Frank F. Weber's Blog, page 3

The Perfect Crime occurred in Minnesota in 1972.

On July 27, 1972, two armed, masked men walked into the garden of Virginia “Ginny” Piper and walked out with the 49-year-old woman handcuffed and blindfolded. They had asked her where her husband Bobby was and when she told them he was at work, they told her she needed to come with them. The Pipers, parents of 3 grown sons, lived in Orono near Lake Minnetonka. Her husband, Harry “Bobby” C. Piper Jr., was a prominent Twin Cities investment banker and a respected figure on Wall Street. (Owner of Piper, Jaffrey & Hopwood ~ now Piper Sandler) Despite the FBI’s objection, Bobby personally drove $1 million in $20 bills in ransom to the back alley at about midnight behind a bar in Minneapolis the next day. Bobby was instructed to go into the bar and make a phone call. When he went back to his car the money was gone. He returned home that Friday night with no idea of who had the money or the fate of his wife. To put this in perspective, $1 million in 1972 would be equivalent to over $7 million today. It was the largest ransom ever paid at the time.
Virgina “Ginny” Piper = Her survival was attributed at least partially to her personality and intelligence. She was a likable person who was described as funny and unpretentious.  
Bobby and Ginny Piper This is the coverage area for the aerial photo map  I also attribute her survival to the love of her husband Bobby, who risked his own life to get her back. 
The next morning, Saturday, an unidentified man called a local minister and told the minister where Ginny Piper could be found. Three hours later, Ginny was found handcuffed and chained to a tree in a remote area of Jay Cooke State Park, south of Duluth. It was raining. She was traumatized, hungry and exhausted, but had not been physically assaulted. Ginny was put on a plane and flew back to her family who were overwhelmed with excitement and relief to have her back.
Jay Cooke State Forest Ginny had been chained to a tree Friday and abandoned. She was discovered the next day. 
The case went unsolved for years, and 16 days before the statute of limitations expired on the crime, two men were charged with the kidnapping. Kenneth Callahan and Donald Larson were arrested and charged with the crime.
In the fall of 1977, Callahan and Larson were tried in a federal courtroom in St. Paul. They were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thorwald Anderson and defended by high-profile attorneys Ronald Meshbesher and Bruce Hartigan. After nearly a month of testimony and four days of deliberation, a jury found Callahan and Larson guilty. The conviction was based on a partial fingerprint found on a ripped grocery bag in the kidnapper’s car. The print was matched to Donald Larson. The problem with this match is they didn’t identify a match the first 3 times they did the comparison. It was only days before the statute of limitations was set to expire that they concluded it was a match. A 6-inch strand of reddish microscopically resembled Kenneth Callahan’s hair. (If it’s not ripped out by the root you have no DNA. They had no DNA.) Ginny testified that Callahan’s voice was similar to one of her kidnappers. The verdict, however, was overturned on appeal. In a second trial two years after the first, the defendants were found not guilty. 
Viginia Piper Were they guilty?
​

Virginia Piper stated that one of the men had an unusual eye condition. Neither of the suspects did. The FBI had spent millions on this investigation and didn’t have a solid suspect until days before they would have to abandon the investigation. After the first conviction, the FBI closed the case. 
The Piper family is split on the guilt of Callahan and Larson. Both Virginia and Bobby Piper went to their graves convinced Callahan and Larson were involved. Their middle son, Tad, agreed with his parents, stating, “Mom was a very intelligent woman. If she believed those guys did it, they probably did.” The oldest son Harry Piper III believed the two were innocent. The youngest son, David, was uncertain.   Donald Larson April 24, 1976, Donald Larson murdered 5 people in Willow River. He was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder (for fatally shooting his neighbor and former friend, James Falch, Sr. who was having an affair with his wife), two counts of second-degree murder (fatally shooting his wife, Ruth, and Falch's oldest son, James Falch, Jr.), and one count of third-degree murder (fatally shooting his 5-year-old son, Mark). Donald claimed his son was shot by accident when he was trying to keep Ruth from calling the police. He was acquitted by reason of mental illness on one count of first-degree murder (fatally shooting his stepson, Scott Powell). He was sentenced to concurrent terms of imprisonment for life, 40 years, 40 years, and 25 years. Donald was known as “the mouth” in prison for his incessant talking. He admitted he was a killer but denied being a kidnapper. 
Donald’s wife, Ruth Larson had originally been Don Larson’s alibi for the day Virginia Piper had been kidnapped. She had agreed to meet with the FBI but was murdered before that meeting took place. 
The drive to Donald Larson’s home. Kenneth Callahan and his wife moved to Wisconsin, and he resumed his work as a cabinet maker. 
What happened to the $1 million?
Rumor is that it is buried somewhere in the woods by Willow River. One of the reasons Larson and Callahan were originally convicted is that they always seemed to have money but couldn’t always prove it came from a legitimate source. It is significant to note that they were suspected of involvement in low level crimes at the time. 
Thanks for listening,


Frank Saturday, April 15, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Luce Line Brewing Company, speaking from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest books. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} released in May 2023, is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller.  Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at Luce Line Brewing Company from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to answer questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. Luce Line Brewing is located at: 12901 16th Avenue North, Plymouth, Minnesota, 55441.
Monday, May 1, 2023, Frank Weber, Forensic Psychologist and True Crime Author, will be speaking on his newest book, The Haunted House of Hillman, at a Brown Bag Author event at the Brainerd Public Library sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library. Book sale and signing will follow the presentation. Frank will be speaking from 12:00 to 1:00 on his newest book. Maddie Dehler demonstrated one of the most remarkable survival escapes in history. Still horror returns again and again to the same county in rural Minnesota, and eventually to the home Julia Adams built. Based on a true case that eluded resolution for years. The Brainerd Public Library is located at: 416 South 5th Street, Brainerd, Minnesota, 56401.
May 13, 2023, Forensic Psychologist and True Crime Author, Frank F. Weber will be signing his newest book, The Haunted House of Hillman (H2 OH) at Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis from noon until 2:00 p.m.. Once Upon a Crime bookstore is located at 604 West 26th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55405. ​​
Monday, May 15, 2023, Frank Weber, Forensic Psychologist and True Crime Author, will be at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria speaking on his newest book, The Haunted House of Hillman. Frank will be speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 on his newest book. Frank will give a live demonstration of a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at Cherry Street Books from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. signing books. The Haunted House of Hillman {H2 OH} is based on the true story of teens daring each other to return to the home of an unsolved murder. The killer begins to view the home as a victim magnet. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Based on a true case that eluded resolution for years. Cherry Street Books is located at: 503 Broadway St, Alexandria, MN 56308
Wednesday, May 17, 2023, Forensic Psychologist &True Crime Author, Frank Weber,  will be at Rapids Brewing Company  in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  He’ll speak from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. about forensic psychology and writing True Crime mysteries. Frank’s newest thriller, The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of teens daring each other to return to the home of an unsolved murder. The killer begins to view the home as a victim magnet. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate the lie detector test (volunteer a friend). It’s a great time to ask questions about forensics while enjoying a cold beverage. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost. Rapids Lake Brewing Company is located at 214 North Pokegama Avenue, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, 55744. ​
Friday, May 19, 2023, Fergus Brewing Company is hosting the opening of Frank F. Weber’s newest novel, The Haunted House of Hillman. Frank will speak from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. about forensic psychology and intriguing murder mystery The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of teens daring each other to return to the home of an unsolved murder. The killer begins to view the home as a victim magnet. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller.  Frank will be at the taproom from 4:00 to 9:00, signing and selling books and answering individual questions. Fergus Brewing is located at 1683 Drive, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 56537. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost.  Stop in and enjoy a cold beverage. Saturday, May 20, 2023, Angry Inch Brewing is hosting the metro opening of Frank Weber’s newest book, The Haunted House of Hillman (H2 OH).  Frank will speak from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm. about forensic psychology and the intriguing murder mystery that led to writing The Haunted House of Hillman. Frank will be at Angry Inch signing and selling books and answering forensic questions from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Learn about new forensic techniques and find out what they get wrong on crime shows and movies.  Frank will sign and sell books both before and after speaking.  Angry Inch Brewing  is located at 20841 Holyoke Avenue in Lakeville, Minnesota,  55044. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost.  Stop in and enjoy a cold beverage!
Sunday, May 21, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Lost Sanity Brewing, speaking from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries. Frank will speak about his latest book: The Haunted House of Hillman.  H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the Lost Sanity Brewing from 1:00 to 5:00 to answer questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. Lost Sanity Brewing is located at: 12 West Main Street, Madelia, Minnesota, 56062.
Monday, May 22, 2023, Beaver Island Brewing Company is hosting the big St.Cloud opening of The Haunted House of Hillman (H2 OH) from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m..  Frank will speak from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm. about forensic psychology and the intriguing murder mystery that led to writing The Haunted House of Hillman. Learn about new forensic techniques and find out what they get wrong on crime shows and movies.  Frank will signing and selling books both before and after speaking.  The Beaver Island Brewing Company is located at 216 6th Avenue South, St. Cloud, Minnesota on Division. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost.  Stop in and enjoy a cold beverage!


