Home Sweet Home

Her name is Yvette Cade, and if you watched Oprah in May, you may have seen her. If you don’t recognise her name, likely you will remember face. Her face and body are covered with painful healing scars from burns. Her movements are limited due to the injuries. She needs assistance to do most things. She is a domestic abuse survivor.

Yvette met Roger Hargrave about 6 years ago. He seemed kind. He was raising his own son, and he seemed to be a loving father. He had a history, of drug abuse, and convictions for drug charges, robbery, and gun charges. But she thought he was past that.

The couple married in October of 2001, and shortly after he allegedly began beating her. She sometimes fought back, but with the difference in their sizes, it was no contest on who won. She hid her bruises. She made excuses for him.

Yvette had a daughter. And in 2004, Hargrave reportedly made the decision that he wanted the two of them to live alone, without their respective children. She refused, and he left. She moved, changed her telephone number, and thought she was ok because he didn’t know where she lived. But he found her.

Then began the phone calls, the attempt to break into her home, showing up at her work. So she went to court and requested a restraining order, and it was granted. She thought she had done what she was supposed to do.

Then Hargrave wrote to the judge asking the order to be lifted. The judge called a hearing in September. Yvette told the judge she wanted a divorce. And the judge lifted the protective order, which he says later was due to a “clerical error”. (More about the judge later).

On the night of Oct. 9, Hargrave called Yvette. And among other things he told her would “fry me like Crisco grease.”

On October 10, Hargrave walked into her place of employment, and set her on fire. She suffered 3 rd degree burns. She was burned on 60 percent of her body. He stomped on her foot, she had 5 broken bones in her foot. Doctors gave her a 50 percent chance of survival.

Life has not been easy for Yvette since that time. Multiple surgeries, skin grafts, pain. She is now limited in her movements, she has many things she is still trying to relearn to do, to overcome the limitations on her movements due to the scar tissue. She has recurring nightmares.

She hid out for a while. But she was getting a lot of mail. Mail from people telling her they supported her. That they were sorry about what happened to her. Then she decided she had a story to tell, a story that might help others. She decided to speak out and she went on Oprah. She started a website telling her story.

Her message? She wants women to know that if they are in an abusive relationship, they must take care of themselves. She wants them to know what can happen if they do not.

“Women should never feel responsible for a man’s violence,” she said on the show. “But they do need to know the warning signs, and they need to know what they can do to get out of an abusive situation safely.”

Yvette goes out in public now. And complete strangers come to her and tell her they support her. She is making the most of what she can do, and not concentrating on her limitations. After she heals more, she hopes to get another job. She is enjoying her family.

Hargrave was tried and convicted for attempted murder. His defense that was presented at court, was that when he set her on fire- he didn’t intend to murder her.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/living/14950419.htm

Yvette Cade’s website: http://www.yvettecadefund.org/                                She has a message for those who are living a relationship where there is domestic violence.

About the Judge: District Court Judge Richard A. Palumbo is retiring. He has stated the retirement is due to health reasons. Because he is retiring before the hearing which is scheduled for Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, he will likely not have to face the charge of judicial misconduct that have been brought against him. If he had gone for the hearing, it is not known how any unfavorable ruling would have affected his pension benefits for his judicial service.

Palumbo has denied the allegations against him, citing misunderstandings.

There have been other allegations also, allegations of disparging remarks he may have made to and about women who came before him seeking protective orders. Allegations of bias against non-english speaking persons who came before him seeking protection orders. Allegedly, Palumbo once likened women seeking protection orders to buses that come along every ten minutes. And there have been other allegations of misconduct not related to the domestic violence issue. But these issues likely won’t be heard, as the judge is planning to retire before the hearing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/28/AR2006072801961.html

Many courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement have created special units to work with the special problems that are involved in investigation and prosecution of domestic violence cases. Many who do not have special units, still work closely with the domestic violence agencies to help the victim through the process and to get them whatever support is available. A lot of effort has been made in some courts, law enforcement and prosecutors offices to make sure that domestic violence victims are able to safely get out of  a domestic violence relationship.

But there are still some, who are somewhat dismissive. Who may not be so supportive. Many people do not not know that if they have called the police over a domestic violence incident, that they should call a domestic violence agency also. Even if the officer doesn’t file charges. A domestic violence agency can be an advocate for the victim, to not only make sure they get access to supportive services- but to assist them in having a voice in the legal process.

