I had a shot to the heart today.

[Bertha Venation]

Long story short -- for I need to get to bed -- I learned today that one of my dearest friends of childhood has finally learned what happened to his brother, who disappeared in 1979, at age 13.


See http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2004/07//11/sections/news/news/article_163598.php (I'm afraid free registration is required)

My sister told me about it. I'd feared that my friend, Jeff, might have died. She knew only that Jeff had been my friend in high school; she didn't know that I have tried, about once every six months ever since I had internet access, to find Jeff.

This is my friend, with a photo of him & his brother in childhood


I have seen the inset photo before; to see it again now, more than twenty years later, and to know that Jamie was murdered, has all broken my heart. I can't begin to imagine what the last 25 years have done to Jeff.

Jeff, please call me. Write me. I love you and miss you terribly.

[Dookus]

1. Sorry Bertha...

can you give us the short story of what happened so we don't have to register?

[Bertha Venation]

3. of course, didn't even think of it -- sorry. here's what happened:

Jamie disappeared in 1979. The family never gave up looking for him. As long as I knew him, Jeff was tormented by Jamie's disappearance.

In 1996, James Lee Crummel, child molester and murderer, led police to Jamie's grave off the 74 freeway in Riverside County, CA. He told them he'd found the boy's bones while hiking. Crummel was convicted in June of Jamie's murder and last week the judge sentenced him to death.

This photo of Jeff was in yesterday's Orange County Register.

[Dookus]

7. oh, how awful, Bertha...

so sorry for you and your friend's family. I can't imagine a more horrible experience.

[UrbScotty]

2. My heart goes out to you.

:hug:

I will pray for you.

[Misunderestimator]

4. So sorry, BV... that just absolutely sucks...

I hope you find Jeff and renew your friendship. :hug:

[lovedems]

5. Oh no.

That is a terrible story if you didn't know the victim or the family. It must make it that much worse to have known the family and to have known of their torment. That is a sad, sad story. I hope you are able to find your friend.

I am so sorry. :cry:

[bobthedrummer]

6. I'm sorry for all concerned.

At best there can now be closure for all.
Bob

[mac56]

8. Bertha, I am so sorry for you and for your friend.

Thoughts and prayers going out to him, and to you.

[bubblesby2002]

9. Jeez Bertha.....

what a sad story. Hope you find your friend Jeff.:hug:

[testing123]

10. Sorry to hear about him

Have you registered at classmates.com?

Someone else might know about him.

:hug:

[philosophie_en_rose]

11. I'm so sorry.

:hug:

I hope Jeff is able to connect with you. This is such tragic news.

[tigereye]

12. sorry to hear this Bertha

prayers to you and your friend.

[Catshrink]

13. I am so sorry....

I'm so sorry you have such horrible news. Hopefully, you and Jeff can reconnect in the near future.

Take care of yourself, my friend.

[flamingyouth]

14. My heart just goes out to all of you

What a horrible story. I am so sorry.:hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

15. When I hear about things like this,

it makes me want to hold my boys close.

My parents used to tell me there were no such things as monsters.

Too bad they were wrong. :cry:

I'm sorry, Bertha...for you, your friend, Jamie, and his family.

[Bertha Venation]

16. thank you all

So sorry just to have dropped this and run last night. I needed to tell someone other than Mrs. V. I believe that the more people know about a thing, the easier it becomes to bear. Although maybe it's not true in this case; I had a devil of a time trying to fall asleep last night. I don't know whether it was hearing about Jeff or finally having seen F911, but I last night was miserable and today doesn't look good, either.

But thanks to everyone, everyone, for your warm wishes. I'm sorry I don't have the time to thank you individually.

:hug: thank God for DU

[Magrittes Pipe]

17. Damn, Bertha.

That's terrible. :hug:

I hope the family can finally find some closure, though. It must have been a terrible 2 decades.

[Bertha Venation]

18. more from another article

Thanks, alhedges. Everyones :hug:s are helping. I just wish I could get more IRL.

From the Daily Pilot http://www.latimes.com/news/local/pilot/news/la-dpt-crummel11jul11,1,4057769.story?coll=la-tcn-pilot-news (via the Los Angeles Times -- registration required)

~snip~

Trotter, who spoke in court on Friday, said making statements in front of the judge gave him the opportunity to "vent and release a great deal of pent-up anger."

Trotter implored Crummel to tell the parents of other children he might have murdered about where he left or buried their remains so that those parents could have some closure, he said.

Trotter said his younger brother's death left a void in his life that has never been filled.

"It doesn't matter what picture you look at or what memory you pick up, there's someone missing there and that'll never change," he said. "At this point, the healing will probably start, but our wounds will never close."

~snip~

God, Jeff . . . call me. Please, God, let me be able to help him heal.

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. I am so sorry..for you, for Jeff, for his family...

:(

Would that I could be there in real life right now. I will hope that somehow Jeff sees your post and contacts you.

:hug: :hug: :hug: