What we know about Ransom Note

[Stevem3]

I think most people agree that whoever wrote ransom note had knowledge of the family. This is because of insider joke of “southern common sense”.

So either RDI or someone that knew them. The big problem I have with RDI are the movie references in the RN. John and Patsy are not the types that would be movie buffs of action movies. It doesn’t fit their age or their lifestyles. But then how did Patsy fibers get in the knots ? That is problem I have with them not doing it. it is odd case where it is hard to find a theory that fits with all the evidence.

 

[Fabra]

one thing that i've never seen notice is how straight the left margin is.......... again, professional writer? appearances being important?

Tobiano, pulled this from a handwriting analysis site.

From Graphology Analysis: Margins. What Margins Say

• Normal left margin: (15% of the width of the sheet of paper). On the positive side: Equilibrium, good esthetic sense, normal and simple life. Conscious order, harmony in tendencies. On the negative side: excessive self-control.
• Rigid left margin: Symptom of excessive detail regarding order, bordering rigidity.
• Big left margin: (15% to 25% of the width of the sheet of paper). Generosity and extroversion. On the positive side: sociability, amplitude of criteria, initiative, and decision. On the negative side: Exceeds his budget, ostentation, scarce reflection.
• Exaggerated left margin: (Over 25% of the width of the page) Ignorance of the sense of measure, chaos, extroversion, exhibitionism. On the positive side: Generosity, audacity, initiative. On the negative side: waste of money, time and energy.

I'd say it's a pretty rigid left margin, bordering on big (depends on which pics of RN you pull up, since some look to be cropped a bit)?

Sound like anyone?

 

[Tobiano8th]

the movie quotes in the ransom note are interesting.....

is it 2 movies or 3 movies?

for the dirty harry quote, i would ask this:

1) is it really a direct quote and/or a unique way to talk?

2) i'm not much of a movie person but i have probably seen Dirty Harry around 15 times. it is probably one of the most well-known modern films

3) if the talk is quite unique to and originated with DH, has that language become either "catch phrase" or used elsewhere many times.

those questions also are relevant to the other movie or two.

i'll give an example......... Bob Costas was the first person i know to say "the best there is, there was and there ever shall be".. then Bret Hart used it alot.......... eventually i have heard many people use the line....... but if it was in the ransom note, would people say "the writer watched Costas" or "the writer" is a Bret Hart fan"............ note: my costas/hart quote might be slightly off but the idea is correct.

JR dictating to PR is very interesting...

 

[Tobiano8th]

as per dirty harry....... EVERYONE of a certain age group knows "go ahead, make my day"...... not sure if that's from DH the movie. it's definitely from the series of movies though

 

[icedtea4me]

as per dirty harry....... EVERYONE of a certain age group knows "go ahead, make my day"...... not sure if that's from DH the movie. it's definitely from the series of movies though

[Callahan dares a crook to shoot his hostage]

Harry Callahan: Go ahead, make my day.

Quotes from "Sudden Impact"

The quote is from Sudden Impact.

 

[Stevem3]

Almost everyone assumes that if Patsy or John wrote the RN then an intruder didn’t kill JB.

I suggest to not automatically make such an assumption. The strongest evidence in the case is RN and the DNA. The key to solving the case is reconcile this evidence. To do this go back and question every assumption made.

 

[proust20]

I don't think that S.B.T.C meant anything to the writer of the RN, whoever that may be. It's a nonsensical red herring. Note how the C does not have a period after it, which is a sloppy error done in haste. This was most likely an attempt to make it all seem like a mysterious terrorist group linked to the "small foreign faction". I am reminded of the kidnapping of Patty Hearst. At that time, no one knew what SLA meant; although, this turned out to be an actual "group of individuals".

 

[proust20]

In addition, let me offer my view that the outlandish RN in itself was a huge mistake. That it so absurdly lengthy indicates that the writer was in a state of panic and unable to control their mind(s). There are a lot of free associations due to this state of guilt ridden thoughts.

 

[Tobiano8th]

if you ask me, i'll almost certain PR wrote the ransom note.....