For Yvette Cade, I can only say “you go girl!”. You are a true survivor. She has a message for victims of a domestic violence relationship, and one that I recommend that everyone consider. Anyone who is in a relationship that is marred by violence has the right to make their own decision on whether to stay or leave that relationship. But consideration should be given to what can happen if you stay.

Many times the abuser will downplay the severity or importance of a domestic violence episode. They may even try to blame the victim or justify their actions. By staying, are you not reinforcing that? In the abusers mind, don’t you think they are saying to themselves- if it was that bad, wouldn’t they have left or stayed away?

Police were called to a hospital Thursday night for what has been described as an “egregious domestic incident.”  There they found Talefia Parker, 26.

Reportedly her husband has been suspicious of her in the last month. The couple were married in January of 2005. Allegedly in June, Clyde E. “Cat Daddy” Bradley, 52, got angry at her in June and accused her of cheating on him.

Reportedly within the last month, Bradley has beaten her with his hands, stabbed her in the face with a ballpoint pen, singed her skin with a hot iron, heated knives and placed their hot blades against her skin, burning it. He is accused also of pouring boiling water on her lower body causing a severe burn this week. Allegedly he also heated a glass and placed it between her legs, causing burns to the inside of her thighs. 

Bradley, who has been described as loud and confrontational, has been married before. The marriage lasted for 6 years, but ended in 1998. But he was  charged with aggravated battery in 1993 in a similar incident with with the first wife. Allegedly he punched the first wife, hit her in the head with a telephone, burned her on the arm with a cigarette, and refused to let her leave the house for 4 days. Though he was arrested for aggravated battery, court records do not show that he was ever formally booked on the charge.

In this incident Bradley has been charged with heinous battery and two counts of aggravated domestic battery. He appeared in court for the first time via a video conference Friday. The Assistant’s State’s Attorney requested a high bond for Bradley. The attorney stated that the high bond was needed to protect Bradley’s wife, who remains hospitalized. And he also said that it was because Bradley, who works as a security guard, knows several police officers who could afford to help him out with bond. The charges indicate that prosecutor’s believe that Bradley acted in an “exceptionally brutal and heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty,” which could lead to a more severe punishment. The judge set the bond at $1 million dollars, a bond that is normally only used for persons accused of murder.

Bradley does have a criminal history. In 1983, he was sentenced to prison on drug charges, and in 1990 a case for drug induced homicide against him was dropped when a witness died.

A local police chief says he used to work out at a gym with Bradley, and described his shock at the crimes he is accused of.

“I am shocked if in fact he is involved,” the chief said Friday. “It tells me that he completely flipped out or something. “I never knew him to be violent. I thought they had a good relationship.”

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/072906/TRI_BAH2J22J.064.shtml

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_210201430.html

http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=13884

Outside the home, an abuser might be seen as a caring, loving partner. Outside the home they may be very solicitous of their partner. But once they return home, things may change, even their personality may seem to change. The jovial, nice, charming person outside the home or in front of certain other people, may act angry, jealous and controlling in the privacy of the home. Another sign that it isn’t a “loss of control”.

Jealousy is also a common theme in abusive relationships.

If you have ever had a burn, and most people have had some type of burn at one time, you know how painful they can be. Besides the pain, there is also the chance  of infection and they frequently leave scars. But along with the physical injuries she recieved, think of the month of torture that Parker went through. Often the psychological injuries last longer and are harder to reccuperate from than the physical injuries.

Marvin Harrell’s ex-girlfriend Sylvia Thompson, says that she broke up with him on Thursday. And she says that about 4:30 am on Friday, Harrell, 45, broke into the home she shared with her parents. According to Sylvia Thompson, he had another man with him at the time, but authorities have not been able to confirm that.

Allegedly, Harrell shot the ex-girlfriend’s parents, Sophia Clarke, 67, and Roosevelt Clarke, 63, who were sleeping at the time. Allegedly Harrell then forced the ex-girlfriend to leave with him.

Police say that Harrell owned some property 50 miles away in Miss. and that is where he took the ex-girlfriend and allegedly held her hostage for 12 hours. Eventually, he released her along the side of a road. Thompson then contacted police and told them where to find her parents.

Police say they went to Harrell’s home in La., but did not search it. They then contacted Miss. authorities and asked them to check his property. A search team with bloodhounds was sent to the property.

