WI WI - LAKE GENEVA SUITCASE MURDERS, Laura Simonson & Jenny Gamez - #1

[Claudette]

The thing is, I've been taking a lot of crap from people who blame me for what he did. I was the only person to step up and say something to the media about all of this. Not only the media though. I've contacted the police yesterday but nobody will call me back.
I want to help in anyway that I can. I know more than what I've told the press. But because the press likes to misconstrue things, I've not mentioned them to the reporters.
Thank you all for your support and well wishes. I'm very grateful. This story has consumed my life. All of this is very hard on me and I've had a lot of guilt and I keep going over the relationship in my head wondering what red flags and signs I missed. I feel for the victims and their families.

Hey JSR - we had a death in my family in the 90s that was high profile, the media hounded my family. Listen to your instinct when talking to the media, they WILL mold what you say to fit what they want their audience to hear. They will sensationalize, they may make it sound like it is your fault and they will drag you through the mud if it helps with ratings and web views. The media is a good tool to have at your disposal, but they'll throw you under the bus at the drop of a hat. I know that right now that's your best resource because LE is ignoring you, just be cautious.

 

[Judy]

Just_Simply_Red

Just my opinion but I wouldn't talk to the media or the police. I'd speak with homiicide detectives but ask if they could provide legal representation to you. I'm thinking ahead and there may be a time you are called as a witness.

I'll throw the question out here - if they approach her for questioning can't she ask for an attorney to be present?

Also, back up all calls with an email and back up all emails with hard copies. Keep a log of dates, times and the name of the person(s) you spoke with.

Always good to protect yourself.

 

[Just_Simply_Red]

Just_Simply_Red

Just my opinion but I wouldn't talk to the media or the police. I'd speak with homiicide detectives but ask if they could provide legal representation to you. I'm thinking ahead and there may be a time you are called as a witness.

I'll throw the question out here - if they approach her for questioning can't she ask for an attorney to be present?

Also, back up all calls with an email and back up all emails with hard copies. Keep a log of dates, times and the name of the person(s) you spoke with.

Always good to protect yourself.

Very good advice. I refuse to talk to any more reporters. They like to twist things and make me out to be terrible. Maybe it is a good thing the police never called me back. I want to help but not at my own expense.

Is the FBI in on this case? I'm not quite sure but I think they are. Maybe they are who I need to speak with.

 

[ClaireNC]

"Did Police Do All They Could In Wisconsin Suitcase Bodies Case?" Huffington Post article I didn't see posted before.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/27/laura-simonson_n_5535056.html?ir=Crime

 

[ClaireNC]

So, any updates on Jenny Gamez?

Nothing new, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentential picked up on the story. http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/...nd-suitcase-victim-b99301205z1-265079091.html

The video here is definitely worth listening too. There is a lot more information versus the written article. http://www.kezi.com/oakridge-mom-linked-to-murder-suspect/

Today are several other articles mentioning Jenny like this one: http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/31793790-75/zelich-police-county-woman-according.html.csp

 

[believe09]

Just_Simply_Red

Just my opinion but I wouldn't talk to the media or the police. I'd speak with homiicide detectives but ask if they could provide legal representation to you. I'm thinking ahead and there may be a time you are called as a witness.

I'll throw the question out here - if they approach her for questioning can't she ask for an attorney to be present?

Also, back up all calls with an email and back up all emails with hard copies. Keep a log of dates, times and the name of the person(s) you spoke with.

Always good to protect yourself.

Very good advice. I refuse to talk to any more reporters. They like to twist things and make me out to be terrible. Maybe it is a good thing the police never called me back. I want to help but not at my own expense.

Is the FBI in on this case? I'm not quite sure but I think they are. Maybe they are who I need to speak with.

Welcome to both of you, btw!!

I realize Bessie indicated that as of yet there are no verified insiders here, but fwiw I am not sold on the idea of not cooperating with law enforcement. This investigation could be far reaching for a number of reasons. If you are contacted to make a witness statement, you are perfectly entitled to representation-absolutely.

I might consider keeping your information for LE and out of the media or off of a message board, but that is just my opinion.

 

[ClaireNC]

Welcome to both of you, btw!!

I realize Bessie indicated that as of yet there are no verified insiders here, but fwiw I am not sold on the idea of not cooperating with law enforcement. This investigation could be far reaching for a number of reasons. If you are contacted to make a witness statement, you are perfectly entitled to representation-absolutely.

I might consider keeping your information for LE and out of the media or off of a message board, but that is just my opinion.

In Just Simply Red's defense. She is doing a great job of being diplomatic in what she posts here. We can give her support and guidance on how she should proceed. The police have not returned her phone call. She believes she has information that might be useful. Who else should she call?

I suggested the DA's office. I know the FBI is involved, but I don't know to what degree. I think it is worth calling the FBI office that is local to West Allis.

 

[DeeAnn]

Wow, it's still shocking to me that they knew so much about SZ and stories like this we're posted in January.

http://www.missingpersonsofamerica.com/2014/01/is-underground-world-of-sex-traffickers.html

I thought Rochester police did have evidence to indicate that Laura died at the hotel and that Steven was there with her and left without her. That's not enough to bring him in for questioning and do a search?

 

[believe09]

In Just Simply Red's defense. She is doing a great job of being diplomatic in what she posts here. We can give her support and guidance on how she should proceed. The police have not returned her phone call. She believes she has information that might be useful. Who else should she call?

I suggested the DA's office. I know the FBI is involved, but I don't know to what degree. I think it is worth calling the FBI office that is local to West Allis.

I think this is a huge case and a land mine for any law enforcement officer unraveling the threads. It seems likely that given the span of time involved in just the two crimes, there are a whole lot of witness interviews to be done. Personally I believe that there is some triaging going on, which doesn't mean that every little bit of information isn't important.

I am not criticizing whatsoever-it is very difficult to imagine being involved in a murder investigation and all that goes with it. But the media is not going to protect the integrity of the investigation-they are free to publish and edit the material they are given, even if it may not have been processed by LE.

JSR can certainly reach out to any other jurisdiction involved. I am merely mentioning that LE may not be ignoring what she has to share. It maybe that they are working on getting to her.

 

[carbuff]

(snipped for space)
I am merely mentioning that LE may not be ignoring what she has to share. It maybe that they are working on getting to her.

This is a good point, Believe.

When we had our local serial killer preying on women who worked the streets in a nearby city, the investigation took at least a couple of years and they eventually talked to probably half the population of our five-town area. They even asked me a couple of questions because I was a regular customer at the food-service place where one of the victims worked. But it took months.

The reality of LE work is that it doesn't proceed nearly as fast as we would like. Or as they would like, for that matter.

 

[cheko1]

Very good advice. I refuse to talk to any more reporters. They like to twist things and make me out to be terrible. Maybe it is a good thing the police never called me back. I want to help but not at my own expense.

Is the FBI in on this case? I'm not quite sure but I think they are. Maybe they are who I need to speak with.

Just Simply Red,

Here on WS we attempt to create a time line so we have guidance while following the cases.

Could you just leave a month & year you first met him? If you'd rather not I understand. You can pm any of us with the info if you'd like!!!

Thanks so much........

 

[carbuff]

I didn't tell because this is just what he had told me. What am I supposed to do? Call the cops and say "Oh, hey, my ex said he kept a women in a cage, would let her out to eat and use the bathroom, and then when her mother got sick, he let her go?"
Really, what they've done was between them. What people don't understand are that some things are consensual. Just because somebody likes to be spanked and somebody likes to do the spanking, are we going to call the cops and report that as well?
I had no proof, no evidence. He was always kind to me. Showed nothing of being a sadistic man. Sure, there was a folded up dog crate but I don't know she was in that. He may have had a dog at some point.

Yes, I don't see what you could have said at the time. It's weird, but there are people like that. I personally know a woman who likes to be treated like that.

That is how she spends some of her vacations. Seriously. She goes to this guy's house and he puts her in the crate in the basement. He has poker night with some friends of similar taste, and the women in collars and leashes sit behind the chairs and bark like dogs when their "owner" hands them a treat off the table.

Seriously.

She didn't see fit to tell me any more than that and frankly, I don't want to know. She gets really turned on by just talking about it but I find it more than a little creepy. I don't get the impression there's even any actual sex to it. She just likes to pretend she's a dog.

