GUILTY FL - Steven & Michelle Andrews, both 28, murdered, Fort Myers, 27 Dec 2005

[MistyGirl]

Part of the Article:
The only voice heard on the line is the Andrews' two-year-old son Luke and a responding deputy.

What Deputy Tracie Gaydash discovered was gruesome.

For the first time we are releasing where and how the Andrews died.

Deputies found Michelle Andrews in her bedroom on the floor, face up at the foot of the bed. She was partially naked, her legs spread open, her right eye and forehead beaten.

Deputies discovered her husband Steve on the floor as well, on the right side of the bed, arms folded under him. His side of the bed was soaked in blood. He had been shot.

The motive behind the killings, according to Sheriff Mike Scott was jealousy. Scott says Steven Andrews had been having a relationship with his office manager Kellie Ballew.

For the first time, we have an updated photo of Ballew, a driver's license photo taken just a few weeks ago.

Shortly after the murders, detectives interviewed her and her boyfriend Fred Cooper. Both denied any involvement.

However a DNA sample given by Cooper would eventually connect him to the crime scene.

read it all here:
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=5796&z=3&p=

EDIT TO SAY: There also is a UPDATED photo of Kellie

 

[CrimeHater]

Finally we are learning more news on what went on that night. Thanks Mistygirl.

 

[lostfaith]

This article has a little more info. Very interesting!

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060215/NEWS01/60215010/1075

She told detectives Steven Andrews wanted out of his marriage and never forgave his wife, Michelle, for having an affair during their second year of marriage, getting pregnant with someone else's child and later having an abortion.

 

[SewingDeb]

lostfaith,

Your link is great. It has audio of lots of interviews!

 

[sweetpea657]

Thanks for the link, Lostfaith... I stayed up all night reading, following links and listening to the tapes. Wow! This case certainly has it all, doesn't it?

I have to say that after listening to Kelli's taped interviews, I'm not so sure that she is being totally forthcoming with everything she knows. I'm not saying I think she had anything to do with the murders, but something just didn't seem "right" about her interviews IMO. Her lack of emotion and her close attention to detail only 12 hours after learning of the murders seems off to me. Does anyone else feel the same?

The interview of Steve's mom... Wow! I realize she didn't know of any details at the time of her interview and I do feel for this woman's loss, but she's certainly a rambly one. She added a lot to this story. Alcoholism, suicide, rape, incest... all in a matter of a 30 minute interview.

link to the interview of Steve's mom
http://www.news-press.com/assets/mp3/A419343215.MP3

Here is the page that gives you the link to Steve's mother's interview, just in case the link above doesn't work. Scroll down a bit, it was posted by "Chelsea"
http://www.news-press.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=145&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10335

I still want to know who called 911, I don't think it was Lucazs. I wonder if Fred went back (?) the morning after the murders, woke Lucazs as he dialed 911. Would/could a murderer have enough compassion to do such a thing? Would the murderer chance getting caught by going back to the scene? I don't know, but after listening to the 911 tape, it doesn't sound like Lucazs is the one that called IMO.

This is certainly an interesting case and I look forward to learning more. I pray for that beautiful baby, Lucazs.

 

[sweetpea657]

I haven't read all of this yet, but wanted to post this acticle from today.

DNA evidence that could link Fred Cooper to the Gateway murders may have been collected from victim Michelle Andrews, according to the documents.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWS01/602170305/1075

 

[Jean]

I haven't read all of this yet, but wanted to post this acticle from today.

DNA evidence that could link Fred Cooper to the Gateway murders may have been collected from victim Michelle Andrews, according to the documents.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWS01/602170305/1075

Thanks for posting the update. It appears, at least from the article you posted, that Fred did go back the morning after the murder.

From the article:

• Witnesses in Gateway describe seeing a man fitting Cooper's description the evening of Dec. 26 and again the next morning.

• Two neighbors told investigators they saw a man in dark clothing — one said a camouflage jacket — walking in the neighborhood around 7 a.m. Dec. 27.


Edited to add--I think Fred dialed 911--(from the first article in this thread) "Steven and Michelle Andrews were found in their home shortly after 7 a.m."

 

[sweetpea657]

Jean, the 911 call came in shortly after 7 a.m. so it fits with the neighbors saying they saw someone in camouflage around that time.

Between WS's posts, links to different places and the news-press message boards (so hard to follow along there), I'm getting confused where I saw certain information, but I thought I read that LE wasn't convinced Luke made the 911 call, either.

Time of death was said to be between 11p.m.-6a.m., IIRC. Neighbors report seeing a strange person the night before and also the next morning in the area fitting Fred's description. Fred's gate key shows he returned to his house a little after 3 a.m. So, does that mean Fred killed them, went home and than returned to the area/house the next morning?

Also, here's a link to the transcripts of the interview with Steve and Michelle's neighbors/friends just out today.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWS01/60216011/1002

I have a question that I hope someone here can answer. Will all the leaked info/tapes of the interviews hurt this case and affect the outcome? It seems strange that all this info is out there.

I'm sorry to be posting so much, but this case has really pulled me in for some reason.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Maybe Fred did kill them at night and then felt guilty about the little kid being left all alone.

Quite honestly, the horrible things he did makes him a horrible person, but I think he really love his girlfriend and just went into a crazy jealous rage. He probably wasn't a bad person before this, which is why he didn't harm the child.
I think that may be why he went back if he did make two trips.
Guilty conscience.
Maybe I am wrong.
He had a rough life, doesn't justify what he did AT ALL! I am not saying that.
Jealousy can drive you to do some terrible things if you are not an emotionally stable person, and he does have a history of mental problems in his family from what I've read about his parents.

 

[Michelle Read]

[I have a question that I hope someone here can answer. Will all the leaked info/tapes of the interviews hurt this case and affect the outcome? It seems strange that all this info is out there.

[/QUOTE]
Sweetpea, I agree with you regarding the evidence in this case. I work for a law firm and know for a fact my attorney would be up in arms if this sort of thing was leaked. From the article above this statement was made "King said the sheriff’s office will continue to be “tight-lipped” about specific details in the case. " That really doesn't seem to be the case her. I was thinking a few minutes ago of how this is the first time I have ever seen detective interviews posted before or even after a trial. Seems strange, but makes for good reading/listening.

 

[cathieq]

I was quite taken aback listening to Steven's mother as she discussed Michelle...I kept tally marks on the times anybody else could get a word in edgewise...incest, abortion...and on and on. I'm sorry...I know she's grieving..she just got on one of my nerves....

 

[lostfaith]

Documents obtained by The News-Press reveal many of the concerns the parents had about their children's marriage. They talked about those concerns in interviews with investigators after the murders:

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/NEWS01/602170414/1075


There is alot of info on this web page, I never noticed before. I guess I will be up late reading!

 

[sweetpea657]

Thanks for the link, lostfaith. I read the article, but I need to go back and look at the sworn statements.

Isn't it strange how Steven told his father and Michelle told Steven's mother seperately on the 26th about the rape? Although it has nothing to do with the murder and I'm in no way trying to disrespect Michelle, I can't help but wonder if Michelle changed her story from affair to rape as a way of holding on to Steven. She knew she was losing him and knew that he had problems dealing with the affair/abortion, so she changed the story. I could be wrong (I usually am!). Such a sad and yet strange case.

Thanks for answering my question Michelle Read! It will be interesting to see how this leaked info will affect the case and you're right, it does make for interesting reading!

 

[lostfaith]

Isn't it strange how Steven told his father and Michelle told Steven's mother seperately on the 26th about the rape? Although it has nothing to do with the murder and I'm in no way trying to disrespect Michelle, I can't help but wonder if Michelle changed her story from affair to rape as a way of holding on to Steven. She knew she was losing him and knew that he had problems dealing with the affair/abortion, so she changed the story. I could be wrong (I usually am!). Such a sad and yet strange case.

QUOTE]


I agree Sweetpea. I am getting the impression she changed her story, maybe to hold on to Steve, hoping that he would instead feel sorry for her, instead of being mad that she had an affair. I dont think it had anything to do with the murder though. I think that Fred knew something was up with him and Kelly, even though Kelly did not think he did.

 

[lostfaith]

Who called 911 the morning Steven and Michelle Andrews were found slain in the bedroom of their Gateway home?

Despite two days of revelations based on investigative records obtained by The News-Press, how the couple's toddler ended up on the phone to authorities is one of the central questions left unanswered.

More answers could come late next week when State Attorney spokeswoman Chere Avery said the government's case should be ready for the media to review.


http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/NEWS01/602180518/1075


sound like more will come out later next week.. Will be interesting.

 

[cheko1]

I've been keeping up with this case since it hit the news in Mn. I simply can't believe all the information thats been released. Seems to me it would taint a jury pool.

Its so sad.....little Luke will grow up never knowing his folks. Hopefully he is to young to ever remember the tragedy & what he may of seen. He was the innocent victim!!!

 

[cathieq]

I wanted to throw a few things out here (opinion only):

FC should be tried for "3" murders...the parents and child. Once past the stage of innocent-unawareness, the child's life as it would have been...has been destroyed. It will be impossible to keep the circumstances of his parents' deaths from him. With the internet and the interest and coverage shown, everything will be available to him at the click of a mouse. What impression will he get about his mom & dad? Rape, incest, abortion, extramarital affairs..So, FC has "murdered" another....

Also, if Michelle was supposedly unstable (as KB said, per Steven)...why in the world would he tell his unstable, emotional, don't-know-what-she'll-do-wife that he might have a chance with another woman?

KB is very unworldly, even though you would have thought her relationship with FC would have schooled her...she fell for the oldest lines in a married man's book...and let him (excuse my bluntness) into her pants....

If FC gets the death penalty, we're looking at years and years of appeals...why not make his time left on earth useful? He should pay restitution (?), say...sell his blood to the bloodbank, give the proceeds to his victim's offspring...drain, say, all but 1 pint of blood (leave him enough to breathe until they build his system back up)...then do this over and over and over until...

I can' believe I could think such vindictive thoughts...I need prayers...

 

[nanandjim]

I was quite taken aback listening to Steven's mother as she discussed Michelle...I kept tally marks on the times anybody else could get a word in edgewise...incest, abortion...and on and on. I'm sorry...I know she's grieving..she just got on one of my nerves....

I thought Steve's mother sounded unstable. I also got the impression that she didn't like Michelle very much. I remember being totally stunned after listening to her tape, thinking that she was a nut.

She said that she did all sorts of things for Michelle and Steve and Michelle didn't show any appreciation whatsoever. No one forced her to paint, clean and cook. If she didn't want to do those things or if she wasn't getting the thanks or appreciation that she felt that she deserved, she should not have done the things.

Also, what was the deal about her exploding several times and lunging towards Michelle? That doesn't sound like a normal person to me...

 

[nanandjim]

Does anyone know if any recent pictures of Kellie have surfaced?

Here is a "fuzzy" photo taken from Kellie's driver's license. It is not a current photo and has been used on her past three licenses. So, I don't know how long ago it was taken.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/NEWS01/602180518/1002

 

[sweetpea657]

Investigators say Fred's fingerprints, DNA, witnesses, surveillance photos and a bloody jacket will prove he's the killer.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060219/COLUMNISTS02/602190427/1002/NEWS01