Nona Dirksmeyer, 2005 Miss Arkansas pageant contestant found dead in her apartment

[lorettalockhorn]

I did not say I knew Nona and her family, only of them. I did not feel the need back then to discuss the brutal murder, I felt it was being handled by the proper authorities. Agreed, I would have told the judge during voir dire, had I been called for jury duty, that I knew people involed in the case. I attended the hearing because I wanted to see/hear for myself the proceedings. Agreed, that too might have excluded me during voir dire.

Foul again- in your opinion I deflected. I can only tell you I have done my level best to answer questions. Why else would I hang around here and continue to post? I want to see this case settled.

And yes, I still believe the media was biased in this case.

Why is exactly the question. You insisted that York had an attorney for quite some time but couldn't remember who in LE gave you the information; yet you would have recognized Waid from his testimony (you have claimed that you heard all testimony); you were finally able to come up with his name after quite some time. You continued to insist that two boys testified to having had sex with Nona even though that was not the case. You reported that there was an incident of oral sex in one of the music rooms at Tech, but others present did not hear that testimony from JH. This represents why you are not credible to me, among other statements and inconsistencies.

[oxfordwebster]

know I have questioned some posters identity here as well, yours included.And who have I claimed to be?

[hawgustusgloop]

I found the kid on Facebook a while back. He's fair-complected.

Also, didn't this incident with the dark-complected boy involve him driving off in Nona's car? Why would Trey York need Nona's car? If it was possibly Trey in his own car, wouldn't that make Brandy Bean less reliable as a witness for saying it was Nona's car?

[christina]

And who have I claimed to be?

Someone who has talked with many people present in the courtroom.

[christina]

Why is exactly the question. You insisted that York had an attorney for quite some time but couldn't remember who in LE gave you the information; yet you would have recognized Waid from his testimony (you have claimed that you heard all testimony); you were finally able to come up with his name after quite some time. You continued to insist that two boys testified to having had sex with Nona even though that was not the case. You reported that there was an incident of oral sex in one of the music rooms at Tech, but others present did not hear that testimony from JH. This represents why you are not credible to me, among other statements and inconsistencies.

Do you think the discussion on this blog would be more productive without me posting?

[hawgustusgloop]

Good morning Hawg. Both are true. I have friends who attended church with Carol and Nona and they informed me of what wonderful people they were.
Again, it is not my intent to lie. I can see how this is misleading though and I am sorry for that.

I fail to see how both can be true. I don't see how you can both "not know" someone, and at the same time, "Know and like" them. IMO I don't personally care whether you know them or not, I just thought people should be aware of the discrepancy if they wish to consider it in assessing the credibility of your other posts.

[christina]

Also, didn't this incident with the dark-complected boy involve him driving off in Nona's car? Why would Trey York need Nona's car? If it was possibly Trey in his own car, wouldn't that make Brandy Bean less reliable as a witness for saying it was Nona's car?

You are right, Bean was shown a picture of a car and could tell the difference between Nona's and York's. She said he drove off in Nona's after she threw the keys at him.

[lorettalockhorn]

After posting it, someone, I think nobody, retracted that was not Yorks myspace page.

After comparing the Facebook Trey York to the myspace Trey York, I'll say that if they aren't the same, then they must be dopplegangers.

[christina]

I fail to see how both can be true. I don't see how you can both "not know" someone, and at the same time, "Know and like" them. IMO I don't personally care whether you know them or not, I just thought people should be aware of the discrepancy if they wish to consider it in assessing the credibility of your other posts.

Understand.

[christina]

Did you ever answer the questions about Trey's complexion? Everybody I have talked to that was in the courtroom said that Trey didn't have a dark complexion like the neighbor claimed she saw. I know you were asked about his complexion in the courtroom but I never saw an answer, but I guess I could have missed it.

Is this the same substance that Carol Dipert testified was there when Nona moved in? Just trying to keep my facts straight.

You have not answered me here. Who asked me in the courtroom?

[lorettalockhorn]

Understand.

So which is it? Saying that you both do and don't know Nona and her family is an inconsistancy at best.

[oxfordwebster]

You have not answered me here. Who asked me in the courtroom?I meant on this forum, not in the courtroom. That should have been obvious since, you know, you were asked on this forum about his complexion and, in context, is what I was talking about.

Shrug.

Edit: To do some further hand-holding: "asked about his complexion in the courtroom" meant "asked about York's complexion in the courtroom, as in York, that guy you saw in the courtroom yourself, what was his complexion"

[hawgustusgloop]

You are right, Bean was shown a picture of a car and could tell the difference between Nona's and York's. She said he drove off in Nona's after she threw the keys at him.

Clarification: She did NOT say Trey York drove off in Nona's car. She said the dark-complected boy she described did.

[oxfordwebster]

I'd like to know more about the "wrist things" that Bean described, since I see a ton of kids wearing "wrist things." It's been pretty popular for some reason.

[christina]

So which is it? Saying that you both do and don't know Nona and her family is an inconsistancy at best.

I was saying I understood the conclusions Hawg was making.
I should not have said I knew Nona's family but that I knew of them. I would have to re read through the posts to see what else was being said/going on.

[hawgustusgloop]

I was saying I understood the conclusions Hawg was making.
I should not have said I knew Nona's family but that I knew of them. I would have to re read through the posts to see what else was being said/going on.

I found that on Page 30, but there ain't no way to claim it was taken out of context IMO.

[oxfordwebster]

I was saying I understood the conclusions Hawg was making.
I should not have said I knew Nona's family but that I knew of them. I would have to re read through the posts to see what else was being said/going on.What possible context could explain you lying about knowing Nona and her family, enough to where you can talk about their spirituality?

[christina]

Clarification: She did NOT say Trey York drove off in Nona's car. She said the dark-complected boy she described did.

Correct. She did not state York's name.

[Riviera]

Let's get back on topic please----> Nona Dirksmeyer, 2005 Miss Arkansas pageant contestant found dead in her apartment

Thank you

R

[oxfordwebster]

Correct. She did not state York's name.Well, that a good example of why (edit: I) think you're being misleading. You constantly refer to York as if he was identified when he wasn't.

[hawgustusgloop]

Well, that a good example of why (edit: I) think you're being misleading. You constantly refer to York as if he was identified when he wasn't.

When did this incident with the dark-complected kid supposedly occur?

[sololobo]

Going on memory here.....I seem to recall Bacon (?) saying something about 3ridges being sufficient for comparison. Maybe he finds that sufficient for a personal comparison but the automated system requires more?

Anyway, on another note (and also from the Courier's witness summaries):

" Former Russellville Police Chief James Bacon testified about several latent fingerprints he collected from items seized at the crime scene. He said no usable prints were collected from blood smears observed on a CANDLE and a set of vertical blinds."

So apparently the candle wasn't wiped clean of prints.....they just weren't deemed usable. Didn't find anything on whether the blood was typed, though.

If the candle was not wiped clean of prints, did the killer wear gloves and was not concerned about possible prints? Same question for the other blood stains around the apartment. Any comments?

[oxfordwebster]

When did this incident with the dark-complected kid supposedly occur?I believe it was supposedly a month before the murder, so sometime in November. Here we go:

BRANDY BEAN, a woman who lives in an upstairs apartment across the parking lot from Dirksmeyer’s, told the jury she saw a man three times at Dirksmeyer’s apartment in the weeks before her death. She said the man was not Jones, and described him as being about 5-feet, 7-inches tall with a medium build, a dark complexion and dark hair wearing a baseball cap and “things” on his wrists.

She said she first saw him in the middle of November 2005. She said he was “beating” on Dirksmeyer’s door, and although she never saw Dirksmeyer, she said she heard a female voice telling the man to leave. She said the door opened and the person on the other side threw a set of keys at the man, and he drove off in Dirksmeyer’s silver Mustang.

[hawgustusgloop]

If the candle was not wiped clean of prints, did the killer wear gloves and was not concerned about possible prints? Same question for the other blood stains around the apartment. Any comments?

These comments are not based on anything concrete and are just speculation on my part:

I personally feel like the candle was most likely knocked over either during the murder, cover-up, or discovery and probably never was touched by the killer in a way that would leave prints. It would be helpful to know where the candle was in relation to where it usually was in the apartment, but I have no idea about that.

The crime is so brutal that I think it was committed in extreme rage, so I don't think the killer planned ahead and wore gloves during that attack. Plus, thick gloves would make the "punch-type" wounds difficult to make. There is the outside chance that the killer just happened to be wearing gloves because it was December, but it doesn't seem very likely IMO.

I do, however, think that during the possible cleaning up/staging/whatever, the killer may have likely either put on gloves or put something like a shirt or towel over his hands so as not to leave bloody prints everywhere.

[sololobo]

These comments are not based on anything concrete and are just speculation on my part:

I personally feel like the candle was most likely knocked over either during the murder, cover-up, or discovery and probably never was touched by the killer in a way that would leave prints. It would be helpful to know where the candle was in relation to where it usually was in the apartment, but I have no idea about that.

The crime is so brutal that I think it was committed in extreme rage, so I don't think the killer planned ahead and wore gloves during that attack. Plus, thick gloves would make the "punch-type" wounds difficult to make. There is the outside chance that the killer just happened to be wearing gloves because it was December, but it doesn't seem very likely IMO.

I do, however, think that during the possible cleaning up/staging/whatever, the killer may have likely either put on gloves or put something like a shirt or towel over his hands so as not to leave bloody prints everywhere.

I wonder how far away the table with the overturned lamp was from the body? That sounds like a good place for a candle.

[Leroy L]

Do you think the discussion on this blog would be more productive without me posting?

(With apologies to loretta, I'm too lazy to create a totally original name. I'm stealing her "husbands".)

Okay, Christina - you've got me worried now. So, a lurker is compelled to chime in. I don't want you to stop posting. You have some thought provoking things to say. You also seem like a very nice lady.


The prosecution had a picture of the lighbulb in relation to the body up on the screen during Bacon's testimony. They asked him to physically illustrate the position Jones would be in when he touched the bulb. He came off the stand and stood in front of the tv and jury and did so. When he did, it was obvious to me(so I assume others also) that Jones could have been on the body and touched the bulb. But add to that the body was even closer to the bulb prior to Jones turning it over and it becomes probable he touched it.As for "lieing", I agree with what you have said previously, he could have touched it and not been aware he had.
One point that needs to be made-If he had been the murderer, it seems to me as intelligent as he was assumed by the prosecution(a 31 on the ACT), he would have told the police he did touch it when he found her so as to explain why his print was there.
As for Whiteside and Janice Jones testifying they did not see him touch anything- I think they were telling the truth. But that does not mean he did not touch the bulb, it just means they did not see it.
If I remember the sequence correctly- Janice was out front when the boys came in the back. After entering the apartment Whiteside initiates a call to 911 while Jones ran to Nona. While on the phone Whiteside goes to the front door and opens it to let Janice in and gives her the phone. Whiteside returns to Jones and Nona. By that point Jones has turned Nona over and would have already touched the bulb.
We also know it was dark as the EMT testified she had to turn the light on.

Having said that, and in the interest of disclosure - I'm of a like mind with loretta and ox about this case. With all the other "factors" that Bristow threw at the jury, there is still not a reasonable doubt in my mind who took Nona. (All just based on media reports and this forum.)

The intent here is not to pile on, but to maybe further explain some frustration that I (am maybe others) have felt about some of your posts. For example, the one above where you say it became probable that Kevin touched the bulb. Simply because something is in your proximity does not (in my mind, anyway) make it probable you will touch it. When is the last time anyone unintentionally touched their computer screen?

I guess someone could say Kevin was thrashing around while he was trying to resusitate Nona, keep her warm , or whatever he was allegedly supposed to be doing. Which would add just another layer of unbelievability (is that a word) to this whole thing anyway, to me.


QUOTE=christina;8901708]I came face to face with Mrs. Jones unexpectedly a few weeks ago. I took her hand and told her I was praying for her, Kevin and her family.
I am glad the trial has started and hope justice prevails.[/QUOTE]

Although I believe you are trying to remain as objective as you can, quotes like the one above raise questions for me. Christina - Thank you for your contributions, and please do continue.

[hawgustusgloop]

Welcome to the board, Leroy L!
:seeya:

[christina]

These comments are not based on anything concrete and are just speculation on my part:

I personally feel like the candle was most likely knocked over either during the murder, cover-up, or discovery and probably never was touched by the killer in a way that would leave prints. It would be helpful to know where the candle was in relation to where it usually was in the apartment, but I have no idea about that.

The crime is so brutal that I think it was committed in extreme rage, so I don't think the killer planned ahead and wore gloves during that attack. Plus, thick gloves would make the "punch-type" wounds difficult to make. There is the outside chance that the killer just happened to be wearing gloves because it was December, but it doesn't seem very likely IMO.

I do, however, think that during the possible cleaning up/staging/whatever, the killer may have likely either put on gloves or put something like a shirt or towel over his hands so as not to leave bloody prints everywhere.

I agree, it does not seem the killer thought ahead prior to the attack. It was a "spur of the moment" thing. That is partly evidenced by the use of availablel murder weapons rather than outside ones. The candle was found in the vicinity of the body with blood on it so I think it was in some way part of the attack. As for brutal- some testimony that bothers me is the knife usage- not deep cuts, cuts in different directions, only on one side. That came across as a demented and did not fit the into the rage part.
The other question I have is where is the green sweater she was wearing that day, or any other top, just jeans were at the scene.

[christina]

I wonder how far away the table with the overturned lamp was from the body? That sounds like a good place for a candle.

It seemed within about 3-4 feet.

[christina]

(With apologies to loretta, I'm too lazy to create a totally original name. I'm stealing her "husbands".)

Okay, Christina - you've got me worried now. So, a lurker is compelled to chime in. I don't want you to stop posting. You have some thought provoking things to say. You also seem like a very nice lady.




Having said that, and in the interest of disclosure - I'm of a like mind with loretta and ox about this case. With all the other "factors" that Bristow threw at the jury, there is still not a reasonable doubt in my mind who took Nona. (All just based on media reports and this forum.)

The intent here is not to pile on, but to maybe further explain some frustration that I (am maybe others) have felt about some of your posts. For example, the one above where you say it became probable that Kevin touched the bulb. Simply because something is in your proximity does not (in my mind, anyway) make it probable you will touch it. When is the last time anyone unintentionally touched their computer screen?

I guess someone could say Kevin was thrashing around while he was trying to resusitate Nona, keep her warm , or whatever he was allegedly supposed to be doing. Which would add just another layer of unbelievability (is that a word) to this whole thing anyway, to me.


QUOTE=christina;8901708]I came face to face with Mrs. Jones unexpectedly a few weeks ago. I took her hand and told her I was praying for her, Kevin and her family.
I am glad the trial has started and hope justice prevails.

Although I believe you are trying to remain as objective as you can, quotes like the one above raise questions for me. Christina - Thank you for your contributions, and please do continue.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting. I do understand why some would have those thoughts about my posts. Being anonymous keeps any of us from truly knowing what the others motivations are. We are left to only assume based on words posted in this particular place.
There are things I have not posted as well. Example being that I also had the opportunity to give my condolences to some members of the Dirksmeyer family. I have tried not to be gun shy in posting but I have- reason is that at times I believe my differring view has caused some to question my motives.

As for remaining a part of posting here, if the majority thinks it is not productive for me to do so, I would honor that and stop. Thank you for sharing your opinion on this.

[lorettalockhorn]

I believe it was supposedly a month before the murder, so sometime in November. Here we go:


From the pix that I've seen of York, I don't see how he could be described as being dark complected.

[lorettalockhorn]

These comments are not based on anything concrete and are just speculation on my part:

I personally feel like the candle was most likely knocked over either during the murder, cover-up, or discovery and probably never was touched by the killer in a way that would leave prints. It would be helpful to know where the candle was in relation to where it usually was in the apartment, but I have no idea about that.

The crime is so brutal that I think it was committed in extreme rage, so I don't think the killer planned ahead and wore gloves during that attack. Plus, thick gloves would make the "punch-type" wounds difficult to make. There is the outside chance that the killer just happened to be wearing gloves because it was December, but it doesn't seem very likely IMO.

I do, however, think that during the possible cleaning up/staging/whatever, the killer may have likely either put on gloves or put something like a shirt or towel over his hands so as not to leave bloody prints everywhere.

This seems sensible and logical to me. Even if the killer didn't come in with gloves, he may have well known where Nona kept hers and used a pair.

[lorettalockhorn]

(With apologies to loretta, I'm too lazy to create a totally original name. I'm stealing her "husbands".)

