Angry Missive Complains of 'Ignored' Calls (Details of Sniper Letter)

The Washington Post ^ | Wednesday, October 23, 2002 | Sari Horwitz and Carol Morello

[kristinn]

An angry letter found tacked to a tree behind a restaurant where the sniper wounded a man this weekend complained of six failed attempts to reach police, and threatened more killings -- of children in particular -- if millions of dollars were not deposited in a bank account within two days, according to law enforcement sources.

The letter listed half a dozen calls that had been "ignored" by operators answering phones at the command center in Rockville, the Montgomery County police station and the FBI. It even named some of the people who had answered the phones.

They had hung up, the letter stated; that was "incompetent."

"Five people had to die" because of it, the letter said, according to one law enforcement source who has seen a copy of the letter.

The letter gave a deadline of Monday for the money to be deposited in a bank account, the source said. Several sources who had seen photocopies of the letter said the amount demanded was $10 million.

The letter warned investigators that if they were more concerned with "stopping" the killings than making an arrest, they should follow the orders precisely, or else there would be "body bags," said the source.

And it ended with an even more ominous postscript, officials said:

"Your children are not safe anywhere at any time."

SNIP

[kristinn]

Usually, the first person you get isn't the person you need to talk to.

The folks at the tipline must be getting all sorts of crazies calling in. If the killer called in using that electronic voice masker, I suppose they thought it was another wacko calling.

[kristinn]

The press conferences have been well protected and held behind large screens from what I can tell from TV.

[Dianna]

This murderer proves how easy it is to commit the crime every step of the way--complete incompetence has marked this investigation at every turn. This guy will be caught on his own terms, but not before

But this was before we'd heard so much about the sniper's communication with the police. All the sniper had to say was something concerning the unknown communication for someone to listen.

I'd believe one or two mistakes, but not 6 incompetent people.

By the way, what other "incompetence" have you seen? I don't think we know enough of the behind the scenes stuff to judge that. Just because the guy(s) haven't been caught, doesn't mean someone has screwed things up.

[MissAmericanPie]

This is just crazy, even though they can't afford to pay this guy, the level of incompetence is just staggering. Not only could he not get them on the phone, they couldn't even find his note nailed to a tree after searching for clues at the crime scene.

I don't think people should stay home, they should stay under their homes, because this guy can keep on killing until he wipes out the entire D.C. area and these keystone cops will never find him. He could be the only survivor driving the only white van left down 95 and the only surviving cop would wave him through right before the sniper turned and shot him on his way to new territory.

And guess what...it's probably not much better any where else.

[Fred Mertz]

It's classic misdirection by the govt and comPost. Blame the low-level telephone clerk rather than the bumbling powers that be.

[Dianna]

I wonder if he would try shooting Moose? Such a bizarre series of killings, maybe he'll try something bold like that. Moose gives a lot of outdoor press confrences.......

My husband thinks a reporter will get it next. Major escalation.

[Fred Mertz]

Please don't believe this article. Use your instincts, because the truth (serious and foreboding) is too difficult for the sheeple to digest.

[Howlin]

And maybe this is the way this whacko thinks this thing has gone down -- wouldn't it be nice if the police dumped a load of crap on the WashPost and they went with it?

[MissAmericanPie]

OK Fred, I'll wait and see, but my gosh, how could they have missed that note? I know it could be a ploy on their part, but given the past boo boo's of the F.B.I. it's hard to believe it was a ploy and not incompetence.

[Howlin]

The reporters certainly are in a twit now that they are having to deal with what the real world deals with, aren't they?

[Fred Mertz]

I don't think the cops missed the note either. It was a standard stalling technique. The note must've been chilling!

[spunkets]

"Blame the low-level telephone clerk"

What I mean is that the killer didn't want either the the call handlers, or anyone else for that matter to get, or understand any message at all. The killer is pulling their leg with his money demands. He doesn't intend to let up the pressure and stop killing. It looks to me like he's attempting to gain the focus of every available LEO and prevent them from focusing on anything else.

His impatience and lack of focus and skill in communication, doesn't show in the field. That's a clue about what he's up to.

[freebilly]

If this is the kind of response people were getting on the tip line, I don't blame him for being angry.

Geez, most people just hang up....

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

An angry letter found tacked to a tree behind a restaurant where the sniper wounded a man this weekend complained of six failed attempts to reach police, and threatened more killings -- of children in particular -- if millions of dollars were not deposited in a bank account within two days, according to law enforcement sources. The letter listed half a dozen calls that had been "ignored" by operators answering phones at the command center in Rockville, the Montgomery County police station and the FBI. It even named some of the people who had answered the phones. They had hung up, the letter stated; that was "incompetent."

Lends more credence to the perp being a foriegner. He obviously has had no prior experience dealing with US government agencies: DMV, Post Office, Zoning Commissions, etc.

[secretagent]

The article mentions the anger in the voice of the caller. This tells me that they have an audio of the caller, unfiltered, that they could release to the public.

[spunkets]

"a foriegner. He obviously has had no prior experience dealing with US government agencies: DMV, Post Office, Zoning Commissions, etc.

LOL!

[MTCJK]

By the way, what other "incompetence" have you seen? I don't think we know enough of the behind the scenes stuff to judge that. Just because the guy(s) haven't been caught, doesn't mean someone has screwed things up.

The incompetence has largely been a result of a lack of a central strategy on the part of LE. When this all started, the strategy was to divulge way too much information, with the media as full accomplice. This gave the sniper a clearer picture of what he was up against. Secondly, they tried (again with the media) to paint the sniper into a box (school children are safe). Thirdly, the sniper had to call them and let them know where to find evidence. Fourth, they showed the sniper on national tv that they did not deal in "good faith" when they busted the illegal aliens at the phone booth. Fifth, LE clammed up about specific threats to the public (schools), which increased the levels of fear in the Beltway. Now the leaks have started up again, and the sniper has proven to be way ahead of LE--all hell is going to break loose again

[L,TOWM]

Don't be too sure. I'm sure if I had 10 mil to launder, I could get out about 4 (at least) without a trace to me.

[GirlShortstop]

I wonder what country this account would be based in?

sand... lotsa, lotsa sand

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

It even named some of the people who had answered the phones.

I'm sorry sir but I don't have time to listen to your confession right now. I'm busy calling gun owners that I found who own rifles. I'm going through the list I got from the yellow cards that we took from every gun shop in a 100 mile radius going back 10 years. How am I going to call all 25,000 hunters in the area if you keep calling and bothering me with all this "I'm the shooter and I want to talk to the Moose" crap?