OH OH - William 'Bill' Comeans, 14, Columbus, 7 Jan 1980 - #1

[GoingByMyGut]

BBM: I don't recall stun guns being that common or readily available in 1980 and prior, even tho they were manufactured before then. We did not even have them on our (LE) dept in 1980.

Bill's clothing would have prevented a stun gun to be effective.
The stun gun's electrodes would have had to had contact with his skin/body to be effective.

Using it thru clothing (coat, shirt, etc) would leave a arc trace or burn/melt (depending on the material), which is can be easily overlooked.

Using it on one's body would also leave a very thin-line arc path (burn), again, often easily overlooked, but visible on thorough detailed examinations.

Thanks, Methodical. I was pretty sure you'd know. The Wikipedia source says that the early ones used gunpowder (inside the wires, I think) and so were classed as firearms. It's possible that it's not until the design was modified, which I think was 1983, that they became declassified and more widely used. Still, you never know what a perp may get their hands on, but I didn't think of the burning of the clothes.

 

[Methodical]

Bob,,

First, in relation to my following paragraph, I realize this is all very time consuming and can be difficult due to items being "not readily accessible", so keep in mind that we are very flexible and there is absolutely no rush to this request. Address it only when time permits and it is convenient for you.

In the Channel 10 YouTube video, Kat stated and showed a large notebook/folder of info and news articles on Bill's case. Kat also said on the video that your mom kept daily journals of "everything" related to the case and that she had probably 14 notebooks/folders filled with all this info.
My question is, do you or Kat still have these? It seems like an excellent source of the info we need, especially your Mom's own notes. It would also be a huge asset to recall things and details that may have been forgotten over the past 34 years.

Please let us know. Thanks.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Original posts TBM:

You're right, Rose, that is a good Q, carolann. The article that fact is part of ("Mystery Lingers ...") was written in Sept. 1981, well after Bill's death, so conceivably, if it did happen, it could have been any time in that first four months of school. Much of the info the detectives in that article cite is from the case file, so there's no indication of when it was collected, and the teacher's name is not given. I don't believe TOS would allow Bob and KatCo to post that name, even if they do know.

All good thoughts about the possible *why,* Rose. I remember coming away from the article feeling that it was a creepy, disloyal, disrespectful thing to say, but who knows how it filtered from the teacher, to LE, to the media ...

The link to the article I mention above is in post 156.

Bbm: -This is a good point to clarify, GBMG, because when I think of the teacher being perhaps the only (outside the family) adult Bill spoke with, it would be high up on my list for the CC detective to revisit that conversation. If it were me, I'd want to talk to this teacher, myself. -But that's me!

- I definitely don't think any names should be published here anyway, and no name was published. I am just running with my thoughts and would like to highlight, I think this piece is important. Especially, if it is used to support a theory of suicide.

So, in thinking further about my point (I am losing track!) I guess my question is I wonder if LE informed the family about who the teacher was, and how much access to Bill's case file is available to them.

 

[rosemadderlake]

So, now I am thinking of clarifying my question about the Valium levels on Bill's autopsy.

For Bob - my feeling about an autopsy of a loved one is that it is a sacred place. Whatever you feel comfortable in sharing (or not) is what is most important.

-In thinking of the Valium levels, it is the interpretation that a "low level" might indicate Bill had it, but a "high level" might indicate he was forced to ingest it, or it could have been injected. Enough to knock him out or severely impair? That is really the larger question on the table.

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

Original post TBM:



BBM: Just so you know, M_S, you are in a conversation right now with several people of this age and older who do not consider themselves "old ladies" or "old men."

Ohh did I say that ???!!! :banghead:

My apologies:blushing:

 

[ZaZara]

Ohh did I say that ???!!! :banghead:

My apologies:blushing:

I quote from an earlier previous post of yours (#681)

BTW Those notes does not appear to me from a 56 year old woman even with said nervous breakdowns..Just very odd...

You have me wondering ever since I read that.
How DO women of 56 years of age write their anonymous notes?

