Deaths of Male College Students

[eve]

Thanks for finding that thread. You can PM a mod and ask they be merged. I'm bringing the link for the other thread over here for now for reference.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43709

Thanks Suz, I pm'ed Addie!

Eve

 

[Blink34]

Can anyone PM the contact info for either of the detectives- I couldnt find it and I have limited online access today. Thanks

 

[fran]

I'm glad to see they're FINALLY linking these cases. I've followed this for so many years, I can't even count. I used to have a great deal of research, including students from NY to DC to Louisiana to MN and on and on. There are many more than twenty if you really check it out. More like 40 or 50. Heck, there could even be more.

Google is your friend when researching this case. Use your imagination.

here's a link to start anyone new to these disappearances.

http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_missing.html

This is what this case needed all along. A link. The 'happy face.' Interesting.

JMHO
fran

PS.....FWIW, I don't think it's a 'gang' type thing so much as a 'life style' type of organization, internet,....state to state connection. Yeah, I have a BIG imagination! and I have my theories. Because I think my theory is waayyy too bizarre, I think I'll wait to see what LE comes up with. I'm very patient! fran

 

[SuziQ]

We know that pedophiles have a symbol to give a heads up to others like them. What group does the smiley represent?

 

[SuziQ]

I keep thinking back to the Myspace page that Shado posted. It would normally be absurd to think the person responsible would put himself out there like that. However, the Myspace page is so sanitized and clean compared to what he posted in words that it bothers me greatly. Usually we see someone like that and their pages are blinged out with evil and gory images that match their words. IMO, if this guy isn't involved. He wants to be, or at least admires the work if you KWIM? He's not about to taint his admiration with foolish bling.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j304/shadowraiths/Forums/eb1e9a6c.jpg

 

[SuziQ]

Fran, that's a great link you provided. Copy and pasted below is from that link. Are we looking at a GHB type of thing?

http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_missing.html

January 12, 2006

Rumors are flying all over La Crosse about a University of Wisconsin student who says he had a near-death experience in the river. In a most remarkable story, the as of yet unidentified man claims he was drinking with friends in a downtown bar until about 1:45 AM on Sunday, January 8 -- but then somehow ended up in the middle of the Mississippi.

He doesn't know how he got in the water, but he knows how he got out.

According to an article in the La Crosse Tribune, the student "found himself in the river, fighting a strong current that was rapidly carrying him downstream. After an estimated 15 minutes, he was able to grab onto a tall concrete structure and pull himself to shore, where he likely passed out . . ."

Around 7:00 AM that morning, the 21-year-old showed up at a nearby hospital. Confused, covered in mud, and missing his shirt and shoes, he was unable to provide any details of what had happened to him.

Apparently no one witnessed the incident or any of the events that led up to it.

If true, the student's bizarre experience may provide investigators with valuable information and insights into the drowned student phenomenon. Over a seven-year period, seven young men from La Crosse went missing and were subsequently found dead in area rivers.

The Tribune quotes police chief Ed Kondracki as being "relieved and pleased to know the man survived, but disappointed to hear another intoxicated young man had fallen into the river."

Not so fast, Chief.

No one should be relieved or pleased about this story. How do we know the man FELL into the river? Maybe he did, but then, why can't he recall where, when or how? Something doesn't add up here. Was he, in fact, ALONE the entire time?

Chief Kondracki may be relieved, but I'm unnerved to hear that -- as in so many of these mysterious cases -- this student had somehow become separated from his hat, coat, shoes and cell phone.

 

[SuziQ]

Much more info on the man that woke up in the river:

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/01/12/news/00lead.txt

The man told police he and his buddies took a cab that evening from a home in the 400 block of South 20th Street to the downtown bars.

The man said he recalls being in a bar about 1:45 a.m., but remembers very little after that until he found himself in the river, fighting a strong current that was rapidly carrying him downstream. After an estimated 15 minutes, he was able to grab onto a tall concrete structure and pull himself to shore, where he likely passed out, he told police.