 

[cheko1]

This is a good point, Believe.
Snipped for space............

The reality of LE work is that it doesn't proceed nearly as fast as we would like. Or as they would like, for that matter.

With so many different LE depts., crossing state lines, unsure which LE dept is responsible for what. 1 victim possibly from Oregon, trying to figure out how she got to Wis, identifying victims. West Allis is a small town & they are only allotted so much money in there budget for officers pay.

With the severe budget cuts Wis faced it hit every branch of the government.

 

[believe09]

With so many different LE depts., crossing state lines, unsure which LE dept is responsible for what. 1 victim possibly from Oregon, trying to figure out how she got to Wis, identifying victims. West Allis is a small town & they are only allotted so much money in there budget for officers pay.

With the severe budget cuts Wis faced it hit every branch of the government.

My guess is that we will see a special task force created, if one hasn't been already.

 

[cheko1]

My guess is that we will see a special task force created, if one hasn't been already.

I would imagine they will do that. Also SZ should be terrified, Farmington LE may not of done much.

But the BCA of Mn is nothing to mess with & they're involved. You can bet they aren't happy with the reports from Farmington.

 

[Just_Simply_Red]

Just Simply Red,

Here on WS we attempt to create a time line so we have guidance while following the cases.

Could you just leave a month & year you first met him? If you'd rather not I understand. You can pm any of us with the info if you'd like!!!

Thanks so much........

I started talking to him online in January of 2006. We first met in March of 2006. I moved from Michigan to Washington State in April 2006 for a job. I was staying with friends. It didn't work out very well. I ended up moving in with Steve in August of 2006. During that time from when I first met him and moving in with him, we talked quite a bit. I moved out from the duplex we shared in August 2007 and then moved back to Michigan in February of 2008 to go back to school in my hometown.

 

[Rallygrrl]

There is NO EVIDENCE that anyone knew anything (except the violator). I am a property manager. I find strange stuff all the time. That is par for the course. You can't say that just because someone had a dog-cage that they did not, at some point, maybe have had a dog. What sort of gigantic, quantum leap does someone have that I do not that says they were keeping a human female in there? I dunno about some people, but that is not the first thing I would think. And bondage gear? So what? Not a biggie. As a property manager I have found all sorts of crazy things that are much scarier than a bondage harness. In fact, I would rather have a bondage harness any day over discovering dirty drug needles hidden above doorframes (and yes, I work in a very nice neighborhood close to a major university...so things like this happen in nice neighborhoods, too). Problem is, media. Please give some credit for the fact that this woman said something. She did not have to. Plus, she allowed her personal life to be picked apart by the police, detectives, and the media. Some of these things are personal...and that was extremely courageous to be like, "Hey, this is the deal...."

 

[believe09]

There is NO EVIDENCE that anyone knew anything (except the violator). I am a property manager. I find strange stuff all the time. That is par for the course. You can't say that just because someone had a dog-cage that they did not, at some point, maybe have had a dog. What sort of gigantic, quantum leap does someone have that I do not that says they were keeping a human female in there? I dunno about some people, but that is not the first thing I would think. And bondage gear? So what? Not a biggie. As a property manager I have found all sorts of crazy things that are much scarier than a bondage harness. In fact, I would rather have a bondage harness any day over discovering dirty drug needles hidden above doorframes (and yes, I work in a very nice neighborhood close to a major university...so things like this happen in nice neighborhoods, too). Problem is, media. Please give some credit for the fact that this woman said something. She did not have to. Plus, she allowed her personal life to be picked apart by the police, detectives, and the media. Some of these things are personal...and that was extremely courageous to be like, "Hey, this is the deal...."

Welcome to WS!!

I am not sure what this is in reference to?

 

[carbuff]

Welcome to WS!!

I am not sure what this is in reference to?

Some of the comments to JSR were pretty harsh about why she didn't go to police about SZ's comments about keeping a woman in a crate, even though there was nothing to go to police with.

 

[believe09]

Some of the comments to JSR were pretty harsh about why she didn't go to police about SZ's comments about keeping a woman in a crate, even though there was nothing to go to police with.

In the comment sections of the media? I don't think I have seen anything like that here, but I might have missed it.