Forty years ago today, yes FORTY YEARS, my family learned, via a news ticker at the bottom of a black and white screen of the Johnny Carson Show, that the body of a young boy had been found on the side of Gill Road in Wayne County, Michigan. My brother, the fourth (known) victim of the Oakland County Child Killer(s), had been missing for six days. The other three known victims had been found on roadsides in Oakland County. My Mom and I, who were in the living room with the t.v. on, knew what this news ticker meant. One or two hours later, cops showed up, along with our parish priest, and we knew what we already knew–that my brother was dead. While it took decades to actually see an autopsy report (and it took a t.v. show to get us additional notes from that very sad autopsy), we knew in our hearts what had happened during the week my brother Tim was held captive and tortured.
To those who think they are “sparing” the family by lying to them and concealing information, I say: Fuck you. Fuck you, and your lies, and your rationalization and the selling of your souls. Fuck you who didn’t come forward; fuck you who blew off people who did come forward, who you knew deserved more consideration and still blew off; fuck you who took calls from H. Lee Busch and Larry Wasser and living relatives of the attorney who represented Chris Busch and blew us families off. Fuck the judges in Oakland County who let pedophiles off the hook with nary a slap on the wrist then and now. Fuck you who lied to my Dad and the other parents of victims of the Oakland County Child Killer(s). Fuck you then, and fuck you now.
The investigation is over. The current investigators don’t have the balls to say that for public consumption. Maybe they are waiting for a chance to investigate on their own or for book or movie deals. Fuck you, too. You are no more entitled to closure than we are.
Forty years. Active investigation? Get real. You keep it “active” so nobody can get all of the relevant documents. It is not an active investigation. It is a BOTCHED investigation.
This past week, Ray Anger, a Berkley PD member who was always “close” to this investigation, died. None of us lives forever. Isn’t that right, L. Brooks Patterson and Richard Thompson?
Well said!
None of us live forever but some of us will never forget, never not care, and will always have your back.
Well said Cathy! Prayers for you and your family .
I never knew you, Tim, but I’ll never forget you and neither will millions of others. I know you are at peace in another place but we’re still trying to right the
earthly wrong.
I think about this case all the time. If the Jacob Wetterling case can be solved, there is still hope. But at this point it’s going to take some sort of “spilling the beans” by someone involved. It’s obvious Law Enforcement cannot solve this case.
I was in Kristine’s class and was well aware that 40 years of this have come and gone. I agree, it’s a joke to call this an active investigation and not release all info to the public, or at the very least the family members of the victims. I’m sure what’s not being revealed is that many aspected of the case were botched or just plain covered up. My prayers to you and your family. I can’t imagine what you have all gone thru.
I was watching “Dr Phil” two days ago, about a woman who was conceived on purpose to be sold as a sex slave from babyhood on. She was taken to sporting events and other high ticket places and was rented to high officials in government and other positions, and other rich guys. She kept referring to to “the man who owns me.” It is sickening that these powerful Sex trafficking businesses exist. It is the epitome of evil. Someday they will get their just punishment. I’m not trying to make you feel worse and I’m sure it’s nothing that you don’t already know. I’m so sorry for the loss if your brother.
Hi Catherine,
Your anger is appropriate.
I don’t think law enforcement is pursuing this at all anymore. When I talked to Fox, it was a long time ago and they still had’nt done an analysis of the dog hairs trying to find out the type of dog (I think white German Sheppard type). He said there was only one lab in the US who could do it. I still think that a white dog is significant and could help the public ID the creep (I think creeps, like maybe brothers) who perpetrated the crimes. Of course I know I could be totally wrong, the creep who tried to get me may have been a different creep, he just looked like the same from the police sketches.
I want to know, did your brother play CYO basketball with Holy Name?
I think Tim only played basketball with a team at Adams Elementary.
Thanks, that clears one misconception I had. Good thoughts to you and yours!