Later, the man awoke on a rocky bank near Gundersen Lutheran, with the sound of traffic over his left shoulder, he told police.

 

[fran]

We know that pedophiles have a symbol to give a heads up to others like them. What group does the smiley represent?

SuzieQ:

I don't know what group it represents. To whatever group is doing this, it could be a sign to their own group to signal it was them?

From your post 12 above with a link to Wikipedia, it says;

"The smiley is largely associated in the UK with the acid house dance music culture that emerged in during the second summer of love in the late 1980s, often used as engraving famous logos on ecstasy tablets at the time."

Just a thought. PLUS, that would coincide how some of these guys got taken so easily. Date rape drug, GHB.............

One of the articles I read earlier today, has a story of one guy who actually 'woke up' in the water and survived. He didn't remember how he ended up there, but he did survive and made it to a hospital, minus shirt and shoes, I believe.........interesting, huh?

JMHO
fran

PS....Another use of the smiley I found earlier today but can't find it now, was in a cartoon, a charactor that caused death and hovac......fran

PPS...Oh, Suzie, I see you found the guy who woke up. I'll leave my post though,

 

[SuziQ]

Fran, you betcha that case of the guy who woke up in the river caught my attention! So does your connection on the smiley logo and Ecstasy tabs. The amnesiac(sp) factor is what stands out for me. And IIRC, GHB dissapates quickly in a body and wouldn't be detected in an autopsy right? What about ecstasy?

 

[fran]

LOL, oh Suzie, you're full of good info!

FWIW, if you look into the missing, found drowned, male persons in the midwest etc., missing from a night on the town, there are many young men. (meaning they can be say, under 30.)

JMHO
fran

 

[fran]

Fran, you betcha that case of the guy who woke up in the river caught my attention! So does your connection on the smiley logo and Ecstasy tabs. The amnesiac(sp) factor is what stands out for me. And IIRC, GHB dissapates quickly in a body and wouldn't be detected in an autopsy right? What about ecstasy?

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't show up, Suzi.

I have felt for year these cases were related, but I could never get a connection per se. Now the smiley face, you betcha'!!

The problem has always been LE completely dismissed anyone who said they were related. Heck, even the FBI said a few years ago, no.

Now these two detectives have found a link. And that street name is spooky and {proof} of the connection.

TWO coincidences, NO WAY! There is 'no coincidence when it comes to murder.'

JMHO
fran

 

[fran]

This is kinda' spooky. Wonder if this group got their idea from this comic?

fran


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Ernie

Evil Ernie

Evil Ernie is a fictional character, an undead, psychotic killer with his own series, published by Chaos! Comics and Devil's Due Publishing.

<<snip>>

Ernest Fairchild is the root or core of Evil Ernie.

 

[SuziQ]

Here is a link to a pic of an ecstasy tablet. There are several out there. They differentiate by region:

http://www.ecstasydata.org/viewtablet.php?ID=1434

 

[shadowraiths]

Some quick thoughts...

Def not paedos. By definition alone, they're into prepubescent children (under 12/13) whereas the mean age of these victims is 21.

They indicate this is the work of multiple people from various locations and then propose that is a serial killer scenario. I'm unsure if they do not fully understand the def of "serial killer" or...

Whatever the case, if there are commonalities, and it is the work of this so-called "gang"... again, I would say it would fall more into some sort of initiation ritual as opposed to your classic serial killer. Which brings me to the next bit.

The smilie. From the article, they say:

The paint color and size of the face varies, but the detectives are convinced that it's a sick signature the killers leave behind.

Okay, so... assuming that all smilies look like this, I guess the first question that comes to mind is, what's up with the "cross" (?) on the forehead? That is so Manson-ish.

Jensen's mother is quoted as saying:

"I can honestly tell you that I've walked every step of the way and it is hard for me to believe," Chris' mother Jan Jenkins told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. "The level of evil we are dealing with here is rampant, it's deep and it's widespread."

So, perhaps that is what they are alluding to? I suppose we'll find out... tonite, or tomorrow nite, or whenever they get around to telling us. One thing for certain, the news station sure seems to be playing their audience...

