With thanks to my family members, who helped me evaluate and respond to serious criticism that I paint with too broad a brush in castigating Oakland County in this case, I offer the following. First off, let me just say that there were in fact hundreds of police officers who worked on the OCCK case, primarily from January 1977 on, who did in fact pour their hearts and souls into this investigation. Who worked basically around the clock, who still carry the case in a heavy place in their hearts to this day. Some died with the awful recollection of this case and the lack of answers. I think anyone who takes even a basic look at the case in hindsight (which, let’s face it, we are not only allowed, but compelled, to do almost 40 years later), would figure out very quickly that when the Michigan State Police took over the case, decisions were made at and near the top back in the day, that most certainly circumvented much of what was being done by committed officers in the trenches investigating these heinous crimes. I don’t think corruption in this case at a high level in one or more law enforcement agencies can be ruled out, although I am sure these agencies took drastic measures back in the day and continuing to the present to make sure this can never be proven.
A little closer examination, even by stupid civilians like us, shows that it is entirely plausible that some questionable decision-making went on at some point relatively early in the investigation by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. And by that, I mean under L. Brooks Patterson and Richard Thompson’s reign, and perhaps well-after March 1977. And, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to take a look at the behavior of members of the Berkley PD back in the day, some of it continuing in various shapes and forms to the current day, to make you stand back and question what the hell was going on with them and what they might have had to hide.
So you see, I chose my words carefully when I posted yesterday. I said: “[C]onsider that TWO YEARS have passed, and Oakland County has done what it does best–nothing. They know what the MSP and Berkley, MI PD of the late 1970′s knew: Just weather a little bad publicity, say nothing, and eventually the public will move on and forget.”
Although I know you can’t read my mind, let me explain who I think of when I say “Oakland County” like I did in that last post. I mean the Oakland County of two years ago and today—ruled with a heavy hand by Prosecutor Jessica Cooper and her Chief Deputy Paul Walton. They put on a completely bogus dog and pony show to act like they were doing something in these cases, when what they were doing was sticking it to my Dad every chance they could because he dared to question their bullshit. I also mean the current Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, because I’ve heard one too many stories from people who went to them in the relatively recent past and got blown off. The OC Sheriff back in the day, Johannes Spreen, could have perhaps accomplished something in these cases if he had not been thwarted by the MSP and interagency bickering. But that office today is, in my opinion, doing nothing constructive in these cases. And, for that matter, I mean the judges in Oakland County, who kowtow to Prosecutor Cooper. Such a happy, if dysfunctional, family.
I also specifically mentioned the MSP and Berkley PD in my post because, as I said above, I think the behavior of some of their officers back in the day, continuing in some cases to the present, was and is suspect. But here is a sad fact I don’t think can be controverted: Law enforcement at some higher level in this investigation were crooked, incompetent, or both. They ultimately failed on every level, perhaps due to decision-making by those at the top of the MSP, who took over the investigation when Kristine Mihelich went missing.
Do I blame the many investigators who did their jobs and were committed to finding the killers? Certainly not. But multiple kids died horrible deaths after Mark Stebbin’s murder in February 1976 partially as a result of misfeasance or malfeasance during the investigation. Certainly the blame truly lies with the sick individuals who hunted children in Oakland County in 1976 and 1977. The MSP took over this investigation, took it out of the hands of local police who were on the ground and in the trenches, and then utterly failed in bringing anyone to justice—for whatever reasons—and managed to keep a lid on these cases for almost four decades. For whatever reasons (and they are easy enough to surmise with just a rudimentary review of the FOIA documents in this case), the past and current Oakland County prosecutors, as well as members of the Berkley PD, have additional interests in keeping the lid very tight here. Those entities screwed over not only the victims and their families and friends, but also the honest cops who worked these cases as hard as humanly possible. They have a lot to answer for, but will never be called to do so. Compare that to the burden the rest of us, including honest law enforcement officers who worked on the case, carry to this day.
Here’s what my Dad, always a staunch supporter of the police and any law enforcment until the MSP and the OCP proved to him in recent years just how dirty law enforcement agencies can be (again, this all starts at the top), had to say about my perceived overly-broad attacks on LE:
I have always praised the foot soldiers or petty officers. Their reports die when forwarded up the chain of command. The decision makers (with the exception of [Wayne County’s] Worthy and Moran) refuse to take any action, namely the MSP and the OCP. We have now asked the AG to assist us and await his response. When you can’t sleep at night you do not know if this failure is operational, political, personal or the concern that they are all afraid someone else will solve the case to their detriment.
I believe two agencies are working as a team and currently making strides in this case. These do not include the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, or any present-day local Oakland County law enforcement. I think EVERY investigator back in the day, with the exception of some at the top of the MSP, some on the Berkley PD, and perhaps at some point those high up in the OCP, would have done anything, given anything, to solve these cases. That some, after the fact and down the road, have wanted to sweep these horrible cases under the rug and look the other way is reprehensible. Their employers, by their silence and failure to fully cooperate with present-day investigative efforts, condoned their actions and are constant, silent witnesses to the four faces of the known murder victims who live forever in their cold case file cabinets.
This is a blog. I can’t put an asterisk after every sentence. Yes, I am outraged by not only the crimes, but by the present-day reactions from the law enforcement agencies who said they would never forget these crimes and that no stone would be left unturned and then turned and ran. Nice try.
