My parents divorced in 1972. It was a bit of a long time coming. My mom was a stay at home mom at that point and my dad had been seeing Charlene for a while (mom discovered credit card receipts – honestly, practically a cliche – she paid the bills, of course he knew she’d… More In Search of Lyman Smith’s Mystery Woman
My new friends in the media warned me about this. They said to be ready for the ups and downs. There would be quiet periods and then the noise would start again as decisions are made and new evidence presented. I’m glad they prepared me. I woke up this morning pretty hot because I’m really… More News of the Day: DNA, Evidence, and Victim’s Assistance
I didn’t know who Michelle McNamara was until I heard Patton talking about her on Conan shortly after she died. I had never heard from her nor read any of her work. That was little more than a year ago. I Googled and discovered her LA Magazine article and then read more about her death… More I’ll Be Gone in the Dark – Telling Other People’s Stories – Barnes and Noble Part 2
“Look for Karen,” Ray texted, “She’s coming up for the book event tonight!” Holy cow, I thought, she’s coming all the way to Citrus Heights to see Patton and crew? I knew Ray (and Karen) from my gig at WebEx, part of Cisco. I know East Area Rapist sleuths are a committed group, but I… More Citrus Heights Barnes and Noble Was Packed with Stories, Interest and Support
I sat in court on Tuesday, listening to arguments for the first time, as they apply to privacy, the search warrant, the search “return” (what they found) and three points of view – that of “the people,” which is the prosecution that doesn’t technically represent the victims but instead represents the state, that of the… More Privacy at Issue in DeAngelo Pretrial Hearing: Discuss
I’m not sure I want to know what happened inside my dad’s house. Larry Pool shared a lot with me and I know they both went through hell. But the way the story goes in my head, my dad was bound and as Charlene was being led away, I know his mind was reeling. After… More Open Letter to the Male Survivors of the East Area Rapist
Yesterday, Memorial Day, it was quiet downtown near the jail. I was looking for a place for a “survivor coffee” after court. I passed a woman who looked homeless. She was bloody and I could see a lot of her battered body. Her clothes were tattered, maybe torn, her left shoe was missing and she… More May 29th In Court with East Area Rapist Victims
Had anyone at a Buckhorn Grill looked our way, they would have seen a group of women, whooping it up, sharing laughter and a meal and singing happy birthday. What a wonderful group of women exhibiting a level of resilience that I believe, belongs to women. No matter what, most women know how to “soldier… More The Power of Women – East Area Rapist Survivors Are Fierce
In Silicon Valley it’s not cool to be old. It should be, but it isn’t. What’s old? 40. 50. For sure 56 is and that’s how old I am. Who knew it would be the arrest of DeAngelo that would out me to my co-workers! I have an 18 year old still living at home… More For 30 Years He Lived Among Us
Exec staff was supposed to start at 11am, but as usual our head sales guy was late. As my CEO walked in, he looked my way and said, with an irreverent level of glee, “Wow, we get to be in the presence of a famous person today!” It was all I could do to keep… More Behind the Scenes – Discussing Golden State Killer with 20/20 on ABC