Frank F. Weber's Blog, page 15
January 22, 2019
Book Summary, Say Goodbye Morna Jean
I can write a 90,000 word novel without issues, but I struggle writing the back of book summary. So I’m going to show you what I’ve written for Last Call, the 3rd book in the Jon Frederick investigator series (following Murder Book, and The I-94 Murders), and ask for your feedback. 
Last Call back of book summary:
Audrey Evans, 19, disappears in the dead of an arctic winter night, after leaving a convenience store in Brainerd, Minnesota. Investigator Jon Fredrick is not about to let Audrey end up one of the 40,000 missing women in the U.S. In Jon’s personal life, a deceptive past lover jars his intense relationship with Serena and sets in motion a pending tragedy. The already explosive situation is amped up further after Jon’s name is used to solicit a woman -- and one “last call” detonates it all. Referencing actual Minnesota crime cases, this spine-tingling thriller tests an investigator’s tender compassion and the gritty resilience of a soft spoken young woman.
God Bless Morna Jean!
I’m dedicating this week’s blog to a wonderful young single woman, Morna Jean Brennan, whose life was cut short at 22, after a night out with friends in Maplewood, Minnesota.
Morna Jean Brennen of Minneapolis, was tragically killed at the age of 22 on a cold night (November 24, 1986), in Stillwater, Minnesota. Born on Monday, August, 24, 1964 and was described as happy go lucky, funny and insightful. Morna was survived and cherished by her parents and sister. Morna had just been hired to perform design engineering and went out with friends at a Maplewood bar to celebrate. Morna and her friend Candace left the bar at midnight. As they’re walking out to the car, someone called Candace’s name, so she went back to talk. When Candace returned to the parking lot, Morna was gone. Candace waited for 45 minutes, and then left, assuming Morna caught a ride with a friend. The next morning, Morna’s purse was found in a field near the bar. Police officers searched the park and found a garbage bag of bloody curtains, a clipped bird feather, leaves from a “wandering Jew” plant and Morna’s white belt.
Investigators questioned bar patrons and came up with 3 suspects. Morna had been approached by a man the patrons referred to as “karate guy.” He had been warned by the pub owner to stop harassing a woman, and then threatened the bartender that he knew karate and could “kick his head through a window.” When interviewed, “karate guy” stated he didn’t even know the young women’s names, but then used Candace and Morna’s names later in the interview. Another suspect became immediately agitated and angry when interviewed. A third suspect, Ricky Kiger, was described as odd. He would walk about the bar picking up glasses as if he worked there, as a way to start talking to women. When they asked bar patrons, someone stated Kiger attempted to rub Morna’s back and she shrugged him off.
Days later, a man walking through a field finds a garbage bag with Morna Jean’s dismembered body. Then another garbage bag was found containing her torso. People stopped going out in the area knowing a savage killer was on the loose.
When investigators ran background checks on the suspects, they find Ricky Kiger had a prior sexual assault conviction resulting from an attack of a Rochester State Hospital mental patient on the grounds of the state hospital. Kiger had choked a 25-year-old woman unconscious, raped her and cut her throat.
Only a few days before Morna disappeared, Kiger’s ex-wife had filed a restraining order against him. Further, his current lover stated she received a call at 2:00 in the morning on the night Morna was killed, saying “I love you. I love you. I hate you.” She revealed Kiger’s blue drapes were missing in his apartment, he owned exotic birds and had a “wandering Jew” plant. Kiger’s partner showed the investigators a new pendent Rickie had given her, which the investigators knew matched the pendent Morna was wearing the night she disappeared.
Investigators pieced together the incident: In the bar, Morna had been approached by 28-year-old divorcee Rickie L. Kiger. Kiger sent Morna a drink. He asked her to dance and rubbed her shoulders. Morna discouraged his advances telling him she was not interested and to leave her alone.
Rickie Kiger was waiting in the parking lot in his vehicle when Morna left the bar. He convinced Morna to wait in his car with him for her friend since it was so cold outside. Once inside, Kiger smashed her head against the door panel knocking her out, and drove her to his home. He assaulted her, cut her throat and then dismembered her body.
After disposing of her dismembered body in trash bags in a lake near Stillwater, Kiger was eventually convicted of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater, Minnesota. Rickie Kiger was found dead in his prison cell on April 27, 2014 at the age of 56.
What can we learn from this?
1. Not all bad news is unnecessary. First of all, the 80’s were a weird time. People believed they were safer, even though the data shows they were far more likely to be murdered than they are today (today’s murder rates are ½ of what they were in 1980).
2. What happened wasn’t Morna’s fault—but dress for the weather. Morna hadn’t worn a coat to the bar. Would she have gotten in that car to warm up, if she had a coat?
3. Leave with friends. Again, no one is to blame but that self-centered prick Kiger. But we are better informed in 2019, and we know we live in a dangerous world.
Don’t lose heart. We are making the world better, but progress is never a straight line. Our investigative tools are so much better today. The investigation in 1986 didn’t use DNA testing, didn’t have camera footage like we have today, and didn’t have cell phones to check suspect locations at various times. Today, they could even DNA test the wandering Jew plant and prove the plant DNA found on the bloody curtains was from the plant in the Kiger’s apartment.
Thanks for listening,
Frank Queen was an incredibly talented band. Freddie Mercury had a great voice and guitarist Brian May holds a doctorate in astrophysics.
Last Call back of book summary: Audrey Evans, 19, disappears in the dead of an arctic winter night, after leaving a convenience store in Brainerd, Minnesota. Investigator Jon Fredrick is not about to let Audrey end up one of the 40,000 missing women in the U.S. In Jon’s personal life, a deceptive past lover jars his intense relationship with Serena and sets in motion a pending tragedy. The already explosive situation is amped up further after Jon’s name is used to solicit a woman -- and one “last call” detonates it all. Referencing actual Minnesota crime cases, this spine-tingling thriller tests an investigator’s tender compassion and the gritty resilience of a soft spoken young woman.
God Bless Morna Jean!
I’m dedicating this week’s blog to a wonderful young single woman, Morna Jean Brennan, whose life was cut short at 22, after a night out with friends in Maplewood, Minnesota.
Morna Jean Brennen of Minneapolis, was tragically killed at the age of 22 on a cold night (November 24, 1986), in Stillwater, Minnesota. Born on Monday, August, 24, 1964 and was described as happy go lucky, funny and insightful. Morna was survived and cherished by her parents and sister. Morna had just been hired to perform design engineering and went out with friends at a Maplewood bar to celebrate. Morna and her friend Candace left the bar at midnight. As they’re walking out to the car, someone called Candace’s name, so she went back to talk. When Candace returned to the parking lot, Morna was gone. Candace waited for 45 minutes, and then left, assuming Morna caught a ride with a friend. The next morning, Morna’s purse was found in a field near the bar. Police officers searched the park and found a garbage bag of bloody curtains, a clipped bird feather, leaves from a “wandering Jew” plant and Morna’s white belt.Investigators questioned bar patrons and came up with 3 suspects. Morna had been approached by a man the patrons referred to as “karate guy.” He had been warned by the pub owner to stop harassing a woman, and then threatened the bartender that he knew karate and could “kick his head through a window.” When interviewed, “karate guy” stated he didn’t even know the young women’s names, but then used Candace and Morna’s names later in the interview. Another suspect became immediately agitated and angry when interviewed. A third suspect, Ricky Kiger, was described as odd. He would walk about the bar picking up glasses as if he worked there, as a way to start talking to women. When they asked bar patrons, someone stated Kiger attempted to rub Morna’s back and she shrugged him off.
Days later, a man walking through a field finds a garbage bag with Morna Jean’s dismembered body. Then another garbage bag was found containing her torso. People stopped going out in the area knowing a savage killer was on the loose.
When investigators ran background checks on the suspects, they find Ricky Kiger had a prior sexual assault conviction resulting from an attack of a Rochester State Hospital mental patient on the grounds of the state hospital. Kiger had choked a 25-year-old woman unconscious, raped her and cut her throat.
Only a few days before Morna disappeared, Kiger’s ex-wife had filed a restraining order against him. Further, his current lover stated she received a call at 2:00 in the morning on the night Morna was killed, saying “I love you. I love you. I hate you.” She revealed Kiger’s blue drapes were missing in his apartment, he owned exotic birds and had a “wandering Jew” plant. Kiger’s partner showed the investigators a new pendent Rickie had given her, which the investigators knew matched the pendent Morna was wearing the night she disappeared.
Investigators pieced together the incident: In the bar, Morna had been approached by 28-year-old divorcee Rickie L. Kiger. Kiger sent Morna a drink. He asked her to dance and rubbed her shoulders. Morna discouraged his advances telling him she was not interested and to leave her alone.
Rickie Kiger was waiting in the parking lot in his vehicle when Morna left the bar. He convinced Morna to wait in his car with him for her friend since it was so cold outside. Once inside, Kiger smashed her head against the door panel knocking her out, and drove her to his home. He assaulted her, cut her throat and then dismembered her body.
After disposing of her dismembered body in trash bags in a lake near Stillwater, Kiger was eventually convicted of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater, Minnesota. Rickie Kiger was found dead in his prison cell on April 27, 2014 at the age of 56.
What can we learn from this?
1. Not all bad news is unnecessary. First of all, the 80’s were a weird time. People believed they were safer, even though the data shows they were far more likely to be murdered than they are today (today’s murder rates are ½ of what they were in 1980).
2. What happened wasn’t Morna’s fault—but dress for the weather. Morna hadn’t worn a coat to the bar. Would she have gotten in that car to warm up, if she had a coat?
3. Leave with friends. Again, no one is to blame but that self-centered prick Kiger. But we are better informed in 2019, and we know we live in a dangerous world.
