You might be wondering, why the flurry of posts? I have been searching for my notes of my discussions with “Sebastian” after a reader posted a really valid comment after watching Children of the Snow. I can’t find the notes–I have allowed many people access to my information and while I have no regrets about that, the information is never, ever returned the same way I gave it. I will respond to the comment later by memory. In the meantime I have found so many documents that cry out to be made public.
First, the friendly letter from Assistant FOIA Coordinator Linda Ortiz dated January 12, 2010, describing the deal they will give my Dad on non-exempt records relating to Chris Busch and Greg Green. This was after my Dad and my brother had filed a FOIA request and then a lawsuit when the MSP initially told them to fuck off. At least the $11,525.49 was less than the $800,000 figure quoted to web sleuth Helen Dagner when she requested documents on the entire OCCK case.
Next, my notes on the first two big binders of documents. In a classic penny-wise, pound-foolish fashion, no one would agree with me that we should make two sets of copies of the documents so that one would stay in pristine order and the second could be reviewed simultaneously. No, the one set would be parsed out–a few binders at a time. When I was done reading, I could return and then the next set would be sent. In fairness, the $11K sticker shock might have influenced this. However, over the years many people from then news media, authors , videographers and podcasters have been given access to the documents. Again, this is ultimately for a greater good, but it means some chunks of documents end up out of order and then a big search has to happen to locate them.
The numbers I reference are the Bates stamps placed at the bottom of the FOIA pages when they were received by the law firm. As always, despite the $41.33/hour and $66.63/hour the MSP allegedly paid staff to separate exempt and non-exempt materials, there are numerous redaction errors. Names show up that maybe shouldn’t and probably many pages which were really not exempt were excluded from production.
But what is contained in those FOIA documents, even with redactions, is pretty eye-opening. This is just a sample of my notes.
May we have a place where we can help out and send you a check or money order to help you continue with your efforts to find the written truths? I know this may not be a large amount to contribute from your concerned readers, but maybe this would allow you to continue,and I think everyone would agree that monetary help would maybe alleviate some burdens you may have?
My heart goes out to you and your family. i cannot help but feel so much empathy for you all.The corruption has to stop somewhere. No one deserves this treatment ever.
You are very kind. I think the best thing people can do is make a donation, no matter how small, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Their work addresses this kind of crime on a daily basis. I will also soon be asking readers from Michigan to contact their governor, attorney general and the head of the MSP to ask for advanced DNA testing and a commitment to the investigation as it stands today, or an honest appraisal to the public about the status of the case. No more b.s. Thank you again for your words and the offer.
You are very welcome. Everyone who reads your journey should be of the same mindset. Please keep us posted as to who we should contact and when you need us to do this, as well as their addresses. I certainly will write a letter to all of them when you are ready to kick start your attempt at getting them more involved, and insisting they utilize all their new knowledge in finding the truth for all those kids. You and your family have fought so hard to find the truth and obtain closure. Again, I wish you much success and maybe soon some peace of mind.
Hi Cathy If you are planning to ask your readers to contact their governor about the case may I make a suggestion and that is to ask your readers to all send an email at the same time to the Michigan Chief of Police (peter.newsham@dc.gov) asking for this person to confirm his department is looking at new information that the Freeway Phantom murders and the Oakland Murders were committed by the same man. RegardsWayne
Wayne, can you give me a name?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/six-black-girls-were-brutally-murdered-in-the-early-70s-why-was-this-case-never-solved/2018/05/21/c74d26ec-4e22-11e8-af46-b1d6dc0d9bfe_story.html
Has LE ever been in the Greene house? With traces of insulation found, what about that supposed “hidden room “Greg Greene built? Word is no one can even tell it exists so if that’s the case, do a search warrant.
Also, what about the green/blue LeMans with the 222 in the license plate, that was an easy viable lead. Such a foul stench of cover up!😡
Also, WHY hasn’t any journalist ever brought up or do a comparison photo to CB’s Vega Wagon which is the near identical twin to the Gremlin? Your average lay person wouldn’t know the difference, especially if it wasn’t viewed from the back.
I will never understand the approach taken by the Detroit-area media over the decades. The only exceptions are Marney Keenan (The Detroit News) and David Ashenfelter (The Detroit Free Press) and the late Marilyn Wright (Traverse City Record Eagle), who were brave enough to do some investigative reporting and did not cower in the face of law enforcement. Part of it is that the MSP/Task Force would not release information, but part of it is that most did not ask the hard questions, or gave up too quickly.
WHY hasn’t anyone, journalist especially, ever recently brought up the fact that CB drove a Vega Wagon, Blue in color with a white hockey stripe, which is the near identical twin to a Gremlin? That can’t be a coincidence, there’s no way.
I’m not sure of the words to express how much sadness I feel for the pain that these horrific people (perpetrators and those who covered it up at all levels) have caused your family and so many others. I’m truly sorry for all you have been through. Please let us Michigan residents know when you’d like us to reach out and put pressure on public officials. I have heard Dana Nessel is truly a good person and I think she could be a good person to appeal to in these efforts.
I was interested by the interview with Brent Busch and looked up the address he referenced, which is in Newaygo, MI. I found his recent obituary. Interesting that he had a girlfriend named Elsie Busch… http://m.fieldsmckinley.com/obituaries/events?obituaryId=4143058
I truly hope evidence with possible DNA has been preserved and that LE will make it available for legitimate state of the art testing soon.
That’s quite a coincidence, since his grandmother’s name (CB’s mother) was also Elsie Busch.
Why indeed was Green’s CA arrest record redacted? Did this exclude details on his 50-odd victims there, including the one he almost killed? Doesn’t even seem make sense within a cover-up theory framework. Who would MI authorities be protecting? Negligent state hospital administrators 2200 miles away?
We had received previously seen Green’s records which were obtained by a t.v. news reporter; they were not redacted.
Who provided the redacted record?
Why the Michigan State Police, of course.
Cathy, has anyone ever followed up with Mike Boldivar (who Chris Busch was a Big Brother to)? If Chris was a “Big Brother” to Mike in 1971 (when Mike was approximately 13 years old), it is highly possible CB groomed him and subjected him to horrible things and/or quite possibly made him an apprentice to future crimes. By 1976 Mike would have been approximately 18 years old and was of age to help out Chris when he obtained new victims. If this avenue has been pursued, please disregard this. However, this may have been an avenue they did not investigate. I wonder how many other unfortunate young boys were provided CB as their “brother”.
Jamie, I don’t believe there was any follow up on this. And we are down to one detective who has this case (is new to the case) in addition to a full active caseload. And no administrative help.