A Blink On Crime Exclusive: DeDe Spicher speaks for the first time about her ordeal in the Kyron Horman investigation.  ©

S. Christina Stoy, Editor In Chief- Blink On Crime

Lea Conner,  Attorney- contributing editor, and, legal analyst

DeDe Spicher

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In the days following the disappearance of 7-year-old Kyron Horman from the Skyline School on June 4^th, 2010, Terri Horman’s inner circle of friends, family and associates—casual acquaintances, shop clerks, and gym employees—were deluged by law enforcement.

Word spread quickly that law enforcement was after anyone who knew, might have known, or had any dealings with Terri Horman. The term used to describe law enforcement’s behavior toward potential witnesses was “bullying. ”

As the president of her former condominium owner’s association, DeDe Spicher was involved in helping the association with litigation against the condo’s builder. Spicher had a working relationship with the association’s legal team, and one afternoon, she casually mentioned the investigation into Kyron’s disappearance to the association’s legal team. Although DeDe had not been contacted by law enforcement, counsel for her condo association recommended to DeDe that, in light of what DeDe had heard about the investigation, if law enforcement were to contact her, she should agree to interview only with counsel present.   She asked the attorney to sit in if that happened,  to which he agreed.  He quickly referred Spicher to attorney Chad Stavley.

With a search warrant in hand for electronic devices only, to which DeDe directed investigators, law enforcement proceeded to search her entire home. Multnomah County Detective Keith Krafve asked Spicher to answer some questions.

DeDe said she replied, “I would be happy to answer any and all questions you have but I would like to do so in the presence of counsel. ”

Law enforcement, in turn, began a prolonged and highly orchestrated effort to bully DeDe Spicher.

When I first introduced myself to Ms. Spicher, I offered my apologies for what she had been through and told her that in my personal opinion, she had been unfairly maligned, if not persecuted. I thanked her for her trust of me to tell her story. Ms. Spicher paid me some kind compliments on my coverage of Kyron’s case to date.

I found her extremely bright, animated and witty, with a charmingly confident , and self-deprecating sense of expression.

I also found Ms. Spicher to be very naive, even now, as to the standards, protocols and practices utilized by law enforcement.

I can’t say that I blame Ms. Spicher for trusting law enforcement so blindly.  The fact is, she grew up around law enforcement but saw very little about the actual workings of an investigation. Ms. Spicher is the daughter of a well-respected—now retired—deputy with the Klamath Falls Sheriff’s Office.

At times, I found myself questioning if I would be able to exhibit the sort of resilience this woman has. Probably not.

I found DeDe Spicher to be unwavering as to her account of events on June 4^th, 2010, and ensuing dates.

It was only a few weeks ago, during a meeting with MCSO detectives Mark Herron and Keith Krafve , investigators  unofficially cleared DeDe Spicher of any involvement in Kyron’s disappearance or of having any knowledge of anyone elses.  She is hopeful that Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill will issue a public statement from his office clearing her officially.

To date, neither the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office nor the DA’s office has publicly declared any persons cleared in the active investigation.

DeDe is adamant that she was not involved, nor did she ever see anything that led her to believe Terri Horman was involved.

DeDe spoke freely and without hesitation as to the relentless harassment she experienced at the hands of law enforcement.

However, DeDe is adamant that she does not want this piece to express any sort of “pity DeDe” perspective. She does not want anyone to feel sorry for her.

DeDe hopes that by speaking publicly, the public’s curiosity will be satisfied, and the focus of the investigation into Kyron’s disappearance can return to an actual investigation.

This is her story.

In Her Own Words

“. . . On a positive note, I have met some really nice people out of all this, so that’s how I choose to look at it. I can’t control other people’s actions or opinions about me…”

“I did not know anything’ I never knew anything ;and I could not get them (law enforcement) to believe me for over three years. ”

“. . . Since the investigation started, I believe they were able to narrow the time I was supposedly missing [never was, never left the property] but they never shared that with me and have not to this day. . ”

“. . . There was no communication between Terri and I since her birthday party in March [2010], and we had only been in touch the December before that [in 2009]. Terri and I were not best buds. I think that was something investigators were really hung up on. They could not understand that I would rush to someone’s aid that on the surface was a more casual friend. They saw that as behavior of someone that had something to hide, or as a motive of some kind…”

What investigators believed that motive was, they certainly never shared with DeDe Spicher. (more…)

Nelson County, VA-

Randolph Taylor

Announced this morning by  Virginia Commonwealth Attorney an arrest has been made in the abduction of missing Lovington woman Alexis Murphy.