Don’t lose heart. We are making the world better, but progress is never a straight line. Our investigative tools are so much better today. The investigation in 1986 didn’t use DNA testing, didn’t have camera footage like we have today, and didn’t have cell phones to check suspect locations at various times. Today, they could even DNA test the wandering Jew plant and prove the plant DNA found on the bloody curtains was from the plant in the Kiger’s apartment.
Thanks for listening,
Frank Queen was an incredibly talented band. Freddie Mercury had a great voice and guitarist Brian May holds a doctorate in astrophysics.
January 16, 2019
What we can learn from the Jayme Closs case.
Frank speaking to a full house at the Rockford library on The I-94 Murders. 
Frank answering forensic questions to a great large group at the Paynesville library. 
Jake Patterson had gone to the Closs home twice before following through with murder and abduction. The third time, at 1:00 a.m., Jayme noticed the car in the driveway and told her father. Her father, James Patterson, confronted him. Jake blasted him with a shotgun. Jayme's mom Denise took Jayme and hid with her in the shower. Denise had grabbed her phone and dialed “911." Patterson found them and ordered Denise to duct tape Jayme, but when she fumbled with the tape, he did it himself. Patterson then shot Denise and dragged Jayme to his trunk.Missed opportunity: As Jake Patterson was leaving the Closs home, with Jayme bound and gagged in the trunk, he met 3 squad cars with the lights on. Patterson pulled over and watched them drive on. The officers noted the car was an old red Taurus. It was the only car the officers met on their way to the Closs home. Jake Patterson was still driving the same red Taurus when he was arrested 88 days later.
While officers were doing their best to get to the crime scene, maybe protocol needs to be changed so some officers search cars leaving the area. It’s important that we get the names of people leaving a crime scene. Serial killer Ted Bundy acknowledged (after he was finally caught) that he was once pulled over leaving a murder scene, but they didn’t take his name.
For me it’s not about criticizing what happened. It’s about handling the next situation better. 1500 children are abducted every year in the U.S., with most being girls between the ages of 12-17. We need to get better at rescuing these girls.
Jake Patterson stated he only knew Jayme by watching her get off a school bus when he was driving to work (where he worked 2 days). I believe he may have first seen her this way. From completing thousands of interviews with sex offenders, I don’t believe it was just that simple. It could be—but I doubt it. When an offender’s caught they give you some truth, and as the interviews progress over the course of time you get more and more information. At the present time, Patterson is likely trying to minimize the information he reveals regarding premeditation, knowing it effects how he is charged, so the total story is likely yet to come.
Complaint: Why the hell is Jake Patterson granted bail? They set the bail at $5 million, assuming he will never come up with this. The truth is you only have to pay 10% of the bail to be released. So if some crazy person puts up ½ a million, he could be released. I realize it’s not going to happen, but it seems that a man who will kill 2 strangers so he can kidnap and rape their 13-year-old daughter shouldn’t be granted bail, no matter how much we set it at. This is a sticking point for me as I’ve seen it go bad.
Below is a gravestone in Grey Eagle, Minnesota.
In 1996, Robert Juetten was incarcerated in Little Falls, Minnesota, after brutally assaulting his wife, 19-year-old Tabitha Lila Opsal-Juetten. Bail was set high, thinking he wouldn’t be able to come up with the money. A family member remortgaged their house and came up with the bail money. On May 20, 1996, Robert Juetten found his wife Tabitha Lila Opsal-Juetten and held her hostage, along with Robert Eugene Selbitschka and a 16-month-old child. Selbitschka and the child were released, although Selbitschka had been stabbed by Robert Juetten in the leg. Jeutten repeatedly raped Tabitha and stabbed her before officers forcibly entered to remove her, and arrest Juetten. Tabitha died at the hospital. Juetten was charged with one count of second degree murder, one count of second degree murder of an unborn child, one count of second degree attempted murder, one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of first degree assault. He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Tabitha and her unborn child. I think if we believe someone’s a risk, we should simply say “no bail.” 
Jayme Closs smiles with the family pets at her aunt's home Saturday, two days after escaping from a cabin in Gordon in Douglas County. Authorities say Jayme was kidnapped 88 days ago when her parents were murdered in her Barron home. (Photo: Jennifer Smith) Refocus: Jayme Closs is alive and that’s a plus! When people comment, “They may be better off dead,” it’s not true. Believe me, I’ve counseled people who have been through horrible trauma and they are damn glad to be alive. Kudos to the people who helped her, and the officers who made a quick arrest of Jake Patterson after. It’s easy to criticize after the fact. I am sharing as I want us to keep learning and handle these situations better in the future.I had the opportunity address numerous forensic questions at both Rockford and Paynesville Public libraries in the last few days. Great questions and amazing people! Thank you! I enjoy discussing how we can perform forensic work better, and I am blessed over the excitement and popularity of my latest mystery, The I-94 Murders .
Thanks for listening,
Frank
January 12, 2019
Jayme Closs Escapes
A Wisconsin man, 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson, was arrested for the kidnapping of 13-year-old Jayme Closs and the murder of her parents. The missing teenager was discovered alive Thursday, January 10, 2019, after she escaped her captor and walked out of the woods. At 4:40 p.m., Jayme found Jeanne Nutter walking her dog. The woman noticed Jayme was disoriented and said Jayme had no idea where she was. Jayme’s hair was matted and her clothes were dirty. Jayme was wearing an over-sized sweater, but wasn’t wearing a coat. She was wearing over-sized slippers on her feet.Jayme had been held hostage for 88 days, and may not have showered during that time. Jayme gave a description of the killer and his vehicle. Authorities pulled his vehicle over 10 minutes later and Jake Patterson was arrested without incident. Patterson was apparently driving around looking for Jayme. Patterson had held her near his family’s remote home outside of Gordon, Wisconsin. The murder weapon was found in the Gordon home. Patterson has no criminal history.
Jake Patterson came to the Closs’ home to kidnap the 13 year old at 1:00 a.m. on October 15, 2018. Patterson blasted into the home with a shot gun and used the shot gun to kill both of Jayme’s parents and to take Jayme hostage. Around 1:00 a.m. on October 15, 2018, Barron County dispatcher received a 911 call from Denise Closs’ cellphone, which they were able to trace to the family’s home. The caller wasn’t able to relay information to the dispatcher, who heard “a lot of yelling.” When deputies arrived minutes later, they found Denise and her husband, James, fatally shot inside, but Jayme was nowhere to be found.Jayme indicated she did not know Patterson before he took her hostage. Patterson had worked at Jennie-O’s in Barron, Wisconsin for 1 day, and quit the second day. Denise and James Closs (Jayme’s parents) had worked at Jennie-O’s in Barron for over 27 years. Patterson took Jayme to his father’s home in Gordon, Wisconsin, 70 miles directly north of Barren. Patterson had been raised in the home. His parents still owned this home in a heavily wooded area and Patterson periodically stayed there.
I’m not blaming anyone other than Jake Patterson for the abduction, but I do feel we need to get better at recovering victims. Honestly, if Jayme wouldn’t have escaped, she wouldn’t have been found alive, and that is often the case. Shortly after the kidnapping, back on October 25, 2018, police reported that people should be on the lookout for a red Dodge Charger. Patterson was arrested in a red vehicle, but they didn’t offer the vehicle model. My third book, Last Call, (is at the publisher, but might not be released until September 2019) is a case involving a similar type of abduction. The investigator, Jon Frederick, uses driver’s license data to eliminate suspects. Even when you lack information to identify the killer, you can still rule people out. This is rural America and making the list smaller can result in workable numbers.
Every year, 1500 children are kidnapped in the U.S. Girls ages 12 to 17 are the ones most commonly abducted. I don’t know that Patterson came to know Jayme online, but a warning I give when I speak to young people is that the FBI estimates there are 15,000 sex offenders online at any given time. Courts have recently ruled that we do not have the right to routinely take away internet access from sex offenders. Attorneys argue it’s a violation of their rights. I think we also need to consider the rights of the community to be safe.
God Bless you Jayme! I admire the gritty resilience you had to exhibit to survive this!
Thanks for listening,
Frank January speaking engagements:
January 14, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Paynesville library at 7:00 p.m. The Paynesville library is located at 119 Washburn Avenue in Paynesville, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 19, 2019 Frank will be presenting on the creation of his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Pierz Library at 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. He will be signing books from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for all who wish to attend. The Pierz Public Library is located at 117 Main Street S., Pierz, MN.January 20, 2019 Frank will be signing books at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud from 11:00 to 2:30 and will answer questions related to forensic psychology for those interested in the field. Barnes and Noble is located at 3940 West Division Street in St. Cloud, Minnesota.January 25, 2019, Friday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Belgrade library at 6:30 p.m. The Belgrade library is located at 324 Washburn Avenue, Belgrade, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 26, 2019 Frank will be speaking on a Writing True Crime panel from Sisters in Crime at the Delano Public Library at 10:30 a.m. Located at: 160 Railroad Ave. E. Delano, MN 55328January 28, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Waite Park library at 6:00 p.m. The Waite Park library is located at 253 5th Avenue North, Waite Park, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 29, 2019, Tuesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Albany library at 6:00 p.m. The Albany library is located at 400 Railroad Avenue, Albany, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 30, 2019, Wednesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the St. Michael library at 6:30 p.m. The St. Michael library is located at 11800 Town Center Drive, St. Michael, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.
Frank and Preston at Wicked Wort Brewing Company. (not a misspelling --Wort is the ground malt and grains that yeast is added to for brewing beer). 
Preston and Olivia at The Pig Ate My Pizza 
January 8, 2019
A wonderful young girl, Jazmine Barnes, lost in a race to pin the crime on hate.
