Lost in a Sea of Suffering - When Your Loved One is Killed and Justice Seems Far Away

Introduction
The pain of loosing someone you love is hard to deal with and families grieve over their loss. Their sadness is intense and life seems to stand still. There is no one who will disagree with the fact that this is the saddest part of life.

When we loose some one to death from natural causes, like illness, accidents, etc., we feel sadness. We bury the loved one and work to cope with our loss. We get past it. We are able to continue with our life. We will carry this person in our heart and miss them, but we can move on knowing they died of something where there wasn't any one at fault. It was just one of those things beyond our control.

Death is a part life which no one wants to deal with, but we all know it is an inevitable conclusion to everyone's life. There is nothing anyone can do to avoid it.

When a loved one is murdered, the process is a much longer ordeal. There is dealing with the death, waiting for autopsies; dealing with law enforcement officials (police and District Attorneys); waiting for the wheels of justice to turn; burying a loved without answers; dealing with the questions of who, why, where, and how; trying to find peace amidst the turmoil; dealing with a trial and hoping for a conviction; and then dealing with the knowledge that a life was lost in a way which was brutal and mean. This of course rests on the hopes that the killer is found and finally brought to justice. If the murderer is not known or found, the pain is even worse. There are no answers to your questions. There is no closure or even the hope of closure until the killer is found. Many times, these families have no body to bury because the body has never been discovered. There are those which have been solved, but the murderer has fled. Although, solved there is no peace while the killer roams free. This is an endless sea of suffering few could ever fully understand unless they went through it.

I know the pain of loosing someone you love to murder. In my situation, the killer was brought to justice, and we were able to find some closure. Even though we continue to deal with it, it is not nearly as bad as it would have been if the killer was still roaming the streets. I acknowledge that though our pain is real and we still have some pain to deal with, we are dealing with nothing compared to those who still wait and wonder. This is one reason for writing this article. I want those who are still waiting for answers and closure to know there is another voice who cares and wants to speak loudly on their behalf. I want them to know their loved ones are not forgotten. I want to speak out in the hopes of finding answers and justice for the many who still wait for them. I want to bring a little bit of hope to those who are truly living in sea of suffering.

This article will list some actual cases of these type of tragedies which remain unsolved. The links to web sites where these cases and possibly others ore posted appear below each case. Some cases will give phone numbers where people may report any information they may have about the case. If any of the readers of this article has any information about any of these cases, please call the numbers and give the families some hope. The support articles are those which will offer more information, actual cases still unsolved, and places where people can offer information on any unsolved murder or crime they may know something about.

The purpose of this article is to offer support and help to those who are seeking justice for their murdered loved one. To let these people know their cases are not forgotten and to offer some help in posting their information. This is not an opinion article. It is about real people who are suffering the worst of life's tragedies.

This article will list actual cases and will offer an appeal to the readers to get involved. This entire article is dedicated to all victims of murder, especially those whose murders remain unsolved, and to the families of these victims who are lost in a Sea of Suffering waiting for justice.

Some Cases which Remain Unsolved
The cases below represent a whole host of families who are dealing with the pain associated with the unsolved murders of the victims listed here. Victims range in age from small children to adults. They are from many different social classes and races. They are from different parts of the country.

These victims have no justice for the crimes committed against them and their families are living lives lost in a sea of suffering. They are looking for hope, closure, and Justice. Who will be able to give this to them?

These cases are a representation of the pain of loosing a loved one in a violent way, and the waiting for the case to be solved. These families live each day in limbo. The wheels of justice are stalled and can't continue moving until information is received.

The longer a case stays cold, the harder it is too solve. The longer a case is cold the longer the sea of suffering lasts for the families of these victims. The turmoil these families experience is dreadful. I hope this article will help in some small way to easy some of the suffering of these courageous people who must wait for justice.

If any reader has information pertaining to any of these cases or other on the websites, use the contact information provided with each case or site and give these families the help they have been waiting for so long to receive.

* Amanda Mandy Doughtery, Murdered, White Female, 5

On September 22, 1994, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Amanda was reported missing at her residence in North Lauderdale by her father and mother.

