Missing, Frank Renzi Book 6
Page 34
But no more than I did, I tell you true …
You were the sweetest boy … who ever lived.”
Unable to bear it, Frank slipped out of his pew, went to the back of the church and pushed through the door into the sunlight. But even outside, the words and music continued, a father's tribute to his son.
“So listen to me, Robbie … wherever you are …
I'll love you forever, Robbie … the sweetest boy who ever lived.”
_____
Eight months later on June 20, 2011 a feature article by Raven Woodson, an investigative reporter for the New Orleans FOX News affiliate, appeared in Gambit, a New Orleans weekly.
Unraveling the Mystery
Six months after Samuel Thompson voluntarily turned himself in to New Orleans police, a twelve-member jury deliberated for two hours and found him guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. They found the former NOPD patrolman innocent of an accessory to murder charge. Thompson had been held without bail since his arrest on November 1, 2010.
Several supporters spoke at his sentencing hearing, including two of the kidnapping victims. Six-year-old Emily Gates drew laughter when she said Mr. Thompson was nice to her and let her eat strawberry ice cream. Donna Lee, the former wife of deceased City Councilman Hunter Gates, said she was grateful to Mr. Thompson. “On his own initiative, Sam released me and my daughter. Had he not done so, Emily and I might not be alive today.”
Thompson's wife Abby also spoke on his behalf, saying he was a devoted husband and father. But the most poignant tribute came from his six-year-old disabled son. Sam Junior, known to friends and family as S.J., was born with Spina Bifida, a neurological condition, and uses a wheelchair to get around.
Pointing at his father, he declared: “He's the best dad in the whole world. He never let's me get discouraged. He says if I try hard, I can do whatever I want to do.”
The president of the New Orleans Spina Bifida Association added his support, saying he was eager to hire Thompson. “Sam and his family are longtime members and I'm certain Sam will be a great asset to us as a family benefits coordinator.”
After hearing their statements, the judge sentenced Thompson to six years’ probation, with the stipulation that he cannot serve as a law enforcement officer nor own a firearm.
On November 1, 2010, the other kidnapper, Darin Thanh, died at East Jefferson Hospital in Metairie while being treated for wounds sustained during his apprehension by a New Orleans police detective. Law enforcement officials termed his death suspicious. However, at this writing, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office has not identified the person or persons responsible. Hospital officials say their internal investigation is ongoing.
When New Orleans detectives searched Darn Thanh’s van, they found a blood-stained baseball bat. They believe Thanh used the bat to murder Robbie Lee, Donna Lee's ten-year-old son. Laboratory tests later confirmed that the blood on the bat was Robbie Lee's.
NOPD detectives also found incriminating documents on Thanh's laptop. Several implicated Councilman Hunter Gates in two unsolved crimes in Texas while he was a student at Southern Texas University. In 1982, Gates and four other players on the STU football team allegedly gang-raped an STU student. Six months later Gates was a suspect in the murder of another female student, but he was never charged. The murder remains unsolved.
In 1982, the gang-rape victim declined to press charges, saying she feared for her life. However, when this reporter contacted her and asked for a comment about Gate's murder, the woman, who asked not to be identified, said, “He got what he deserved.”
Donna Lee sold the Lakeview house where she lived with Hunter Gates and moved to an undisclosed location. Currently on leave from her anchorwoman position at WWXL, she now lives with her daughter, Emily Gates, and her husband, René Picou. Although Donna still grieves for her dead son, she is now the proud mother of a two-month old son, Ronald Picou.
When police captured Darin Thanh, he claimed that Hunter Gates was his father. An undated photograph of his mother, Rose Thanh, standing beside Hunter Gates, seemed to support his claim.
Currently, DNA testing is the most accurate way to determine a blood relationship. When Darin Thanh's DNA was compared to the DNA of Hunter Gates, test results indicated that Gates was, in fact, Thanh's biological father.