Sunday, May 28, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Roundhouse Brewing, speaking from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest book. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of teens daring each other to return to the site of an unsolved murder. The killer, who remained in the area, began seeing the home as a victim magnet. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller.  Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at Roundhouse Brewing from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. to answer questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. Roundhouse Brewing is located at: 23836 Smiley Road, Nisswa, MN 56468

Nisswa offers solution to PTSD problem plaguing law enforcement…

It took a clerk in a small town in northern Minnesota to suggest making Minnesota healthier. 
Jenny Max Nisswa City Administrator Jenny Max said a longtime police officer retired early due to a disability, which will cost the town $350,000 over 24 years for health insurance until the officer reaches age 65. That will require a 14% property tax levy increase for taxpayers in the town of fewer than 2,000. Jenny Max, who is a vice president for the League of Minnesota Cities, testified Thursday in favor of a bill aimed at stemming the tide of police officers retiring early due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), contributing to a police staffing shortage.
The bill would require police officers and firefighters who apply for disability retirement benefits, due to a psychological condition, to first complete up to 32 weeks of treatment with a mental health professional, who would assess whether they’re able to return to work. Their salary would continue with the state Department of Public Safety reimbursing the cost, as long as the employer provides annual wellness training. For most people, PTSD is treatable. The city of Minneapolis has paid out more than $22 million in workers' comp to about 130 officers for PTSD-related claims since the police murder of George Floyd in 2020, according to a Star Tribune review of City Council minutes. That number could rise to 200 officers and a total of $35 million in workers' comp settlements, according to an attorney representing the officers.
Think of it from this perspective: Most victims of PTSD are victims of sexual assault. We expect children who have been through horrible trauma to get help and eventually lead productive lives. I am not dismissing the trauma officers experience, but it makes sense to me that we try to get as many healthy, rather than giving up on them and tossing them to the wayside. I applaud the efforts of Jenny Max! 
Despite what both of the girls in the story below had been through, they were expected to get themselves to school. Unfortunately, we couldn’t guarantee their safety. With that said, I want to make it clear I don’t want officers returning to work before they are ready. In my experience, it is more often the case that officers try to come back too soon.  Ashley Pond was a 12-year-old who lived with her mother in Oregon City, Oregon. This poor girl had been sexually abused by her biological father. Her father was initially charged with 12 counts of sexual abuse, but ultimately pled guilty to one count. Reluctant to report her father, Ashley had recanted aspects of her statement. Her father had been released from incarceration when Ashley disappeared. When police interviewed her father, he admitted he had abused Ashley and he regretted his behavior. Her father had an alibi for the time of Ashley’s disappearance. 
Ashley Pond accused a neighbor, Ward Weaver III, age 39, of abusing her on a trip she took to California with him and his daughter last summer. Weaver denied the claims and he was not charged. Ashley was ostracized by peers for making the allegation. Lori’s mother revealed that her daughter had come to her with the allegation, but she did nothing to try to either prove or disprove the accusation. She stated in an interview, "Nothing came of it, but I was there for her, and I told her I'd be there if she needed to talk about it." 
Ashley Pond’s family last saw her on January 9, 2002, when she walked to the local bus stop. Ashley got herself off to school. She was a student at Gardiner Middle School and was friends with 13-year-old Miranda Giddis. Ashley and Miranda attended the same school, were in the same dance class and lived in the same apartment complex. A search yielded no signs of Ashley, and while the authorities investigated, Miranda Giddis disappeared, two months later, on March 8, 2002.
On March 8, 2002, Miranda Gaddis left to school at 7:30 a.m. Her mother, Michelle Duffey, left for work, and Miranda got herself off to school. At 1:30 p.m., Michelle got a call from her oldest daughter revealing that Miranda was not at school. When Michelle called the school to investigate, she learned that Miranda had missed all her classes that day. Michelle wasted no time calling the police. Miranda had also experienced extensive sexual abuse as a child from a male friend of her mother. 
Believing the two cases were related, the FBI became involved. Investigators learned there were over 100 convicted sexual offenders living within walking distance of the girls’ apartment complex. The break came on August 13, 2002.  A 19-year-old woman wearing nothing, but a blue tarp, waved down a motorist on South Beavercreek Road and got a ride to the nearby Payless Shoes.  Around 5:00 pm, the woman in the blue tarp told police that Francis Weaver was her boyfriend, and his father, Ward Weaver III (the same man Ashley Pond had reported had abused her), had first raped her, then tried to kill her. Ward Weaver III’s home was on the path to the bus stop for both Ashley and Miranda. Ward Weaver III was given a polygraph examination and questioined about his involvement in the girls’ disappearance. Weaver denied involvement, but failed the lie detector test. ​ Ward Weaver III had a criminal record and a history of violence. His ex-wives accused him of being abusive, and he had spent 3 years in prison for assaulting his son’s babysitter by striking her in the head with a 12 pound block of cement. In 1995, Ward was arrested for assaulting his partner with a cast-iron skillet, but she was scared to testify against him. Furthermore, Ward’s father, Ward Weaver Jr., was on death row for murdering a couple in 1981. 
Being a narcissist, Ward Weaver III, did interviews standing on his freshly poured cement, telling reporters he was a suspect in Ashley and Miranda’s disappearance. His son Francis called the police and told them his father had told him he had raped and murdered Ashley and Miranda. In subsequent interviews with his family, law enforcement was able to piece together that Ward Weaver III had abducted the girls on the way to the bus stop and murdered them. As a result, a search warrant was obtained and on August 24, 2002, Miranda Gaddis’s remains were recovered from the property where Ward Weaver and his family lived. The following day, on August 25, 2002. Ashley Pond’s remains were retrieved from a 55-gallon barrel under the concrete slab on his property where he conducted the interviews.
    *An interesting aside is that Francis Weaver, Ward’s son, and the man who turned Ward in, is now serving a life sentence for murdering two people during a drug deal that went bad in 2014. The three generations of killers are pictured below.
Francis Weaver Ward Francis Weaver III Ward Weaver Jr. The Weaver family history is a deeply troubled and violent. The family patriarch, Ward Weaver Jr. sits on California's Death Row for clubbing a stranded motorist to death in 1981, then kidnapping, raping and strangling the man's fiancée before burying her body in a backyard grave. Ward Jr. buried the victim in his backyard and covered it with concrete. He elicited his son’s help, Ward III, in pouring the concrete. 
My sympathy goes out to those poor girls, who were attending school every day, trying to make friends and pass classes. Be kind to people, you never know what they’ve been through. And let’s get people help!

​Thanks for listening,
Frank
Picture of a sundog, by Alexandria, Minnesota. Thursday, March 23, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Douglas County Library in Alexandria, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Douglas County Library is located at: 720 Fillmore Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308.


Friday, March 24, 2023, Frank Weber will be interviewed on Crime Door TV at 2:00 p.m. central time. The interviews involve an examination of current national forensic cases.​

Monday, March 27, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at the Bon Ton Tavern in Luck, Wisconsin, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the Bon Ton Tavern from 5:30 to 8:30 answer questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Bon Ton Tavern is located at: 212 Main Street South, Luck, Wisconsin, 54843.  ​
Thursday, March 30, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at the Great River Regional Library in Sauk Centre, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Sauk Centre Library is located at: 430 Main Street South, Sauk Centre, Minnesota, 56378
Monday, April 10, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Wescott Library in Eagan, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Eagan presentation will be just after the newest release of The Haunted House of Hillman. H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:30 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Wescott Library is located at 1340 Wescott Road, Eagan, Minnesota, 55123.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Fergus Falls Public Library, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Fergus Falls presentation will be just after the newest release of The Haunted House of Hillman. H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:30 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Fergus Falls Library is located at 205 East Hampden, Avenue, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 56537.  ​ Saturday, April 15, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Luce Line Brewing Company, speaking from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest book. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller.  Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at Luce Line Brewing Company from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to answer questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. Luce Line Brewing is located at: 12901 16thAvenue North, Plymouth, Minnesota, 55441.

