Of rooms 307 Downing and 519 Hill
OK, so I guess the last few weeks has left me with one MORE Ypsi-centric post in me. Not so much to rehash the problems EMU just went through but simply to ease back into affairs of far away towns I know little about.
This whole affair of the last few weeks caused me to break down and repurchase the 'Michigan Murders' book. It's the most seminal book in my life over why I am the way I am about all things crime. I remember the night I read it, I lived at 505 Emmet and my girlfriend and I read it together all in one night we were so enthralled. Enthralled until we found out John Norman Collins used to live at 619 Emmet, almost visible up the street from my home. Then the creeps started setting in. WOW, what a read, living where we did.
I question now, in this new age of criminal rights and courts so careful to enforce them if John Norman Collins would have been convicted today in the Karen Sue Bieneman case. Would Sheriff Doug Harvey's witness tampering have cost William Delhey the same case today? Would the hair in Ms. Bieneman's underwear have been sufficient for the current DNA testing standards? Would police have come forward with the OTHER clues they had that they never let the public know about? With the 'CSI Effect' prosecutors readily complain about now that if a jury doesn't see DNA or the crime lab dog and pony show they don't possibly feel a conviction is warranted, would Collins have had to have been tried in the Alice Kalom case because a couple blood spots matching her type were found in Collins' car? The red strip of cloth? Whom would they have matched THAT to. Would they simply have deferred to California authorities who have a very strong case against Collins in the Roxie Phillips murder? Why DON'T they run the blood from the Kalom case? Why not run ALL the DNA in these cases? If you think it can't help tell that to Gary Leiterman. It can and SHOULD be put through a discovery process. Laura Dickinson's killer was proved by DNA. Laura McBride's killer was found through DNA. Karen Sue Bieneman's case was 'proved' through antiquated DNA testing, and Jane Mixer's killer, Gary Leiterman was found from DNA. See a trend?
I like to fish the Huron River from time to time, a few hundered yards from Peninsular Park to be exact. As darkness sets in around me on warm summer nights, I can't help but think of where I am. I can see Hill Hall where Laura Dickinson was killed, I'm very very near Peninsular Park where Laura McBride was murdered, I can see the VERY train tracks young Dawn Basom disappeared from. I wonder, is it YPSI? Does this town have some strange hold over the nere-do-wells and ghouls who live or visit Ypsilanti? Is ANY town, no matter how small free of such skeletons? Does every town have some kind of story, some nightmare to tell? Is Ypsi just like them? Are they just like Ypsi?
As usual, I leave the riverbank with more questions than answers....
This whole affair of the last few weeks caused me to break down and repurchase the 'Michigan Murders' book. It's the most seminal book in my life over why I am the way I am about all things crime. I remember the night I read it, I lived at 505 Emmet and my girlfriend and I read it together all in one night we were so enthralled. Enthralled until we found out John Norman Collins used to live at 619 Emmet, almost visible up the street from my home. Then the creeps started setting in. WOW, what a read, living where we did.
I question now, in this new age of criminal rights and courts so careful to enforce them if John Norman Collins would have been convicted today in the Karen Sue Bieneman case. Would Sheriff Doug Harvey's witness tampering have cost William Delhey the same case today? Would the hair in Ms. Bieneman's underwear have been sufficient for the current DNA testing standards? Would police have come forward with the OTHER clues they had that they never let the public know about? With the 'CSI Effect' prosecutors readily complain about now that if a jury doesn't see DNA or the crime lab dog and pony show they don't possibly feel a conviction is warranted, would Collins have had to have been tried in the Alice Kalom case because a couple blood spots matching her type were found in Collins' car? The red strip of cloth? Whom would they have matched THAT to. Would they simply have deferred to California authorities who have a very strong case against Collins in the Roxie Phillips murder? Why DON'T they run the blood from the Kalom case? Why not run ALL the DNA in these cases? If you think it can't help tell that to Gary Leiterman. It can and SHOULD be put through a discovery process. Laura Dickinson's killer was proved by DNA. Laura McBride's killer was found through DNA. Karen Sue Bieneman's case was 'proved' through antiquated DNA testing, and Jane Mixer's killer, Gary Leiterman was found from DNA. See a trend?
I like to fish the Huron River from time to time, a few hundered yards from Peninsular Park to be exact. As darkness sets in around me on warm summer nights, I can't help but think of where I am. I can see Hill Hall where Laura Dickinson was killed, I'm very very near Peninsular Park where Laura McBride was murdered, I can see the VERY train tracks young Dawn Basom disappeared from. I wonder, is it YPSI? Does this town have some strange hold over the nere-do-wells and ghouls who live or visit Ypsilanti? Is ANY town, no matter how small free of such skeletons? Does every town have some kind of story, some nightmare to tell? Is Ypsi just like them? Are they just like Ypsi?
As usual, I leave the riverbank with more questions than answers....
posted by Witch King of Angmar at 11:38 AM
12 Comments:
I agree with your post completely. I too have decided to reread The Michigan Murders this summer. I don't know why, but I had this feeling. I agree, for such a small town, how many weird murders can a town have in it's history?
claire--I know what you mean. Is Ypsi cursed? Any Cubs fan will tell you a curse CAN exist though I'm not a big believer in them (see Red Sox, Boston) one must wonder what it is that Ypsi has that these creeps seek.
The strangest thing is that Ypsi doesn't seem to get simple murders that every town gets. No, Ypsi gets GIANT cases for whatever reason.
I have no doubt if somebody kills Lindsay Lohan her body will be found off of Geddes Road.
Oh, and as an addendum, I have also been doing yet MORE research on these cases and have found a few things:
(Since you're read the book these won't be spoilers--and if you haven't read the book tune out now)
*Ann Arbor PD think Collins WAS the jogger/walker off of Riverside Drive that rainy night and DID get close enought to touch what he thought was Karen Sue Bieneman's body in the ravine but saw it was a mannequin and took off, obviously knowing it was a trap. AAPD think Collins actually SWAM across the Huron River at Riverside to escape.
*Karen Sue Bieneman's blood WAS found in Collins 1968 Cutlass
*Alice Kalom's blood was in it too
*California police when asked for Roxie Phillips fingerprints to compare with things in Collins possession simply lopped off her whole hand and sent it to Chief Krasny.
*Collins was actually BACK In Ann Arbor in January 1980. Needed serious medical attention for a fractured skull they thought was life threatening. Collins slipped on some ice.
*While not related to the Michigan Murders cases Ted Bundy watched the January 1, 1981 Rose Bowl game from Ashley's in Ann Arbor
Whoa, great job with the new info. That's some amazing stuff.
The Lindsay Lohan line is funny
Wow, thanks for the information. While, not totally related, I did just find another book, Jane: a murder, about Jane Mixer. Although she was later found not to be killed by Collins. I am going to the library today to pick it up.
I agree, for ever murder in Ypsi we seem to get national attention. I wonder if the dickenson case would have gotten national attention if they didn't try to cover it up.
I also wonder if police have enough DNA evidence to convict him for the other murders.
Have you gone to the EMU libary and looked at all the newspaper clipings. They are behind the circulation desk. They are interesting.
Claire--
I have microfiched myself almost to death a couple times in the EMU Library. Yes it is a very good facility, it was a nice relaxed place to do some research.
Unless I'm confused I thnk there are TWO Jane Mixer books either out or coming out.
There is... I read the first one in a night. It was good. It was when the neice thought that John Collins killed her. Next, she writes another book about the trial of Lieterman (sp?). The second book is not as good as the first, although I am only half way through the second.
"I question now, in this new age of..."
Of referring to an 18 year old woman/girl as Ms. rather than Miss...
Sorry couldn't resist...
"Karen Sue Bieneman's case was 'proved' through antiquated DNA testing..."
I don't think "Neutron Activation Analysis is the equivalent of antiquated DNA testing
By the way to answer your question the hair samples would be ample enough for the DNA testing methods today as would the blood samples from his Uncles basement and the 1968 Olds Cutlass.
"*Ann Arbor PD think Collins WAS the jogger/walker off of Riverside Drive that rainy night and DID get close enought to touch what he thought was Karen Sue Bieneman's body in the ravine but saw it was a mannequin and took off..."
In the book the "jogger" just runs across the sight line of Geddes road at the foot of Riverside which as you probably know isn't exactly a road itself.
I remember reading that the "jogger" had on a hooded sweatshirt somewhere and di go near the mannequin but I don't recall where that wasn't in Mr. Keyes book.
"AAPD think Collins actually SWAM across the Huron River at Riverside to escape."
If you'd care to name your sources...
"Ted Bundy watched the January 1, 1981 Rose Bowl game from Ashley's in Ann Arbor"
I hate to break this to you but "Ashley's" wasn't even there in 1981.
Unless you mean the same location... I think a bar there back then was called Bachus Gardens.
"The strangest thing is that Ypsi doesn't seem to get simple murders that every town gets. No, Ypsi gets GIANT cases for whatever reason."
AT the time (1967-70) the JNC case was huge but was associated just as much with A2 as Ypsi.
I doubt the vast majority of people oustside the A2/Ypsi S.E. Michigan area even would know of it today.
The Dickenson murder is a local crime story jumped on by the likes of Ghoula Van Sistern and FAUX NEWS and isn't realitive Nationwide as most of the ""Breaking News" they run on other murders isn't.
So given the time frame of 1970 being 37+ years ago... name one HUGE (National/World News) muder case in Ypsi?
"I agree, for ever murder in Ypsi we seem to get national attention."
That's a bit silly...
Surely you jest Claire?
BTW: 48 Hours (CBS) did a good piece on the Jane Mixer Trial/Case... other than saying things like Saline is 20 miles from A2 they did a pretty good job.
Q
Thanks for stealing my image of the old paper mill off flickr without my consent. Please remove it at once.
Mark
Done, Mr O'Brien
I'm interested in the Coed Murders and a friend and I are currently researching this. I was curious as to why the title of this is "of rooms 307 Downing and 519 Hill". If you'd explain this, I'd greatly appreciate it!
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