Six days after Darin Thanh died at East Jefferson Hospital, his mother passed away at the same hospital. Rose Thanh, forty-nine, was awaiting a liver transplant. Her rosary beads and a silver cross engraved with her first name were found with Robbie Lee's body.
The lead investigator, NOPD Homicide Detective Frank Renzi, said, “Robbie helped us find his killer. He was a very brave little boy.”
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Susan says . . .
I'd love to know what you think of MISSING. I know it takes time to post a review, but it needn't be long. What did you like about the book? Did the opening grab you by the throat? Did the suspense keep you turning pages? Who was your favorite character? What do you like best about Frank Renzi? Is he willing to break the rules to get bad guys off the street? Which bad guy did you hate the most? I can't wait to read your review! To make it easy, here's a link to the book. http://myBook.to/Missing Thank you so much!
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Crime novels by Susan Fleet
ABSOLUTION http://smarturl.it/Absolution
DIVA http://getBook.at/Diva-Amazon
NATALIES REVENGE http://myBook.to/NataliesRevenge
JACKPOT http://myBook.to/Jackpot
NATALIE'S ART http://myBook.to/NataliesArt
MISSING http://myBook.to/Missing
Non-fiction by Susan Fleet
WOMEN WHO DARED: Violinist Maud Powell and Trumpeter Edna White http://myBook.to/WomenWhoDared
DARK DEEDS Vol 1 http://myBook.to/DarkDeeds-Vol-One
DARK DEEDS Vol 2 http://myBook.to/DarkDeeds-Vol-Two
Missing is a work of fiction. All names, characters and events are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Susan Fleet All rights reserved.
Published by Music and Mayhem Press
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles or reviews. For information and permissions contact the author at: www.susanfleet.com
Print version
ISBN-10 098-472-3587
ISBN-13 978-0-9847235-8-4
Cover photograph from Fotalia: Child abduction, © Luis Louro used with permission
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In her travels, Susan Fleet has worn many hats: trumpeter, college music professor, music historian and award-winning author to name a few. The Premier Book Awards named her first novel, Absolution, Best Mystery-Suspense-Thriller of 2009. The Feathered Quill Book Awards named Natalie's Revenge Best Mystery-Thriller of 2014.
She now divides her time between Boston and New Orleans, the primary settings of her crime thrillers. See more about Susan on her website: http://www.susanfleet.com
To receive an email alert when her next book comes out, sign up at http://eepurl.com/ExkX9 Your email will never be used for anything else. If you enjoyed MISSING, Susan would appreciate an honest review on the Amazon site where you purchased it. Thank you!
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In addition to my other research, these books were very helpful. Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us, Robert D. Hare, PhD, 1993; The Criminal Mind: A Writer's Guide to Forensic Psychology, Katherine Ramsland, PhD, 2002; Colin V. Ram's doctoral thesis, Regulating Intrastate Crime: How the Federal Kidnapping Act Blurs the Distinction Between What Is Truly Federal and What Is Truly Local, 2008.
/> All my Frank Renzi novels have been a joy to write. Missing was no exception thanks to the many people who helped me. Jaimie Bergeron made helpful comments on an early draft. Diana Hockley read the final draft and offered several crucial suggestions. Travel writer and Hanoi resident Wendy Justice shared her expertise on Vietnamese cuisine. John Amaral proofread the manuscript and offered excellent editorial suggestions; his advice on guns and ammunition was especially helpful.
I am extremely grateful to NOPD Detective Armando Asaro, who was very generous with his time. When I met with him in the District-8 station, he patiently answered my many questions about NOPD procedures and protocols. Thanks also to Jon D. Kurtz, retired Deputy Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, for his advice on police procedures in kidnapping cases. However, the events and actions portrayed in this novel are fictional, and I have taken a certain amount of dramatic license. Any errors or inaccuracies are mine alone.
And finally, my heartfelt thanks to you, my readers! Without you, all my hard work would be in vain. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to send me an email via my website: www.susanfleet.com