Thursday, May 18, 2006

7 Updates and a New 1

John Fiocco, Jr.'s parents have hired a lawyer, a private investigator, and Dr. Michael Baden to investigate their son's death.


Baden said yesterday he has been on the Fiocco case for a few weeks at the request of the deceased 19-year-old TCNJ freshman's relatives, who live in Mantua, Gloucester County.

"The family wants to know why their son died and did anybody do harm to him?" Baden said, adding he has reached "no conclusions at all. We're just in the process of gathering information."
Good for them.


Lawyers in the Natalee Holloway case were in a New York courtroom yesterday arguing whether to dismiss or move the civil suit filed by her parents. They await a decision from the judge.


The Dorrian brothers, owners of The Falls, were slapped down hard by the State Liquor Authority for their offenses regarding the hiring of Darryl Littlejohn and lying to investigators of the Imette St. Guillen murder.
"He lied. He hedged. He ducked and weaved," a police source said of Daniel Dorrian. "He did everything he could to avoid helping to find who killed this girl. All because he didn't want to lose his liquor license. For money and greed."
They may lose their liquor license. One can only hope. That should be the least of their punishment, in my opinion.


A Russellville detective opens up a little about the Nona Dirksmeyer investigation, defending his department against public criticism. There's not really any new information in the article, but it's interesting if you've been following the case. I think they did things right.


I hope I'm wrong, but I get the feeling that Tara Grinstead's family is being taken for a ride by this so-called criminologist, Dr. Maurice Godwin.

Royal Caribbean is fishing with live bait again. Another passenger, Daniel DiPiero, has gone overboard, and, once again, their main concern is public relations. Daniel was drunk. It's all his own fault, and Royal Caribbean's hands are clean. Of course. Nevermind that nearly 12-hour gap between the time that a security camera captured Daniel going overboard and the time that the Coast Guard was notified. As you'll remember, George Smith IV either fell or was pushed overboard during his honeymoon on a Royal Caribbean cruise of the Mediterranean.

Some members of the Peterson jury have their own book coming out this fall. I may read it if the opportunity arises, but I won't be buying the book. Gloria Allred has made too much money on the case already.

www.tracytribble.com
The family of Tracy Tribble is asking for volunteers to help search for the 35-year-old redhead in western Iowa. She's been missing from her Council Bluffs home since May 3rd. Or could it be May 2nd? Tracy was reportedly last seen by her husband before he left for work.

Stan Tribble told officers that he last saw Tracy before going to work at 6 a.m. When he returned home at 5:30 p.m., her car was still in the driveway, but she was nowhere to be found.
In addition to her vehicle, Tracy apparently left without her keys, purse, and cell phone. Her wallet, which contains her identification and a debit card, is missing from her purse, but there has been no activity on her account. Her dog was found wandering without its collar in a nearby cemetary. Contrary to the police stance that Stan Tribble is not a suspect, they have released a description of clothing that Tracy was wearing on May 2nd.

A coworker told officers that Tribble, 35, was wearing dark blue pants or jeans, a green sweater and a dark green jacket with a gray fleece lining.

Stan Tribble admits to police that he and Tracy had an argument the night before she disappeared, but denies assaulting her. Police have been called to the Tribble residence on more than one occasion for incidents of domestic violence, and last week filed charges against Stan for an April assault on his wife. Police have stated that so far there is nothing to indicate that Stan Tribble is responsible for his wife's disappearance, but as the last to see her, he is certainly a person of interest. Police say that Stan has been contacting friends in trying to locate Tracy. Tribble was, at first, cooperative with investigators, submitting to an interview on May 8 and allowing them access to the home at 133 Benton St., but has since hired a lawyer and required a search warrant for further searches of the home. The results of the search warrant executed on May 11 have been sealed, so it isn't know what, if anything, was found. Friend and former boyfriend Bryon Batchelder told reporters that the couple had had a bad argument the night of May 2 and describes Tracy as distraught afterward. Batchelder has taken a leave of absence from his job in Las Vegas to look for Tracy and doesn't intend to return until she is found.

Another search is planned for this Saturday, and a $75,000 reward for information as to Tracy's whereabouts is being offered. Anyone with information is asked to call Council Bluffs police at (712) 328-4764 or the non-emergency number at (712) 328-5737. Tracy's family has set up a tip-line -- (402) 218-1199 -- for anyone who may be too intimidated to call police.

Christine Gaines, Tribble's stepsister, said that the line was established to encourage anyone who might be afraid to call police with information about her sister's disappearance.

"We hope that this line will open up some opportunities to find new information," Gaines said.

Police have investigated a couple of tips received by the family, according to Gaines, but no new evidence has turned up.

Gaines also asked that if anyone in the community remembers seeing anything suspicious on rural roads in the last two weeks, to notify authorities.
I wonder if that rural road request is just based on a hunch or if it's the result of something found in searches of the home and both vehicles.