GUILTY MD - Stephen Westfall for attempted murder of 6yo girl, Cumberland, 2010

[Missizzy]

I watched that last night. He plagiarized the darned poem!!! What a total slime. Has the guy ever turned an honest dime or has he lived off of one woman after another? One wonders about his former wife's life insurance status.

OK, I just watched the video again. Yes, he is missing upper teeth in the video. Finding that older video (kudos to the news studio) probably gave them that info as it surely didn't come from family, now did it? He is not well spoken and surely does not speak like an author. I imagine his book would be painful to read. Also, did anyone else note that the prize looks to have been $25,000? Really? And they wouldn't have run a plagiarism check 5 years ago? That sounds fishy to me. My daughter-in-law teaches college English and she and I have gotten pretty darn good at catching the cheaters. Google makes it so easy. The same search was available 5 years ago. Very strange.

Notice that he's shown petting and stroking his dogs, a long haired dachshund and a bigger dog. His own biography says that he adores his two Jack Russell terriers, Bruno and Joy. I hope the first two dogs are safe.

Has anyone heard a peep from his family? No pleading with him to turn himself in?

 

[Filly]

There's a whopping $1,500 reward if anyone has a tip on where this guy is.

Wow. $1,500 eh? For a guy that just abducted a child off the street, strangles her, and beats her in the head with a rock?

Me thinks somebody knows where he is alrightie. Link tells they've searched by air, on bikes and such.


http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/breaking/suspect-in-abduction-may-have-fled-area-100641039.html



Don't tell me he won $25,000? No way!

 

[Missizzy]

That's the background for that video. I find it hard to believe too. Let me look into that.

Filly, I thought the same thing, $1500? That's not going to do much.

 

[Missizzy]

Westfall won the poetry prize from the Famous Poetry Society in 2005. Here's an interesting bit of info on that "society":

http://www.famouspoets.com/

"Famous Poets Society" (scam)

It looks to me as if this company has been scamming hopeful poets and authors for a long time. You "win" a prize (who knows for how much) and then are given the "opportunity" to pay for them to publish a book for you. Hmmmmmm

Some prize.

 

[Filly]

Westfall won the poetry prize from the Famous Poetry Society in 2005. Here's an interesting bit of info on that "society":

http://www.famouspoets.com/

"Famous Poets Society" (scam)

It looks to me as if this company has been scamming hopeful poets and authors for a long time. You "win" a prize (who knows for how much) and then are given the "opportunity" to pay for them to publish a book for you. Hmmmmmm

Some prize.

Ohhhhhhhh there's quite a few of those scams, Miss Iz. I actually did that once years ago.:doh: Thought I'd be the next Toni Morrison or Sylvia Plath. I didn't do it in person though.

Perfect place for a con to get conned.

 

[Missizzy]

http://times-news.com/local/x1316176006/Westfall-could-have-left-the-area-or-is-getting-help-here

Westfall could have left the area or is getting help here
Police widen search, issue national alert

"Police now believe that accused child abductor Stephen Westfall could have left the area — or is possibly getting help from someone in the community.

For the past week, an intensive manhunt has continued without letup to locate the 44-year-old Westfall, who is wanted in the alleged abduction of a 6-year-old Columbia Street girl Aug. 5...."

and

"...“We want to caution anyone who may be assisting Westfall to avoid capture. Anyone who would assist him is subject to arrest and could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive, and accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law....."


more at link

Is this the first time we've seen the charges against Westfall? I don't remember that.

 

[Filly]

http://times-news.com/local/x1316176006/Westfall-could-have-left-the-area-or-is-getting-help-here

Westfall could have left the area or is getting help here
Police widen search, issue national alert

"Police now believe that accused child abductor Stephen Westfall could have left the area — or is possibly getting help from someone in the community.

For the past week, an intensive manhunt has continued without letup to locate the 44-year-old Westfall, who is wanted in the alleged abduction of a 6-year-old Columbia Street girl Aug. 5...."

and

"...“We want to caution anyone who may be assisting Westfall to avoid capture. Anyone who would assist him is subject to arrest and could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive, and accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law....."


more at link

Is this the first time we've seen the charges against Westfall? I don't remember that.

Miss Izzy I do believe it is the first time we've seen the attempted murder charge. I think I'd remember that. However, I'll have to go back and read the thread again.

BTW talk about a creepy photograph.

 

[Belinda]

I'm so glad they are going with the attempted first degree murder. I hope it sticks when they find him and he is charged accordingly. Secondly, I hope it doesn't get pled down to something stupid like assault. I think he is going to have such a long, laundry list of charges, he should be going away for a long time.

 

[tfrohning]

I not been followint this case but after reading the thread...this guy is danger to all children.

After seeing his picture he looks a little like Lester Hobbs.

I am susprise this thread is not hopping...(

 

[Lovejac]

http://times-news.com/local/x1316176006/Westfall-could-have-left-the-area-or-is-getting-help-here

Westfall could have left the area or is getting help here
Police widen search, issue national alert

"Police now believe that accused child abductor Stephen Westfall could have left the area — or is possibly getting help from someone in the community.

