that the deceased had no assets and low wages, then a small estate claim can be filed, probate is avoided and any assets are appointed to the heirs responsible for funeral costs. Estates are public record, at least in Michigan.

Forgive me if I missed this, but did her parents tell you they couldn’t afford a “proper” burial? Cremation isn’t really considered improper and is actually becoming the more popular choice for many these days.

Now, I’m not sure how I have never seen Ally’s case in local news, but all I have to say is wow! I definitely don’t believe this was random and I do believe someone knew her running schedule and route (very well), knew it was remote, and I’m a little torn on the motive. If this person has hunting experience, I would guess it’s limited, when considering there were 4 shots fired but only 1 hit her. Also, when I listened to the 911 call, I heard the caller say “(garbled)out of the car and shot her”.
 
I
[FONT="]Michigan State Police say they found four shotgun casings at the scene. Only one of those shots hit Ally. She was shot in the back, presumably as she was trying to run away from her killer.[/FONT]

Thanks for the needed and accurate clarification.

I am thinking that the accuracy ratio implies a drive by / random attack, a shot gun would strongly imply two attackers (one driver, one shooter) if fired from a moving car. Two attackers would double the possibility of frequent" Of course, I won't tell anybody- besides my girl friend and the "cool guy" " type lapses.

This leaves the possibility of one random thrill seeker who spots the victim, then stops the car and waits in semi ambush. He then exits the car (shot gun very hard to use from a sitting position), then fires as she runs past.

Or, a planned and targeted attack where the attacker seeks out the victim due to a dispute. Presumably, the attacker hit the victim on the fourth shot. This might not imply a targeted surprise ambush. Rather it could support a confrontation, a demand for something (apology. promise, affirmation, money)- then firing at the victim after she refuses and attempts to leave.
 
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