Thanksgiving and Dads

By Diane Fanning

It's difficult to think about Thanksgiving without thinking about your dad. I can still see him standing at the end of the loaded dining room table, hovering over a golden turkey, a large knife and piercing fork poised in the air. He'd pause as he calculated just the right angle and the perfect place to sink the blade.

He'd slice the breast in consistently thin pieces--I still don't know how he managed that. Then, he'd masterfully separate one drumstick and then the other, passing one to my brother and placing the second leg on his plate.

I also remember the sad Thanksgiving. The one where we had hot dogs and baked beans. My Dad worked at the Baltimore Fisher Body plant of General Motors. Every year in August, he'd be laid off for two or three weeks while they turned over the machines to accommodate that year's new models. During that particular year, his union went on strike the same day he was supposed to return to work. On Thanksgiving, he still was without work, without pay and with three kids to feed. We were lucky to get the hot dogs. It made all of us appreciate the turkey even more when the next Thanksgiving rolled around.

Now, all I have of my Dad are memories. He passed away in 2005. At first, my father-in-law filled in the Dad gap. Then last year, he died, too. Both men suffered through years of progressively worsening dementia. They inspired my fourth Lucinda Pierce mystery, Twisted Reason.

It appears that their inspiration led me in the right direction. Publishers Weekly wrote: "Edgar-finalist Fanning skillfully illuminates the heartbreaking challenges facing Alzheimer’s victims and their families in her fourth mystery featuring Virginia homicide detective Lucinda Pierce."

In Kirkus Reviews: "As usual, Fanning poses Lucinda a quirky mystery, this time providing a thoughtful look at the stress of those caring for loved ones with dementia."

In this week of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the encouragement and inspiration dads give their daughters, and for the special insight that I received from two terrific Dads: Leon Butcher and Bill Fanning.

(Diane Fanning is also the author of numerous true crime books.  Her site is http://www.dianefanning.com/ and if you go to the reading room located on her site you can pick a chapter from any of her books to read. She is also a colleague, a contributor at women and crime ink and one hell of a talented author)

Susan Powell Part 1 of 3 "To be "chewed up like hamburger"?

Susan Powell's body has yet to be found since she was reported missing by her family on December 6, 2009.

The facts to this case are like so many other women who wanted nothing more than to get out of their abusive marriage, divorce and move forward with their lives.  Instead, in my opinion, Susan Powell was murdered.

Now, 11 months to the date, her husband breaks his silence and talks to the Salt Lake City Tribune. The words "JOSH POWELL speaks: my wife; Susan, left us behind."  I had a difficult time getting past the 36' dark bold headline.  Sounds like this guy has been reading far too many news stories with his captain munch cereal.  Come to think of it, all our loving killer fathers, in my opinion: Drew Peterson, Michael Stebic and Shaun Pernice swear that Captain Munch is the breakfast of devoted and caring fathers.

Powell takes a bolder step forward to insert his personal killer brand of truth in mouth.  He wants the reporter to know he broke his silence to say his wife is “extremely unstable,” and that he believes mental illness drove her to leave her family behind.

Interesting how he labels his missing wife "unstable." Here is a man that took his  boys ages 2 and 4 on a camping trip in the middle of the night in freezing temperatures.  When he returned with the children the police were already at the home doing a wellness check on Susan Powell. Police found her purse, car keys and cell phone in the home, but no Susan.  And again, no mother especially one who is planning to leave goes without their children. In my opinion this captain munch decoder killer is no different then others whom decide that murder is the only way to "remove the problem" in their lives. And to Josh Powell not being able to control his "property" in his eyes meant his was not a man.

Powell continues his song and dance to say "only reduced scrutiny from her family and the public, he said, will speed her return." “She knows she will be chewed up like hamburger when she comes back,” Josh Powell said in a Wednesday interview with The Salt Lake Tribune.

Was hamburger meat what Susan Powell was served that day for a meal, especially prepared by Josh?  Is Powell telling us he watched her chew her food that he made and within minutes she was suddenly saying "she was tired and needed to go lay down,"  according to the witness at the table that evening.  Or is Powell telling the world too late, she is already gone, been chewed up by something.  Clearly the comment has an interesting tone, as it is laced with deception and guilt.

Interesting how Powell uses the word "scrutiny" as if to say the public needs to back off that's why she won't come out of hiding.

The killer's words, in my opinion are reported in an extensive article I will break it down this week.  Part 2 of this series runs on Tuesday 11/9/2010.


Had Susan Powell been able to create "The Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit" either she would still be with us or the person who murdered her would be behind bars and not discussing hamburgers.

This new tool which has been proven to empower victims and save lives. It’s been proven to change an attitude of a victim and give them hope that they may move forward and away from the violent situation knowing that their wishes will be carried out should the unthinkable happen. It’s been proven that the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit will stand up in court against Crawford vs Washington rulings, allowing a victim’s testimony to heard and seen, just like a will, should they be silenced.
Take it upon yourself today to get this information into the hands of everyone who comes in contact with a victim. Go the extra mile; it could be that one time you gave extra care and extra time beyond what’s expected that will matter to someone, and save their life. Our fight to end intimate partner violence isn't over till it's dealt with in a manner that's effective.

  Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit by Susan Murphy Milano from the Book "Time's Up"
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

(Susan Murphy Milano, is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Psychopathy Education for more information visit http://www.saferelationships.com/ and is the author of the new book "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and where ever books are sold. 


She is the host of Time's Up on http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and she is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated show with Dr. Laurie Roth on http://www.therothshow.com/)

Charging Ahead or Failing to Charge

After a family discovers a crime scene or reports a loved missing in cases where the spouse or former boyfriend is the likely the individual responsible for the murder or vanishing act it often creates an additional burden on law enforcement to follow through and properly investigate the case as a possible homicide.

In the case of Kelly Currin Morris, the 28-year-old mother of two, missing since September 3, 2008, police located her remains in a heavily wooded area last week. William "Scott" Morris (the husband)has been charged with first-degree murder and for burning a dwelling, shared by the couple and their children. It was burned down the day after Kelly was reported missing. He is being held without bond and likely will remain where he belongs, behind bars.

The law enforcement community did a remarkable job, otherwise William Scott Morris would still be a free man as we have often seen in other cases. It is not easy to investigate a case involving "intimate homicide."

Renee Pagel Case Still Unsolved

Still unresolved, and frankly outrageous, is the unsolved murder of Renee Pagel ,found stabbed to death in her bed recovering from surgery, (after donating aa kidney to a complete stranger) just days away from her divorce being finalized. According to close friends and relatives the grade school teacher and a registered nurse told others she was in "fear for her life." A week before her murder she changed the beneficiary of her life insurance policy from her estranged husband to a close family friend.

Her estranged husband, Michael Pagel, is the only person who has not voluntarily cooperated with police, nor has he provided an alibi to police for the night of Renee's murder. He retains custody of the couple's children.

As many women say when they are married to an abusive spouse, "if something happens to me, make sure people know it was not an accident." And, yet, in Rockford, Michigan detectives assigned to the case, in "name only," appear to have dropped the ball and the case file is sitting in a drawer collecting spiders, cob webs and dust.

Are cases like this more difficult because they already have the body, it's not that important, and no one is around to put pressure on investigating and ultimately charge the person responsible?

I realize a good defense attorney would attempt to kick a case like this to the curb. There would be media and a lot of mud slinging. But, a seasoned prosecutor would be able to win such a case and get a conviction.

Isn't the prosecutor the one who represents justice for the victim?