Here’s how I found out my brother was dead. There were a few people at our house the evening of March 22, 1977. There was a small t.v. placed on a table in our living room at some point during the week. Johnny Carson was on. Black and white t.v. News ticker at the bottom of the screen said: Body of a young boy found on side of Gill Road in Livonia. My Mom and I turned and stared at each other. Somebody–a woman, I can’t remember who, said something like “we haven’t heard anything, don’t jump to conclusions, blah, blah, blah.” A priest from our old parish and the police chief came over a few hours later to “break the news.” It sucked. Two neighbors came over after they heard and sat with us. As the sun started to come up, they said they wanted to leave before my brothers woke up and came downstairs. I remember people discussing who would tell my brothers. Nobody wanted to do it. I volunteered and was quickly given the job. That sucked, too.
My heart aches…
Cathy, thanks for sharing that.
Some thoughts and questions. About the impressions in the snow banks being linked to a 1971-72 Pontiac LeMans V-8 engine with a trailer hitch and rear end damage from the discovery of Kristine Mihelich.
I’m just wondering if this was the killers car, if they used that trailer hitch for something. Maybe the killer had a boat that he towed. Maybe he used it for a trailer to carry equipment up North. Maybe he used it for his occupation. What are your thoughts on that and could that trailer hitch towing something create new leads?
About Richard Thompson. He drove up to Flint to witness Busch’s polygraph test in Jan of 1977. Have you or anyone you know ever spoken to Richard Thompson about what he witnessed?
About me. I go to the Woodward Dream Cruise every year in August. I usually sit on Woodward between 14/15 mile roads and watch the cars drive up and down Woodward. Every year I go I’m always looking out for that 1970’s blue Gremlin with the white stripe with that man in the sketch driving the car up and down Woodward. I have yet to see that car or that man.
Plus I always wondered what it would be like if something like this was displayed in order to help solve this case. Like literally having someone drive the blue Gremlin with the white stripe and making a mask that matches the man in the sketch put on the driver of the car and maybe having a sign on top of the car displaying the OCCK ings.
But being that the killer more than likely also used another vehicle and possibly had no link to the blue Gremlin, I’m wondering if a 1971-72 Pontiac Lemans with a V-8 engine and trailer hitch would be a better vehicle to use if this was going to be displayed at this event.
Think about how that might create another link to help solve the case. There’s tens of thousands of people at this event, with many going back to vehicles made in the 60-s and 70’s. That’s all it takes is for one person to remember something about an early 70’s LeMans that they hadn’t noticed before.
This could be done in many ways. Maybe on top of the car there could be a sign that a LeMans had something to do with the killings and also your blog or website that gives information about the OCCK that the public never heard about. What are your thoughts on this?
Forget the Gremlin.
Look for a Chevy Vega. The woman who said she saw a car that was blue with a white stripe probably couldn’t tell the difference between most vehicles. The police said it was a Gremlin if I remember correctly.
From what we have found out Christopher Busch was driving around in a Chevy Vega at the time, or at least someone in the Pack of Peds had a similar vehicle. A misdirect.
Take a look at a Vega and a Gremlin. Remember H. Lee Busch worked at GM.
Don’t believe what the police have to say. It’s what they don’t say counts. They lost evidence and misplaced a lot of material. This includes the FBI, their dirty too!
Too much wealth in Oakland County and it can bury the truth.
I think Cathy would agree with this.
T. Ascroft
Totally and absolutely agree. On all counts.
Tom, I agree about the Chevy Vega. One of Busch’s victims from Flint testified that Greene and Busch drove him in Busch’s car to Groveland township where Busch Sexually assaulted him. This 13 yr old described Busch’s car as a 1974 blue Vega, white interior, with a white stripe on side. This certainly is a very close match to the blue Gremlin with the white stripe. Plus when Busch was found dead there was a sketch in his room that looked like Stebbins. There was also rope at the scene. Stebbins had rope marks on his wrists. To me this is almost a no-brainer that Busch is the killer.
But here’s where it gets twisted. Cathy’s brother went to the lot the same night after Tim was abducted and saw a blue Gremlin still in the lot. And if I’m not mistaken the woman who saw the man talking to Tim never said he was in the Gremlin. She said he was talking to Tim by a blue Gremlin with a white stripe. One possibility is Busch’s blue Vega with the white stripe was there as well as the blue Gremlin with the white stripe.
Then there’s the witness who remembers seeing Tim on his orange skateboard and notices a man in his mid 20’s talking to Tim and another suspicious looking man nearby sitting in a blue or green 2 door Pontiac LeMans.with the number 222 on the license plate. The witness went into the store. When he came out, Tim, the stranger talking to him and the LeMans were gone.
Give me a little time to respond, Uncle Holmes. Great ideas but I want to say more. Thank you.
Uncleholmes,
Where were you able to read about the Flint victim of Busch’s? It may be very useful for new eyes to comb those reports for clues to the killings. Is there any way I can access them on the web? Thanks for mentioning it.
“Investigators begin to look at new suspect in child killer case.” posted on 5/23/10 by Heather Catallo 7 Action News with a video.
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/investigators-begin-to-look-at-new-suspect-in-child-killer-case.
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/investigators-begin-to-look-at-new-suspect-in-child-killer-case.
Turns my stomach.Agree with Uncle Holmes,would like to read those reports.
Cathy,your a loving sister,who really needs some answers.
This case has been so covered up,makes me sooooo mad!!
If I had someone who said they saw a kid with an orange skateboard, talking to someone in their 20’s, by a vehicle with 222 on the plate and a suspicious person, (have no idea what that means) and they couldn’t tell if the car was green or blue but was a 2 door pontiac Lemans.
I would say they are lying.
Too much detail for a casual observer!
But that’s just my opinion.
I have a lot of information about this case, know about what has transpired since the families have become more vocal.
IT STINKS!
It smells and the smell comes from blue uniforms, if you get my meaning.
In the fight against humanity, national agencies keep full control over their police forces, security and intelligence agencies as well as judicial authorities. Well my truth is about to bring them to their knees to bow down as prey because my truth is like a lion. No one has to defend it. jah set it loose and it will defend itself!!!!
The lying pigs will soon be roasting and to that many will be toasting. Pill Fickleson
Why is a LeMans interest never reported? My person of interest drove what looks to me to be a 1971 Lemans, had a boat in his garage and has unclaimed money due to accidents in Livonia. The general public has not heard this car type as a possibility.
is it possible to contact retired Det Jack Kalbfleisch?