For the past week, an intensive manhunt has continued without letup to locate the 44-year-old Westfall, who is wanted in the alleged abduction of a 6-year-old Columbia Street girl Aug. 5...."

and

"...“We want to caution anyone who may be assisting Westfall to avoid capture. Anyone who would assist him is subject to arrest and could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive, and accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law....."


more at link

Is this the first time we've seen the charges against Westfall? I don't remember that.

What AWESOME news about the attempted first degree murder charge. That is the first I've heard of that charge.

I too think that someone is helping him. I mean, he left on foot and can't be using his debit/bank card. I wonder who they think it is. That statement about prosecuting anyone who helps him makes me think they have someone in ming.

 

[Missizzy]

My thoughts exactly. I would think that all family members and known friends would be under surveillance. However, does anyone remember me commenting way upthread about a MS page closing right as I opened it? Well I decided to play around with googling other MS accounts with the same general name, changing the last two numbers after the name. One came up and it closed on me too. You can always tell when they are recently closed as MS does some funky stuff and flips you back to your own profile. I wonder if Westfall doesn't have a friend where he is seeking refuge. Possibly together, they closed down those pages.

If it helps anyone, the MS was the one with a url of huggiebear84. Very close to Westfall's and closed within minutes of his. Westfall's was huggiebear43.

 

[Missizzy]

Isn't it interesting that we have heard nary a word from Westfall's family? If he is wanted for attempted first degree murder, I'd think they would be encouraging him to come forth and turn himself in--IF they are still supportive of him. I wonder if their silence means that possibly they've had the opportunity to disclose some problems with Westfall within their home?

Also, does anyone has any theory as to what Westfall's motive was with this child? Did he mean to kill her and then rape her or was he tussling with her and tried to subdue her? Wasn't she naked and dirty when she arrived at the helpful neighbor's home? She'd been whacked with a rock. No telling how long or if she was knocked out. Surely she's been thoroughly examined, evaluated and questioned about the event but we haven't read that she was sexually assaulted, have we? So, what was the motive here?

Did she run? Did he change his mind? The whole case is very curious. I just thank God that little one made it out alive. There are angels.

 

[ShowerSinger]

I personally hope he offed himself. This poor child forever will remember this sick act committed against her.
Prayers for her, her family, and that this sick B offs himself.

 

[nursebeeme]

http://www.hagerstownkitchens.com/

the article/video posted said he set the fire at hagerstown kitchens (linky ^^)

 

[Missizzy]

I was just looking at the locations again. Westfall is listed as living on Winchester Road SW. That's a mile or so southwest of Cumberland proper. The little girl was taken from her home on Columbia St, pretty much in the center of town. She asked for help on Pea Vine Run Road, about 2-3 miles north of the town center. Pea Vine Run Road seems to be quite rural. It seems that he trolled through town and grabbed the little girl and headed north. I wonder if Pea Vine Run Road was his destination or if the child started fighting and he had to pull over and subdue her. I keep wondering if he was trying to knock her out and continue to a destination or if she got away from him and ran.

If a reasonably intelligent man wanted to abduct a child, one would think that he'd have gone about things a bit differently. I don't want to even suggest the ways I can think of but there are many.

 

[Missizzy]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38647657/ns/local_news-hagerstown_md/

"Three years earlier, Westfall was charged with second degree arson in Washington County after a fire at the Hagerstown Kitchens. Westfall never served jail time..."

Another msnbc site said that he did 3 years probation.

This looks to be the address for their cabinet shop. Note that there are showrooms but no details are really given as to where the fire was. Still looking.

Hagerstown Kitchens Inc
19227 Longmeadow Rd
Hagerstown, MD

 

[Missizzy]

I need to correct my earlier post and clarify some things:

http://www.wfrb.com/page.php?page_id=35593

Sightings of Stephen Westfall have been reported in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It has been over a week since the abduction and assault of a Columbia Street youngster occurred. Police attempted to serve a warrant on Westfall last Saturday at his Arch Street residence, but he left the residence before police arrived. Westfall should be considered dangerous; if he is spotted, police are asking residents to contact the nearest police agency."



So, Westfall lived on Arch Street, which is 2 miles south of where the child was abducted. He must have grabbed her and headed north several miles to Pea Vine Run Road and then circled back to his home in town--possibly dropping off the four year old, before leaving before police arrived. Hmmmm

 

[Missizzy]

http://www.1390espn.com/news/local.php


"As the search for an alleged kidnapper continues many people are wondering who exactly is Stephen Westfall. According to Maryland court records in 1993 Westfall who was living in Hagerstown was sued by Addiction Specialist Associates in Hagerstown. Then in 1996 he was sued by T and R Tire Center, Inc also of Hagerstown. In 1996 and 1999 again Westfall was sued by Washington County Hospital. Then in 2002 Westfall was charged with second degree arson, malicious burning malicious destruction of property and reckless endangerment. According to Maryland Court records the arson allegedly happened on October 31st 2001 at Hagerstowns Kitchens...."

and

"According to witnesses he left his Arch street home on foot on Saturday morning [after attack on the child] and he has not been seen since...."

more at link (many details I hadn't seen before as well as contact numbers)

 

[Izzy]

Tonight (Saturday the 14th) at 9pm Stephen Matthew Westfall's story will be on Americas Most Wanted. On the Fox network. Let everyone know
... this is now a nationwide case.

 

[fhc]

This is new

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Search-for-Stephen-Matthew-Westfall/139163552788776