I was in Houston, Texas last weekend. Jazmine Barnes, a 7-year-old girl, had been shot in the parking lot of Wal Mart, where she was in a vehicle with her mother and three sisters. Jazmine died instantly. Jazmine's mother, LaPorsha Washington, who was driving the car, was shot in the arm but survived. Another child suffered injuries from shattered glass. The two other children were uninjured. LaPorsha Washington thought the shooter was white and racially motivated, which immediately made the story national news. Her attorney, Lee Merritt, suggested the shooter may have killed other African Americans. Hundreds of people gathered at a rally Saturday afternoon for the girl near where the shooting happened. People held up balloons and stuffed animals, as well as signs that said “Justice for Jazmine.” Texas representative, Sheila Jackson, referred to the shooting as a “hate crime." No apologies have been offered.
This is the drawing of the shooter released by the police:
The artist who made the drawing was even featured on the Houston news for her great work assisting with this case (before the case was solved on Sunday). Below is what the killer actually looked like: 
Eric Black Jr., 20, is charged with capital murder in the death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. Eric was the driver and Larry Woodruffe, 24, (pictured below) was the shooter. 
During a court hearing early Sunday, prosecutors said Black admitted to investigators that he was driving a vehicle in which a passenger opened fire on the car Jazmine was in. The vehicle he said he was driving was a dark-colored Kia SUV. They said a confidential source told the Harris County Sheriff’s Office the suspects had “shot the car by mistake.” The white man had apparently fled the scene, after hearing gun shots, out of fear of being shot too.
A hero emerges:
DeAndre Hopkins donated his playoff game check of $23,000 to Jazmine’s family.The missed lesson: We have a serious problem of innocent people killed in inner-city shootings that needs to be addressed. Why is the frustration, and desire for change, lessoned, when we find out it wasn’t racially motivated? A 7 year-old-girl is dead for no reason. Eric Black’s statement that it was a mistake doesn’t make Jazmine any less dead.
In 2017, an equal number of African Americans and European Americans were murdered in Minnesota—even though there are at 10x as many European Americans in Minnesota. Most African Americans are killed by other African Americans. The vast majority of African Americans are not criminal, but many live in parts of cities that are dangerous and need change. Let’s address it.
I don’t identify with a political party. I’m disappointed with both major parties. I want to see change, and I’ll support candidates from either party who will genuinely pursue it. And I believe that when people make false allegations, whether it’s Donald Trump or Lee Merritt, they ought to apologize. I understand people say things they regret in emotional times. But if you really want to solve hate, don’t pretend it’s okay. Let’s make America kinder…
Thanks for listening,
Frank
My next book, Last Call , has gone to the publisher, North Star Press. The I-94 Murders tour begins this week. January 12, 2019, Saturday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Rockford library at 11:00 a.m. The Rockford library is located on 8220 Cedar Street, Rockford, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 14, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Paynesville library at 7:00 p.m. The Paynesville library is located at 119 Washburn Avenue in Paynesville, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 19, 2019 Frank will be presenting on the creation of his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Pierz Library at 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. He will be signing books from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for all who wish to attend. The Pierz Public Library is located at 117 Main Street S., Pierz, MN.January 20, 2019 Frank will be signing books at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud from 11:00 to 2:30 and will answer questions related to forensic psychology for those interested in the field. Barnes and Noble is located at 3940 West Division Street in St. Cloud, Minnesota.January 25, 2019, Friday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Belgrade library at 6:30 p.m. The Belgrade library is located at 324 Washburn Avenue, Belgrade, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 26, 2019 Frank will be speaking on a Writing True Crime panel from Sisters in Crime at the Delano Public Library. Located at: 160 Railroad Ave. E. Delano, MN 55328January 28, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Waite Park library at 6:00 p.m. The Waite Park library is located at 253 5th Avenue North, Waite Park, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 29, 2019, Tuesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Albany library at 6:00 p.m. The Albany library is located at 400 Railroad Avenue, Albany, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 30, 2019, Wednesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the St. Michael library at 6:30 p.m. The St. Michael library is located at 11800 Town Center Drive, St. Michael, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books. Sometimes you here a song that’s so absurd, you have to love it.
January 2, 2019
4 years later, the Tommy Bearson murder in Fargo remains unsolved.
Frank begins his extensive speaking tour on The I-94 Murders, just as he sends the next Jon Frederick case, Last Call, to his publisher, North Star Press
January 12, 2019, Saturday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Rockford library at 11:00 a.m. The Rockford library is located on 8220 Cedar Street, Rockford, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 14, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Paynesville library at 7:00 p.m. The Paynesville library is located at 119 Washburn Avenue in Paynesville, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 19, 2019 Frank will be presenting on the creation of his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Pierz Library at 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. He will be signing books from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for all who wish to attend. The Pierz Public Library is located at 117 Main Street S., Pierz, MN.January 20, 2019 Frank will be signing books at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud from 11:00 to 2:30 and will answer questions related to forensic psychology for those interested in the field. Barnes and Noble is located at 3940 West Division Street in St. Cloud, Minnesota.January 25, 2019, Friday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Belgrade library at 6:30 p.m. The Belgrade library is located at 324 Washburn Avenue, Belgrade, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 26, 2019 Frank will be speaking on a Writing True Crime panel from Sisters in Crime at the Delano Public Library. Located at: 160 Railroad Ave. E. Delano, MN 55328January 28, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Waite Park library at 6:00 p.m. The Waite Park library is located at 253 5th Avenue North, Waite Park, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 29, 2019, Tuesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Albany library at 6:00 p.m. The Albany library is located at 400 Railroad Avenue, Albany, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 30, 2019, Wednesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the St. Michael library at 6:30 p.m. The St. Michael library is located at 11800 Town Center Drive, St. Michael, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books. 
Tommy Bearson was four weeks into nursing school at NDSU when he went missing on September 20, 2014. Three days later, his body was found in an RV sales lot in north Moorhead. (Courtesy photo via Forum News Service Friday, September 19, 2014. Tommy Bearson left Reed Hall at 10:00 p.m. to attend a house party in Fargo. Tommy was a freshman at the University of North Dakota in Fargo for 4 weeks at the time of his murder. “It’s every parent’s nightmare when their kids go off to college." This happened the fall of his freshman year. 
Saturday September 20, 2014. Sartell native, Tommy Bearson, popular and talented basketball point guard in Sartell, Minnesota was murdered. Investigators do not use the word “murder” even though the autopsy ruled his death a homicide. In addition, the cause of death has not been released. Tommy Bearson’s silver I-Phone 5 and white Nike Air Jordan left shoe were never found. As Mike Knaak, St. Cloud Times reporter stated, “4 years later, it feels like we’re in the same spot we were days after the crime.”
Tommy’s friend Jake Wenzel, posted a tweet on Tommy’s phone to their friend Cody Mead at 1:30 am, “Dude it’s Jake come and pick us up. We are so lost and we are going to die. Just get somebody.” The police indicate that this tweet had nothing to do with Tommy’s death, and they may be right. Hours after the tweet was sent, Tommy caught a ride back to the party, and left again at 3:40 a.m. and was never seen alive again.
It’s been four years since Tommy Bearson was mysteriously killed, and investigators have yet to name a single suspect or motive behind the 18-year-old university freshman’s death.
Authorities monitor Larry’s RV Sales & Services in Moorhead, Minn., where the body of Thomas Bearson, a North Dakota State University student from Sartell, Minn., was found on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014. (Carrie Snyder / The Forum) Tommy’s body was found 3 days later at an RV lot in Moorhead, Minnesota. The RV lot is behind a Sam’s Club and not too far from the Budweiser plant. There has been no information indicating how Tommy’s body ended up miles away from the party. The RV lot has since been sold. The house where the party occurred has been demolished.
There was no altercation that anyone witnessed.
I love the title of this song. You know you’re having a bad day if you feel like a clay pigeon—shot at just for practice. It’s a good New Year’s song, as it’s about reflecting and making changes.
Got to love these lyrics…
I'd like to stay, but I might have to go, to start over again
Might go back down to Texas, might go to somewhere that I've never been…
Tryin' to hide my sorrow from the people I meet and get along with it all
Go down where the people say "y'all"
Sing a song with a friend, Change the shape that I'm in
And get back in the game and start playin' again…
Thanks for listening,
Frank
January 12, 2019, Saturday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Rockford library at 11:00 a.m. The Rockford library is located on 8220 Cedar Street, Rockford, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 14, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Paynesville library at 7:00 p.m. The Paynesville library is located at 119 Washburn Avenue in Paynesville, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 19, 2019 Frank will be presenting on the creation of his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Pierz Library at 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. He will be signing books from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for all who wish to attend. The Pierz Public Library is located at 117 Main Street S., Pierz, MN.January 20, 2019 Frank will be signing books at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud from 11:00 to 2:30 and will answer questions related to forensic psychology for those interested in the field. Barnes and Noble is located at 3940 West Division Street in St. Cloud, Minnesota.January 25, 2019, Friday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Belgrade library at 6:30 p.m. The Belgrade library is located at 324 Washburn Avenue, Belgrade, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 26, 2019 Frank will be speaking on a Writing True Crime panel from Sisters in Crime at the Delano Public Library. Located at: 160 Railroad Ave. E. Delano, MN 55328January 28, 2019, Monday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Waite Park library at 6:00 p.m. The Waite Park library is located at 253 5th Avenue North, Waite Park, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 29, 2019, Tuesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Albany library at 6:00 p.m. The Albany library is located at 400 Railroad Avenue, Albany, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books.January 30, 2019, Wednesday, Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the St. Michael library at 6:30 p.m. The St. Michael library is located at 11800 Town Center Drive, St. Michael, Minnesota. Frank will be at the library before and after the presentation to sign and sell books. Tommy Bearson was four weeks into nursing school at NDSU when he went missing on September 20, 2014. Three days later, his body was found in an RV sales lot in north Moorhead. (Courtesy photo via Forum News Service Friday, September 19, 2014. Tommy Bearson left Reed Hall at 10:00 p.m. to attend a house party in Fargo. Tommy was a freshman at the University of North Dakota in Fargo for 4 weeks at the time of his murder. “It’s every parent’s nightmare when their kids go off to college." This happened the fall of his freshman year. Saturday September 20, 2014. Sartell native, Tommy Bearson, popular and talented basketball point guard in Sartell, Minnesota was murdered. Investigators do not use the word “murder” even though the autopsy ruled his death a homicide. In addition, the cause of death has not been released. Tommy Bearson’s silver I-Phone 5 and white Nike Air Jordan left shoe were never found. As Mike Knaak, St. Cloud Times reporter stated, “4 years later, it feels like we’re in the same spot we were days after the crime.” Tommy’s friend Jake Wenzel, posted a tweet on Tommy’s phone to their friend Cody Mead at 1:30 am, “Dude it’s Jake come and pick us up. We are so lost and we are going to die. Just get somebody.” The police indicate that this tweet had nothing to do with Tommy’s death, and they may be right. Hours after the tweet was sent, Tommy caught a ride back to the party, and left again at 3:40 a.m. and was never seen alive again.