The victim was in bed at approximately 10:00 p.m. The mother claimed to have checked on the victim before she went to bed, between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. At approximately 6:00 a.m., the victim's father and brother found the front door of the house open and the victim missing.

On September 24, 1994, Amanda was discovered 28 miles north of North Lauderdale in Palm Beach County. The body had trauma and a wire wrapped around her neck. The victim was not sexually assaulted nor showed any indication or combative wounds.

Contact Special Agent Floy Turner Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Broward Office 1475 NW 62 Street, suite 203, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33309 telephone 954-958-5426 or 1-800-226-3024.
www.fdle.state.fl.us/osi/unsolved/ccDoughtery1.htm

* Looking For Leads In 16 Year Old's Murder
On June 1, 2004, 16 year old Jessica Rose Keyworth, was found strangled and found down stairs in an old abandoned house located at 23-25 Pearl St in Waterbury, CT. On May 30, she had taken a local train from Bridgeport, CT to Stratford, CT and then another train to Waterbury alone. She was supposed to meet friends at their house and then they were to all drive together back to Job Corps in Devens, Massachusetts. Police are trying to find out what happened in the 24 hours prior to her being found deceased. A picture of Jessica as well as a shirt she was last wearing are attached. Her family is filled with grief and are looking for answers. There is $50,000.00 reward being offered and you can contact the Waterbury Police Department at 203-574-6941 if you have vital information.
www.angelfire.com/ct3/unsolvedct/

* Victim: Ludimila Hiers A "No-Show" -- And A Crime Scene (This case is solved, but the fugitive remains at large.)
Police say Hiers had been sexually assaulting the girl at her home and in his car, and North Charleston police arrested him in late November 2004. He was later released from jail on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond, but was a no-show on March 15, when he was scheduled to meet his lawyer for his prearranged surrender.

When Hiers didn't answer calls from police, his mother and a neighbor went to his house to check on him, but discovered a crime scene instead.

Police say Hiers' wife, Ludimila, was found shot to death in the bedroom. She had been shot in the head sometime between 7 a.m. and noon. Neighbors say they saw Hiers walking in and out of the house early that afternoon, but by early evening, Hiers was missing along with his wife's car.

Two weeks later, investigators were able to gather enough evidence to officially charge Hiers with his wife's murder.

Officials say Hiers met Ludimila on a trip to Walt Disney World in 1994, when the then 15-year-old was vacationing with her family. With her parents' permission, the two married just before she turned 17 -- Hiers was 22. Now police want to find the man who they say took the young woman's life. (If you get to the site below and find that this crime does not appear there, it may be because it was solved. This site will offer many which still need answers. Please, help if you can.)
www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm

* Victim: Linda Pilkington 1949-1992

Linda disappeared the night of January 21, 1992. She had left her residence on foot and was last seen on Oakdale Road in the city of Waynesville.

Linda's body was recovered on February 03, 1992 in the White Oak community of Haywood County, about 30 minutes from Waynesville.

Linda's murder remains unsolved. The family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the person(s) responsible for Linda's murder. Family of the victim and the police are pleading to the public for assistance in solving this horrendous crime.

Anyone having information about this crime should contact Detective Tamara VanderMolen at the Waynesville Police Department at: (828)-456-5363 or by e-mail at tvandermolen@waynesvillepd.com
www.waynesvillepd.com/Unsolved_Murder/unsolved_murder.html

* Jamie Santos, a 27 year old female, was the victim of homicide.

On Monday, October 28, 1991 at 11:35am the Wheeling Police Department responded to a call of a woman not breathing. Officers soon discovered that Jamie Santos, a 27 year old female, was the victim of homicide.

A male caller went to a public phone in a shopping center at Buffalo Grove Rd. and Dundee Rd. in Buffalo Grove (a few blocks from her home) and made a 911 call in order to get Jamie medical help. The caller did not identify himself.

This case is still unsolved and it's unknown if the caller is the person responsible for Jamie's death or someone who simply came across a terrible crime.