Having said that, and in the interest of disclosure - I'm of a like mind with loretta and ox about this case. With all the other "factors" that Bristow threw at the jury, there is still not a reasonable doubt in my mind who took Nona. (All just based on media reports and this forum.)

The intent here is not to pile on, but to maybe further explain some frustration that I (am maybe others) have felt about some of your posts. For example, the one above where you say it became probable that Kevin touched the bulb. Simply because something is in your proximity does not (in my mind, anyway) make it probable you will touch it. When is the last time anyone unintentionally touched their computer screen?

I guess someone could say Kevin was thrashing around while he was trying to resusitate Nona, keep her warm , or whatever he was allegedly supposed to be doing. Which would add just another layer of unbelievability (is that a word) to this whole thing anyway, to me.


QUOTE=christina;8901708]I came face to face with Mrs. Jones unexpectedly a few weeks ago. I took her hand and told her I was praying for her, Kevin and her family.
I am glad the trial has started and hope justice prevails.

Although I believe you are trying to remain as objective as you can, quotes like the one above raise questions for me. Christina - Thank you for your contributions, and please do continue.

I cannot for the life of me imagine why you would want to use my husband's persona; especially if you knew him! Welcome. *puzzled*

[hawgustusgloop]

After comparing the Facebook Trey York to the myspace Trey York, I'll say that if they aren't the same, then they must be dopplegangers.

Maybe your MySpace Trey York (that matches your Facebook Trey York) is a different MySpace Trey York than nobody's MySpace Trey York. IMO nobody's MySpace Trey York may have been too young to be THE Trey York. Maybe yours is older?

[lorettalockhorn]

Maybe your MySpace Trey York (that matches your Facebook Trey York) is a different MySpace Trey York than nobody's MySpace Trey York. IMO nobody's MySpace Trey York may have been too young to be THE Trey York. Maybe yours is older?

Oh, nobody has a myspace Trey York? Lemme take a gander. (Is he in her/his no discussion thread?) BRB

[jonikay]

I did a quick search on myspace and found someone in Arkansas under the name of Trey York. Dark hair, 19. If this is him, it is not what I would think a murderer would look like. Maybe odd, but not dangerous looking.
here ya go, lo . . .

[lorettalockhorn]

here ya go, lo . . .

LMAO Just WTH does a murderer look like anyway?

The myspace Trey York and the Facebook Trey York that I found that appear to be the same guy don't look particularly like donut eaters either.

Thanks, jk!

[oxfordwebster]

Good interview with Nona's mother in today's Courier.

Also, the article said that Kevin and his lawyers aren't talking to the paper at all to talk about the case. Go figure. (Though I imagine this is because of the chance of a civil suit.)

[lorettalockhorn]

From today's Courier:

Editors note: This story is the third in a series attempting to examine the investigation into Nona Dirksmeyer's murder, the prosecution of Kevin Jones and the trial's aftermath. Next week, Carol and Duane Dipert will discuss Dirksmeyer's relationship with Jones, and Duane Dipert will address the issue of Dirksmeyer's cell phone. A written request for an interview for this article sent to Kevin Jones went unanswered and was returned to The Courier office unopened. Defense attorney Bill Bristow declined a request for an interview; calls made to defense attorneys Kenneth Johnson and Michael Robbins were not returned.
In a handwritten paper titled "Thoughts from me, Nona Carol Dirksmeyer," Nona once wrote, "Life is mystery, be a detective."
The unfortunate fact of her tragedy is her family may never experience justice, even though they say this murder is no mystery.
"I'm convinced. After seeing this trial especially," Carol Dipert, Nona's mother, said.
"There's no doubt in my mind he did it." At one time, Carol said she had a shred of hope that Jone couldn't kill Nona, but no more.
"I was very hopeful for a conviction. I was on pins and needles during deliberations. I was prepared for everything. I knew it could go another way," Carol said. "I thought it was going to go our way. I thought David Gibbons (5th Judicial District Prosecuting attorney) and Jeff Phillips (deputy prosecutor) did a much better job in their closing arguments than Kenny Johnson (defense attorney). So with that in mind, I was even more shocked by the verdict.
"When I heard "not guilty," I was stunned. I couldn't do anything. I can't believe this has happened. When they returned a verdict of not guilty, I was just so stunned," Carol said. "Because of the evidene they presented. They had good evidence against Kevin.
Carol and Duane, who have been married since April 10, 2004, both said they have wondered about the jury's perception of the evidence and their collective thought process since the verdict was announced.
"The jury, for some inexplicable reason, believed everything the defense said and nothing the prosecution said. It just blows my mind,
Duane said. They're either gullible or stupid or gullible and stupid.
"I think that some of the jury were not well-educated people," Carol added. "Some of that falls on them. Some of this, I wonder, if it went over their heads and they didn't understand it. Let's face it - they were there for how many days, and they were tired."
Carol also described the verdict as bewildering and said it filled her mind with many questions.
"I'd like to know if there was anything that the prosecution said that the jury believed? Taking that one step farther, maybe they don't believe Nona is even dead - after all, the prosecution said she was," Carol sarcastically stated. "Or maybe she wasn't murdered, like the prosecution said - maybe it was a 'terrible accident' like Janice [Jones] said in the 911 call. Maybe 'naive' would be a nicer term to describe the jury."
When identifying what they thought should have been heard by the jury, both Duane and Carol first focused on the other possible suspects.
"One of the six to eight possible suspects, only one did not have an alibi. Only one had a motive, and only one had a bloody palm print," Duane said. "It's hard to explain to people how you have a bloody print on the murder weapon and still not get a conviction."
..."The prosecution could have done a better job discounting other names mentioned and other names names mentioned as possible killers," Duane said.
"David Gibbons should have stressed the fact that the witnesses to discovery [of Nona's body] - Kevin, Janice, and Ryan [Whiteside] - all said Kevin never touched the lamp," Carol said.
Carol and Duane also said they thought the jury did not analyze the content of the witnesses' statements to determine how many lies might have been told during testimony. She cited inconsistencies with statements made by friends or family members of the Jones'.
"We thought there were out-and-out lies by some of the defense witnesses. Norma Tate Jones, and the bath-tub guy especially," Duane said. "Grandma Jones says Kevin was [at the former Jones gas station] at 11:30 [the day of the murder]. Kevin himself said to police he wasn't there until noon. We wish the jury would have picked up on the inconsistent statements by defense witnesses."
Carol added no one else at the station said they saw Jones at 11:30 a.m. that day.
...The Diperts said they have re-entered their lives as best they can and said they wished the story of who Nona was as a person would have been shared in open court.
"We feel that Gibbons should have stressed Nona more as a real person and should have been more aggressive," Carol told The Courier.
Throughout her conversation with The Courier, Carol bought up what she said she thought was the main travesty of the trial.
"Kevin got a more than fair trial, but Nona didn't get a fair trial. Things came out about her personal life - relationships she had with two guys she knew - but nothing came out about Kevin and what he was up to like his admitted drug use," Carol said. "It was unfair for Nona's life to be open game and for Kevin's character not to be allowed to be heard.
"Both sides picked and choosed what [the jury] could hear, and they weren't hearing Kevin's true character. They heard things about my daughter, but nothing really came out about his character," Carol said when asked what she would tell the jury if she could speak to them directly.
The Diperts said blame for the injustice could be spread to several parties in the courtroom, but the jury held most of the burden.
"What lost it for the prosecution was the interpretation of reasonable doubt. Of course, there is going to be some doubt because nobody saw what happened. There has to be some doubt," Duane said. "What they need to know is the difference between no doubt and reasonable doubt. It was only mentioned once or twice. They needed to know there could have been some doubt. How you could possibly explain fresh blood on a light bult, put in a position where he couldn't have done it when he dicovered the body and not be reasonably sure that you have the guilty person?"
"The defense created a reasonable doubt in the jury's mind based on several things. They kept coming up with sloppy police work," Duane recalled. "They would've, should've and couldn've tested that or finger printed that. Another thing they brought up was about all the possible suspects. It could have been this person or that person."
..."There was evidence not found by Russellville police, but then something was found or tested by the defense team," Duane said. "The differences confused people I think. The crime lab doesn't test the condom wrapper and the defense lab finds DNA exclusive of Jones. Then the defense finds a fingernail also exclusive of Jones. You don't know whether it was there or manufactured. It creates this doubt if our crime lab is competent or not."
Duane also said the state expert said there was fresh blood on the palm print, and then the defense comes in and said different.
"A lot of this evidence was technical, and I'm not sure it got through to this jury," Carol said.

[lorettalockhorn]

More from today's Courier:

Carol said she remained as strong as possible, especially during the most intimate testimony and evidence - the crime-scene photos and medical examiner's report.
"It was very dificult seeing her body with blood all over it. Her nude body and everything - but something that was actually even worse was seeing pictures of Kevin with her blood smeared all over him," Carol recalled. "It was on his face, it was on his hands. That's just not normal behavior. That was almost worse than seeing her dead body.
"Thinking that somebody could do that, and they had known each other all through school. It was hard to think that someone could have done that to someone they had known that long as a classmate. And then to see your kid's blood all over him. Like I said, it just freaked me out. It was not normal."
Duane said Jones' lack of expression or lack of any reaction - especially when Nona's body was shown - was very telling in his mind. "To me, that says a lot about of a person," Duane said.
There's no doubt Carol has lived a parent's worst nightmare; however, the lack of justice wasn't the worst.
"The worst thing that ever happened to me is that she is dead. I don't think we got a fair trial. But this is not right up there with her death. This [not guilty verdict] is not the worst thing that ever happened. It is horrible, but I think we're going to get justice in the end."

[lorettalockhorn]

Good interview with Nona's mother in today's Courier.

Also, the article said that Kevin and his lawyers aren't talking to the paper at all to talk about the case. Go figure. (Though I imagine this is because of the chance of a civil suit.)

Morning! :seeya:

It's a pretty good article, what I posted here is very abridged, I tried to hit on the issues that we have discussed here.

[ladykrystal]

Being someone that was friends with Nona and still is friends with Kevin, I was glad when he was proven notguilty. You had to know him to know he would never hurt Nona. He loved her since like fifth or sixth grade. They were good together. Its sad that she is gone. I played basketball with her and she was just an awesome person. She will truely be missed. May they please find the guilty party and make them rot in prison.

[oxfordwebster]

Being someone that was friends with Nona and still is friends with Kevin, I was glad when he was proven notguilty. You had to know him to know he would never hurt Nona. He loved her since like fifth or sixth grade. They were good together. Its sad that she is gone. I played basketball with her and she was just an awesome person. She will truely be missed. May they please find the guilty party and make them rot in prison.You know, I wonder how many convicted murderers there are that shock people because they "knew" them.

[sololobo]

Being someone that was friends with Nona and still is friends with Kevin, I was glad when he was proven notguilty. You had to know him to know he would never hurt Nona. He loved her since like fifth or sixth grade. They were good together. Its sad that she is gone. I played basketball with her and she was just an awesome person. She will truely be missed. May they please find the guilty party and make them rot in prison.

Welcome aboard, ladykrystal:) It is refreshing to hear from someone who knew both Nona and Kevin. And I asure you, the guilty party will be found.

[nobody]

It sounds like a counter-suit on basis for Slander. The man was found not guilty - so they go after the Jury? Even stooping to insult intelligence of a Jury? Some who were educators...

Maybe we should have written intelligence test for selecting jury to decide if they are "Smart enough." (sarcasm)

In their shoes, I would be looking for other representation. I see this article as an embarrassment to the Diperts, and I would hope that they were not advised or encouraged to make these public statements about strangers in the community. They honestly deserve better.

[oxfordwebster]

Oh, yes. I'd love to see jury members sue for slander/libel and then get asked about their jury deliberations to see if the statements weren't based on something and intended to be malicious. I can see that working out well!

"Well, yes, we assumed people couldn't lie because of their religious preference, and yeah we fall back on God when trying to justify our verdict, and yeah, we thought everything the prosecution had reasonable doubt... wait, what's reasonable doubt again? Oh, well... yeah, we also stepped out of line as jury members by doing our own investigations and dismissing witness 'opinions'"

I could keep up with that for a while. The statements in the Courier seemed pretty justified to me. You can't turn a blind-eye to the jury after seeing their statements.

[lorettalockhorn]

Well, the jury didn't come off as that intelligent to me with their verdict; couple that with the few statements that members have made to the press and I'm underwhelmed. That the jury is smart because any or some of them were educators, is laughable. I know many, many educators and quite a few of them come off as walking advertisements for the need for their profession.

I would love to hear from the juror whose niece is rumored to be Ryan Whiteside's close friend. I'm dying to know if it's true that he knew about their relationship and that he called to tell her personally of the verdict because he knew of the relationship. I'm dying to know why he didn't admit to a fringe relationship with one of the parties of the case.

I'd love to hear what the jury thinks now* about KJ's drug use and screwing around having been kept from them.

*Assuming that they have availed themselves of the information, maybe they've washed their hands of the case.

[oxfordwebster]

this jury was an un-biased jury and how dare you question our perfect legal system

[lorettalockhorn]

this jury was an un-biased jury and how dare you question our perfect legal system

Guess I'm just stubborn that way! :seeya:

While I think that the USofA has one of the best jury systems, I do have particular issues with this jury and this case. The Diperts were far kinder to the prosecution than I would have been. That Gibbons seemingly acquiesced to Kevin's drug use and promiscuity was a fatal error, IMO. That is what put Nona on trial as much as KJ.

[hawgustusgloop]

Being someone that was friends with Nona and still is friends with Kevin, I was glad when he was proven notguilty. You had to know him to know he would never hurt Nona. He loved her since like fifth or sixth grade. They were good together. Its sad that she is gone. I played basketball with her and she was just an awesome person. She will truely be missed. May they please find the guilty party and make them rot in prison.

Welcome to the boards, and I am sorry about the loss of your friend.

[hawgustusgloop]

It sounds like a counter-suit on basis for Slander. The man was found not guilty - so they go after the Jury? Even stooping to insult intelligence of a Jury? Some who were educators...

Maybe we should have written intelligence test for selecting jury to decide if they are "Smart enough." (sarcasm)

In their shoes, I would be looking for other representation. I see this article as an embarrassment to the Diperts, and I would hope that they were not advised or encouraged to make these public statements about strangers in the community. They honestly deserve better.



I don't think they could "counter-sue" for slander or libel or anything else. What did the Diperts say that was false?

I think some of us suspected the jury may not have been the brightest bulbs in drawer, but when those jurors started opening their mouths, the ones being interviewed IMO removed all doubt. How could they find reasonable doubt with EVERYTHING the prosecution presented? I think any time the defense simply DISPUTED something presented by the prosection, the jury accepted THAT as reasonable doubt, rather than assessing for themselves whether or not they believed the witness or if their testimony fit in with common sense. IMO The Diperts are entitled to express their own opinions on the matter. I didn't see what I read of this article as an embarrassment to them at all, but I have yet to see it in its entirety.

I wonder what types of jurors each side was looking for during jury selection, because I am curious as to what euphemism for the word "stupid" they used at the top of their respective lists. I also find the "RW's friend's uncle" jury rumor very suspicious and unsettling, and I hope someone investigates to find out if it is true. IMO There is nothing sinister, unfair, or bad about any jurors being less intelligent or uneducated than some, but it is a big deal if a juror is aware of his niece's relationship with a key witness (who in court declares he is there to help K.Jo) to the point of personally calling his niece to spread the news of the verdict. All my opinion only.

[hawgustusgloop]

Courier articles:

http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=15680

http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=15679

[hawgustusgloop]

I have to say, after reading those articles, the notion that the interviews are an "embarrassment" for the Diperts as somebody (nobody) suggested is beyond ridiculous!

I have a higher opinion of the Diperts (especially Nona's mom) after reading those articles. I think she is much stronger and much less bitter than I would probably be in her situation. IMO she is an inspiration to other parents who have endured the brutal murder of a child and a subsequent lack of justice in the court system.

[lorettalockhorn]

I have to say, after reading those articles, the notion that the interviews are an "embarrassment" for the Diperts as somebody (nobody) suggested is beyond ridiculous!

I have a higher opinion of the Diperts (especially Nona's mom) after reading those articles. I think she is much stronger and much less bitter than I would probably be in her situation. IMO she is an inspiration to other parents who have endured the brutal murder of a child and a subsequent lack of justice in the court system.

