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The Search for Rachel, a father's journal

Monday, November 1, 2004

The Scott Peterson trial is going through closing statements this week. A lot of the media and their "experts" are saying that the trial may end up in a hung jury. The prosecution did not give any direct evidence involving Scott in the murder of his wife Laci. Although a lot of circumstantial evidence was presented, many people feel it won't be enough for all twelve jurors to vote Peterson guilty of first degree murder.

I have said there is no standard way to grieve for a missing or murdered loved one. However, I think Scott Peterson did not act like any other family member of a missing person I know of. He seems to live in a make-believe world with mistresses, world travel, and fancy cars. I guess the jury will decide his fate this week.

Tuesday, November 2

The presidential election was today. It is a close race between George Bush and John Kerry. The results may have to decided by early voting records, which won't be fully counted for days.

Rachel Alert Network will be at WesleyFest this Saturday selling cookbooks, RACHEL'S SONG CDs, and handicrafts. The proceeds will go to pay for RAN functions, such as the M.U.S.T. self-defense and awareness seminars. The fair is on Hwy 29 (University Ave.), which is a couple of miles east of I-35. Take exit 261. We will be there from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 3

An announcement was made this morning that President Bush has been reelected. I hope Mr. Bush will continue to support the search for missing persons and the identification of remains found through programs like the Amber Alert and DNA initiative.

The Scott Peterson trial is now in the hands of the jury. The closing arguments were completed today and the jury is now in deliberation. The jury members will have to decide if Peterson is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt based on what they saw and heard in the courtroom.

Thursday, November 4

The December missing person training class for sheriffs and police chiefs has been confirmed. Our team of instructors will meet in Phoenix again to train another group of law enforcement C.E.O's.

I received an e-mail from murdered Erika Dalquist's mother. She wanted to tell everyone that they buried Erika in late October. Although it does help to have Erika home, the pain of losing her will always be there.

Friday, November 5

Everything is ready for tomorrow's cookbook sale at WesleyFest in Georgetown. We hope to sell over 100 cookbooks. This is a chance for local people to buy the cookbooks without paying any postage. I will help set up the Rachel Alert Network booth tomorrow morning, and then I am heading to the Texas EquuSearch fund-raiser near George Bush International Airport in Houston.

Saturday, November 6 and Sunday November 7

Our WesleyFest cookbook sales were not as good as we had hoped, but we did sell some cookbooks. The weather on Saturday was fantastic. My thanks go out to friends JR and Robbin, my mother, and sister Diane for handling our booth.

Monday, November 8

I noticed A & E Network is doing a biography on Henry Lee Lucas tomorrow night. Lucas killed as many as 100 people in Texas and other southern states. Although he lied about several cases because he wanted to add them to his list of murders, he did murder a lot of people. After he was caught, Lucas was held here in the Williamson County jail for quite a while.

Sometimes I think things like the Lucas story should not be covered by the media because it might encourage another person to do the same thing. Then I remember the old saying about history repeating itself. Maybe the audience will learn something which will help them identify some of the evil traits these creeps have, and another killer may be spotted quicker.

Tuesday, November 9 and Wednesday, November 10

Authorities are still searching for 14-year-old Margaret Catherine "Katy" Wilkerson, who was lured into running away by a 22-year-old man she met on the Internet. Wilkerson left her home on October 25. An update issued by law enforcement stated that Paul Lance Cameron Bennett has conversed with at least six underaged girls in the past year. More information may be found on the League City Police Department web site.

Thursday, November 11 and Friday, November 12

I added directions to this Sunday's M.U.S.T seminar at Southwestern University in Georgetown. The class will be held in the McCombs Campus Center on McKenzie Ave from 2:00-4:00 p.m. A map and directions are available at rachelalert.org/southwestern.html.

Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14

We had a light turnout for Sunday's M.U.S.T. seminar. Only 7 women attended. We were hoping for over 20. Our instructor, Deborah Brown, was able to give a lot more individual attention to the smaller audience. The next M.U.S.T. seminar will probably be on Sunday, January 23, 2005. Details about the time and location will be announced soon.

Monday, November 15

Scott Peterson was found guilty by a jury last Friday. This week the jury will listen to family members and friends before deciding on Peterson's sentence. The main choice the jury has to make is whether to give life imprisonment or the death sentence. In California there are over 500 people on death row, so both sentences are about the same. The only difference will be where Peterson spends his time.

Rachel Alert Network has collected a lot of thank you letters from the community for the work we've done so far. I feel our work in Central Texas has helped a few people.

Tuesday, November 16

The Rachel Alert Network officers meeting was held tonight. We discussed the upcoming bake sale on December 4 and future M.U.S.T. seminars. We also approved a RAN booth at the February 12 Insure-A-Kid Children's Health Fest. Last year's fest was attended by over 500 people.

Wednesday, November 17 and Thursday, November 18

We received our booth location for the Georgetown Christmas Stroll on December 4. The Rachel Alert Network booth will be on the Square by the main stage. We will have a double booth again this year and will be selling baked goods, hot chocolate, and cookbooks.

The Christmas Stroll may be the last chance for people to buy RAN cookbooks. We are down to fewer than 200 cookbooks, and I just received two orders totaling 45 cookbooks. We may order more cookbooks next year, but that has not been decided yet.

Friday, November 19

The two large cookbook orders are boxed and ready to be shipped. The RAN cookbooks have been one of our best fund-raisers. The proceeds from cookbooks sales will go to fund M.U.S.T.seminars and other functions.

Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21

I finally have all of the Rachel Alert Networks documents and other records in one place. After a recent move, everything was spread all over different rooms. Keeping RAN records, Rachel's search records, media articles, correspondence, and other things involved in Rachel's disappearance takes a lot of space.

On Friday, the U.S. Senate endorsed a bill called "Dru's Law," which would set up a national public database of sex offenders and require strict monitoring of high-risk sex offenders for a year after their release from prison. This will be an excellent step forward. I applaud Dru's family and everyone else who worked so hard to get this bill started.

Monday, November 22

Tuesday, November 23, will mark two weeks since Dusty Bambarger disappeared. There will be a candlelight vigil on Wednesday, November 24, at 6 p.m. at the Wal-Mart on O'Neal Lane in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area. The family will be passing out candles, flyers, and ribbons. If you are in that area, please consider attending the ceremony.

Dusty's family wants to get him back in the news. A lot of people think he has been found because they are not hearing any more on it. This is the same thing that happened in Rachel's case and in many other missing person cases. Information about Dusty may be found on www.optimalperform.com/dusty.

Tuesday, November 23

The MONTEL SHOW will feature a program dedicated to missing persons next Monday, November 29. The families of missing Jason Jolkowski, Maura Murray, and others will appear on the show. Sylvia Browne will not be part of this particular program. To find out the time and station in your area, visit Montel's web site.

Wednesday, November 24 through Friday, November 26

The holidays are always the hardest time of year. I'm lucky that I have a large family to support me. Our Thanksgiving dinner was very nice although we all knew someone was missing.

There is a missing person case in San Antonio. Alamo Heights teacher, Diane Allison Tilly, has been missing since Tuesday, November 23. Tilly's car was found Tuesday in western Guadalupe County. Police suspect foul play in her disappearance.

A 33-year-old itinerant lawn care worker and his 15-year-old daughter are being held in Bexar County Jail in connection with the disappearance of Ms. Tilly. Law enforcement claims Neal and his daughter broke into Tilly’s northeast side home in the affluent Alamo Heights area and stole several items, including her ATM and credit cards.

Saturday November 27 and Sunday, November 28

We still have only a small number of people donating for our bake sale next Saturday, December 4. Since we are not having a Run/Walk for Rachel in 2005, we need the smaller fund-raisers like the bake sale to do well. If you would like to donate baked goods, please e-mail info@rachelalert.org or call (512)773-9608. We will have Austin and Georgetown drop-off locations on Friday, December 3.

New evidence was discovered in missing Alamo Heights teacher Diane Tilly's case. Diane Tilly's social security card, wrapped in her bedsheets, was found along the I-10 access road, in East Bexar County, Saturday morning.

Monday, November 29

A few people are contacting me to offer donations for this Saturday's bake sale. We still have only a third of the volunteer bakers we had last year. I'd like to get a few more donations lined up.

Today's MONTEL SHOW about missing adults was very good. Four missing adults were featured, and Kym Pasqualini from the National Center for Missing Adults spoke. Each family was given time to talk about their missing loved one.

Tuesday, November 30

Everything is coming together for this Saturday's bake sale at the Georgetown Christmas Stroll. We should have lots of goodies, hot chocolate, and cookbooks to sell. It's a good chance to pick up Rachel Alert Network cookbooks without paying for postage. They make great Christmas presents.