NE - Omaha Double Murder #3 - *Arrest Made*

[Snick1946]

The fact that nothing was taken from the house in this case is HUGE to me. This makes it appear to be more of a rage, revenge or hired killing.

And with the relatively short span of time from the time Tom got home until his father got home makes that even more apparent to me. Someone went there with the purpose of getting even for something.

If only we had some suspects to even consider, but Omaha PD nor the family have given out any crumbs about suspects that might help jog people's memories.

FBI profilers told OPD they felt the perp was in all probability a transient serial killer. By that I assume they meant an individual who travels widely and who could live many miles away and of whom friends, neighbors and even family have no knowledge of this. He could have a family whom he told he was going on a business trip, or he may even have been on such a trip. It occurs to me that we have assumed all along a personal motive based on the violence of the crime.
Put yourself for a moment if possible in the mind of such a person. You see an 11 year old boy you don't know; what would make you that angry? Couldn't the thought of something terrible that happened to YOU at that age and the desire to eradicate it by killing that image of yourself? Killing Shirlee could have been part of the delusion, killing a mother image.
This guy could have come into Omaha earlier in the week and driven around looking for victims that fit his need. He sees Tom get off the bus one afternoon and makes a note of the time, maybe he sees him enter the house alone so knows he's a latchkey kid. Probably he didn't know he'd run into another person but that worked out. He's killed before; he knows how to entice his way into a house.
I have often tried to look for cases with a similar MO, my research skills may not be the best. Anyway it's all worth some thought..

 

[Snick1946]

Sometimes you notice things not seen before when you go back over articles again. The following snippet is from the World Herald article in March 2011:

Omaha private investigator Tom Gorgen said he has worked off and on for the Sherman family on the case. The former Omaha police detective sergeant said he's looking into various people who interacted with the Hunters at Creighton.

“The background we've done on Shirlee's family has not revealed anyone to be associated with these homicides,” Gorgen said. “The investigation with Creighton University is still ongoing. I have hired additional investigators in other states to assist with the investigation

I doubt any of us can contribute anything to Mr Gorgen he doesn't already know, but in doing a Google search for him couldn't find any address or email means of contact. He appears to be with Silverhawk Investigations, nothing found on them either.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Hello Everyone, There are a few facts in this case that I keep going over and over in my head.

1)The shoulder briefcase the dark skinned man carried. Why? Did it conceal a laptop or did he carry a change of clothes?

2)The black coat the man wore. Was it long or short? This makes a difference in my mind as to what he possibly carried in the shoulder bag.

3)The Honda CRV with peach license plate (no plate on front). I wonder if OPD followed up on the comment by a poster in another forum regarding a man who works for a local dance studio and the studio owns a company car with the same description?

4) The 800 dollars supposedly still in Shirlee's purse. (this was in an early article maybe posted in the first thread, I'll check on it) This indicates that money wasn't the motive, IMO

5)The paused video game downstairs. What game was Tom playing? Did he play online with people from all over? Did he learn 'tricks' and whipped everyone's butt in the game? Did he keep a zip drive of his gaming secrets and records?

I have researched every knife murder in the news since I began sleuthing this case with you all. One thing that I have learned is that there are no socioeconomic boundaries with knife murders. They are usually driven by some type of passion, ie, stabbings by online gamers against opposing team members, stabbings by doctors, lawyers, gangstas, teens, etc. I wish I had tracked my research so I have statistics for the number of cases I've read about. IDK what the passion was behind the serial stabber in Mich. but since he mostly attacked AA men I would guess it would be passionate hatred for AA men.

It is very frustrating that there has been no progress on this case. Although I have taken a break from posting lately, I still think about Tom and Shirlee everyday. I even had a dream the other night that the killer was caught!

Keeping the faith that justice will be served for Tom and Shirlee and their families.

wm

 

[YellowDog]

Hi WM:
I've always thought the briefcase (if the man at the door was the killer) contained knives to be used in the murders. It could also have been taken there to conceal anything the killer took from the home.

I still think blackmail could have been the reason for the killings. Tom could have had some knowledge of something and was threatening to divulge it.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Hi YD!

I had forgotten about Mrs Dr Hunter stating that the killer 'left knives behind'. This indicates that he brought the knives himself rather that using knives from the home. The knives must have been too big to carry in his pocket like one would carry a switchblade or pocket knife. The word 'knives' (plural) makes me think he anticipated Shirlee being there also. Why would he need to bring more than one knife to murder a young boy?

So many questions and so few answers....

wm

 

[YellowDog]

Hi YD!

I had forgotten about Mrs Dr Hunter stating that the killer 'left knives behind'. This indicates that he brought the knives himself rather that using knives from the home. The knives must have been too big to carry in his pocket like one would carry a switchblade or pocket knife. The word 'knives' (plural) makes me think he anticipated Shirlee being there also. Why would he need to bring more than one knife to murder a young boy?

So many questions and so few answers....

wm

I just wish the OPD would divulge a few clues. They seem bent on never saying anything about this case even though it's growing colder each day.

 

[Snick1946]

I just wish the OPD would divulge a few clues. They seem bent on never saying anything about this case even though it's growing colder each day.

So do I, but I am not counting on it. They locked the vault tight on this one early on; possibly because they knew it was going to be difficult to solve and didn't want distractions. Currently OPD is dealing with a police beating scandal and will not want to release something on a cold case IMO.