Hawg, I thought it was a good interview too; I was impressed with the lack of bitterness demonstrated by them both, especially CD. I have been just short of flabbergasted by some of the jury remarks, I cannot begin to imagine how I would feel if I had actually known Nona or lost her as a friend or family member.

[TJEddie]

Thanks for the links, Hawg. I was withholding comment until I had a chance to read the pieces in their entirety.

It's yellow journalism, IMO. My heart goes out to Carol Dipert.....I think she is being used and exploited in her grief and anger. I think the Jones family's decision not to participate in this was wise.

[lorettalockhorn]

Thanks for the links, Hawg. I was withholding comment until I had a chance to read the pieces in their entirety.

It's yellow journalism, IMO. My heart goes out to Carol Dipert.....I think she is being used and exploited in her grief and anger. I think the Jones family's decision not to participate in this was wise.

How in the world is it yellow journalism? Do you not think that the Diperts are capable of giving an interview of their own free volition? Granted, Scott Perkins is not a great writer, but I don't think that the Diperts seemed exploited in any way, nor do I think that any of the statements were sensational(ized). Whether or not anything they said was distorted, I wouldn't be in a position to judge.

[hawgustusgloop]

Thanks for the links, Hawg. I was withholding comment until I had a chance to read the pieces in their entirety.

It's yellow journalism, IMO. My heart goes out to Carol Dipert.....I think she is being used and exploited in her grief and anger. I think the Jones family's decision not to participate in this was wise.

Yellow journalism? Ha ha ha. I am sure the Courier is exploiting them in a sensationalistic way to sell millions of papers.

[LurkerNoMore]

Hawg, I thought it was a good interview too; I was impressed with the lack of bitterness demonstrated by them both, especially CD. I have been just short of flabbergasted by some of the jury remarks, I cannot begin to imagine how I would feel if I had actually known Nona or lost her as a friend or family member.

Lack of bitterness?

“They’re either gullible or stupid or gullible and stupid.”

"Taking that one step farther, maybe they don’t believe Nona is even dead — after all, the prosecution said she was,” Carol sarcastically stated."

They have every right to be bitter. But let's not kid ourselves, here, Loretta.

[lorettalockhorn]

Lack of bitterness?

“They’re either gullible or stupid or gullible and stupid.”

"Taking that one step farther, maybe they don’t believe Nona is even dead — after all, the prosecution said she was,” Carol sarcastically stated."

They have every right to be bitter. But let's not kid ourselves, here, Loretta.

Having not been bound by the gag order, I've been here expressing my opinion for some time. And after the verdict, I have to agree with the second part of Duane's statement. I think that the jury was both gullible and stupid. That would explain the forelady's need to invoke God's hand in the decision. Shame on her.

Wait. Are you saying that sarcasm and bitterness are the same thing? Not in my book. And after all, the forelady did state that the jury found everything that the prosecution had to offer as unworthy of their consideration. Not to mention that they threw out all opinions. I have to agree with Carol's statement and wonder if maybe the jury didn't take the case seriously.

I don't kid myself or try to kid anyone else. But that's just me.

[ladykrystal]

You know, I wonder how many convicted murderers there are that shock people because they "knew" them.

That may be true but how many people out there are convicted then figured out to not be guilty. I know he couldnt have killed her. and Im glad he was proven not to be guilty. There wasnt enough time between his alibis to go from Dover to her apartment in Russellville, kill her, then go back and act straight. Im just glad Kevin was given a just trial and is free to have a life now. Im not trying to be difficult or anything just expressing my joy for him being free. May Justice be served for Nona.

[ladykrystal]

Welcome to the boards, and I am sorry about the loss of your friend.

thank you kindly

[oxfordwebster]

That may be true but how many people out there are convicted then figured out to not be guilty. I know he couldnt have killed her. and Im glad he was proven not to be guilty. There wasnt enough time between his alibis to go from Dover to her apartment in Russellville, kill her, then go back and act straight. Im just glad Kevin was given a just trial and is free to have a life now. Im not trying to be difficult or anything just expressing my joy for him being free. May Justice be served for Nona.He had plenty of time even if you believe his grandmother. It was a quick but brutal affair as testified by both accounts. I'm inclined to believe Frazier's partner when they left KJ's house, which gives him even more time without even taking into account whether grandma was telling the truth or not.

I've always found it interesting the cognitive dissonance that must go on in people's heads when somebody they "know" does something horrible and they won't believe it is possible. It's one of the most interesting phenomena and this case has let me see a lot of it firsthand.

[lorettalockhorn]

That may be true but how many people out there are convicted then figured out to not be guilty. I know he couldnt have killed her. and Im glad he was proven not to be guilty. There wasnt enough time between his alibis to go from Dover to her apartment in Russellville, kill her, then go back and act straight. Im just glad Kevin was given a just trial and is free to have a life now. Im not trying to be difficult or anything just expressing my joy for him being free. May Justice be served for Nona.

Don't know what KJ's "straight" behavior would have been, but he had plenty of time to commit the murder between the times allotted by Frazier's testimony (let alone Mross's), and grandmother's, if you believe it. I'm sure that having known both Nona and Kevin would make this situation hard to handle. That the jury abrogated their sworn duty to hear and consider the facts makes the case even harder to take. Even for an outsider.

As far as anyone knowing that Kevin couldn't have killed Nona, it would require having had been with him during the unaccounted for time(frame).

[sololobo]

The candle with smeared blood but no identifiable prints may have been on the table with the overturned lamp. Since it had smeared blood on it, I assume the killer touched it at some point. With all the smeared blood evidence around the apartment, I also assume at some point the killer was wearing gloves. I assume the killer was wearing a coat since it was cold that day and may have had gloves in his coat pocket.

The table with the overturned lamp also had a dark liquid substance on it, Coke perhaps. I assume it was in a container, a glass perhaps, before being spilled. Where was the container? Was it found or did the killer touch it before donning gloves? Did the killer wash it and return it to a cabinet? This could explain the blood in the kitchen area. What physical actions occurred by the table?

The out of place greeting card from Nona's mother found by Kevin by the body is interesting. How did it get there? Where did it come from? Did Kevin notice it when he turned the body over? Was Nona holding it when attacked? Could this explain the way her hands were positioned under her body?

The out of place cell phone with the missing battery is also interesting. I assume the killer tried to delete info from the phone. What info? Her cell phone records would have all of her incoming and outgoing calls. A text message perhaps, or a phone number and name from the address book?

Why was no blood or prints found on the floor lamp pole? Did the killer wipe it down after the murder?

[optimumprimal78]

That may be true but how many people out there are convicted then figured out to not be guilty. I know he couldnt have killed her. and Im glad he was proven not to be guilty. There wasnt enough time between his alibis to go from Dover to her apartment in Russellville, kill her, then go back and act straight. Im just glad Kevin was given a just trial and is free to have a life now. Im not trying to be difficult or anything just expressing my joy for him being free. May Justice be served for Nona.

The truth is just because you know someone doesn't mean that they aren't capable of doing this crime even if they were in love. As far as him being free to live his life, technically that is true but for the last year and a half he hasn't exactly been locked in his house. I hate that people who are friends with him get in such an uproar like he was done such an injustice by even being mentioned yet they forget that they probably knew Nona every bit as you or anyone else who was in contact with KJ. Some even act like she didn't exist. I'm not saying you have done that just some of the people that you know and went to school with.

BTW, welcome and I hope you post a lot.

[TJEddie]

Question about that greeting card found at the scene: Was it actually from Nona's mother or had it been sent to Nona at her mother's address? Seems like I've read both. Anybody have a source on this? Thanks.

[optimumprimal78]

Forgive me if I sound confused but why are you guys putting so much emphasis on the card and the candle? There were plenty of things that would have DNA besides these 2 items. Can one of you please tell me why it is of so much focus to some of you?

[lorettalockhorn]

Forgive me if I sound confused but why are you guys putting so much emphasis on the card and the candle? There were plenty of things that would have DNA besides these 2 items. Can one of you please tell me why it is of so much focus to some of you?

I had barely heard about the candle until after the trial. Also, we were told last week that there are two cards, so I guess we should be twice as curious?

[oxfordwebster]

I had barely heard about the candle until after the trial. Also, we were told last week that there are two cards, so I guess we should be twice as curious?Something tells me that when you can't explain away bloody prints and missing/fabricated alibis, that you have to throw up smoke and mirrors to hide it. It worked on the jury, at least.

[ladykrystal]

He had plenty of time even if you believe his grandmother. It was a quick but brutal affair as testified by both accounts. I'm inclined to believe Frazier's partner when they left KJ's house, which gives him even more time without even taking into account whether grandma was telling the truth or not.

I've always found it interesting the cognitive dissonance that must go on in people's heads when somebody they "know" does something horrible and they won't believe it is possible. It's one of the most interesting phenomena and this case has let me see a lot of it firsthand.

So just cause i trust my friend its wrong. I believe him. And I hate what happened to Nona. But to each their own outlook on the case. Im just saying Im glad there was stuff in the trial you didnt see that I did, that showed there must have been someone else doing it. Kevin admitted to touching the lamp after he had found Nona. He was devastated. Can you say if you found your love of your life brutally murdered you wouldnt grab the closest thing . I had considered for a while maybe Kevin did it but in my heart I felt it was wrong. There were cases where our former mayor's son was stalking Nona. She was completely terrified of her. Not to mention Trey who had her car keys. There are many instances everyone must consider. I think its sad that people cant support Kevin without being made to feel like horrindous people for it. I pray at night I pray that the murderer is found. And Grandma Jones has never lied to me. I dont believe she would lie in court. Not even for her grandson. She just isnt like that. she wouldnt even lie for him to keep him from punishment as a kid for not following a rule. In my heart I just cant believe it. So if it is wrong for me to believe in Kevin, then may I be wrong. Until Im proven by a court with valid evidence, I will believe in him . I miss Nona. I wish she were still here. She isnt though. And that kills me. I hope justice is served to the true murderer.

[ladykrystal]

The truth is just because you know someone doesn't mean that they aren't capable of doing this crime even if they were in love. As far as him being free to live his life, technically that is true but for the last year and a half he hasn't exactly been locked in his house. I hate that people who are friends with him get in such an uproar like he was done such an injustice by even being mentioned yet they forget that they probably knew Nona every bit as you or anyone else who was in contact with KJ. Some even act like she didn't exist. I'm not saying you have done that just some of the people that you know and went to school with.

BTW, welcome and I hope you post a lot.

Thats true just knowing someone doesnt mean a hill of beans. But when your gut instincts say something what do you feel. People sound so convinced he did do it just from what that crooked David Gibbons says, thats the same thing. The reason Im in an uproar is he was done wrong. The guy couldnt even go to eat without being made to feel like he was horrible. He was truely upset over Nona and he still is. He was in love with her and ready to marry her. I feel like you people are telling me to change my opinion and I dont change just for pleasing people. I believe in my friend. I always will unless I get good enough proof not too. Why dont they go after former mayor Turner's son. He stalked her and threatened her.

[oxfordwebster]

Man, these posts are hilarious. I didn't know people actually took the Bubba Turner rumor that seriously, but when you're holding on with all you got I guess you'll believe anything.

"Im just saying Im glad there was stuff in the trial you didnt see that I did, that showed there must have been someone else doing it."

Oh yeah? Like what? Enlighten everybody, because the only person with their bloody prints on a murder weapon is Kevin.

"Kevin admitted to touching the lamp after he had found Nona."

When was this admitted? And of course he would have to eventually after everybody said that he didn't and they found prints in fresh blood.

"People sound so convinced he did do it just from what that crooked David Gibbons says"

I don't think all the corruption in the world of David Gibbons would cause Kevin to not have an alibi and leave a print in blood showing no signs of coagulation, or cause Kevin to make multiple lies to the police.

"He was in love with her and ready to marry her."

Is that why Kevin slept with at least two girls that came out in the trial? Funny way to show that he was ready to marry Nona.

"Why dont they go after former mayor Turner's son. He stalked her and threatened her."

Show some evidence for that, because if that was the case, the defense would have jumped all over it instead of going after some pasty white nervous kid.

That's about all I can respond to with a straight face.

[lorettalockhorn]

Thats true just knowing someone doesnt mean a hill of beans. But when your gut instincts say something what do you feel. People sound so convinced he did do it just from what that crooked David Gibbons says, thats the same thing. The reason Im in an uproar is he was done wrong. The guy couldnt even go to eat without being made to feel like he was horrible. He was truely upset over Nona and he still is. He was in love with her and ready to marry her. I feel like you people are telling me to change my opinion and I dont change just for pleasing people. I believe in my friend. I always will unless I get good enough proof not too. Why dont they go after former mayor Turner's son. He stalked her and threatened her.

Could you elaborate on David Gibbons' crookedness?

Honestly, I think that if KJ was made to feel that he was awful before the arrest, it was probably a combination of the statistics that point to a significant other being the perpetrator in the murders of young women and the fact that he is perceived to be a drug using party animal who was not exactly sitting home mourning Nona in the weeks after her death.

I would love to hear more about KJ's marriage and proposal plans, in that it's my understanding that he cuckolded Nona in the near proximity to her death and told LE that he was planning on proposing the very night of her murder, despite the fact that she had plans with her Little and he had a date with Mom.

I don't think that anyone would try to twist your arm into changing your mind about Kevin; he's lucky to have friends at this point.

Do you think that RPD investigated Bubba at all? Do you think that it's unusual that the rumors about Bubba stalking Nona mostly come from Kamp Jones?

So just cause i trust my friend its wrong. I believe him. And I hate what happened to Nona. But to each their own outlook on the case. Im just saying Im glad there was stuff in the trial you didnt see that I did, that showed there must have been someone else doing it. Kevin admitted to touching the lamp after he had found Nona. He was devastated. Can you say if you found your love of your life brutally murdered you wouldnt grab the closest thing . I had considered for a while maybe Kevin did it but in my heart I felt it was wrong. There were cases where our former mayor's son was stalking Nona. She was completely terrified of her. Not to mention Trey who had her car keys. There are many instances everyone must consider. I think its sad that people cant support Kevin without being made to feel like horrindous people for it. I pray at night I pray that the murderer is found. And Grandma Jones has never lied to me. I dont believe she would lie in court. Not even for her grandson. She just isnt like that. she wouldnt even lie for him to keep him from punishment as a kid for not following a rule. In my heart I just cant believe it. So if it is wrong for me to believe in Kevin, then may I be wrong. Until Im proven by a court with valid evidence, I will believe in him . I miss Nona. I wish she were still here. She isnt though. And that kills me. I hope justice is served to the true murderer.

Could you elaborate a little about what we don't know about that happened in court? There have already been some questionable things and/or discrepancies posted here and I think that all of us would appreciate some additional insight. And do you have a source as to where KJ admitted to touching the lamp when he discovered Nona? This is the first that I've heard that tidbit.

TYIA

[hawgustusgloop]

Forgive me if I sound confused but why are you guys putting so much emphasis on the card and the candle? There were plenty of things that would have DNA besides these 2 items. Can one of you please tell me why it is of so much focus to some of you?

I would also like to know the answer to this very good question. IMO if they were that important the defense or the prosecution would have seized the opportunity to discuss them at length during the trial. Also, I am hesitant to believe some of the unconfirmed things that have been said about the greeting card(s) especially.

[sololobo]

Question about that greeting card found at the scene: Was it actually from Nona's mother or had it been sent to Nona at her mother's address? Seems like I've read both. Anybody have a source on this? Thanks.

It was from Nona's mother and it has not been determined how she got it.

[sololobo]

Forgive me if I sound confused but why are you guys putting so much emphasis on the card and the candle? There were plenty of things that would have DNA besides these 2 items. Can one of you please tell me why it is of so much focus to some of you?

Any item out of place at the crime scene has a physical action associated with it and each has a story to tell. If we can determine the physical actions of the crime, we can better understand the killer. The candle and card are only two items out of place discussed so far. The overturned lamp on the table with the liquid substance on it implying a missing container and the cell phone minus the battery are others so far discussed. There are many more to discuss.

[sololobo]

I had barely heard about the candle until after the trial. Also, we were told last week that there are two cards, so I guess we should be twice as curious?

I am only curious about the card beside her body.

[optimumprimal78]

Thats true just knowing someone doesnt mean a hill of beans. But when your gut instincts say something what do you feel. People sound so convinced he did do it just from what that crooked David Gibbons says, thats the same thing. The reason Im in an uproar is he was done wrong. The guy couldnt even go to eat without being made to feel like he was horrible. He was truely upset over Nona and he still is. He was in love with her and ready to marry her. I feel like you people are telling me to change my opinion and I dont change just for pleasing people. I believe in my friend. I always will unless I get good enough proof not too. Why dont they go after former mayor Turner's son. He stalked her and threatened her.

