I had never heard of this case before just now, but it seems bizarre.
In response to Magrino’s letter, Ed Ptarcinski maintains that there is enough evidence to justify charges in the case and that, in the absence of court proceedings, no justice has been achieved. “It’s all corrupt, (and) every day is a battle for my family and myself just to get through the day,” Ed Ptarcinski said in a text message.
Also in response to the SAO letter, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis called the death a “heart-wrenching incident.” “Everyone, of course, wants justice if the event was a criminal act,” Nienhuis said in a written statement. He added that in any case, law enforcement investigators must “try their best to get to the bottom of what actually happened, putting emotions and outside pressures aside – handling it any other way, however, is not an option.”
“If prosecutors were to take a case to trial with insufficient evidence, because of outside pressure for example, it will be even more frustrating for everyone because, when a case is brought to trial with insufficient evidence or the defense can present a plausible alternative, the jury will have no choice but to find the defendant ‘not guilty,’” Nienhuis’ statement read. “This is why prosecutors never want to take a case to trial with what they deem to be insufficient evidence, or when there is a plausible alternative that can be presented by the defense.”
Finally, Magrino’s letter said the case might be reopened if new evidence arose. “Should the Sheriff’s office or any other person provide this office with additional and/or new information, I will review the matter again,” the letter read. “But at this time there is insufficient evidence to proceed further in criminal court.”
Meanwhile, the administrator of a Facebook page dedicated to Ariana Ptarcinski vows to keep interest in the case alive. “The recent letter has left the family, friends, and now the community who is following along with the case saddened, disappointed, and confused,” the Facebook page administrator said in a written statement. “Its contradictory nature leaves us with more questions than answers – We will continue to fight for justice for Ariana.”
SAO won’t press charges in Ariana Ptarcinski case
Hernando Sun Newspaper covers Brooksville, Masaryktown, Spring Hill, Ridge Manor, Weeki Wachee Newswww.hernandosun.com
In most cases where a young girl would be fatally knifed in her own room in the family home, and her boyfriend saying that “he messed up”, it would spell murder charges, even if he were completely innocent.
I’ve read of cases where people were charged under far more innocent and vague circumstances.
Why did law enforcement announce to him that night that they had good news, that he wasn’t going to be charged with anything? Was he a police informant or something?