It was 1977 in the neighborhood at the corner of Walton Blvd and I-75. I was in 4th grade. A man in a light blue car tried to get my sister, a friend and myself to come up to his car. He had a large white dog with him. I remember thinking at the time it was a Samoyed or an all white Husky. He was angry that we wouldn’t approach him. The man had brown hair and a mustache and beard. The car had a powdery finish, not shiny, like the clear coat over the paint had been destroyed. It had round headlights. My sister and I went behind someone’s house and ran home through neighbors back yards. But our friend had to cross the street to get to her house and he persued her. In his car, not on foot. She ended up running into a wooded area along the expressway, crossed the fence that protected our residential area from the highway and waited in some brush on the highway side until he stopped driving back and forth looking for her. My sister and I made it home safely although we saw him drive by a couple of times. We called my mother, who called the police. The car was found at a home on Walton Blvd in the same neighborhood. Nothing ever came of it. Some excuse about looking for his dog. Even though us kids told them, the dog was with him.
Some time later we were in the car with our mother when we saw that same car parked at a pond on University Drive. Lots of law enforcement vehicles were there. Apparently someone had drown in the pond. He was either friendly with the police or he’s the one that drowned, or found the victim?
Fast forward to the early 90’s and I lived up north with children of my own. I saw a news piece on our local news stating one of the suspects in the Oakland County child killing had passed away and his wife found paraphernalia in his garage that could be associated with the killings. That was our guy, the one who chased my friend. So he hadn’t drowned in the pond on University, then. But his car was there along with law enforcement. Why?
If that dog hair gets analyzed and it’s from a Samoyed or Husky, it’s your guy, too. I may have only been in 4th grade, but I have always been an avid dog enthusiast and I’m quite sure of what kind of dog I saw. Shepherd sized, but fluffy. Looked like a Samoyed to me. Maybe a mix genetically, but the overall appearance of a samoyed. And there’s a police report somewhere with the name that goes with that car and dog because our guy was located.
40 years too long to not get the answers everyone deserves who have vivid memories of this time that we lived in. I was 12 living in B’ham, and scared to go anywhere alone. My mom took my little brother to your Timmy’s funeral, hoping it would wake him up to running around the town alone all the time. She also had a huge heart and felt horrible for your family’s loss. We all did. My childhood scrapbook has the newspaper clippings of toot brother’s disappearance and being found. I hope you know that you have a huge amount of people mourning with you. I’m so sorry for all of the families, the lack of answers and for the anger that will not be released without some answers. You are always in my prayers.
MOTHER FUCKING SONS OF BITCHES. FUCKING OUTRAGEOUS.
Sent from my iPhone
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I just posted this on an old MLive article on this case –
Money talks, and especially in Oakland County, where it speaks very loudly. People here on the cocktail circuit are very chummy and keeping the family (and corporate) name out of the gossip columns can be hard work ($$$ + “favors”). My humble opinion, based only upon what I have read in various publications, is that Master Busch didn’t commit suicide, it was more of an honor killing at the hands of his father (or hired wet work specialist – possibly one with a badge; it would be irresponsible not to speculate), who had finally realized no amount of greasing the palms of law enforcement and local pols would keep his son’s indiscretions secret forever. And no, this isn’t class envy or anything of the sort, just nearly sixty years of seeing the way the world works. They say throwing money at a problem isn’t the best way to solve it, but it’s sure the first thing people who actually have money do to solve theirs, so I guess something got mixed up in the translation. I was a teen at the time these abduction/murders were going down, and we were all speculating as to what kind of creep(s) were involved, and how they could possibly be eluding one of the most intense manhunts ever seen. Well, many years later, I’m pretty certain we now have the answer. Barry King and his family have brought to light the malfeasance and misfeasance in this case, and so much wouldn’t have happened if a lot of high dollar pedophiles weren’t attached to these cases and the little publicized Fox Island case. I feel horribly for all of the victims and their families involved with these criminals and even worse that due to corruption in the judicial and law enforcement arena, they will never see true justice.
Well said.
Hello On April 4 of this month I had a appointment with the Oakland county Sheriff special investigators they cancelled it. It was about Chris Bush. This may seem hard to believe but he pick me up hitchhiking. The story of what happened doesn’t sound well on paper and been trying to someone to listen with no luck. I hope that you may want to hear it
david, the fact the meeting with the OC Sheriff’s office was cancelled is no surprise. Did they offer to reschedule the meeting? They are doing what they do best in this case–nothing. Sure, I will listen. Email me at catherine.broad@yahoo.com. and we can arrange to talk. If law enforcement won’t listen to you–or they tell you “thanks for coming in, but your information doesn’t advance the case,” I can think of two authors and some national media producers willing to connect the dots.