:genie::genie::genie::genie:

 

[Duckiegirl]

This thought may be way out there, but has anyone thought the attacker was female in gender, or if two attackers female with a male partner. Again just throwing ideas out.

Apologies I am only half way through the thread but I have been writing notes and on them put down throwing the idea that if he was being abused that maybe the abuser was an older woman. Maybe not the actual attacker, but possible that she had other victims that she was able to guilt or shame into helping or maybe a male partner.

Victims can have strange relationships with their abusers, where even sometimes they have an odd sense of loyalty. Say a group of friends go round to a woman's house where she plies them with prescription pills or alcohol, they feel guilt, shame and even wonder wherever they are actually being abused because women aren't normally known as abusers especially in the 70's. Abusers rely on shame and guilt to control their victims, they rely on making the victims feel like it's their fault or that they wanted it.

I'm not saying Bill was abused or that if he was the abuser was a woman, but I just saw Ruby's post and thought I could add my thoughts to this idea.

 

[SisterWolf]

Hi, M_S -- I think SisterWolf was just trying to provide some continuity. We want to hear your ideas too. It's just that when you've been on the thread from the beginning and talked certain things through, it can be hard to go through it all again with each new poster. No ill will intended. I can point you to a few links.

Sister, help me out here -- I searched all your posts and couldn't find the one I responded to. Did it get snipped because names were mentioned in that post? Remember we had an issue around TOS?

Here are my two:
Post 154 summarizes AJT's involvement in the case
Post 160 goes into thoughts similar to yours above

Thanks for chiming in there GBMG Yes, I certainly didn't intend that post to sound rude or have any ill will. Am just aware how frustrating it is for everyone if new posters repeat things that have already been discussed at length. I only know, because I was the last one to do it!

I had a look through all my posts GBMG and I can only find the one - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - SPOTLIGHT CASE OH - Bill Comeans, 15, Columbus, 7 Jan 1980 - Family Seeks Info thru Social Media relating to that discussion. I know I posted 3 or 4 and that Methodical replied to one naming the children of AJT and their ages so they must have all been removed by a mod due to TOS. I know you and I also discussed it in a few posts so it seems some of them have been deleted :/

Unfortunately I think everything we CAN say about that line of discussion without breaking TOS has already been said Yes, it does still nag me and I'd love to investigate it more and discuss it more, even just to be able to rule it out as a scenario, but I have no idea how we could do that without breaking TOS. I don't think it's possible. We could speak in hypotheticals and not name anyone but I don't even know if we're allowed to do that.

M_S, I'm sorry you took my post the wrong way. It wasn't intended that way, merely to keep the continuity going as GBMG has kindly explained. I don't think it really matters who brings up what ideas and who posts what idea first - we are all thinking along similar lines and having the same ideas. We're here to help Bob and Katco - that's the only important thing, which is why I posted what I did.

 

[bessie]

Okay, guys. You've got a "media" thread. Rarely do we have enough information to require a media thread for a cold case, so we don't have a designated sub-forum like you'll find in the Missing forum, for instance. Instead, I made it a sticky thread so it will stay on top. All of the case-related news links, maps, photos, and GBMG's timeline are there. I also copied most of Bob's and Kat's posts so we'll have their information isolated in one location for easy reference. Check it out.

William Comeans: Media, Facts, Timeline and Maps **NO DISCUSSION** - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[dogperson]

I got to thinking about this teacher who claimed Bill asked how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation. Did Bill's school require them to take a Health class? At my school we had to take so many days of Phys. Ed. and so many days of Health, and I was thinking a Health teacher would have been the most logical teacher to go to with that type of question. If I were going to ask something like that I wouldn't be too likely to ask a History or Math teacher. If Bill's school did require him to take Health, maybe that teacher is the one he asked, so if the family or any schoolmates could remember who that teacher was, that may be the one.

 

[Methodical]

Okay, guys. You've got a "media" thread. Rarely do we have enough information to require a media thread for a cold case, so we don't have a designated sub-forum like you'll find in the Missing forum, for instance. Instead, I made it a sticky thread so it will stay on top. All of the case-related news links, maps, photos, and GBMG's timeline are there. I also copied most of Bob's and Kat's posts so we'll have their information isolated in one location for easy reference. Check it out.

