WV WV - Sodder Family - 5 children, Christmas eve 1945 - #4

[cutter99]

That is really interesting! Is there any way to find out why no arrests were ever made? Or who they were looking at arresting?

 

[Bob1959]

I have a contact with the Fayette Co. Sheriffs office. I'm gonna see if he can find any records. And, maybe this guy who was in the West Virginia Merchants Police, T.C. Simmons, not sure if there are any records there.

 

[Bob1959]

I read this back I one of the early thread on this page from several years ago and I decided to follow it up. there s another article that talks about possible arrests too. Fayette Co. is famous for not actively pursuing cases like this one.

 

[Bob1959]

Something else from a newspaper article that was in a North Carolina paper from 1984. Almost since this Board was first started by one of the Shadows back in 2005, it has been said that John Sodder, the oldest child did not want to talk about the case and he said the children died in the fire that night. Some people on this Board have even accused him of starting the fire. In this article, John is quoted as saying:

" The children had to have been taken out of there because there was no evidence. The fire marshal had to have been paid off or they didn't push it. It's a way of life in Fayette County. IF THEY WANT TO GET RID OF YOU, THEY GET RID OF YOU. OUR THINKING IS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET RID OF US ALL. My brother and I barely got out of the house. But you can't relive it. We've got more friends today and we're out more. If it happened today, we might get something done"

"I'm disappointed the law didn't take an interest in it when they should have. I'M NOT NAMING NAMES. THEY'RE GONE NOW. BUT I'VE GOT MY SUSPICIONS"

Read the part of the article I have attached. Whether he came to believe this in later years or what, but in 1984, this is what he said.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I believe these kids did perish in the fire. I can not imagine having to accept losing so many children in one horrid event but I do believe that is what happened.

It is a shame that no one was caught for this.. It sounds like arson to me.

 

[Bob1959]

I have two other newspaper articles to share with the Board. this first one is from the Fayetteville newspaper describing the funeral for the children several days after the fire. It's a little hard to read (Because of the age and because of the content) but if you look at the bottom of the article, there is a name that keeps appearing through out the investigation into this case, it's the same man who was the foreman of the Coroners jury for the case, and the same man who signed the death certificates for the children. And, I believe the same man who was a co-signer on the mortgage for the Sodders house.

 

[Bob1959]

This article is also from the Fayetteville local paper describing what happened the night of the fire. it give a lot of interesting details, one of which is that it says the lights were OUT in the house the night of the fire. I think this is a mistake because the father and surviving children say the lights were on. Maybe out in part of the house?? This might be attributed to an electrical origin. ?????

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

This article is also from the Fayetteville local paper describing what happened the night of the fire. it give a lot of interesting details, one of which is that it says the lights were OUT in the house the night of the fire. I think this is a mistake because the father and surviving children say the lights were on. Maybe out in part of the house?? This might be attributed to an electrical origin. ?????

Or maybe they were in such shock they remembered wrong?

 

[Bob1959]

Of course that is very possible. I can't begin to put myself in the situation the people had to endure.

looking at many newspaper accounts of this case, I've seen many details that were different than originally published. just as an example, the road that the Sodders lived on, I think I've seen it reported to be four different state route numbers. and it's been said to be, just outside of Fayetteville, two miles away, two and a half, four miles.

I guess my point is, in a struggle to make sense of this case, and the lack of documentation, evidence, etc, you cannot rely heavily on every detail in the papers or even in offical reports. In one State Fire Marshal reports, I've found at least five mispelled names, and some names that didn't belong there.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

Of course that is very possible. I can't begin to put myself in the situation the people had to endure.

looking at many newspaper accounts of this case, I've seen many details that were different than originally published. just as an example, the road that the Sodders lived on, I think I've seen it reported to be four different state route numbers. and it's been said to be, just outside of Fayetteville, two miles away, two and a half, four miles.

I guess my point is, in a struggle to make sense of this case, and the lack of documentation, evidence, etc, you cannot rely heavily on every detail in the papers or even in offical reports. In one State Fire Marshal reports, I've found at least five mispelled names, and some names that didn't belong there.