We are asking that you take a moment and listen to the voice of the person making the 911 call. If you feel you know the identity of the caller please call the Wheeling Police Department at (847) 459-2632 or e-mail us at wbenson@wheelingil.gov.
www.vi.wheeling.il.us/Services/Police/UnsolvedMurder.htm

* Double Homicide
The Homicide Task Force is seeking to locate the above individuals and vehicle who were seen at the time of the homicides near FuncoLand (an electronics game store) located at the Roxbury Mall, 275 Rt. 10 East, Succasunna, NJ. The homicides occurred on Sunday December 1, 2002 between the times of 11:00 and 11:30 AM.
Vehicle Description:
Early to Mid 90's Toyota Tercel or Nissan Altima type vehicle, 4 Door, blue or black in color, with dark color bumpers with a recessed license plate.

The picture here is of Erik Rewoldt, 26 of Netcong, NJ and Jeff Eresman, 21 of Lake Hopatcong, NJ. Both worked at Funco-Land. On December 1, 2002, Sunday around 11:30am both men were found shot to death. The preliminary Investigation does not indicate theft or robbery as a motive. The store safe and cash register appeared to be untouched and no merchandise was taken.

Anyone with information should contact the following agencies 24 hours a day:
Morris County Prosecutor's Office (973) 285-6200
Roxbury Police Department (973) 448-2100
Crime-Stoppers (973) COP-CALL
The Unsolved Crimes Network
unsolved@s-mail.com
unsolved.netfirms.com/roxbury.htm

* Murder of Donald E. Kmetz
On Sunday February 13, 1994, between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. a homicide took place in front of 3559 Derbyshire Drive Columbus, Ohio 43224. Donald E. Kmetz also known as "Deek", a male white, 21 years of age, was interacting with one or more individuals in front of the Carriage House Apartments information center at 3535 Derbyshire Drive, off of Innis Rd. For reasons unknown, Donald E. Kmetz began to run and was shot numerous times from behind. Mr. Kmetz continued to flee his attackers, but collapsed from his wounds in front of 3559 Derbyshire Drive. Columbus Fire Medics responded to calls by area residents and transported Donald Kmetz to Riverside Hospital where physicians pronounced him dead at 2:15 a.m.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 645-TIPS (8477). Central Ohio Crime Stoppers has posted a reward of up to $2,000 for any information received by July 13, 2005 leading to the arrest/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Central Ohio Crime Stoppers does not use Caller ID or record telephone conversations. A special coding system protects the identity of the caller.
www.stopcrime.org/coldcases.asp

* Murder of Stefanie Welch
LAKIN, Kansas, May 20, 2002 -- "There's just no clue. And that's what makes this case so unique, is we have no physical evidence as to what actually happened to Stefanie Welch."

She vanished from a small town. And, more than a year later, authorities in western Kansas are still looking for a killer.

When Stefanie Welch left her home one February morning, she had no idea her life would become the biggest mystery in Lakin, Kansas.

"This is a tremendous mystery for a town our size. It is a bewildering mystery for southwest Kansas and this is one of the more unique cases for all of Kansas," said Dennis Jones, the Kearny County Attorney.

Stefanie spent her final hours dropping off her children at daycare. Six year old Kyle and two year old James didn't know it, but their mother would never return.

"From there, she went to a home that she was in the process of moving out of. We really don't know why she went to the home. Speculation has been that there were some kids toys and clothes and things like that that she was picking up," said Jones.

That's the last time Stefanie Welch was seen alive. But the real question was, "Why?" Stefanie was going through a divorce and living with another man. Some in Lakin wondered if she'd simply run away.

"There was money left in her car she'd been driving. She would have never left those boys without taking them with her, because she loved those boys more than anything," said Jeff Petersen, Stefanie's father.

Finding Stefanie was now her father's focus, and that of Kearny County authorities. Their first big clue was her abandoned car, found in a mobile home park, along with an elusive man dressed in black.

"The person who got out of that car would be our prime suspect, if we knew who that person was," said Jones, the Kearny County Attorney.

Even though the car wouldn't produce a supect, it was close to leading police to Stefanie Welch herself.

Here's how.

That abandoned 1990 Mazda was reported to police about two hours after Stefanie was last seen at the daycare. Which means if she was killed, whoever did it had only that two hours to abduct Stefanie, committ murder, and dump her body. Police are convinced that's exactly what happened.

