I was so naive. I believed that once we handed over information about what Larry Wasser said in July 2006 concerning a private polygraph he was to perform on a pedophile, we might get some traction, some answers. We ultimately got nothing but obstruction and gaslighting. As 2023 draws to a close, there are no answers to any of it, including the following:
- Why have the MSP and the state lab refused to submit the evidence in these four murder cases to a third-party lab to answer the question of whether or not previously unidentified male DNA is present?
- Why has this cold case not been digitized?
- Why not utilize the partnerships with WMU and MSU to digitize this case, as has been done in other Michigan cold cases?
- Why does the information from survivors of the child sex rings in and around Oakland County continue to be ignored? Their information could inform not only how the evidence is reevaluated, but also credibly links various Oakland County men whose names you have seen a million times in this blog. This is not a coincidence.
- Why has no one called Steve Duncan, the polygrapher from Georgia who polygraphed suspect John Hastings and reported to Garry Gray his alarming conclusions? Why are the associated documents/videos nowhere to be found?
- Why are the still-living participants in the Flint interrogations/polygraphs of Greg Greene and Chris Busch in January and early February 1977 not being put under oath to discuss what they recall?
- Same for every still-living person who responded to the “suicide” scene of Chris Busch in late November 1978.
The easiest of these considerations is the DNA testing. The failure to even pretend to treat the OCCK case like other cold cases in Michigan is so obvious and so twisted that it does not leave much room for an “innocent” explanation. There is either previously unidentified male DNA or there isn’t. The answer does not depend on one of the people I refer to in #6 or #7 who will most likely fail to recall anything. (Getting old is such a bitch, isn’t it?)
A reader recently wrote to say that if the focus is just going to be on the many freaks Michigan has produced who were active during 1976 and 1977, we could spin this case forever. He pointed to the case of the late Charles David Shaw, who was tied by DNA to two sex crimes from 1982 and 1983. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/police-search-for-more-potential-victims-after-suspect-linked-to-2-michigan-cold-case-murders .
“Advancements in DNA led investigators to Shaw. His identification was confirmed by three separate familial DNA comparison tests because he was dead by the time the case was reopened. This DNA was entered into CODIS [Combined DNA Index System].” Does anyone at the MSP ever cross-check their limited DNA evidence in the OCCK case to updated entries in CODIS? Would anyone even answer such a question? Again, why are the most basic steps ignored in the OCCK cold case?
In October 2022, MSP Det./Sgt. Eric Young spoke to the press about the over 50-year-old cold case murders of Linda Wright and Gary Kasco. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/cold-case-executions-who-killed-linda-wright-and-gary-kasco-over-50-years-ago. Young explained that “The evidence is still there with us, so time is usually on our side with a cold case, usually every 4 to 5 years science and technology usually assist us further and that’s what we are hoping for in this case.”
Not only were lab technicians said to be re-analyzing the evidence in those cases, but detectives planned to followed up with “those who were previously interviewed with hopes that they are ready to share more information.” I can think of more than a few people who fall into this category in the OCCK case. Instead, it’s one and done with most of them. Whatever happened to circling back?
This article refers to all the platitudes expressed in most cold cases (but not the OCCK case). Detectives “hope to give loved ones all-important closure.” “The families of the victims deserve to know what really happened.” If the person who murdered these two people is dead and can no longer face criminal charges, “investigators and family members need that information, too.”
This article explains that (as of October 2022) the MSP has about 70 cold cases at district headquarters and two assigned full time detectives. All the more reason to enlist the criminal justice students from MSU and WMU to assist in digitizing the OCCK case files.
For over a decade the OCCK case was assigned a MSP detective whose sole responsibility was this case. It now seems plain that the assignment was merely to keep an eye on any progress Det./Sgt. Cory Williams made on the case on behalf of Livonia PD and Wayne County. The MSP squandered millions of dollars of grant monies and tax payer dollars over the past 45-plus years. They have accounted for nothing. Don’t even try to argue the cost is too much to use a third-party lab or that you think the evidence is too compromised. It’s too late for such arguments.
