The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is only a month away. This year the event will take place on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This important day is a partnership between the Maryland Crime Victim Resource Center (MCVRC), Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).
According to the MCVRC, “The event honors the lives of those taken by violence; publicly recognizes the impact of homicide on their surviving family members and friends; and pays tribute to those organizations that work with and provide services to survivors of homicide victims.”
There are scholarships available for travel costs. You can find out more about those on the Parents of Murdered Children’s website.
SCHEDULE:
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – “Supporting Survivors: A Forum for Discussion” – This portion of the day will focus on exploring issues that survivors face and helping to meet their needs.
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – CEREMONY – This will highlight the unveiling of the “Murder Wall” to honor victims’ memories. This is an exhibit provided by POMC, and will have thousands of victims’ names inscribed in the wall.
Amber Dubois vanished as she walked to school in February 2009. Investigators did not think Amber was abducted, so the case was treated as a runaway early on. Earlier this year, Amber’s body was found in California because another young girl, Chelsea King, had vanished in the area. A convicted sex offender, John Albert Gardner, was linked to both of the cases and arrested. In April 2010 Gardner confessed to killing Amber and Chelsea, and he will remain behind bars for life.
This week Amber’s mom launched a new website, TEAM AMBER RESCUE. According to the site, its mission states:
“Team Amber Rescue was formed to train volunteers in the proper search and rescue techniques so missing children can be found as quickly as possible. It was founded by Carrie McGonigle in loving tribute to her murdered daughter, Amber Leeanne DuBois.
Reported missing, the police declined to issue an Amber Alert and maintained that she was likely a runaway although possibly she could have been abducted. Carrie knew her daughter was someone’s victim, and, praying that she was still alive, worked with family, friends and volunteers to find her with searches on foot, on horse, door to door, websites, mailers, posters, media, psychics, and, even knocking on doors of known sex offenders.
John McCluskey (new photos released by U.S. Marshals)
UPDATE:Authorities closed in on the couple late yesterday in Springerville, Arizona near the Mexico border. They were found at a campsite when a ranger came across the couple in the woods. McCluskey and Welsh were armed, but didn’t have a chance to use their weapons.
U.S. Marshals are still on the hunt for a dangerous prison escapee and his fiancée, who is also his first cousin. Investigators are aggressively tracking John McCluskey, 45, and Casslyn Welsh, 44, as tips pour in from across the country with sightings of the couple. When I spoke to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Rich Tracey, he wanted the public to know the U.S. Marshals have the ability to follow up with leads anywhere in the country very quickly, and alerts have been sent out to the borders as well. Tracey adds, “These folks are leaving devastation in their wake, it’s time for this to come to a close.”
Casslyn Welsh (new U.S. Marshal photo)
The Marshals released new information this week on the duo saying McCluskey is missing his left incisor tooth and Welsh is missing most of her right index finger. Welsh is a smoker, and it is very obvious when she is holding cigarettes because she is right handed. The last known sighting of the couple was August 6 in Billings, Montana.
The case began on July 30 when McCluskey, Tracy Province, 42, and Daniel Renwick, 36, broke out of a medium-security facility in Arizona. Authorities say McCluskey’s fiancée Casslyn Welsh tossed tools over the security fence to make the break out a breeze. An official who is affiliated with the facility told me the escapees made their exit by cutting a hole through a fence and helping each other along. Authorities captured Renwick only two days after the breakout when he allegedly shot at police in Colorado.
Investigators say Morgan vanished on October 17, 2009 while attending a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Virginia. She was separated from friends around 8:30 p.m. when she walked out of the front entrance. Authorities say Morgan called her friends inside and told them she was finding a ride home, and that they shouldn’t wait for her. State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building. Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County a little over three months after she vanished from the Metallica concert. Investigators told me her body could have been on the farm as many as 100 days.
An international manhunt to find an active-duty navy sailor who police say brutally murdered his pregnant wife is over and the suspect will be extradited back to Illinois this week. An arrest warrant was issued for Eric A. Gilford, 31, for stabbing his wife and his unborn child to death. Gilford was arrested on August 6th in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where he was living at a homeless shelter. A court order late last week passed down indicates he signed a waiver of extradition and will return to face charges.
Investigator Todd Kubish from the Villa Park Police said on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, Gilford tracked down his wife Kristine at another man’s home in Villa Park, Illinois. She was at the apartment with her 4-year-old daughter, Gracie May, but the man who owned the property was not there. An argument ensued, and Kubish says Gilford allegedly stabbed his wife repeatedly and fled the scene. Gracie May ran upstairs to get help for her mother, but by the time police arrived, Gilford was gone.
