Found

Wally has been located. In light of the previous blog, and the reference to the popular 80's "Wheres Waldo" books, I had a private snicker when I pried open the trunk lid and saw Wally; he was wearing a red and white shirt.

After standing in the cold, snowy wrecking yard for 4 hours waiting for a search warrant to open the car up, I was cursing winter weather. However when I saw Wally, I noted that he (in spite of being killed almost two weeks ago, way back on the 9th) was "Just killed" fresh. I should be very thankful to the good Lord for the cold, in that there was absolutely NO smell (or fish bait... if ya know what I mean).

Fortunately for me, because I am less adverse to grabbing frozen bodies than Detective Brew, he got to go and notify the family. I can shield myself from tragedy with the whole puzzle of trying to discover what exactly went on, and a bit of dark humor; but there is always a family that has experienced loss. Didn't matter if the victim was Mother Theresa or Genghis Kahn, the family only sees what was good, and if there was nothing good they fantasize that there could have been good. It's pretty common, look online at "Obituaries" from a large metropolitan area and try and concentrate on those where there is a young person (16-26 years old) that has died and there is no reference to a medical problem. This leaves suicides, car accidents and victims of violence. Often times you will read lines like, "He was turning his life around" or "Those close to him know he had a good heart."

I used to absolutely scoff at this stuff, showing others at the PD the obit for some criminal victim (we collect them as part of the case file) and just laugh at the absolutely fictional crud being written about poor gang-banger Gary, shot in a drive by; "He loved his family... he was a loving son... he had just re-enrolled in school and was going to get his diploma... blah blah blah..."

BUT, now that I'm older, I realize more each day what a sinner I am, and think to myself: Don't YOU want YOUR family to think what is best about you? Shouldn't your family be the one who has hope for you, no matter how many times you screw up?

I read the obituaries now without laughing; and God bless families who still have hope for their criminal, no-good, drug-dealing, car-thieven sons.

Merry Christmas

Where's Waldo?

Wally the car thief is missing. Rumor on the street is he stole the wrong car, belonging to a local member of the Northwest chapter of either Sharks or Jets (Westside Story reference), and ended up being shot and dumped on some mountain side near town. Detective Drew and I have walked about 6 miles of dirt roads looking for the body... every other day we hear a rumor of where Wally could be, and we would rush right out and look at lots of nothing.

This morning Evidence Tech Kristen came to my desk and said, "Fire (aid crew) is responding to a body in the canal just north of town!" The scene is pretty macabre, here we are, a couple of supposedly responsible, well-adjusted adults all giddy to go look at a dead guy as if we were a couple of school girls running to the store because they just heard glitter nail polish is two for one today only.

Bummer for us, the dead guy was not Wally. Just some poor slob who got mad at the misses and went running out into the night, forgetting he lives next to a swift-water canal. I guess he wanted to "Cool off." (rim shot baaadda BISH). Sorry, bad joke, but it's tough to get too worked up over stupid.

Well... maybe I will get lucky tomorrow, it's a new day, and it's winter in Yakima- which means it's really tough to dig in frozen ground ... so, It's just a matter of time before we find Wally.