William Comeans: Media, Facts, Timeline and Maps **NO DISCUSSION** - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Outstanding Bessie! Thanks for your work in assembling this! Very helpful!

May I ask, what is the best protocol/method to notify you for errors that exist on some of our "media posts" in that Media thread, in order that they can be corrected, to eliminate any confusion in the case?
Example: A day has been listed as "Saturday" when it is actually Monday, or a direction is listed as "north" when it is actually south.

 

[SisterWolf]

I got to thinking about this teacher who claimed Bill asked how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation. Did Bill's school require them to take a Health class? At my school we had to take so many days of Phys. Ed. and so many days of Health, and I was thinking a Health teacher would have been the most logical teacher to go to with that type of question. If I were going to ask something like that I wouldn't be too likely to ask a History or Math teacher. If Bill's school did require him to take Health, maybe that teacher is the one he asked, so if the family or any schoolmates could remember who that teacher was, that may be the one.

Good thinking. It could also be a science teacher. We'd have to know what subjects Bill was taking that year or that Semester.

 

[Methodical]

I got to thinking about this teacher who claimed Bill asked how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation. Did Bill's school require them to take a Health class? At my school we had to take so many days of Phys. Ed. and so many days of Health, and I was thinking a Health teacher would have been the most logical teacher to go to with that type of question. If I were going to ask something like that I wouldn't be too likely to ask a History or Math teacher. If Bill's school did require him to take Health, maybe that teacher is the one he asked, so if the family or any schoolmates could remember who that teacher was, that may be the one.

We need be accurate in our statements/posts, as the information goes from person to person. Sometimes in the process it has a habit of growing/changing.

As I recall, Bill never said anything about how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation, but reportedly asked the teacher only about "passing out" due to suffocation/strangulation. That would make for a big difference in follow-up and insights on this investigation.

ETA: That said, the other content and insights of your post are outstanding. Very good point about a "health teacher" or similar.

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Okay, guys. You've got a "media" thread. Rarely do we have enough information to require a media thread for a cold case, so we don't have a designated sub-forum like you'll find in the Missing forum, for instance. Instead, I made it a sticky thread so it will stay on top. All of the case-related news links, maps, photos, and GBMG's timeline are there. I also copied most of Bob's and Kat's posts so we'll have their information isolated in one location for easy reference. Check it out.

William Comeans: Media, Facts, Timeline and Maps **NO DISCUSSION** - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Holy s___, Bessie! THAT was a labor of love! It's beautiful!

 

[GoingByMyGut]

Outstanding Bessie! Thanks for your work in assembling this! Very helpful!

May I ask, what is the best protocol/method to notify you for errors that exist on some of our "media posts" in that Media thread, in order that they can be corrected, to eliminate any confusion in the case?
Example: A day has been listed as "Saturday" when it is actually Monday, or a direction is listed as "north" when it is actually south.

That's a good Q, Methodical. Bessie, I'd be willing to make a list if you have to be the one to make the changes. I'm happy to say there are surprisingly few.

 

[bessie]

Outstanding Bessie! Thanks for your work in assembling this! Very helpful!

May I ask, what is the best protocol/method to notify you for errors that exist on some of our "media posts" in that Media thread, in order that they can be corrected, to eliminate any confusion in the case?
Example: A day has been listed as "Saturday" when it is actually Monday, or a direction is listed as "north" when it is actually south.

To make sure I see it, please send any corrections to me in a private message. If you post it in the thread, I might overlook it, though I've been trying to read all of them.

To send a pm, you can click on my name in any post, and a drop down menu will open. You'll see an option to send a private message. Or use the link in the top right corner of the screen under your name.

 

[bessie]

That's a good Q, Methodical. Bessie, I'd be willing to make a list if you have to be the one to make the changes. I'm happy to say there are surprisingly few.

