GUILTY WI - Dr. Beth Potter and husband murdered at UW Arboretum, Madison, March 2020 *Arrests*

[Hap]

Daughter's boyfriend. So hard to wrap my head around. I'm thinking of parents so happy when their baby girl is born, and then fast forward to her boyfriend KILLING them. Argh. Sometimes I really hate people.

 

[stmarysmead]

Even worse than that in a way. They had two sons and then adopted this very young child...I think someone here said she was one year old...from Guatemala after both her parents died.

 

[Cryptic]

Somehow I doubt the foster family left him homeless...wouldn’t that have caused legal issues for them if revealed?

Your doubt that he was abandoned is probably very accurate.

My state allows foster parents to very quickly "un foster" themselves from a child with no questions asked. The child is then returned to the state for possible placement with another family (some children are hard to place).

The near instant removal policy prevents foster parents from being pressured to keep a dangerous or extremely disruptive child in their home. It was explained to me, however, that foster parents using this ability too many times in an effort to accept only near perfect behavior wise children just won't get many placements.

Foster parents are also not required to take foster children on trips. This is due to recognition that foster parents may need a break or the child does not have the maturity, self control etc. to make a trip. The child is then temporarily assigned to a respite family.

In short, there was probably no need for the foster parents to abandon him. Rather, he was simply assigned to a respite family or returned to full state custody.

 

[MimosaMornings]

JMO

I think he wasn't allowed to use the vehicle, and a relative was looking after him - and the relative notified the police when he disabled the home surveillance equipment and took off in the car.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

This crime terrifies me when I think about the circumstances surrounding it - being woken up in the middle of the night & being threatened with a gun! And the perp holding the gun is your daughter’s boyfriend! Who would ever expect this to happen in their lives, regardless of the situation, really. Why murder? It’s just so final!

It just sickens me to think about the logistics of the crime and how it was carried out, starting in their bedroom where we all expect to be safe in our beds! And I wonder about the communication between BP, RC & KS that awful night. Was there a lot of pleading going on or were BP & RC resigned to their fate once they saw the gun? I have no idea why I think about these things because it really hurts.The thought of being driven to a secluded area in the middle of the night in your pajamas/underwear is just a nightmare and so horrifying.

It will be interesting to hear what the parents had shared with family & friends regarding KS living with them, and also the two boys’ perspective - I imagine they know a lot. Dang, KS was only under their roof two weeks but the tension in that household must have been so thick. Interesting too that BP’s dad immediately suspected KS when told of BP’s murder.

Okay, I’m finished rambling....

 

[Lusitana]

Did they even try to ask for the money, like normal people?

 

[MimosaMornings]

And what was their thinking once they got this money? Definitely not college.

Malls and retail stores are closed, social distancing is in place - so why buy flash if no one is going to see it?

Were they going to take off, perhaps out of the country and live off the money they stole? Why do you need money when your parents let you sit in your bedroom with your boyfriend and order whatever food you desire.

Did either one have a job?

 

[stmarysmead]

One of the friends mentioned in the comments on the tribute website that Miriam was very interested in connecting with her birth family in Guatemala. Maybe that was the plan.

But I tend to think now, after some really insightful posts here from others, that they had a more urgent need for money. I think that’s why M texted K that she was afraid. I think they or just K...owed money to someone they feared.

 

[Yemelyan]

Did they even try to ask for the money, like normal people?

IMO we may find out there were other criminal enterprises going on in their lives, i.e. drugs. They may not have been able to ask for the amount of money they needed because their reason for needing it was shady and they knew their asking would raise too many questions. Total speculation though.

 

[kay74]

One of the friends mentioned in the comments on the tribute website that Miriam was very interested in connecting with her birth family in Guatemala. Maybe that was the plan.

But I tend to think now, after some really insightful posts here from others, that they had a more urgent need for money. I think that’s why M texted K that she was afraid. I think they or just K...owed money to someone they feared.

Miriam was an 18 year old woman. If she was so interested in seeing her family in Guatemala, she could have worked part time to pay for a flight there. She didn't need her parents to do this for her. Lots of students work part time. Maybe they had been kept busy this would not have happened. Did "K" work? I understand jobs are not there now, but before this, I assume she was wanting to go there.

 

[Yemelyan]

Miriam was an 18 year old woman. If she was so interested in seeing her family in Guatemala, she could have worked part time to pay for a flight there. She didn't need her parents to do this for her. Lots of students work part time. Maybe they had been kept busy this would not have happened. Did "K" work? I understand jobs are not there now, but before this, I assume she was wanting to go there.

