The Sope-Bocks

Joshua Szostak's Family Meeting With 'Smiley-Face Killer' Detectives

2008-05-07T14:33:00.002-04:00

News of the possible lead in the Nicholas Garza case hits a familiar chord with Joshua Szostak's family. It's preparing to meet the two detectives spear-heading the 'smiley face killer' investigation this week in Albany. The two ex-NYPD detectives believe the former Plattsburgh State student's death connects to the other deaths around the country.

Bill Szostak told Fox44 News he's spoken on the phone with the detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, several times. Unbeknowing to Szostak, the investigators were already in Albany investigating his son's death two weekends ago, when he was buried. "I'm not saying I'm 100% positive at this point that my son is one of the smiley face victims," Szostak said, "but having two highly decorated detectives from New York City, maybe they'll be able to uncover some clues as to what brought about my son's death."

Read the rest of this story here.

Another Possible 'Smiley Face Gang' Link Emerges

2008-05-07T12:06:00.005-04:00

Photo from FOX44
Enhanced graffiti photo from The Sope-Bocks
New details have emerged in the search for missing 19-year-old Middlebury College freshman Nicholas Garza that could link him to the so-called "Smiley Face Gang," which a group of retired detectives believes is responsible for the apparent drowning deaths of dozens of young men across the country.

Searchers have found smiley-face graffiti near Garza's campus like that painted near some of the locations where about 40 bodies have been discovered across 11 states, FOX 44 News reported. Garza’s mother thinks that discovery could link her son's disappearance to the deaths of the other mostly college-age victims. Volunteer searchers have come forward with pictures of the smiley face, found on a utility shed door a short distance from downtown Middlebury, Vt.

The photos were taken a week-and-a-half ago, when the group was scouring a river bank for clues. When the volunteers saw New York detectives describing the alleged gang of serial killers on national TV and saw pictures of the graffiti discovered in some of the other cases, they realized the striking similarity to the drawings they had photographed, FOX 44 reported. The graffiti on the shed was almost identical to that painted near some of the spots where the young men's bodies have been found, typically in rivers. "When you're walking around, you notice there's graffiti but you're not paying attention to what's out there," Nicholas' mother, Natalie Garza, told FOX 44. (enhanced photo at right)

Garza was last seen walking out of a dormitory February 5. When friends couldn't find him the next day, they notified campus security, but his mother didn't file a missing persons report until five days later because friends thought Garza might have left campus to go to a cabin that was out of cell-phone range. Middlebury police believe the graffiti is more than two years old and are not following up on leads related to the alleged gang. Officers have been searching the water for Garza after an airplane captured a picture of what appeared to be a body several weeks ago. "Nick didn't walk off this campus and he was in his right frame of mind, and I believe somebody knows what happened to my son that night," Natalie Garza told FOX 44. Searches of the 350-acre campus have yielded no clues as to what happened to the student. The last large-scale hunt ended February 23, though there have been spot searches since then. All 109 buildings on campus have been combed through twice, as have their rooftops. (original photo above)

I can already read the words CLASS and DDICE in the graffiti. BTW, the smiley face is not readily apparent in this photo.

If you recognize any of the graffiti, please drop me a note in the Comments section.

Sportsmanship, Life and Gaming

2008-05-05T09:40:00.004-04:00

Although this article was written a year or so ago, it is one of the best I've seen regarding sportsmanship in online gaming. Read it and think it over. Titan (his nickname) offers some excellent logic, along with a healthy dose of common sense when it comes to sportsmanship in gaming.
Sportsmanship, Life and Gaming by Titan
Sportsmanship, is the ability to enjoy ones self while in a competitive environment, and at the same time, the ability to fairly follow rules while showing great character towards your teammates and competitors alike. Often, competition can sometimes foster a "win only" mentality in a lot of athletes, gamers or any venue where people can be found at odds with one another. The victory "must" be achieved at any cost. This usually is better suited to the more dire of situations, such as war, or the fight against anything that could harm our ability to sustain our quality of life. In recreational situations, however, this often followed tenet can lead to disharmony amongst that particular activities inhabitants.

Firstly, I will use our currently shared hobby as example. In Counterstrike, we vie for ultimate victory, whether it be conquering the final knife round, planting or defusing a bomb, or reaching a certain frag limit. Due to the highly competitive nature of this hobby, along with our sometimes "fragile" egos as human beings, conflicts can often arise. This type of behavior is not limited to a certain age group either. I personally have seen poor sportsmanship from a range of ages between 5-75, INCLUDING myself at times. As we get older however, some of us realize that winning at everything is not always going to be possible. Rather, we take our experiences in losing, as a learning experience. We use these experiences to improve in certain areas. Almost everyone who has shown themselves to be a winner, has had to endure a long streak of losing initially. Rarely do we see a person who excels completely, without some type of long hours invested, or hardship in some form, in their chosen area of recreation.

Let me take a moment of your time to give a personal example. Upon purchasing CounterStrike Source in December of 2005, I knew that I was going to have my tail waxed all over each and every server. I did some research to find the most competitive server I could to play on, right from the start. I found a deathmatch server ran by a clan called Verge (who were ranked very high in the US in some ladders), near the start of my playing days. I then spent the next few months getting reamed night in and night out. Instead of insulting the players, I congratulated them on a nice shot, good strategy, etc. I asked questions concerning how their sterling aim came to be, what practices they used, what mindsets they prepared, for any given situation in game. Instead of being annoyed that I was losing badly, I used that losing to my advantage.

Now, some year and a half later, I feel I have a pretty good shot. Moreso, I learned to analyze the gaming styles of players, to be used to my advantage. Often, I know where certain players will be crouched/waiting, I know routes they will use, I know guns they will use, and methods of theirs, before THEY even know they are going to use them. In the event that I should "die" during a round, I first analyze what I have done wrong or differently, rather then what they did to kill me. Good sportsmanship evolves when we learn to accept our own mistakes, rather than placing blame on others, where applicable. I often (often being the key word, as I falter sometimes also, I'm human) say "good game" to any player that has bested me, as often, they have earned it, no?

I am smart enough to realize this one important facet of internet gaming: As good as I may be at a given point, there will ALWAYS be plenty who are better. Do I do pretty well on the Spawnpoint servers that I play on? Sure. I will tell you one thing however ... Plenty of you guys have a better shot then me. It goes without saying. If I excel, it is because I try to find another way to win, whether it be using your style against you, listening for sounds, or using subterfuge. If I know I cannot out shoots a particular opponent, I will force him into a situation where I have the upper hand, if possible. I will not face him in open ground, and then complain after he explodes one of my eyeballs. Strategy is part of the game, use it to your advantage. If someone outwits me, though I cannot be seen behind my monitor, I usually am laughing in admiration, whilst calling that gamer a sneaky SOB, in jest of course. I then use that experience to LEARN, and possibly add that maneuver to my repertoire.

Respect is often given, where it is earned. I would much rather be respected for having an average skilled gaming style, but great sportsmanship and humility, than be lauded as a childish, "sour grapes" type of gamer. I have had the pleasure of dealing with some great gamers on Spawnpoint, personality wise. I have also had the displeasure of dealing with some really shoddy attitudes, when the game wasn't going their way at the current moment.

Being the best shouldn't always the ultimate goal, in any walk of life. Should it occur that you can be the best in certain areas, through hard work, fairness, and with respect towards others, then great, the world is yours. Your peers would judge you more harshly for winning badly, than losing gracefully. Some of the most liked and popular people, I have noticed in my years of gaming, are those who traverse their virtual worlds with a smile, or a kind word for others. Those who maniacally chase fame and fortune, with disregard for others, often experience the complete opposite of what it is they seek in the first place.

Sportsmanship and mutual respect go hand in hand. Learn both, and your enjoyment in your chosen hobby will increase hundredfold. Give it a shot. It doesn't make you less of a man or woman to offer a kind word for the next person, should they best you. As well, should you be the victor, learn to accept a compliment with grace, and return one back for the effort given by your competitor.
Titan

Teens Request Abstinence Programs

2008-05-04T06:09:00.001-04:00

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform recently held a hearing titled, "Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Assessing the Evidence." While the hearing was stacked against abstinence education funding, two experts testified as to the effectiveness of such programs. Federal funding for these programs is in jeopardy. Chairman Henry Waxman (Dem-California) advocates for comprehensive sex education, which has no evidence of reducing teen sexual activity.

A press conference was held yesterday at the National Press Club to release evidence from recent studies that prove over 50 percent of teens will refrain from sexual initiation if taught abstinence. And teens are requesting the programs.

Concerned Women for America (CWA) is providing, to congressmen, letters from students who want abstinence to be taught. In a letter written to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California), Jordan wrote,

"Most teens who stay abstinent will be more emotionally stable, will not contract STDs, and will not get pregnant. This would not only benefit many individuals, but society as a whole. This is because the upcoming generation would be happier and healthier."

Lauren believes that even though there are "teens and other individuals who want to do whatever they see fit, most teens want to receive a strong message about abstinence. They want to know that they can say 'no' and that they don't have to give in to peer pressure. By informing students and teenagers of abstinence, you are allowing them to choose a better future and avoid all the emotional and physical heartache and risks of having casual sex."

CWA, along with teens across the nation, encourages members of Congress to continue to fund programs that not only provide proven results, but keep our children safe. Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.

Smiley Face Murders - Backlash from Pundits

2008-05-02T11:50:00.007-04:00

Over the past few days, I find that several pundits are boldly proclaiming the theory that there is not a serial killer or gang of murderers on the loose in America's Midwest. These nay-sayers range from the layman to professional law enforcement officers. Some have vested interest in what side of the matter they call true. Their assertion -- the similarities in the deaths of 40+ young men is nothing more than a coincidence.

Being a layman, amateur sleuth, or whatever you want to call me takes the pressure off my career ego should I be wrong in the assertion that there is a Smiley Face Murder Club or a single serial killer murdering young men. If I end up being wrong, then that could be a good thing -- in terms of more lose of life and peace for many young men across the country.

Truthfully, my research and investigation is not even near complete. The vast mountain of data is overwhelming -- especially for someone who has to search dozens of resources in order to glean just a few bits of new data. I am not privy to police nor Nationwide Investigations internal documentation on the cases being examined. Yet, it took me only an hour or so of reading to see what I believe is a clear picture of serial killings.

Yes, I do believe in coincidence -- on a large and sometimes profound scale. I'm prepared to say many things could be a coincidence. For purposes of my lay investigation, I'll even concede that the smiley faces found at 12 sites *could* be NOTHING more than coincidence -- graffiti from locals. However, the order of magnitude of coincidence that would be demanded from documented similarities in the deaths of 40 or more young men is an idea I am not prepared to accept.

Without going into the information deeper than most have read in newspapers, blogs, etc., allow me provide the reader with data that individually could easily be written off as coincidence -- BUT, as a whole, is extremely hard to ignore.

1) ALL 40+ are male
2) ALL 40+ between the ages of 17 and 28
3) Vast majority are Caucasian
4) Almost all of the 40+ were college students
5) Almost all had been drinking
6) ALL of the 40+ dead were out on the town, for a social occasion
7) Almost all left friends/family and ventured out alone
8) Almost all went missing during the months when college classes were in session
9) ALL of the 40+ went missing during the late night hours
10) ALL, who have been found, were found in or very near bodies of water
11) None, who have been found, had major trauma to their bodies (GSWs, cuts, abrasions, bruises)
12) None were robbed of anything obvious
13) Most of the autopsy reports show cause of death as "drowning"
14) None showed evidence of struggle, which should be apparent, in a "normal" drowning accident

I'm sure there are more things that could be listed. I'm also sure that some pundits will take issue with the "almost all..." items. Fine... but let's not ignore the overall picture. If I were to write these facts out in a paragraph, it would make a compelling argument AGAINST coincidence and FOR the idea that the deaths of these young people are related. Let's see how such an argument might look -- complete with a few admitted generalizations:

Between 1997 and 2008, forty or more young, white, male college students have died (or gone missing) during the college calendar year. These young men had gone out for a social event -- most to party with friends. They left friends and/or family and struck out on their own during the late night or early morning hours -- but never made it home. Some have never been found. Of those who have, their lifeless bodies were pulled from Midwest rivers or lakes. The cause of death for each case is listed as "drowning" or "undetermined". Signs of obvious trauma were lacking and most of the dead had very little or no water in their lungs (as would be expected from drowning). Foul play is not obvious in ANY of the deaths. All of the young men were athletic and healthy. Are these deaths all just one big coincidence? Or, something else?

I submit that as data is compiled, more similarities will be gleaned. Even if the Smiley Face Gang is nothing more than the imagination of media and bloggers, something is wrong with the idea that we're looking at a huge, unfortunate coincidence. Let's not forget that detectives Gannon and Duarte, along with Dr. Gilbertson and Adam Carlson have holdback evidence and other information linking the cases together. Smiley faces were one piece of that evidence. We now know others (informants, witnesses, possible nickname graffiti). Even without knowing the full scope of the holdback, it is my opinion that these investigators are onto the truth -- there is a serial killer or group of serial killers taking the lives of young men. They need to be stopped -- and brought to justice.

What are YOUR thoughts?

Smiley Face Murder Club Victims' List

2008-05-01T04:07:00.004-04:00

Frank, a Blogger.com member, just sent me "the list". It contains 40+ names of young men believed to be victims of the Smiley Face Murder Club (or Smiley Face Gang). The list came from Footprints at the River's Edge, a blog that has more information on this topic than ANY other site I've seen. Heres' the list:

* 42. Christopher Melancon, 24 (WI)
* 41. Brad Olsen, 26 (IL) MISSING
* 40. Abel Bolanos, 19 (IA)
* 39. Wade Steffey, 19 (IN)
* 38. Nick Rossini, 21 (MN)
* 37. Jesse Ross, 20 (IL) MISSING
* 36. Lucas Homan, 21 (WI)
* 35. Brian Shaffer, 27 (OH) MISSING
* 34. Scott Radel, 21 (MN)
* 33. Kenji Ohmi, 20 (WI)
* 32. Cullen Fortney, 21 (WI) SURVIVED
* 31. Patrick Kycia, 19 (MN)
* 30. Matt Kruziki, 24 (IA)
* 29. Matthew Soumakis, 31 (IL)
* 28. Josh Snell, 22 (WI)
* 27. Chris Thiem, 19 (IN)
* Adam Falcon, 20 (NY)
* 26. Chris Olberding, 18 (OH)
* 25. Marlon Blue, 21 (IL)
* 23. Glenn Leadley, 23 (IL)
* 24. Jared Dion, 21 (WI)
* 22. Nathan Herr, 21 (WI)
* 21. Chad Sharon, 18 (IN)
* 20. Josh Guimond, 21 (MN) MISSING
* 19. Michael Noll, 22 (WI)
* 18. Chris Jenkins, 21 (MN)
* 17. Craig Burrows, 23 (WI)
* 16. Chris Nordby, 27 (MN)
* 15. Eric Blair, 18 (MI)
* 14. Ryan Katcher, 19 (IL)
* 13. Brian Welzien, 21 (IL)
* 12. Patrick Runningen, 23 (WI)
* 11. Ken Christiansen, 19 (MN)
* 10. Nathan Edberg, 21 (MN) MISSING
* 09. Jeffrey Geesey, 21 (WI)
* 08. Trevor Hoheisel, 27 (IL)
* 07. Keith Noble, 19 (OH)
* 06. Nathan Kapfer, 19 (WI)
* 05. Ryan Getz, 21 (MI)
* 04. Anthony Skifton, 19 (WI)
* 03. Charles Blatz, 28 (WI)
* 02. Richard Hlavaty, 19 (WI)
* 01. Morgan White, 19 (MI)
* Unconfirmed - Dale Shields (MI)

I've been at this for nearly 20 hours straight now... Time permitting, I plan to add date missing, date found, city, state and body of water to ALL of these names later today.