Randolph Allen Taylor,  is being held in Albemarle County Jail on a kidnapping charge.

Murphy’s vehicle was found over the weekend in a Charlottesville Carmike parking lot near her job at a consignment boutique,  Murphy has not been located and was last seen at a gas station approximately 39 miles away.

Taylor was the recent recipient of vacated charges when Green County, VA Major Randy Snead authorized the placement of a GPS, without a warrant, under Taylor’s 1993 Gran Marquis while investigating his association to another missing woman- Samantha Clarke.  

Snead was exonerated in any wrongdoing after he chased a 19 year old man who had stolen a deputies vehicle out of his jurisdiction and was part of over twenty officer’s responsible for shooting the suspect, Colby Eppard.

The FBI is also looking for a GMC Suburban which is also associated with Randy Taylor.

During today’s press conference,  Richmond FBI Chief announced that law enforcement will not be commenting on reports of Taylor’s  suspect status in other possibly related unsolved cases, however,  www.blinkoncrime has learned that at the top of the possible case list is the unsolved abduction and murder of Alicia Showalter Reynolds.  Taylor bears a strikingly similar resemblance to the sketch generated in Reynolds disappearance and murder.

1996 Showalter Suspect

Two unsolved murders in 1996 Shenandoah National Park, Julianne Williams and Lollie Winans which resulted in a 2002 indictment against Darrell Rice ended in the withdrawal of same in 2004 due to a DNA profile found that did not match  Rice.  It is not known if police are investigating any potential involvement by Taylor in that case.

Although Virginia State Police and the FBI have a DNA match to whom  they believe is responsible for the assault and murder of Morgan Harrington after she was denied re-entry into a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones arena- which matches a composite sketch of an African American man also wanted for a sexual assault in 2005 in Fairfax,  sources inside Harrington’s unsolved murder case have confirmed that they have been asked to look into any similarities.

This is a developing story, please check back to blinkoncrime.com as more details become available.

If you are reading this and have followed the Kyron Homan disappearance coverage since he vanished from Skyline School on June 4^th 2010,  you know my coverage and commentary has focused on the macro analysis of the case details- both publicly available and via developed sources.   This report contains newly released information known to law enforcement.  It’s contents, to include reader commentary and moderation response,  may not be reproduced or copied without express written consent by it’s author  in accordance with applicable copyright law.

*TONIGHT* LIVE ON THE DANA PRETZER SHOW- S. Christina Stoy,  Editor In Chief discusses the Kyron Horman Case status LIVE at 9PM EST.

Click Here To Listen To Podcast

Last Week’s Meet And Greet

On Tuesday July 30^th, the attorneys representing Terri Moulton Horman,  Kaine Horman and Desiree Young attended a series of case hearings.  Not held in chambers as announced, but public guests were barred.

On the docket- Desiree Young’s “stay” status of the $10 million dollar civil tort action brought against Terri Horman and the dissolution (divorce and custody) litigation brought by Kaine Horman, Terri’s estranged husband.  Until July 26^th, there were additional hearings and status conferences scheduled for the recently renewed Freedom From Abuse and Protection Act  (FAPA) motion to contest and compel depositions in the restraining order prohibiting Terri Horman from contact with the couple’s daughter Kiara, now 5 years old.  Horman has not seen her daughter since June 2010 despite several attempts through counsel to arrange parenting time.    Engel, one of the attorneys representing Kaine Horman, argues that the FAPA case is consolidated with the divorce action, and therefore stayed.

Peter Bunch, counsel for Terri Horman, argues that there is no consolidation order.

Non attorney’s still do not understand how the initial proceeding to renew the FAPA order occurred when the plaintiff failed to file the required motion and accompanying affidavits in advance as required, or even serve the respondent’s attorneys until ordered to do so by Judge Henry Kantor once the hearing commenced.  Kantor ordered the renewal anyway.  I will let the goodly Oregon bar members weigh in on that anomaly.

