It is ironic that the meaning of “gremlin” in my online dictionary says, “gremlin |ˈgremlin|
noun informal
an imaginary mischievous sprite regarded as responsible for an unexplained problem or fault”
The amount of bungling on behalf of the IOs in this case is off the charts. It’s so aggravating for me, as an interested outsider…I can’t begin to imagine how you who are personally concerned feel.
Dale–it went like this–disbelief, sickening realization, anger, rage, reassessment and reevaluation, despair, anger, rage, some degree of acceptance of the fact that evil prevailed in this case, cold/clinical acceptance of the way things work in Oakland County, MI.
My question is did Busch or any of his family have a Pontiac LeMans or Buick Skylark registered to them at all? This would make sense more than a Gremlin. His father worked for GM and would have owned GM or Buick not AMC Gremlins.
I’ve read a lot of historical true crime. Long ago the general theory was “Don’t tell too much because then the offender has a chance to change his tune”. Lately, that is in the last twenty years, the tac has been changed to “Let’s get the word out so witnesses come forward” and “Let’s hold back just a bit of pertinent information that only the perpetrator would know”. I think that unfortunately, at the time of OCCK, LE was still using the vestiges of the old idea and thought “if we don’t say anything the guy won’t know enough to change his M.O.” It’s really too bad, but I think that’s what happened. Who knows, maybe the whole emphasis on the blue Gremlin was a deliberate red herring, put out to make the perp think LE was onto the wrong track, that then got transmuted into a “real” piece of evidence by later investigators.
So how come these guys never, ever want to get any word out even after “rejuvenating” the task force in 2005? No, the concern of the MSP was that “too many useless leads” would be generated. How do they even know what is useless?! How come no one ever asks the public, then OR NOW, if anyone–a neighbor, a gas station attendant, a friend–knew someone who drove a 1971 or 72 Pontiac Lemans with a trailer hitch that was pulled to the left side in some kind of accident/incident and damage to the rear, driver’s side of the car? How come the MSP press release in September of 1978 discusses none of these or other relevant details? “If we don’t say anything the guy won’t know enough to change his M.O.”?? More like–if we don’t say anything this guy/guys will be able to continue to abduct, torture and kill with impunity. Mention the blue Gremlin but none of the other cars noted in police reports on the other three murders?! Does that make any sense whatsoever? Especially after the MSP becomes involved and is the repository for all of the evidence in the four cases from differing suburban jurisdictions?! Don’t forget–Busch drove a blue Vega with a white hockey stripe. Check out the Chevy Vega hatchback with a white hockey stripe and the Gremlin with the white hockey stripe. But more importantly, other cars were described in the other cases and this information never got to the public in a timely fashion when it actually could have helped. All water under the bridge, I know, but after 2005, when an investigator from back in the day suggested the MSP publicize the information investigators had BACK IN THE DAY about the Pontiac LeMans, the MSP wouldn’t budge. Not telling the public, drop it, go away. They basically told a reporter trying (not too hard, I might add) to look into this post-2005 that this LeMans stuff was all bullshit. Cop-beat reporter goes away easily. Go figure. He knows where his bread gets buttered.
It is ironic that the meaning of “gremlin” in my online dictionary says, “gremlin |ˈgremlin|
noun informal
an imaginary mischievous sprite regarded as responsible for an unexplained problem or fault”
Is brent busch still alive?
Yes.
Just saw his obituary. Looks like he passed away on 02/1919. He was 55 years old
The amount of bungling on behalf of the IOs in this case is off the charts. It’s so aggravating for me, as an interested outsider…I can’t begin to imagine how you who are personally concerned feel.
Dale–it went like this–disbelief, sickening realization, anger, rage, reassessment and reevaluation, despair, anger, rage, some degree of acceptance of the fact that evil prevailed in this case, cold/clinical acceptance of the way things work in Oakland County, MI.
My question is did Busch or any of his family have a Pontiac LeMans or Buick Skylark registered to them at all? This would make sense more than a Gremlin. His father worked for GM and would have owned GM or Buick not AMC Gremlins.
Jessie
>
I’ve read a lot of historical true crime. Long ago the general theory was “Don’t tell too much because then the offender has a chance to change his tune”. Lately, that is in the last twenty years, the tac has been changed to “Let’s get the word out so witnesses come forward” and “Let’s hold back just a bit of pertinent information that only the perpetrator would know”. I think that unfortunately, at the time of OCCK, LE was still using the vestiges of the old idea and thought “if we don’t say anything the guy won’t know enough to change his M.O.” It’s really too bad, but I think that’s what happened. Who knows, maybe the whole emphasis on the blue Gremlin was a deliberate red herring, put out to make the perp think LE was onto the wrong track, that then got transmuted into a “real” piece of evidence by later investigators.
So how come these guys never, ever want to get any word out even after “rejuvenating” the task force in 2005? No, the concern of the MSP was that “too many useless leads” would be generated. How do they even know what is useless?! How come no one ever asks the public, then OR NOW, if anyone–a neighbor, a gas station attendant, a friend–knew someone who drove a 1971 or 72 Pontiac Lemans with a trailer hitch that was pulled to the left side in some kind of accident/incident and damage to the rear, driver’s side of the car? How come the MSP press release in September of 1978 discusses none of these or other relevant details? “If we don’t say anything the guy won’t know enough to change his M.O.”?? More like–if we don’t say anything this guy/guys will be able to continue to abduct, torture and kill with impunity. Mention the blue Gremlin but none of the other cars noted in police reports on the other three murders?! Does that make any sense whatsoever? Especially after the MSP becomes involved and is the repository for all of the evidence in the four cases from differing suburban jurisdictions?! Don’t forget–Busch drove a blue Vega with a white hockey stripe. Check out the Chevy Vega hatchback with a white hockey stripe and the Gremlin with the white hockey stripe. But more importantly, other cars were described in the other cases and this information never got to the public in a timely fashion when it actually could have helped. All water under the bridge, I know, but after 2005, when an investigator from back in the day suggested the MSP publicize the information investigators had BACK IN THE DAY about the Pontiac LeMans, the MSP wouldn’t budge. Not telling the public, drop it, go away. They basically told a reporter trying (not too hard, I might add) to look into this post-2005 that this LeMans stuff was all bullshit. Cop-beat reporter goes away easily. Go figure. He knows where his bread gets buttered.