Det./Sgt. Young and MSP First Lt. Michael Shaw are both quoted in this article. When was the last time anyone from the MSP agreed to speak on the record about the OCCK case? 2010? I know there was a response from the MSP in 2020 when asked about Marney Keenan’s book The Snow Killings: “We don’t comment on fiction.” This clever MSP spokesperson was unnamed. The reporter let that stand.
Have all of the evidence in OCCK case evaluated by a third-party lab. The state lab has apparently done nothing but extinguish evidence with little to show for it. Whatever methods they are allegedly using “every 4 to 5 years” have been insufficient. If there is no usable DNA the public must be apprised. If there is identifiable DNA somebody has to do some real investigating. Either way, answers are owed to the public.
Instead all concerned hide behind their press secretaries/offices, the open case/investigation charade, and/or some obvious unwillingness to press the MSP to do the right thing. Are the lives of these four kids, who were held captive and surely knew at some point during their captivity that they were never going home, worth less that the murder victims in the cold cases the MSP has discussed in the press over the past few years?
If you have never had to deal with a law enforcement agency in your life, add that to your gratitude list today.
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This is so disheartening, is there any way to raise awareness to state reps, the attorney general of the state, the governor? Do you have to hire a lobbyist? (I’ll chip in). It just feels like there is a wall up and if only you and all who support finding closure could find the damn crack that would break it open.
To me it is obvious various higher ups in Michigan politics and law enforcement know who the killer is and where he is. A cover up would be that the killer either was affluent or had links to the affluent and they wanted to keep that hidden. Note there is never any anniversary news coverage. Seems our beautiful state is polluted with perverts and corruption.
I would like to get Nancy Grace on this one. I’m a Yankee, but the foxes are clearly guarding the hen house. What would happed with those higher ups if their children were grabbed ?
Hey Cathy, There is a B grade 1970s suspense / horror film called “The Town That Dreaded Sun Down”. Most people under the age of about 55 think it is fiction. It is not. In the post World War 2 era , there was a nut who was shooting couples in Arkansas He was never caught. To this day, that tiny Arkansas town not only shows the film, but the police and the news media still ask for tips. If the killer was still alive, he would be in his 90’s. That town cares . This is in sharp contrast to the OCCK case which is disgusting on so many levels.
This movie was in theatres during the OCCK time period. Release date was December 24, 1976. I remember seeing it in Royal Oak in the winter of 1977.
Yes, Joe. And this from another reader:
Your case and its roots are as deep as the Epstein case–more than pedos, kid trafficking and cold case child murders, but also possibly tied into possible organized crime, like the auto industry and unions, Cass Corridor drug trafficking, child exploitation and sex trafficking, etc. Even Busch’s older brother who moved to the east coast wanted witness protection [for his nephews] if he spoke to the FBI. That is extremely telling. The Fisher family degenerate and connections to state and federal politicians. Old blue blood family money; Shelden, who was able to flee. The weird crap going on in Ann Arbor, with abortions performed on child victims of rape.
There is this sick undertone, going back at least to the 70/s with Michigan pedos. Like the elephant in the room scenario–you can’t quite put your finger on it, as law enforcement actively does not want to get to the bottom of what was going on. Like pretending away the cognitive dissonance, that most of us have with these gaps and unconnected dots.
All you want is justice, using whatever evidence exists, and while POI, witnesses and victims are still living, that can perhaps corroborate with added details of evidence.
It’s like we are supposed to accept a dysfunctional mess, the OCCK case investigation, as an adequate response or as how investigations are supposed to be handled. Complete with snarky responses and the gaslighting done to your family when making inquiries.
