Friend's fiance murdered...
Posted 11-09-2007 at 01:02 PM by skater
Those of you who were at CougarFest this summer may remember me being upset about the murder of a friend's fiance. I know I told a couple people the story, but I figure I can give more details now (if you are in Fairfax County, VA, please stop reading - I do not want to taint any jury pools).
The story is that my friend, we'll call her Jane (even though a certain newspaper had no problem at all using her real name
) was dating a guy named "Jack". I hadn't met him, but from what Jane told me he sounded good.
I'll mention now that Jane is a beautiful, intelligent, warm, caring woman. I dated her too, several years ago, but our very different goals and outlooks in life made it a short-term thing only. However, we've remained very good friends, keep each other up to date on our dating, etc. I would count her among one of my closest friends.
Well, the Saturday before CougarFest, Jack and Jane were shopping for rings. They were then at her house, and Jane had warned Jack that there was a guy who might be jealous, but Jack figured he'd just want to talk and there'd be no problem.
"Jeff" the jealous guy was a guy she'd dated for a while but dumped. It was an odd situation - she was dating Jeff and "Doug" at the same time, and it got to the point where she had to pick one, so she picked Jeff. I remember being surprised at the decision - I never really liked Jeff that much, he just kind of creeped me out a bit - but I figured she knew him better than I did and knew what she was doing. A few months go by, and Jane realizes she's made a mistake, and dumps Jeff and goes back to Doug. A couple weeks later, Doug turns up dead (she found him). It was ruled a suicide, but she never believed that, nor did I - if I were Doug, having just had Jane come back to me after I thought I'd lost her, I'd be on top of the world no matter WHAT else was going wrong in my life.
Jack left Jane's place, and, somehow, Jeff ended up in the passenger seat of his car. (Probably asked him for a lift somewhere, something like that.) Next thing anyone knows is that Jack's car crashes into a parked car several blocks away, Jeff is spotted running away from Jack's car, and the neighbors think it's a hit-and-run, until one of them finds Jack dying in the driver's seat from a gunshot wound. Jack says "Jeff did it", gives his parents' phone number, and dies.
I didn't find out about this until the Wednesday of CougarFest. Brad was there when I saw the first two emails that told me what happened. One was from Jane, giving an obit - something she had to do once before for Doug; the other was from a girl I was dating from work linking to an article about it. (Jane, Jeff, me, and the girl I was dating all work at the same place.) The girl I was dating didn't know my connection to the case at the time.
The police arrested Jeff the day after the murder. After a couple weeks, the judge set bail, which caused Jane to promptly disappear - I had NO idea where she'd gotten to, and frankly I didn't want to know in case Jeff came to "ask" me - but fortunately the judge, after being shown how close Jane and Jeff live to each other, rescinded the bail, and Jeff stayed in jail. He hadn't been able to pull together the bail money quickly enough, so he wasn't released.
We are now awaiting trial, which I believe is scheduled for January. I've heard he is using a "self defense" defense. Personal editorializing: wait, wait, wait - you're carrying a gun in the passenger seat of a car with an unarmed Mormon driving... how in the ****ing world do think you're in a situation where you need to use deadly force? Self defense, my ass. More like preplanned MURDER.
Jane is a witness for the trial, so she has to stick around for now, but afterwards she plans to move out of the area. I understand her decision and support her, but I wish she didn't have to leave. For a while, she was wearing the engagement ring Jack had purchased, and I was glad she'd gotten the opportunity to wear it - she deserved that, at least, even if she'd never get the wedding band.
Virginia is one of the states with capital punishment. I don't know if they'll get to exercise it in this situation. If they don't execute him, what happens if he gets out on parole in 20 years? What happens to my friend then? Will she have to live in fear of that possibility for the rest of her life?
The story is that my friend, we'll call her Jane (even though a certain newspaper had no problem at all using her real name
) was dating a guy named "Jack". I hadn't met him, but from what Jane told me he sounded good.I'll mention now that Jane is a beautiful, intelligent, warm, caring woman. I dated her too, several years ago, but our very different goals and outlooks in life made it a short-term thing only. However, we've remained very good friends, keep each other up to date on our dating, etc. I would count her among one of my closest friends.
Well, the Saturday before CougarFest, Jack and Jane were shopping for rings. They were then at her house, and Jane had warned Jack that there was a guy who might be jealous, but Jack figured he'd just want to talk and there'd be no problem.