As far as him being done wrong, that is what happens anytime there is a murder in a small community. I guarantee that if (for example) lorettalockhorn was found dead one day then leroylockhorn would be the very first person people would assume that did it (p.s. this is the best example I could come up with). If there was enough to charge him with the crime then the majority of the public is usually going to base their opinion on that. This is what happened with KJ. The problem was that in the whole year and a half there wasn't really anything that was done or shown that he didn't do it. When the trial was going there was quite a few people that were not questioned that probably could have shed more light on certain situations. That was the prosecutions fault.

There is always going to be that "did he or didn't he" know matter where he goes. That is what he is going to have to deal with. If he truly loved her and wanted to marry her (and if she wanted to be married to him) they wouldn't have cheated on each other. You can't go from "seeing" other people to marriage. It isn't healthy for any relationship.

I have my own opinions but I come on here to better understand the case from different angles because it was something of interest that happened in the town I lived in for a big part of my life. I am not trying to get you to change your mind but just keep an open mind. And help bring new ideas. Just keep in mind that it sometimes gets snippy but in the end it is all for the same goal: trying to find justice for nona.

[lorettalockhorn]

I am only curious about the card beside her body.

I am curious about the card beside the body too; until last week, I don't remember hearing that a second card actually existed. As far as Nona having been holding it when she was killed (if it does exist), it would have to have been removed from her rigored hands when KJ turned her over, wouldn't it?

Not sure what you mean by not determined how she got it? Do you mean that no envelope with a postmarked stamp was found by LE? Do you mean that Nona's mother doesn't remember whether it was mailed, delivered or if Nona picked it up? Does a second card actually exist?

With regard to the candle, do we know that it didn't roll through blood? Do we actually know that the blood was smeared by a wiping motion?

Solo, you are sounding like you have some new information with your assurance that the guilty party will be found; do tell!

[lorettalockhorn]

As far as him being done wrong, that is what happens anytime there is a murder in a small community. I guarantee that if (for example) lorettalockhorn was found dead one day then leroylockhorn would be the very first person people would assume that did it (p.s. this is the best example I could come up with). If there was enough to charge him with the crime then the majority of the public is usually going to base their opinion on that. This is what happened with KJ. The problem was that in the whole year and a half there wasn't really anything that was done or shown that he didn't do it. When the trial was going there was quite a few people that were not questioned that probably could have shed more light on certain situations. That was the prosecutions fault.

There is always going to be that "did he or didn't he" know matter where he goes. That is what he is going to have to deal with. If he truly loved her and wanted to marry her (and if she wanted to be married to him) they wouldn't have cheated on each other. You can't go from "seeing" other people to marriage. It isn't healthy for any relationship.

I have my own opinions but I come on here to better understand the case from different angles because it was something of interest that happened in the town I lived in for a big part of my life. I am not trying to get you to change your mind but just keep an open mind. And help bring new ideas. Just keep in mind that it sometimes gets snippy but in the end it is all for the same goal: trying to find justice for nona.

You are right, statistics would point directly at Leroy having killed me if I was found dead, until he was cleared (or not). Such a crying shame that KJ's parents spent all that money for the defense attorney to investigate the crime and he never was able to locate the true killer.

That Kevin and Nona were ready for marriage is almost laughable; in fact, I wonder if that is what happened if he mentioned it. Maybe Nona laughed at the thought and it set him off.

[sololobo]

Do you think that it's unusual that the rumors about Bubba stalking Nona mostly come from Kamp Jones?

Kamp Jones vs Kamp Dipert? Has this board polarized into these two distinct groups?

I believe Bubba was not in town at the time of the murder. Such rumors probably were fueled by the following statement.

"Nona's stepfather, Dwayne (ph), said, in the past, young men had harassed her." CNN

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/20/pzn.01.html

Perhaps Duane will elaborate on this statement in the up-coming Courier interwiews.

[lorettalockhorn]

Kamp Jones vs Kamp Dipert? Has this board polarized into these two distinct groups?

I believe Bubba was not in town at the time of the murder. Such rumors probably were fueled by the following statement.

"Nona's stepfather, Dwayne (ph), said, in the past, young men had harassed her." CNN

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/20/pzn.01.html

Perhaps Duane will elaborate on this statement in the up-coming Courier interwiews.

Sorry to offend; the poster has clearly stated that her/his loyalties lie with the former accused. Surely LE investigated Bubba if he was indeed one of the young men who had harassed Nona. I have heard (the rumor) in the past that KJ owed BT money for drugs. Maybe Bubba's grandmother was able to alibi him sooner than the eleventh hour?

[oxfordwebster]

Or the Bubba rumor was completely baseless and started by people close to Kevin, who are probably the only people who either believe it or pretend to believe it so they can continue to spread it.

But hey, who knows. If he was that big of a deal, the defense team would have sent a rocket ship of blame up his butt.

[lorettalockhorn]

Or the Bubba rumor was completely baseless and started by people close to Kevin, who are probably the only people who either believe it or pretend to believe it so they can continue to spread it.

But hey, who knows. If he was that big of a deal, the defense team would have sent a rocket ship of blame up his butt.


Yep, you would think that the defense attorney/investigator would have been all over it.

You know, now that Solo mentions it, this board has seemingly been pretty well polarized since the get go. The pro-defense types don't seem to last long and/or were possibly bound by the gag order which may have created some semblance of a lull over the period of a year and a half. But, my impression is that folks felt pretty much one way or the other. Once the details of the lousy investigation came out, I think that some of the pro-prosecution types developed a wait and see attitude to assess the blood expert testimony and the alibi. (Neither of which exonerated KJ, IMO.)

[lorettalockhorn]

You know, now that Solo mentions it, this board has seemingly been pretty well polarized since the get go.

Meant to say this thread/forum. Sinuses. :flamemad:

[hawgustusgloop]

Kamp Jones vs Kamp Dipert? Has this board polarized into these two distinct groups?

I believe Bubba was not in town at the time of the murder. Such rumors probably were fueled by the following statement.

"Nona's stepfather, Dwayne (ph), said, in the past, young men had harassed her." CNN

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/20/pzn.01.html

Perhaps Duane will elaborate on this statement in the up-coming Courier interwiews.

I don't think the Kamp Jones reference was so much about the people posting their opinions on this forum being polarized into two groups. I think it was more about where the "Bubba" rumor came from. IIRC, that rumor was started and perpetuated (on this thread, anyway) by three posters (who IMO were definitely part of Kamp K.Jo if there is such a thing). I wouldn't immediately classify anyone who tends to believe K.Jo was innocent into "Kamp K.Jo," but it certainly seemed like there were certain people who seemed to be close to Kevin, especially in the beginning, who were intent on spreading a lot of suspicious rumors to cast suspicion in other directions. I don't think people could have possibly assumed and imagined the Bubba Turner rumor from that CNN statement linked above alone. The rumors posted early in this thread by IMO "Kamp K.Jo" and definitely the ones that were deleted involving Bubba Turner and others were pretty specific. I wouldn't necessarily group those who just believe he didn't do it in with those posters who appeared to have an agenda of spreading nasty rumors to make others look suspicious.

[lorettalockhorn]

I don't think the Kamp Jones reference was so much about the people posting their opinions on this forum being polarized into two groups. I think it was more about where the "Bubba" rumor came from. IIRC, that rumor was started and perpetuated (on this thread, anyway) by three posters (who IMO were definitely part of Kamp K.Jo if there is such a thing). I wouldn't immediately classify anyone who tends to believe K.Jo was innocent into "Kamp K.Jo," but it certainly seemed like there were certain people who seemed to be close to Kevin, especially in the beginning, who were intent on spreading a lot of suspicious rumors to cast suspicion in other directions. I don't think people could have possibly assumed and imagined the Bubba Turner rumor from that CNN statement linked above alone. The rumors posted early in this thread by IMO "Kamp K.Jo" and definitely the ones that were deleted involving Bubba Turner and others were pretty specific. I wouldn't necessarily group those who just believe he didn't do it in with those posters who appeared to have an agenda of spreading nasty rumors to make others look suspicious.

I agree that the early rumors that I heard and read about BT were definitely specific. To be honest, I don't think that I've seen any of the pro-prosecution types posting with an agenda or bias or posting obfuscations and deflections like I've seen some of the pro-defense types; hence the reason that to some degree, I do feel sorry for the Joneses. But that's just one girl's opinion.

As far as the thread being polarized, I haven't seen anyone squarely in the middle with regard to KJ's innocence or guilt in a while.

[hawgustusgloop]

He had plenty of time even if you believe his grandmother. It was a quick but brutal affair as testified by both accounts. I'm inclined to believe Frazier's partner when they left KJ's house, which gives him even more time without even taking into account whether grandma was telling the truth or not.

I've always found it interesting the cognitive dissonance that must go on in people's heads when somebody they "know" does something horrible and they won't believe it is possible. It's one of the most interesting phenomena and this case has let me see a lot of it firsthand.

I'm inclined to believe the partner (Mross?) as well. Didn't Frazier give a different account at the trial of when they left than he did in earlier statements? Didn't Frazier also testify that he was good friends with the Jones family? If I recall correctly, his partner did not know them and IMO would have no good reason to lie either way. Perhaps Mr. Frazier just emanated a more Christian appearance for that "right-minded" jury? Or maybe he appeared much older than his partner and, therefore, more credible according to one of the jurors.

[hawgustusgloop]

Sorry to offend; the poster has clearly stated that her/his loyalties lie with the former accused. Surely LE investigated Bubba if he was indeed one of the young men who had harassed Nona. I have heard (the rumor) in the past that KJ owed BT money for drugs. Maybe Bubba's grandmother was able to alibi him sooner than the eleventh hour?

I wonder if that is true? IMO if you just murdered your girlfriend AND had a drug dealer hounding you for money, it would be super convenient to try to get the cops off your back and keep the drug dealer at bay by starting rumors that the drug dealer was involved in the murder.

[sololobo]

Can any significance be placed on the green SUV parked at Nona's apartment at 2:00 pm according to witnesses? How long was it there? What size was it? Was it dark green, medium green, or light green? Did any of the suspects have such a SUV?

[oxfordwebster]

Can any significance be placed on the green SUV parked at Nona's apartment at 2:00 pm according to witnesses? How long was it there? What size was it? Was it dark green, medium green, or light green? Did any of the suspects have such a SUV?I imagine any significance would have been pointed out by the defense team, so it was more than likely just more smoke and mirrors for the jury to somehow conjure reasonable doubt from, like a genie out of a lamp.

[LurkerNoMore]

I imagine any significance would have been pointed out by the defense team, so it was more than likely just more smoke and mirrors for the jury to somehow conjure reasonable doubt from, like a genie out of a lamp.

Everything that points to another suspect or the possibility of another suspect is not smoke and mirrors.

To my knowledge, the driver of the green SUV was never identified, either by the police, the prosecution, or the defense. Therefore, it remains one of those loose ends hanging out there. Was it connected to the case? Who knows? The fact that it MIGHT HAVE BEEN should make us all want to examine it a little more closely, either to cross it off or point to the murderer.

It could probably be assumed that none of the original suspects drove a green SUV. We know Kevin and Trey didn't. If there were other suspects, let's at least assume for the sake of argument that their primary vehicles were not Green SUVs.

The next logical step is to look at who had access to Green SUVs.

Moving day at Tech. Maybe someone borrowed a family member or friend's vehicle to fit more luggage/items into? I'm not pointing at anyone in particular. Just more a general question.

It would also be logical to say that the murderer probably wouldn't have driven their own vehicle to commit the act. That is, if it were pre-planned.

Food for thought.

I don't think anything here is irrelevant. It all begs to be examined.

[oxfordwebster]

Everything that points to another suspect or the possibility of another suspect is not smoke and mirrors. A sighting of a vehicle that may or may not have anything to do with anything at all other than it is, in fact, a green SUV doesn't automatically point to the possibility of another suspect. If it did, it would have been pounded on by the defense.

[hawgustusgloop]

"James Evans also resides in the Ingelwood Apartments. He said that he and his wife are both bail bondsmen. He reported that he saw Dirksmeyer's car at her apartment at 8:10 a.m. He said around 2:30 p.m. he was talking to his brother outside the apartment complex. He said her car was in front of her apartment and that he also saw a green SUV. He said he had been to her door earlier in the week when he was inquiring about a dead cat he had found. He reported that Nona answered the door. He told the jurors that he did not see any damage to the door frame earlier in the week."


http://www.atkinschronicle.com/dt1.htm

(This link doesn't work anymore)

I sure would like more information on this neighbor's testimony. This article says he saw Nona's car in front of her apartment and also saw a green SUV, but it doesn't expressly say where the green SUV was. Was it undeniably parked at her apartment? How is the parking lot arranged? Were there spaces assigned for each apartment, or was it common for others to park where the green SUV was parked? I wonder if anyone else saw this SUV? If you were going to someone's apartment to ask about a dead cat, would you really notice any damage to the door frame unless the door frame was just totally beaten up?

Can anyone find any other links to articles about this testimony? TIA.

[TJEddie]

It's not the defense team's job to present everything they know in open court. Their job is to use enough of what they know to create reasonable doubt in the specific case being made against their client.

It would be interesting to know what all the defense team and/or their PIs uncovered in their investigation that wasn't used in court. Maybe that info will come out when and if the case file is released.

[oxfordwebster]

It's not the defense team's job to present everything they know in open court. Their job is to use enough of what they know to create reasonable doubt in the specific case being made against their client."Enough of what they know"? That just seems like a way to make it seem like the defense had some deeper strategy other than smoke and mirrors, which they didn't. It's the only defense they had because Kevin didn't have an alibi, told numerous inconsistent statements, and he left a print in blood without signs of coagulation.

If you don't have facts to exonerate your client, then you have to obscure the facts that damn your client. That's their job.

[hawgustusgloop]

It's not the defense team's job to present everything they know in open court. Their job is to use enough of what they know to create reasonable doubt in the specific case being made against their client.

It would be interesting to know what all the defense team and/or their PIs uncovered in their investigation that wasn't used in court. Maybe that info will come out when and if the case file is released.

IMO of course they wouldn't present every bit of information they have, but I can assure you, if they had some magical evidence that would unquestionably exonerate him, they would have presented it at one of the hearings when they asked for the charges to be dropped and there never would have been a trial. This defense team brought their A game to the trial. I doubt they omitted anything they felt really strengthened their defense.

[LurkerNoMore]

IMO of course they wouldn't present every bit of information they have, but I can assure you, if they had some magical evidence that would unquestionably exonerate him, they would have presented it at one of the hearings when they asked for the charges to be dropped and there never would have been a trial. This defense team brought their A game to the trial. I doubt they omitted anything they felt really strengthened their defense.

Items like the Green SUV don't unquestionably exonerate Kevin. They do, however, represent, as I stated previously, loose ends.

In this case, the shoddy police work was probably enough for Kevin's acquittal. Recognizing this, the defense didn't have to present each and every loose end. That might have come across to the jury as pushing it. The defense had to calculate every move. All parties in a trial have to do that. But just because items weren't presented doesn't mean they aren't significant or might not hold a key to what really happened. And that's something we all can agree we are interested in.

Say the Green SUV doesn't have anything to do with the murder. If true, it still shows that someone other than a resident of the complex was present that day (assuming residents were ruled out as the owner). Maybe the owner saw or heard something? Even to implicate Kevin. Who knows. My point is that things like this are important.

[LurkerNoMore]

Even to implicate Kevin. Who knows.

I included the above, not because I think Kevin committed this crime, but to show that we all, no matter what "camp" we fall into, should be interested in all of the evidence here.

To simply swat away items of possible significance because they don't point to Kevin is unreasonable.

We cannot count on the police, the prosecution, and the defense to solve this thing, at this point. The police and prosecution only have eyes for Kevin. The defense only has eyes for protecting Kevin.

Maybe Justice for Nona continues best on this forum by its members critically examining everything, no matter where it leads.

[hawgustusgloop]

I included the above, not because I think Kevin committed this crime, but to show that we all, no matter what "camp" we fall into, should be interested in all of the evidence here.

To simply swat away items of possible significance because they don't point to Kevin is unreasonable.

We cannot count on the police, the prosecution, and the defense to solve this thing, at this point. The police and prosecution only have eyes for Kevin. The defense only has eyes for protecting Kevin.

Maybe Justice for Nona continues best on this forum by its members critically examining everything, no matter where it leads.