Police say the search team that went to the property  heard a shot in the darkness. Harrell was found in a field with a gunshot to the head.

Thompson was not physically harmed. And the ex-girlfriend says that Harrell was a former Green Beret. The case is still under investigation.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3451421.html

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/15153988.htm

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3451036.html

Many times abusers will use a victim’s love for something to control or to punish. It might be loved ones, children, pets or even property. By threatening harm to the loved person or object it can be a means of control. If they displease the abuser, whatever the victim loves might be destroyed.

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Information from the restraining order filed against Harrell  in January alleges that he “threatened everybody in my family … that when he come home he would take out anybody close to me or had anything to do with me or he would send someone to do it for him.”

It also alleges that allegedly beat Thompson with a jar of salsa, punched her, kicked her, slapped her and stalked her.

Neighbors state they had viewed Harrell as a gentle gregarious man. But they were not aware of the previous criminal charges, or of the restraining orders.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3453901.html Picture of Cedric Scott at link. He told media that Harrell and he were as close as brothers.

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A second man has been arrested in the murders. Police have arrested 29 year old Cedric Wendell Scott. Police have stated that statements Scott had told media and the police are what led them to look at him for the crime. Scott had told media that Harrell and Thompson had been to his home together about an hour before the shootings, that they came to talk about buying a lawnmower. And he stated that there did not appear to be any problems at that time. Scott was arrested for shooting 67-year-old, Sophia Clarke. Police believe that Harrell shot 63-year-old Roosevelt Clarke. Police believe that after the murders, Scott drove Harrell’s car to his home, then went to his own home. He is not suspected of going to Mississippi.

Scott only has a minor criminal history, marijuanna and traffice charges. He is currently being charged with 1st degree murder and 2 nd degree kidnapping charges.

Reportedly Harrell had shot a previous ex-girlfriend and a man in 1997. He was initially charged with attempted murder, but that charge was reduced to aggravated battery and he was sentenced to 30 months hard labor on each charge.

Records show that another woman had sought a temporary restraining order against Harrell in in 2004. Thompson had requested a restraining order in January and that in the order she stated that Harrell “threatened everybody in my family.”

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/police/3464676.html

Normally I blog about current crimes in the home. But today is a little different. Today is about hope. Today is about escape.

Polly Mitchell’s story is one of the more extreme cases of domestic violence. Polly met her husband David in 1993, when she was 17 years old. She thought he was attractive and charming. David was her first boyfriend. Three months after their first date, he hit her. But they continued to date, married, and had 4 children together. Polly says she was beaten daily. Beaten in front of her children. Raped. And imprisoned.

The home was locked from the outside. The windows were covered with tin foil. Polly didn’t tell anyone, not even her mother. David had told her that he would kill her if she told anyone, and Polly believed him. Polly says that when she was beaten, her children would hide or try to get between the couple. Then one child started acting like her husband. That scared her.

In 2003, Polly called a domestic violence agency and told her story to them. They helped her escape through a window in her home, and took her to safety.

In 2004, David pled no contest to charges of false imprisonment, terroristic threats, and two counts of child abuse for beating their mother in front of the children. He was sentenced to 14 to 20 years and will be eligible for parole in 2011.

The prosecutor says that she believes that David really had no sense that he was doing anything wrong. She believes that in his mind, they were his family and he had the right to do what he did. That somehow he could justify it to himself.

Polly says she still loves David. A psychologist explains that like this: “”It’s part of her having been so focused on him for so long and having her whole sense of who she is and what the world is organized around him. … And when you leave that situation physically, that doesn’t mean that you’ve left it psychologically and emotionally.”

And Polly says that she is different now. She says that she has more self confidence, she is stronger. She is in counseling to overcome the years of abuse. Polly is in her final year of nursing school. She has a boyfriend. And she feels she needs to tell her story, in the hope that it may help others. In her words: “I feel there’s a lot of people out there who are in the same spot I was in and who feel helpless, and they don’t know the way out. And I guess I’ve been given the voice to tell those people.” About herself, Polly says: “I’m at the stage where I’m really angry when I see my kids acting out or doing something that he may have done. It really, really makes me mad. I’m through the sad stage I think. And I’m at mad, and I haven’t forgiven.”

