Ladybug Liftoff!

The Ladybug Liftoff was a tremendous success in every way as I'm sure you can see from these photographs. Family, friends, and those drawn together by their desire to see justice for Michelle Fisher Young turned out to honor Michelle's memory with a live release of ladybugs, a favorite of Michelle.





















Sheriff Donnie Harrison addresses the media.






















Miss Lady Bug makes an appearance.

Meredith and a young man join the children in encouraging the ladybugs to fly away in honor of her beloved sister.

Meredith and Linda Fisher chat with Detective Spivey, Sheriff Harrison and Detective Blackwell.

And this is what it was all about.

Isn't she lovely?

Nona Dirksmeyer Murder Revisited

Last night, I happened to tune in to NBC's Dateline and watched Keith Morrison's report on the case. When I first heard about Nona's murder, I suspected her boyfriend, Kevin Jones. The details released by investigators and reported by the Russellville Courier were the basis of my suspicion. Last night's report went a long way toward convincing me of how wrong I was in my suspicion of Kevin Jones. If you missed the show, you can read the transcript at MSNBC.com and view some portions of the report via their video segments.

I'm sorry to say that I've been forced to close the comment threads at this blog because of malicious activity. As an alternative, I have created a forum for discussion of the Dirksmeyer murder at the Friction Powered Exchange, or FPX, as I like to call it. Please, register and post your thoughts and any links to helpful information. I'd particularly like to read the autopsy report, but I haven't been able to find a copy online and don't know if it is available to the public.

Experiencing Technical Difficulties

The Friction Powered Exchange forum is down. I don’t know if it’s temporary or permanent. It isn’t my doing, and I don’t know what the problem is.

Interesting timing.

Update: 9:36 PM

We're open for business!

Whatever the problem was, it now appears to have been fixed.

New Searches in Michelle Young Investigation

I realize I've kind of dropped the ball in blogging about the murder of Michelle Young. Part of that is due to the drought; there has been a dearth of information trickling down from the ongoing investigation. Until last November, there had been no real news since February 2007 when we learned that the Wake County District Attorney had successfully petitioned the court for access to any records of treatment kept by Michelle's therapist, Kimball Jane Sargent.

In late November 2007, there finally emerged evidence that the investigation was indeed proceeding. Local news agencies reported that another search warrant had been executed on the Youngs' residence at 5108 Birchleaf in Raleigh. The reason given for the additional search was the recent involvement of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations. Photographs were taken for scale comparison to earlier photographs of bloody footprints in the upstairs hall bathroom. Several planks were removed from the backyard deck and a 5-gallon bucket of deck sealant was confiscated. The affiant indicated that there were some marks or the stains on the deck that needed to be examined. I've speculated and theorized about this development on the discussion board, but I'm still not satisfied that I've figured out why, more than a year after the murder, investigators would expect to find any evidence on a surface exposed to the elements during that time.

The most recent development in the investigation is that search warrants have been executed on two residences in western North Carolina -- those being the Brevard home of Jason Young's mother, Pat Young, and the home of his sister, Heather McCracken, in Etowah. Additionally, a forum member close to the Young family, hinted that other searches were carried out as well. This claim seems to be supported by the following statement in an NBC-17 report:

Search warrants have not been returned, but investigators said they searched several homes. [Source: NBC17.com]

According to various reports, the warrants are to be sealed by the court, so we aren't likely to find out (any time soon) what investigators were searching for, what probable cause they provided, or if the objectives were accomplished. The warrants can be sealed for 30 days, at which time, the DA can again petition the court to keep them sealed for another 30 days, and so on until it is no longer necessary to do so.

I could speculate and theorize on the purpose and meaning of the latest warrants, but right at the moment, I'm all speculated and theorized out. I just want to know what happened and why it's taking so long to bring Michelle Young's killer to justice.

