Don’t let killers define victims. {The case of NYPD Forensic Criminologist Michelle Lee}
A problem with murder is that the killer is still around to tell a story, while the victim is not.
April 26, 2009, Michelle Lee, age 24, Criminalist in the NYPD Crime lab was found murdered in the Sunnyside Queens neighborhood. Michelle lived close to her parents as she was fond of her family. She was talented and intelligent and became a forensic scientist, her dream job. Her family loved and cherished her.
Michelle’s wrists were tied with a wire. She had burn marks from an iron on her chest and torso. A knife stuck out of her neck. Investigators first considered she may have been tortured by one of the drug organizations she had helped prosecute. Her case files indicated Michelle had helped prosecute dangerous offenders. Had she paid the ultimate price, for just doing her job? Michelle was the 7th law enforcement officer in NYPD murdered in the previous 5 years. 
Investigators were curious about the evidence at the scene. Michelle’s body had been brutally battered, but there was no blood splatter. There were no bruise marks on her wrists from the ligature. (This suggested her wrists were tied after she was dead.)
NYPD detectives studied the video surveillance around the home. Michelle had met with a man that night, but the video wasn’t clear enough to identify him. They discovered DNA evidence but the killer wasn’t in the system.
Michelle had dated Gary McGurk. She loved him and wrote in her diary, “Dear Journal, My mind is rambling . . . I’m not ready to lose Gary… I’m trying to figure out the right time to tell him I love him. I truly do.”
Gary McGurk, age 23, was an attractive immigrant from Ireland. She wrote that McGurk had suffered stage IV cancer which had spread to his kidneys, liver and lungs — and that he had stopped taking his medication. “He’s so brave,” she wrote. “I can’t stop thinking. I can’t stop crying. I love him so much. I wish he would get better. I wish I could hold him forever.” After Gary told her his insurance wasn’t covering his treatment, Michelle gave him thousands of dollars to cover it. 
When interviewed, Gary McGurk told investigators that their relationship was taboo. They engaged in choking and bondage during sex. He was willing to disclose very intimate information which wasn’t very flattering about Michelle. He presented as a distraught former lover, claiming he was indebted to Michelle as she saved his life by paying for his cancer. McGurk indicated he had moved on and was with his new lover that night. His lover corroborated his alibi. McGurk told investigators that Michelle had called him that night when he was at home. She had another lover over and perhaps the bondage went too far. 
The forensic lab determined Michelle was killed by blunt force trauma. She had been struck in the head with a hammer. All of the other injuries to her body, being tied up, stabbed and burned were done postmortem. Further, the forensic crew were able to pinpoint that McGurk was in Michelle’s apartment when he allegedly received the call from Michelle that night. McGurk’s new partner had lied about his alibi. 
McGurk had battered Michelle’s body after she was dead in an effort to make it look like it was the result of kinky sex. They discovered Gary never had cancer and had scammed Michelle out of thousands of dollars. Investigators believe Michelle likely discovered it, an argument ensued, and he beat her to death with a hammer to prevent her from reporting him to the police. He then staged a crime scene to throw investigators off. In court, McGurk said that he first wrapped Lee's head with Saran wrap before striking her with a hammer, so there would be no blood when he striped her and repositioned her body. The choking and burning of her body, all occurred after she was dead. In a rambling court statement, McGurk said Lee "told me that she made bad decisions. I told her that I was a bad decision, joking." 
McGurk had murdered Michelle and then attempted to strip her of her dignity. The only evidence that she was into kinky sex was the statements from McGurk—a liar and a killer. When the police stopped over to arrest Gary, he was leaving with a bag and a passport. McGurk quickly changed his story. He now claimed he had come over to Michelle’s, and they were acting out the kinky sex she desired when she was accidently killed.
Gary McGurk pled guilty to Manslaughter and was given the maximum sentence of 29 to 37 years in prison. Michelle’s sister Stephanie asked him in court, “What was the reason behind your actions?” When he didn’t respond she told him, “Knowing what you put her through makes my blood boil.”
The plea spared Lee's family from the emotional trauma of having to listen to testimony at trial about the gruesome circumstances surrounding Ms. Lee’s death. The prosecutor stated, "I think that Michelle would have been especially proud of her colleagues at the NYPD’s Queens crime lab who worked tirelessly to make certain that her killer was apprehended, and that justice would be served."
Writing and publishing is a little different than you might imagine. For example: I’m currently speaking on Burning Bridges (my 5th mystery). I’m waiting for Black and Blue to be printed (my 6th mystery). And I’m starting to write my 7th novel. I’m not sure what I’ll call it yet. It’s about a true crime that went unsolved for years. I’m thinking of writing it in Hillman, since it’s a rural case. Perhaps even calling the book, The Hillman House, or the House of Hillman. I’m open to feedback. I need help with 2 things.
I’d like a house, perhaps abandoned, in the Hillman area to use as the location and maybe even the cover shot. If you have a thought, send me the location.
2. I’d like a culvert location, typical width about 18 inches, that I can take a picture of someone crawling through. In the actual case one person escaped by crawling through an 18 inch culvert beneath a road. (The picture below is a stock picture. I need an actual culvert so I can recruit a model to crawl through for the back cover of the book.) 
Thanks for listening,
Frank
December 8, 2021, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., Forensic Psychologist, Frank Weber, will be at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria. Frank will speak on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Frank has profiled cold case homicides for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and narrated an investigative show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning. His newest True Crime novel, Burning Bridges, examines the life and demise of a psychopath in central Minnesota. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Cherry Street Books is located at 503 Broadway Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308
Monday, December 13, 2021, radio interview on the Bob Hughes morning show from 8:05 to 8:25 a.m. KSNI radio ; AM 1450. FM 99.3
Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Forensic Psychologist, Frank Weber, will be speaking to the Sauk Centre Rotary Club from 12:25 to 1:00 p.m. Frank will speak on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. His newest True Crime novel, Burning Bridges, examines the life and demise of a psychopath in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Frank has profiled cold case homicides for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and narrated an investigative show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning. The Sauk Centre Rotary Club meets at the Minnesota National Bank from 12:00 to 1:00 at 131 12th Street South, Sauk Centre, Minnesota.
April 26, 2009, Michelle Lee, age 24, Criminalist in the NYPD Crime lab was found murdered in the Sunnyside Queens neighborhood. Michelle lived close to her parents as she was fond of her family. She was talented and intelligent and became a forensic scientist, her dream job. Her family loved and cherished her.
Michelle’s wrists were tied with a wire. She had burn marks from an iron on her chest and torso. A knife stuck out of her neck. Investigators first considered she may have been tortured by one of the drug organizations she had helped prosecute. Her case files indicated Michelle had helped prosecute dangerous offenders. Had she paid the ultimate price, for just doing her job? Michelle was the 7th law enforcement officer in NYPD murdered in the previous 5 years. Investigators were curious about the evidence at the scene. Michelle’s body had been brutally battered, but there was no blood splatter. There were no bruise marks on her wrists from the ligature. (This suggested her wrists were tied after she was dead.)NYPD detectives studied the video surveillance around the home. Michelle had met with a man that night, but the video wasn’t clear enough to identify him. They discovered DNA evidence but the killer wasn’t in the system.
Michelle had dated Gary McGurk. She loved him and wrote in her diary, “Dear Journal, My mind is rambling . . . I’m not ready to lose Gary… I’m trying to figure out the right time to tell him I love him. I truly do.”
Gary McGurk, age 23, was an attractive immigrant from Ireland. She wrote that McGurk had suffered stage IV cancer which had spread to his kidneys, liver and lungs — and that he had stopped taking his medication. “He’s so brave,” she wrote. “I can’t stop thinking. I can’t stop crying. I love him so much. I wish he would get better. I wish I could hold him forever.” After Gary told her his insurance wasn’t covering his treatment, Michelle gave him thousands of dollars to cover it. When interviewed, Gary McGurk told investigators that their relationship was taboo. They engaged in choking and bondage during sex. He was willing to disclose very intimate information which wasn’t very flattering about Michelle. He presented as a distraught former lover, claiming he was indebted to Michelle as she saved his life by paying for his cancer. McGurk indicated he had moved on and was with his new lover that night. His lover corroborated his alibi. McGurk told investigators that Michelle had called him that night when he was at home. She had another lover over and perhaps the bondage went too far. The forensic lab determined Michelle was killed by blunt force trauma. She had been struck in the head with a hammer. All of the other injuries to her body, being tied up, stabbed and burned were done postmortem. Further, the forensic crew were able to pinpoint that McGurk was in Michelle’s apartment when he allegedly received the call from Michelle that night. McGurk’s new partner had lied about his alibi. McGurk had battered Michelle’s body after she was dead in an effort to make it look like it was the result of kinky sex. They discovered Gary never had cancer and had scammed Michelle out of thousands of dollars. Investigators believe Michelle likely discovered it, an argument ensued, and he beat her to death with a hammer to prevent her from reporting him to the police. He then staged a crime scene to throw investigators off. In court, McGurk said that he first wrapped Lee's head with Saran wrap before striking her with a hammer, so there would be no blood when he striped her and repositioned her body. The choking and burning of her body, all occurred after she was dead. In a rambling court statement, McGurk said Lee "told me that she made bad decisions. I told her that I was a bad decision, joking." McGurk had murdered Michelle and then attempted to strip her of her dignity. The only evidence that she was into kinky sex was the statements from McGurk—a liar and a killer. When the police stopped over to arrest Gary, he was leaving with a bag and a passport. McGurk quickly changed his story. He now claimed he had come over to Michelle’s, and they were acting out the kinky sex she desired when she was accidently killed.Gary McGurk pled guilty to Manslaughter and was given the maximum sentence of 29 to 37 years in prison. Michelle’s sister Stephanie asked him in court, “What was the reason behind your actions?” When he didn’t respond she told him, “Knowing what you put her through makes my blood boil.”
The plea spared Lee's family from the emotional trauma of having to listen to testimony at trial about the gruesome circumstances surrounding Ms. Lee’s death. The prosecutor stated, "I think that Michelle would have been especially proud of her colleagues at the NYPD’s Queens crime lab who worked tirelessly to make certain that her killer was apprehended, and that justice would be served."
Writing and publishing is a little different than you might imagine. For example: I’m currently speaking on Burning Bridges (my 5th mystery). I’m waiting for Black and Blue to be printed (my 6th mystery). And I’m starting to write my 7th novel. I’m not sure what I’ll call it yet. It’s about a true crime that went unsolved for years. I’m thinking of writing it in Hillman, since it’s a rural case. Perhaps even calling the book, The Hillman House, or the House of Hillman. I’m open to feedback. I need help with 2 things.I’d like a house, perhaps abandoned, in the Hillman area to use as the location and maybe even the cover shot. If you have a thought, send me the location.
2. I’d like a culvert location, typical width about 18 inches, that I can take a picture of someone crawling through. In the actual case one person escaped by crawling through an 18 inch culvert beneath a road. (The picture below is a stock picture. I need an actual culvert so I can recruit a model to crawl through for the back cover of the book.) Thanks for listening,Frank
December 8, 2021, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., Forensic Psychologist, Frank Weber, will be at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria. Frank will speak on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Frank has profiled cold case homicides for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and narrated an investigative show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning. His newest True Crime novel, Burning Bridges, examines the life and demise of a psychopath in central Minnesota. Frank will demonstrate a lie detector test (volunteer a friend). Cherry Street Books is located at 503 Broadway Street, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308 Monday, December 13, 2021, radio interview on the Bob Hughes morning show from 8:05 to 8:25 a.m. KSNI radio ; AM 1450. FM 99.3
Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Forensic Psychologist, Frank Weber, will be speaking to the Sauk Centre Rotary Club from 12:25 to 1:00 p.m. Frank will speak on the writing of True Crime, forensic work and his latest book. His newest True Crime novel, Burning Bridges, examines the life and demise of a psychopath in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Frank has profiled cold case homicides for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and narrated an investigative show on the Oxygen channel titled Murdered by Morning. The Sauk Centre Rotary Club meets at the Minnesota National Bank from 12:00 to 1:00 at 131 12th Street South, Sauk Centre, Minnesota. 
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