U.S. Marshals are still on the hunt for a dangerous prison escapee and his fiancée, who is also his first cousin. Investigators are aggressively tracking John McCluskey, 45, and Casslyn Welsh, 44 as tips pour in from across the country with sightings of the couple. When I spoke to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Rich Tracey this morning, he wanted the public to know that as the teams investigate leads, they do not leave one specific area for another. “We have not shifted, we’ve expanded, and we did not leave Montana and go to Arkansas. We are simply expanding this investigation. We are adding resources.” The U.S. Marshals have the ability to follow up with leads anywhere in the country very quickly, and alerts have been sent out to the borders as well. Tracey adds, “These folks are leaving devastation in their wake, it’s time for this to come to a close.”
Tracy Alan Province (left) John Charles McCluskey (right)
UPDATE: Just a few hours ago U.S. Marshals closed in on Tracy Province after someone from the public called in a tip… McCluskey and Welch are still wanted… Stay tuned for more information…
A case involving two dangerous convicted murderers on the run heated up over the weekend. The convicted murderers escaped from a medium security prison in Arizona 10 days ago, and investigators say they may now be connected to two murders in New Mexico. John McCluskey, 45, Tracy Province, 42, and Daniel Renwick, 36, broke out of a medium-security facility on July 30th. Authorities say McCluskey’s fiancée Casslyn Welch tossed wire cutters over the security fence to make the break out a breeze. An official who is affiliated with the facility, and who does not wish to be identified, told me the escapees made their exit by cutting a hole through a fence and helping each other along. Authorities captured Renwick only two days after the breakout when he allegedly shot at police in Colorado. Renwick was serving a 22-year sentence for second degree murder. McCluskey, Province and Welch have been on the lam ever since.
Makayla Joy Sitton was only 6-years-old when she was gunned down in front of her family on Thanksgiving Day. Her accused murderer, Paul Michael Merhige, is behind bars, and facing charges of not only killing his twin sisters, but his aunt and his little cousin Makayla. The murder rocked the Jupiter town in Florida for weeks while Merhige was on the run until his capture.
Now that the dust has settled, and many months have passed, Makayla’s parents Jim and Muriel Sitton launched her website and published a book in their daughter’s honor. “The Bear’s Castle” was Makayla’s idea before she was killed and now her own thoughts are available to purchase.
Makayla was extremely articulate, very creative and she loved to read. Muriel says one day Makayla told “The Bear’s Castle” story at their kitchen table, and thankfully there was a tape recorder to capture her beautiful words. A CD of Makayla’s voice telling the story is provided with each book. Inside the pages of the story you will find pictures Makayla made along with illustrations of her actual room and things that meant the most to her.
Norma Lopez MISSING (photo of the shirt she was wearing the day she vanished)
Norma Lopez vanished in broad daylight four days ago in Moreno Valley, California and investigators confirmed yesterday her body was found just a few miles from where she disappeared. Police told me Norma left her summer school classes at the Valley View High School and was supposed to meet her sister, but she never made it to the location. Investigators believe she may have taken a short cut from Dracaea Avenue leading out to an area on Cottonwood Avenue, but somewhere in between authorities believe she may have been kidnapped. In fact, some of her personal belongings were found in a field, and there could be signs of a struggle. Investigators believe she was taken against her will and may have been thrown into a newer model green SUV. That vehicle was seen fleeing from the area at a high rate of speed. Deputy Nieburger told me today that that vehicle may not necessarily be connected to the murder, but there could have been someone driving it that may have seen something. The area where Norma’s body was found is about three miles away from where she went missing, and her remains were in an open field on top of the ground.
There’s an international manhunt to find an active-duty navy sailor who police say brutally murdered his pregnant wife. An arrest warrant has been issued for Eric A. Gilford, 31, for stabbing his wife and his unborn child to death. A bond was set at $3,000,000. I spoke with Investigator Todd Kubish from the Villa Park Police department, and he confirms the United States Marshal Service, Border Patrol and an entity of Homeland Security are all involved in tracking this dangerous suspect.
Kubish says on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, Gilford tracked down his wife at another man’s home in Villa Park. She was inside the apartment with her 4-year-old daughter, Gracie May. The man was not home at the time. An argument ensued, and Kubish says Gilford allegedly stabbed his wife repeatedly and fled the scene. The child ran upstairs to get help for her mother, but by the time police arrived, Gilford was gone.
Kubish told me Kristine Gilford was 5-months pregnant and alive when help arrived on the scene, but later died in surgery while at the hospital. Thankfully, her daughter was not harmed, though she had to watch her mother die on her 4th birthday. Apparently Gilford and Kristine were married only a few months ago, and there have been domestic issues in the past when police had to respond to their home.
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is only a month away. This year the event will take place on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This important day is a partnership between the Maryland Crime Victim Resource Center (MCVRC), Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). 
SCHEDULE:
