Tracey Kirkpatrick - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

UMfan77 · 09-28-2004, 12:23 PM

I don't know how many of you guys have seen this segment, but it's probably from the late eighties. Tracy Kirkpatrick was a teenager that was murdered while working at a lady's sportswear store by herself, this happened in Frederick Maryland. A few months after her murder, some guy called into a confession hotline, admitting to her murder, saying how he would sometimes visit Tracy while she was working and the night he murdered her, they had gotten into an argument. The guy said his name was "Shawn". The police got a copy of the confession tape and tried to figure out who it could be. A psychic from Massachusetts called the police saying that she had been getting calls from a guy that sounded exactly like the guy on the confession tape.

As far as I know this case has not been solved. Does anyone have any updates? Tracy wrote poems and one of her poems was inscribed onto her tombstone, which is very chilling to read.

PajamaYoga · 09-28-2004, 03:12 PM

Where was she buried?

UMfan77 · 09-28-2004, 04:16 PM

Buried? I don't exactly know, probably somewhere in Frederick Maryland. Do you live in that area and would like to visit her grave? I really do hope that her murder gets solved.

dynoguy88 · 09-29-2004, 11:18 AM

I've talked about this case a couple times. Sadly, there STILL has been no update. I have it on tape, also.

Tracey is buried in Oak Grove Cemetary near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This is one of those cases where the timing was terrible. Tracey was killed just before closing time, which according to the segment was around 9:00 p.m. The store looked like it was a strip mall with many other stores and businesses connected and accross the street. Yet, nobody saw the killer leave the store. Maybe there was a door in the back store room and he could have left without detection easier.

Here are some quotes for anyone interested -

This is the actual tape recorded message that Tracey's killer "Don" left for the crime hotline...............

"Hello. My name is Don and I'm calling from Frederick, Maryland. I know this is going to sound surprising at first, but, 5 months ago, I stabbed a girl to death. And I'll bet you think by making this call that I'm setting myself up to get caught... but there are alot of guys named Don in Frederick. The girl I killed was working in a ladies sportswear store. I often came by and visited her when she was working alone. And one night when we were in the store room, our conversation turned into an argument. So I took out a knife, that I keep with me at all times, and I killed her. And a few days later, I realized that I had created alot of sadness and I thought about turning myself in. But no matter what they do to me, that won't bring Tracey back. So I thought I...better...keep free because they have the death penalty in Maryland. I'm sorry for what I did, but nothing can change it. Bye."

And the following is the poem that was inscribed on Tracey's tombstone. It was a poem that was written by Christina Rossetti and Tracey read it to her family members just a couple months before she was killed............

"Remember me when I am gone away. Gone far away to the silent land. Where you can no more hold me by the hand. Yet if you should forget me for awhile and afterwards remember, do not grieve. For if the darkness and corruption leave
a vestige of thoughts that I once had, better by far you should forget and smile than you should remember and be sad."

UMfan77 · 09-29-2004, 01:51 PM

That is such a beautiful poem, too bad it ended up on her tombstone. She seemed like such a talented young lady with a bright future ahead of her and some lunatic had to take that all away.

mortytbusybody · 10-13-2004, 11:45 PM

I remember years ago my mother bought some cheesy paperback novel that used the "Remember" poem in an edited format (as used as a voice-over on UM) as a foreward and credited it to "Tracey Kirkpatrick". Even UM says that the poem enscribed on Tracey's tombstone is one of her own. Yet as dynoguy88 points out, Tracey's poem is actually one written in the 1800's by Christina Rossetti:
http://www.themediadrome.com/content...i_remember.htm
I'm crushed because I always assumed Tracey wrote this poem. I don't doubt that she was herself a talented poet, but does anyone have an explaination as to why there was this confusion?

Brent88 · 10-14-2004, 12:19 AM

This story aired on Monday(maybe Tuesday). It defintely aired this week.

No update.

dynoguy88 · 10-14-2004, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mortytbusybody
I'm crushed because I always assumed Tracey wrote this poem. I don't doubt that she was herself a talented poet, but does anyone have an explaination as to why there was this confusion?

I don't see where the confusion comes from. The Unsolved Mysteries segment of this case (I have it on tape) said at the beginning that Tracey always loved READING poetry as well as writing it. Robert Stack also said that the poem was written by Christina Rossetti and that Tracey recited it for her family members a few months before she was murdered. Her family remembered her reading the poem and must of thought it would be perfect to go on her tombstone. The UM segment never said that she wrote it.