It’s been four years since Tommy Bearson was mysteriously killed, and investigators have yet to name a single suspect or motive behind the 18-year-old university freshman’s death.
Authorities monitor Larry’s RV Sales & Services in Moorhead, Minn., where the body of Thomas Bearson, a North Dakota State University student from Sartell, Minn., was found on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014. (Carrie Snyder / The Forum) Tommy’s body was found 3 days later at an RV lot in Moorhead, Minnesota. The RV lot is behind a Sam’s Club and not too far from the Budweiser plant. There has been no information indicating how Tommy’s body ended up miles away from the party. The RV lot has since been sold. The house where the party occurred has been demolished. There was no altercation that anyone witnessed.
I love the title of this song. You know you’re having a bad day if you feel like a clay pigeon—shot at just for practice. It’s a good New Year’s song, as it’s about reflecting and making changes.
Got to love these lyrics…
I'd like to stay, but I might have to go, to start over again
Might go back down to Texas, might go to somewhere that I've never been…
Tryin' to hide my sorrow from the people I meet and get along with it all
Go down where the people say "y'all"
Sing a song with a friend, Change the shape that I'm in
And get back in the game and start playin' again…
Thanks for listening,
Frank
December 19, 2018
Christmas 2018
Frank will be discussing The I-94 Murders at The Beirstube in Hastings on Thursday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. When Frank presented on Murder Book at the Bierstube last year the room was packed, so arrive early and grab a bite to eat or enjoy a cold beverage. It’s a relaxing and enjoyable place to have a conversation about a mystery! The Bierstube is located at 109 11th Street West, Hastings, MN
I realize there is an excessively long playing of the Pink Panther theme at the beginning, but if you hang in there you’ll hear Frank during a recent radio interview. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! There are so many people who do kind things for people in every community! Never lose sight of this…I will share a couple songs, as they are Christmas songs you don’t hear much of. There are so many wonderful Christmas songs. I once listened to a recording of American soldiers in Vietnam singing Silent Night on Christmas Eve, and it was one of the most heartfelt and powerful versions I’ve ever heard. My family won’t be together on one day for Christmas, since we’re spread out and children too small, or too temporarily sick to travel, are involved. But we will enjoy a Christmas with each of the families. It’s not essential to celebrate on December 25th, as we don’t even know that Jesus was born on that day. We needed to celebrate Jesus’ birth, and December 25th was selected as an overall guide.
I love that at Christmas people treat others with the love and respect we always should. There’s a softness in conversations, and a moment we forget about all the outside stressors, and enjoy the people close to us. Try to be kind and loving, in that moment…
Weird Weber tradition: I am including my family Christmas letter with the story behind it. Being the varmint of a kid I’ve been, about a decade ago, I took my parents' family Christmas letter and made some comments on it and shared it with siblings. The letter was then apparently copied and shared with friends of the family, at which point, I had to go back to my parents and apologize. My parents then received multiple requests for the vandalized version after, so for the last decade, mom writes the letter, I make the comments in red, and it’s sent out. This year may not be my best, but it’s been busy. Regardless, Merry Christmas!
Frank Merry Christmas to my dear family and friends!
As the end of 2018 arrives, I look back at many accomplishments. For one thing, five great grandchildren have been added to our family. Frank and Brenda’s daughter, Nicolette, and husband Branden has a second daughter, Andrea, on May 14. Their son, Shane and Rachael, had a daughter, Avery, August 15. George and Margie’s son, Michael and Kristin had a son, Landon, on November 29. Hank and Tara’s son, Jordan and Kaylee gave their daughter, Blake a little brother, Finley, April 16. Ivan and Karen’s daughter, Marie and Aaron Schutte’s little Leo had a little brother, Maddox, June 20. Add John and Amy’s son Joe and Michelle’s six children, Liz’s Ian and Jessica’s two, and Charlie and Renee’s Emily and Kwamaine’s son, I now have 17 great grandchildren. When the kids start to get unruly I use the playpen. When they calm down, I come back out. Ian and Jess expect to have another son in January. Who thought I would ever live to experience all this? And another thing to think about—If you second guessed getting a hotel room at the Grand Casino, you would be having reservations, about a reservation on a reservation. I just thank God they are all healthy.
As we age my family is declining in number. My sisters, Irma age 95, died in January and Anna, 91 died in October. The loss of our last sister-in-law, Florence, leaves only Regina and me in the family. Another wonderful person to the pearly gates. Is it weird heaven has gates? It makes you wonder about the neighborhood.
Our deer hunters again had a good season. With the grandchildren wanting to join them their shack got a little crowded, so John and Amy brought their camper up to give them more comfort. I like it when people say “Camping’s a tradition in my family. Camping was a tradition in everyone’s family before houses were invented. If camping is so great, why are the bugs always trying to get into your house? I understand Michael shot a nice buck on his own land. Next time we’ll try to get it on Michael’s land.
Our (deeply disturbed) son, Frank, has written his third novel now in addition to his other jobs. I went to a book store and asked them where the self-help section is. They said, “If we tell you, it will defeat the purpose.” He teaches a couple college-level classes at the high school, and he and Brenda have three psychological services locations. He moves around a lot. Mostly going to the fridge.
I’m still living in my house for now. Time will tell how long I’ll be here. Unless you can think of another way to measure it. I get a lot of help keeping things up. Which reminds me. My belt holds my pants up, but my pants have loops which holds the belt up. So who is the real hero? I enjoy getting updates from all of you and your families at this time. Our family will have Christmas here on December 22.
May God bless and keep you all for another year! Or as they said in medieval times, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good knight.” (Or “Good Dame”)
With love from Rosetta
With questionable humor from Frank
Nothing But a Child was written by Steve Earle.
Andrea 
Kaycee and Andrea 
Andrea and Kaycee 
Avery 
Shane 
Nicolette with her grandma, Jan 
Nicolette and Shane 
Nicolette 
Shane 
Shane 
Shane 
Preston and Shane 
Preston with his grandpa, Rod 
Preston and Nicolette 
Shane and Preston 
December 10, 2018
The Significance of Admissible Evidence
Frank will be discussing The I-94 Murders at The Beirstube in Hastings on Thursday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. When Frank presented on Murder Book at the Bierstube last year the room was packed, so arrive early and grab a bite to eat or enjoy a cold beverage. It’s a relaxing and enjoyable place to have a conversation about a mystery! The Bierstube is located at 109 11th Street West, Hastings, MN. 
This week, the Fargo Forum recommended The I-94 Murders as a good book for a Christmas gift this holiday season!
See article
I am finishing the third book, Last Call, in what I considered to be a possible trilogy. (Murder Book, The I-94 Murders and Last Call) I am in the final rewrite. I will leave it to the readers to decide if I should continue the series. One of the critical issues in the book is “admissible evidence.” I will give you an example of how this can be a major issue in gaining a conviction.I want to say thank you for the great support I’ve received from family members of the victims in cases I describe in my blogs. I have been contacted numerous times and thanked for talking about their deceased loved ones as people rather than just statistics.
6:00 p.m., November 29, 1987, was chilly and rainy in Delaware. Shirley Anne Ellis was carrying a Thanksgiving platter for an AIDS patient undergoing treatment at Wilmington Hospital. Shortly before 6:00 p.m., she left the warmth of her family's home in Newark and began hitchhiking the 14-mile trek.
Shirley Ellis had a tough start and at age 23, she was already a former sex worker who had come to know Route 40 well. She had tried to leave her life of a streetwalker, even purchasing books for nursing school. As she walked along the corridor on route 40, just south of Wilmington, a car pulled up and offered her a ride.
Two teenagers looking for a remote place to park, found Shirley’s body around 9:25 p.m. that evening. Her breasts were exposed, her legs spread apart. The autopsy told a macabre story of how work tools were used to torture and mutilate her. Ellis had been bound at the feet and the ankles. Duct tape, which had been used to silence her, was still attached to strands of her hair. The killer then wrapped a ligature around her neck and repeatedly struck her over the head with a hammer. Curiously, there was no indication that the killer had sex with her.
Investigators were stumped. "There was no reason for Shirley Ellis to be killed," recalls Kathleen Jennings, the state prosecutor who eventually stared the accused down in a tough cross-examination. "No angry boyfriend or anything that would connect a murderer to her death. For a time, people believed it was an interstate trucker."
7 months later, on June 28, 1988, Catherine DiMauro was walking along Route 40 around 11:30 p.m. The 31-year-old divorcee had a history of prostitution arrests, but it's unclear if she was working that night when she accepted a ride from a stranger in a blue van.