I'm just going from memory based on the tribute website, so maybe someone else who read it can correct me, but I thought friends said that Robin was actively helping M with the process of reconnecting to family in Guatemala. So she really didn't need to do anything extra to get help to do this. It was a goal her parents supported. JMO I don't think money for this objective would have been a sticking point within the Potter Carre family.

 

[BeckyF]

One of the friends mentioned in the comments on the tribute website that Miriam was very interested in connecting with her birth family in Guatemala. Maybe that was the plan.

But I tend to think now, after some really insightful posts here from others, that they had a more urgent need for money. I think that’s why M texted K that she was afraid. I think they or just K...owed money to someone they feared.

It could be. If that is the case then daughter had some knowledge of what was to happen IMO. When you think about it, KS had it made, considering that he was a high school senior with a criminal record, for some reason he did not or could not live with his biological parents, he was chummy with some community leaders, and they in turn placed him in high regard, these kind people let him move in with them even when they had stress about the situation as stated by people in contact with MP. So since he had all these good things going on, it just makes you wonder what prompted his murderous acts. He felt no remorse afterwards, otherwise he would not have been concerned that one victim was still alive and could have identified him. Lots to uncover.

 

[realanastasia]

And what was their thinking once they got this money? Definitely not college.

Malls and retail stores are closed, social distancing is in place - so why buy flash if no one is going to see it?

Were they going to take off, perhaps out of the country and live off the money they stole? Why do you need money when your parents let you sit in your bedroom with your boyfriend and order whatever food you desire.

Did either one have a job?

This is 100% conjecture on my part, but if a young woman wanted to terminate an unwanted pregnancy without her parents’ knowledge, she would likely need to get her hands on several hundred dollars in cash pretty quickly. Knowing that clinics and medical facilities across the country were rapidly cutting “elective” services as a result of the pandemic, M might have felt even more urgency to get the cash together and have the procedure done before the services were no longer accessible.

Again, MOO/conjecture!

 

[2lepovz99]

This is 100% conjecture on my part, but if a young woman wanted to terminate an unwanted pregnancy without her parents’ knowledge, she would likely need to get her hands on several hundred dollars in cash pretty quickly. Knowing that clinics and medical facilities across the country were rapidly cutting “elective” services as a result of the pandemic, M might have felt even more urgency to get the cash together and have the procedure done before the services were no longer accessible.

Again, MOO/conjecture!

--------
Similarly, I wondered if, in similar potential crimes, no news for weeks might be due a young woman's change in health (as noted above)...or if a key person possibly associated with a crime made suicidal comments or gestures. Maybe LE would be more sensitive about this? IDK.

 

[kay74]

No updates?!

 

[Laughing]

When will Wisconsin's restrictions ease?

Might make a difference in what we hear.

Remember prayers & strong positive thoughts for the couples' 2 sons!

 

[stmarysmead]

When will Wisconsin's restrictions ease?

Might make a difference in what we hear.

Remember prayers & strong positive thoughts for the couples' 2 sons!

 

[stmarysmead]

On the Eve of Mother’s Day....I’m thinking of this wonderful Mother and those she left behind. I wonder what the dynamic will be among the children that remain. Their parents are gone, their stability is lost, the future must seem confused.
What will Miriam be thinking tomorrow....?

 

[kelsie]

One of my best friends worked with Dr. Potter and said she was the kindest, most lovely woman to work with. I am puzzled by this case. Teenage impulse gone terribly wrong? I have no idea what to think really. I just have no idea how they thought this would be worth it, especially when Beth & Robin were kind enough to put them up in an air b&b and lend them a nice vehicle. What in the world. This crime has shocked my city, absolutely. Between this and the young man found beat to death in, I believe, Mt. Horeb, on a bike trail recently, things have seemed dangerous. Lots of car stealing and shootings on the beltline as well. It's getting a bit scary, and I used to feel quite safe here.

 

[kelsie]

I think we are not putting ourselves in the shoes of a teenager girl. Teenager girls are self absorbed and believe the world revolves around them. IMO, the texts about wanting to cry etc are because her boyfriend and his friend were acting weird/unpleasant to her. She is the center of her own universe. She does not stop to think about what they may have been up to. She is concerned only with how they are treating her. They blew her off- told her the friend got into a situation. She’s sulking in her texts to SD, and in the throes of her own drama where she is centre of the universe, not displaying a guilty mind.

Generalizing entire groups of people like this is wrong and upsetting. You're speculating and do not truly know what the texts were about. I have met and counseled incredible, genuine, smart, and kind-hearted teenagers that are very selfless. JMO.