You must have got confused. The poem in the book your mom got for you was probably dedicated to Tracey. She never wrote it.

mortytbusybody · 10-15-2004, 02:32 AM

Sorry dynoguy, you must have the Lifetime version of the story or a repeat recorded because I just rewatched the case from the original NBC (January 30, 1991) broadcast and Robert Stack says:

"Tracey Kirkpatrick was an introspective pretty teenager from a small town near Fredrick, Maryland. The 3rd of 4 children, Tracey was an honor student who had a passion for writing poetry. In early 1989, Tracey surprised her family when she wrote a haunting poem asking them not to grieve for her when she was gone..."

I would guess that after Tracey's death her family must have remembered the poem that Tracey read them (she probably had it scribbled in a journal) and assumed that Tracey had written it herself. Maybe after it was published in the book someone exposed the truth. So I stand by my original statement: I'm crushed to discover that Tracey didn't write the poem. Judging from other messages on this board I realize some other people must have also seen the original broadcast and also thought the poem was Tracey's...

dynoguy88 · 10-15-2004, 10:05 AM

Hmm. Interesting that you have the original broadcast taped. When I first saw it (back in the day) I thought she had written the poem as well but when I taped it on lifetime a couple years ago and found out that she didn't write it, I assumed I just heard it wrong the first time. The lifetime segment says -

"Tracey Kirkpatrick was an introspective pretty teenager from a small town near Fredrick, Maryland. The 3rd of 4 children, Tracey was an honor student who loved reading and writing poetry. In early 1989, Tracey read a haunting poem to her family written by Christina Rossetti. Tracey seemed to be asking them not to grieve for her when she was gone..."

The family must have assumed she wrote it. And once UM learned of the truth, they had to go back and change it. Whatever the case, thanks for pointing that out. It's still pretty freaky of the timing of her reading that poem just a few months before she was murdered.

This case is still pretty depressing knowing that the killer has not been caught. I've tried searching for links about the case and anything else about how Frederick City has been since then but have had very little luck. Just a couple short sentences -

http://www.cityoffrederick.com/depar.../Homicides.htm

http://news.onemissingperson.org/MD-...iles-open.html

mortytbusybody · 10-16-2004, 12:48 AM

Hey, thanks for the info dynoguy. I've always been especially haunted by Tracey's death, and I agree, the timing of her reading the poem to her family was too freaky. I only wish they could find out more on this "Don" guy...it's just too weird that 3 different people (and the psychic) pointed to the same man as sounding like "Don".
Maybe "Cold Case" should reinvestigate this crime? With all the advancements in forensic science you would think they could find SOMETHING new. The added publicity might play on someone's conscious and cause them to finally turn themselves in.

CrushedVelvet · 10-16-2004, 03:51 PM

Just wondering....I read what "Don" said and it just seems so fake, I guess. He dosent seem to be relating any significant details, and what he says sounds like someone stating a theory. I havent actually heard him talk so just curious as to how his voice sounded,,,sincere, scared, full of b.s.???

dynoguy88 · 10-17-2004, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrushedVelvet
Just wondering....I read what "Don" said and it just seems so fake, I guess. He dosent seem to be relating any significant details, and what he says sounds like someone stating a theory. I havent actually heard him talk so just curious as to how his voice sounded,,,sincere, scared, full of b.s.???

To me, I thought he sounded sincere. Maybe I'm naive, I don't know. But who else would have the nerve to call a criminal hotline and confess something like that? The call was traced to a small town outside Frederick, which is where Tracey was murdered. It looks as though the whole town was pretty much in mourning, so I think the chances of some idiot (calling from there) pretending to be the killer seems pretty extreme. But I could be wrong.

He didn't sound scared to me just that he was sorry for what he did. I got the impression that while he probably felt bad, in time, he will have gotten over it. He didn't sound as though he was full of as much guilt as he should have had.

Side note - I'm not sure whether or not UM played the entire tape of the confession during the segment. There was a time at the end where it sounded like it was edited with some long pauses (I....better....keep....free) I'm guessing they only played part of it so that the viewers could hear "Don's" voice and hopefully recognize it.