A construction crew working on the Fox Run apartment complex found her body at 6:25 a.m. the next morning. Catherine was found completely naked. Her wrists and ankles were bound, and she was silenced with duct tape. Again, even though she was tortured with work tools, there was no evidence the killer had sex with her. Catherine was also strangled with a ligature and bludgeoned with a hammer. This time, however, the killer left a clue: Catherine was covered head to toe in blue carpet fiber.
2 months later, August 22, Margaret Lynn Finner, a sex worker, went missing. She was working the streets along U.S. 13. Witnesses last saw her leave in a blue Ford panel van with round headlights driven by a white male. Her body was found three months later, near the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Margaret’s body in such an advanced state of decay that a cause of death couldn't be determined.
Task-force members met with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia. The bureau concluded Delaware’s first serial killer was traveling Route 40. Soon, undercover female officers dressed as prostitutes walked the stretch of highway looking for clues while task-force members were tried to identify the origin of the blue fibers.
On Sept. 14, 1988, a 23-year-old undercover New Castle County police officer, Renee Taschner was walking Route 40 disguised as a prostitute in an effort to find something that could solve the murders. An investigator stated, "We had a gamut of people stop for her. Doctors, lawyers, schoolteachers. At one point, there was a line of five or six vehicles with men waiting to talk to her."
Renee Taschner, the police officer who identified “The Corridor Killer.” Renee noticed, a blue Ford panel van with round headlights drive past. It stopped a little farther down the road, stopped again and turned around. Renee Taschner estimated the van drove past her seven times in 20 minutes. So she walked to a more secluded area. The van stopped then approached her. A white male opened the side panel.Renee immediately noticed the blue carpet covering the van's interior. She remembered his dark scary eyes, and she felt was in the presence of evil. She stated, "He was different than any other person who stopped for me. It was hard to get into a conversation. He wasn't in the moment. He was looking right through me." Realizing this was potentially the killer she asked to look in the back of his van, and then playfully rubbed her hand against the carpeting on the van's floor, telling him how wonderful the van was, as she pulled out blue fibers for testing. The driver demanded that Renee get in the van. She refused. He asked again. She made up a story about being tired from partying all day and needing to sleep. The driver became suspicious and drove off.
Investigators identified that the car was registered to Steven Brian Pennell, a Delaware electrician with no criminal record. Pennell was married with two children. The blue fibers were sent to a lab for testing. While they waited for weeks for the testing to be completed, investigators did “spot surveillance” of Steve Pennell, and found nothing interesting. He went to work, spent time at home, and when the lights went out at the home, the surveillance crew waited an hour or two and then left.
2 days later, on Sept. 16, 1988, Michelle Gordon, a 22-year-old New Castle resident, disappeared. Michelle was last seen on Route 40, hopping into the passenger side of a blue Ford panel van. Michelle was also a sex worker. A witness identified the vehicle. Michelle’s body washed up on the banks of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal on Sept. 20. Michelle was a cocaine addict, and the medical examiner testified that the drugs in her system made her heart incapable of withstanding her beating. She died during her torture. (It’s not uncommon for someone who is abusing cocaine or heroin to die during an assault as the drugs prevent the heart from adjusting to the exertion.)
3 days later, Kathleen Meyer, another Brookmont Farms resident, was last seen alive hitchhiking along Route 40 around 9:30 p.m. An off-duty police officer spotted the 26-year-old accepting a ride from a stranger in a blue Ford van. Aware of its connections to the murders, he jotted down the plate number. It was registered to Steve Pennell.
Kathleen Meyer's body was never found. The task force began monitoring Pennell's every move. Undercover officer Renee Tashner even sat next to Pennell at a Moody Blues concert. She also recalls a heartbreaking encounter with his daughter, who approached her and asked for a donation to a school fundraiser. Renee obviously didn’t want his daughter to be involved.The lab test finally came back and indicated the fibers in the van matched fibers on the victims. Investigators were subsequently given a search warrant for the van. Steve Pennell was pulled over for a routine traffic violation and was immediately hauled into court to pay his ticket—an infrequent, but legal, method for the police to detain a suspect.
Police searched the vehicle, and discovered carpet fibers matching those on the victims, along with hair, blood and the same brand of duct tape. There was the "torture kit"—pliers, a whip, handcuffs, needles, knives and restraints.
But investigators had a new problem.
Admissibility of Evidence: Were the fibers legally obtained? Can a police officer reach in to your vehicle and take something out without a search warrant?
If the fiber evidence was ruled inadmissible, they would no longer be able to prosecute a serial killer they knew tortured and murdered young women. All the evidence they had was obtained from a search warrant that was only granted because of the fiber match. The court ruled, that Renee Tashner had the right to collect the fibers because he had invited her into the van. I don’t know that this would stand up in every state, but I am glad they allowed the evidence be used.
A 1991, psychiatric evaluation submitted to the Delaware Supreme Court cleared Steve Pennell of any mental illness concerns. He was described as "a pleasant, attractive, friendly 33-year-old man who related well to the examiner."
Investigators described Steve Pennell in the following manner: "He came across as a totally normal married father with no criminal record. No one would ever look at his background and see signs that this could happen. No one would ever suspect him of anything." But people who knew him when he was young suggested that he may have been subject to a great deal of bullying in school which may have fostered his resentment. Pennell had applied to be a police officer twice, but was turned away “for unknown reasons.” Obviously someone recognized things weren’t right.
Steven Pennell’s attorney took a chance and had him testify. Steven presented with a callousness typical of someone who lacked empathy. He claimed he picked up DiMauro, paid her $25 for oral sex and then dropped her off, joking that she "gave me $10 back" afterward. The jury was horrified at his callous demeanor. The prosecutor stated, "Pennell talked about his victim like she was some piece of garbage he could just throw away."Still, the jury spent eight days reviewing the evidence, which is the longest deliberation in Delaware legal history. "I was going through anguish each day," his defense attorney stated. "I thought it was going to be a quick verdict and he'd be convicted in two days. As each day passed, I thought maybe we got something going."
In the end, Pennell was convicted of murdering Ellis and DiMauro. But the jury deadlocked on the Gordon case.
The jury also deadlocked on the death penalty. Pennell's next move shocked the world. He pled no contest to two murders under the condition he be sentenced to death. He did not, however, confess.
On Halloween 1991, Pennell was sentenced to death. "The most amazing thing was that he spoke about the crimes in the third person," says former Supreme Court Justice Andrew Moore, who heard Pennell's argument. "He never once used the first person. It was a strange, strange thing." Pennell argued as if he were a prosecutor demanding death for a vicious criminal. "The perpetrator must have sensed a pleasure in the killings," he told the court. "Since he did not commit just one, but continued in the same depraved manner on the others, this pleasure is evident." Not a single justice asked a question. Moore can't recall any other oral argument in the Supreme Court without at least one question.
The court unanimously agreed that execution was an appropriate punishment for Pennell's crimes. A date was set for March 14, 1992. The condemned murderer’s wife, Vera Katherine Pennell, argued against the death penalty, stating they were basically allowing him to commit suicide.
Pennell's blue Ford panel van. On March 14, 1992, Steven Brian Pennell was the first man executed in Delaware in 46 years. He had no final words and left no answers for the chaos he induced. "I hoped and prayed that, before Pennell died, he'd tell us where we could find Kathleen Meyer, or at least give us a place to look," said investigator Hedrick. "That didn't happen." Thanks for listening,
Frank Who wrote this song? Bob Dylan, but the Ojays nailed it!
Kaycee 
Andrea 
Avery Pierz basketball teams are off to a great start! 
December 3, 2018
Frank is at Westonka Library Wednesday, December 5
Upcoming Events:December 5, 2018 Frank will be speaking on the I-94 Murders at the Hennepin County Library, Westonka Branch, in Mound, Minnesota from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. The address is 2079 Commerce Blvd, Mount MN 55364.December 20, 2018 Frank will be speaking on forensic work and his latest thriller, The I-94 Murders, at the Hastings Bierstube, located on 109 11th St. W. Hastings, MN at 6:30 p.m. It's a great place to have a cold beverage and enjoy a discussion on mystery! I am in the process of completing Book 3 in the series, titled Last Call. This week I’m sharing quotes and stories from the past year. I will get back to addressing a forensic case next week. I hope you enjoy.
2018 Quotes
I helped a man of Mexican ancestry today who is a great worker, but he struggles a little with English. He works at a factory and applied for a promotion working on a new machine. He's the guy people go to fix the machines if they aren't working, and he cleans anytime he isn't busy, thinking "anything to help the company." His coworkers thought he was a shoe-in for the job, but instead it went to another guy who has been fired 3 times for being incompetent. I've talked to him about how frustrating situations are opportunities to show we don't respond like everyone else. He was proud of how he handled it.
He went to his boss and asked why he didn't receive the promotion.
His boss responded by teasing, "Your English isn't too good."
He asked his boss to follow him to the machine. He then stood there silent next to it. When his boss started talking he said, "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
After a bit his boss said, "You realize this machine doesn't talk?"
He told his boss, "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you realized this."
We had an individual who refused to sign the Tennesan warning (which states the government may access your file if they suspect your are a terrorist) because she is not from Tennessee.
A man charged with disorderly conduct stated, “Some women should come with a warning label. She was like a doorknob; everyone who came to the door got a turn.”
A reference was made by a client toward a person who knows better, but is ignoring the help in front of him. A person stated, “The lights are on, but nobody’s home.”
After some thought he changed it to “He’s home. He just ain’t answerin’ the door.”
“I don’t know what’s left for me to learn.”
“He acknowledged engaging in exhibitionism on approximately 40 occasions. He stated that it would go in spurts."
"The last time I went to a strip club was right before I was incarcerated. I went there to say goodbye to my friends and acquaintances."
“I pled guilty because there have been so many allegations of sexual abuse in the news that I knew I wouldn’t be able to get a fair trial.”
