I can't imagine there aren't MANY others who have had similar experiences with him, given he apparently went from ONE interaction with Claudine to basically being obsessed with her and not taking no for an answer on anything!
There's just no way this is a first time incident. Maybe first time murder, but someone like this just doesn't flip overnight to this extreme, IMO.
From a one time meeting to essentially becoming obsessed with someone, not listening to their wishes/comforts, threats and blackmail, the whole nine yards.
Just a little list of what are my big red flags from the article:
- Argument - "Kessler said they had an argument"
- Leaves her on the road - "and he dropped her off on the side of the road about a mile from the marina."
- Gives false info/lead - "Kessler was the individual who gave deputies the information that 'four white men assisted her into a silver Nissan SUV.'"
- Lying - Won't accept help yet claimed she was in such bad shape he needed to carry her (and then used this real event as the basis for his lie about that night's events - "Page, who first reported Claudine missing, claimed witnesses said a couple of men separately offered to help but were turned down and that they were still at the tiki bar after Claudine and Kessler left."
- Listens in on a conversation a separate party, elsewhere in the restaurant, was having with a person he essentially didn't know- "Kessler, who was also in the restaurant, came over and interrupted the conversation"
- Interrupts that same personal phone conversation - "Kessler, who was also in the restaurant, came over and interrupted the conversation"
- Insists on wiring her money - and more than her friend was going to - "insisting he would wire her $200"
- Insists on driving down to pick her up - "and then drive down to pick up Claudine, said Page."
- Persists and continues to insist on something despite protests - "Since the women had only met him briefly once before, they declined his offer."
- Disproportionate response and insistence given she was essentially a stranger - "Since the women had only met him briefly once before, they declined his offer."
- Refuses to listen to their wishes - "But he refused to listen and left for North Carolina.
- Convinces the person he'd only met once and who didn't want to go with him to date him in a matter of hours "After Claudine returned with him, they started dating, said Page."
- Incessant contact - "Kessler called Claudine incessantly"
- Demanding and orders her around - "insisting she return to Lancaster"
- Threatens to blackmail her - threatening to blackmail her
- Blackmail threats are targeted at her minor daughter - 'threatening to blackmail her' with her daughter in order to get her to return"
- Purpose of threats/blackmail to get her to return to him - 'threatening to blackmail her' with her daughter in order to get her to return"
- Calls and texts her spouse - He even started calling and texting me.
- Heated argument w/ victim's spouse "Richard said he and Kessler got into a heated argument"
- Constant (undesired) calls - "Richard said he and Kessler got into a heated argument over the constant calls"
- Interference in the marriage - "Kesslers interference in the couple working on their marriage."
- Makes additional threats - 'She returned because of his threats'
- Additional threats also include/targeted at daughter - 'She returned because of his threats to send Gabrielle things. She was afraid he would.'
- Threats seemed to carry weight - 'She returned because of his threats to send Gabrielle things. She was afraid he would.'
- Manipulated her into returning because of the threats - Claudine indicated she was going to stay (with Kessler) only to find the things he could use to blackmail her, Page said.
- Enough concerning behavior she told others - "She also told her friend of her concerns about Kesslers behavior.
- Impersonation / posed as her husband - "At a store in White Stone, employees told him Claudines husband had already dropped off a poster."
- Impersonation PLUS being sneaky / suspicious about missing persons posters - "After Richard explained he was her husband, employees played the store surveillance video for him which showed Kessler pulling out a rolled up poster he had stuffed down the front of his shirt, he said."
- Unrelated charges of malicious wounding and assault - "Kessler is being held without bond in Lancaster jail on charges of malicious wounding and assault in an unrelated case."