Kenneth Countie has been in the news a lot lately. Sadly it isn’t because he was being lauded for great accomplishments.
Kenneth Countie, 24, lived with his mom until Jan. His mom describes them as “best friends”. Even after he moved out, she says they saw each other or talked on the phone every day. He is described as being a quiet man, a simple, dedicated worker who struggled with even basic paperwork. A roommate describes him as easygoing, responsible and lonely. He is also reported to have been learning disabled, with a mental age of 12. He joined the Army, but received a medical discharge. He sounds like the kind of man that a mother would worry about as he began to make his own way in the world. And indeed there are reports that he attempted to take his own life in Feb.
Then around Valentine’s Day of this year he met someone through a personal ad. They had their first date on Valentine’s Day. Four days later, he told his mother that he was going to the girlfriend’s farm to visit with her. And he never returned.
Eventually his mother reported him missing around Mar 23. Now this is difficult. As an adult, people have a right to walk away from their lives, to start anew somewhere else. No matter how close the family, no matter how loving and concerned, an adult can choose to just leave. Because of this, this puts law enforcement into a quandary when they get a missing persons report on an adult. So unless there is an indication of “wrong doing”, there are limits on what they can do in an adult missing person case.
The mother, Carolynn Lodge did not let that stop her. She knew something was wrong. She kept insisting something was wrong. Around Mar. 17, there was a sighting of Countie. A video was taken at a local Walmart which was recorded by their security cameras.
In the video, LaBarre was shown pushing Countie in a wheelchair. She was stacking yellow fuel cartridges in his lap. She touched Countie’s shoulder and he reportedly jumped. It has been said that his face had a greenish cast. That he was observed with “a gash across his nose, swollen hands, and cuts and bruises on his face and arms.”
On Mar. 24, a hysterical LaBarre reported Countie missing. And she played a tape for police. On the audio tape, a woman who is thought to be LaBarre identifies herself as a justice of the peace, talking to a person who is believed to be Kenneth Countie, and
She asks him if he raped several young children. In a barely audible voice, he says yes.
“Talk right!” she yells at him.
Near the end of the tape, police hear what sounds like Countie vomiting and an indication that he has lost consciousness.
“You didn’t faint,” LaBarre says. “Stop faking that you fainted.”
Countie’s family filed a lawsuit against LaBarre. Eventually an arrest warrant was filed for LaBarre, and a search warrant for her property. Reportedly a charred mattress was found near her door. With a plastic bag near it. Reportedly LaBarre was covered in soot and ashes. Reportedly LaBarre said “He’s in that bag.” Several bone fragments were found in the bag.
Police have reportedly found several burn piles around LaBarre’s property. They may have found other bone fragments. They have found bits of clothing in the burn pits. There is a possibility there may be other victims. When questioned about a bone fragment found in a fire pit, she said it might belong to a pedophile, then she tried to take it back.
When LaBarre was arrested, she had cut and colored her hair, was found with marijuana, had a large amount of cash, and gave a different name to police officers. She was arrested for being a fugitive from justice and for drug possession, however the drug possession charges have been dropped. She is facing a first degree murder charge.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/04/29/bones_blood_and_fire_link_woman_to_boyfriends_murder_1146288852/?page=1
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=135127
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/04042006/south_of/95864.htm
Why did I include this one here? Well, there is the connection that they were dating. And because it interests me.
It has been a difficult struggle for the family and Kenneth Countie may have been located. But this is not a joyous occasion. They are past the point of fear of the unknown, and now into the grief of the loss. And the struggle is not over. Besides learning to live without Kenneth, there is still a legal struggle to go through.
Female serial killers are rare. Not unknown, but unusual. If it is found that she murdered other persons, she could very well be determined to be a serial killer.
Missing persons are also an interest of mine. The problems when an adult goes missing are well known. Unless there is a witness to some “wrong doing” police are often reluctant to involve themselves in a person’s disappearance, unless they can prove that it was involuntary or unless they see some indications of violence. No matter how well meaning the family, family doesn’t always know what an adult can be involved in, or why they might choose to run.