~◊~

Links to several news reports about the latest searches:

WRAL.com: More Homes Searched in Michelle Young Murder Probe
NC Wanted: Investigators Search Homes Where Michelle Young's Husband Stayed
News & Observer: Western NC homes searched in slaying
NBC-17: Investigators Search Homes Where Jason Young Visited Following Murder
ABC-11: Young murder investigation continues
WLOS-13: Video Link

Update: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It turns out that the "several" search warrants include warrants for two vehicles driven by Jason Young. Investigators examined the Ford Explorer that they had previously searched immediately after the murder, leaving behind dust in the interior. The vehicle currently belongs to Jason's mother, Pat Young of Brevard. Also examined was Jason's company van. If they were looking only for fingerprints, whose could they have hoped to find there?

As of now, there is nothing to suggest that any property belonging to Michelle's mother or sister was included in the search.

"I love you, Mommy."

Additional home movies:

WRAL.com: Michelle Young and daughter Cassidy at MacArthur Airport

WRAL.com: Michelle Young and daughter Cassidy with toy Jeep

WRAL.com: Michelle Young and daughter Cassidy on her Second Birthday

Friction Powered Forum

It may just prove that I'm crazy, but I've decided to give this a go and see how it works out.

http://frictionpowered.hqforums.com/

If nothing else, it'll be a learning experience. Y'all behave now.

ETA: Registration is open but requires Admin approval for account activation. Please be patient, and I'll get to you as soon as I can.

the ladybug story

While it may seem trite to draw comparisons between the murder cases of Michelle Young and Laci Peterson, the similarities that continue to pop up make it impossible not to do so. The obvious parallels between the two young women and their life circumstances, as well as the way in which their mothers have publicly handled their loss, are tangible in comparison to the ethereal nature of the following annecdotes.

Sharon Rocha shares the story of how Stanislaus County prosecutors saw the presence of ladybugs as a sign from Laci that all was well:

"Listen to this, said Laci's friend, brushing some strands of blond hair from her face. She was one of several of Laci's girlfriends visiting her gravesite with me. It was a beautiful day, perfect for reminiscing about Laci, and at some point Stacey remembered what has since become known as "the ladybug story." Since it involved the prosecution, she was surprised I hadn't heard it, and proceeded to tell me.

Dave Harris was the first person to notice something. It was summer, and at the time he was going through Laci's photo albums, searching for images that might have an emotional impact in the courtroom. He realized from things he saw in various pictures that Laci had a fondness for ladybugs. She did, too – sunflowers, dragonflies, and ladybugs. A couple months later, as the prosecution was preparing for the closing statement, Dave began noticing ladybugs showing up on his sleeve, in his car, on the bushes where he walked, all around him. It happened too often to be a coincidence, he thought, but when he told his wife, she looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.

He continued to see them, though. One day he was in court, and things weren't going well. He was feeling a little down. But then he spotted a ladybug fluttering around the defense table. He watched it land on a book in front of Geragos. Dave was transfixed by it. As he later told me, they were in a courtroom with no windows, on the second floor of a building. The nearest door leading outside was on the opposite end of the building. The likelihood of this thing just flying in were slim to none.

He chuckled. Rick and Birgit looked at him the way his wife had, like he was insane. At the break, he told them about the ladybugs. While he thought they were a sign that Laci was watching over them, he kept that to himself and merely said they were good luck. Rick and Birgit dismissed his ladybug theory as nonsense. However, pretty soon they started to notice ladybugs, too, and then they sheepishly mentioned it to Dave. He still didn't tell them his Laci theory, but he reiterated that they had nothing to worry about as long as they were seeing ladybugs.

One day in mid-October, as Rick worked on his closing statement in his hotel room, he saw a ladybug on the outside of his window screen. At first he didn't pay attention to it, but the ladybug seemed to be watching him as he worked. So he stared back, smiling, as he remembered Dave's story. Later, he told Birgit and Dave about his sighting and they were amused.

I have it on good authority that there were no ladybug sightings during jury deliberations, which lasted just under seven full days, and from what I gathered no one was thinking about ladybugs on Friday, November 12, the day the verdict came back. That was understandable. Rick, Dave, and Birgit all had plenty of important things on their minds that morning when they got a phone call summoning them to the courthouse. They thought they were needed to clarify questions from the jurors, something they'd been doing regularly. They didn't expect a verdict.

