GUILTY WI - LAKE GENEVA SUITCASE MURDERS, Laura Simonson & Jenny Gamez - #2

[Judy]

Has anybody else thought along these lines? ClairNC

Yes, very much so. I too am interested to learn when his behavior began to escalate. Just_Simply_Red may have some insight because she mentioned that he was "extreme" and that was quite some time ago. I'm not sure what she means by "extreme" - He certainly took stalking to the extreme while on the police force so we know he was already out of control in the WAPD. His prior Mequon police job has nothing to say but good things about him - (unless of course, they swept things under the rug, too).

 

[OhThatVictoria]

The BDSM practice of "breath control play" will more than likely be introduced as the cause of death in the defense of SZ.

http://www.jaywiseman.com/SEX_BDSM_Breath_Closing_Argument.php

Some people, including but not limited to some people who identify as being into BDSM, engage in various activities that involve strangulation and/or suffocation during consensual erotic play. Within the BDSM world, these various practices are often collectively referred to by the umbrella term of "breath control play." While many "normal" people regard such practices as being beyond utterly shocking, people who enjoy breath control play find either doing these things to their partner or having these things done to them by their partner to be physically and/or psychologically rewarding, sometimes very rewarding, in a number of ways.


This site / excerpt is from author, Jay Wiseman, who has a rather hybrid professional profile with degrees in both medicine and law (as well as being an active participant in BDSM lifestyle). The above link offers a detailed discussion on what "breath control play" is, the attraction (why people do it) and most importantly the inherent dangers - how a person dies from it.

Beyond medical information, Wiseman addresses legal implications - trust me, there is a LOT to sift through - this guy really seems to know the lay of the land and all of the ways the case could play out in court. It's late . . . to be continued. Dive in ~ it's very interesting (disturbing, but interesting).

 

[HauntsForHope]

Steven Zelich appears in a Walworth County courtroom for his preliminary hearing Thursday, July 3, 2014, in Elkhorn, Wis. The former police officer has been charged with hiding a corpse in Walworth County after the bodies of two woman were found stuffed in suitcases deposited along a rural road in Wisconsin. A detective testified Thursday that Zelich said he killed the women during separate meetings at hotels to have rough sex. The judge Zelich held for trial on the hiding a corpse charges. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/ex-cop-tied-to-suitcase-deaths-suspended-3-times/

 

[HauntsForHope]

Jenny Gamez

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...f/2014/06/foster_mom_recalls_oregon_woma.html


Laura Simonson

http://thetrialdiaries.com/tag/jenny-gamez/

 

[Judy]

http://www.jaywiseman.com/SEX_BDSM_Breath_Closing_Argument.php

Thank You OhThatVictoria!!! How interesting! This WAS a lot to take in but I never imagined following this case would result in so much education! How valuable!

Without saying, SZ's attorney has lots of obstacles (such as...he KNEW the level of risk because he knew Laura had already died when he met with Jenny). Interesting too, was where he talked about LE not using these techniques any longer (unless they're threatened for their life). I can't imagine what the story will be behind keeping them in his apartment and car, after he knew of their deaths. This is where the "accident" may be argued - It was no accident to conceal them, afterwards.

Doubtful they will attempt any "incompetence" claims, with his history of stalking and on-line and 3D predatory INTENTIONAL behaviors.

Thanks again, this article is so enlightening and there is so much to learn! I'm intrigued and then I think about the women and feel such sadness. I'm assuming they had trust in him. So, so sad.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

Judy ~ all . . . YES, there is so much to take in. I've skipped ahead to research the legal precedence of SZ's defense of "accidental" death during BDSM in order to anticipate where his defense will be taking the case.

I believe that EVEN IF it had only happened once and it was accidental, it would be a murder conviction because laws treat BDSM activities as crimes rather than consensual acts. More info:

https://ncsfreedom.org/key-programs...80-consent-and-bdsm-the-state-of-the-law.html

The nature of the criminal offense here is that one person causes physical harm—injury and/or intense pain—to another person. It is important to understand that the law sees this as causing harm, not engaging in mutually beneficial conduct. This means that the law treats BDSM as violence, not as sex. That explains why the issue of consent is different in BDSM cases than in rape cases. In a rape case, the sex act is not viewed as criminal unless it can be shown that one party did not consent. In a BDSM case, however, the causing of physical harm is, in and of itself, criminal. The question is whether and to what extent the law will allow such criminal conduct to be excused by the fact that the injured participant consented to have harm done to her or him.