I agree with this, and it is why I asked for more info about the green SUV sighting. The point I was trying to make in response to TJEddie's post was that if the defense uncovered anything of substance in its investigation, that we probably would have heard about it. If they discovered anything interesting that the police missed, they probably would've pointed it out in court as something the police didn't find (and further contributing to the notion of "tunnel vision"), just like they did with the fingernail and the condom wrapper DNA.

[lorettalockhorn]

It's difficult to know if the green SUV was significant at all. Was it (along with Nona's car) the only vehicle parked that afternoon, or was it parked in front of her apartment because there was no room at the apartment where the owner was visiting, for instance? Was the defense investigation as unsuccessful at identifying it and/or its owner as LE was? It would seem that if the defense had the answers that not only would they have used the information at trial, but that they would have a responsibility to turn that information over to the State. If they did give this information to LE and/or the prosecution, I wonder if it was as worthless as Grandma Jones' alibi at deflecting suspicion from KJ?

It will be interesting when/if any of this information is released by Gibbons.

[oxfordwebster]

RUMOR ALERT.

I heard that people actually drove on Nona's road around the time of the murder. I think that every single one of them should be ruled out as a suspect, fingerprinted, DNA samples taken, and strip searched.

:beer:

[hawgustusgloop]

RUMOR ALERT.

I heard that people actually drove on Nona's road around the time of the murder. I think that every single one of them should be ruled out as a suspect, fingerprinted, DNA samples taken, and strip searched.

:beer:

IMO the witnesses who saw those people driving on Nona's street should also be subject to DNA tests, cavity searches, etc.

BTW I like your new avatar.

[LurkerNoMore]

IMO the witnesses who saw those people driving on Nona's street should also be subject to DNA tests, cavity searches, etc.

BTW I like your new avatar.

Comments like these do no good and prove my point. If it doesn't point to Kevin, let's swat it away.

What if the Green SUV was directly next to Nona's car? Not significant?

What if no other person who lived at the apartments owned it or reported knowing anyone who drove a Green SUV? Not significant?

But all I can offer are what if's.

If the stick from the sliding door were found in a Green SUV, OX would say the driver was building a house, Hawg would say Kevin put it there, and Loretta would say Grandma Jones put a voodoo curse on the driver and was behind it all.

The three of you (Ox, Hawg, Loretta) are like the self-described cool kids in high school, but everyone else is left shaking their heads at you. I picture you high-fiving in private messages, congratulating one another on belittling another participate.

This forum is worthless and so I join the others who have retired whether by choice or by force.

[lorettalockhorn]

Comments like these do no good and prove my point. If it doesn't point to Kevin, let's swat it away.

What if the Green SUV was directly next to Nona's car? Not significant?

What if no other person who lived at the apartments owned it or reported knowing anyone who drove a Green SUV? Not significant?

But all I can offer are what if's.

If the stick from the sliding door were found in a Green SUV, OX would say the driver was building a house, Hawg would say Kevin put it there, and Loretta would say Grandma Jones put a voodoo curse on the driver and was behind it all.

The three of you (Ox, Hawg, Loretta) are like the self-described cool kids in high school, but everyone else is left shaking their heads at you. I picture you high-fiving in private messages, congratulating one another on belittling another participate.

This forum is worthless and so I join the others who have retired whether by choice or by force.

Please don't put words in my mouth. Besides Grandma Jones is a Christian (as opposed to Blake Walters who apparently is not, since his testimony wasn't taken seriously by the jury), I seriously doubt if she would be interested in voodoo.

We have no way of knowing if the SUV is any more significant than say, oh, I don't know, Kevin's admitted drug use or his screwing around.

[oxfordwebster]

If the stick from the sliding door were found in a Green SUV, OX would say the driver was building a houseNah, I can acknowledge the facts of the case. I just don't draw some of the stretched conclusions Kevin's supporters do. My brain just doesn't bend that well.

[hawgustusgloop]

Comments like these do no good and prove my point. If it doesn't point to Kevin, let's swat it away.

What if the Green SUV was directly next to Nona's car? Not significant?

What if no other person who lived at the apartments owned it or reported knowing anyone who drove a Green SUV? Not significant?

But all I can offer are what if's.

If the stick from the sliding door were found in a Green SUV, OX would say the driver was building a house, Hawg would say Kevin put it there, and Loretta would say Grandma Jones put a voodoo curse on the driver and was behind it all.

The three of you (Ox, Hawg, Loretta) are like the self-described cool kids in high school, but everyone else is left shaking their heads at you. I picture you high-fiving in private messages, congratulating one another on belittling another participate.

This forum is worthless and so I join the others who have retired whether by choice or by force.

I asked several questions and wanted to know if anyone could find any more links about the green SUV testimony. I was not trying to "swat it away." I genuinely would like to know more about it, regardless of where it leads, if anywhere.

I am sorry you had a rough time in high school.

[nobody]

I am just now reading about the jury selection process. I think I would have been a little erked, knowing the priorities of the selection.

Some were excused based on claims of summer vacation, while some with financial/work concerns were held for trial.

It seems they would be more concerned with psychological and unbias mindset of possible jurors instead of eliminating them due to vacation plans.

Now I know what to say - if I ever get the jury duty notice - "Sorry, can't do it, I'm going fishing that weekend."

Reference: http://64.233.129.31/archivedstory.php?ID=15315

[lorettalockhorn]

I am just now reading about the jury selection process. I think I would have been a little erked, knowing the priorities of the selection.

Some were excused based on claims of summer vacation, while some with financial/work concerns were held for trial.

It seems they would be more concerned with psychological and unbias mindset of possible jurors instead of eliminating them due to vacation plans.

Now I know what to say - if I ever get the jury duty notice - "Sorry, can't do it, I'm going fishing that weekend."

Reference: http://64.233.129.31/archivedstory.php?ID=15315

Speaking of irkage at the selection process, we need to find out more about the nurse who is rumored to have not wanted to be on the jury because of his busy schedule and whose niece is a close friend of Ryan Whiteside. We need to know why he didn't acknowledge a connection to a party of the case during voir dire. The one who called his niece personally to tell her about the verdict.

[nobody]

Speaking of irkage at the selection process, we need to find out more about the nurse who is rumored to have not wanted to be on the jury because of his busy schedule and whose niece is a close friend of Ryan Whiteside. We need to know why he didn't acknowledge a connection to a party of the case during voir dire. The one who called his niece personally to tell her about the verdict.

I agree! Do you have proof? Could they do anything to reverse the case, if this were so?

[lorettalockhorn]

From today's Courier:

Final thoughts
Carol Dipert describes her view of Nona, Kevin's relationship

Life has continued for Carol Dipert Nona Dirksmeyer's mother, after Kevin Jones was acquitted for Dirksmeyer's first-degree murder at the Franklin County Courthouse in July.
Dirksmeyer's body was discovered in her Russellville apartment Dec. 15, 2005. The cause of death was multiple blunt- and sharp-force trauma.
As Dipert now tries to re-enter her own life, she recalled Dirksmeyer's relationship with Jones and the couple's breakups and makeups.
Dipert said Jones and Dirksmeyer began hangin out together in junior high school, along with other friends, going to the movies and other normal activities for young people. As time went on, Dipert said, Dirksmeyer and Jones grew close.
"He [Kevin] would come over to the house, do homework and watch TV with us. Kevin would eat supper with us and over the course of time, I came to really trust him with Nona - with someone so precious to me even more precious than my own life. It's just hard to believe he did something like this. It's just so horrible to think that soeone you trusted with your daughter and someone that was close to me in my own life - that's what really got me."
Dipert remembered Dirksmeyer and Jones broke up at the beginning of their senior year in high school for about a month and a half, but they got back to (sic) together. Dipert said she really thought Jones was a pretty decent person until his senior year. When he went to college, she said, she thought things went "downhill."
"Nona told me in the fall [2005] when he went to Fayetteville, they were getting into arguments," Dipert said. "I told her, 'You need to break up with him and find somebody else.'"
Dipert said Dirksmeyer and Jones "had another bad argument" right after that, because Dirksmeyer told her mother Jones was getting some kind of drugs to get him through his exams.
"I think it was Adderall," she said.
Druing the trial, 5th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons said at a hearing he complied with a defense request to keep portions of Jones' taped police interview where Jones talked about his drug use - which included the use of Adderall, Gibbons said - from the jury.

[lorettalockhorn]

continued from the Courier:

Dipert said she grew concerned about what else Jones could be into - "maybe something worse. That's why I told her to break up with him."
In November 2005, Dipert said Dirksmeyer did something she hadn't done in years.
"It was Thanksgiving 2005. Every holiday she went up to the Jones'," Dipert said. "She went for birthdays, too. She was one of the fanily over there.
"I asked her, 'Aren't you going out to [the Jones'] house for Thanksgiving?' and she quickly said, 'No. You're my family, aren't ya?'"
Dipert said Dirksmeyer then went directly upstairs and said she was going to take a nap.
"That was the first year [since they had dated] that she hadn't gone to the Jones' for a family thing," Dipert said. "I didn't know, but the police told me she had broken up with him at that time, but she never told me that. I wish she would have."
Dipert said they got back together in early December, "a couple of weeks before she was killed. I never knew any of this at the time.
"I think they would have broken up again. She was starting to figure it out. She started to realize there was better people out there than Kevin."
Dipert said she remembered events began to unfold in her mind during Dirksmeyer's visitation.
"[Jones] was supposed to go to the visitation for the family, and he didn't show up. I just couldn't understand why he wasn't there," she said. ""If Nona was someone that he was going to marry, he should have been there."
Then, Dipert said, she was told Jones went to the police station to tell investigators his brother had seen Nona driving her car at about 1 p.m. the day she died, and he was going to tell them that.
The family later discovered the police were questioning him, she said.
Dipert said one night at about 11:30 p.m., the police came to the house and said Jones was their suspect.
"Deep down, I think I knew it was going to be him, but I was physically sick," Dipert said.
The next day, she said the family told the funeral director not to let Jones sit by the family.
"Right after Nona died, I was hoping he hadn't done it. I was hoping it wasn't him or it was someone I didn't know. But all the evidence points to him," Dipert said. "I realized a few months afterwards that he was the only one that could have done it, but I've held up through my faith in God and my family has been supportive of me."
When asked what her plans are now the trial is over, Dipert said, "I hadn't been feeling well. I'm just trying to pull myself together and get back to work. I just need some rest. This was emotionally and physically exhausting."
Dipert said she is exploring her options for a wrongful-death lawsuit. She said she was interviewing possible attorneys and investigating how to fund it.

[lorettalockhorn]

from today's Courier:

Editor's note: These stories are the last in a series attempting to examine the investigation into Nona Dirksmeyer's murder, the prosecution of Kevin Jones and the trial's aftermath. A written request for an interview for this series sent to Kevin Jones went unanswered and was returned to The Courier office unopened. Defense attorney Bill Bristow declined a request for an interview; calls made to defense attorneys Kenneth Johnson and Michael Robbins were not returned.

Duane Dipert speaks
Why he asked for cell phone; on people claiming he's a suspect:

During the first pre-trial hearing, defense attorneys for Kevin Jones filed a motion to dismiss the first-degree murder charge on the grounds that evidence - Nona Dirksmeyer's cell phone - was released to Duane Dipert Dirksmeyer's step-father, before Jones was charged.
Jones was accused of Dirksmeyer's December 2005 murder, and a jury in Ozark found him not guilty in July.
At the hearing, Special Judge John Patterson denied the motion to dismiss and told the defense it could present that aspect of its case to the jury. Fifth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons admittd the phone had been provided to Duane without Gibbons' knowledge. He said he discovered it had been released when the defense requested the phone to conduct their own testing.
"I was accused of purposely and maliciously destroying evidence," Dipert said. "That was the favorite term of Bill Bristow's [one of Jones' defense attorneys]."
When asked why he had requested the phone, Dipert said, "I'm a cheapskate. I'm frugal. I had an old cell phone, and Carol had a contract with two phones [one being Dirksmeyer's]. We did ask if we could have some of Nona's things back, cell phone included."
Dipert said Russellville Police Detective Mark Frost said it was at the crime lab when he first asked for it.
"Several weeks later, I asked again and repeatedly said, "If you got everything off of it, we would like to have it back." I said that several times. I eventually got it back, put my numbers in it and then they asked for it, and that is the story of the phone."
He said he deleted the information to make room for his "stuff."
"I figured if they're done with it, they're done with it," he said. He said it wasn't until later Gibbons told him the defense has the right to inspect and perform their own tests on evidence.
During the trial, expert witnesses for the state and the defense provided contradictory testimony concerning what information could have been obtained from the phone.
State crime lab experts testified they recovered what they could from the phone prior to its release. The defense's expert disagreed.
Dipert was expected to testify at the trial, but was never called by either side.
"It's a nothing issue compared to [a bloody palm print belonging to Jones] on the light bulb" of the alleged murder weapon, he said.

[lorettalockhorn]

continued from the Courier:

Since Dirksmeyer's death, Dipert has been mentioned in community discussion as a suspect, in part because of what happened to Dirksmeyer's cell phone. He said he was the one to approach police about his whereabouts on the day of Dirksmeyer's murder.
"One day, I asked Frost why I hadn't been questioned as a suspect," he said. "I mean, I'm retired. I have free time during the day, and I had access to Nona's apartment."
Dipert said Frost told him, "Through the course of the investigation, we talked to people and we didn't consider you to be a suspect."
"I told him I was Christmas shopping all that day, and that I had receipts with times on them," Dipert said. He asked Frost if the police wanted to see them, and Frost said yes.
Dipert then provided Frost with the receipts, which included the purchase of a birthday card for Dirksmeyer, who died 11 days before her 20th birthday.
"I was never really considered a serious suspect by the police, especially after I gave them the receipts," he said.
He dismissed rumors that he and Dirksmyer (sic) had "disputes," and described his relationship with Dirksmeyer as "distant but cordial."
"I didn't know Nona that well," he said. "I had raised three kids of my own, and it was Carol's job to raise Nona. I was in the background, and if I was asked to do things, like escort her at Miss Arkansas, I would."
He recalled helping paint Carol's house in Dover before they got married.
"I made a sarcastic comment about the job Carol did painting the bathroom," he said. "Nona said, 'My mom's a good painter.'"
"That's the meanest thing she'd ever said to me," he said with a laugh.

[lorettalockhorn]

from the Courier:

On the record with Greg Dirksmeyer
Nona Dirksmeyer's half-brother answers questions about Nona's murder, the trial, verdict and the aftermath

Editor's note: Greg "Duke" Dirksmeyer, Nona Dirksmeyer's half-brother lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife and two daughters. The following is a question-and-answer interview with him.

Q: What were you doing when you learned about Nona's death Dec. 15, 2005?
A: "I was Christmas shopping with my two daughters, when Carol (Dipert) called to tell me about Nona. I was in total shock, and I didn't believe it until I got there. It instantly brought tears to my daughters' eyes. It put a dismal spirit on everyone.
My first reaction was I couldn't believe it. What I was feeling is hard to explain. It was an anxious feeling, an angry feeling, suspenseful, empty and shallow."

Q: What thoughts went through your mind when you learned about a relative being murdered?

A: "First and foremost I thought, 'Why would anyone even think about doing this?'"

Q: Describe your thoughts about Kevin Jones' arrest, his bond and the time period thereafter?

A: "I was extremely angry. I mean, how could the bond be set so low? He only spent less than 24 hous in jail. The whole time period we were talking with (Russellville Police detective Mark) Frost and (5th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney David) Gibbons, trying to get a feelking of completeness for what had happened in that apartment. How, when and where did this act of violence happenn - I was constantly thinking about it. I thought that Detective Frost worked as hard as he could and he communicated with the family.
"What really got me was the negative attitude and communication we got from some members of the community. Some of the reactions we got from some of the community just wasn't right, like the sign in Dover. The 'We love you Kevin' displayed on the Bayou Bay Care was like a slap in my fmaily's face. They should have done nothing or they should have supported both Nona and Kevin."

Q: What would you say to whoever the killer is?

"It is a known fact that there is a killer going on about their life. Whoever he or she is, the real question is what are they going to do next? And what will they do before justice is served? You know what you did. You know who you are. Man up. Quit hiding behind the shield of technical problems and improper police work. How could you live with yourself if you committed what I think is the most violent brutal murder ever?

Q: The trial was delayed in January until July. What was like (sic) waiting for it and what did you think about the trial?