I know the many investigators on the street back in the day turned over whatever stones they could and that some were probably turned back over by those higher up the food chain who didn’t want to deal with the fall-out. So, thank you to those who were and still are committed and devoted to the solving of these crimes, and who have lived with it as long as we have and still hurt.
To those in and outside of law enforcement who thwarted justice and who are still somehow able to look in the mirror—I don’t know what to say to you. You have much bigger issues than my little blog. I suspect you know you will make it safely to the grave before the lid blows off here and that you often take some kind of sick comfort from the fact that some of us will go, too, before that happens.
While I will continue to take criticism of this blog seriously, I will not keep silent now that I know what I know. I risk offending many here, but the subject matter is the most offensive you will ever find and my vantage point is unusual, given the unfortunate circumstances my youngest brother found himself in on March 16-22, 1977 when he was abducted, held captive, tortured, raped, and then murdered and dumped in a roadside ditch. If you want something candy-coated, don’t read my blog.
Keep going Cathy
Very well said, Cathy. I definitely appreciate your honest and fearless search for the truth.
People out here aren’t stupid. Even without knowing anything about the case people will assume that plenty of investigators worked their knuckles to the bone and had plenty of sleepless nights. If something gets screwed up it’s always thanks to somebody at the top.
Here’s the dance I’ve been doing since 2006: one step forward, three steps back. Be quiet and wait, nothing happens, one of us squawks, someone in law enforcement tells us to keep quiet because apparently the commitment level of some agencies is so questionable that any boat-rocking will cause them to take their marbles and go home. It’s getting really old. Would I do this again if I got a do-over, would I have gotten involved after all these decades of profound, bullet-dodging silence by the authorities charged with pursing “justice” in these cases? NO. Not only NO, but HELL NO.
Hi Cathy, Actually I believe you would do it all over again because you can’t let this matter rest. God knows it doesn’t want to rest. Plus you could drop it now if you really thought it was a waste of time but clearly you’re not doing that. I think you need to give yourself the spiritually higher ground and let history show you did it to the end.
Hello Cathy thank you for not letting this go… I was at the time the killings were going on a young victim of a sick pedophile ring going on around Oakland county … I seen and remember a whole lot… As I became and adult I did try at one time to contact the Occk task force and tell them what I knew…. They seem not to really care and so I never contacted them again… I am plagued with nightmares about what had happen and I just hope these children’s voice will be heard some day… There were so many children who were involved in this nightmare…. These people and trust me there were several need to be brought to justice… I’m sure most involved are dead but this needs to have closure … I just feel so many in authority think there going on the right track to solve this but there not… It’s so much bigger then most could imagine …
Root of all evil….is this the bottom line? Money and Power to the highest levels in this country…perhaps the world…behind the scenes of one of the hugest police cover-ups in the history of US crimes? I would jump that bandwagon any day.
The Department of Justice should be bound by the laws of our land to investigate this horrible cover-up. Why haven’t they? Is this bigger than Penn State? YES! Jerry Sandusky probably has ties to this network I speak of….North Fox boys. How big and embarrassing of a thing this would do to precious Oakland County’s reputation? Well….I know one person that’s not EVER going to have that nonsense….he will rot in office…don’t ya know.
UGH!
Cathy…God Bless your heart for the brave fight and battle in front of you, your dad, and the rest of the families that suffer to this day.
I told you…you’re not alone. God has this…it’s just going to be revealed in his time…through his foot soldiers.
Nice to meet you…I’m petty officer…”weedbgone”…and I say…Weed these monsters and cover-uppers out of this dirty system we have here in this Oakland County pedophile haven.
Drove through Busch’s old stomping grounds last night. Have not been through there in almost 5yrs…things have changed a bit. You can change the drapes, but you can’t hide the smell that still reeks off the nasty networking that’s still going on throughout the village to this day.
Cathy, I lived at 735 Ardmoore Dr. In Bloomfield Village during this horrible period. I was born in ’65 and went to Westchester School on Maple, played organized little league “Javelins” and probably played your brothers team. Our family was originally from Ca. And lived in the Village from ’75 to ’79 (moved back to CA). When we moved to Bloomfield Village in ’75, it was the perfect neighborhood. During the abductions life changed for all of us. I can still remember praying in bed for your brother’s safe return. I still carry the memories and heavy heart and am very angry today after going on line to see if the case had ever been solved. Our house on Ardmoore carried the bright orange sign that kids could run to if in trouble, we had the police come to our school and had a special assembly where 2 officers described to kids 1st grade thru 6th grade in detail how a molester actually physically forces himself on a boy or girl. The most shocking thing today is that the likely offender lived 2 blocks away from my family and I walked by his house almost everyday. I am now a regular visitor to your site and wish the very best to you and your family on this long journey that will hopefully conclude soon. With support and prayers from California… Craig
Like you Craig, life for every child with a concerned parent/parents changed. I was born in 1968…I was 8rys old. To this day, I hate summers. I was confined to my yard/house for fear of these monsters that lived, roamed, stalked, raped, tortured, and killed a ton of children in Oakland County back then. Who knows how long this went on then…or still going on now??
Look at Sandusky and how long he got away with it while the upper folks knew…did nothing to help those kids or future children that become prey to these sick “F”s.
We lived in Beverly Hills, MI during this period and we had a boy of the “right age”. We tried to shield him but make him aware. It hurt my heart then and still does. Be strong and honor your self, your family and brother by keeping this in the forefront of the news and public.DO NOT ABANDON THIS PLEASE. My thoughts and good wishes are with you and family.
Wow. Great post cathy