That was then.  This is now.

As of July 31^st, the FAPA restraining order was expired and a civil no contact order was put in its place.  The dissolution matter (divorce) stay has been lifted and Desiree Young announced she was instructing her attorney’s to withdraw the $10 million dollar suit financed by public donations.

On the same front steps where Atty Rosenthal announced that they were launching the suit to peel the onion that is to include law enforcement, and to “make Terri Horman talk” was withdrawn in similar fashion.

However, on this occasion,  Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill was not spotted on the steps observing.   Rosenthal and Young indicated the recent appearance and testimony of former object of compulsion to testify, DeDe Spicher, as well as information that the investigative case file necessary (their words) to prove their claims would not be forthcoming.  In an article analyzing the suit appearing on BOC it was predicted that Ms. Young would face possible countersuit and associated fees should the suit continue as filed.

Attorneys for both Kaine and Terri appeared before Multnomah County Circuit Family law Judge Susan Svetkey on August 1, 2013.   Judge Svetkey is Houze’s wife.  The docket information for that hearing has not yet been entered into the file as of this publication.

The only comment about the withdrawal of the civil tort action by Stephen Houze:

“The lawsuit was unfounded and lacking in legal merit,” Houze said. “One can only hope that the dismissal of this meritless lawsuit receives the same degree of media scrutiny as was given to its filing.”

 In recent interviews, Kaine Horman has intimated that his wife has expressed her desire to help find Kyron, or at least contribute to excluding herself as a possible suspect.  He also admitted that he no longer has any communication with Desiree Young, Kyron’s mother.   He sometimes wonders what law enforcement is actually doing on his son’s case.   This is a firm departure from how Mr. Horman initially retained his six figure attorney Laura Rackner of Gearing, Rackner, and Engel & McGrath.   Ms. Rackner appears to have promulgated her duties of late to her partner, Brett Engel.

This all seemed to start when formidable and well known tort Attorney Mark Wagner came out of retirement to appear as counsel for Terri Horman.   Wagner and Rackner know each other, and Rackner is no stranger to LE –based dissolution entanglements.

In fact, Wagner represented her and her previous firm successfully.

Bagel Finagle

Kaine Horman’s attorney Laura Rackner is no stranger to law enforcement infused litigation.  She is a former prosecutor for Oregon’s department of Justice, The U.S. Department of Justice, and Office of Chief Counsel.  Ms. Rackner has specificity in Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) casework.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Laura received her B.S. in 1979 and her J.D. in 1984, both from the University of Oregon.

Prior to entering private practice, Laura served as deputy district attorney in the Marion County District Attorney’s Office; assistant attorney general in the Oregon Department of Justice; and on the staff of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Chief Counsel, Drug Enforcement Administration.

Record Scratch.

Martin Rob Cagan, The bagel king and according to him, a supreme target of a police shakedown at the hands of his former spouse’s attorneys was the litigious sort.

In fact, this may be how Atty Wagner decides to come out of retirement and become part of Terri Horman’s defense team while the civil suit was active.

Wagner’s firm represented Ms. Rackner in a suit filed by  Rob Cagan in which he sued the Dueshete Police Department,    A partner in the firm representing Caroleen Vanhoomissen, the suit (or ramblings of a very angry divorcee) alleges that the firm and its lawyers facilitated the difficulties of Mr. Cagan utilizing law enforcement sources directly by the attorneys was dismissed.

Ms. Vanhoomissen, the sister of Judge Vanhoomissen is also the owner of a horse farm in Bend, Oregon.  Blinkoncrime was unable to verify if it was the Bend horse farm searched in the early days of the investigation for Kyron.

Attorney Rackner’s prior working relationship with the DEA, the very agency that supplied the undercover officer in the failed sting involving Horman landscaper Rudy Sanchez begs the question- Did Rackner use her contacts and/or credentials to facilitate a surreptitious ruse to gain favor for her client in anticipation of his wife’s potential arrest?

Kaine is on record that law enforcement informed him they had probable cause to arrest Terri.  What is not on record, is what came first- the referral to Rackner.