A: "It was pure heartbreak for Carol and the family again when the trial was delayed. With this much time before the trial, I thought it would have gone well. It made me ask, 'What took so long?' Two years went by, and we had no accomplishment.
"During the trial was the most lonely and horrible time in the world. It felt like we were on trial, and we're the victim;s family. It felt like everybody was aginst us, including the jury."

[lorettalockhorn]

continued:

Q: Describe the courtroom atmosphere from your perspective.

A: "In the courtroom, I was gettting daring and threatening looks from Kevin and the family. I just felt no warmness or empathy from the whole thing. I thought it was home-cooking small-town politics. The mood of the courtroom was cold and hateful and spiteful and not sympathetic.
"It seemed that the defense was way more on their game than we were. Especially during the rebuttals, there was a big difference.
"The jury took a slanted feeling toward and for the defense team. You know, and the jury, I don't think they looked at this poor mother who lost a 19-year old beautiful daughter. The way the family was treated during the trial; it was obvious no one cared that Carol lost Nona through a bloody murder.
"I sat there asking, 'Why didn't it come together in court? Why didn't Gibbons exclude the other suspects?' which all had alibis, I thought this should have been a slam-dunk. I also thought the judge fraternized with the defense attorneys. I didn't see him do that with the prosecutors."

Q: What do you think about seeing Carol and Duane live through this?

A: "Carol and Duane got the shaft and were dealt a horrible hand for the rest of their lives. There is no justice, and the system totally failed."

Q: What are you hopeful for now?

A: "Some kind of way the real killer comes to the table and justice can be served. I would also hope for the Dover community to start giving Carol and Nona the respect they deserve. I think the whole Dover community turned on us.

Q: What are your summarizing thoughts on Nona's death, the trial and the verdict now that it is over?

A: "You try to lead a good life and be a good Christian, and something like this happens. It infuriates me. I felt raped mentally and physically and violated in every way possible. After two years, we didn't get one answer."

[lorettalockhorn]

The Courier has an article about how RPD has streamlined and restructured personnel since Tom McMillen has taken over as Chief. There are some specific mentions about Nona's case and there is mention that Gibbons is still holding the case file (and I guess the alleged rape report also).

[oxfordwebster]

The Courier better not be dropping the ball now, before the case file is open to an FOI request. I hope their claim of it being the last article is just because they don't have access, yet.

It will be probably be dropped because the paper is crap and that editorial after the verdict talking about getting to the bottom of it was just chest-thumping, but whatever.

[lorettalockhorn]

The Courier better not be dropping the ball now, before the case file is open to an FOI request. I hope their claim of it being the last article is just because they don't have access, yet.

It will be probably be dropped because the paper is crap and that editorial after the verdict talking about getting to the bottom of it was just chest-thumping, but whatever.

Yeah, I assume that the editor's note is in reference to the particular series; and probably there would have been additional articles if the defense parties had responded.

Surely to goodness, The Courier will forge on with its "yellow journalism" once the files are FOIAed (Is that a word?).

[hawgustusgloop]

continued from the Courier:



Then, Dipert said, she was told Jones went to the police station to tell investigators his brother had seen Nona driving her car at about 1 p.m. the day she died, and he was going to tell them that.


I would LOVE to know more about this.

Thank you for posting these articles!

[oxfordwebster]

I would LOVE to know more about this.

Thank you for posting these articles!Same here, but something tells me it was just some early smoke... I mean, the kid obviously ran around trying to get himself an alibi for around that time, so naturally he'd try to get someone to claim they saw her alive when he knew he had created an alibi.

Seems pretty blatant to me, because if it was actually the truth, it would have come out. Something tells me Kevin's brother wouldn't have a problem saying he saw her at 1:00pm if he really did.

[lorettalockhorn]

I would LOVE to know more about this.

Thank you for posting these articles!

Oh I know; thanks for bringing that up! Did that really happen? Why didn't the brother give LE the statement himself? Or was someone just blowing smoke?

Sorry for the typos, I was doing too many things at once to notice until it was too late to correct. Drat The Courier for not posting online until next day.

[sololobo]

I would LOVE to know more about this.

Thank you for posting these articles!

"Then, Dipert said, she was told Jones went to the police station to tell investigators his brother had seen Nona driving her car at about 1 p.m. the day she died, and he was going to tell them that.
The family later discovered the police were questioning him, she said." Courier

[oxfordwebster]

"Then, Dipert said, she was told Jones went to the police station to tell investigators his brother had seen Nona driving her car at about 1 p.m. the day she died, and he was going to tell them that.
The family later discovered the police were questioning him, she said." Courier?

I think that's kinda what we wanted to know about.

[lorettalockhorn]

"Then, Dipert said, she was told Jones went to the police station to tell investigators his brother had seen Nona driving her car at about 1 p.m. the day she died, and he was going to tell them that.
The family later discovered the police were questioning him, she said." Courier

Right. So did this happen? Or was someone blowing smoke to hide the fact from Carol that KJ was being questioned? I've never heard that brother Jones had seen Nona at 1pm; wouldn't he have gone to LE with that information?

[nobody]

Channel 5 focused on Frost's testimony. He said that he regretted not taking the knife into evidence until the next day, there were comments about a lamp being turned over in the living room, a clothesline near the body, and a bag of popcorn and a straw in an upstairs trash container that weren't tested. They also mentioned that a man's fingernail was found but that it wasn't tested. (How did they know that it was a male's fingernail if it wasn't tested?)

Rethinking the attack...
We haven't talked much about the strangulation weapon. A clothesline found near the body. I doubt she had a spare clothesline laying around in her apartment prior to. Do these apartments have clothelines? If so, was this cut from here - or did the murderer bring this item with him? If this line did not come from her apartment. Trying to think in this delusional person's mind - I might have just used the lamp cord instead of going outside to cut this wire - risking a chance of being seen. Or maybe this could change this case towards a premeditated, staged murder.

Also, to strangle someone - I would imagine wrapping the wire around my hands to get a better grip - another DNA sample?

[hawgustusgloop]

Right. So did this happen? Or was someone blowing smoke to hide the fact from Carol that KJ was being questioned? I've never heard that brother Jones had seen Nona at 1pm; wouldn't he have gone to LE with that information?

If K.Jo is guilty, I wonder if that was the original plan to try to exonerate him? Maybe K.Jo knew he didn't have an alibi until 1 p.m. so he was going to get his brother to say he saw Nona alive then? Maybe that was part of the reason why the thermostat was turned down--to somehow create the impression that she died a little later? But perhaps that plan fell through if Brother Jones refused to go along with it or if it could be easily proven that Brother Jones was somewhere where he couldn't possibly have seen Nona driving at that time? Maybe that's why K.Jo did so many things and was sure to be seen by so many people later in the afternoon. He even made sure to bring a friend along with him to run errands. I always thought it was odd that the defense said something like, "what if it could be shown Nona was alive long after the supposed time of death," or something to that effect, in the opening arguments. I wonder if that statement had anything to do with all of this?

[lorettalockhorn]

Rethinking the attack...
We haven't talked much about the strangulation weapon. A clothesline found near the body. I doubt she had a spare clothesline laying around in her apartment prior to. Do these apartments have clothelines? If so, was this cut from here - or did the murderer bring this item with him? If this line did not come from her apartment. Trying to think in this delusional person's mind - I might have just used the lamp cord instead of going outside to cut this wire - risking a chance of being seen. Or maybe this could change this case towards a premeditated, staged murder.

Also, to strangle someone - I would imagine wrapping the wire around my hands to get a better grip - another DNA sample?

I have always thought that there was an element of premeditation to the murder; I think that KJ was stalking Nona and that he parked somewhere nearby and walked or jogged to her apartment to spy on her. Maybe she caught him watching her and started to fight him which led to the fatal attack. I suppose that it's possible that she had a clothesline in the apartment in case she needed to air dry clothes?

[lorettalockhorn]

If K.Jo is guilty, I wonder if that was the original plan to try to exonerate him? Maybe K.Jo knew he didn't have an alibi until 1 p.m. so he was going to get his brother to say he saw Nona alive then? Maybe that was part of the reason why the thermostat was turned down--to somehow create the impression that she died a little later? But perhaps that plan fell through if Brother Jones refused to go along with it or if it could be easily proven that Brother Jones was somewhere where he couldn't possibly have seen Nona driving at that time? Maybe that's why K.Jo did so many things and was sure to be seen by so many people later in the afternoon. He even made sure to bring a friend along with him to run errands. I always thought it was odd that the defense said something like, "what if it could be shown Nona was alive long after the supposed time of death," or something to that effect, in the opening arguments. I wonder if that statement had anything to do with all of this?


Interesting theory. You know it's been put forth that if grandma Jones was lying with regard to KJ's alibi, that she would have put him at the station earlier than 11:30am. The problem with that, of course, is that she had to have her own alibi straight. Maybe things just didn't work out for brother Jones to be able to claim to have seen Nona at 1pm (or any other time of day). Turning down/off the thermostat has to have been a method to engineer the slowing of decomposition effects, doesn't it? What other reason could there be? Was Nona normally extremely frugal about her heating bill? To that extent?

[hawgustusgloop]

I have always thought that there was an element of premeditation to the murder; I think that KJ was stalking Nona and that he parked somewhere nearby and walked or jogged to her apartment to spy on her. Maybe she caught him watching her and started to fight him which led to the fatal attack. I suppose that it's possible that she had a clothesline in the apartment in case she needed to air dry clothes?

I never even noticed that part about the clothesline before. I can't imagine what that's about or why nothing was really made of it during the trial. Was there ever any mention of any of Nona's wounds being consistent with being strangled with a clothesline? I wonder if it was generally accepted that Nona had a clothesline in her apartment. Otherwise, how would they know to specifically call it a "clothesline" rather than a cord, cable, string, rope, etc.?

[lorettalockhorn]

I never even noticed that part about the clothesline before. I can't imagine what that's about or why nothing was really made of it during the trial. Was there ever any mention of any of Nona's wounds being consistent with being strangled with a clothesline? I wonder if it was generally accepted that Nona had a clothesline in her apartment. Otherwise, how would they know to specifically call it a "clothesline" rather than a cord, cable, string, rope, etc.?

Hawg, I think that I first learned about the clothesline from a Ft. Smith news report; this is what I got when I searched the forum (I guess this works):

http://boards.crimelibrary.com/search.php?searchid=83839

Agree about the characterization of "clothesline", that could be wire, plastic coated wire, or a rope, any of which might have other uses. Was the "clothesline" found in a package marked "clothesline"? Did it have clothespins attached?

[nobody]

In addition, Chambers said, “the police department said in their report it appeared tacky. [former Russellville Police Chief James Bacon] didn’t say it was dry. He said it appeared tacky, which meant it was wet.”
According to experts commissioned by the defense, blood takes approximately 45 minutes to dry under conditions similar to those in Dirksmeyer’s apartment on the night of her death, meaning that wet blood could only have been placed at the time of Jones’ discovery of Dirksmeyer’s body.

Reference: http://www.couriernews.com/archivedstory.php?ID=15610

It was stated - days later the blood appeared the same. This statement would throw out the whole "tacky" assumption. (my thoughts) Not touching, but puncturing the blood with a needle would have given Chief Bacon a better analysis of the state of the blood without damaging impressions. Lessons learned...

[sololobo]

?

I think that's kinda what we wanted to know about.

If we were wanting to know why Kevin missed visitation, yes, Carol's very next statement cleared that up.

[sololobo]

Interesting theory. You know it's been put forth that if grandma Jones was lying with regard to KJ's alibi, that she would have put him at the station earlier than 11:30am. The problem with that, of course, is that she had to have her own alibi straight. Maybe things just didn't work out for brother Jones to be able to claim to have seen Nona at 1pm (or any other time of day). Turning down/off the thermostat has to have been a method to engineer the slowing of decomposition effects, doesn't it? What other reason could there be? Was Nona normally extremely frugal about her heating bill? To that extent?

Why would grandma Jones lie if it didn't exonorate Kevin? I have no reason to disbelieve her testimony.

Perhaps the killer worked up a sweat killing Nona and turned the thermostat down while tidying up the crime scene.

[sololobo]

Right. So did this happen? Or was someone blowing smoke to hide the fact from Carol that KJ was being questioned? I've never heard that brother Jones had seen Nona at 1pm; wouldn't he have gone to LE with that information?

I'm sure it happened as Carol described. I have no reason to believe Carol would lie about this. I'm sure someone told her Kevin wasn't at visitation because he was reporting a Nona sighting. This was apparently a rumor. She then stated she found out later he missed visitation because the police were questioning him.

[k9 lurker]

Everything that points to another suspect or the possibility of another suspect is not smoke and mirrors.

To my knowledge, the driver of the green SUV was never identified, either by the police, the prosecution, or the defense. Therefore, it remains one of those loose ends hanging out there. Was it connected to the case? Who knows? The fact that it MIGHT HAVE BEEN should make us all want to examine it a little more closely, either to cross it off or point to the murderer.

It could probably be assumed that none of the original suspects drove a green SUV. We know Kevin and Trey didn't. If there were other suspects, let's at least assume for the sake of argument that their primary vehicles were not Green SUVs.

The next logical step is to look at who had access to Green SUVs.

Moving day at Tech. Maybe someone borrowed a family member or friend's vehicle to fit more luggage/items into? I'm not pointing at anyone in particular. Just more a general question.

It would also be logical to say that the murderer probably wouldn't have driven their own vehicle to commit the act. That is, if it were pre-planned.

Food for thought.

I don't think anything here is irrelevant. It all begs to be examined.


Maybe the people who say they were in the court room can remember. I beleive that Frost was questioned by Bristow about the GREEN SUV. I have heard that Bristow was to the point of being "cocky" about his questioning of the things that Frost did not do. However, I was told that when he asked Frost about the GREEN SUV he was in shock because Frost did find the owner and interviewed him and he had nothing to do with the case. Frost even told him who the owner was and where he lives.

[oxfordwebster]

Maybe the people who say they were in the court room can remember. I beleive that Frost was questioned by Bristow about the GREEN SUV. I have heard that Bristow was to the point of being "cocky" about his questioning of the things that Frost did not do. However, I was told that when he asked Frost about the GREEN SUV he was in shock because Frost did find the owner and interviewed him and he had nothing to do with the case. Frost even told him who the owner was and where he lives.Oh, that's just delicious. I'm going to have to do some digging into this one.

[lorettalockhorn]

I never even noticed that part about the clothesline before. I can't imagine what that's about or why nothing was really made of it during the trial. Was there ever any mention of any of Nona's wounds being consistent with being strangled with a clothesline? I wonder if it was generally accepted that Nona had a clothesline in her apartment. Otherwise, how would they know to specifically call it a "clothesline" rather than a cord, cable, string, rope, etc.?


Kokes testified that he believed that there had been an attempt at strangulation and his version would explain why there were no ligature marks or thumb/fingerprints.

The right side of DIRKSMEYER’s hyoid bone (a u-shaped bone that sits above the voice box), coupled with bruising and laceration on the inside of her lips and petechial hemorrhaging in her lower eyelids were consistent with an attempt at strangulation and suffocation, possibly by holding a hand over her mouth and nose and the use of “compressive force” on her neck, Kokes said.


http://couriernews.com/archived_story.php?ID=15380&Search=dirksmeyer

[lorettalockhorn]

Why would grandma Jones lie if it didn't exonorate Kevin? I have no reason to disbelieve her testimony.

Perhaps the killer worked up a sweat killing Nona and turned the thermostat down while tidying up the crime scene.

Why would grandma lie? Because she had everything to gain AND lose; Kevin.

Blake Walters had nothing to gain or lose by lying OR telling the truth; he swore an oath to tell the truth and he did, but this jury who couldn't even fathom that KJ was a liar by watching the interviews, didn't believe him.

[lorettalockhorn]

I'm sure it happened as Carol described. I have no reason to believe Carol would lie about this. I'm sure someone told her Kevin wasn't at visitation because he was reporting a Nona sighting. This was apparently a rumor. She then stated she found out later he missed visitation because the police were questioning him.

Kinda surprised that you would interpret my queries as believing that Carol lied; nothing could be further from the truth. My questions have to do with who told her that KJ was voluntarily going to LE to tell them about his brother's sighting of Nona (instead of the brother, himself). Did the Joneses tell her this so that she wouldn't suspect him? Did KJ himself call the funeral home or someone in Carol's family and leave this message? Just unreal.

