Page 34 - 200812 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2008

34 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 34 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 TOP 10 CRIMES OF was involved with the crime, including a pair of murdered child for the rest of our lives [but] TOP 10 CRIMES OF 2008 green shorts and a sandal that were similar to we're still going to try to change laws and 2008 what Adam was wearing the day he change the way police do business." disappeared. No. 10 - Adam Walsh As the case continued, Walsh became a No. 09 - Brianna Denison well-known advocate for missing children. In The Walsh family suffered for more than 1988, he was selected as the host of the FOX On the morning of Jan. 20, 2008, college two decades with the knowledge that their son's television show America's Most Wanted, a sophomore Brianna Denison, 19, was abducted case might never be solved. Twenty-seven years program that profiles fugitives who are wanted from a friend's house near the University of is a long time to live with that type of heartache. by law enforcement for a variety of crimes. To Nevada's Reno campus. According to police, A pain compounded by the family memories date, the program has assisted in the capture of the teen had been sleeping in the living room at that they missed: school plays, graduations, over one thousand criminals. the time of the incident. marriage, grandchildren. While nothing can In September 1996, Ottis Toole died of Roughly one month later, on Feb. 15, alleviate their pain, the Walsh family did receive liver disease while serving a life sentence for a 2008, Brianna's body was found near an some closure yesterday when Florida police series of other crimes. Toole's niece contacted industrial complex south of Reno. An autopsy officially named the person responsible for six- John Walsh and told him that her uncle had revealed that she had been sexually assaulted year-old Adam Walsh's death. made a startling deathbed confession, detailing and strangled. Evidence found at the scene -- Yesterday's events resolved a horrific the events of Adam's murder. Nevertheless, two pair of intertwined women's panties – led incident that was set in motion on July 27, 1981, authorities were skeptical about the confession. police to suspect that they were dealing with a when Adam's mother, Reve Walsh, took him on Toole and his alleged partner, convicted serial cold and calculating killer, who enjoyed a shopping trip to Sears in Hollywood, Florida. killer Henry Lee Lucas, had confessed to taunting the authorities. The panties ultimately In the store, Adam asked his mother if he could hundreds of homicides over the years, many of revealed DNA from an unknown man and watch some children play video games while which had been proven false. woman, suggesting the killer could have taken she finished her shopping. She agreed, and he Adam's murder made headlines again in them from another victim who was unknown to stayed behind while she searched for a new January 2007, when theories surfaced that police. lamp. convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer could The case continued until Nov. 26, 2008, Reve was not gone long, but when she have been responsible for the child's death. Two when police received a tip that led them to returned to the video game section, Adam was witnesses had allegedly claimed to have seen a James Michael Biela, 27, a resident of Sparks, nowhere to be found. Frightened, she asked a man matching Dahmer's description at the mall Nev. Police say that DNA obtained from Biela store clerk to page her son over the intercom. the day Adam was abducted. Investigators links him to Brianna's murder, as well as at least Seconds turned into minutes, but there was no examined a possible link, but were unable to two other sexually motivated attacks that sign of Adam. He had disappeared. come up with one. John Walsh himself issued a occurred near the Reno campus between The events leading to Adam's statement following the publication of the October and December 2007. disappearance remain unclear. According to theory, stating that there was no credible As a result of the DNA tests, Biela was some reports, the group of children that Adam information to suggest that Dahmer had arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, murder and was with was thrown out of the store for arguing anything to do with his son's murder. sexual assault. He has been incarcerated at the over a game and Adam was mistakenly asked to Over the years, the Walsh family lost Washoe County Jail, where he is currently being leave with them. Investigators believe that much of their hope that Adam's murder would held without bond. Adam went outside, where he was abducted be solved. However, on December 16, 2008, James Michael Biela is considered near the store entrance. Hollywood Police Chief Chadwick E. Wagner innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case continued without viable clues held a press conference about the case. or evidence until August 10, 1981, when Adam's "I am here today to discuss and bring No. 08 - Shackled California Teen severed head was found in a drainage canal in some closure to the Adam Walsh abduction and Vero Beach, Florida. The location was roughly homicide investigation that began over 27 years A disturbing case of alleged child abuse 120 miles from the site of Adam's abduction. To ago," Wagner said. "Consistent with the and torture came to light in Tracy, Calif., on date, the rest of his remains have never been opinions of investigators past and present, I Dec. 01, 2008, when a half-naked and found. agreed with the ultimate conclusion of this emaciated 17-year-old boy managed to escape Five days later, on August 15, 1981, independent investigation, that Ottis Toole was from a residence where he reportedly had been Adam's parents had an empty-casket funeral for the perpetrator of this crime. As we know, Ottis held captive for roughly one year. their son. Toole is deceased and formal, legal action is not According to police, the boy ran into In- Rather than dwell on their sorrow, Reve possible, nor is it something that the Walsh Shape City gym at about 4 p.m. Monday and and her husband, John Walsh, established the family is seeking. However, in the interest of asked an employee to hide him. Witnesses say Adam Walsh Outreach Center for Missing justice, the Hollywood Police Department is that the boy, who was covered in soot, urine and Children on August 19, 1981. Two months later, announcing today that it is our determination feces, was carrying a chain that was padlocked the couple testified before Congress on behalf and conclusion that Ottis Toole was the to his ankle. of the Missing Children Act and the Missing abductor and murderer of Adam Walsh. If Ottis The boy was initially confused about Children's Assistance Act. As a result of their Toole was alive today, he would be arrested for where he was and how he got there; however, he efforts, both of these bills were passed. the abduction and murder of Adam Walsh on eventually told investigators that he ran away The first break in Adam's case came in July 27, 1981." from a Sacramento foster home in 2007 to look October 1983, when suspected serial killer, John and Reve Walsh, with their for his biological family. The boy was reported Ottis Toole, confessed to the brutal slaying. daughter, Meghan, were present at the press missing; at some point he made his way from However, despite having provided investigators conference. Following Wagner's announcement, Sacramento to Tracy, a 70-mile journey, and with an accurate description of the crime, police John Walsh made his own statement to the allegedly ended up being held captive in a tract were unwilling to name him as the killer. media. home less than a block from the gym. Several key pieces of evidence, including "For 27 years, we've been asking who Based upon the boy's initial statement blood-stained carpeting from Toole's car and the can take a 6-year-old boy and murder and and his poor physical condition, police went to car itself were lost by police, leaving them with decapitate him. We needed to know. We needed the house the boy identified as the place where little evidence to tie him to the crime. Toole to know," Walsh said. "The not knowing has he had been held. They took into custody a eventually recanted his confession. been a torture, but that journey's over." married couple identified as 34-year-old Despite the reluctance by police to While his own personal journey for Michael Luther Schumacher and 30-year-old charge Toole in his son's death, John Walsh justice has ended, Walsh made it clear that his Kelly Layne Lau-Schumacher. At that time, the remained convinced that Toole was responsible. work as an advocate for missing children is far couple's four children, ages 1, 3, 9 and 11, were According to Walsh, there were other items from over. placed in the custody of Child Protective found at Toole's home which suggested that he "We're still going to be the parents of a Services. (Continued on Page 35)