Mobsters once kidnapped owners of top breweries in Minnesota…

Minnesota was once considered mobster friendly, partially by an agreement created by the 1900 St. Paul Police Chief, John O’Conner. The O’Connor Layover Agreement allowed criminals to stay in St. Paul under three conditions: 
1. They checked in with police at the Hotel Savoy upon their arrival.
2. They agreed to pay bribes to city officials.
3. They committed no major crimes in the city of St. Paul. 
This arrangement lasted for almost 40 years, ending when rampant corruption forced local citizens and the federal government to intervene. As you can imagine, the agreement didn’t work particularly well, as mobsters came to make the Twin Cities their home and quickly emerged into power with prohibition. 
John O’Connor & Kate “Ma” Barker By 1920, mobsters began committing other high-profile crimes, including kidnapping, tax evasion and illegal gaming operations.
Kate Barker, known as “Ma Barker” was born Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 – January 16, 1935)., J. Edgar Hoover, who served as Director of the FBI from Roosevelt to Nixon, described Ma Barker as "the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade." Ma Barker’s first husband left her because he didn’t feel she held their boys accountable. It is believed that her 2nd husband was killed by her son, Fred Barker, after the man was abusive to her. 
Like many other organized crime organizations, the Barker-Karpis gang made its home in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the early 1930s. Their hideout home, located at 1031 South Robert Street in St. Paul, still stands today. 
Herman Barker The gang was made up of her four sons, Fred, Arthur, Lloyd and Herman Barker, along with a number of accomplices, including the infamous Alvin Karpis and Charles Fitzgerald. Herman was the first killed in a shootout with police in Wichita, Kansas in 1927. Herman had been wounded and shot himself to avoid incarceration.  William and Marie Hamm’s home. William Jr. and Marie Hamm On June 15, 1933, the Barker-Karpis gang masterminded the high-profile kidnapping of William A. Hamm, Jr., President of the Theodore Hamm Brewing Company.  Hamm was abducted just after leaving his office to walk home on his lunch break.  Four members of the gang grabbed him and pushed him into the back of a car parked at the corner of Minnehaha Avenue and Greenbrier Street (formerly Cable Street).  A $100,000 ransom secured Hamm’s release a few days later on June 19, but the kidnapping marked a new era in St. Paul crime. William was released to a family in Wyoming, Minnesota in the successful exchange.
Hamm’s Brewery in St. Paul in 1900. Most people don’t realize how formidable William Hamm’s Jr. and Edward Bremer Jr. (of banking and Schmidt beer fame) were 100 years ago. Odd piece of Pierz history: Pierz was once told by the state they needed to have a public school (a little over 100 years ago). It was suggested you can’t have a public school district, with all Catholic schools. Theodore Hamm Jr. offered to help out by buying the land for Pierz, to build the school on and donating to the city. However, If Pierz didn’t build a school, the land went back to Hamm’s Brewery.  The agreement was signed by William Hamm’s Jr. in 1910. In 1969 Pierz built Healy High school. All it took was waiting for everyone who voted against it to die. 
One year later, in 1934, the Barker-Karpis gang targeted Edward George Bremer Jr., the president of Commercial State Bank and son of the owner of Schmidt Brewery.
The gang took Bremer on Jan. 17, 1934. He was released three weeks later after his family handed over roughly $200,000.
Schmidt Brewery in St. Paul Edward Bremer’s home in St. Paul. With a combined effort that included fingerprints extracted from ransom notes, tips provided by Bremer, and a gas can covered with the fingerprints of Arthur Barker, the FBI had enough evidence to hone in on the Barker-Karpis Gang. Fingerprints of Alvin Karpis and Arthur Barker were extracted from the ransom note, giving the FBI the evidence they needed to go after the gang.
Arthur Barker Ma Barker’s boys were believed to have tried to escape the law with “back-room plastic surgery.”  It didn’t keep them from being found. Arthur Barker was arrested on January 8, 1935, in Chicago. Arthur was often called on for violent behavior. Regardless of the surgery, the ransom money was marked, and the FBI was able to track where the money was being spent. Baker was shot and killed attempting to escape from Alcatraz. He had sawed off 4 bars and made it over the wall but was shot and killed attempting to float away on a foggy night on his hand made raft. ​ Fred Barker Kate, “Ma”, Barker and her son Fred were chased to Florida.
Ma Barker was the boss for the Barker-Karpis gang. Ma and her son, Fred, died in the upper left bedroom in the house pictured above in Florida in a shoot-out with police. 
Alvin Karpas, former Public Enemy #1. Karpis was the only Public Enemy #1 to be taken alive. Sometimes when I read these reports it would seem like a bad comedy, if you didn’t know it was true and people died. On May 1, 1936, the FBI got a tip that Alvin Karpis was in New Orleans. J. Edgar Hoover flew a couple dozen agents to Louisiana, and they surrounded Karpis in his Plymouth coupe. Hoover ordered that Karpis be handcuffed, but none of the agents had brought handcuffs along. Karpis ended up being tied up with someone’s necktie. Hoover’s arrest of Karpis, who was Public Enemy #1, catapulted Hoover into popularity. Karpis, who had killed law enforcement officers in Missouri, pled guilty to kidnapping William Hamm Jr. Karpis was sentenced to life, but paroled in the 1960’s. He died in Spain in 1979 from an accidental overdose of pills and alcohol. An interesting piece of trivia is that Karpis taught Charles Manson to play guitar in prison, before Manson was released and directed the Helter Skelter murders. Karpis served 26 of his 33 years in Alcatraz and was frequently involved in fights. 
Schmidt beer collection Thanks for listening, 


Frank
Upcoming Events: 
Tuesday, February 28, 2023, presentation from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries for the Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning. The event will occur at the Armory Arts & Events Center in Park Rapids and is open to the public. Frank will present a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be signing and selling books at the presentation.  Ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will share some of the newest forensic tools and speak a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  The Armory Arts & Events Center is located at 203 Park Avenue South, Park Rapids, Minnesota, 56470.
Saturday, March 18, 2023, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Black and Blue. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Black and Blue to learn about the circumstances that led to writing this mystery. The true story of the search for 19-year-old Sadie Sullivan's killer. A chance meeting between Officer Zave Williams and Sadie changed his life and ended hers. Zave joins Investigator Jon Frederick as a black and white team reopening a cold case with a lot of gray–contaminated evidence, questionable court decisions, and two opposing hardened suspects.  This will be his last Barnes and Noble presentation until May when he presents on The Haunted House of Hillman. Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301. Thursday, March 23, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Douglas County Library in Alexandria, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Douglas County Library is located at: 720 Fillmore Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308. Monday, March 27, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at the Bon Ton Tavern in Luck, Wisconsin, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the Bon Ton Tavern from 5:30 to 8:30 answering questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Bon Ton Tavern is located at: 212 Main Street South, Luck, Wisconsin, 54843. Thursday, March 30, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at the Great River Regional Library in Sauk Centre, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Sauk Centre Library is located at: 430 Main Street South, Sauk Centre, Minnesota, 56378

Senseless crimes, addressed on Crime Door TV.

I was interviewed by Crime Door TV this week. I have included the headlines on the case, the question they gave me, and my responses.  
I will get back to addressing cases with my next blog.
CRIME 
Minnesota woman convicted of killing her 6-year-old son just days after regaining full custody of him Mr. Weber, why would someone fight for custody of a child just to harm that child?
There is no doubt Juissa Thaler committed a premeditated murder. Julissa Thaler made highly incriminating Google searches like: “How to keep child away from other parent with visitation,” “How to fake being home to the cops,” “How much blood can a 6-year-old lose,” “Qualifying accidental deaths,” “How much does life insurance pay for dead child.”

Relationships are our greatest source of satisfaction and misery. Some people hate their ex more than they love their child. The most common reason people kill is narcissistic injury. 

Narcissistic injury = emotional trauma that overwhelms an individual's defense mechanisms and devastates their pride and self-worth. Juissa had the belief she had won custody and it was now over. When she discovered her husband was going to still fight their child, she became rageful. She had a preconceived notion of how custody should play out, and she wasn’t going to let him win. Julissa shot her 6-year-old son, Eli, 9 times. 


Juissa also had her own personal mental health issues. She was arrested for stealing drugs from a clinic. Thaler had a history of drug abuse, paranoia and hallucinations.
Buffalo grocery store mass shooter apologizes for racist attack and receives sentence of life in prison Peyton Gendron sheds tears as he listens to African American families share stories of their loss of loved ones.  Gendron killed 10 people during a racist attack on a black community and live streamed online during the killing. Gendron, pled guilty to one count of domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate, 10 counts of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder and a weapons possession charge for the mass shooting at Tops Friendly Markets on May 14, 2022.
Mr. Weber, can someone who had these intense and violent feelings of hatred be genuinely sorry and remorseful less than a year later or is it more likely they’re trying their best to look better and changed in front of a judge?

I honestly don’t feel Gendron has the insight he needs at this time, and I’d bet during the course of a conversation he would rationalize his behavior.  Often in this situation, his apology is a statement prepared with his attorney. Gendron had researched previous hate shootings and had planned on hitting other supermarkets beyond the Buffalo store. His professed change of heart is little consolation to the families who lost decent people.
Peyton Gendron’s incarceration and loss of internet access has now forced him to consider opinions other than his own. Prior to that he was homeschooled and was one of those conspiracy theorists who spent his time looking up information that confirmed his biases.  Now that he is incarcerated, he is getting feedback from people in the real world and is beginning to see things differently. But hatred of his depth takes time to change.