“Women are interested in me. I guess I’m a desirable individual, who’s not hard to look at. I guess I have sort of a presence. I need to be responsible for my behavior, because maybe women can’t be in my presence.”
From a juvenile taking the Beck Youth Inventories 2:
“The question says my heart pounds. Would you be able to fill out this form if it didn’t?”
He got released from jail for drinking.
A high risk situation was when a woman grabbed my penis at work; It was intentional. I didn’t report it.
I just had a client report his mother has Influenza A, to which a fellow group member asked (with all seriousness), "Is that a Canadian thing?"
Therapist: Have you seen Ghost?
Client: That scene where Demi Moore kisses Whoopi Goldberg thinking she’s her dead boyfriend—isn’t that interracial lesbian necrophilia. How come I’m the only one it bothered?
Therapist: now there’s a question worthy of exploring.
The domestic abuse group was looking at the power and control wheel. Despite acknowledging acting in an intimidating manner, one individual declared, “I am taking accountability I just don’t do anything on this wheel. Maybe you should take accountability for saying I’m not taking accountability.”
A client working on his Values assignment wrote about consent:
“No” does not cut it as it may be construed as a moan of pleasure. A key word must be agreed upon for both partners to halt, such as "DUCK” that can be a clear statement to stop.
"Going to treatment is like going to church. You feel bad the night before, but when you come through the doors you feel welcomed and start feeling better about yourself"
“What irks my therapist is that I know more than he does. He calls that intellectualizing.”
You need to understand it’s the probation officers job to take a dim view of humanity.
While discussing the Defense Mechanisms assignment, we came to ‘dramatizing.’ I asked the client if they had used dramatizing, and what they had written for the example. The client responded, “Yes. One time I came home and my grandpa was walking around in his whitey-tighties. I was dramatized.”
Interviewer: "How is your partner reacting to your offense?"
Client: (southern drawl) "Oh… she's madder than a hornet!"
"I believe love and money are very much the same thing. I got the impression that you don't believe that from reading the workbook."
Agent to a client who is restricted from having contact with minors:
“Did you watch a movie with a 17-year-old female?”
Client (looking confused): “What movie?!?!”
We had a perfect relationship. “Every time I called her from jail she answered the phone.”
“I’m going to be a little late for my appointment. The weather is affecting other people’s ability to drive.”
“Sex is like boxing. If both of you aren’t consenting, one of you is committing a crime.”
Have you ever been emotionally abused?
Client: "I'm too narcissistic for that."
A caller left a message for us to return a call to him and indicated that he hoped his number showed up on Caller ID as he did not know what it was.
Therapist: Have you been to a strip club?
Client: Not yet. I’ve tried. No one will take me.
"You still look kind of young; you can probably remember what it was like to be my age."
Client: “She wants me to have her baby."
Therapist: "Do you feel like you could take care of a child?"
Client: "Yes, but I want to have sex first."
There was an exposer who exposed himself to the staff at the hotel he was staying at. In the police report, it says that the hotel staff reported she was currently interning at a sex offender treatment program, and therefore she knew that the man’s behavior was not OK.
I don’t want to be in a group with the guy I turned in for being sexual with his cellmate. I don’t know his name, but his street name is “Turtle.”
I've come to understand that my offense could be considered offensive by people with common sense.
“My mom was a wine drinker. She didn’t really drink alcohol.”
“I can count the number of sexual partners I’ve had on 1 finger. The total is 4.”
Since I have been in jail I have read way more books than I ever read in school and by way more I mean almost 8.
What led you to hit your partner?
“She accused me of being a wife-beater, and I was having none of that?”
There appears to be no limit to stupid!
Regarding the incident which led to his incarceration: “What happened, is, I bit him between the legs . . . he was trying to get me to release, he had to hit me in the head . . . You know, the typical stuff that goes on when couples are drinking."
I haven’t drank since the presidential debate.
Therapist: "Do you have Vertigo?"
Client: "No, I think I ‘m a Gemini."
I don’t have problems; it’s just that people in Wisconsin don’t want me to have sex
A client was talking about having a baby. He stated: "I don't care if they are healthy or not; just that they are a boy or a girl."
I passed my polygraph with flying colors. I’m not the butthole some people think I am.
Therapist: How were you disciplined as a child?
Client: My parents never disciplined me. How do you think I ended up this way?
Therapist: Were you close to any grandparents?
Client: I wasn't too close to my grandma. She always gave us crappy stuff for Christmas.
A man wrote his us a letter from prison. I liked the following insight: In prison they pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work.
My charge was just like Oceans 11. A huge set up.
Group talking about the stupidity of masturbating in the drive way
Therapist: You have lots of unexpected visitors at your house…agents…law enforcement…
Client 1: Jehovah’s witness
Client 2: That’s one way to get rid of them
“I’ve found the best way to say no to people, is with a note of condescension.”
Therapist: Have you ever experienced anything you felt was sexually abusive?
Client: Do you mean good abusive? Or bad abusive? I've experienced some good abusive.
Therapist: Have you ever traded drugs for sex? (He had a long history of dealing coke.)
Client: Is this a trick question?
Therapist: Well, I'm guessing the answer is 'yes,' and I already kind of knew the answer when I asked the question, so sort of…
Client (chuckling): Then, yes, I've done that… quite a bit.
Therapist: What did your parents tell you about sex?
Client: It’s like dynamite, if you do it the wrong way it could backfire.
On a t-shirt: Your opinion matters, just not to me
When asked what kind of grades he gets in school, a client replied, “They were all letters.”
During an assessment a client stated, after being asked how he learned about sexuality, “I always had the inclination there was more to my penis than urination.”
A group member asked another "What changed? When you started, you were in such denial?"
He responded, "You know, I finally came to reality about what I did instead of believing the bullshit I wanted to believe."
During an assessment interview, a client reported his hobbies included car shopping. He described this as breaking into people’s cars and taking what he wanted.
Written in an assessment of an offender with a long criminal history:
“To his credit, he has not fathered any children.”
He does a negative energy walk, like a rooster, to intimidate me.
Client: What do you call a musician without a girlfriend? Answer: Homeless
“She says I forced sex on her but my parents didn’t hear it.”
Therapist: Were they in the house at the time?
“They were in the same room.”
Therapist: Is it possible she didn’t want to have sex because your parents were in the room?
“Looking back on it, that’s probably it.”
“You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than of buying a pull tab.”
Thanks for listening! Prepare for a Merry Christmas!
Frank Frank speaking on forensics at Inver Hills Community College to criminal justice and law enforcement students.
This is Frank with members of the Inver Hills Community College Criminal Justice Club and the Inver Hills Community College Psychology Club. 
Frank signing books at Beagle and Wolfe bookstore in Park Rapids. 
Frank discussed Murder Book with the very well read and well educated Gang Of Twelve Minus One Bookclub (GOTMOB) 
Preston and Olivia 
Pierz basketball destroys the Bombers! 
2018 Quotes
I helped a man of Mexican ancestry today who is a great worker, but he struggles a little with English. He works at a factory and applied for a promotion working on a new machine. He's the guy people go to fix the machines if they aren't working, and he cleans anytime he isn't busy, thinking "anything to help the company." His coworkers thought he was a shoe-in for the job, but instead it went to another guy who has been fired 3 times for being incompetent. I've talked to him about how frustrating situations are opportunities to show we don't respond like everyone else. He was proud of how he handled it.
He went to his boss and asked why he didn't receive the promotion.
His boss responded by teasing, "Your English isn't too good."
He asked his boss to follow him to the machine. He then stood there silent next to it. When his boss started talking he said, "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
After a bit his boss said, "You realize this machine doesn't talk?"
He told his boss, "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you realized this."
We had an individual who refused to sign the Tennesan warning (which states the government may access your file if they suspect your are a terrorist) because she is not from Tennessee.
A man charged with disorderly conduct stated, “Some women should come with a warning label. She was like a doorknob; everyone who came to the door got a turn.”
A reference was made by a client toward a person who knows better, but is ignoring the help in front of him. A person stated, “The lights are on, but nobody’s home.”
After some thought he changed it to “He’s home. He just ain’t answerin’ the door.”
“I don’t know what’s left for me to learn.”
“He acknowledged engaging in exhibitionism on approximately 40 occasions. He stated that it would go in spurts."
"The last time I went to a strip club was right before I was incarcerated. I went there to say goodbye to my friends and acquaintances."
“I pled guilty because there have been so many allegations of sexual abuse in the news that I knew I wouldn’t be able to get a fair trial.”
“Women are interested in me. I guess I’m a desirable individual, who’s not hard to look at. I guess I have sort of a presence. I need to be responsible for my behavior, because maybe women can’t be in my presence.”
From a juvenile taking the Beck Youth Inventories 2:
“The question says my heart pounds. Would you be able to fill out this form if it didn’t?”
He got released from jail for drinking.
A high risk situation was when a woman grabbed my penis at work; It was intentional. I didn’t report it.
I just had a client report his mother has Influenza A, to which a fellow group member asked (with all seriousness), "Is that a Canadian thing?"
Therapist: Have you seen Ghost?
Client: That scene where Demi Moore kisses Whoopi Goldberg thinking she’s her dead boyfriend—isn’t that interracial lesbian necrophilia. How come I’m the only one it bothered?
Therapist: now there’s a question worthy of exploring.
The domestic abuse group was looking at the power and control wheel. Despite acknowledging acting in an intimidating manner, one individual declared, “I am taking accountability I just don’t do anything on this wheel. Maybe you should take accountability for saying I’m not taking accountability.”
A client working on his Values assignment wrote about consent:
“No” does not cut it as it may be construed as a moan of pleasure. A key word must be agreed upon for both partners to halt, such as "DUCK” that can be a clear statement to stop.