Beavervalleygirl · 09-11-2005, 02:21 AM

Freedom, Penna

marlins3 · 01-14-2008, 06:34 PM

I work with a man who is a former (retired) Maryland State Policeman. he was based in Frederick, MD and arrived there very shortly after this incident took place. I asked him if this case has ever been solved. At first he didn;t seem familiar with the case but a ssoon as I began to describe it, he remembered immediately. He said that becasue of the location of the murder scene, the Frederick police should have immediately contacted the MD state police to help with the investigation. By no doing so, they blew a chance to solve this case quickly. He said that this should have been solved within 24 hours but members of the Frederick police have a reputation for acting like they are the be-all end-all for law enforcement and mishandle investigations quite frequently because of this (ego refuses to allow them to seek help when needed or admit when they are wrong and explore other avenues).

09-28-2004, 12:23 PM	#1
UMfan77 Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 28, 2003 Posts: 1,064	Tracey Kirkpatrick I don't know how many of you guys have seen this segment, but it's probably from the late eighties. Tracy Kirkpatrick was a teenager that was murdered while working at a lady's sportswear store by herself, this happened in Frederick Maryland. A few months after her murder, some guy called into a confession hotline, admitting to her murder, saying how he would sometimes visit Tracy while she was working and the night he murdered her, they had gotten into an argument. The guy said his name was "Shawn". The police got a copy of the confession tape and tried to figure out who it could be. A psychic from Massachusetts called the police saying that she had been getting calls from a guy that sounded exactly like the guy on the confession tape. As far as I know this case has not been solved. Does anyone have any updates? Tracy wrote poems and one of her poems was inscribed onto her tombstone, which is very chilling to read.

09-29-2004, 11:18 AM	#4
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,675	reply I've talked about this case a couple times. Sadly, there STILL has been no update. I have it on tape, also. Tracey is buried in Oak Grove Cemetary near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is one of those cases where the timing was terrible. Tracey was killed just before closing time, which according to the segment was around 9:00 p.m. The store looked like it was a strip mall with many other stores and businesses connected and accross the street. Yet, nobody saw the killer leave the store. Maybe there was a door in the back store room and he could have left without detection easier. Here are some quotes for anyone interested - This is the actual tape recorded message that Tracey's killer "Don" left for the crime hotline............... "Hello. My name is Don and I'm calling from Frederick, Maryland. I know this is going to sound surprising at first, but, 5 months ago, I stabbed a girl to death. And I'll bet you think by making this call that I'm setting myself up to get caught... but there are alot of guys named Don in Frederick. The girl I killed was working in a ladies sportswear store. I often came by and visited her when she was working alone. And one night when we were in the store room, our conversation turned into an argument. So I took out a knife, that I keep with me at all times, and I killed her. And a few days later, I realized that I had created alot of sadness and I thought about turning myself in. But no matter what they do to me, that won't bring Tracey back. So I thought I...better...keep free because they have the death penalty in Maryland. I'm sorry for what I did, but nothing can change it. Bye." And the following is the poem that was inscribed on Tracey's tombstone. It was a poem that was written by Christina Rossetti and Tracey read it to her family members just a couple months before she was killed............ "Remember me when I am gone away. Gone far away to the silent land. Where you can no more hold me by the hand. Yet if you should forget me for awhile and afterwards remember, do not grieve. For if the darkness and corruption leave a vestige of thoughts that I once had, better by far you should forget and smile than you should remember and be sad."

10-14-2004, 12:19 AM	#7
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	This story aired on Monday(maybe Tuesday). It defintely aired this week. No update.
	__________________ Brent

10-15-2004, 02:32 AM	#9
mortytbusybody Mystery Nut Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2004 Location: California Posts: 69	Does This Shock Anyone Else? Sorry dynoguy, you must have the Lifetime version of the story or a repeat recorded because I just rewatched the case from the original NBC (January 30, 1991) broadcast and Robert Stack says: "Tracey Kirkpatrick was an introspective pretty teenager from a small town near Fredrick, Maryland. The 3rd of 4 children, Tracey was an honor student who had a passion for writing poetry. In early 1989, Tracey surprised her family when she wrote a haunting poem asking them not to grieve for her when she was gone..." I would guess that after Tracey's death her family must have remembered the poem that Tracey read them (she probably had it scribbled in a journal) and assumed that Tracey had written it herself. Maybe after it was published in the book someone exposed the truth. So I stand by my original statement: I'm crushed to discover that Tracey didn't write the poem. Judging from other messages on this board I realize some other people must have also seen the original broadcast and also thought the poem was Tracey's...

10-15-2004, 10:05 AM	#10
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,675	reply Hmm. Interesting that you have the original broadcast taped. When I first saw it (back in the day) I thought she had written the poem as well but when I taped it on lifetime a couple years ago and found out that she didn't write it, I assumed I just heard it wrong the first time. The lifetime segment says - "Tracey Kirkpatrick was an introspective pretty teenager from a small town near Fredrick, Maryland. The 3rd of 4 children, Tracey was an honor student who loved reading and writing poetry. In early 1989, Tracey read a haunting poem to her family written by Christina Rossetti. Tracey seemed to be asking them not to grieve for her when she was gone..." The family must have assumed she wrote it. And once UM learned of the truth, they had to go back and change it. Whatever the case, thanks for pointing that out. It's still pretty freaky of the timing of her reading that poem just a few months before she was murdered. This case is still pretty depressing knowing that the killer has not been caught. I've tried searching for links about the case and anything else about how Frederick City has been since then but have had very little luck. Just a couple short sentences - http://www.cityoffrederick.com/depar.../Homicides.htm http://news.onemissingperson.org/MD-...iles-open.html

09-28-2004, 03:12 PM	#2
PajamaYoga Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 20, 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 42	Where was she buried?

09-28-2004, 04:16 PM	#3
UMfan77 Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 28, 2003 Posts: 1,064	Buried? I don't exactly know, probably somewhere in Frederick Maryland. Do you live in that area and would like to visit her grave? I really do hope that her murder gets solved.

09-29-2004, 01:51 PM	#5
UMfan77 Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 28, 2003 Posts: 1,064	That is such a beautiful poem, too bad it ended up on her tombstone. She seemed like such a talented young lady with a bright future ahead of her and some lunatic had to take that all away.

10-13-2004, 11:45 PM	#6
mortytbusybody Mystery Nut Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2004 Location: California Posts: 69	I remember years ago my mother bought some cheesy paperback novel that used the "Remember" poem in an edited format (as used as a voice-over on UM) as a foreward and credited it to "Tracey Kirkpatrick". Even UM says that the poem enscribed on Tracey's tombstone is one of her own. Yet as dynoguy88 points out, Tracey's poem is actually one written in the 1800's by Christina Rossetti: http://www.themediadrome.com/content...i_remember.htm I'm crushed because I always assumed Tracey wrote this poem. I don't doubt that she was herself a talented poet, but does anyone have an explaination as to why there was this confusion?

10-16-2004, 12:48 AM	#11
mortytbusybody Mystery Nut Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2004 Location: California Posts: 69	Hey, thanks for the info dynoguy. I've always been especially haunted by Tracey's death, and I agree, the timing of her reading the poem to her family was too freaky. I only wish they could find out more on this "Don" guy...it's just too weird that 3 different people (and the psychic) pointed to the same man as sounding like "Don". Maybe "Cold Case" should reinvestigate this crime? With all the advancements in forensic science you would think they could find SOMETHING new. The added publicity might play on someone's conscious and cause them to finally turn themselves in.

10-16-2004, 03:51 PM	#12
CrushedVelvet Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 25, 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 331	Just wondering....I read what "Don" said and it just seems so fake, I guess. He dosent seem to be relating any significant details, and what he says sounds like someone stating a theory. I havent actually heard him talk so just curious as to how his voice sounded,,,sincere, scared, full of b.s.???
	__________________ CrushedVelvet

09-11-2005, 02:21 AM	#14
Beavervalleygirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 10, 2005 Posts: 30	She is buried in ...... Freedom, Penna

01-14-2008, 06:34 PM	#15
marlins3 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2007 Posts: 474	I work with a man who is a former (retired) Maryland State Policeman. he was based in Frederick, MD and arrived there very shortly after this incident took place. I asked him if this case has ever been solved. At first he didn;t seem familiar with the case but a ssoon as I began to describe it, he remembered immediately. He said that becasue of the location of the murder scene, the Frederick police should have immediately contacted the MD state police to help with the investigation. By no doing so, they blew a chance to solve this case quickly. He said that this should have been solved within 24 hours but members of the Frederick police have a reputation for acting like they are the be-all end-all for law enforcement and mishandle investigations quite frequently because of this (ego refuses to allow them to seek help when needed or admit when they are wrong and explore other avenues).