People can change. I am familiar with a case where a 16-year-old killed his entire family. After 20 years in prison came out and lived everyday providing service to others. He asked me if God will ever forgive him. I told him he’s asking the wrong person. I do know that all we ever have, is from now on…

I also think that when parents testify, “I forgive you,” they typically aren’t ready for that either. But they are trying and there is something to be said for that. It takes time to process grief and to change. 

Peyton Gendron at 17, indicated he wanted to be involved in a murder suicide which was investigated by police. New York State has what is known as a red flag law, under which people found to be a danger can be forced to surrender their guns, but no one tried to invoke it against Mr. Gendron. The state police said he had not named a specific target in his threat to kill someone. 
Speaking to therapists this week, I informed therapists we should warn police when a threat to kill people is made, even without a specific target. The guidelines were made before mass shootings. Indiana church employee sentenced after stealing $574k for gambling, vacations: 'Fueled by pure greed' Mr. Weber, how does gambling impact someone mentally and why does it seem to impact people so differently?

Gambling is a different beast.  I’ve counseled couples who stated, “At first I thought he was having an affair. I was relieved to hear he was gambling.” Weeks later they would later say, “I wish it had just been an affair.”  Gambling is the one addiction where you can lose everything you’ve ever worked for in 1 day. 

The most common psychological issue gamblers struggle with is “abandonment.” They typically feel abandoned by caregivers as a child and are beginning to feel the same in their current relationships. The hope is that someday they're going to have a ton of money and help everyone, and everyone will love them—like a child holding the bag of candy. 

There’s a saying among gamblers, “the more you gamble the more you lose,” since the more you gamble the more you play into the odds. Once addicts start losing, they begin “chasing losses,” believing because they lost so much, they are now on the verge of winning. They ignore the logic that their odds haven’t changed. People are most likely to develop a gambling addiction if they win early in their efforts. Instead of walking away with their winnings, they assume there is something special about them that will make them always win. The reward system, intermittent reinforcement, enables them to rationalize that the big win is just around the corner. 
A casino owner once told me I’m never concerned when people have a big win and walk out with a lot of money. They always return at some point and blow it all again. 
I can’t help but think of the people who are struggling who could have been helped with that money. I guess the theme this month was senseless crime. Please treat people with kindness. 

Thanks for listening,

Frank
Thursday, February 23, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Douglas County Library in Alexandria, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Douglas County Library is located at: 720 Fillmore Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308. Tuesday, February 28, 2023,  presentation from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries for the Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning. The event will occur at the Armory Arts & Events Center in Park Rapids and is open to the public. Frank will present a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be signing and selling books at the presentation.  Ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will share some of the newest forensic tools and speak a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  The Armory Arts & Events Center is located at 203 Park Avenue South, Park Rapids, Minnesota, 56470.​

Lacy Phillips, despite being severely beaten at age 11, ID’s mom’s killer and ends the rampage of a serial killer…

Mary Phillips On June 6, 1995, in Bald Knob, Arkansas, police arrived at the brutal rape and murder of Mary Phillips.  She was strangled with an electric wire which was still around her neck. A CSI Investigator was asked to take pictures of the murder victims. He was snapping pictures of Mary's 11-year-old daughter, Lacy’s, badly beaten body--when she turned to face him (and the above picture was snapped). She was still alive!  The police assumed it to be a double homicide until Lacy opened her eyes. Lacy gave such a detailed description of the killer, down to his tear drop tattoo, that police officers knew it was Jack Johnson Jr. Jack had been previously arrested for home break-ins. What they didn’t know was that Lacy had just put an end to the killing spree of a serial killer. Mary and Lacy Phillips Jack Jones stated the rape was an act of revenge for the police not prosecuting the man who had raped his wife. The truth is his wife refused to press charges. It is also significant to note that Jack Jones was in trouble long before the assault of his wife. As a child he killed animals and was placed in juvenile detention. In addition, they would later find out that Jones’ first rape and murder occurred years before the assault on his wife. 
​
On June 6, 1995, Jack Jones visited Mary Phillips at her workplace. He borrowed a few account books. However, he returned soon after and claimed he was given the wrong books. Enraged, he claimed he then decided to rob the place. At that moment, Mary and her youngest daughter, Lacy, were present. (It is important to note that this is the killer’s story. Jones already had a history of burglary, rape and murder. I’m inclined to believe his initial visit was a scouting mission for his next violent offense.) Lacey Phillips Manor (20 years later) Jones made Mary Phillips lie on the floor and then forced Lacy to lie on her mother. After robbing the place of money, Jones took Lacy to an attached bathroom and tied her to a metal chair. When Lacey asked him not to hurt her mother, he responded, “I’m going to hurt you.” He left her for Mary and then returned and choked Lacey until she passed out. Jones’ hit the young girl in the head at least 8 times, which resulted in multiple lacerations and skull fractures. Jones believed Lacy was dead. Jones also abused, beat, and anally raped Mary before strangling her. He initially used his own hands to strangle her, but then made certain Mary was dead by using the electrical cord from a lamp. Jack Jones Jr. was born on August 10, 1964, in Toledo, Ohio. Jack had a sister who was close to him.  Jack was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and was reported to have symptoms of bipolar and antisocial behavior. He reported things happened in his childhood that he couldn’t talk about. He was in “a lot” of trouble as a child including placement at juvenile detention. He had tried to commit suicide twice. It was also reported that Jones was a previous resident of a psychiatric facility. It is believed that Jones was an active killer between 1983 and 1995. He was linked to his initial murders only after his arrest and conviction in Mary Phillips’ slaying. ​ Gina Grimm (pictured above) was raised in Toledo, Ohio, by adoptive parents. A search for her birth father led her to Jack Jones Jr., on death row.  Gina was given up for adoption and hadn’t come face to face with her birth parents until she was an adult. She came to know her father prior to his execution in 2017.  An Arkansas State Police command post outside the Varner Unit as executions take place near Varner, Ark., on April 24, 2017.
 
Photo: Stephen B. Thornton/The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/AP Jack Jones Jr.’s sister tried to be a source of kindness for her brother. After Jack was serving time for Mary Phillips murder, investigators told her a cold case unit had entered DNA from an old murder into the system and it had linked Jack to another murder. 
Lorraine "Lori" Anne Barrett, a 32-year-old tourist from Bridgeville, Pennsylvania was last seen at the Elbo Room, a bar located at the corner of Las Olas Boulevard and A1A State Road in Florida. Lori was a customer service representative for Bell of Pennsylvania in Washington, Pennsylvania who was on vacation in Florida. Eyewitnesses had previously claimed that they saw a black-haired tattooed male accompanying Lori before she was discovered dead.
At about noon on June 1, 1991, her body was found by a cleaning lady. Lori was raped before being strangled to death. Her body was found on June 1, 1991, at the Days Inn Lauderdale Surf Motel on Seabreeze Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Immediately following the body's discovery, police created a facial composite, complete with descriptions of the suspect's tattoos (barbed wire and hearts etched with names), and distributed it around Broward County. However, it was to no avail, and the case quickly went cold.   (After the DNA match was made, they realized they matched Jack Jones’ tattoos.) 
When visiting her brother in prison, Jack’s sister asked him to tell her if there were any more victims. She didn’t want any families not knowing what had happened to their daughter. Jack told her, there was 1 more. Jones left a letter to his sister with instructions to open it after his execution. In the letter, Jones admitted to the brutal murder of Regina Harrison, which took place in May 1983. Surprisingly, Ronald Henry Stewart, a serial rapist, was convicted of the crime even though there was solid doubt about his involvement in the murder.
Regina Harrison went missing May 2, 1983, shortly after her 20th birthday while on a bike ride. She was last seen walking Hollywood Boulevard (pictured below) in the company of a male cyclist in Florida. Regina was a student at Palm Beach Atlantic Junior College. Her body was found the next day in West Lake Park. The evidence showed she'd been sexually assaulted and strangled. Hollywood Police produced a composite sketch after one of Harrison's friends gave a description of a male who had been cycling with her. ​ Ronald Stewart & Regina Harrison When the sketch was put in the media, Jack Jones Jr.’s sister recognized the sketch as looking a lot like her brother. She told her father about it. Her father put Jack on a bus out of town. She didn’t believe Jack was the killer. 
The case went unsolved for 5 months, before an investigator noticed the sketch looked like serial rapist Ronald Stewart. A witness later picked Ronald Stewart out of a photo lineup. Stewart denied any role in Harrison's murder, but inmates contacted investigators and said Stewart had confessed to killing the college student and even provided details of the crime. Even though several factors pointed towards his innocence, including the fact that his fingerprints did not match those found at the crime scene, Stewart confessed to the crime. In order to avoid the death penalty, Stewart entered a plea of no contest and was given 50 years imprisonment in January 1985, to run concurrently with his other sexual offenses. He never repudiated the confession nor claimed it was coerced while serving his time. Stewart died behind bars from cancer in 2008.  Finally, on April 24, 2017, Jack Jones Jr. was put to death by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas. Neither Jones’ daughter nor his sister was allowed to watch the execution. It is reported that Jones repented his actions toward the end of his life. Even though his sister requested to be there for him, at the time, Arkansas was the only state which did not allow families to witness executions. Arkansas has since  In the end, I am very thankful Lacy Phillips had the resilience to survive her attack and make a report that led to the conviction of Jones. Lacy is the ray of light in a tragedy. The person who brought an end to the reign of terror. Thank you, Lacy! Hug our kids!