"Going to treatment is like going to church. You feel bad the night before, but when you come through the doors you feel welcomed and start feeling better about yourself"
“What irks my therapist is that I know more than he does. He calls that intellectualizing.”
You need to understand it’s the probation officers job to take a dim view of humanity.
While discussing the Defense Mechanisms assignment, we came to ‘dramatizing.’ I asked the client if they had used dramatizing, and what they had written for the example. The client responded, “Yes. One time I came home and my grandpa was walking around in his whitey-tighties. I was dramatized.”
Interviewer: "How is your partner reacting to your offense?"
Client: (southern drawl) "Oh… she's madder than a hornet!"
"I believe love and money are very much the same thing. I got the impression that you don't believe that from reading the workbook."
Agent to a client who is restricted from having contact with minors:
“Did you watch a movie with a 17-year-old female?”
Client (looking confused): “What movie?!?!”
We had a perfect relationship. “Every time I called her from jail she answered the phone.”
“I’m going to be a little late for my appointment. The weather is affecting other people’s ability to drive.”
“Sex is like boxing. If both of you aren’t consenting, one of you is committing a crime.”
Have you ever been emotionally abused?
Client: "I'm too narcissistic for that."
A caller left a message for us to return a call to him and indicated that he hoped his number showed up on Caller ID as he did not know what it was.
Therapist: Have you been to a strip club?
Client: Not yet. I’ve tried. No one will take me.
"You still look kind of young; you can probably remember what it was like to be my age."
Client: “She wants me to have her baby."
Therapist: "Do you feel like you could take care of a child?"
Client: "Yes, but I want to have sex first."
There was an exposer who exposed himself to the staff at the hotel he was staying at. In the police report, it says that the hotel staff reported she was currently interning at a sex offender treatment program, and therefore she knew that the man’s behavior was not OK.
I don’t want to be in a group with the guy I turned in for being sexual with his cellmate. I don’t know his name, but his street name is “Turtle.”
I've come to understand that my offense could be considered offensive by people with common sense.
“My mom was a wine drinker. She didn’t really drink alcohol.”
“I can count the number of sexual partners I’ve had on 1 finger. The total is 4.”
Since I have been in jail I have read way more books than I ever read in school and by way more I mean almost 8.
What led you to hit your partner?
“She accused me of being a wife-beater, and I was having none of that?”
There appears to be no limit to stupid!
Regarding the incident which led to his incarceration: “What happened, is, I bit him between the legs . . . he was trying to get me to release, he had to hit me in the head . . . You know, the typical stuff that goes on when couples are drinking."
I haven’t drank since the presidential debate.
Therapist: "Do you have Vertigo?"
Client: "No, I think I ‘m a Gemini."
I don’t have problems; it’s just that people in Wisconsin don’t want me to have sex
A client was talking about having a baby. He stated: "I don't care if they are healthy or not; just that they are a boy or a girl."
I passed my polygraph with flying colors. I’m not the butthole some people think I am.
Therapist: How were you disciplined as a child?
Client: My parents never disciplined me. How do you think I ended up this way?
Therapist: Were you close to any grandparents?
Client: I wasn't too close to my grandma. She always gave us crappy stuff for Christmas.
A man wrote his us a letter from prison. I liked the following insight: In prison they pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work.
My charge was just like Oceans 11. A huge set up.
Group talking about the stupidity of masturbating in the drive way
Therapist: You have lots of unexpected visitors at your house…agents…law enforcement…
Client 1: Jehovah’s witness
Client 2: That’s one way to get rid of them
“I’ve found the best way to say no to people, is with a note of condescension.”
Therapist: Have you ever experienced anything you felt was sexually abusive?
Client: Do you mean good abusive? Or bad abusive? I've experienced some good abusive.
Therapist: Have you ever traded drugs for sex? (He had a long history of dealing coke.)
Client: Is this a trick question?
Therapist: Well, I'm guessing the answer is 'yes,' and I already kind of knew the answer when I asked the question, so sort of…
Client (chuckling): Then, yes, I've done that… quite a bit.
Therapist: What did your parents tell you about sex?
Client: It’s like dynamite, if you do it the wrong way it could backfire.
On a t-shirt: Your opinion matters, just not to me
When asked what kind of grades he gets in school, a client replied, “They were all letters.”
During an assessment a client stated, after being asked how he learned about sexuality, “I always had the inclination there was more to my penis than urination.”
A group member asked another "What changed? When you started, you were in such denial?"
He responded, "You know, I finally came to reality about what I did instead of believing the bullshit I wanted to believe."
During an assessment interview, a client reported his hobbies included car shopping. He described this as breaking into people’s cars and taking what he wanted.
Written in an assessment of an offender with a long criminal history:
“To his credit, he has not fathered any children.”
He does a negative energy walk, like a rooster, to intimidate me.
Client: What do you call a musician without a girlfriend? Answer: Homeless
“She says I forced sex on her but my parents didn’t hear it.”
Therapist: Were they in the house at the time?
“They were in the same room.”
Therapist: Is it possible she didn’t want to have sex because your parents were in the room?
“Looking back on it, that’s probably it.”
“You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than of buying a pull tab.”
Thanks for listening! Prepare for a Merry Christmas!
Frank Frank speaking on forensics at Inver Hills Community College to criminal justice and law enforcement students.
This is Frank with members of the Inver Hills Community College Criminal Justice Club and the Inver Hills Community College Psychology Club. Frank signing books at Beagle and Wolfe bookstore in Park Rapids. Frank discussed Murder Book with the very well read and well educated Gang Of Twelve Minus One Bookclub (GOTMOB) Preston and Olivia Pierz basketball destroys the Bombers!
November 15, 2018
Sovereign Citizen Terrorism
Frank speaking at the Helen Hall Library in League City, TX. The majority of sovereigns are not dangerous. This blog is about sovereign terrorists. From this point forward I am addressing sovereign terrorists.
Some examples of illegal license plates used by so-called sovereign citizens. Domestic terrorism—Americans attacking Americans because of U.S.-based extremist ideologies—comes in many forms in our post 9/11 world. Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or “sovereign” from the United States. As a result, they believe they don’t have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement.
This causes all kinds of problems—and crimes. For example, many sovereign citizens don’t pay their taxes. They hold illegal courts that issue warrants for judges and police officers. They clog up the court system with frivolous lawsuits.
They use fake money orders, personal checks, and the like at government agencies, banks, and businesses.
An Example: Posse Comitatus is made up mostly white Christians who practice survivalist. They reject federal laws, and many state laws. They feel the county sheriff is the highest form of law enforcement. The sheriff is an elected official and they feel all laws should be enforced by the county. These groups are growing at the present time. Their popularity ebbs and flows with the economy. They often lie to people to defraud banks and are typically convicted of ‘wire and mail fraud.’
They have banners like “Fight the New World Order—George Washington would.”
They teach: “Reject all forms of government.”
The farm crisis in the 1970’s started it.
1980’s backlash against the government in rural farm areas allowed it to build.
1992 & 1993—standoffs in Ruby Ridge (Idaho), Waco (Texas), with federal agents.
1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
1996 stand-off with Montana Freemen.
2007 Stand off with Ed and Elaine Brown. This was handled best. FBI parked cars at the end of the driveway and waited for them leave for 2 years. No arguing. Finally, they ordered pizza and undercover agents went in an arrested them.
Conspiracy theorists: They use Strawman theory, which is a fallacy based on giving the impression of refuting an opponent’s argument, while actually refuting an argument not presented by any one. Hence the enemy is a “strawman.”
Sovereign Citizen involvement is often motivated by home foreclosure. The sovereign groups don’t really help, but they do threaten the bank and police, and struggling citizens feel a bond with them. They will tell you that the government has taken out a loan in your name and made hundreds of thousands of dollars, and for a small fee, they’re organization is going to help you reclaim it. You need to give them the money as a gift, so they don’t have to claim it. And you need to keep paying them, because the government keeps bending the law to keep your money, but they are the ones who “really” know the law. They will give you all kinds of official looking documents. They notarize forms to appear legitimate. Keep in mind, a notary only confirms who signed it. It doesn’t make the document legitimate. They often have members with fake ID’s.
If they show you anything, other than a legitimate state driver's license, you may be dealing with a sovereign. They make money off of illegals by claiming they can make them legal, for a fee. It’s scary in that these sovereign groups are willing to kill for their beliefs. 50 law enforcement officers have been killed by radical right sovereign anti-government groups since 1995. Tips for law enforcement: When you call in sovereign license plates, you’ll find no record of them, because they are made by the organization. They typically respond, “I’m a free man. What authority do you have to question a sovereign?” They may have posse comitatus, or sovereign nation bumper stickers. They will then hand over documents which seem legitimate, but are not. Many have a fingerprint in red ink by their name. Please remember, they are well armed. They believe the law doesn’t apply to them. Don’t attempt to reason with them. They’re argument isn’t based on logic.
A Minnesota version of a sovereign is Robert Bonine Beale. Robert graduated from MIT with a degree in Engineering, and would later serve as a research scientist from 1966 to 1973 at MIT Draper Laboratory, where he invented hydraulics for the classified Minuteman Missile project. At Honeywell Systems and Research Center, Beale developed guidance and control systems for the C-5A military transport, the F-15 fighter, F-14 fighter, jet engines, and advanced and lightweight torpedoes, and also patented components for a solar power plant and an electronic oxygen regulator for jet pilots.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Beale founded three companies in Minnesota, including COMTROL, which generated revenues in excess of $35 million per year. Beale was on the Minnesota board for televangelist Pat Robertson during Robertson's failed run for president in 1988.