LaBarre also interests me. She reportedly was not married to the LaBarre whose name she uses. Yet she had a relationship with him, and she inherited his property and assets when he died. There are allegations about that relationship. LaBarre has a history of “tumultuous” relationships with men who worked on her farm. She reportedly has described herself as a lawyer, a multimillionaire with medical training and an angel who talks to God, plans to plead innocent when the cases reaches Superior Court. And the word “pedophile” keeps coming up.
All of this is leading me to a theory. I am not qualified to make this conclusion, I will admit. So it is just my personal “theory”. Only time will tell if it will be born out.
From my reading, a young child who is abused will sometimes try to distance themselves from what is happening to their body. This is an attempt to cope with what they cannot prevent. They will pretend in their minds that they are somewhere else, or a different person. Over a period of time, this can lead to what is known as dissociative disorder. More commonly called “split personality”. In other words, different aspects of the persons personality become different identities of their own. Those different personalities may “come out” at different times, and the person has no control over who is out at any particular time. The various personalities may or may not be aware of the other personalities that inhabit the same body. The different personalities may be an adult or child of either sex. Could this be what is going on here? LaBarre has certainly described herself in various ways. And she seems to have a “thing” a possible fear, or strong abhorrance about pedophiles. And various neighbors have described several instances of “erratic” behavior and some instances of confrontation and possible violence.
I don’t know. Like I said, I am not qualified. Just curious.
At least one family knows their child has been a victim. Possibly other families will be learning of the loss of their loved one. Would an illness make LaBarre exempt from prosecution? Possibly but not necessarily. But I think that mental illness is going to be a factor in this case.
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Another mother Donna Boston is coming forward, who has not heard from her son, Michael Deloge, 38. She last saw her son in the company of LeBarre in 2004.
http://cbs4boston.com/local/local_story_124154603.html
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Donna Boston is seems to be especially concerned about ther son Michael DeLoge. She alleges that he had molested two minors in the past. She was aware of it, but as the girls never told, it was never prosecuted. Thus he was not on any sex offender lists. She also alleges that Michael was molested at a young age.
Media has been searching, but they have not been able to locate anyone who has ever heard LaBarre say that she herself was ever molested.
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=f1750a27-9e36-43db-bc8c-447f10b30db5&headline=Mother+fears+for+sex+offender+son+with+LaBarre+connection%22%27%25%3c%3e%3a%24
Timeline for Kenneth Countie
http://www.wmur.com/news/9001745/detail.html
LaBarre family says that police are taking another look at the autopsy results for Wilfred LaBarre to see if any foul play was involved. Prosecutor is not confirming those details. Prosecutors are waiting for the case to go before the Grand Jury. Forensics experts in three states are studying the evidence found at the farm.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/05092006/news/101747.htm
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/05092006/news/101747.htm
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In 1998 there was an allegation that Sheile LaBarre stabbed a then boyfriend in the head with a pair of scissors. She was arrested in Sept. 1988, and charged with a felony count of 2 nd degree assault. Police have described the incident as a lover’s quarrel. During the arraignment, the judge determined she would be eligible for bail if he recieved a psychological report that determined she “is not a danger to herself or others if bailed.” Later the judge indicated that the psychological report was recieved and he did offer bail at that time. LaBarre did get out on bail, and the charges were later dropped.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/05122006/news/102328.htm
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A 5 page article about Sheila LaBarre and her history and her reputation in the area. Some of the details are old information, but some seem new to me.
In burn piles on the farm, police found three different sets of bone fragments, some of which were later identified as human. Neighbors and townspeople recap some previous experiences with LaBarre.
The case is expected to be presented to the Grand Jury this week.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/07/02/a_woman_her_men_and_a_mystery/
An index to the coverage that one paper has done on the Sheila LaBarre case.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/special/labarreindex.htm
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Defense attorney is speaking. No Grand Jury indictment as yet. He thinks that may be because they are attempting to find other crimes to charge her with. He says that they will not find any evidence to connect LaBarre with any crimes against her common law husband or Michael Deloge, other than Deloge’s belongings were still there, but he says that is not evidence of any crime- that Deloge may be in a homeless shelter somewhere. Authorities are still studying the blood, tissue, teeth, bones and charred unknowns found at the farm.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/07042006/nhnews-PH-b-labarre.html
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Wayne Ennis has contacted news media with allegations of his own against Sheila LaBarre.
boston.com
The arraignment, Oct. 4 and not guilty plea.
unionleader.com seacoastonline.com
