I cannot fathom not reporting my kid missing- especially if acid/drugs were involved. I hope LE is investigating that aspect of this mystery THOROUGHLY.
Great post! “Toxic pride” describes this perfectly. I grew up in small town midwest USA & have seen it there for myself. Better words might have been not so much that I can’t fathom not reporting as much as I won’t ever accept any excuse for not reporting. Kraig deserved better. I am very glad his remains got the identification they deserved. And that this is getting the national exposure that it is. I hope the family is experiencing the small-town shame & embarrassment they should be for abandoning their imperfect son. Their determination to turn their backs on his absence/ disappearance disgusts me. MOO.I can. I'm about the age Kraig would be now, and I can remember in the late 70s-early 80s the stigma of drug use was profound in certain social circles, especially small-town or churchy environments where select families were positioned as pillars of the community. If the family was proud, they might not want a black sheep child's problems to tarnish their exemplary reputation.
My younger brother had a friend in such circumstances, maybe 4 or 5 years younger than Kraig. Our mothers also were very close friends, so we were slightly more aware than most of the neighbors of undercurrents in their perfectionistic family. My brother's friend, who was their youngest and could never live up to the marks set by his siblings, got deep into drugs in his mid teens, got into some minor trouble, got expelled from his religious school, and did a stint in rehab, which was unsuccessful. He ran away from home afterward, at which time his 'upstanding family' essentially turned their backs and denied his existence. No contact for several years. Then, out of the blue, this young man man had another friend contact them, to let them know where he was living in the city - and that he was dying of tuberculosis.
He passed without his family getting to see him, because a blizzard shut down the city that week. I have no idea what regrets and self-recriminations his family endured in the aftermath, because they never spoke of it. But it was an object lesson in toxic false pride. And when I read that Kraig finally was identified, and the circumstances of his being missing so long without ever being reported, I thought at once of this other boy whose family couldn't bring themselves to come to grips with a drug problem and preferred to let their child fade out of the picture. MOO
Huh...?Judy King, Marilyn Muellner and Paul King | White Bear Lake
This is an article from a local newspaper dated October 2015.
There was an art exhibition in town and Kraig's parents were in attendance.
True mental illness, or are they trying to imply that possible drug use is mental illness?Human remains from 1982 identified as White Bear Lake man
New article. Here are the main takeaways:
'' The 1979 White Bear Lake High School grad suffered from mental illness, said his parents Judy and Paul King. They don't know how or why their son was in western Wisconsin, but they knew he didn't have a car and he was carrying a couple thousand dollars when he was last seen.
"Kraig was so well liked," said his father Paul, a retired physical education teacher in the district. "He was a hockey and golf athlete and an excellent student. He was very personable. He must have talked to the wrong people."
Learning the details of their son's death has been painful, say the Kings, but friends have gathered around the couple to offer comfort. They are longtime members of St. Mary of the Lake Church, where a memorial Mass will be held once the remains are released to the family. ''
...
''The Kings said a niece had her genealogy tested and agreed to have results added to a database.''
You know, the guy was at the age when schizophrenia manifests in young men, so whether he was into acid or not, his mental illness not necessarily connected with drug use, though it might have been exacerbated by it, if the rumors are true. If he didn't have a car, but was carrying a large sum of money--and in 1982, $2000 would be $5,325 right now--he might well have been trying to make a drug deal. His father's comment seems to suggest he suspects as much, though whether his father knew he had a lot of cash on him by personal knowledge or by report is another story. I'm going to guess that he was killed where he was found, because it seems unlikely that a husky guy would be dragged up there. That said, stabbing is a pretty personal way of killing someone, and it's an unusual place to make a deal. If he were having those kinds of thoughts, it would seem that he might be directed to the spot with a gun, but then, why not shoot him?
If he had that kind of cash, but didn't have a car, it may have been that he'd gotten his license suspended somehow. It could be that his killer(s) took him for a ride to Wisconsin to throw off MN authorities, took his wallet, dumped him in some random spot, or it could be that someone had some familiarity with the area. I really feel for his parents. I can't understand why they didn't report him missing, but then, thank God, I am not in their shoes. I really do hope the LEOs get some decent leads, but it's hard to feel optimistic. All I can do is pray for his family. I've been wondering whether there were any more info, so thanks to all who've been gathering and compiling it here.
I find it so odd that this is the only mention of Kraig King in the local paper. This is big news in a small town! It’s like they hope it will just all go away and be forgotten. FWIW, I don’t think Kraig had mental problems or talked to wrong people. If there were drugs, I’ll bet minor stuff like pot & beer. I hope those with tips are talking to Barron County, WI LE, because not feeling like Kraig is going to get much help from White Bear Lake. MOOHuman remains from 1982 identified as White Bear Lake man
New article. Here are the main takeaways:
'' The 1979 White Bear Lake High School grad suffered from mental illness, said his parents Judy and Paul King. They don't know how or why their son was in western Wisconsin, but they knew he didn't have a car and he was carrying a couple thousand dollars when he was last seen.
"Kraig was so well liked," said his father Paul, a retired physical education teacher in the district. "He was a hockey and golf athlete and an excellent student. He was very personable. He must have talked to the wrong people."
Learning the details of their son's death has been painful, say the Kings, but friends have gathered around the couple to offer comfort. They are longtime members of St. Mary of the Lake Church, where a memorial Mass will be held once the remains are released to the family. ''
...
''The Kings said a niece had her genealogy tested and agreed to have results added to a database.''
I find it so odd that this is the only mention of Kraig King in the local paper. This is big news in a small town! It’s like they hope it will just all go away and be forgotten. FWIW, I don’t think Kraig had mental problems or talked to wrong people. If there were drugs, I’ll bet minor stuff like pot & beer. I hope those with tips are talking to Barron County, WI LE, because not feeling like Kraig is going to get much help from White Bear Lake. MOOHuman remains from 1982 identified as White Bear Lake man
New article. Here are the main takeaways:
'' The 1979 White Bear Lake High School grad suffered from mental illness, said his parents Judy and Paul King. They don't know how or why their son was in western Wisconsin, but they knew he didn't have a car and he was carrying a couple thousand dollars when he was last seen.
"Kraig was so well liked," said his father Paul, a retired physical education teacher in the district. "He was a hockey and golf athlete and an excellent student. He was very personable. He must have talked to the wrong people."
Learning the details of their son's death has been painful, say the Kings, but friends have gathered around the couple to offer comfort. They are longtime members of St. Mary of the Lake Church, where a memorial Mass will be held once the remains are released to the family. ''
...
''The Kings said a niece had her genealogy tested and agreed to have results added to a database.''