 

[SuziQ]

Here is a link to a drawing of Evil Ernie with the smiley face and crossbones.

http://www.toonopedia.com/evilrnie.htm

Shado, the cross is interesting. Could be indicative of religious undertones or a cult like one anyways. I certainly hope Channel 6 doesn't leave us hanging!

 

[SuziQ]

There are three threads going now. I've sent a request to the mods for a merger or forum since some of the vics are missing, missing and found and one ruled a homicide.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63890

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63931

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43709

 

[aj1020]

I just posted this on the other thread and realize it will be duplicated when the threads are merged, but check it out anyway. This is an article from June, 2007 giving a bit more background on the investigative work:

http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1... 554432&rfi=6

Also, the article appears to allude that Bolanos case is related to these others, the "tags" must be the smiley faces...

Throughout the entire process, I didn't ask the crew very many questions because, as I said, I have come to accept the fact that nothing at work will ever be "typical." But after they had been in the tunnel for another half an hour, I had to ask Gilbertson what they were doing.

According to Gilbertson, who also is an expert in gang activity, two unusual marks or "tags" have been found near the scene where a number of the drowning victims were found.

"Do you think they found it in the tunnel?" I asked.

"I don't think they would be in there this long if they didn't," Gilbertson said.

 

[ladygator]

 

[shadowraiths]

I remember watching the televised trial (though I was still a kid when the whole Manson thing went down). People involved in the trial (guards, etcetera) were totally creeped out by this guy. And now, as then, he had his followers... but anyway, for a side-by-side comparison of LG's find, the smiley, and an earlier pic, you may (or not) see why the smiley reminded me of the guy.

​

ETA ~ outside of the creep factor, it's prolly nothing

 

[eve]

Fran, that's a great link you provided. Copy and pasted below is from that link. Are we looking at a GHB type of thing?

http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_missing.html

January 12, 2006

Rumors are flying all over La Crosse about a University of Wisconsin student who says he had a near-death experience in the river. In a most remarkable story, the as of yet unidentified man claims he was drinking with friends in a downtown bar until about 1:45 AM on Sunday, January 8 -- but then somehow ended up in the middle of the Mississippi.

He doesn't know how he got in the water, but he knows how he got out.

According to an article in the La Crosse Tribune, the student "found himself in the river, fighting a strong current that was rapidly carrying him downstream. After an estimated 15 minutes, he was able to grab onto a tall concrete structure and pull himself to shore, where he likely passed out . . ."

Around 7:00 AM that morning, the 21-year-old showed up at a nearby hospital. Confused, covered in mud, and missing his shirt and shoes, he was unable to provide any details of what had happened to him.

Apparently no one witnessed the incident or any of the events that led up to it.

If true, the student's bizarre experience may provide investigators with valuable information and insights into the drowned student phenomenon. Over a seven-year period, seven young men from La Crosse went missing and were subsequently found dead in area rivers.

The Tribune quotes police chief Ed Kondracki as being "relieved and pleased to know the man survived, but disappointed to hear another intoxicated young man had fallen into the river."

Not so fast, Chief.

No one should be relieved or pleased about this story. How do we know the man FELL into the river? Maybe he did, but then, why can't he recall where, when or how? Something doesn't add up here. Was he, in fact, ALONE the entire time?

Chief Kondracki may be relieved, but I'm unnerved to hear that -- as in so many of these mysterious cases -- this student had somehow become separated from his hat, coat, shoes and cell phone.

Suz,

I agree with you. Not so fast. Too easy and lazy to blame yet another tragedy on drinking. It doesn't add up. It scares me as the mom of a young man in college at UW/Madison. I know the kids party which obviously has risks and my son tells me they use the buddy system but if the victims were slipped something...

Also I heard in several cases that LE searched sites where bodies were found for hours, finding nothing, and yet not long after, something belonging to one of the victims would be found, as Chris Jenkins' hat, I believe, was, placed neatly near the site.

Eve