Evil Happy Smiley Face Man

2008-05-01T00:48:00.013-04:00

Photo enhancement by The Sope-Bocks

Truthfully, it sounds (to me) like a bad translation from an Asian language to English. "Evil Happy Smiley Face Man" appears to have been spray painted on a concrete barrier near where one of the "Smiley Face murders" took place.

"It's not just a smiley face. He’s evil, happy and he drew horns which are synonymous with the devil. He’s telling you he knows murder is evil," Nationwide Investigations' Kevin Gannon says, "I believe we're looking at an organized group that has a hierarchy and is involved in murder and other criminal activity ... If this was a random thing, we’d have a wider range of victims,” he said.

As the team of investigators offers additional information to the media, we learn more and more about what could be called the Smiley Face Murder Club. For instance, the original image of the red smiley face on a non-descript blue background was not the complete image. Above, you can see the (mostly) complete image -- one of TWELVE found at crime scenes in five states.

The scrawl on the right hand side says, "Evil Happy Smiley Face Man". There is also a lower case letter "r" and something below the letter (cut off in the photos I've been able to dig up). It's interesting to note that the writing looks like that of a female -- and the lowercase letters "e" (in Smiley and Face) are both written backwards. The smiley face has a cross or X on the forehead and horns on top of the head. Creepy!

Gannon and Duarte have been investigating river drownings for more than a decade. They say while not every scene had the evil smiley face, all the deaths are the work of serial killers. That includes seven deaths in La Crosse and three in Eau Claire. It’s an "organized killer which hunts his victims and takes real pride in what he does," Gannon says.

The detectives say the men are all young, athletic and smart. Two victims' names offered by the Gannon/Duarte team are:

Lucas Homan - 21 years old when he died after drowning in the Mississippi River in La Crosse.

Josh Snell -22-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, disappeared in Eau Claire in June of 2005. His brother says he was in town for a wedding and later went to the bars. Snell was found four days later, pulled from the Chippewa River. Jon Snell says he doesn't believe his brother wandered into the water. He says he's glad someone else looked into his brother's death. “I can't thank Kevin and Tony enough,” Jon Snell says. “They’ve been amazing." But, he says he knows his search for answers isn't over. He wants an outcome.

And that’s exactly what Gannon and Duarte hope to give Snell and dozens of other devastated families. "Arrests would be ideal conclusion to this investigation, yes,” NI's Anthony Duarte says. La Crosse Police Chief Ed Kondracki issued a statement Monday saying in part:

"I would like to take this opportunity to once again remind and assure our community that the eight river drownings which occurred between 1997 and 2006 have been thoroughly investigated... The La Crosse area river drownings are tragic and unfortunate accidents."

In the statement, Chief Kondracki also says there is no evidence at this time to connect La Crosse area drownings with any other deaths around the country.

Across the border in Minnesota, Minneapolis police spokesman Jesse Garcia said the case of at least one suspicious drowning death is currently active, and police are open to new hard evidence. "They [Gannon/Duarte/Gilbertson/Carlson] didn't come up with any new evidence that wasn't already there," Garcia said. "They basically came up with a new theory. We can't go forward with theories as evidence."

Steve Jenkins (father of homocide victim, Christopher Jenkins) said the graffiti represents concrete physical evidence and that the investigators also corroborated the accounts of alleged witnesses from other disappearances. Additionally, Jenkins said the investigators have identified suspects, although they've declined to release names. "There's a lot more evidence that they did not share (with police)," Steve Jenkins said. "They showed just enough to get the (authorities') interest in collaboration." [I told you yesterday there was a major holdback!]

Sources: WEAU, Red-Alerts.com, NY Daily News

Profiling the Smiley Face Killer(s)

2008-05-01T00:39:00.000-04:00

A user on godlikeproductions.com (a confessed "conspiracies" website) offers interesting speculation as to identity of the Smiley Face Serial Killer(s). OK, it's kinda far-fetched but it is a place to start. The GLP user suggests the SFK is a technician (and possibly helper) from the Trane Corporation:

"It looks to me like the drownings(killings) started in LaCrosse. A string of them. To continue the speculation: Perhaps this is where the technique was perfected. Some Trane tech. was working at the LaCrosse facility for a few years and made a series of kills. Then, as he/she gained seniority and experience, he started traveling to outside locations on service calls. Trane is big and has equipment all over the country and especially strong here in the upper Midwest.

I don't know though, because most of the reports indicate a lack of foul play. So how does someone kidnap a grown man, and kill him without any signs of foul play? Unless the police reports are lies, I can't figure that part out."

SHR, the Forum Admin, added:

"R-22 can be used almost like a knockout gas, with some effort, but not a ton, wouldn't be too hard for someone who knows a little about HVAC to use that. Has almost a nitrious oxide effect, people do get high on it. Cargo van....victims half hammered....Jugs of refigerant not out of place for anyone in the AC biz, roll your window down a little, the other window doesn't work, open the valve and sleepy time drunken stupor land for a short while. I doubt there would be a whole lot of traces of it either."

FWIW, Trane does have a large facility in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where at least six of the young men have drowned. If Jessiah Jameson's death is part of the serial killings, the speculation follows suit, as another member of the GLP forum suggests:

"They [Trane] do training in clarksville tennesee where jessiah jameson drowned. This is where the commercial units are made."

It is also highly likely (*IF* the deaths are at the hands serial murderers) that the person committing the crimes has a convenient means by which to transport victims. A friendly professional in a uniform, driving a company van, would also give most college students less cause to become suspicious if offered a ride home late at night.Hmmm...