And, since the car's wheel wells were covered in dirt and snow, they're also sure her body was driven miles out of town. They began a search.

"The amount of irrigation wells that are still open that are abandoned. The amount of water wells from old settler days that are still available. The fact we have a river changing course every day in southwest Kansas within three miles of town. There are a plethora of places a body could be placed," said Dennis Jones.

Police tried cadaver dogs, helicopter searches, even heat-seeking equipment, but there was no trace of Stefanie Welch. To this day, her body has never been found.

"I just miss her voice. She'd say, 'Hi, Daddy,' and she was always so upbeat," said Jeff Petersen, Stefanie's father.

The hope of hearing his daughter's voice fades with each passing day. But, it's the fading hopes of two young children, that makes Stefanie's loss even worse.

"You know they go to bed with questions. And that, to me, is the sad aspect to this case," said Jones.

"Her boys, some day, are going to ask, 'What happened to my mommy?' and I wish that we had an answer to give them," said Stefanie's father.

The case was declared a homicide a year after Stefanie Welch was reported missing. So far, her divorce has not been linked to her death. However, police also interviewed a man that Stefanie's friend was divorcing. He allegedly made some threats in the past. But police could not link him to the crime, either.

If you know anything about this case, call the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-KS-CRIME or, the Kearny County Sheriff.
unsolved.netfirms.com/welch.htm

* Dana Bailey Murder
March 1987--Sometime between March 4-5, 1987, Dana Bailey, a Penn State student and a part time waitress at the Corner Room restaurant, was murdered in her second floor apartment. She died from multiple stab wounds. Dana was a friendly, well-liked young woman who, at the time, was engaged to be married. She was from Philipsburg, PA.

The investigation revealed that the suspect was watching Dana's apartment from a building that was being remodeled. The building was located to the north of hers. The suspect gained entry to Dana's apartment through a window, which faced the surveillance point.

Hundreds of leads were investigated at that time, however the case remains unsolved.

In December 2003, an anonymous letter was received by the police. It was the first new lead in many years. The letter mentions two names but makes no further reference to the murder. No connection has been established between Dana and the names at this time. The police department is asking the author of the letter to come forward and identify themselves. It is imperative for the author to understand the importance to Dana's family and the community in solving this tragic incident.

A $30,000.00 reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of Dana's killer. Tipsters can call the State College police at 814-234-7150 for Det. Ralston, or to remain anonymous Centre County CrimeStoppers at 877-99-CRIME.
www.statecollegepa.us/index.asp

* Murder of Sammy Don Massengill
Mrs. Massengill answered a phone call that delivered news no mother wants to hear; her child is dead. She had received a similar call only eight months before when her younger son had died and now her oldest son was gone.

Sammy Don Massengill had been found murdered at his residence at 426 Old Pinson Road. Sammy had lived at this address for nine years but had recently decided to move back to the family home in early March. Sammy was the proud father of three daughters', ages 18,15 and 13. He had last seen the two youngest at Christmas but with his impending move, he hoped to spend more time with them. He wanted to take them camping and maybe float the Buffalo this summer; he was already making plans.

From a very young age Sammy Don had a fascination with Harley-Davidson. He loved riding as well as repairing motorcycles. He made his living cleaning cars. It paid the rent and he really enjoyed the work. While talking to his mother, I learned that all things mechanical were a challenge to Sammy. He would take things apart just to see if he could reassemble them, which in most cases he did with very little trouble. He was always willing to give his neighbors a helping hand repairing a car, moving furniture or in one case, chase off a snake from a neighbor lady's yard.

His mother went on to tell me that if she and her husband went somewhere, they could always depend on Sammy to rescue them if they had car trouble. There was a silence on the phone; I could hear her crying, then in a soft voice she said, "We don't have that anymore, someone took our rescuer away when they killed our son."

Sammy Don Massengill was a quiet, simple man who enjoyed being at home, watching the History Channel, reading about the battles of different wars or walking in an old cemetery on some country road. That all came to an end on the night of February 24 of this year when someone came into his trailer and brutally ended Sammy Don's life.

