Posted on 06/06/2007 9:53:32 PM PDT by peggybac
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- An arrest has been made in the homicide investigation of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith.
Late Wednesday night, police said Edwin R. Hall, 26, of Olathe, was being held in the Johnson County Jail in connection with the slaying of Smith.
Law enforcement crews combing a large wooded area near Longview Lake Wednesday found a body believed to be missing teenager Kelsey Smith, who was abducted from an Overland Park Target store parking lot Saturday night.
Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass said Smith's body was found about 1:30 p.m. across the state line near Grandview, Mo., about 20 miles east of the abduction site.
Positive identification was pending, but Douglass said volunteer searchers could stop their work. He did not say how the woman was slain, but KMBC reported that there were signs of trauma to the body.
"As I understand she was found at a wooded area, but I can't say whether she was directly concealed by bushes," Douglass told reporters during an afternoon news conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at thekansascitychannel.com ...
It should become a Federal case under the circumstances.
I would prefer a federal court for this crime.
We know that now - but it was the one that was put up last night on the jocosheriff.org site. I had no reason to think it was wrong at the time, except that it didn’t look like the video.
Look what of society has brought us they should give their opinion what concern do have for victims of crime?
Leni
Mary,
More than one program on cable tonight is putting out that he has a JUVENILE history. And they can’t get their hands on it because of the sealing of juvenile records. “Privacy” issues.
Reminds me of that sicko who killed all the VT victims. His mental problem wasn’t put in the database for gun buyers because of “privacy” issues.
The Dad, if he is the type of man I believe, should get 5 monutes alone with the creep in a lcoked windowless room.
Then, put whatever is left of him on trial.”
Rewrite: Then put whatever is left of him into a pauper’s grave. There, that’s better.
The story didn’t seem clear. The image of the young man exiting the store is not the suspect in custody, right?
Am I correct to assume he is still being sought as a person of interest?”
My local TV stations are inferring that the image of the guy in the white T-shirt is the perp. He was following her in the store...and then out to her car.
My daughter took a self-defense class here in Kalifornia. There are lots of things that a person can do to defeat an attacker. I was concerned that the class made no mention of carrying a concealed firearm. That's just not politically correct in much of this state.
Kansas, I believe, has just implemented a "shall issue" concealed carry law.
It is certainly the case that the abducted girl would have been no worse off had she been armed. It takes will to shoot somebody, just like it takes will to gouge out one of their eyes, or kick them in the groin or the shin.
Those of us who have been in the military have an advantage over others in that we have had to seriously consider taking another person's life in order to preserve ours. This is a key mental decision. You have to decide that the protection of self or daughter fully justifies your use of force and that YOU will use that force.
I just recently helped my adult daughter implement a home-defense plan featuring a short-barreled shotgun. We did live fire at a private range and I had her practice her response to a threat. My hope is that she will fight just like she trained if the need ever arises. If she can obtain even two seconds of advantage, she will completely ruin the day of a determined attacker.
The image of the young man exiting the store IS the suspect in custody. Edwin Hall is his name. His booking photo is in this thread.
A neighbor tipped police after he and his wife joked about the “target” man looking like their neighbor - they stopped laughing when the picture of the truck associated with the crime was shown. Edwin Hall’s pickup was a ringer. So they called the cops. Within a short time police picked up Mr. Hall, and they interviewed him....arresting him at the end of the interview.
I would not underestimate the value of the awareness skills that I mentioned in a prior posting.
There is a saying in the pro-gun community, "The first rule of gun-fighting is to have a gun". But even more important is another saying, "If you have a choice about whether to go to a gunfight or not, DON'T GO!".
All the preparation for fighting, whether armed or not, is irrelevant if one manages to avoid the fight. That is what situational awareness can do. Similarly, most posters on FreeRepublic are probably in the very low risk category when it comes to being victims of crime.
We tend to live, work, shop, and play in relatively safe locations. We get significant crime-prevention benefit from avoiding life-style choices that would increase risk; such as doing drugs, or abusing alcohol, or supplementing our incomes through burglary.
Anti-gunners are fond of basing their decisions on lurid reports of children being injured by finding a loaded gun. But last I heard, swimming pools kill ten to a hundred times more often.
What happened to the abducted girl may not be the most significant risk to you and yours. How safe is your car in a collision? Do you all wear seatbelts?
Do you have a fire extinquisher in your kitchen? Do your children have two safe exits from their bedrooms in case of a fire? Do your kids know how to dial 9-1-1? (I have read of kids barely able to speak who have brought medical help to a parent by knowing this.)
Are your children's vaccinations up to date? How about the pets?
What do you really know about your baby-sitter?
I'm not trying to scare you. Just trying to provide some perspective.
Thank you so much..I didn’t even realize her link was on his page.
me too! I’m praying that “someone” will upgrade it.
I completely believe, and am thinking we should push for a amber alert system for 18-24 yr olds, but with some differences. IE:”Missing under extremely/highly suspicious circumstances, such as abandoned car/purse etc..” Anything to limit false alarms and to increase police/media help, while reducing the stress of the family/volunteers who currently have to be the ones to bear the weight of making the missing person “be in the headlines” so to speak. They have enough to deal with...
All the preparation for fighting, whether armed or not, is irrelevant if one manages to avoid the fight. That is what situational awareness can do. Similarly, most posters on FreeRepublic are probably in the very low risk category when it comes to being victims of crime.
We tend to live, work, shop, and play in relatively safe locations. We get significant crime-prevention benefit from avoiding life-style choices that would increase risk; such as doing drugs, or abusing alcohol, or supplementing our incomes through burglary. Anti-gunners are fond of basing their decisions on lurid reports of children being injured by finding a loaded gun.?
Excellent points! self-protection and careful decisions just CAN'T be emphasized enough.... God Bless
http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=6606183
By MARIA SUDEKUM FISHER
Associated Press Writer
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline said Thursday he would consider seeking the death penalty against a man charged in the kidnap and murder of a teenager whose body was found three days after she was abducted from a Target store parking lot.
Kline said it was unclear if the case would be tried in state or federal court. But he said the death penalty would be a possibility in either jurisdiction.
“If we believe the crime is severe enough, and we do in this case, we will go to the jurisdiction that provides the most severe penalty,” Kline said. “The discussions continue almost around the clock.”
From one of the KC papers:
” ... Neighbor Sonya Bruce said she sold her father’s old truck to Hall just a few weeks ago. She believes it’s that same truck on the Target surveillance video police have linked to Smith’s abduction.
“Normal guy, he seemed a friendly guy,” Bruce said. “He introduced himself as Eddie to us, Edwin never came across my mind until this morning.” ...”
Parents were on Larry King too. Toward the end of the interview dad said they had went to a carnival or some such not too long ago and remembering that he started to lose it. I lost it after that. Larry King looked like he was trying very hard to hold back from getting emotional.
Not in this case. The visibility is so high and the impact on the Kansas side is so political that this guy is going to get whatever maximum the law allows. If not the death penalty they life without parole. He's had his last meal on the outside of prison.
Nice video tribute of Kelsey Smith and Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdl2FUmRrpU&mode=related&search=
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