I am sure that there is a lot of misinformation. It is a tragedy and people tend to embellish and also use their bias or POV to process information.

It is such a horrible loss. I can not imagine being able to think straight after losing my children in such a horrific way.

 

[Bob1959]

Grandaughter,

you posted several years ago that you still had a sketch of the family house that your grandfather had drawn a long time ago. you said you were going to redraw it and post it? did you ever get around to doing that?

 

[Bob1959]

Something else I've discovered. the private detective who was supposed to have disappeared while investigating the photograph that came from Kentucky. If this was O.C. Tinsley, I found where he died in Wilmington, Ohio October 8, 1982. Maybe it wasn't that he disappeared under such mysterious circumstances but that he just disappeared with the Sodders money.

 

[AddysMom7610]

So we know that Joe was not back yet from the service. I can't recall exactly where he was (NC maybe??) but nevertheless he was not home that Christmas Eve night. However, in one of the articles recently posted above, it lists Joe Sodder as a searcher the next morning for the children's remains. Did he rush home in the middle of the night? I'm not sure it means anything per say but I just found it interesting.


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[Bob1959]

I noticed that too. But almost all of the early newspaper articles and some comments from Sylvia's daughter, Jennie, say that Joe had been discharged from the service but was still in NC waiting to get out of the base he was at.

In fact many reports I've read said that the Sodders didn't put up a Christmas tree that year because Joe wans't home yet. And John, the oldest son had only been home a week or two from the service.

I think the comment about Joe was a typo by someone at the time. I think they meant to say John and George, JR. were some of the searchers the morning after the fire.

 

[Bob1959]

Something I had a question about, does anybody have any experience in filing a Freedom of Information Act request????

I know that several years ago author Stacey Horn contacted the WV State police (Who did the very first investigation and report) about looking at their files on the Sodder case and they let her see the originals. (She told me though that it could be becuase she was a published author and was doing an NPR story on the case)

I had though of trying to do something similar but I was going to take it a step further and do a FOIA request because I think then, they have to make copies of them for you.

I thought of doing the same thing for the Fire Marshal's files.

Anyone ever done that?

 

[BOESP]

Something I had a question about, does anybody have any experience in filing a Freedom of Information Act request????

I know that several years ago author Stacey Horn contacted the WV State police (Who did the very first investigation and report) about looking at their files on the Sodder case and they let her see the originals. (She told me though that it could be becuase she was a published author and was doing an NPR story on the case)

I had though of trying to do something similar but I was going to take it a step further and do a FOIA request because I think then, they have to make copies of them for you.

I thought of doing the same thing for the Fire Marshal's files.

Anyone ever done that?

Here's where you'll get the information to file for a FOIA:

http://www.foia.gov/report-makerequest.html

 

[AddysMom7610]

I was thinking of filing a FOIA too. But they cost alot. We could get some prices and maybe all go in together and scan the copies for everyone to have? Im sure there are parts that are redacted but it may still tell us more than we know now.

 

[Falcon500]

Here's where you'll get the information to file for a FOIA:

http://www.foia.gov/report-makerequest.html

You are wasting your time using that website. Those are all federal agencies and none of them would have any reports or records of a state case.

Why not simply ask the West Virginia State Police? If they say they will only honor a FOIA request then go through the state system.

 

[Bob1959]

YOu are right about the information being possibly redacted. but you are also right that if you got copies of the reports with the names blacked out, you could use a lot of the information on THIS site and piece together the right names.

And Falcon500, you are right that if you go straight to the WV state police site, they have an online form you can fill out for requests for information. It is a little pricey but I may go ahead and try it.

I know when Stacey Horn was doing her NPR story on this case several years ago, the WVSP allowed her to see their files (with no black outs). but I don't think they let her copy them.

 

[AddysMom7610]

Yep I agree. I'd love to see it. I've spoken with granddaughter and she says that she feels there are really no more avenues to explore so these files may be her last hope.


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