"Jeff" the jealous guy was a guy she'd dated for a while but dumped. It was an odd situation - she was dating Jeff and "Doug" at the same time, and it got to the point where she had to pick one, so she picked Jeff. I remember being surprised at the decision - I never really liked Jeff that much, he just kind of creeped me out a bit - but I figured she knew him better than I did and knew what she was doing. A few months go by, and Jane realizes she's made a mistake, and dumps Jeff and goes back to Doug. A couple weeks later, Doug turns up dead (she found him). It was ruled a suicide, but she never believed that, nor did I - if I were Doug, having just had Jane come back to me after I thought I'd lost her, I'd be on top of the world no matter WHAT else was going wrong in my life.
Jack left Jane's place, and, somehow, Jeff ended up in the passenger seat of his car. (Probably asked him for a lift somewhere, something like that.) Next thing anyone knows is that Jack's car crashes into a parked car several blocks away, Jeff is spotted running away from Jack's car, and the neighbors think it's a hit-and-run, until one of them finds Jack dying in the driver's seat from a gunshot wound. Jack says "Jeff did it", gives his parents' phone number, and dies.
I didn't find out about this until the Wednesday of CougarFest. Brad was there when I saw the first two emails that told me what happened. One was from Jane, giving an obit - something she had to do once before for Doug; the other was from a girl I was dating from work linking to an article about it. (Jane, Jeff, me, and the girl I was dating all work at the same place.) The girl I was dating didn't know my connection to the case at the time.
The police arrested Jeff the day after the murder. After a couple weeks, the judge set bail, which caused Jane to promptly disappear - I had NO idea where she'd gotten to, and frankly I didn't want to know in case Jeff came to "ask" me - but fortunately the judge, after being shown how close Jane and Jeff live to each other, rescinded the bail, and Jeff stayed in jail. He hadn't been able to pull together the bail money quickly enough, so he wasn't released.
We are now awaiting trial, which I believe is scheduled for January. I've heard he is using a "self defense" defense. Personal editorializing: wait, wait, wait - you're carrying a gun in the passenger seat of a car with an unarmed Mormon driving... how in the ****ing world do think you're in a situation where you need to use deadly force? Self defense, my ass. More like preplanned MURDER.
Jane is a witness for the trial, so she has to stick around for now, but afterwards she plans to move out of the area. I understand her decision and support her, but I wish she didn't have to leave. For a while, she was wearing the engagement ring Jack had purchased, and I was glad she'd gotten the opportunity to wear it - she deserved that, at least, even if she'd never get the wedding band.
Virginia is one of the states with capital punishment. I don't know if they'll get to exercise it in this situation. If they don't execute him, what happens if he gets out on parole in 20 years? What happens to my friend then? Will she have to live in fear of that possibility for the rest of her life?
Total Comments 5
Comments
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whew... I'm not even sure if the situation has gotten better or worse since Cougarfest.
 If "Jeff" really has killed 2 people now... he should be getting life in prison no matter what right? Doesn't the law work to the effect "if you take someones life, you lose yours too" (i.e. life in jail)? |
Posted 11-09-2007 at 01:40 PM by ND4SPD
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The first one was ruled a suicide, and since it was a year and a half before this one, it's hard to go back and reopen that case. Also, it's in a different jurisdiction, so it's not like it'd be the same investigator working both cases.
But I saw a story the other day about a school principal in that same jurisdiction that was found dead, ruled suicide. I had an urge to yell "BETTER DOUBLE CHECK THAT!" I've learned a situation like this never really does get better. It just falls into the past. |
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Posted 11-09-2007 at 01:58 PM by skater
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Wow, I heard you tell the story at Fest, but the added details make it all the creepier. At least is sounds like the case against the guy is pretty solid. I can't imagine what this whole situation has to be doing to your friend.
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Posted 11-09-2007 at 04:54 PM by sonza68
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I admire her strength. Even when I talked to her the day I found out, her strength surprised me - yes, she was broken up, but even then it seemed like it was only a temporary setback for her.
A couple years back, when she told me the other guy's death was ruled a suicide, she delivered the information as evenly, as matter-of-factly as anyone possibly could. I almost believed it myself, because she delivered it so well. But I knew she didn't believe it. |
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Posted 11-09-2007 at 10:13 PM by skater
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Update on this: the guy was found guilty and the jury recommended 35 years. The judge actually gets to set the punishment, and he could set anything between 20 and 35 years. We'll know May 16.
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Posted 05-06-2008 at 07:18 AM by skater
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