I just  want to do what I can to help law enforcement

Seems like an odd comment coming from a family attorney with a background as a prosecutor working with the DEA,  which agency subsequently becomes involved in the case- or initially led to her representation- the chicken or the egg facts remain unclear.

The ex parte and originally sealed restraining order did not exclude Terri Horman from the marital home.  Was this an oversight of a very seasoned family attorney or was the basis of the now defunct restraining order as provided to Kaine Horman and Laura Rackner by law enforcement effectively invalidated by Terri Horman calling 911?

Is the reason that Atty Engel seems to have taken over representation of Kaine Horman due to the fact that these actions could render Ms. Rackner a witness in her client’s case as opposed to his Attorney?

In the motions and subsequent hearing scheduled for July 30^th, the only available arguments outside of the parties agreement is to contest the basis for the FAPA order- or, the allegation Kaine Horman has made within his affidavits more than once, that his wife tried to hire “our landscaper” to kill him, and that she is being investigated for “violent crimes.”

The outcome?

The order was converted to a civil no-contact order which has not yet been added to the file for public review.

Desiree and Kaine’s respective camps both claimed “protecting the integrity of the investigation” was their only interest although the ONLY 2 witnesses who were summoned for deposition by Terri Horman’s lawyers were- the lead investigator of Kyron’s investigation for 18 months- Bobby John O’Donnell and Kaine Horman.

(more…)

Holly Christine Fischer, 39, has been missing since Monday May 27th.  (UPDATE: THE BODY OF HOLLY FISCHER HAS BEEN LOCATED NEAR HER CAR, WHICH WENT OVER A CLIFF OFF OF 16 IN NC)

Courtesy Holly Fischer

She has not been seen nor heard from since leaving her parents’ home in Knoxville, TN according to a missing persons report filed by her Father Ted.

Ted Fischer described his daughter as “upset” when she left the home Memorial Day- over her pending divorce from estranged husband Ali Ozan Girit. Fischer states that he spoke to Girit and inquired as to his daughter’s whereabouts but Girit proclaimed he has not seen Holly since she left Tennessee.

Holly Fischer, a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Parsons School of Design was a regional sales manager for Discovery Communications through last year.

She has worked in the fashion and design industry for brands like Club Monaco and DKNY.

Girit, a competitive bodybuilder and training manger of LA Fitness according to his linked in profile, signed over a deed to the couples Huntersville home in January of this year. Girit is a former resident of Weehawken, NJ and worked security in New York City in 2009.

Holly Fischer left her parents’ home in Knox County on Monday May 27th and friend Liz Stafford Ajello called the Fischer’s when Holly had not arrived by Wednesday. Ms. Ajello went as far as to suggest foul play is involved in Holly’s disappearance.   Police are focusing their efforts on the area approximately 100 miles  away based on pings from Fischers phone in Ashe and Wilkes counties.

Coward said Fischer’s father told authorities his daughter was upset about her upcoming divorce.

“Her parents seem to think she might have decided to go to Ashe County, to collect herself,” said Liz Stafford, who said she has been a friend of Fischer’s for more than 20 years, dating back to their days as students at Charlotte Latin School.

Holly is believed to be driving her vehicle- a  UPDATE: DARK GRAY*  2004 Infinity FX 35 and was last seen in Newport wearing a white blouse, denim shorts and sandals. She is blonde with brown eyes, approximately 5’10” and 140 lbs.
Her license plate is registered in North Carolina DMV and is XYH6678. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is JNRAS08W64X203396
Anyone that may have seen her or her vehicle is asked to contact  911

*There is scratches on the driver side mirror and and along the front fender.  For the auto and auto salvage/impound community the actual factory color is Beryllium 16.

Image courtesy Arias

Phoenix, AZ-  In the 4 month long trial of Jodi Ann Arias for the murder of her brief boyfriend Travis Victor Alexander, the jury deliberating since last Friday has arrived at a verdict in her case.   Arias was found guilty of the pre-meditated murder of  Travis Alexander on June 4th, 2008.

Cleveland, OH Missing since 2003 ns 2004 respectively - Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were found alive this afternoon.   A suspect who has not been identified is said to be interviewing with police.

This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates