victims you really felt for

[zack007attack]

I am sure we have sympathy for everyone shown on UM who became a victim of some of the most horrific crimes ever committed, or were never seen again. Did anyone feel a strong sense of remorse for anyone specific? I did:

Nick Markowitz
Tara Calico
Jennifer Pratt
Norman Ladner
Patsy Wright

[alfiechat]

I really felt sorry for Kristophe Field, the son of Bill Day, who ended up dying of leukemia and never seeing his dad again.

I also felt sorry for the victims of the I70 killer.

And the story of Clifford Sherwood really always touched me as well.

[sdb4884]

Bill Day and Jenny Pratt are two that stick out in my mind.

[UMfan77]

I really feel bad for Gus Hoffman's mother. She went to great length's to get information about his disappearance, and murder. At the end of the segment, she was pleading to the camera that if anyone knew "where her son was" to call her or the police. She was so heartbroken.

[Hambone2421]

I am sure we have sympathy for everyone shown on UM who became a victim of some of the most horrific crimes ever committed, or were never seen again. Did anyone feel a strong sense of remorse for anyone specific? I did:

Nick Markowitz
Tara Calico
Jennifer Pratt
Norman Ladner
Patsy Wright


I agree on Nick Markowitz. That poor kid had absolutely nothing to do with the beef between his brother and Jesse James Hollywood. Others on my list include:

1. Anyone that Kenneth McDuff killed.
2. Monika Rizzo. Any woman that is battered by her husband has my sympathy. In Monika's case, she was later killed by him.
3. The two Arkansas boys who were murdered and then put on the train tracks for their bodies to be run over.
4. Tom Roche
5. The Rogers women killed by Oba Chandler. I will never forget this story.

[Mastermind]

I agree on Nick Markowitz. That poor kid had absolutely nothing to do with the beef between his brother and Jesse James Hollywood.

Though I do wonder why he didn;t just run away. Granted he was told that he would be released soon, but he had more chances to escape than most hostages ever get.

Not blaming Nick by any means, but I do think he a chance to escape whereas the other victims like the Arkansas Boys probably didn;t have such an opportunity.

[Hambone2421]

Though I do wonder why he didn;t just run away. Granted he was told that he would be released soon, but he had more chances to escape than most hostages ever get.

Not blaming Nick by any means, but I do think he a chance to escape whereas the other victims like the Arkansas Boys probably didn;t have such an opportunity.

Good point although I think it was the lure of the women and drugs that probably kept him around.But that's pure speculation.

[Drakken]

Gordon McAllister comes straight to my mind.

A special mention also to both the woman known as "Debbie" and Jane Borowski, who each survived what were two brutal, wicked, and vicious attempted murders.

[Drakken]

Good point although I think it was the lure of the women and drugs that probably kept him around.But that's pure speculation.

He remained because in his mind there was really no imminent threat, he was treated more as a guest than a hostage, even though it was what he was. He was really an hostage in the classical sense of the word : a living guarantee of good faith. Hollywood was rather savyy in treating Nick with respect, fully expecting an arrangement was to be made. Nick, when released, would simply say that he was invited to a party going on in Hollywood's house. Drugs and alcohol were around, and I am sure girls kept him pretty busy and were treating him well, perhaps even invited by Hollywood to make him has homely and comfortable as possible, if you get what I mean.

In Nick's mind, his brother Ben and Hollywood would settle their money problem pretty quick one way or another and he would be able to go back home without a hitch. And why should he expect anything different? It was Jesse James Hollywood, a good pal, a chap he knew well, not Pablo Escobar.

However, it went horribly, horribly wrong.

As much as it is a callous act by Hollywood, I do not think that he intended to bodily harm or kill Nick when he took him as hostage. He just wanted to compel Ben to be reasonable and pay his marijuana debt. But nor did he expect Ben to renegade and tell him to shove it while he was holding his brother as hostage. Ben basically put him against the wall to dare commit murder, thinking he was only posturing and bombing his chest, but he wouldn't dare go as far as to commit murder. It's a game of chicken, but this time with a third party's life on the line. As much as I hate the whole situation, and Hollywood is certainly not a sympathetic figure, Hollywood's two choices was to let him go free anyway (and lose face in front of his crew, and kiss his nascent and lucrative criminal career goodbye), or heed his word and have Nick killed in retaliation.

[Tap Dancer]

I feel bad for the families of missing persons. Imagine a loved one disappearing and never knowing what happened to them... :(

[dynoguy88]

Larry Dicken's mother. She watched her son get shot twice. Then she held on to him as he got shot a third time. Then, a few minutes later, she watched him get shot with a rifle.

Seeing your child get killed in such a horrific way...I don't know how a human being could ever recover emotionally from that.

[Lakeboy]

I felt so sorry for Patty Stallings the first time I saw her case. The prosecutor even said he was comfortable with the verdict. I was though when she was soon released after the broadcast.

[Kane]

I feel bad for the families of missing persons. Imagine a loved one disappearing and never knowing what happened to them... :(

Same here. I especially feel for James Munson, whose brother Oliver (a school teacher) went missing in 1984. He commented on how Oliver's disappearance affected the family, especially their mother, and made a plea to the audience, hoping that someone watching has information that could rid them of the burden of not knowing what happened to Oliver.

I also felt for one of Oliver's colleagues who was interviewed in the segment. I can't forget him mentioning that he has been approached by former students who would ask him what became of Oliver. It's sad to hear him say he had to tell them he didn't know. :(

Based on what this colleague said, it sounds to me that Oliver Munson had a positive impact on many of his students.

This may or may not have been mentioned here before, but there was an article published last year about the 25th anniversary of Oliver Munson's disappearance.

http://www.explorehoward.com/news/61103/hope-lingers-man-gone-25-years/

[UMfan77]

...This may or may not have been mentioned here before, but there was an article published last year about the 25th anniversary of Oliver Munson's disappearance.

http://www.explorehoward.com/news/61103/hope-lingers-man-gone-25-years/

I've never came across that article, it's very interesting. The disappearance of Oliver Munson has always bothered me, he innocently bought a car that happened to be stolen and in all probability was murdered because of it. How tragic for his family and friends. I hope this case gets solved in the near future or the police can track down Dennis Watson for questioning.

[mphs95]

I feel sorry for Jacklyn Dowalby's family. Their child went missing, then the inexperienced police department went after the father. A classic case of making the facts fit the theory.

[soilentgreen]

I feel bad for the families of missing persons. Imagine a loved one disappearing and never knowing what happened to them... :(

I agree. To not know someone's fate, to not be able to have an actual grave site for them, and to deal with all the varying sightings and tips that lead to dead ends. Especially when it's someone who would be less likely to survive on their own for long, like Gordon Page and Oded Gordon.

Rachel Timmerman's family; Rachel was twice the victim of Marvin Gabrion and her daughter's fate is undetermined. Jay Cook and Tanya Von Cuylenborg's families, because of the cruel missives they were receiving from the suspected murderer.

[nohwheregirl]

Same here. I especially feel for James Munson, whose brother Oliver (a school teacher) went missing in 1984. He commented on how Oliver's disappearance affected the family, especially their mother, and made a plea to the audience, hoping that someone watching has information that could rid them of the burden of not knowing what happened to Oliver.

I also felt for one of Oliver's colleagues who was interviewed in the segment. I can't forget him mentioning that he has been approached by former students who would ask him what became of Oliver. It's sad to hear him say he had to tell them he didn't know. :(
Kane, I agree that this was especially gut-wrenching. I feel for the students of Oliver Munson and also Lisa Ziegart. They're so young and I'm sure that for many of them, that might have been their first experience with a death in their lives (assuming Oliver Munson is, in fact, dead).

[Zlatko]

Nyleen Kay Marshall's mother. It was sad when she said to the affect that people often see her looking cheerful and happy but she's really desperately looking for her daughter.

[atomicfizz]

Jennifer Pratt - that one seriously just broke my heart
the girl (Stephanie??) who got her face sliced by the boat that ran into her and her friends' boat
Jofre Ramos?? The Marine who was beaten at the party

[browneyes106]

Jody Bordeaux's husband Shawn. It was heartbreaking to listen to him talk about the loss of his wife and unborn baby
Jennifer Pratt and her family
Tara Calico's family
Collen Ritter
Stephanie the boat accident victim

[bryndis]

Su Ya Kim's husband and family "I still truly love her and miss her" :-( Made me cry.

The case of that woman who was sold on the black market and had a rare blood or bone disease and needed to find her relatives and she never could and died :(

Most lost love stories especially of the fathers and mothers who searched faces of children they saw on the street.

That woman who was the sole survivor of that car crash on train tracks, she lost all her siblings and mother :(

The ghost of Grace Brown

Henry Rollins (watched his best friend die in front of him...most punk kids I know are unaware of what the lead singer of Black Flag went through. Once of his songs starts out with "I've got a gun in my back" and whenever I hear that I remember that terrible case)

[PD41]

I agree -It goes without saying that I have immense sympathy for all the victims and their families, especially for ones where family members go missing and are never found. But there were particular cases where the plight of the victim particularly moved me and caused me to feel great empathy for both the victim and his/her family and friends

(1) Lynn Amos -The banker who was ambushed in her apartment and forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol and then who was set alight. She was still alive when she was rushed to hospital and lingered for (I think) ten days before dying. What a horrible thing to have done to you
(2) Judy Olive -the nurse who was drugged and raped by that cult leader and who then gave birth to his child who was subsequently abused and abducted by the cult leader in question. When she confronted him over her missing child, he beat her savagely. She has never seen the child again and all indications are that he is dead (probably murdered)
(3) Stephanie, the boat victim
(4) The name doesn't come to me right now -the slightly mentally challenged woman who was tied up and then set on fire in her apartment after asking a date upstairs
(5) Does anyone remember the the guy in Kansas (?) who was going around killing shop assistants while robbing their stores. This was the guy who was in the process of robbing a clothing store and had the victims out the back when a customer entered the store and interrupted him and narrowly escaped with his life after he talked the gunmen into letting him go? Well, I felt very sorry for the victims of that creep
(6) Tara Breckinridge
(7) Anna Anton, that woman murdered by that creep of a police chief.
(8) The victims of the Boston rapist at the end of the 1980s

Those are the ones that come to mind. There are so many, many more

[Kane]

The name doesn't come to me right now -the slightly mentally challenged woman who was tied up and then set on fire in her apartment after asking a date upstairs

That sounds like the Megan Curl murder case.