Polly’s children are also in counseling. Her oldest daughter was hospitalized briefly for severe depression. Her youngest son is struggling to learn to control his temper. Polly wants things to be better for them, and she is hoping that they will escape the horror of what happening without any long lasting effects. Because Polly feels that what happened with David may have had roots in his past. Polly says that David’s father treated his mother in similar ways. Until finally, his mother fought back and killed his father with a shotgun blast.

The future is still not certain for Polly. David will possibly be getting out of prison in 2011. Polly thinks she wants to face him. She is stronger now, and changed.  “I don’t feel like he has the mental hold over me like he used to. There’s nothing that he could do or say that could hurt me because in my mind he’s nothing.”

But her mother fears for the time that he gets out. And so does the prosecutor. They feel she could still be in danger from David.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2248288&page=1

How could she continue to love him? That is the part that so many don’t understand about domestic violence victims. And the psychologist had an answer. If you think about it, a domestic violence victim spends a large portion of his/her life focused on the abuser. Their every desire, request, even every expression on their face could mean something major in their life. If the abuser is unhappy, they will be beaten. If the abuser doesn’t get what he/she wants, they will beaten. Even if they had a bad day at work, they could be beaten.

Yet the abuser is also the one who gives the rewards. When the abuser is happy, life is much easier. The abuser may be nicer. The abuser may “allow” certain “privileges”. The privileges don’t have to be big ones, as a matter of fact, those privileges are often things that most of us take for granted. Talking to relatives or going to the store are examples. But without the abusers “goodwill”, they wouldn’t be possible.

Many identify it with Stockholm Syndrome.  Stockholm syndrome

NOUN: A phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to his or her captor.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Stockholm+syndrome

For more reading on Stockhom Syndrome and relationships:

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=469

More or less, during the relationship- the well being of the abuser takes precedence over the well being of the victim. That gets mixed in and confused with the love the victim initially felt for the abuser. And it becomes a habit. A very hard habit to break.

Polly Mitchell is out and safe now. And going on with a life. But what will happen when David is released from prison? What will his response be when he finds Polly is no longer under his control?

April Jones, 43, was just pulling into the parking lot at work at 8 am, this morning. Before she even got parked, allegedly she noticed a familiar truck, driven by her estranged husband. Mrs. Jones has told police that she believes that J. Richard Jones, 59, saw her notice him. Because it was at that point that he allegedly began shooting.

Mrs. Jones called 911 and while she remained on the line, dispatchers heard some of the shots. At least three shots were fired, and at least one hit Mrs. Jones vehicle. It went through a window and left a mark on the headrest.

An officer responded to the call and as he pulled in, Mrs. Jones pointed to Mr. Jones’ truck. The officer pulled up behind Jones’ vehicle and took cover behind his car. He ordered Jones out of his vehicle and was trying to talk to him, then heard a shot. Jones had shot himself in the head.

In June, April Jones had filed for divorce. And she recently asked for and was granted a temporary restraining order due to threats she said he had made.

April Jones was not physically hurt in the shooting.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060728/LOCAL010103/60728024

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5210918&nav=0Ra7

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/9591119/detail.html?subid=22100444&qs=1;bp=t

Besides the home, a workplace is a very vulnerable area in a relationship where there is domestic violence. Some suggestions I have seen offered are to vary your driving route to and from work if possible. Park in a different area and enter by a different door than usual. If your workplace has security officers, see if they can walk you to and from your vehicle. And yes, keep that cell phone charged and with you. If you spot the person you have a protection order against, you might even try screaming, blowing the horn or what ever you can to draw other’s attention to yourself.

Mrs. Jones was a lucky woman, though I am sure she is pretty shaky after what happened. She kept a cool head, called police while she was still driving, and was alert to the officer pulling in the parking lot. BTW, that is something I probably wouldn’t have been able to manage, I would  have been too busy trying to fit myself under the front seat.

She survived and was not physically injured. I always say not physically injured, because though her injuries may not show, mentally I would guess that she is probably struggling. And sometimes, those injuries can take longer to heal.

A big thanks to Lost In Lima Ohio for this one.

Bloggers read and write about some of the worst crimes in the news. And what you see on the blogs are not the only ones we have read. It can get you down. So now and then we need a little distraction.

Summer is when there are blogger awards. Now, not everyone can win of course. Some lose, some are runner-ups, and some don’t even get nominated. But some just don’t fit the categories. So Lost in Lima Ohio has come up with her own awards, and her own categories.