[hawgustusgloop]

In addition, Chambers said, “the police department said in their report it appeared tacky. [former Russellville Police Chief James Bacon] didn’t say it was dry. He said it appeared tacky, which meant it was wet.”
According to experts commissioned by the defense, blood takes approximately 45 minutes to dry under conditions similar to those in Dirksmeyer’s apartment on the night of her death, meaning that wet blood could only have been placed at the time of Jones’ discovery of Dirksmeyer’s body.

Reference: http://www.couriernews.com/archivedstory.php?ID=15610

It was stated - days later the blood appeared the same. This statement would throw out the whole "tacky" assumption. (my thoughts) Not touching, but puncturing the blood with a needle would have given Chief Bacon a better analysis of the state of the blood without damaging impressions. Lessons learned...

Very interesting. The bloody palm print was a MAJOR piece of evidence, so I would imagine (or at least hope) that some time between when the jury was finished investigating the mysterious "Jared" and when they ate some pizza, they probably discussed it at some point. I wonder if that is the conclusion the entire jury reached--that the print must have been "wet," even though Bacon said it had the same appearance days later.

[oxfordwebster]

Very interesting. The bloody palm print was a MAJOR piece of evidence, so I would imagine (or at least hope) that some time between when the jury was finished investigating the mysterious "Jared" and when they ate some pizza, they probably discussed it at some point. I wonder if that is the conclusion the entire jury reached--that the print must have been "wet," even though Bacon said it had the same appearance days later.Apparently Bacon isn't allowed to make clarifications of his statements, though Kevin could come up with an entirely new timeline and no one even batted an eye in the jury. Those are some real thinking skills.

[hawgustusgloop]

Why would grandma Jones lie if it didn't exonorate Kevin? I have no reason to disbelieve her testimony.

Perhaps the killer worked up a sweat killing Nona and turned the thermostat down while tidying up the crime scene.

I am very curious as to when this story of K.Jo visiting Granny to ask her for some lunch money at 11:30 first emerged. If this was something K.Jo mentioned during an early interrogation that was independently and consistently corroborated by Granny, it would seem more credible. If it was something that they both somehow "remembered" at a later date, that's a different story. IMO if she did lie, even though it wouldn't unquestionably exonerate K.Jo, at least it would help create the semblance of some type of alibi where absolutely none existed. If she didn't testify to seeing him, the window of time he was unaccounted for would have been much greater.

IMO if K.Jo's mom had to pick out and set out his clothes for him, she'd also be the type to make sure she tucked some lunch money and a sweet little note in the pocket of his KangaRoos before sending him out into the cold, cruel world for the day.

[lorettalockhorn]

I am very curious as to when this story of K.Jo visiting Granny to ask her for some lunch money at 11:30 first emerged. If this was something K.Jo mentioned during an early interrogation that was independently and consistently corroborated by Granny, it would seem more credible. If it was something that they both somehow "remembered" at a later date, that's a different story. IMO if she did lie, even though it wouldn't unquestionably exonerate K.Jo, at least it would help create the semblance of some type of alibi where absolutely none existed. If she didn't testify to seeing him, the window of time he was unaccounted for would have been much greater.

IMO if K.Jo's mom had to pick out and set out his clothes for him, she'd also be the type to make sure she tucked some lunch money and a sweet little note in the pocket of his KangaRoos before sending him out into the cold, cruel world for the day.

Well, not only did mother Jones pick out Kevin's clothes, she did it before he was even approved as her guest! The poor party planner had to put out an extra plate at the last minute to accommodate him.

At any rate, I think grandmother's alibi had to have come at a later date, since I believe KJ originally told LE that he didn't leave home until 11:45; it took me eight minutes (IIRC) to drive from the Joneses to the station.

[FDInLaw]

(Courier articles are up:
http://www.couriernews.com/

:seeya: )

[lorettalockhorn]

(Courier articles are up:
http://www.couriernews.com/

:seeya: )

Thanks for not posting that non-link! :seeya:

[hawgustusgloop]

If Greg Dirksmeyer's perception of how Nona's family was treated in court is accurate, I think that is very sad. How can people be so cruel and sick? With the exception of Duane Dipert's reaction to the verdict, I have not heard or read anything about the Diperts acting in a cruel manner toward the Jones family. If I recall correctly, Duane Dipert even said he felt bad for K.Jo's family and what they were going through at one point. There have been certain posters here who I am sure IMO would have been eager to post any such behavior on the part of the Diperts if it occurred. Instead, we have only heard about cruel treatment aimed at Nona's family from Kamp K.Jo. I could actually understand anger coming from the Diperts, since they believe K.Jo murdered their daughter, but Kamp K.Jo has no reason to act in such an angry and immature manner toward these victims just because the prosecuting attorney brought charges against K.Jo. Sick, sad, and shameful, IMO. At least they appeared to be Christian for the jury.

[nobody]

“Living off campus, she sometimes came in late,” Bailey said. She said she saved a special pen used for the exams for Dirksmeyer so she could take the test.
Bailey finished and left before Dirksmeyer, she said, and tried to call her later regarding their grades on a class project. She said she used the biology professor’s cell phone to call Dirksmeyer at 9:34, but couldn’t reach her. When she called again at 10:14, Dirksmeyer answered the phone, she said.
She testified Dirksmeyer talked to her about Dirksmeyer’s relationship with Jones, which Bailey said “didn’t seem healthy.”
“They fought a lot verbally,” she said. “I knew she thought he had cheated on her, and she had cheated on him like a retaliation.”

Reference: http://64.233.129.31/archivedstory.php?ID=15333

(IMO)
Maybe it is just me being old school - I can't imagine asking to use a Professor's personal cell phone for non-emergency calls. Especially in what could be misconstrued as an unprofessional relationship - noting around Finals week. Another thought - what college girl does not carry one of their own? Did this professor just let all of his students use that phone? Another detail - Sara left before Nona but was back, less than an hour later to use the professor's phone.
I would have liked to hear testimony from the biology professor, considering this person would have been speaking to the victim and some of her friends and a possible suspect over the past months. I've sat in these classes. I have even sat in ATU's biology rooms - if they have not moved since. You sort of get a sense of student relations - who hangs out with who, who avoids who, etc.

[oxfordwebster]

From what I know, the music performance teachers have a much closer to relationship with their students, for obvious reasons. I don't think it's that strange that they would allow their own cell to be used to call Nona.

If it were some other class it would have been strange, sure.

[TJEddie]

From what I know, the music performance teachers have a much closer to relationship with their students, for obvious reasons. I don't think it's that strange that they would allow their own cell to be used to call Nona.

If it were some other class it would have been strange, sure.

It was another class. It was the biology professor's phone that was used, not a music professor's.

[TJEddie]

An interesting snippet from nobody's link above:

"The next witness called was Laura Brown, a Pope County EMS paramedic who was dispatched to Dirksmeyer’s apartment Dec. 15.
When she entered the apartment, she said she saw a young man “straddling” a body in the dark room.
She said she turned on the lights and Jones, who was straddling Dirksmeyer’s body, was “screaming, talking, hysterical.”
“He grabbed her behind the shoulders and lifted her up,” she said. Brown told him to put Dirksmeyer down and asked him to get up.
She said he got up on the right side of Dirksmeyer’s body and left the room. Brown said she worked from Dirksmeyer’s left side."

So the EMT specifically remembers Kevin's dismount from Nona's body as being to the right.....the side with the lightbulb lying approximately a foot away. She also describes Kevin as being "hysterical" at the time. Hysterical enough that he might have touched the bulb and registered no memory of it? In fact, if the bulb was only a foot away, how likely is it that he could have dismounted without touching or disturbing it in some way?

[TJEddie]

nobody, you make a good point about that biology class. Four of the five members of Nona's biology lab/study group ended up being players in this investigation. I agree that the biology professor's observations/knowledge might have been valuable.

[sololobo]

If Greg Dirksmeyer's perception of how Nona's family was treated in court is accurate, I think that is very sad. How can people be so cruel and sick? With the exception of Duane Dipert's reaction to the verdict, I have not heard or read anything about the Diperts acting in a cruel manner toward the Jones family. If I recall correctly, Duane Dipert even said he felt bad for K.Jo's family and what they were going through at one point. There have been certain posters here who I am sure IMO would have been eager to post any such behavior on the part of the Diperts if it occurred. Instead, we have only heard about cruel treatment aimed at Nona's family from Kamp K.Jo. I could actually understand anger coming from the Diperts, since they believe K.Jo murdered their daughter, but Kamp K.Jo has no reason to act in such an angry and immature manner toward these victims just because the prosecuting attorney brought charges against K.Jo. Sick, sad, and shameful, IMO. At least they appeared to be Christian for the jury.


“In the courtroom, I was getting daring and threatening looks from Kevin and the family. I just felt no warmness or empathy from the whole thing." Greg Dirksmeyer, Courier interwiew

The Diperts believed Kevin cruelly murdered Nona and the Jones felt otherwise. I can understand hostility from both sides and I seriously doubt it was one-sided. This was a murder trial with the Dipert family on one side of the aisle and the Jones family on the other side. Surely Kamp Dipert was not expecting hugs and kisses from Kamp Jones and vice versa.

[sololobo]

Why would grandma lie? Because she had everything to gain AND lose; Kevin.

Blake Walters had nothing to gain or lose by lying OR telling the truth; he swore an oath to tell the truth and he did, but this jury who couldn't even fathom that KJ was a liar by watching the interviews, didn't believe him.

Grandma Jones' alleged lie gained nothing, so why lie and risk a perjury charge?

[hawgustusgloop]

Grandma Jones' alleged lie gained nothing, so why lie and risk a perjury charge?

I am very curious as to when this story of K.Jo visiting Granny to ask her for some lunch money at 11:30 first emerged. If this was something K.Jo mentioned during an early interrogation that was independently and consistently corroborated by Granny, it would seem more credible. If it was something that they both somehow "remembered" at a later date, that's a different story. IMO if she did lie, even though it wouldn't unquestionably exonerate K.Jo, at least it would help create the semblance of some type of alibi where absolutely none existed. If she didn't testify to seeing him, the window of time he was unaccounted for would have been much greater.
IMO if K.Jo's mom had to pick out and set out his clothes for him, she'd also be the type to make sure she tucked some lunch money and a sweet little note in the pocket of his KangaRoos before sending him out into the cold, cruel world for the day.

IMO there was something to gain in that her testimony greatly narrowed the window of opportunity.

[nobody]

The only thing that stands out, as odd, about DD's Courier interview. Almost every sentence starts out with "I" - in first person, as a normal interview would read. Then there are a few sentences that use "He", referring to the same person. It is almost as they did the interview and the editor did his editing. Most true interviews are word for word and unmistaken. I guess you get what you pay for.

He said he deleted the information to make room for his “stuff.”

?It is just written wierd - for an interview?

[nobody]

I'm reading this as only being a max of 10yr sentence? Then, most of the time they are released early on good behavior, etc...
Is this right?
reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_manslaughter

[oxfordwebster]

The only thing that stands out, as odd, about DD's Courier interview. Almost every sentence starts out with "I" - in first person, as a normal interview would read. Then there are a few sentences that use "He", referring to the same person. It is almost as they did the interview and the editor did his editing. Most true interviews are word for word and unmistaken. I guess you get what you pay for.

He said he deleted the information to make room for his “stuff.”

?It is just written wierd - for an interview?It was just a poorly written interview. I hope you're not trying to blame Duane for that.

And Christina--you're right about the biology professor. Regardless, it doesn't change that some professors are warmer and friendlier to their students than others.

[Leroy L]

An interesting snippet from nobody's link above:

"The next witness called was Laura Brown, a Pope County EMS paramedic who was dispatched to Dirksmeyer’s apartment Dec. 15.
When she entered the apartment, she said she saw a young man “straddling” a body in the dark room.
She said she turned on the lights and Jones, who was straddling Dirksmeyer’s body, was “screaming, talking, hysterical.”
“He grabbed her behind the shoulders and lifted her up,” she said. Brown told him to put Dirksmeyer down and asked him to get up.
She said he got up on the right side of Dirksmeyer’s body and left the room. Brown said she worked from Dirksmeyer’s left side."

So the EMT specifically remembers Kevin's dismount from Nona's body as being to the right.....the side with the lightbulb lying approximately a foot away. She also describes Kevin as being "hysterical" at the time. Hysterical enough that he might have touched the bulb and registered no memory of it? In fact, if the bulb was only a foot away, how likely is it that he could have dismounted without touching or disturbing it in some way?


Here is the complete section of Laura Brown's testimony as quoted in the Courier link, provided above by nobody and referenced by TJEddie.

Laura Brown
The next witness called was Laura Brown, a Pope County EMS paramedic who was dispatched to Dirksmeyer’s apartment Dec. 15.
When she entered the apartment, she said she saw a young man “straddling” a body in the dark room.
She said she turned on the lights and Jones, who was straddling Dirksmeyer’s body, was “screaming, talking, hysterical.”
“He grabbed her behind the shoulders and lifted her up,” she said. Brown told him to put Dirksmeyer down and asked him to get up.
She said he got up on the right side of Dirksmeyer’s body and left the room. Brown said she worked from Dirksmeyer’s left side.
Unable to find a pulse, Brown said she applied cardiac monitor pads to Dirksmeyer’s chest to confirm her suspicion that Dirksmeyer was dead.
“I did not look at the back of her head,” she said. “Her right eye was bruised, her hands had blood on them ... there was dried blood on her face,” she said.
When she confirmed Dirksmeyer was dead, she “stood in one spot” to preserve the crime scene and waited for police to arrive.
She testified she observed a broken floor lamp to the left of Dirksmeyer, along with a pair of jeans turned inside-out with panties in them to the right of the body.
Gibbons asked Brown to identify a crime scene photo and to confirm if the photos accurately represented what she observed at the scene. She said yes.
During cross-examination, Bristow pointed to a lamp shade near Dirksmeyer’s right foot and asked her if she recalled it being there.
“I don’t recall a lamp shade,” she said. She testified she was not present when the crime scene photos were taken.
“So it’s possible the lamp shade was there on her right foot and you just didn’t notice it, right?” he said.
“Yes,” she said.
“Or another possibility is that someone moved it later, right?”
“Yes, that’s possible,” she said.
“You don’t know what was done after you left, do you?” Bristow asked.
“No,” she said.
(End of Laura Brown quote from the Courier.)


Was the lightbulb still attached to the lamp? (Sorry, I don't want to go back and read though everything to find out.) If so, then Laura's testimony indicates that the lamp was on the opposite side of Nona (her left side) than the side KJ got up and left the room on (Nona's right side).

If I understand this correctly, does anyone still want to speculate that this is when Kevin might have touched the bulb? Also, if he did...Laura Brown was certainly not hysterical. Wouldn't have Bristow asked her if KJ touched it then??

[Leroy L]

For clarification - here is the pertinent sentence I was referring to above.

She testified she observed a broken floor lamp to the left of Dirksmeyer, along with a pair of jeans turned inside-out with panties in them to the right of the body.


"Was the lightbulb still attached to the lamp? (Sorry, I don't want to go back and read though everything to find out.) If so, then Laura's testimony indicates that the lamp was on the opposite side of Nona (her left side) than the side KJ got up and left the room on (Nona's right side)."

I should have said that Lauara Brown's testimony indicates that the lamp (and bulb) was on the opposite side of Nona (her left side) than the side KJ got up and left the room on (Nona's right side)."

[oxfordwebster]

Also, if he did...Laura Brown was certainly not hysterical. Wouldn't have Bristow asked her if KJ touched it then??I think there's a reason why you didn't see the defense asking if anybody saw Kevin touched the lightbulb--they know he didn't when they found her, so they stayed as far away from that question as possible. That's why you had the prosecution asking it, and confirming that nobody saw him touch it upon "discovery."

[hawgustusgloop]

I think there's a reason why you didn't see the defense asking if anybody saw Kevin touched the lightbulb--they know he didn't when they found her, so they stayed as far away from that question as possible. That's why you had the prosecution asking it, and confirming that nobody saw him touch it upon "discovery."

K.Jo's own mother and even the Kevinator himself said they didn't remember him touching it. Has there ever been any statement or testimony from anyone that suggests that he did touch it during the "discovery"?

I think it is of utmost importance in our justice system for a defendant to have a fair trial. However, the flaw that exists with a change of venue is that if a truly guilty defendant is acquitted, he is not released into the jurors' immediate community. I wonder how long and how seriously they would have deliberated if K.Jo lived in their neighborhood?

[TJEddie]

For clarification - here is the pertinent sentence I was referring to above.

She testified she observed a broken floor lamp to the left of Dirksmeyer, along with a pair of jeans turned inside-out with panties in them to the right of the body.