Does anyone remember the the guy in Kansas (?) who was going around killing shop assistants while robbing their stores. This was the guy who was in the process of robbing a clothing store and had the victims out the back when a customer entered the store and interrupted him and narrowly escaped with his life after he talked the gunmen into letting him go? Well, I felt very sorry for the victims of that creep

That was the case of the I-70 killer.

He was on a multi-state killing spree, so his crimes were not limited to Kansas. Other states included Missouri and Indiana. He is also believed to have killed at least two people in Texas.

[crystaldawn]

By far one of the most heartbreaking deaths was that of Shane Hamwi. The baby girl who died of dehydration in her crib while her mother lay dead on the floor. :(

[cuba_libre]

Any and all child murder/missing victims! Breaks my heart every time!

Oliver Munson's case was especially sad because he truly seemed like a good person, who had the horrible luck of buying a stolen vehicle, unbeknowst to him.

Judith Himes' case also saddened me for reasons I think best to not mention....

[Drakken]

Nyleen Kay Marshall's mother. It was sad when she said to the affect that people often see her looking cheerful and happy but she's really desperately looking for her daughter.

She is not with us anymore, she died a violent death visiting a home in Mexico a few years ago. :(

[marlins3]

I feel for all the victims. A little less so for ones who get conned (Spanish Lotto, anybody?). Now the old lady who wa staken in the pigeon drop I feel sorry for.

I'm going to avoid the standard cliche answers in this (families of murdered people, etc.) and name 2 less obvious ones..

1. Patty Stallings and her husband. It's hard enough to have a child die (I know). Let alone be charged with the murder of your own child (unjustly).

2. Johnny Lee Wilson and his family. Any evidence against him was so small (other than a coerced confession from a 9 year-old in a 20 year-old's body) yet he was sentenced to life. I still laugh, though, everytime I hear Stack say, "Gary Wall tooka total of 6 lie detector tests. he failed all but one."

[mwcarolina]

i feel sorry for anyone who lost a family member really, but i guess if i HAD to choose who to feel sorry for most, it is families of missing people, Morgan Nick's family, Nayleen Kay Marshall's family, Angela Hammond and Tara Calico, all those, it must really hurt to not know where you family member is.

[lilmissd]

For me I feel sorry for Jeff Oberholtzer, who's wife was one of the "orange sock" murder victims. He was a suspect for 10 years and was repeatedly questioned by the police and they hadn't even pursued anybody else as the killer(s) but him. Not only had they guy lost his wife whom he loved very much but then had to be cast suspicion upon in her murder. Another big one for me is the case of Gilbert Ortiz, who's wife poisoned him with a shake that was laced with insecticide and nearly killed him. Then the witch has the audacity to take his kid and leave the country; and because of her he has health issues for the rest of his life which is really sad.

[egswanso]

I feel bad for the families of missing persons. Imagine a loved one disappearing and never knowing what happened to them... :(

I do too, most of the time.

I will admit I don't have much sympathy for "missing persons" who bring about their disappearance through their own actions (drug abuse, running away, prostitution, criminal activity, etc.).

I know that's cold, but I'm just being honest. If you believe in personal responsibility, you have to accept the consequences of bad behavior.

Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying anyone, no matter how loathsome their behavior, "deserves" to be a crime victim; just that it's a likely outcome from certain behavior.

[Mastermind]

I do too, most of the time.

I will admit I don't have much sympathy for "missing persons" who bring about their disappearance through their own actions (drug abuse, running away, prostitution, criminal activity, etc.).

I know that's cold, but I'm just being honest. If you believe in personal responsibility, you have to accept the consequences of bad behavior.

Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying anyone, no matter how loathsome their behavior, "deserves" to be a crime victim; just that it's a likely outcome from certain behavior.


1. Your assuming that most people have choices of their occupation. Many women are forced into prostitution.(in some cases literally)

2.Keep in mind that the killer/abductor of a "tainted person" is more than capable of killing an innocent person. The Ohio Prostitute Serial Killer could very easily alter his MO and go after teenage schoolgirls. The drug dealer mowing down the rival in the streets might misfire the next time and kill an old grandma on her way to church. Collateral damage.

3. Runaways may have legitimate reasons for running away.

4. Everyone says this until their daughter, child or brother is the drug dealer, prostitute, criminal or runaway. Many of these prostitutes, drug dealers, criminals and runaways have innocent family members who have been hurt by the departure. Are they not worthy of sympathy?

5. The solving of one crime may lead to the solving of another crime. The investigation of a murdered child molester may lead to the arrest of another child molester.

IMHO a two time offender found dead in an alley deserves the same type of investigation as a dead little girl in a two story house.
The ramifications and collateral damage from not treating these cases is too grate.