As you read the blogs you like, maybe you will want to nominate some. Lost in Lima Ohio has come up with these categories. The Angry Woman, The Funny Woman, The Nice Woman, and The Moody Woman. Nominate away, and I am sure that she will let us know when voting begins.

And remember, it is all in fun.

This story is fairly new, so there are no names yet. I will just call them husband, 48, wife, and boyfriend, 51.

Husband and wife were still married but living apart, and they had a child together. Wife and the child were residing with the wife’s boyfriend.

Husband came to visit his child on Thursday morning. Apparently an argument began between the boyfriend and the husband, allegedly the boyfriend didn’t like the husband visiting. While husband was sitting in a chair, the boyfriend allegedly doused him in a flammable liquid and lit him on fire. Husband was engulfed in flames when he ran screaming from the house. Neighbors say that he began rolling on the ground, but the flames were not going out.

Neighbors covered him with a blanket, and were able to extinguish the flames. But before they were able to do so, three houses caught on fire. One home was gutted, another severely damaged.

Allegedly, after setting the husband on fire the boyfriend was seen stepping out of the house, and was overheard saying “I told you I loved you.” He then walked away.

Husband was burned severly and was hospitalized in critical condition.

Boyfriend has been taken in for questioning.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/UPDATE/607270442

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060728/NEWS01/607280401

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060728/NEWS01/607280401

That isn’t love. That is evil, and pure, plain jealousy.

He knew at some point that the wife had a child. I assume that he knew the wife had a husband and that the child had a father. It would seem logical to me, that he should have realized that the man might visit his child. And since the woman was still married, it would seem logical to me that there was a possibility that at some point the husband and wife might converse, might even attempt to reconcile. He should have known the possibilities of this when he moved the wife and child into his home. And to be honest, there isn’t any indication that there was any attempt at reconciliation of the couple.

Because of one man’s jealousy a child’s father is lying in the hospital in critical condition with severe burns. He would have a worried family. If he manages to survive, there will be tremendous pain, a long recovery, and permanent damage to his body. Not to mention the hospital bills, as burns will require a long hospitalization.

Because of one man’s jealousy, two homes burned, leaving two families homeless, with nothing. Another home was damaged. Three families were endangered as their homes burned. Firefighters called to fight the flames in the heat would be endangered.

Jealousy is not love. Jealousy is an intensely selfish, often unreasonable emotion that is frequently seen in domestic violence situations, and often goes with controlling behaviors.  

ReKelle Smith, 28, and her boyfriend Kiriyaki Zarvous Burgess had a two year relationship. The couple had a son. Apparently their were problems with violence in the relationship as Smith filed a total of 6 criminal complaints against Burgess during the relationship. He was arrested once.

In May, a judge ordered that Burgess have no more contact with Smith, but by June she made a complaint that he had violated the order with repeated calls and threats. Police say they did not arrest Burgess, because he failed to keep appointments with the detective to give a formal statement.

Allegedly, Wed. morning Burgess kicked in the door of Smith’s apartment. Allegedly he chased his ex girlfriend and her current boyfriend through a window, and began firing a gun at Smith.

The bullets struck her in the face, the shoulder, and one bullet entered her stomach and passed through a kidney. After shooting Smith, Burgess fatally shot himself in the head.

ReKelle Smith is in critical condition.

Police say that just 2 hours before the shooting, Burgess and another man had confronted Smith’s new boyfriend at Walmart.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/9583182/detail.html

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/15134847.htm

Six criminal complaints and only one arrest? He violates a judge’s order (I am assuming that means a protective order or restraining order) and he doesn’t get picked up? No arrest because he failed to voluntarily come in for an interview?

Repeated criminal complaints, threatening calls, accosting the new boyfriend. I’m not an expert, but I think this guy was displaying all the classic signs of a domestic violence danger.

Domestic violence is often not seen as a high profile crime. Often a complaint by a girlfriend or wife will not recieve the same attention, as say a fight on a street corner. Usually they won’t make headlines in the media. Often it is dismissed as just another fight between a boyfriend and girlfriend, both by the media and the law enforcement.

Not only is the process long, but sometimes ignored. Many times victims get the impression that it is up to them to fight this alone, because they don’t get the help and the attention they need when they try to get out.

Had Smith made contact with a domestic violence agency, they may have been able to help her get the attention and assistance she needed. They may have been able to give her some safety tips. They may have been able to monitor her case and make sure that it recieved the attention from law enforcement. But even without the attention of a domestic violence agency, there was no excuse for this.

