In January of 2009 when
Sheena Morris(pictured on right) was found dead, hanging in the bathroom of a Florida hotel. Those who responded to the crime scene missed and disposed of important evidence that held the key to the killer in her case. The death certificate listed the cause as a "suicide."
Embarrassing a law enforcement agency is not the direction I want to go in this case, but detectives and the Chief of Police with the
Bradenton Police department are literally refusing to conduct a "proper" investigation after the cause of death was changed to undetermined by the medical examiner back in March of 2011.
I would also like to mention that Sheena's mother Kelly Osborn has worked seeking justice for her daughter from day one. She continues to have the doors by the Bradenton Police department slammed in her face. It should also be noted that Kelly Osborn is a trained and certified SAR Tech III and aids in searching for the missing. When she is not working on her daughter's case she goes out with the
CUE Center for Missing Persons searching for those we read about in the news or on the Internet who have vanished.
This past week, Kelly Osborn spent several days in the the hot Florida sun searching for missing police cadet
Kelly Rothwell who vanished on March 12, 2011. She searched on a case that involved intimate partner violence almost identical to her own daughter. Kelly Rothwell and Sheena Morris were each in relationships with violent and dangerous abusive offenders. Kelly's abuser, a former New York Correctional officer, and Sheena's, a business owner with direct ties to the organized Genovese crime family out of Philadelphia.
The family has already spent thousands, upon thousands of dollars hiring forensic experts and investigators with money they do not have to provide law enforcement with the facts..
According to the forensic reports that were instrumental in changing the cause of death, the "crime scene was staged" I should point out this is a pattern of conduct consist with intimate partner homicide murders.
The report continues : "Domestic homicide committed by offenders who are criminally inexperienced and who are therefore unaware of the appearance of a genuine crime scene. Their inexperience coupled with the likelihood that they attempted to alter the crime scene while agitated or in a highly emotional state, inhibits their ability to think clearly. As a result, individuals who stage crime scenes often make unintended errors, termed "red flags", that reveal the scene is inconsistent with what is attempted to be demonstrated.
"The case represents a death in which the crime scene was altered to stimulate an intentional suicidal hanging."
The mission statement on the department Web page refusing to open this case or pass it over to
Manatee County Sheriff's office states: " We, the Bradenton Beach Police Department,
are committed to providing the highest quality of police services to the people who live, work and visit our city. We will constantly evaluate and improve our efforts to enhance public safety with the goal of improving the quality of life within Bradenton Beach, while at the same time maintaining respect for individual rights and human dignity."
Here we have a mother who, when called upon, responds and searches for those wanting to bring their loved ones home. The dedication of Kelly Osborn, who celebrated her birthday while on the Rothwell search, shows to us that, aside from her pain, she moves forward to help others.
At the very least, the Bradenton Beach Police department could show the same compassion and open up an investigation into the murder of Sheena Morris.
The Roth Show on the Case :
http://www.therothshow.com/demos/recent/hour2Apr2011.mp3Time's Up Show:
http://herewomentalkradio.com/home/archives_details/700News with Views:
http://herewomentalkradio.com/home/archives_details/700Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visithttp://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/ She is also in partnership with Pamela Chapman and iAscend Programs. http://pamelachapmanl.biz
Susan is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talkhttp://www.herewomentalk.com/and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr Laurie Roth. Susan is a survivor- the daughter of a police officer family intimate partner homicide by her father who murdered her mother before committing suicide.