My Initial Theory: We may be looking at a couple (or more) female serial killers. Before you write off that theory, think it over. You're an athletic, college age male, who's been out partying with friends. You leave to walk home or clear your head before heading back to the dorms. A car drives up with a couple nice looking young ladies inside. They offer you a ride... maybe a promise of "some fun" ... and a little something else to drink. How many horny college dudes would say no? One could answer -- the ones who lived. Others are the reason for this thread -- and hundreds more like it. The fem fatales leave a smiley face at the scene where they drop the unconscious or lifeless bodies of their victims into the cold water of the river (or local lake). Another intriguing idea...

More Missing Young Men - Are They Connected To The Smiley Face Gang?

2008-04-30T23:00:00.001-04:00

Last Updated: 05/01/08 12:19am
Still have 35+ news sites & blogs to research

The following list of young men missing from the Midwest is not complete, but it offers The Sope-Bocks' readers an opportunity to research the names along with me. This post will be updated as I learn more -- and you send your feedback. If I can find their locations, I plan to map the locations and post the map here.

Dr. Lee Gilbertson - The timeline of the [40 studied] drownings move in a consistent pattern. "East, west, east, west, east, west, north, south -- east, west, east, west, east, west, north, south. Now we start to see patterns that can't be explained."

Eric Blair
Jared Dion
Adam Falcon
- Missing 11/13/04
- Found 11/18/04
- Location: Grasse River
Ryan Getz
Josh Guimond
- Still missing
Ryan Knatcher
- Missing
Patrick Kycia, 19
- Missing 6/9/05
- Found 9/27/05
- Location: Red River, Minnesota
Glen Leadley
Keith Noble
Michael Noll
Chris Olberding
- Found 10/6/04
- Location: Ohio River
Scot Radel
- Found 3/1/06
- Location: Mississippi River
Brian Shaffer, Med school student
- Missing 4/2/06
Joshua Snell
- Missing
- Found 4 days later
- Location: Chippewa River
Wade Steffey
Joshua Szostak
Brian Welzien

NOTE: I am NOT sure these guys are victims of the Smiley Face Gang.

Sources: Various blogs, Ramblings from the Reservation Blog

Background on the Smiley Face Gang Investigators

2008-04-30T22:12:00.002-04:00

So how did all these people investigating and/or researching drowning deaths come to work together?

Decorated former NYC police sargeant, Kevin Gannon, has been trying to resolve what caused the death of at least one college student since 1997. In fact, he made a promise to Patrick McNeill's mother that he would not allow her son's death to go unsolved. He "joined forces" with NYPD Detective Anthony Duarte in a concerted effort to solve the case.

In 2003, they traveled to Minnesota where college student Chris Jenkins was found dead in the Mississippi - thought to be a drunken accident. "It screamed homicide," said Gannon. Jenkins was found floating on his back with his arms crossed on his chest - an unusual pose for a drowned person. Jenkins' death was reclassified as a homicide, and the retired NYPD cops found the spot where Jenkins might have been thrown into the water. It was there that they discovered the first smiley face.

Since that time, Gannon has dedicated his life, his work, even his own monetary means to finding the true circumstances surrounding the deaths of McNeill, Chad Sharon, Christopher Jenkins and dozens more young men across the Midwest.

In the early months of 2003, St. Cloud State University's criminal justice professor, Dr. Lee Gilbertson, invited his students to take a closer look at drowning death patterns of male college students in the region. Five young men had all turned up drowned in a three month period starting October, 2002.

During their investigative work, the Chad Sharon case (South Bend, IN // December, 2002) was one of more than a dozen the criminal justice students reviewed, according to other students in the program.

It has not been confirmed publicly, but it appears the culmination of the Gannon/Duarte investigation with that of the St. Cloud State students lead law enforcement to change the cause of death (CoD) for Chris Jenkins from "undetermined" to "homocide". Additional information gathered from study of more than 100 drowning deaths of young males during the same time period (1997 - 2002) provided a link between at least 40 cases.

Gannon explained, "Right now really, we're out of finances and really can't do any more on the cases. In fact, we looked at 89 cases in totality. We knocked out 30 right away and there was 19 cases that we haven't even done yet -- and out of those 19, it looks like at least 10 or 15 of those could be connected."

In mid-2006, Dr. Gilbertson and St. Cloud criminal justice graduate student, Adam Carlson, are officially working with Gannon and Duarte. Here is some data on the investigators as known thus far:

Kevin Gannon
- Retired NYPD Sargeant
- 20 years service
- Highly decorated

Anthony Duarte
- Retired NYPD Detective
- BA in Criminal Justice
- 20 years of service
- Several commendations

Dr. Lee Gilbertson
- Associate Professor; St. Cloud State University
- Criminal Justice Department
- MS in Criminal Justice
- PhD in Sociology
- 16 years military service
- Certified Gang Specialist

Adam Carlson
- Criminal Justice graduate student at St. Cloud State University
- Former student of Professor Gilbertson
- Certified Gang Specialist

The investigators, who have been working unpaid on the cases for two years, met four weeks ago with Minneapolis police to present their evidence, but approached the national media after local authorities didn't act, Steve Jenkins (Christopher's father) said.

It was bloggers and the media who dubbed the reported serial killer(s) as the Smiley Face Gang or Smiley Face Murder Club.

Sources: Minnesota Daily and Nationwide Investigations

Drowning Deaths Connected To Serial Killers In 2006?

2008-04-30T17:49:00.006-04:00

Here's an excerpt from a May, 2006 article where Minnesotans connected the dots between young male college students drowning and a serial killer -- or killers. I kinda think Clave and Gilbertson hit the nail on the head two years ago -- and only now have we a name for the killer(s) -- Smiley Face Gang.

"Could that have happened to us? Could that have happened to one of our friends? those are the things you consider," says Amanda Pressenger, are graduate student at Saint Cloud State University, near Minneapolis."No one has taken an in-depth look at it from, all these cases," Pressenger explains.
She and fellow student Jessica Clave wondered whether Brian Welzien and Glen Leadley's deaths fit a pattern. So they looked at more than twenty cases, all midwest college students last seen drinking at parties or bars, who all vanished and turned up drowned. Among them: Ryan Getz, Keith Noble, Eric Blair, Chris Jenkins, Michael Noll, Josh Guimond, Chad Sharon, Jared Dion, Scot Radel and Brian Shaffer. The deaths, all clustered along Interstate 94 from Minnesota to Ohio.
"The one city that has the most victims is Lacrosse," says St. Cloud State criminology professor D. "Lee" Gilbertson. He noticed the men almost always went missing in the first half of the month, and only during the school year. A closer look at the map revealed a routine of sorts. "There is a cycle -- a chunk in there -- that is east, west, west, east, west, east that repeats itself twice," says Dr. Gilbertson. "That doesn't sound like an accident, either."
The data led students to suggest that it might be the work of a traveling businessman. But why? All these men were found dressed, with their wallets, cash and keys; and no signs of foul play. Professor Gilbertson has a theory. "We think that something happened to the killer when he was 21, possibly when he was drinking..."
Perhaps the killer got lost, took a ride from a stranger, was molested; and now, looks for victims that remind him of himself at that age. "There's no way he's going to touch these people or do anything to them to harm them because that's what happened to him," explains Dr. Gilbertson. So in a sickening twist, a killer may be drowning young men to protect them. "In order to keep control of the situation and to release them unharmed and pristine, the only way he can be sure of that is to kill 'em," says Dr. Gilbertson.
Saint Cloud's police chief listened to the students' presentation last week. But has his doubts, as do others, who see little more than a deadly chain of coincidences, glued together by binge drinking, darkness and hypothermia. "There may be a serial killer out there, there may not. you still don't have a concrete conclusion," says student Jessica Clave.

Smiley Face Murders - Linked Seven Years Ago?

2008-04-30T17:28:00.009-04:00

Updated: 6:04pm EDT

Earlier today, I found an article (excerpt below) on VanceHolmes.com. The website is maintained by Vance Holmes, a University of Minnesota alumnus, and carries the title "Drowning in Coincidence." Holmes posits the theory that there could be a serial killer on the loose or that these cases are all mysterious coincidences. It documents the 40 cases St. Cloud State University Professor, Dr. Lee Gilbertson, has studied. Gilbertson's research found that 94 percent of the 40 cases studied fell within 100 miles of Interstate 94 (near Lake Michigan) and that 56.3 percent were within 25 miles of I-94. Yet, Gilbertson initially stated he did not think a serial killer was afoot.

Although I originally reported that detectives Gannon and Duarte have done the "real" work, I'm starting to wonder if they are the public face of the investigation, while Dr. Gilbertson is the backbone. Anyway, on to the article...

VanceHolmes.com states the fact that several people began questioning the possible link between drowning deaths of young male college students at least seven years ago. While they may not have had a tangible link -- such as a smiley face or nicknames left at the scene -- friends and family of the young men have wondered if the deaths were related somehow.

For years, concerned citizens have commented, complained and cried about a series of mysterious student deaths labeled "drownings" and filed away as unfortunate but coincidental accidents. For years, those painful cries have been laughed off -- or worse yet, simply ignored. It's one thing to investigate and dismiss baseless theories -- it's another to shrug off the deaths of dozens of young men.

As far back as 2001, there was wide-spread speculation that the many cases were related. With each new awful death, suspicion and frustration moved closer to fear and anger. Soon the talk became about a possible serial-killer, or copy cat killer stalking college campuses in the Midwest.

How many boys have strangely gone missing only to turn up dead in the river? Impossible to know. It all depends on what parameters you set, what you consider "strange," and how far back you go. Certainly, there have been 8 unsettling cases in the last 9 years -- and that's in the La Crosse area alone.

Looking at cases spanning the midwest, St. Cloud Minnesota professor, Dr. Lee Gilbertson, estimates a number between 26 and 30.

Needless to say, even one student's mysterious drowning is one too many and should be addressed by authorities. As Arthur Miller wrote in Death of a Salesman, "Attention must be paid." But obviously, an on-going series of eerily similar disappearances warrants a full -- on-going -- investigation.

The road is long indeed that never bends. Finally, a multi-agency review of the cases has begun. I sincerely hope this investigation brings some comfort to the many families, friends, students, and troubled on-lookers who want answers.

Speaking personally -- all I've ever wanted is for someone to pay attention. I've agonized at the thought of these men's deaths, and the thought that nobody in authority was looking into them. The one commonality I was certain of, was that all these identical drownings were being ignored and written off as "coincidence."