ReKelle Smith is in critical condition at the hospital. I pray she makes it.

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A cached page which gives more information about the events that led up to the shooting.

Police admit that some reports that should have been felonies were mislabeled, which made them misdemeanors and therefore they were not followed up on by detectives. The case in which charges were filed, police say that Smith is the one who did not go to the police station for a formal interview. A police officer was present at one point when Burgess called and threatened her, she put the call on speakerphone and the officer heard the threat to kill her. That one was mislabeled. At one point Smith was given info about local violence agencies.

On May 4 th, Burgess spent a day in jail for choking Smith, then he bonded out. He pled not guilty to the charge in court on July 8, then 8 days later was the shooting.

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:1bGueklc4gYJ:onlineathens.com/stories/073006/news_20060730090.shtml+ReKelle+Smith&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

Early Friday morning, there was a fire in the apartment of Markeda Byas, 31 and her boyfriend Jimmy Reed. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which they say had been fueled by an accelerant.

Inside the home they found the bodies of Markeda Byas, 31, and her 2 month old baby Arctavia Reed in a bedroom. Police say that Markeda’s body showed signs of severe trauma and they believe she was dead before the fire. The baby died of smoke inhalation. Authorities described the murder as savage.

Police interviewed Jimmy Reed, 30, on Monday after Reed turned himself in for questioning. Reed was reportedly Markeda’s boyfriend and the father of the baby. Police then placed him under arrest for open murder and arson in the deaths.

Byas was also the mother of a 7 year old boy, but he was spending the night with his grandmother the night of the fire. No one else at the complex was injured.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS03/60725015

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEWS03/60726009

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060723/NEWS03/607230572

Many think that fire covers crimes. But with forensics today, a lot of evidence can be recovered even after a fire. The body may still show the cause of death, the length of time the fire blazed can point to the time the person was killed, the use of an accelerant can be detected. A fire not only doesn’t cover up a crime, in some cases it can provide additional evidence.

Allegedly this guy not only killed his girlfriend, he set fire to the apartment and left his own baby to die. Now presumably the boyfriend had something against his girlfriend. He was jealous, or he was angry. But what crime did his baby commit against him?

A 7 year old boy goes to stay all night with his grandmother. Suddenly he is told they died and he will never see his mother or his baby sister again. At some point he will learn that his sister’s Daddy, the man who lived in the home with him is the one who killed them. What kind of issues will he have to deal with? Somehow I have a feeling that a difficulty in trusting will be one of the problems.

The big tough guy who could kill a woman couldn’t deal with facing up to what he did, couldn’t take responsibility for his actions. And so he decides to burn the evidence. Was fatherhood and a baby another responsibility he couldn’t handle?

Another apartment fire, other families lives were endangered. Fighting fires is dangerous, so firefighters were also endangered. Countless friends and relatives grieving. Property damage. The cost of one man’s loss of control is high.

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Police have stated that Reed went to Byas’ apartment about 8 am. Byas and the baby were asleep. Allegedly Reed shot Byas in the head and then left the home and drove to the home of another girlfriend, where he stayed for a few hours before going to work. He then returned to the home, where he set the fire. Police say that Reed has told them the baby woke up screaming when the fire started.

Police believe the motive for the murders was that Reed did not want to pay child support to Byas. Reed already has a 7 year old child, and is expecting another child in a few weeks, by another girlfriend.

Reed was arraigned Wed. on murder and arson charges.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEWS03/60726009

Richard Flores spent the evening of his 49 th birthday sharing beer and pizza with his relatives and his girlfriend. Relatives say he seemed happy, even though his relationship with his girlfriend was sometimes rocky.

The girlfriend Angelina Olivares, 49, was said to be possessive, allegedly she didn’t even like it when his daughter hugged him. Relatives have stated that Flores wanted to leave Olivares, but that she wouldn’t allow it. “Ricky wanted to leave her. I remember she said to him, `The day you leave me for someone else, I’ll kill you.'”

After the birthday gathering the couple returned home. About 2 am, the police recieved a call to come to the address. They found Richard Flores dead in his bed with a sheet around him. A hammer, believed to be the murder weapon was found nearby.

Police believe that Olivares killed him with a hammer, then went to her daughter’s home. She returned to the address with her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend and they then called police. But police say that the couple was alone at the home when Flores was killed.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_4096101