As long as courts and lawmakers put BDSM practice in the same category as criminal assault—which is a view that the “Consent Counts” campaign will try to change—it is not surprising that they will be reluctant to allow consent as a defense to anything more than minor harm or injury. And sure enough, that is the pattern shown by the court cases, even where a court is interpreting a statute that seems on its face to allow consent to be a defense in any case where there is “serious” injury. Moreover, the courts’ reluctance to allow consent as a defense is undoubtedly influenced by the general public’s misunderstanding of and adverse reaction to BDSM as a “perverse” or even “immoral” practice.

 

[danzn16]

I feel like this is the only case I've ever seen where two bodies have been found in such a horrible way and STILL no murder charges filed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[joyjoy]

Welcome Joyjoy! Your post is right on topic. It is great to have some inside insights into the BDSM lifestyle.

Question: Have you noticed if the online BDSM community is talking about this case at all? I can't help thinking that there are more of his victims out there.

I haven't seen much discussion, but I am only really involved with one site. SZ had a profile on there with pictures of two women chained up in a dungeon-like setting. I was freaking out, thinking they were his victims, but my Master recognized the pictures as ones SZ had stolen from a European BDSM site. They didn't picture any woman SZ actually knew.

 

[joyjoy]

joyjoy, may I ask you if there was/is an image transfer component to your practice? What I mean is there file sharing among the other couples practicing your level of bdsm?? Feel free to ignore the question if it is too personal.

My Master runs an S&M website and he shares photos and videos on there. If you mean do Masters trade pictures of slaves or do they trade pictures that show activities you couldn't really show online, I am sure some do, but my Master isn't a part of that.

 

[joyjoy]

I truly wasn't writing about you when I said that, honestly. If I were you, I would be totally 100% freaked out, and I absolutely understand about lowering your guard when personal safety isn't the most important thing during hard times in life. I wrote my post more to just share a snippet about life in a cage for seven years might not be the most extreme, insane thing for a lot of people. I'm sorry if I offended you, truly.

 

[NotMeAnymore]

I truly wasn't writing about you when I said that, honestly. If I were you, I would be totally 100% freaked out, and I absolutely understand about lowering your guard when personal safety isn't the most important thing during hard times in life. I wrote my post more to just share a snippet about life in a cage for seven years might not be the most extreme, insane thing for a lot of people. I'm sorry if I offended you, truly.

Oh, joyjoy. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound as if I were offended. I have run into a few people in the community who get a little defensive when BDSM is in the news for something like this and I thought that maybe that was what was happening and I wanted to make sure that you didn't think that anybody here was seeing it that way. I think your post was a good reminder. No worries or offended feelings here. I appreciate that you made a point to say that, but I honestly didn't mean for it to come across as me being offended or hurt in any way. I wish I would have explained my purpose better. I totally understand where you are coming from.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

I feel like this is the only case I've ever seen where two bodies have been found in such a horrible way and STILL no murder charges filed.

Yes, it's so bizarre. the media has reported that the jurisdictions "where the crimes occurred" (Kenosha, WI and Rochester, MN) need to file the murder charges. authorities may never know where and when the murders occurred. (there's conflicting info as to whether Laura Simonson was killed in MN. I'm not convinced that she was, I think he took her out of that hotel alive. We KNOW he took her out of there. As far as Jenny is concerned, very little info has been made public on her long journey to meet SZ.)

is it possible that a charge could be overturned / dismissed should it be learned later that SZ was tried in the wrong jurisdiction? just wondering . . . anyone know more about this?

EDIT: Found this recent article . . . a bit ironic, isn't it? it's safe to say that LE needs to "get it right".

http://www.katc.com/news/former-officer-says-charges-filed-in-wrong-place/

 

[Cubby]

Yes, it's so bizarre. the media has reported that the jurisdictions "where the crimes occurred" (Kenosha, WI and Rochester, MN) need to file the murder charges. authorities may never know where and when the murders occurred. (there's conflicting info as to whether Laura Simonson was killed in MN. I'm not convinced that she was, I think he took her out of that hotel alive. We KNOW he took her out of there. As far as Jenny is concerned, very little info has been made public on her long journey to meet SZ.)

is it possible that a charge could be overturned / dismissed should it be learned later that SZ was tried in the wrong jurisdiction? just wondering . . . anyone know more about this?

EDIT: Found this recent article . . . a bit ironic, isn't it? it's safe to say that LE needs to "get it right".

http://www.katc.com/news/former-officer-says-charges-filed-in-wrong-place/

From the above link:

If it cannot be determined where the offense happened then it is "deemed to have been committed in the parish where the body of the victim was found," he added.