When family members have a gut feeling that something's not simply an accident -- police owe it to them to pay some attention. When a whole community of people have an unshakeable feeling that the mystery deaths will continue -- the authorities have to pay attention -- or be blamed for their willful ignorance. At long last, attention is being paid.

Excerpts from October 16, 2006 reports from WXOW News.

Smiley Face Gang - What's The Holdback?

2008-04-30T16:17:00.009-04:00

Last Updated: 6:37pm EDT

From my investigation thus far, I suggest the detectives (and law enforcement) have an important holdback in the area of evidence for the deaths linked to the Smiley Face Gang. I know for a fact that investigators have a few holdbacks at this point. One is that there are informants' who have assisted Gannon and Duarte. The fact that informants exist was accidentally leaked into the edited KSTP article. Another holdback is the nicknames of so-called Smiley Face Gang members -- some of which have been left at multiple death sites. Still a third -- which might be related to the first two -- was mentioned by Chris Jenkins' father yesterday during a press conference, "The investigators said the gangs leave specific graffiti at the sites of their killings, including a smiley face at the site of Chris Jenkins' murder, as well as 12 other symbols repeated throughout the 40 cases."

"In every case, the physical evidence led in one direction and the body was found in another," Dr. Gilbertson said. Whether there is another, larger holdback or not -- Some "thing" is not yet publicly known! Until last weekend, the holdback that became the namesake for the serial killer(s) was the smiley face. What other piece(s) are we missing in the puzzle?

Actually, there are arguments for AND against a major holdback...
Think about it... How would the victims be subdued and killed without any physical evidence of foul play? We do know that the cause of death (CoD) for most of the young men is "undetermined" or "drowning". Public reports do NOT note major bumps, bruises, scratches or abrasions on the victim's body. Toxicology reports show alcohol present in most, but not necessarily all the young men. Did the coroners test for any other substances?

Did the coroners assume too much? IE: Young man pulled from a body of water + Alcohol in his system + Friends report he left alone + No major trauma to body = Drunk kid drowned. You know, I doubt that the coroners in 25 cities, across 11 states, are all that incompetent.

The other side of the coin...
IF the deaths were ruled "undetermined" or "drowning" in all 40 cases (plus many more that may not link up), there would be NO reason for a holdback in evidence as the case would be closed. Period, end of story.

Give me your feedback -- More holdback evidence or not?

Smiley Face Gang

2008-04-30T14:09:00.009-04:00

UPDATED: 3:13pm EDT

The Smiley Face Gang seems to have hit the news pretty big two days ago -- and dropped yesterday. Personally, I wonder why more isn't being said about the fact that more than 100 young men have died in supposed drowning accidents -- almost all in similar circumstances -- and the FBI, state agencies and attorneys general are not raising red flags about the situation.

I hate to say it, but if 100 young college girls went missing or supposedly drowned under similar circumstances, everyone in the media and half the federal law enforcement agencies would be crawling every inch of the banks of the Mississippi River -- and several lakes. If these guys were all gay, GLAAD, the NEA, HRC and every other liberal group with an agenda would be all over the story. Instead, these are mostly middle-class white guys -- so who cares?!?

Nonetheless, I'm still trying to find everything I can in order to assist LE and the blogosphere in solving the case. One thing -- I'm currently looking for a list of the 40 names that former detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte have associated to the Smiley Face Gang. I have the list of 19 names from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Add to that number, Patrick McNeill (NY) and Chad Sharon (IN). I need information (hopefully name & location of disappearance) on the other 19 young men.

I also know that victims died in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Gannon and Duarte claim to have linked cases in eleven states. What other three states are involved? [I have read about a case in Tennessee (Jessiah Jameson), but am not sure if it is "officially" connected or not.]

If YOU have any additional information, please post a comment here. I would appreciate names, locations, dates and links to news or law enforcement documentation of the story.

Smiley Face Gang - Serial Killers?

2008-04-29T00:03:00.002-04:00

Detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte have been tracking the suspicious drowning deaths of young men across the country ever since they investigated the death of fellow New Yorker (and college student) Patrick McNeill, who drowned in 1997. Gannon made a promise to McNeill's parents that he would never give up on his case.

The Sope-Bocks has already uncovered a couple more names that may or may not be on detectives Gannon and Duarte's list: Robert Barrington Leigh (University of Toronto) and Scott Javins (University of Indiana). Both young men drowned under what some might consider suspicious circumstances -- their deaths attributed to drunken student accidents.

In fact, most of the cause of death reports have been officially ruled "undetermined" or "drowning". A few similarities may link all 40 deaths:

Male
Late teens or early 20's in age
College student
Good grades
Ventured out alone
Almost all are white
Most were athletic
Alcohol served to victim or at location where last seen
And last, but not least, all were close to a body of water

One more apparent link is a strange "smiley face" painted or markered at or very near the sight where several victims died. The detectives found the smiley faces in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.

I have also learned that Gannon & Duarte suspect the serial killers are either a gang or trying to manipulate evidence in order to look like a gang. Nicknames of gang members and at least once street name (Sinsiniwa) have also been found at multiple "drowning" sites.

While some folks are already writing the story off as mere speculation, I'm not prepared to do so just yet. There is one thing (thus far) that leads me to wonder whether any connection between the deaths exists -- serial killers are not gangs. If the cases are linked, there is at least one instance of two young men meeting their doom on the same night, in different cities. That would require at least two people -- maybe a minimum of four.

We're investigating and will continue to report as we learn more.