Beale's problems with the Internal Revenue Service began in the 1990s over a dispute involving Artist Graphics, a computer software firm Beale founded. On April 30, 2008, Beale was convicted of illegally hiding $5.6 million of his salary as CEO of Comtrol to evade $1.6 million in taxes. (His original trial had been delayed 14 months when Beale skipped bail on the eve of his trial in August 2006.) He was later charged with threatening the life of the federal judge who prosecuted him and was given 11 additional months of prison time. Beale served briefly as his own attorney at his trial. Beale’s group once subpoenaed a judge (a fake subpoena) and requested the judge testify at a home in Little Canada, Minnesota.
Thanks for listening,
Frank Neil Young did a great song about militia groups, called Powderfinger.
November 5, 2018
Secondary Trauma
Jesse Hillyer and I had were asked to speak on Secondary Trauma at the Treatment Network Meeting in Owattona last Friday. Jesse is an amazing person and I am proud to have Jesse and his wife, Erica, as friends and colleagues. I will share my slides and my comments below: 
Secondary Trauma (vicarious trauma) = Secondary traumatic stress is the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of another. It’s an occupational hazard. Our job is to connect with people.We are all open Wi Fi systems, picking up on what’s going on around us all the time. We are social species, so stories our powerful in our brain.
When we’re being affected we feel a shift in our ability to have empathy for others. When we see people be so hurtful, our view of people can change. We need to remind ourselves in the process that so many people we know are incredibly kind.
Sometimes, we torment ourselves for just being human.
Anita Hill was treated horribly by American politicians who promised to keep her story a secret, and then made her testify on national television. Ultimately, they said they didn’t believe her. First of all, when I testify in court I enter with the understanding it is not my job to win the case. It’s simply my task to present what I know about the person I’ve assessed. It is all about winning or losing for the attorneys, when the reality is that it’s seldom all good or all bad.
Solution: Be honest and let it play out. When frustrated ask attorney to repeat the question.
2. Accountability (The longest distance between two points is a series of shortcuts.)What do Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog have in common? They’ve been to prison. Snoop for selling drugs and Martha for insider trading. They knew the consequences and paid the price.
Do not apologize for expecting people to be accountable. The clients we work with have been getting by with things forever, so when you ask them to be accountable, they are angry. It’s exactly what they need to be better and healthier people. It’s not our job to make them happy. It’s our job to make them healthy and protect others. Their behavior is not a reflection of us. Question to abusive 250 pound man blaming a 9-year-old victim: “Did she outsmart you or overpower you?”
3. Acceptance: We can only go from where we are at. So many want to be on the top of the mountain, but damn few are only 1 step away. When I graduated from high school I could be a poor kid going to work or a poor kid going to school. Being the King of England wasn’t an option. Once we’re in a better place, we get better options. The inability to accept their current situation is what gets them in trouble. (They’d prefer to act as if the bad event didn’t happen.)
Sometimes I say, “You need to look at that map at the mall that shows an X which says, you are here, and accept it.” If they have no unsupervised contact with minors and need to be sober, they need to let others know this, otherwise they will constantly be in high risk situations. When people change, they calm down and are able to be honest with others.
Mother working at getting custody of child: “If they said I couldn’t wear red, I wouldn’t wear red. My opinion of the rules doesn’t matter. You accept what they are if your children are important enough to you.”
Parable: The movie, “The Edge” had a great scene. Anthony Hopkins plays a naturalist who is in a small plane with Alec Baldwin that goes down in the wilderness. Baldwin turns to Hopkins: “Okay, you’re the expert. Now what?”
Hopkins: “Do you know what most people who are lost in the woods die from?”
Baldwin: “What?”
Hopkins: “Shame. The spend all their energy thinking about why they shouldn’t be in this situation, instead of using their brain to get out of it.
4. Stress From Offender’s FamilyIt’s difficult to maintain an addiction without help from others. Somebody’s still pouring out money to pay the bills. Most often an unwitting family member.Tell family, “They’ve been inconveniencing you for a long time, and you’re still putting up with it.” Remember the client got everyone into this situation. Set boundaries: “I can’t share this information without consent.” “The easiest thing for me would be to pretend everything is okay. It would be a lot less paperwork. But because I care about you and where your life is headed, I can’t.”
5. Difficult ClientsNo matter how difficult they present, I can use this to help them:
Angry: “I’m glad to see you have strong feelings. Like me, you’d like to see changes. Let’s see if we can use your strong feelings productively.”
An angry person needs to step away from the situation. I agreed to see a violently angry man who had just been released from prison under the condition that he agreed to not respond to anything that made him angry the same day. Instead he had to carry a notebook with him and write in it. He had to wait until the next day to respond. He called me after 2 days and told me how much he appreciated this. “Man, I get angry over stupid things. Much of the time, it’s simply because I misunderstand somebody. Not responding until I sleep on it, means I still have my job.”
Oppositionally Unresponsive: I tell them, “So many people come in here and talk my ear off. It’s kind of nice to finally have someone who is ready to just sit and listen to my advice.” And they start talking...
“The system sucks client”: My response = “It’s worse than you think. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I get frustrated at it, but we need to focus on things we have control over.” Their feelings about the system are irrelevant to what needs to be done. The next time they bring it up, I ask, “Am I the only one who wants to move forward here?” 
Narcissistic: In Greek mythology Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pond and ultimately drowned.Take advantage of their narcissism. “Most people I work with can’t get through this without getting in trouble again, but I think you’re smart enough where you could do this.” When they say, “I’m not like other offenders,” I say, “Great.”
Quote: “I know you think I’m narcissistic, but I’ve never been in a room where I wasn’t the smartest and best looking person.”
6. Microagressions at work = insulting comments. Can I touch your hair? That’s so gay. You’d be pretty if you lost some weight.Options:I would say something, but that’s the way I’m wired. One choice is: Don’t respondOr you could state: “Did you really just say that?” Criticize the comment, not the person. “That comment makes it sound like you can only tolerate people who are exactly like you.”
Recognizing and Resolving Stress1. SymptomsFeeling overwhelmed, moodiness, sleep difficulties, problems with memory, physical aches and pains
2. StrategiesStop taking on new tasks and agreeing to help others. Everything you add to your life is a decision to spend less time doing things you used to do and less time with people you used to interact with. Distinguish what you need to do and what you could do. I have a “could do” pile, which I dump into the garbage every January 1st.
Make a list. Stress builds up one task at a time until you have an overwhelming pile. The only way to reduce it is by picking them off one at a time. Try to do the worst task first, as you will think about it until it’s addressed. Once the worst is done, the rest are easier. 
Re-prioritize your life:Family is the most important.Exercise is essential. Attend physical therapy as requested. (Walking is fine.)Eat healthy. (Develop a routine of healthy items but don’t make yourself crazy.)Sleep routine. (Eliminate electronics, shut TV off, at bed time.)Relax. (Enjoy a Netflix series or mindless comedy.)
2. StrategiesAsk self: What do I want to do? What would a decent person do? When they conflict, do what a decent person does.Ask self: What would happen if I didn’t respond? Does responding make it better or worse?
A new light through old windows. Reframe the thoughts you have about your stress. What if you approached this situation with a different attitude? 90% of people who leave employment are competent in their jobs, but leave for interpersonal reasons. “It’s not a bad job if you don’t think about it.” It’s generally not the work, but instead concerns of unfairness that upsets people. Focus on the work. “Compared to picking rocks for $2 an hour, this is pretty good.” 
I guarantee you that once you start appreciating the success of others around you, the rewards will come back to you. Stop and ask people about family and express genuine compassion. There are wonderful people around us every day!Mindfulness1. Take time to organize. It will save you time in the long run.Realize not everyone is ready to problem solve when you are. (Think of the number of assaults that occur when one wants to leave and their partner insists they stay and talk about it.) When men are raging, talking doesn’t calm them down. (Walking away does.)Be realistic. Only so much can be done in one day.
I love the long version of the Serenity prayer, and often say it to myself when overwhelmed with a horrible event. Serenity PrayerGod grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that God will make all things right,
If I surrender to acceptance;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy, forever in the next. 2. What effect is your attitude having on your family, relationship, and those around you?I share with the family: “I know I rant and rave about work sometimes, but I love you more than anything. It helps me problem solve by talking about it, but I’ll solve it and I don’t want you to worry about it.”Children pick up on their parents’ stress. (Children act out what their parents feel.) Parenting is not reciprocal. You give and give and give, and hope someday your children give the same to their children. Great relationships are the result of effort. Great relationships often experience a crisis but come back stronger. Treat your partner with the respect you would if you just met.Have positive events that are not work related. (When your kids are little it will need to involve them.) Develop traditions with your family. People react to a change in your behavior three months after the change is made. Ask the right people for guidance.
It is people like you who make the work better. Stop being cynical – some people are just nice.Accept that being a decent person is a difficult task and you are not immune to temptation.
Happiness is the byproduct of meaningful activities.
Laugh! I love when people use clichés incorrectly. Remember the saying, “Work like you don’t need the money, and dance like nobody’s watching.” A young woman told me, “My mom always says, “Dance like you don’t need the money.” It’s a whole different visual! 
Enjoy a hobby! I love writing mysteries, and I enjoy collecting emotional words from other cultures that we don’t have an English equivalent for. Please send me some! For Example:Gemutlichkeit (Germany) – You make me feel as comfortable as a warm caring home.Han Zu “Han She” (Mandarin Chinese) – When someone loves another but can’t tell them. Amae (Japan) – You can count on me, and I can trust you.Amaya (Japan) – Night rain.Khaur Xim “Kuzee” (Green Hmong) – Lost opportunity, regret, or desire to have something back.Nivatus (Latin) – Cooled by snow.Halcyon (Latin) – Care free and peaceful day.Thanks for listening,
Frank
Pierz football is once again in the state tournament. Thank you coaches, players, families, band, fans, volunteers, etc. It’s fun to enjoy the excitement you’ve created in our community!