I wonder if he could be acquitted if the defense argues the crimes were committed outside of WI. Especially since both victims were from outside of WI. His being LE, I gotta believe he knows the law well enough to 'pre-plan' his defense. At least enough for reasonable doubt........

I don't really understand the need for urgency in charging him with murder. There is no statute of limitations on murder, and I would much rather the authorities take the time to build an air tight case rather than rush the charges and see SZ acquitted. Sending everyone Cub fan patience..... we've learned to wait, lol.

I'd really like a better understanding of the jurisdiction issues. Has anyone researched them? Or do we have any verified legal experts following this case?

 

[Judy]

Ironic, indeed. And SZ could say he is not sure where they died? Is that why he dropped them off in Lake Geneva, WI to be found at a later date? Multiple cities? Multiple counties? :back:

Oh, now I remember, he dropped them off in Lake Geneva because (as he said) of the smell in his car. :scared:
AND...His attorney said he wanted the bodies found...Why?...because he transported them from West Allis to a NEW location?
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::rollercoaster::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[bflocket]

Wouldn't it open him up to some kind of Federal jurisdiction (rather than local/state) if they were killed in a one state and dumped in another? I thought that would change his case somewhat (actually a WHOLE lot).

Were the victims willing participants in BSDM? It sounds to me like there were two desperate women who find them a man/caregiver. Then they put up with what he wants in order to avoid losing him, no matter how awful the circumstances.

 

[MN Sleuth]

The criminal complaint states that he admitted to "causing the death of" Laura in Rochester and he admitted to "causing the death of" Jenny in Kenosha. His lawyer says he didn't confess to anything. I think this is going to be a "how the confession was worded" case in hopes to make it look like an accident. But if the previous posted statement about BDSM "accidental deaths" is true, then this would still be treated as murder.

Plus as I understand DoT laws, in order to transport a body across state lines, it has to be under the direction of a funeral director (though the funeral director can designate anyone as transport agent) and embalmed. Since neither is the case here, he should get slapped with that as well. Unless he changes his story and Laura was still alive when he went left Rochester. Then both crimes would be in WI.

This case is going to take a while to roll out. I dont think any of the local jurisdictions are going to file any charges until they know for sure what he will be charged with in Walworth County and what his statements are after the next court proceeding.

 

[NotMeAnymore]

Wouldn't it open him up to some kind of Federal jurisdiction (rather than local/state) if they were killed in a one state and dumped in another? I thought that would change his case somewhat (actually a WHOLE lot).

Were the victims willing participants in BSDM? It sounds to me like there were two desperate women who find them a man/caregiver. Then they put up with what he wants in order to avoid losing him, no matter how awful the circumstances.

Just want to clarify, BDSM is not about finding a man or looking for somebody to take care of you, it is about a need to feel helpless and dominated (or in the case of the dominant a need to bind and dominate). A desire for pain is often also involved. I think that difference is important to consider when thinking about the state of mind of the victims. Desperation is usually only involved if there is an addiction as there was in my case. And that desperation is tied to feeling the BDSM not being taken care of.

It has been suggested that they both met him through a BDSM site and that would indicate some sort of willingness in the BDSM part of it. I would not be surprised if either or both of these women had an addiction to it, as well. That is pure speculation, though.

 

[Rudolf]

Someone on this thread asked for names of women who fit the profile of his victims. I am so sorry I don't remember who it was and cannot find the post. BUT, I happened upon this person, http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3098dfks.html. Jennifer Lee Wilson. She frequented alternative lifestyle bars, and disappeared one night. For what it is worth, I decided to post her.

 

[Sos]

Someone on this thread asked for names of women who fit the profile of his victims. I am so sorry I don't remember who it was and cannot find the post. BUT, I happened upon this person, http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3098dfks.html. Jennifer Lee Wilson. She frequented alternative lifestyle bars, and disappeared one night. For what it is worth, I decided to post her.

[Mod Add]--->>> WARNING: Graphic Image

I found this one as a possible for the one in the cage (if there was one in a cage)
http://www.crimelibrary.com/blog/ar...otlight-the-racine-county-jane-doe/index.html

 

[ClaireNC]

I found this one as a possible for the one in the cage (if there was one in a cage)
http://www.crimelibrary.com/blog/ar...otlight-the-racine-county-jane-doe/index.html

Sos, The one you posted is generally referred to as the Racine Jane Doe. We have a thread for her here in the Unidentified section. She was discussed in the first thread for this case. I am pretty sure somebody contacted LE about her being a possible victim.