I was thinking of you and your family this past week Cathy – after all these years and they still sweep up their scuff marks from dragging their heels. All I can think of is ‘some people’ must have benefited from payoffs from ‘somewhere’. I still think it’s the Busch connection as well.
Dear Catherine, I know I have brought this to your attention before but a podcast would be an excellent way to bring this to the attention of the public. There are some true crime podcasts out there that have even helped to solve cases. There is one called “Up and Vanished” that happened in Georgia and they recently had an arrest in that case. The case was from 2005 but if you could get more public attention maybe some of these idiots in public office would be forced to open their records. I emailed a former FBI profiler named Jim Clemente who has a podcast called”Real Crime Profile” and told him about the Oakland County Child Killers case. He said that they are overwhelmed with requests to look into all cases but that he would put his people on it and check it. The media attention these podcasts receive is unreal. If nothing else check out “Serial” from this American Life on public radio and you will see what I am talking about. I was a young mother when your brother went missing, I remember the fear that was in that community. Please know that you and your family have the prayers from a lot of people. My wish is for justice to be served and the truth to prevail. Thank you for listening.
Well C, I think you say ” fuck” a lot !
I like that !
My kind of woman !
I have a ” fuck ” list too !
My ” fuck ” list is to all the fucking people who have known who the real killers are in this crime ….you know who you are….that little bite of extra money you have in your bank account ; the favors you’ve received ; the pat on the back for being one of the good old boys in blue ; the news channels who play along so they have the edge ; the ones who got a promotion for zipping that mouth shut ; political favors granted ; judicial favors granted ! Maybe someone even got rewarded with sex with a child.
These are the ” killers “. The ones who’ve held back the truth and sat quite for all these years.They have killed pieces of you and me. All the family members have had parts of their lives ” killed ” ; I know i have.
But you know and I know that there will not be justice in our life times. Not the kind we would like !
All I know is that the evil they have done will be repaid. They may not notice it ; but it will happen. Some where in their famiy a tragedy will take place. They’ll ask ,” Why us ? ” Then when they aren’t even thinking about events a little voice will whisper in that hollow thankless brain of theirs ; ” we will have my vengence, evil shall repay evil “.
Just wish I could be a each one !
Keep up the fucking good ranks !
XOXOXO
Love to you and your family, Tom.
L. Brooks Patterson?
Lush “Burp” Paddywagon !!!
Oakland County government is a cesspool staffed by criminally self-serving elected officials and their sycophant careerists whose only real competence is their ability look out for themselves – justice, fairness and protection of the aggrieved be damned!
You know this all too well, and you were at least spared the devastation of being placed in a position of depending on too-important-to-work Judge Rae Lee Chabot for justice or having thug imbecile Judge Leo Bowman meddling in the lives of loved ones.
May Tim forever be with Jesus in The Father’s House.
Tim’s disappearance caused great consternation. His death will be remembered for as long as the mind lasts by those of faith who resided in Metro Detroit during those threatening times.
When good Old L. Brooks kicks the bucket I reckon you’ll get some solid leads. #soonerthanlater
I agree.
I came across this that i never read before. Have you?
http://m.leelanaunews.com/news/2014-04-03/Local_News/Stories_spark_memories_of_strange_encounters_on_No.html#.WPjqEYEpCEc
No–thanks for posting, Mike.
Hey I have a reddit of all the online information available I have found.
Contains information on a number of suspects.
https://www.reddit.com/r/occk
So sorry for the loss of your brother
Oh my God, that is horrifying that your family had to find that out that way. And then to wait so long for answers and an autopsy report… My heart truly goes out to you and your family. I’m a fellow Michigander, my Mother in Law grew up in Livonia around the time all.of this was happening, but I didn’t know about these cases until I listened to Nina’s podcast. I just wanted to reach out and offer my love and support. I truly hope that someday the people responsible will be held accountable, and you and your family will get the justice and answers that you deserve and are fighting so hard to get. Your strength as an individual and as a family is astounding!