I noticed a few things that need to be corrected, too. Just send me what you have, and I can go in and make the changes. It's no problem at all. Believe me, I want the information to be accurate as much as the rest of you.

ETA: I wanted to make sure everyone knows about the tags at the bottom of the threads. If you click on the tag that reads, "william comeans", you'll be linked to the media thread. When we move to thread #2 once this one reaches 1,000 posts, I'll add the tag to that thread also. It's a great way to navigate between threads.

I've labelled some tags with the post numbers where information is compiled in this thread. For instance, one tags reads, "#154 timeline". The tag won't link you to post #154, but it's a quick reference to find a specific post. I've only listed a few so far, but I'll add more. And you guys can add tags, too.

 

[GoingByMyGut]

I got to thinking about this teacher who claimed Bill asked how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation. Did Bill's school require them to take a Health class? At my school we had to take so many days of Phys. Ed. and so many days of Health, and I was thinking a Health teacher would have been the most logical teacher to go to with that type of question. If I were going to ask something like that I wouldn't be too likely to ask a History or Math teacher. If Bill's school did require him to take Health, maybe that teacher is the one he asked, so if the family or any schoolmates could remember who that teacher was, that may be the one.

We need be accurate in our statements/posts, as the information goes from person to person. Sometimes in the process it has a habit of growing/changing.

As I recall, Bill never said anything about how long it would take a person to die of suffocation/strangulation, but reportedly asked the teacher only about "passing out" due to suffocation/strangulation. That would make for a big difference in follow-up and insights on this investigation.

ETA: That said, the other content and insights of your post are outstanding. Very good point about a "health teacher" or similar.

Good thinking. It could also be a science teacher. We'd have to know what subjects Bill was taking that year or that Semester.

BBM2: It's true that the way Bill's question to the teacher was quoted in MSM the words used were "how to make yourself pass out," but to be accurate, those are not Bill's words and so don't think we can read too much into the language used. We don't know, for example, if Bill asked the question, if the teacher correctly perceived the intent behind Bill's question, if the teacher twisted the question to push a personal agenda, if LE re-spun the statement to serve their new agenda (i.e., discrediting both Bill and the teacher to serve their return to a theory of suicide), or if the media even correctly quoted LE

You are right, Methodical, information in these threads "has a habit of growing/changing" and I am one it drives CRAZY. But I do think that accuracy is sometimes naturally and unintentionally blunted in the service of speculation ... memory is just not always a reliable tool. I love that you are someone who likes to see things brought back to the facts as we know them, because that means I'm not the only one obsessing over details! I think hoping for accuracy and working toward it together is a good goal, but expecting it in every post may be a tough one. When in doubt, folks, just remember "IIRC" ("if I recall correctly") and others will jump in to help. JMO

BBM1&3: Yes, these are both great guesses from a content POV. Sometimes, too, the health teacher can be someone who cultivates an open personal relationship with students so that they will be more willing to bring their health Qs to them. To be frank, in 1979 this was a bit of a c__p shoot -- teachers were either naturally good at this or they weren't. But this is the kind of thing I think would make a student ask a risky question.

The thing that bothers me is there is no evidence of any warm relationship in the way the question comes to us. Going with the things I point out above, we probably can't read too much into that either. But I think we are all united in getting a creepy, disloyal feeling from what came down to us in that article.

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

I quote from an earlier previous post of yours (#681)

BTW Those notes does not appear to me from a 56 year old woman even with said nervous breakdowns..Just very odd...

You have me wondering ever since I read that.
How DO women of 56 years of age write their anonymous notes?

:genie::genie::genie::genie:

BBM And her attaching the notes to the 7 family's cars at nights!! is also as weird as that! :scared:

 

[Methodical]

Very true GBMG. (Post #718) Thanks for expanding on the fact that unless we have verifiable or credible details, snippets of this "hearsay" type of info should not be taken as totally credible or gospel truth.

It works the same way with ANY newspaper article. News stories/articles OFTEN contain mistakes and wrong "facts". I take all newspaper info as "generally" helpful on an informational basis, but I also take their writings with a grain of salt, as far as being truly factual.