BUT,

the issue of all the movie quotes has been brought up here..... and apparently, one of the key quotes was also very similar to one in a john douglas book on unsolved murders that may (or may not) have been in the house prior to JBR's death

it seems unless PR was some huge movie buff and watched alot of movies (with JR and her kids...... AND with other parents who have different aged children) that all the movie quotes suggest maybe she didn't read the note

i'm aware of the movie quotes from Dirty Harry and the movie itself. i must have seen it 25 times and i'm not a movie person myself. maybe i was when i was much younger... it seems like one of the 10 movies that i'll automatically watch if i see it in TV listing and in channel surfing....

so here are my questions,

1) how much are these quotes identified with the movies? were they styles of talking that existed before the movies? and then the movies made them part of popular culture (Dirty Harry - the character but another of the DH movie set - "go ahead, make my day"... just an example of a quote, it's not in the ransom letter

2) how exact were the quotes?.......... how recent were some of the movies to JBR's death?.... how many different movies? 2 or 3? or more?

3) WS posters suggested it....... but what about JR dictating to PR?

thanks in advance............ maybe these questions are hard to answer without alot of work and interpretation...... but it does plausible that if she didn't have alot of movie knowledge, then at most she dictated the letter

and plz don't get me wrong, i'd bet every dollar i have that PR wrote the RN. there really is no other plausible explantion and to me it makes near-perfect sense.

 

[proust20]

The Clint Eastwood film that is usually cited as a source is "Sudden Impact".

 

[Tobiano8th]

thank you.............. is that "go ahead, make my day" and "do you feel lucky punk?" the same movie (i.e. Sudden Impact)?. the same scene?............ i can remember his crashing his car into the bank with the hostage takers. that's the Enforcer (tyne daly as partner.... violent SLA types kidnap SF mayor).... Enforcer and Magnum Force are amazing movies. but not as well known as DH, the original

the Dirty Harry dialogue referenced in the RN is actually the villian in Dirty Harry, the original movie........... saw that actor on Murder She Wrote. talk about being forever linked to a role.

i would say DH dialogue has taken on pop culture status......... and i'm not sure it's completely unique dialogue anyway.

all that purported movie dialogue is a pretty good defense for PR......... i find it hard to believe she'd know it all

 

[Cottonstar]

all that purported movie dialogue is a pretty good defense for PR......... i find it hard to believe she'd know it all

But, you know did?

 

[icedtea4me]

http://www.acandyrose.com/12251996ransompage2.gif

Please check this out. Look at the line "If we catch you talking to a stray dog, she dies". Notice how the writer made no effort to separate the top of the vertical line of d of dog from the lower horizontal line of the "I" directly above it. To me, the d now looks more like a J.

 

[proust20]

also note the careful precise punctuation marks:

your situation (comma) such as Police (comma) F (period) B (period) I (period) etc (period) (comma)

Author is educated and in no hurry to write the RN. Oddly, S.B.T.C lacks a period after the C.

 

[proust20]

Oops -
should read: I (period) (comma) etc (period) (comma)

 

[icedtea4me]

also note the careful precise punctuation marks:

your situation (comma) such as Police (comma) F (period) B (period) I (period) etc (period) (comma)

Author is educated and in no hurry to write the RN. Oddly, S.B.T.C lacks a period after the C.

Ah... So, there's no period after the big C, right?

 

[proust20]

Yes. This sudden slip in the punctuation at the very very end is peculiar. The symmetry of the exclamation points that frames the start of the RN and its sign-off is unusual.

 

[roundcubetwo]

The person who wrote the note strikes me as both naive and dramatic, maybe a movie buff. Many teenagers would have fit these criteria but the possibilities are plenty. Also, someone who is not entirely sober (but not inebriated beyond coherence) might be more prone to think up something so creative and composed yet bizarre; it's a total red herring. I could see recreational drugs having been involved.

 

[icedtea4me]

Yes. This sudden slip in the punctuation at the very very end is peculiar. The symmetry of the exclamation points that frames the start of the RN and its sign-off is unusual.

Not really when you think about the writer's history.

 

[Herlock5]

Siblicide is a terrible thing.