I saw a dramatization last night on TV of the murder of a couple; the man's brother hired a hitman because he felt slighted in their business. The killer gained entry by claiming to be carrying something that needed to be signed for.

No, I am not saying someone in either family did so in this case. I am suggesting that is how this guy gained entrance and that he may have been a hired killer. Depending on how he was recruited he may to this day not know who paid for the hit or why.

 

[YellowDog]

IMO, there is something wrong with a police department who cannot solve a double homicide that happened in broad daylight in a residential neighborhood after 3 1/2 years and yet refuses to release any information on their investigation that might refresh or jog someone's memory.

Did they botch the investigation from the very beginning?

Is it a cover-up of some sort?

Does it have political connections in some way?

Do they know whether the reported stranger at the door was real and how many neighbors saw him?

Do they know what make of car was supposedly seen in the neighborhood?

Do they know what brand of knives were used?

Who all have they questioned in the neighborhood and at Tom's school?

Did they interview the bus driver?

How many people saw Tom get off the bus that day and was he alone?

Do they now or have they ever had any suspects?

How many people were living at the home where the murders were committed?

Just throw us a bone of some kind..........anything..........

 

[colette]

I just think they have very little evidence to go on.

 

[Snick1946]

I just think they have very little evidence to go on.

In part, I agree that is a possibility. However I wonder if so, why they have resisted all outside offers of help? AMW was refused OPD cooperation. I and others I know have submitted various items via Crimestoppers that we didn't want posted on the open board; in most cases these were not even acknowledged.

Perhaps they are embarassed at how little they know after all this time. Still a kiiller or killers remain free and maybe after nearly three and a half years someone needs to loosen up a bit and share a few things with the public.

 

[brudsaunt]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/19/calgary-belenky-medical-examiner-probe.html

I'm still around and unfortunately, have to throw cold water on my previous fire...
News above from Calgary.

 

[colette]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/19/calgary-belenky-medical-examiner-probe.html

I'm still around and unfortunately, have to throw cold water on my previous fire...
News above from Calgary.

Clearing him from problems with files in Canada does not clear him from anything in Omaha, in my opinion.

 

[Snick1946]

So he was absolved of anything in the handling of his cases. I wonder if he will now get his job back? As the prior poster said this doesn't put him in the clear for the Omaha murders but it does mean he will be off the radar of the RCMP and Alberta authorities so, we're back to square one.

My thinking lately has me back in the area of this being a hired hit paid for by someone with a grudge against the Hunters. It wouldn't surprise me if it was someone close to them. You have to wonder what could cause such hatred? We may never know.

 

[colette]

A hired hit would probably use a gun with a silencer, not knives. The killer could get on an airplane, rent a car, buy knives at the local store and then go kill the victims.
I think knives were used because the killer did not have a gun forwhatever reason, plus knives are up close and personal. It still points to a revenge plot to me.

 

[YellowDog]

Another reason for using knives is they are silent. No noise to attract neighbors.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Where has that nice looking Lt Kangor been lately and why hasn't he given us an update?

I am sooo frustrated with the seemingly lack of progress in this case! I hope the Hunter and Sherman families call and bug the you know what out of the OPD at least once a week for updates. The squeaky wheel gets oiled, you know.

I don't understand why this perplexing case has never received national attention in the news media. The Hunter family lives in the same neighborhood as Warren Buffett FGS. We sleuths know the reality is that the cases involving affluent families are the most high profile cases in the news media.

Why was the composite sketch and description of the Honda CRV not distributed nationwide thru MSM since the POI clearly had a peach colored license plate from another state?

I am still not ruling out MB being involved in some way. I have only heard rumors about his time at Creighton. If there is any truth to these rumors then he could have motive. But others could also.

My gut still tells me that Tom and Shirlee's murders are somehow connected to CU. What are we missing here?

*rant over*:innocent:

wm

 

[Snick1946]

An article in the World Herald recently focused onn the huge pensios and perks civil service officials earn in Omaha. Cheif Bushke, who was heading OPD at the time of the murders and for a year or so after, retired with some obscene figure in six numbers as a pension; then proceeded to go to a city in Texas where he is earning just as much as chief there.

I believe this man was responsible for keeping AMW from access to information that would have helped them do a story on the case, he gave the reason as 'they profit from crime'.

I felt then and still do that this is BS; the man simply put, did not want any scandal or distractions to obstruct his course into retirement and a cushy deal. I know he took personal charge of the investigation and was in the Hunter home that evening. Seems a bit out of ordinary for a chief, doesn't it? I think he took the easy way out for himself and preferred the case grow cold accordingly. Anyone knowing the situation is welcome to comment but while I don't allege he covered up anything, I do think he may have not given his best nor encouraged an investigationn that could have yielded results when it mattered.

 

[YellowDog]

It could be a case of "not wanting to rock the boat" for the former Police Chief if his retirement was near, especially if it had any CU or political implications that might uncover something shocking to the community.

 

[Snick1946]

Meanwhile...Dundee has been ranked as one of the ten best neighborhoods in the US per this article:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20111004/NEWS01/710049946#dundee-rated-among-the-best

Quite a distinction. I visited another of these this Summer, College Hill in Providence.

No tie in of course to the murders but I thought some of the folks following this thread may find it interesting.

 

[YellowDog]

With these murders happening in one of the most affluent neighborhoods of Omaha, it has always surprised me that the people living there are not more vocal about the ineptitude of the local police department to solve these crimes.