But then as Birgit finished getting dressed, she went over to her hotel room window and saw her new favorite red-and-black winged insect – on the inside. Actually, the ladybug was between the glass and the screen. It was a strange place to see one and almost impossible to imagine how it got there. Stranger still was the timing. For some reason, Craig Grogan knocked on her door and she showed him. I don't know how, but by this time Craig also knew about the ladybugs, and he took it as a very good sign. Right before leaving, she called Rick and Dave with the news, and afterward, she later told me, all of them knew it was going to be a good day.

[For Laci by Sharon Rocha, pp. 303-304]

In the following account, WRAL's Amanda Lamb relates the sense of comfort that ladybugs provide to Michelle's loved ones while they await justice.

Linda says prayer has helped her cope and something else, something unlikely – ladybugs. That's right, I said ladybugs.

It wasn't like she came right out and told me about it. I noticed the ladybug pin, the ladybug necklace and the ladybug earrings. I commented on them.

That's when she told me about what they had meant to her since her daughter's death.

First of all, Michelle apparently loved ladybugs and was particularly fond of a ladybug mirror her mother has.

But Linda Fisher noticed something strange since her daughter's death – ladybugs seem to be everywhere she is Sometimes, she sees three, four or five at a time, inside, outside, wherever there is talk of Michelle.

Linda's sister – Michelle's aunt – recently took a trip to Italy – one that Michelle had planned to attend prior to her death. They went to a town that Michelle had always wanted to go. All of a sudden, her aunt looked down and saw a ladybug.

She was not a believer, now she is.

The entire family has ladybug stories from the past year, hence Linda's fondness for ladybug jewelry and all things emblazoned with ladybugs.

It is a small sign of life, but something she holds onto dearly in her profound grief and loss. The ladybugs make her grin, and in turn, make her think of her beautiful daughter's bright smile. They are a small comfort when there is no real comfort to be had for a mother who loses a child.

As we finished the interview with Linda Fisher Thursday at her sister's home, she suddenly called out "Ladybug!" I looked over at the window next to her, and low and behold, there it was, a ladybug making its way across the glass.

[Amanda Lamb, "Signs of Life", Dispatches from a Reporter's Notebook, WRAL.com]

As for me, I choose to believe that the ladybugs bode well for resolution in the investigation of Michelle's murder. And I'm grateful to Linda Fisher and Sharon Rocha for sharing their stories, to Amanda Lamb for taking notice, and to WRAL for providing a venue. If you haven't already done so, I urge you to watch Amanda Lamb's exclusive interview with Linda Fisher. Click the image below to access WRAL's video player.

Justice Abides

With the anniversary of Michelle Fisher Young's murder swiftly approaching, the search for justice has taken on a renewed fervor. Despite months of no news and no visible activity in the investigation, various message boards across the Internet are proof-postive that many have never given up hope that Michelle's killer will eventually be prosecuted. In recent days, a group of friends calling themselves the "Magnet Militia" took it upon themselves to remind the public that Michelle Young's killer is still at large and even the smallest effort -- the minutest of clues -- can bring big results. Today, Amanda Lamb, crime reporter for WRAL, brought news of the story to the public. Don't miss Amanda's report via video link at WRAL.com.

The group has already distributed magnets to the residents of the Youngs' Enchanted Oaks neighborhood and intends to make more available throughout Raleigh, across North Carolina, and anywhere else that has the potential to yield results. They've graciously provided this photograph of a magnet applied to the mailbox at 5108 Birchleaf Drive, Michelle's former residence.

[Images courtesy of the Magnet Militia]

Kudos to the Magnet Militia! These friends give credence to the belief that justice abides and is determined to triumph.

Please, if you have any information related to Michelle Young's murder -- no matter how insignificant it might seem -- call the number on the magnet: 919-856-6800. It's the same as the number on the Progress Energy reward poster, which promises confidentiality to all tip providers.

Additional Note:

Michelle Young's mother, Linda Fisher, recently gathered together family and friends in New York for a picnic to celebrate Michelle's memory. Visit Statia Grossman's Michelle Young Memorial blog to view her photographs of the beautiful day they shared in her honor.