Thanks for listening,
Frank Quote from Black and Blue by Frank F. Weber Upcoming Events​     
       ​
Monday, January 16, 2023, Frank Weber will be a guest on the morning show at 8:05 a.m. with Host & Program Director, Bob Hughes. You can listen in on AM 1450/FM 99.3, KNSI. Bob and Frank will discuss news events. They will also discuss Frank’s presentation on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Lying Close. Saturday, January 28, 2023, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Lying Close. Learn about the circumstances that led to writing this mystery. A hunting accident, a runaway teen, a home break-in, all in a 30-mile area of rural Minnesota.
 
​Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Crime Door TV interview at 1:00 p.m.  We will let you know when this will be available to view.
 
Saturday, January 28, 2023, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Lying Close. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Lying Close to learn about the circumstances that led to writing this mystery. A hunting accident, a teen runs away, a home break-in, all in a 30 mile area of rural Minnesota. Frank, will be at Barnes and Noble once a month to discuss book after book in consecutive order, ending with his next release.  Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
 
Thursday, February 23, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Douglas County Library in Alexandria, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Douglas County Library is located at: 720 Fillmore Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308.
 
Tuesday, February 28, 2023, presentation from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries for the Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning. The event will occur at the Armory Arts & Events Center in Park Rapids and is open to the public. Frank will present a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be signing and selling books at the presentation.  Ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will share some of the newest forensic tools and speak a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  The Armory Arts & Events Center is located at 203 Park Avenue South, Park Rapids, Minnesota, 56470.
 
Monday, March 27, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at the Bon Ton Tavern in Luck, Wisconsin, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his newest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Haunted House of Hillman. {H2 OH} is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the Bon Ton Tavern from 5:30 to 8:30 answering questions on his work, to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Bon Ton Tavern is located at: 212 Main Street South, Luck, Wisconsin, 54843.  
 
Monday, April 10, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Wescott Library in Eagan, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Eagan presentation will be just after the newest release of The Haunted House of Hillman. H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:30 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Wescott Library is located at 1340 Wescott Road, Eagan, Minnesota, 55123.
 
Tuesday, April 11, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Fergus Falls Public Library, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. The Fergus Falls presentation will be just after the newest release of The Haunted House of Hillman. H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:30 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Fergus Falls Library is located at 205 East Hampden Avenue, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 56537.  
 
Saturday, April 15, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be speaking on his forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries at the River of Life Church. Frank will speak about his latest books. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. This Sauk Centre presentation will be just after the newest release of The Haunted House of Hillman. H2 OH is based on the true story of a search for a criminal that keeps leading back to crimes that occurred at one house. Frank will share the amazing stories of victim survival that led to the resolution of this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be present from 5:30 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The  River of Life Church is located at 705 12th Street South, Sauk Centre, Minnesota,  56378. ​

Teens hunted down in the woods is the basis for over a hundred teen horror movies. It’s also Sandra Chesky’s nightmare.

On the night of November 1973, 13-year-old Sandra Cheskey, a 7th grade student, was invited with a group of teens to sit around a campfire in the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve. They were bored small town teens who had a guitar and a joint. No alcohol was involved. The night was about friends sitting around talking. Sandra had met 17-year-old Roger Essem and the pair began dating. Sandra was still a virgin. Roger and his friends,18-year-old Stewart Baade, 14-year-old Dana Baade, and 15-year-old Mike Hadrath were headed to Gitchie Manitou. Roger asked Sandra if she wanted to go with, and she did. Sandra wasn’t familiar with the preserve, but the others had been there previously. ​ Gitchie Manitou can be beautiful. Many people insist Gitchie Manitou remains haunted since that night. ​​
Giant quartzite outcroppings at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve. (Located in Iowa, close to the South Dakota and Minnesota border.) Sandra Chesky as a teen. The teens were sitting around a campfire enjoying each other’s company when they heard footsteps in the woods. As the teens checked out the noise shots were fired. 
The Fryer brothers were out poaching deer in the preserve when they heard they saw the teens by a campfire. David Fryer went to spy on the group and to report back to his brothers. They planned to pretend they were narcotics agents and steal their drugs. (According to testimony) The Fryers believed that narcotics agents were allowed to indiscriminately kill drug users. Allen, James and David Fryer positioned themselves on the ridge overlooking the victims and opened fire. Roger Essem, 17, was killed and Stewart Baade, 18, fell wounded. The remaining teenagers ran to the woods. The Fryers announced themselves as narcotics officers and ordered the remaining teens to come out. Allen Fryer shot Michael Hadrath and Sandra Cheskey fell alongside him playing dead.
Sandra, her husband Carroll, and a friend crawl up on the ridge to see where she and her friends were shot at as a teen. Sandra Cheskey was tied up and a man they called “the boss” (Allen Fryer) drove away with her. After driving around for a bit, they stopped at an abandoned home and met up with the 2 brothers who were referred to as “hatchet face” and “JR”. She would find out later that James and David Fryer killed the remaining teenagers with shotguns. Roger Essem, 17; Stewart Baade, 18; Mike Hadrath, 15; and Dana Baade, 14 now had all been murdered. ​ A brother they referred to as “JR” entered the vehicle with Sandra, and “the boss” brutally raped her. “JR” would later be described as someone who was completely without emotion. When “the boss” returned, Sandra told him, “I was a virgin, you know.” Allen Fryer simply responded, “Nah, no you aren’t.” Alan wanted her to enter the abandoned home with him, but she threw herself on the ground and refused. Sandra said she knew if she entered that home, they would kill her there. Alan eventually gives in to her pleading and agrees to drive her home if she remains quiet about what took place. He told her that if she ever told, they would hunt her down and kill her. When she dropped her off at her home he told her, “There. Now I know where you live.” Alan “the boss” Fryer - David “hatchet face” Fryer - James “JR” Fryer The teens' bodies were discovered the following morning, all killed with shotguns. When investigators checked out the scene, they realized the teens were murdered with 3 different rifles. They immediately suspect the murders were committed by 3 different shooters. 

That afternoon, 13-year-old Sandra Chesky came to the police station and reported she was out with the murdered teens last night. Sandra reported 3 men approached them and shot her friends. One of the men told Sandra her friends were shot with tranquilizer guns. He told Sandra he would take her home. Sandra was driven from the scene and brutally raped, then driven home. When she tells the story to police officers, some don’t believe her. She repeats the story over and over and it remains the same. They give her a lie detector test and she passes it. Sandra Chesky was placed in a locked juvenile detention facility. The investigators wanted to keep her safe, and they didn’t know where else to put her. Sandra was never brought to counseling. 
​
Investigators who interviewed Sandra, realized she was giving incredible details of the truck and was able to give a clear description of each of the killers. She said the brown truck had a gun rack and a crack in the windshield. She stated there was an inspection sticker in a specific location on the dash.  Sandra Chesky revisits Gitchie Manitou State Preserve near Granite, Iowa where she and four friends were enjoying a peaceful night before confronted by armed killers. Police officers would pick up Sandra at detention and drive her around looking for the abandoned farm, day after day. Police officers become more and more skeptical of her story. The Sheriff at one point pulled over on a back road with her and said, “I know you know who those guys are. Tell me right now.” Sandra stopped talking to him, realizing he didn’t believe her. ​ Sandra visiting the Sheriff in 2013. He stated he followed her life and had always hoped the best for her. Finally, after several days of driving around they meet a brown truck. She yells, “That’s him. That’s "the boss.” Sandra is pushed down in the car and the officer takes off after the truck. When the truck is pulled over, it meets all of the details Sandra described. (gun rack, crack in windshield, and inspection sticker in the exact location she stated). Alan “the boss” states that he doesn’t know anything about the killings. The brothers are put into a line-up with other men, and Sandra picks out each by their nicknames. David has more at stake than his brothers, as he has a prior arrest for shooting at people out the window of a moving vehicle. David takes a plea deal, and his version completely corroborates Sandra’s story. David receives a sentence of life in prison.

While awaiting trial, Alan and James escaped from jail. Officers sat in Sandra’s home with shotguns day and night, waiting for the Fryer brothers as they swore they’d kill her if she told. 
​
Alan and James stole a vehicle and started heading west. They made it through South Dakota, but hit a pedestrian in Gillette, Wyoming. A witness described the vehicle, and the manhunt tightened around them, leading to their arrest again. 
There were times during Alan and James trial where Sandra Chesky was on the stand for over 2 hours at a time. But she toughed it out and stood up to the cross-examination. Sandra was amazing! Her testimony led to their conviction. Alan Fryer was sentenced to 4 consecutive life sentences. James received life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sadly, as a result of rumors in the community, some still believed Sandra somehow knew the killers. Parents told kids to avoid her in school. She was shamed and felt ashamed. Sandra said she walked with her head down “for the next 25 years.” Sandra stated that finally speaking of the ordeal today has helped her with healing. 

I am pleased that most investigators handle victims so much better today. Sandra Chesky is an amazing person and I’m glad she’s alive to tell her story. Thank you for sharing Sandra!

Thanks for listening,
Frank
​
The Haunted House of Hillman is at editing. I will let you know when it will be released. (Not before March most likely)  Thursday, January 5, 2023, Frank Weber will be on LA Talk Radio. Frank will be interviewed live on Rendezvous with a Writer from 6:00 to 6:50 p.m. Pacific Standard Time or 8:00 to 8:50 p.m. Central Standard Time.
Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Crime Door TV interview at 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 28, 2022, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Lying Close. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Lying Close to learn about the circumstances that led to writing this mystery. A hunting accident, a teen runs away, a home break-in, all in a 30 mile area of rural Minnesota. Frank, will be at Barnes and Noble once a month to discuss book after book in consecutive order, ending with his next release.  Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
Thursday, February 23, 2023, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Douglas County Library in Alexandria, speaking from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 5:00 to 8:00 answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Douglas County Library is located at: 720 Fillmore Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308.
Tuesday, February 28, 2023, presentation from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries for the Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning. The event will occur at the Armory Arts & Events Center in Park Rapids and is open to the public. Frank will present a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be signing and selling books at the presentation.  Ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will share some of the newest forensic tools and speak a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  The Armory Arts & Events Center is located at 203 Park Avenue South, Park Rapids, Minnesota, 56470.

Jim Thorpe—an American hero

Thank you for your kindness, support and appreciation of the goodness in the world. I will celebrate the birth of a child; Jesus, grandchildren, and the children of everyone I know… I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and ask people to take kindness in to 2023 Repeat the sounding joy... 
Native American Jim Thorpe Thorpe became a national hero when he triumphed at the 1912 Olympics, winning gold in the decathlon with a score that remained unbeaten for decades.  He won two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics (one in classic pentathlon and the other in decathlon).  Even more remarkably, because someone had stolen his shoes just before he was due to compete, he found a mismatched pair of replacements, including one from a trash can, and won the gold medal wearing them. One shoe was 3 sizes too big, so he wore three socks on that foot. To place his accomplishment in the proper context, no athlete has ever won both the decathlon and the pentathlon since. But when it was discovered that he'd played a few seasons of professional baseball, Olympic hardliners took away his medals. Thorpe later said, "I went to play baseball in North Carolina for a couple of summers and paid for it for the rest of my life. 
 
Thorpe wrote a letter requesting to avoid being sanctioned, in which he admitted playing professional baseball: 
I hope I will be partly excused by the fact that I was simply an Indian schoolboy and did not know all about such things. In fact, I did not know that I was doing wrong, because I was doing what I knew several other college men had done, except that they did not use their own names ...
In college Thorpe began his athletic career at Carlisle in 1907 when he walked past the track and, still in street clothes, beat all the school's high jumpers with an impromptu 5-ft 9-in jump. His earliest recorded track and field results were recorded 1907. Jim also competed in football, baseball, lacrosse, and ballroom dancing, winning the 1912 intercollegiate ballroom dancing championship. This is the same year he won the national football championship for Carlisle. Jim Thorpe also played American football (collegiate and professional), professional baseball, and basketball. He had considered playing professional hockey, but ultimately did not. Professional football contests were tough and dangerous then, making the controversy over today's "helmet hits" look quaint by comparison. In 1904, more than 200 players were injured, and 21 were killed in the game. Officials changed the rules after the 1909 season, in which 36 fatalities were recorded. Thorpe was paid $2 a game, in a sport where people were killed every week. This is the equivalent of about $65 today. From 1913 through 1919, Thorpe was an outfielder for the New York, Cincinnati (Ohio), and Boston baseball teams in the National League. He was more successful as one of the early stars of American professional football from 1919 through 1926. Jim was a running back, defensive back, kicker and punter. He sealed one championship with a 95-yard punt. Thorpe played pro sports until the age of 41, when the Great Depression hit.
Jim’s father, Hiram Thorpe was Irish, and his mother Charlotte Vieux was Potawatomi. Jim was raised as Sac and Fox native on a reservation in Oklahoma in the Roman Catholic religion. Jim was married 3 times, and had 8 children, (4 in each of his first 2 marriages). His life had its share of tragedies. His oldest son died of polio in Jim’s arms at age 3. Jim struggled with alcoholism at the end of his life and died at the age of 64, on March 28, 1953. This doesn’t diminish that Jim Thorpe was the best athlete in the world at one point in his life and one of the very best professional athletes ever. ​ Charlotte Viex Thorpe Hiriam Thorpe Grace Thorpe remained close to her father until Jim’s death. Grace Thorpe, born December 10, 1921, and died on April 1, 2008, was a World War II veteran, environmentalist, and Native rights activist. ​ The story hasn’t ended. Jim Thorpe’s Olympic medals were restored 30 years after his death, (obviously a little late). Jim had one of the most bizarre funerals in history. 

Jim Thorpe had requested to be buried in Indian territory. However, Jim’s third wife, Patsy Thorpe pulled up to her husband’s in-progress Native American funeral service at a farm on the night of April 12, 1953, with a hearse and a highway patrolman. Patsy ordered the coffin loaded into the hearse, then drove away, tail lights disappearing into the darkness. Over the next several months, she shopped the body around, looking for a memorial for him and cash for her. Jim’s body wound up 1,340 miles away in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. Two tiny boroughs straddling a bend in the Lehigh River — Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk — agreed to unite under the name “Jim Thorpe '' in exchange for his corpse. 
​
One hundred years ago, the Sac and Fox athlete Wa-tha-sko-huk, whose name meant “Light After the Lightning,” a.k.a. Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe, became an American Colossus. Richard Thorpe, one of Jim’s two surviving children stated, “We want Dad back here in Indian Country. We want to finish that funeral.”

Thanks for listening,


Frank Every once in a while, you hear a song that just nails it.

Killer spotted from Airplane…

First of all, I want to thank you for all the kind words regarding my mother, Rosetta (Kapsner) Weber. She will be missed. Her kindness and faith were constant and appreciated by many. Mom appreciated the importance of sharing and would talk as long as you wanted to maintain the conversation. I would have to literally say, “Mom, I’m ending the conversation as I need to go now.” At the same time, I respect her willingness to gift me with her attention. Annette Schnee (left) and Barbara Oberholtzer (right) disappeared in 1982. Their murders went unsolved for decades. On January 6, 1982, Annette Schnee went missing in Breckenridge, Colorado. Annette was working as a housekeeper at a Holiday Inn in Colorado hoping to one day work as a flight attendant. She had visited her doctor, picked up medication and hitchhiked. Her body was found in rural Park County (20 miles south of Breckenridge). Annette had been shot in the back at the location where her body was found. Her death was due to loss of blood from a single gunshot wound. Annette was fully clothed, but her clothing was in disarray. She was wearing only one orange stocking. Her body was found face down in a small stream. Annette was shot outside in an isolated mountain valley. It would have been dark, possibly snowing with a temperature of -20 below zero. ​ Annette Schnee Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer Barbara “Bobbie Jo” Oberholtzer, 29, was last seen on the evening of January 6, 1982. She had been hitchhiking. (It is important to note that hitchhiking was common in the area at the time. Bobbie would occasionally bar hop with friends and hitchhike home.) Bobbie Jo’s body was found about 10 miles south of Breckenridge, the next afternoon on January 7, 1982. Bobbie Jo’s body was found near the summit of Hoosier Pass, about 20 feet off the highway and down a snow embankment. She had been shot in the chest, with a 2nd grazing wound to her right breast. Her backpack was located 20 miles from her body, on US Highway 285 South, east toward Denver. ​ Once they had both Annette and Bobbie Jo’s body, investigators believed the cases were connected:
Both disappeared on the same day. 
Annette was wearing a single sock. The matching sock was found near Bobbie Jo’s body. 
A .38/.357 handgun using a Remington/Peters copper jacketed hollow point bullet was used in both homicides. ​
Jeff and Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer Police initially suspected Bobbie Jo’s husband, Jeff Oberholtzer. He was married to Bobbie, and his card was found in Annette’s pocket. However, he first passed 2 polygraph examinations indicating that he had nothing to do with the murders, and later, the DNA testing cleared him as a suspect. Jeff (today) is pictured below. 
Jeff remains close to Bobbie Jo’s daughters from a previous relationship. The actual killer was first noticed in the area by a passenger on a jet. Harold E. Bray peered out his airplane window over the Colorado mountains on the night of January 6, 1982. Bray, a local sheriff, noticed flashes of light on a darkened pass below: three short, three long, then three short again (an SOS signal). Harold alerted the pilot, who contacted the local fire chief, Dave Montoya who rescued Alan Lee Phillips, 30, stuck in a snowdrift in a 10,000-foot mountain pass. 
It’s quite ironic that these 2 articles are next to each other in the paper, and the case of the woman’s murder, by the man who was rescued, goes unsolved for 40 years. Alan Phillips in 1982 and today. Bobbi Jo Oberholtzer had brutally fought her attacker and bloodied him. New DNA testing revealed that Alan Phillips' blood was discovered on her clothing. Phillips had a big cut above his eye when Dave Montoya found him. Phillips' astounding rescue made national headlines. Now, 40 years later they realize Phillips got stuck after dumping the bodies of 2 women he had just murdered. Genetic genealogy testing, using DNA, found at the crime scenes led to the arrest of Alan Phillips. Phillips was a miner and mechanic. He was arrested in Dumont, a small mountain town about an hour’s drive from Breckenridge. Phillips had lived there for the last 40 years. Alan Phillips was given 2 life sentences, without the possibility of parole. 
Linda Stanley, District Attorney “Bobbi Jo was a fighter and is a hero,” Linda Stanley, district attorney for the 11th Judicial District, said in a statement. “She fought back and because of that we were able to get DNA evidence to convict Annette and Bobbi Jo’s killer after all this time.”
Fire Chief Dave Montoya Dave Montoya recently commented, “If I would have known then what I know now, I would have left him there.” 


Thanks for listening,


Frank
Upcoming Events​  Saturday, November 26, 2022, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author, Frank Weber, will be at Barnes and Noble in Greenway Lake Commons from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. signing his thrilling mysteries, based on Minnesota cases, and answering any questions people might have about forensics. Frank performs assessments in homicide and sexual assault cases and has profiled cold case homicides. He narrated a show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning and has been the recipient of the President’s award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work. Barnes and Noble is located at Greenway Lakes Commons, 3216 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55416.
​Monday, November 28, 2022, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author, Frank Weber will be at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria from 5:00 to 7:00 signing books and answering questions about forensics and writing true crime. Frank has received the President’s Award from the MN Correctional Association, and has profiled cold case homicides. His suspense novels are award winning! His newest book, Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Cherry Street Books is located at 503 Broadway Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308.   ​
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Author Talk LIVE on You Tube! Join us LIVE Tuesday, November 28, 2022 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. CST for True Crime Book Author Talk between Frank Weber and Martha Burns, author of Blind Eye(Atmosphere Press, 2022), hosted by Blue Cottage Agency. https://youtu.be/NVpzOrt1_vE
Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Wheaton Community Library, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 6:00 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Wheaton Community Library is located at 901 1st Avenue, North, Wheaton, Minnesota, 56296.  ​
Friday, December 2, 2022, Forensic Psychologist &True Crime Author, Frank Weber,  will be at The Pantown Brewing Company in St. Cloud, Minnesota, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. answering any questions about forensics you choose to throw at him.  He’ll speak from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. about forensic psychology and writing True Crime mysteries. Frank will demonstrate the lie detector test (volunteer a friend). He will speak about his newest thriller, Black and Blue. It’s a great time to ask questions about forensics while enjoying a cold beverage. Pantown has a new great amber beer you will want to check out. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost. Pantown Brewing is located at 408 37th Avenue North, St. Cloud, Minnesota, 56303. ​
Saturday, December 3, 2022, Forensic Psychologist &True Crime Author, Frank Weber,  will be at Moose Lake Brewing Company  in Moose Lake, Minnesota, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.  He’ll speak from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. about forensic psychology and writing True Crime mysteries. Frank will demonstrate the lie detector test (volunteer a friend). He will speak about his newest thriller, Black and Blue. It’s a great time to ask questions about forensics while enjoying a cold beverage. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost. Moose Lake Brewing Company is located at 244 Lakeshore Drive, Moose Lake, Minnesota, 55767. ​
Sunday, December 4, 2022, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Last Call. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Last Call to learn about the true-life Minnesota kidnapping that led to writing this mystery. Last Call was one of Frank’s favorite books to write. Book clubs are welcome! Frank, will be at Barnes and Noble once a month to discuss book after book in consecutive order, ending with his next release.  Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
Friday, December 9, 2022, presentation from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries at Mankato Brewery in North Mankato.  You will receive a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be at the brewery signing and selling books from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.  This will be a great time with a guest appearance by the Burning Bridges cover model, Kloe Kapsner.  Stop in and have a cold beverage and ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will be sharing a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  Mankato Brewery is located at 1119 Center Street, North Mankato, Minnesota.
Saturday, December 17, 2022, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author, Frank Weber, will be at the Bookstore at Fitger’s from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. signing his thrilling mysteries, based on Minnesota cases, and answering any questions people might have about forensics. Frank performs assessments in homicide and sexual assault cases and has profiled cold case homicides. He narrated a show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning, and has been the recipient of the President’s award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work. The Bookstore at Fitger’s is located at 600 East Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55802.

Rosetta Weber

Last Call presentation at Barnes and Noble has been rescheduled for December 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

I seldom reschedule events. On October 31, 2022, an administrative assistant for my Psychological Services company, CORE Professional Services, entered the courtroom when I was getting ready to testify as an expert witness. She left the message that I should call home immediately when I’m done testifying. It was clearly bad news. In my 27 years of testifying, this has never happened. For the next hour, I thought about my family, my wife, kids, and grandkids. I realized that the most likely person was my mother, Rosetta (Kapsner) Weber. An hour later, when I was finished in court, I found out my suspicion was accurate. I speak of mom, Rosetta Weber, as my hero. Rosetta had 10 children, all named in alphabetical order. To me, a hero is someone who shows up and does her best every day, without expecting anything in return. Rosetta taught full-time for 4 decades, completed a master’s degree in education while her kids were growing up, made meals and did laundry. (I joke at times that I grew up on black-eyed peas, because the vegetables were always burnt. She’d come home, throw food on the stove, turn everything on high, and when the smoke alarm went off supper was done. Rosetta encouraged all of her children to pursue education and play music. Rosetta and Leo attended every event their children participated in. They celebrated the wins and said nothing of the losses. You were just expected to show up again tomorrow and give it another shot. There was no complaining of the coaches, or referees. It’s just a loss, and in life you need to work through losses to be successful. Her greatest joy was having the entire family home.
 
I loved my childhood. We had little financially, but everything we needed. We wore patched clothes, grew our own vegetables in a large garden, butchered chickens with farmers for some of the birds, and got a lot of fresh fish from generous fisherman in town. We ate a lot of organ meat donated to us from farmers. We went out to eat once during my childhood—to Vic’s bar in Lastrup, which was owned by my mom’s brother. (Man did that fried food taste good!) I remember when my oldest brother, Tony (A is for Anthony) went to college. I felt a sadness knowing we would never have all of us back home again. The academic scholarship Tony received opened my eyes to a whole new world. The Webers hadn’t gone to college up to that point. Thank you, mom, for giving me a great childhood, which led me to great friends, and now my own wonderful family. There are no accolades, cash bonuses or trophies for what you did…, but you are my hero!
 
Love,
 
Frank Perhaps Last Call is the perfect title to reschedule.
 
Sunday, December 4, 2022, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Last Call. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Last Call to learn about the true life Minnesota kidnapping that led to writing this mystery. Last Call was one of Frank’s favorite books to write. Book clubs are welcome! Frank, will be at Barnes and Noble once a month to discuss book after book in consecutive order, ending with his next release.  Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301​

Alexandria Teenager Jasmine Block

Even though she wasn’t a great swimmer, and her friend recently drowned, Jasmine kicked her pajama pants off and swam a lake to escape her captors...
Today’s hero is Jasmine Block!  You’re amazing and we wish you the best! 
Alexandria, Minnesota teenager, Jasmine Block, on the Dr. Phil Show  Jasmine was abducted and held captive for 29 days in 2017. Jasmine was particularly vulnerable as she struggled with cognitive disabilities. I personally think Jasmine is quite impressive. 
On August 8, 2017, Jasmine Block had returned home at 10:30 after a day of boating with friends. Jasmine had a headache and rested on the couch while her mother, Sarah, left to help family. Jasmine told her mother she was going to sleep. When Sarah returned home, Jasmine was gone. The 15-year-old left home without her phone, keys, and a backpack she normally carried. Her bike and scooter were also left at home. The family realized Jasmine had been kidnapped. Jasmine would later say she didn’t grab her phone because it was at 1% charge and was useless.
This is the picture of Jasmine that was released to help find her. Jasmine was 5 feet 1 inches tall and weighed 110 pounds. She was last seen in red and black pajamas. 
Thomas Barker, (the father of Jasmine’s best friend) showed up to her home at about 11:00 p.m. and told Jasmine he needed her help with a family situation. No one else was home at the time. Jasmine remembered having a creepy feeling but wanted to help out. When Jasmine arrived at the home, she realized something was wrong and asked to go home. Barker put a gun to her head. After he assaulted her, Barker locked her in a closet with a blanket and a TV. Barker then zip-tied Jasmine’s feet and her hands behind back and tried drowning her face first in the bathtub. Jasmine fought and by lifting her hair in and out of the tub she got the floor wet, and Barker wasn’t able to grip his feet on the floor and hold her down. Thomas Barker finally gave up—for the time being. Thomas Barker told Jasmine he had planned on sexually assaulting her, after he saw her lift her shirt up and show her bruised ribs to his daughter. Jasmine had a bicycle accident a week earlier and had struck her ribs against the bike handle. I have worked with enough offenders to know that’s a line of crap. Typically, offenders make a decision to abuse someone, and they look for an opportunity to make the victim think it was her fault. ​ Thomas Barker, Steven Powers, & Joshua Holby Thomas Barker suffered from cerebral palsy and abused methamphetamine. Jasmine heard Barker’s wife in the home at times but was warned to remain quiet. Thomas Barker, and his friend, Steven Powers, repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted Jasmine. Joshua Holby drugged Jasmine and stabbed her at one point. Barker tried to kill her by drowning, hanging and stabbing her.  The three tried drowning two more times, but Jasmine managed to fight them off and keep her head above water. They then tried folding Jasmine into a couch and sat on her trying to suffocate her. Jasmine managed to push up with her feet enough to still breathe. They then had her stand on buckets and put a rope around her neck. Holby kicked out the buckets. After she started choking, Barker ultimately requested they cut her down before she died. 
Jasmine Block was 15 years old when she was taken from her home. She remained kidnapped for 29 days. On her last day with her kidnappers, she believed they were going to kill her. The men had first taken her to a corn field, and then drove behind a log cabin. They left her in their truck alone in rural Barrett, MN, when they went to look for food. (Barrett is between Elbow Lake and Hoffman on Highway 55. Or for larger reference between Alexandria and Fergus Falls.) After five minutes, Jasmine knew this was her chance to escape. She ran to the homes close and knocked, but no one answered. She spotted a house across the lake and swam across Grant County Lake to escape. It is significant to note that Jasmine was not a great swimmer and her friend had recently drowned. Jasmine kicked off her shoes and pajama pants and swam across the lake in a t-shirt and boxers.
Grant County Lake “I started swimming across the lake. That’s when I saw Earl’s house, the guy who saved me. He wasn’t home, so I started running through a cornfield.” Jasmine Block Earl had returned home from work, as he left something at home he needed. Earl Melchert saw movement out his truck window in the field. He initially thought it was a deer, and then finally realized it was the missing girl. Earl opened his door and Jasmine stated, “Call 911. I’m Jasmine Block and I got kidnapped.'” Earl gave the reward money he received to Jasmine and her family. 
Jasmine with her mother, Sarah asmine said while waiting to go to the hospital, she saw Thomas Barkers’ car go by. She pointed out the vehicle and police tracked the men down and arrested them. Thomas Barker was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Steven Powers and Joshua Holby were sentenced to 8 years. (They will do 2/3’s of these sentences if given good time.) 
Not only do I find the light sentences troubling, it bothers me that the crimes occurred in a part of the state where courts are reluctant to send serious offenders back to incarceration if they are violating their probation.  The Corrections Agents are great, but there is little they can do if offenders who are caught violating do not receive consequences. I’m not blaming the judges either. The issue is the lack of strength in prosecution. Some of the counties in west central MN don’t have a county prosecutor so they rent defense attorneys to prosecute. Since these attorneys make a living on defense attorney referrals, they don’t put a lot of energy into prosecuting cases. 
But the focus of this post is Jasmine. She reported she had the courage to escape because she knew many people were watching her from heaven. Before she was kidnapped, her friend and her father both passed away. “I had faith they would all help me,” Block said.
asmine struggles with PTSD and depression and has been hospitalized 3 times since the kidnapping due to flashbacks. She doesn’t like to go places but has become particularly close to her mother and sisters. We wish you and your family the very best Jasmine!

Thanks for listening,


Frank
Upcoming book events:
Thursday, October 20, 2022, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Muir Library in Winnebago, speaking from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library by 6:00 to answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books. The Muir Library is located at 36 Main Street North, Winnebago, Minnesota, 56098.
Monday, October 24, 2022, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at New Ulm Public Library in New Ulm, speaking from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to answer questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books, and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway, New Ulm, Minnesota, 56073.
Tuesday, October 25, 2022, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Springfield Public Library, speaking from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 6:30 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Springfield Public Library is located at 120 North Cass Avenue, Springfield, Minnesota, 56087.  ​
Wednesday, October 26, 2022, Forensic Psychologist, Frank F. Weber, will be at Dyckman Free Library in Sleepy Eye, speaking from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Frank will share the intriguing circumstances that led to this true crime thriller. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Frank will be at the library from 6:30 to 8:00 answering questions on his work, and to sign and sell his books and to discuss the latest forensic tools. The Dyckman Free Library is located at 345 Main Street Wests, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota 56085. 
 
Thursday, October 27, 2022, Author Frank F. Weber will be signing books at the Hello Beautiful Event held at the Little Falls Ballroom from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Little Falls Ballroom is located at 15870, Minnesota Highway 27, Little Falls, Minnesota, 56345. 
 
Sunday, October 30, 2022, Forensic Psychologist and True Crime Author Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in Edina at 12:00 noon signing books and answering questions. Frank has received the President’s Award from the MN Correctional Association, has profiled cold case homicides and his suspense novels are award winning! His newest book, Black and Blue is a thrilling mystery based on the murder of a police officer’s 19-year-old fiancé in Minneapolis. Barnes and Noble is located at 3230 Galleria, Edina, Minnesota, 55435. 
 
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, Frank Weber, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author will be speaking on his work during WIN time at Brainerd High School, from 10:46 to 11:29 a.m. Frank will offer a live demonstration of a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). The presentation will occur in the new Performing Arts Center at Brainerd High School.
 
Saturday, November 5, 2022, Frank Weber will be at Barnes and Noble in St. Cloud at 11:00 a.m. discussing Last Call. This is an informal get together inviting anyone who is interested. It’s a great opportunity for people who have read Last Call to learn about the true life circumstances and the profiling of this serial killer that led to writing this mystery. Last Call was one of Frank’s favorite books to write. Book clubs are welcome! Frank, will be at Barnes and Noble once a month to discuss book after book in consecutive order, ending with his next release.  Barnes and Noble is located at Rainbow Village, 3940 Division Street, St Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
 
Saturday, November 26, 2022, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author, Frank Weber, will be at Barnes and Noble in Greenway Lake Commons from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. signing his thrilling mysteries, based on Minnesota cases, and answering any questions people might have about forensics. Frank performs assessments in homicide and sexual assault cases and has profiled cold case homicides. He narrated a show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning and has been the recipient of the President’s award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work. Barnes and Noble is located at Greenway Lakes Commons, 3216 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55416.
 
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Author Talk LIVE on You Tube! Join us LIVE Tuesday, November 28, 2022 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. CST for True Crime Book Author Talk between Frank Weber and Martha Burns, author of Blind Eye (Atmosphere Press, 2022), hosted by Blue Cottage Agency.
 
Saturday, December 3, 2022, Forensic Psychologist &True Crime Author, Frank Weber, will be at Moose Lake Brewing Company  in Moose Lake, Minnesota, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.  He’ll speak from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. about forensic psychology and writing True Crime mysteries. Frank will demonstrate the lie detector test (volunteer a friend). He will speak about his newest thriller, Black and Blue. It’s a great time to ask questions about forensics while enjoying a cold beverage. This is going to be a blast and there is no cost. Moose Lake Brewing Company is located at 244 Lakeshore Drive, Moose Lake, Minnesota, 55767.  ​ 
 
Friday, December 9, 2022,  presentation from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on forensic work and the writing of True Crime mysteries at Mankato Brewery in North Mankato.  You will receive a live demonstration of a lie detector test (feel free to volunteer—or volunteer a friend) so you can see how lie detection works. Frank will be at the brewery signing and selling books from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m..  This will be a great time with a guest appearance by the Burning Bridges cover model, Kloe Kapsner.  Stop in and have a cold beverage and ask the questions you’d love to ask about forensic work or forensic shows.  Frank will be sharing a little about what they get wrong on movies and TV.  Mankato Brewery is located at 1119 Center Street, North Mankato, Minnesota.
 
Saturday, December 17, 2022, Forensic Psychologist & True Crime Author, Frank Weber, will be at the Bookstore at Fitger’s from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. signing his thrilling mysteries, based on Minnesota cases, and answering any questions people might have about forensics. Frank performs assessments in homicide and sexual assault cases and has profiled cold case homicides. He narrated a show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning and has been the recipient of the President’s award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work. The Bookstore at Fitger’s is located at 600 East Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55802.
 
Thursday, January 5, 2023, Frank Weber will be on LA Talk Radio. Frank will be interviewed live on Rendezvous with a Writer from 6:00 to 6:50 p.m. Pacific Standard Time or 8:00 to 8:50 p.m. Central Standard Time. ​