I thought I’d make my first article back about a very recent case. On August 18, 2023, 66-year-old Laura Ann Carleton, who went by Lauri, was shot and killed by a man at her boutique clothing store, Mag.pi, in Cedar Glen in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. Outside the store hung a large rainbow flag, waving proudly for all passersby to see.  Lauri Carleton (source: Wikipedia) While Lauri did not identify as LGBTQ+, she was a staunch ally, advocating for, supporting and donating to LGBTQ+ charities and causes, in particular, Lake Arrowhead’s local LGBTQ+ organisation ..read more

Please be aware that this article discusses a hate crime committed against a victim based on sexual orientation, and might be particularly difficult for some readers. The water tower in Bay Minette, AL (source: youtube.com) As with many small towns in the southern United States, Bay Minette, Alabama, has an abundance of churches; holy places where people gather to take in and reflect on God’s teachings. Just as important, it's to these places that people flock to enjoy a sense of community and coming together.  In conflict with the many places of worship and what they supposedly represen ..read more

Dr. Dennis Rhee, the forensic pathologist on duty at the hospital that day, recorded the body’s state of decomposition as “moderate”. Despite this, he was still able to identify a tattoo between the shoulder blades. It was a name, “Eugene Fontaine”, with the dates 01-03-1970 - 30-10-2011 below. Angel wings framed it on either side. The day was August 17, 2014. Detective John O’Donovan had been at home with his family when he got the call that swiftly put an end to his peaceful afternoon. The Red River in Winnipeg, where Tina Fontaine’s body was found (source: Wikipedia) A body had been discov ..read more

Please be aware that this article includes descriptions of the lynching of a black man by white supremacists, and does involve details of the murder itself. There are also quotes from the perpetrators that include racial slurs. I feel these details, while deeply upsetting, are important in helping readers gain a deeper understanding of the depravity of the crime. I also believe that whitewashing a story like this one does a great disservice to the victim and his legacy. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we do not forget what happened to him. This is part one of the James Byrd Jr story. Part ..read more

When he went out to the scene of the crime, a spot behind Mayfield Middle School, Tim Fortner initially thought the body was a mannequin. As he got closer, however, the presence of flies proved him wrong.  Fortner was selected to lead the investigation by Ronnie Lear, Mayfield’s assistant chief of police. Fortner was a low-level patrolman and former deputy-jailer with no experience as a detective. This was his first homicide. He admitted from the outset that he was totally out of his depth.  Fortner was horrified by what he saw. The body of the young black woman was decomposing quick ..read more

When Linda Stoltzfoos disappeared on her way home from church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in June 2020, it thrust into the limelight a community which is traditionally known to shy away from modern world influences like mass media and technology.  As you might have guessed, Linda was Amish. For this reason, there isn’t much information available about her, partly due to the resistance of Amish people to modern technology, but also the Amish belief in the importance of community over individualism. Therefore, for the purpose of this article, I’m going to tell you a little bit about t ..read more

Although we might not necessarily love our jobs, we can at least feel confident in the knowledge that while we are working at said job, our employer will keep us safe. This sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? If our workplace is creating a hazard to our health or is likely to cause us injury, our employer is required by law to fix this. Labor laws exist to ensure that our work doesn’t negatively impact our health or well-being. For example, we’re not supposed to work more than a certain number of hours per week. The age that a person can start work is regulated because we decided that child labor i ..read more

The English translation of the term au pair is "at par" or "equal to", indicating that the relationship is intended to be one of equals: the au pair is intended to become a member of the family, albeit a temporary one, rather than a traditional domestic worker. Moving abroad can be extremely daunting, particularly as a single, young adult. As an au pair, however, it shouldn’t be quite as nerve-wracking. Au pairing is usually a positive experience for the au pair and the hiring family. Au pairs have the opportunity to embrace a new culture, improve their language skills (if moving to a country ..read more

Listen to my podcast episode on this case: Powered by RedCircle For privacy information about data collected from using this player, click here. A fascination with mythical creatures like vampires and dragons is nothing out of the ordinary. Role-playing, specifically the game Dungeons and Dragons, has become an immensely popular pastime for tens of thousands of people across the globe. And who wouldn't want an escape from this intense, messed up world from time to time? Lisa Manderach was beautiful, with a mane of shiny, black curls and a beaming smile. I know it's a cliché, but she genuinely ..read more

Victoria Martens (source: Facebook) Updated: February 24, 2022 Just a heads up before you read any further: this is one of the hardest cases I've ever written about. I spend a lot of time reading and writing about the horrors humans inflict on one another, but this one really shook me. I personally do not have children, but I’m pretty sure that most parents would agree with me when I say that having kids turns your life upside down. When you bring another person into the world, everything changes. You have to make sacrifices, because you don’t come first anymore. This is how it should be. But ..read more