Investigation - Smiley Face Serial Killers

2008-04-28T21:31:00.010-04:00

Photo from KSTP.com
I hate to tease you with a great story and then not deliver. Let's just say -- time permitting -- The Sope-Bocks is on the case of the smiley face serial killers. KSTP Eyewitness 5 News publicly broke the story earlier today. I plan to take in all the documentation and blog my investigation, as well as report to you about the evidence in a case that links 40 (or more) suspicious drownings in 25 cities across 11 states -- from as long ago as 1997.

The real work has been done by two retired police detectives and one of the victims' parents. Sgt. Kevin Gannon and Detective Anthony Duarte, along with victim Chris Jenkins parents, have spent thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars trying to find out what caused the deaths of 41 or more young male college students.

As with previous cases that became high profile news stories (Maria Lauterbach, Jesse Dirkhising, among others), The Sope-Bocks is prepared to offer insight and assistance to law enforcement, amateur sleuths and the blogosphere.

My profile of Ceasar Laurean assisted other bloggers (and maybe police) in tracking down Laurean's movements in the Lauterbach murder case. The Sope-Bocks was also instrumental in exposing the mass media cover-up of Jesse Dirkhising's torture and murder a few years ago.

I hope this investigation will help lead to a fitting end for the smiley face serial killers -- and closure for the many families who are tonight in pain due to the loss of their sons.

World's Leading Internet Evangelist Bill Keller 'Debates' Oprah, the High Priestess of the New Age Movement

2008-04-15T11:24:00.009-04:00

Article by ChristiansUnite.com Staff
Liveprayer.com founder Bill Keller has engaged in a "high tech cyber debate" with the most powerful woman in the media, Oprah Winfrey, who Keller called "the most dangerous woman on the planet" in a recent FOX News appearance.
Keller, who reaches over 2.4 million subscribers worldwide every day with his Daily Devotional, and hundreds of thousands more on his "live" TV program seen now exclusively at LivePrayer.com ever Mon-Fri at 10pm EDT, has been exposing Oprah for years to his audience as a false prophet who is leading the souls of millions to hell. Keller contends the New Age teachings Oprah promotes, lead people away from Biblical Truth and faith in Jesus Christ, which the Bible states is the only way to be saved.
Keller has called these New Age teachings "spiritual crack," since they make people feel good for a short period, but leave them wanting more, and ultimately put them on a road to destruction. Keller commented, "Oprah is free to believe whatever she wants. However, she claims to be a Christian, yet denies that Jesus is the only way to be saved, and the Bible is the only Truth. She clearly has no idea what being a Christian means, since she is being used as a tool of satan to lead the souls of men to hell with these New Age lies she promotes." You can see this "high tech cyber debate" at YouTube.com.

About Bill Keller
The press has crowned him the Dr. Phil of Prayer and the next big thing in mass media religion. Bill Keller is the host of Live Prayer with Bill Keller, the nation's only live call-in faith and values-based program airing exclusively on the internet. The program deals head-on with issues ranging from divorce, homosexuality, abortion, sexual abuse, pornography, drug addiction, radical Islam, race relations, spousal abuse, false prophets and more, from a conservative, biblical worldview. Live Prayer is unscripted and unedited, giving it a fresh and totally spontaneous approach to problem solving. The program can be seen live, Monday through Friday at 10PM EST, and 24/7 through programs archived on LivePrayer.com. For information please visit www.liveprayer.com

About Live Prayer.com
In 1999, Keller launched LivePrayer.com, which has become the most successful online faith outreach in history. Since its inception, LivePrayer.com has responded personally to more than 60 million online requests for prayer. Additionally, Keller's Live Prayer devotional is received daily by nearly 2.5 million email subscribers, making Keller devotional one of the most read e-communications in the world. For information on where to watch Live Prayer in your area, visit www.liveprayer.com

Eric Clapton And Prayer

2008-04-09T15:28:00.008-04:00

Eric Claptonis best known for his guitar licks and blue hits. But, the past ten years, his days have begun and ended in prayer.
Clapton wasn't always a Believer. He spent many years running from God and the faith he knew as a young man. Failing through a month of rehab in 1987, Clapton fell to his knees and finally "surrendered" to God, dedicating his sobriety to his newborn son, Conor. Four years later, when Conor died in a fall from the window of a 53rd floor of a Park Avenue apartment, Clapton admitted, "There was a moment when I did lose faith." Still, he found the strength to present a session to his Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on "handing your will over to the care of God". Afterward, a woman confessed that he had taken away her "last excuse" for drinking, a confirmation to Clapton that "staying sober and helping others to achieve sobriety" is "the single most important proposition" in his life.

In his autobiography,Clapton elaborates on the beginnings of his prayer life — that 1987 rock-bottom moment at the rehab treatment center.

"I was in complete despair," Clapton wrote. "In the privacy of my room, I begged for help. I had no notion who I thought I was talking to, I just knew that I had come to the end of my tether … and, getting down on my knees, I surrendered. Within a few days I realized that … I had found a place to turn to, a place I'd always known was there but never really wanted, or needed, to believe in. From that day until this, I have never failed to pray in the morning, on my knees, asking for help, and at night, to express gratitude for my life and, most of all, for my sobriety. I choose to kneel because I feel I need to humble myself when I pray, and with my ego, this is the most I can do. If you are asking why I do all this, I will tell you … because it works, as simple as that."

Excerpt from ChristianityToday.com