It’s mind boggling that not one of these cold case programs, won’t look at a cold case of 4 murdered children . Most of these programs consist of a woman that was murdered by her lover. The OCCK is the biggest cold case in the entire country and the media NEVER mentions it. There are suspects that are still alive and yet to be exonerated. Time is ticking considering most of these players are in their 70’s. It’s freaking ridiculous
Part of the strategy, I believe, was to starve this case of press oxygen as quickly as could be arranged. Oakland County’s brief period in the national news for the freak show they could not contain was over relatively quickly and everyone there rather quickly pretended these four kids never existed. OC was once again a fine place to raise a family north of 8 mile. It’s hard for the press to do anything but a puff piece (“On February 15, 1976, a boy vanished . . .”) when no one in law enforcement or at the prosecutor’s office would ever comment substantively on the case. This started long, long before police started up with their “no comment, active/open investigation” stuff in 2005. And as for ignoring the living suspects and those who have helped protect them–it is completely unconscionable and indefensible on any grounds other than cover-up.
Cathy, this comment is in reference to your item number 6 and the polygraphs of Greene and Busch in January and early February 1977.
You definitely have a better understanding of the many (and missing) polygraphs that occurred in this time period than I do. It is my understanding that all the official MSP and Flint polygraphs on Busch specifically ended when he was released on $1,000 bond on 1-31-1977. Even the newspapers reported on 2-2-1977 that authorities indicate that Busch was not involved in the OCCK case.
Yet I noticed in the affidavit for a search warrant for Morningview Terrace there is reference to a polygraph test done by Cabot on Busch on 2-15-1977, and it was this polygraph that cleared him.
Is this another missing polygraph test?
I will double-check, G-Man. Good catch. The affidavit could simply be in error. It was reworked by an assistant OC prosecutor who took Det. Williams’ draft, a first hand account of his personal knowledge, and this AP signed it himself.
I will email you the section I read. Yes it could be an error. After all it was Gray who signed the affidavit.
Oh christ. Ok, he signed it but the assistant OCP redrafted it from Det. William’s work. Double-trouble.
Busch was polygraphed on January 28, 1977, by MSP polygrapher Ralph Cabot. Greene was subjected to multiple polygraphs by multiple polygraphers and I think the last one was on February 2 or 3, 1977. I agree with you that a typo of 2-15-77 makes no sense. The date 2-15 was the date Mark Stebbins was abducted, but it was 1976 not 1977.
Yes, he was polygraphed at 8:00pm on Friday 1-28-1977 by Cabot, on the Stebbins case, with Richard Thompson present.
Perhaps Cabot did not complete his report until 2-15-1977, and this is the report referred to in the affidavit. I now have to wonder if that is the normal turnaround time for a report, or did it need to be reviewed by several people before making it official.
Hey Cathy, I am sure some of your followers do not live in Michigan. Michigan has 83 counties. In the modern era, Oakland County has always been the wealthiest. Up until about the year 2000, it was the 2nd or 3rd wealthiest county in the USA, outside of Orange County California and one of the counties in New York. Oakland County certainly has the money, resources and man power to solve this heinous case, if they wanted to.
Larry Rothman is the Cold Case guy at MSP. Have you connected with him?
No, the case is with Eric Young. Young won’t speak with me.
To clarify, the OCCK case is with Detective Sergeant Eric Young at the Second District Special Investigation Section. As you might imagine, “special investigations” involves many current/active cases, in addition to cold cases (at least this one) in the Detroit area. Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman is with the Cold Case Unit in Lansing. They partner with the Michigan State University Criminal Justice Program. They also partner with the Western Michigan University Cold Case Program. The Detroit office seems far too overburdened to make any headway in the OCCK case. It is a holding-pattern assignment, as far as I’m concerned. I would much rather have college students take on this cold case under the direction of a professor. Digitize the entire file and carefully evaluate the first 500 tips in the OCCK case. Consider that the evidence spread sheet shows some 90 “Criminal Justice Data Center” reels of computer mainframe tapes, including tips. How do they even access those tapes?? Conveniently, someone at the Birmingham PD “taped over” the tip calls in the very early hours/days of my brother’s abduction. Whoever that Rose Mary Woods was, s/he lost some incredibly valuable information. Information the callers assumed was being carefully investigated by police. So you are right–the case should be with Larry Rothman’s group. It is the perfect case for their partnership with the two universities.