Rejection Ends in Murder?

After ending her marriage three years ago to what sources indicate was a violent and abusive relationship Melissa Bridgewater moved on with her life.

Over this past Christmas Melissa received a present from her ex-husband. He was offering a peace gesture in hopes the couple would get back together.

When she would not accept the gift, it only added fuel to his rage. Like so many of these "cowardly lions" who feel as though a dagger has been thrown at their non-existent feelings Jerry Hudson was going to get back at his ex-wife once and for all.

After a night of celebration of ringing in the New Year at the Doubletree Hotel in Oakbrook, IL, her cell phone rang and allegedly it was Jerry Hudson on the other end interrogating Melissa demanding to know who was there with her. Hudson then "lured her out to the parking lot on a ruse that he was actually at her home in Bolingbrook" and destroying her property, according to the State's Attorney's Office.

As she tried to leave the hotel parking lot Melissa struck by another car and boxed in and greeted with a blaze of gunfire. She was shot a total of 5 times. Police say Jerry Hudson was in a rented car and his image was captured in a photo as he went through a toll booth shortly after the shooting.

Police obtained a search warrant for Hudson's residence. They located a note.


"She used me for 20 years I don't need to suffer anymore"

The note police found alleged Hudson planned to kill her and then commit suicide:


"She Has Taken My Manhood."

On Tuesday, with his attorney, Hudson turned himself into police. In a statement made by his lawyer he said "the note doesn't mean Hudson killed his former wife." And goes on to say he cared for her deeply and that a note doesn't prove anything."

A violent abuser will stop at nothing to have control one last time. Melissa Bridgewater was reacting because Hudson said he was calling from inside her home and destroying it. Her immediate response got her killed.

In my opinion, Melissa should have contacted police and asked that a car be sent to the home and had a police report filed on the incident. Then she should have remained in the hotel room until she was absolutely certain of her ex-husbands location. But, like so many victims whom fall prey to these cowards words, she had the sense of feeling safe and secure. Like my mother often remarked, "I am free from him and I don't have to be afraid anymore." My mother's new residence is the same as Melissa Bridgewater's, the cemetary!







On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, at 3:00 PM CST we will discuss the importance of staying safe, before during and after a divorce on BlogTalkRadio.com

"Suddenly"

This holiday season while we are enjoying our precious time with friends and family, and counting our blessings, there is one home where Mom won't be fixing Christmas dinner or tucking her children in as she reads to them the story "twas night before christmas" to her precious angels.



That woman was Lisa Stebic.

Lisa as many women who have "suddenly gone missing" was getting a divorce when she vanished. Craig Stebic,has yet to be charged in her disappearance, he was the last person to report seeing his wife April 30, 2007.

The missing woman worked her normal shift in a nearby elementary school cafeteria and was home when her children arrived from school. Craig Stebic has said he saw his wife leave the house carrying only her cell phone and purse. He reported her missing the next morning. Doesn't this have a familar tone? She left with her cell phone and purse?

Lisa Stebic would never have left without taking her children.

A mother, sister, aunt, neighbor, friend who belonged to a family that loves her. I am asking everyone to keep her in your prayers this holiday in hopes that she is found.

The family put together a remarkable video.

"It's very difficult knowing that she's out there somewhere but that we cannot put her to rest as we need to do." http://www.findlisastebic.com/

Sugar Coating Crime

Tommy was in second grade and his older brother Angelo was in the sixth grade and each were looking forward to a thanksgiving holiday feast with their family in their illinois suburban home.

Early Wednesday morning, the day before thanksgiving their father baseball coach and "your average good guy" Thomas Mangiantini killed his wife, Elizabeth, 46, she was shot once in the head. The boys killed first, shoting his son Thomas Jr., 8, once in the head, and his other son, Angelo, 12, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the head. Afterwards the man took his own life.

Thanksgiving morning the lawn was still covered in crime scene tape and according to news acccounts a few families nearby changed their plans for the holiday making other arrangments for the day elsewhere.

The front pages of the Chicago papers likely moved the story of "President Obama pardons "Courage" (the turkey) in holiday ritual" changing the headline to the tragedy in bold face type " Dad, mom, 2 children found dead."

The man left a note in which investigators are" hopeful" will bring closure to the case---but I am not certain anyone will really know for sure what happend in this home, other then the obvious. A person whom is distraught in the last hours or moments of their life often leaves handwritten notes behind with the reasons for their actions? I have a news flash-you cannot go by what a person writes who is in this frame of mind. All they are really doing is explaining their personal view point. It is not the truth. So while the police are trying to analyze something a psycho killer wrote, the facts in the case, died with the murdered family members. Anyway you want to sugar coat this, it is still domestic violence homicide. Okay, police have never been called to the home. Neither parents sought legal services for divorce or separtion. I don't want police or the public to dismiss this as "the man had problems", he was "mentally ill", or whatever other lable someone wants to use.

He carried out a plan to execute his family. Was it because he was sexually abusing one or both of the boys and someone was going to let out their secret? Was it because Elizabeth had finally decided the marriage was over and after the holidays she was going to file for divorce?

Prayers to the friends and family left to cope with such a devasting crime.