Rebuttal

Gojo wrote: OKAY, INDIE, YOU ASKED FOR A FEW: LIES TOLD ABOUT JASON:

1. He killed Michelle

This has not been proven to be a lie. He's the prime suspect.

2. Car accident

I assume you're saying that it's a lie that the accident was intentional. The fact is that Wake County law enforcement officials reviewed the accident. Their determination is yet to be made public.

3. Boat accident

I need more information before I can make a determination about the veracity of this story.

4. Swallowed a ring

If this is a lie, it is Jason's lie. He convinced both Michelle and the owner of the rings that he had swallowed them. The subsequent action taken by them is proof positive that they believed the rings had traveled through Jason's gastrointestinal system.

5. Sabotaged heat pump

I'm not familiar with this rumor. I'm only aware that the unit that heated and cooled the second floor was not working at the time of Michelle's death. I can't see how sabotaging a heat pump could have anything to do with Michelle's death. The broken heat pump is a likely explanation for why Michelle was dressed as she was for sleeping.

6. Sabotaged garage door

As I understand it, the automatic door opener was broken. However, if Jason planned the murder, what could be accomplished by sabotaging the door opener? Nothing that I can see. The broken door opener and heat pump were just things that indicated the possibility of financial problems as probable cause for a search warrant and non-testimonial identification order. On the other hand, this photograph from On the Record suggests that investigators may have had some interest in the condition of the garage door.

7. Locked dog in bathroom

How can you state that this is a lie and in the same comment thread admit that you don't know where Meredith found the dog?

8. He is a narcissist

I'll leave that to the experts. Narcissistic or not, he is a jackass and a lousy husband.

9. He’s not a narcissist

See my response to number 8.

10. He is a spendthrift

Spendthrift is too narrow a term. The fact is that some of Jason's spending habits were a point of contention between Jason and Michelle.

11. He wallowed in the fleshpots of California, Las Vegas

He cheated on his wife.

12. He didn’t want Michelle and Cassie to go on the Calif. trip

I'm not familiar with this one either. As I understood it, Michelle was unable or unwilling to go on the California trip. Jason went without her and Cassidy. It seems strange to me, given the loss of the pregnancy and the impact that would (or should) have had on both Michelle and Jason.

13. He wasted money on the Calif. trip

Apparently, Jason did not consider it wasteful. Did Michelle? Eord11 said that she did.

14. Michelle was upset about money spent for the Calif. trip.

Witnesses A and B told Detective Sternberg that Michelle was upset about the California trip. Was it about the money or something else?

15. He wanted a divorce

I haven't heard or seen anything to suggest that Jason wanted a divorce. I have heard that he told friends that he was miserable in the marriage and never would have married Michelle if she hadn't gotten pregnant. I bet you've heard the same. I do not think Jason would have seen divorce as a satisfactory resolution.

16. She wanted a divorce

That remains to be seen. Hopefully, the therapists notes, and perhaps witness testimony, will shed light on the subject.

17. He bought life insurance a week before he killed her, a month before, etc.

It doesn't matter when the policies were purchased. The fact is that Michelle's death would compensate Jason in the amount of $1,000,000.

Oh, I’m tired of this. I could go on for several more pages.

I could, too.

Now it’s your turn. Tell me the lies told about the Fishers.

You can read them at CourtTV and Refugees Unleashed. I won't be posting them here.

Last Ditch Effort

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since I made the following post in the comment thread of Michelle Young Murder: Rage or Planned?

There are some questions I would like to ask before I publish your comment. I can set up a private blog entry here that is password protected. You and I can discuss this matter on the comment section of that entry. All I need from you is for you to give me a password and agree not to share that password with anyone else. I will set up the private entry with the password you provide, and I will agree to not share the password with anyone else. When we are done with the discussion, I will delete the entry and the discussion if you so choose.

If I've heard no response from you by 5 p.m. tomorrow, I'll accept your silence as a rejection of my offer and publish your comment per your previous instruction. I hope that one way or another you'll participate in the discussion the subject of your comment is sure to touch off.

Update: September 28, 2007

Your comments have been published.