There were two anonymous calls into Central Dispatch around 10:30 p.m. stating there had been a disturbance at 426 Old Pinson Rd. Two white males had been seen walking on Old Pinson Rd. around 10:30 that evening. Another report was of a slim, medium build, white male driving a Black 4-door late model Camry. This man had been seen with Sammy a few days prior to his death. The investigators from the Sheriff's department would like to talk to these individuals; they may have the information needed to close this case.
www.jacksoncrimestoppers.org/Murders/Sammy%20Don%20Massengill.htm

Why should we get involved?
If anyone asks this question, and I know some will; it only says that you have never been a victim of a tragedy or lost a family member in a brutal way. It is a responsibility of people who believe that we must all help each other to survive in this crazy world. It should be felt as a responsibility for everyone.

I have spent a great deal of my time working with victims of all types of tragedy, and I can tell the reader that it is a great feeling to be able to make someone smile who has not known how for such a long time. It is a great feeling when you learn the answers you have been searching for such a long time. It feels like a life time. People feel like they are living in a nightmare, and the pain is never ending.

Finding answers to the crime, won't bring the victim back from the grave. However, it will provide a little peace so the family can continue the grieving process and move on knowing that their loved one is finally at peace. They can receive the justice that every victim and family of victims deserves.

People who see things and do not get involved are causing the families of the victims to suffer more pain then they can ever imagine. Every lead that is passed by makes it harder for law enforcement to solve these murders and adding more time to the length of the wait for justice.

We all bear the burden to help solve and give answers to law enforcement when we see crimes occur or when we know information about people who have committed the crimes.

Let's all work together in our own communities to help our law enforcement when we see crimes or people who have committed the crimes. If we want safe communities, we must take a part in keeping them safe. At any time, you could be one of the families who is waiting for justice because your loved one was murdered. If this would happen, I know you would want someone to help or tell information they know about the crime.

None of us is immune. Murders are happening everywhere to every type of person. We can't say it will never happen to us, because there is no way we can know that for sure. It usually happens when you are least expecting it, just like many other tragedies.

We live in a tough cruel world, and we all need to protect each other if we are to survive.

Conclusion
Tragedies happen every day. Dealing with tragedy is very hard. All tragedies take a toll on the families who must deal with the loss, illness, or other tragedy. When a loved one is murdered, it is so hard to put anything into your mind which will make sense. It is just so hard to make any sense out of it and the term senseless sure does describe the event truthfully. It is senseless and no sense can be made of it, but there are patterns, motives, actions, circumstance, etc., which can provide some answers.

Once a murder is solved, the family finds the closure to proceed to the grieving process. This will help them to be able to move on and to deal with life apart from the victim. After a murder is solved and the killer is tried, convicted, and imprisoned, there is a feeling of completion and closure. It does not take away the pain, but it provides a sense of peace that now the victim can rest in peace. You feel like at least the person responsible will now pay for his/her crime.

Until the killer is placed in prison, the victim's family stay in limbo. Life stands still. The pain and suffering seem never ending. There is also fear that this person may kill someone else before they are caught causing another family to feel the same way. There is a never ending battle which rages to find answers. It is a long process. Many times it can last for years and even decades.

Imagine for a minute, that a cop comes to your door and tells you that a loved one has just been murdered. The shock and pain of that moment is maddening. Days pass, and you may even get to bury your loved one, (some are not so lucky). You keep asking the questions of who, where, why, and how. Then, you discover that months have passed and these questions still do not have answers.

There has been no justice, no killer has been found, no reason given for this event, and no one knows a thing about any of it. They only know there is a victim, and the victims was murdered.

Your life can't move forward until these answers come. Your head spins in circles while these questions continue to play around in your mind,

This is the way it is for too many families of murdered loved one. My heart goes out to each one of them. The pain the must endure is more then I can even begin to comprehend. All I know is my heart bleeds for them. It is not bad enough that they lost their loved one in brutal way, but the person responsible has not been caught. Life stands still, and it causes me pain just to think how they must be feeling.

I hope anyone who reads this article will be motivated to always try to help victims and their families. If we all work together within out own communities to help law enforcement officials, victims, and their families; maybe we could have less victims of unsolved murders.

Let's work together to make our homes and communities safe.