"Was the lightbulb still attached to the lamp? (Sorry, I don't want to go back and read though everything to find out.) If so, then Laura's testimony indicates that the lamp was on the opposite side of Nona (her left side) than the side KJ got up and left the room on (Nona's right side)."

I should have said that Lauara Brown's testimony indicates that the lamp (and bulb) was on the opposite side of Nona (her left side) than the side KJ got up and left the room on (Nona's right side)."

You're right, Leroy. My mistake.

[oxfordwebster]

K.Jo's own mother and even the Kevinator himself said they didn't remember him touching it. Has there ever been any statement or testimony from anyone that suggests that he did touch it during the "discovery"?Don't forget that Ryan Whiteside also said he never saw Kevin touch the bulb to leave that print. It's a pretty big deal that the entire group of people discovering Nona said he didn't touch it.

[nobody]

Just so that no person feels left out or excluded from the fun - I thought that I would mention that most landlords usually have a spare/master key to all residence. I'm not suggesting anything - just being careful not to ignore small unmentioned details.

[nobody]

According to testiment - Kevin went straight to Nona and rolled her over. He attempted CPR, mentioning that her lips were cold and stiff. Blood ended up on his hands and face. He also handled a cellphone (I think Whiteside's) during the 911 call - but I don't recall mention of it having blood on it.

(Speculation) Perhaps he either wiped his hands or had not touched blood at this point. (?) Just more random thoughts...

Items mentioned with blood on them (that I remember):
- Light Switch
- Oven Door
- Candle/Jar
- Carpet
- Light Bulb
- Window Blinds
- Nona's hands
- Greeting Card

[nobody]

Just out of curiosity...
How easy is it to text a message when you are driving? I can barely dial a 7 digit number while driving. Reading and driving just don't mix for me. Wouldn't it be easier just to call?

Reference:
April 3rd Post - #197

On the 15th of December, Jones was interviewed by RPD investigators and Jones stated that during the afternoon of the 15th of December he became concerned about Nona because he had not heard from Nona so at approximately 18:00 as Jones and Jones’ mother, were driving to Dardanelle for a teacher’s Christmas Party, Jones text messaged his friend, Ryan Whiteside, a pizza delivery person, and asked Whiteside to go by Nona’ s apartment and check on her. Whiteside was interviewed on the 15th of December and stated that he went by Nona’s apartment and saw that her car was there and informed Jones of that fact. Whiteside said that as he started to drive off Jones told him to “knock on the door or something”. Whiteside asked Jones if he was sure because Whiteside thought “that would be kind of weird”. Whiteside stated that he did knock on the front door and rang the doorbell and no one answered. After receiving this information from Whiteside, Jones told Whiteside that Jones and his mother would come to the apartment.

Also note - Jones was driving - as Whiteside testified that he could hear (over the phone) Janice Jones telling Kevin to slow down.

[oxfordwebster]

I don't know how easy it is. I'd say it's a pain considering how many idiot kids nearly run into me and when I look, they're plugging away at their stupid phone.

GET OFF MY LAWN YOU KIDS

[lorettalockhorn]

From today's Courier

Letters to the editor

Enough already
In today's online edition you posted a couple of aricles which were prefaced, "These stories are the last in a series... "I'll bet you a hundred dollars that these are not the last articles you publish on this case. Let it go already. You don't think you have grabbed enough sensational headlines from this case? What is your point in continuing? I would think that the first five hundred articles you ran were quite sufficient in putting the facts on the table. You ran this story so many times that I cancelled my subscription. After today I'll stop looking online a well.
John Baskin
Russellville

hmmm Someone doesn't understand the meaning of "series", I guess. Also, the last time that I looked, the number of articles in The Courier archives under category; news, keyword; Dirksmeyer was 134. Sounds like someone is using the dreaded hyperbole.

[hawgustusgloop]

From today's Courier

Letters to the editor

Enough already
In today's online edition you posted a couple of aricles which were prefaced, "These stories are the last in a series... "I'll bet you a hundred dollars that these are not the last articles you publish on this case. Let it go already. You don't think you have grabbed enough sensational headlines from this case? What is your point in continuing? I would think that the first five hundred articles you ran were quite sufficient in putting the facts on the table. You ran this story so many times that I cancelled my subscription. After today I'll stop looking online a well.
John Baskin
Russellville


hmmm Someone doesn't understand the meaning of "series", I guess. Also, the last time that I looked, the number of articles in The Courier archives under category; news, keyword; Dirksmeyer was 134. Sounds like someone is using the dreaded hyperbole.

What a loser. It's not like there's a thousand other things going on that the Courier isn't reporting on because they are wasting so much space on Nona's case. I think a lot of people are probably interested in getting to the truth of whether or not a murderer is among them. Why would the Courier really care if some dude doesn't peruse their free website? The series was the first in-depth interview I'm aware of with the victim's family since the trial, not some story they just keep running.

[lorettalockhorn]

What a loser. It's not like there's a thousand other things going on that the Courier isn't reporting on because they are wasting so much space on Nona's case. I think a lot of people are probably interested in getting to the truth of whether or not a murderer is among them. Why would the Courier really care if some dude doesn't peruse their free website? The series was the first in-depth interview I'm aware of with the victim's family since the trial, not some story they just keep running.

It almost sounds like he took personal offense at the series. And good effing grief; crime really seems to be on the rise in Pope County. I for one, appreciate that The Courier publishes what it does to keep me aware.

As for Nona's case; I doubt if we'll learn a whole lot when the case file is released, but who knows? There is still a lot that I want to know.

[Amy]

Just out of curiosity...
How easy is it to text a message when you are driving? I can barely dial a 7 digit number while driving. Reading and driving just don't mix for me. Wouldn't it be easier just to call?

Reference:
April 3rd Post - #197

On the 15th of December, Jones was interviewed by RPD investigators and Jones stated that during the afternoon of the 15th of December he became concerned about Nona because he had not heard from Nona so at approximately 18:00 as Jones and Jones’ mother, were driving to Dardanelle for a teacher’s Christmas Party, Jones text messaged his friend, Ryan Whiteside, a pizza delivery person, and asked Whiteside to go by Nona’ s apartment and check on her. Whiteside was interviewed on the 15th of December and stated that he went by Nona’s apartment and saw that her car was there and informed Jones of that fact. Whiteside said that as he started to drive off Jones told him to “knock on the door or something”. Whiteside asked Jones if he was sure because Whiteside thought “that would be kind of weird”. Whiteside stated that he did knock on the front door and rang the doorbell and no one answered. After receiving this information from Whiteside, Jones told Whiteside that Jones and his mother would come to the apartment.

Also note - Jones was driving - as Whiteside testified that he could hear (over the phone) Janice Jones telling Kevin to slow down.

It's beyond me how they do it, but the young kids seem to have no problem. Almost like touch typing to them, I think. I'm still on the second letter of the first word when my kids have already typed a message and have received an answer!!!

Maybe, if the person is on a stretch where there is little to no traffic at the time?

[nobody]

It's beyond me how they do it, but the young kids seem to have no problem. Almost like touch typing to them, I think. I'm still on the second letter of the first word when my kids have already typed a message and have received an answer!!!

Maybe, if the person is on a stretch where there is little to no traffic at the time?

Referring to alleged rape parties: I guess it might be easier than opening a door to tell someone to "buzz off" while you are trying to watch your two buddies gang bang a girl. (?)

Here is an interesting read on texting and driving: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3151040&page=1&GMA=true

[nobody]

A music major (Jordan Harris) skipping his final exam - because he is not ready. Almost any other reason would have passed with me (feeling ill, etc.) - but "because I wasn't ready" just does not balance well. Maybe if he were in any other study besides music - but this is what he knew. This was a final exam - he wasn't going to get more ready. I now see an article where it appears he is back in school and doing well with recent performances. Sara Bailey is also mentioned in the article. Reference is below.

It also concerns me that Nona broke off her short relationship with this person - saying that she was getting back with Kevin. Kevin was attending the other school / out of town that fall - (long distance relationships are tough). Then about a month later, she dates Trey York - was she just brushing off Harris?

Another comment: Springdale to Russellville is a significant drive for a 2am booty call. He must have left his home around midnight. Then to think, she didn't even stay awake until he got there. Harris described her as "slightly groggy". However, within 10 minutes, he estimates, they were busy. Did she really expect him to visit? (Rhetorical Q)

Just how much did he like her? Despite the end of their relationship 5 months prior - he still has her number on his cellphone the day of her death. He even offers to call her, for the professor. The call isn't heard by the professor.

I want to know more about this person.

Reference: http://www.couriernews.com/archivedstory.php?ID=11464

[nobody]

I do not consider Harris suspect, based on this information. It is, however, considerable enough to raise my eyebrow at - like I have raised for many people in this case - to include KJ.

[hawgustusgloop]

A music major (Jordan Harris) skipping his final exam - because he is not ready. Almost any other reason would have passed with me (feeling ill, etc.) - but "because I wasn't ready" just does not balance well. Maybe if he were in any other study besides music - but this is what he knew. This was a final exam - he wasn't going to get more ready. I now see an article where it appears he is back in school and doing well with recent performances. Sara Bailey is also mentioned in the article. Reference is below.

It also concerns me that Nona broke off her short relationship with this person - saying that she was getting back with Kevin. Kevin was attending the other school / out of town that fall - (long distance relationships are tough). Then about a month later, she dates Trey York - was she just brushing off Harris?

Another comment: Springdale to Russellville is a significant drive for a 2am booty call. He must have left his home around midnight. Then to think, she didn't even stay awake until he got there. Harris described her as "slightly groggy". However, within 10 minutes, he estimates, they were busy. Did she really expect him to visit? (Rhetorical Q)

Just how much did he like her? Despite the end of their relationship 5 months prior - he still has her number on his cellphone the day of her death. He even offers to call her, for the professor. The call isn't heard by the professor.

I want to know more about this person.

Reference: http://www.couriernews.com/archivedstory.php?ID=11464

Wow, I actually know a few of the former students in that article.

Anyway, I guess you are not familiar with Mrs. Kiehl's piano proficiency exams, which I believe was the exam he said he wasn't prepared for. I don't know how it works now, but a million years ago, in class piano, you received a grade based mainly on attendance and how well you were doing in class throughout the semester. However, you are required to pass a proficiency exam during finals week, otherwise your transcript will have a grade of "incomplete" for that class. It's made up of different types of scales, some sightreading where you have to pick the right chords to go along with the melody, and sometimes a prepared piece. If you had never had any piano lessons prior to taking class piano, and especially if you have not practiced a lot, those exams can be very difficult.

Some people pass the exam the first time, others pass most of it and have to take parts of it again, and still others feel they are not ready and want to get more practice instead of humiliating themselves in front of their professors. Fortunately, Mrs. Kiehl is willing to give students more than one chance to pass their piano proficiencies before the next semester. It is not unusual for someone to decide he or she isn't prepared and leave.

Also, I do not think it is odd that the professor did not hear him call her. If a friend missed an exam without notifying the instructor, I would probably want to call that person out of the earshot of the professor. I don't think it is odd he had her number, either. He said that they remained friends, and they probably had a lot of the same classes. Plus, IMO most people wouldn't bother to delete a phone number unless they just started really hating the person or had a jealous boyfriend/girlfriend or something.

As for driving from Springdale at midnight, it seems illogical, but not surprising at all when talking about college students.

[nobody]

Wow, I actually know a few of the former students in that article.

.

Excellent explanations! Thank you for clearing that suspicion up. I thought I had recognized unusual behaviour; guess not.

[hawgustusgloop]

I don't really know if this has anything to do with the murder, but I am curious.....remember the "I wonder why you are leading me on" (or something very similar) text message sent to Nona days before her death? The defense mentioned it at some point before the trial, and I was wondering, did we ever find out who sent it? Trey York? Mystery man Jared? Someone else? It sure seemed like the defense was casting suspicion at someone, but did they ever mention this text message during the trial?

[TJEddie]

In Carol Dipert's latest interview with the Courier, she says Nona and Kevin were broken up at Thanksgiving. I wonder how long they had been broken up? Was it during their breakup that Kevin was seeing other girls at Fayetteville? Carol Dipert also says Kevin and Nona got back together around the first of December, right after Thanksgiving. Trey York says Thanksgiving marked the time when he and Nona stopped "hanging out" in his dorm room. So was Nona's relationship with Trey York a factor in her breakup/makeup with Kevin?

I also wonder how the police came up with this breakup/makeup timeline.

[oxfordwebster]

Was it during their breakup that Kevin was seeing other girls at Fayetteville?At least one girl had sex with him a week before Nona was killed, so that's definitely when he and Nona were supposed to be together. Who knows about the rest, apparently nothing about Kevin mattered in court.

[TJEddie]

At least one girl had sex with him a week before Nona was killed, so that's definitely when he and Nona were supposed to be together. Who knows about the rest, apparently nothing about Kevin mattered in court.

Well, that's interesting. Could it suggest that the breakup/makeup times are a little off? Once again, I wonder where the police got this info and how exact the dates were.

[oxfordwebster]

Well, that's interesting. Could it suggest that the breakup/makeup times are a little off? Once again, I wonder where the police got this info and how exact the dates were.What, is it impossible that Kevin could cheat on Nona if they were together?

[TJEddie]

What, is it impossible that Kevin could cheat on Nona if they were together?

Not at all. I was just wondering if that had happened.

As I said, Carol Dipert's revelation that Nona and Kevin had been broken up for some part of the fall semester was news to me. Apparently it was news to her, too. The dates she gives aren't specific. Neither is the original source of the info.

[lorettalockhorn]

Well, that's interesting. Could it suggest that the breakup/makeup times are a little off? Once again, I wonder where the police got this info and how exact the dates were.

It's possible that the woman came forward when she heard about the murder, wanting to help LE and to set the record straight with regard to her involvement with KJ. I don't suppose that Kevin ever came clean on the interview tapes, or if he did, I've forgotten about it.

[TJEddie]

It's possible that the woman came forward when she heard about the murder, wanting to help LE and to set the record straight with regard to her involvement with KJ. I don't suppose that Kevin ever came clean on the interview tapes, or if he did, I've forgotten about it.

The exact dates I was wondering about were Kevin and Nona's breakup/makeup times. I also still wonder how those dates coincided with Nona's relationship with Trey York.

[hawgustusgloop]

Well, that's interesting. Could it suggest that the breakup/makeup times are a little off? Once again, I wonder where the police got this info and how exact the dates were.

There is a list (PCS? evidence list?) somewhere that contains several items such as "Statement of SusieQ, 12/20/05," etc. Several of the names of the people whose statements were listed appear to be young women's names. According to Sara Bailey's testimony, Nona to at least some extent confided in Sara about her relationship with K.Jo. Perhaps she had close friends who knew what was going on? If Nona was not telling her family everything going on in her personal life and was upset about her relationship with K.Jo, maybe she looked to her best friends instead to console her? Maybe some of those friends knew exactly when the breakups/reconciliations occurred? Maybe the police could discern that info from email records?

[hawgustusgloop]

It's possible that the woman came forward when she heard about the murder, wanting to help LE and to set the record straight with regard to her involvement with KJ. I don't suppose that Kevin ever came clean on the interview tapes, or if he did, I've forgotten about it.

I would like to know how honest K.Jo was with the girl he slept with a week before Nona's murder. What did he tell her? Was she aware he was in a "very, very exclusive" relationship at the time?

[TJEddie]

I would like to know how honest K.Jo was with the girl he slept with a week before Nona's murder. What did he tell her? Was she aware he was in a "very, very exclusive" relationship at the time?

I have similar questions regarding the person whose DNA was on the condom wrapper found in Nona's apartment.

[TJEddie]

There is a list (PCS? evidence list?) somewhere that contains several items such as "Statement of SusieQ, 12/20/05," etc. Several of the names of the people whose statements were listed appear to be young women's names. According to Sara Bailey's testimony, Nona to at least some extent confided in Sara about her relationship with K.Jo. Perhaps she had close friends who knew what was going on? If Nona was not telling her family everything going on in her personal life and was upset about her relationship with K.Jo, maybe she looked to her best friends instead to console her? Maybe some of those friends knew exactly when the breakups/reconciliations occurred? Maybe the police could discern that info from email records?

Good possibilities, hawg. Wasn't Chelsea Huckaby supposedly Nona's "best friend"? And yet neither side called on her to testify.....that's always kind of bothered me. It seems to me that her perceptions/knowledge might have been valuable.

[hawgustusgloop]

I have similar questions regarding the person whose DNA was on the condom wrapper found in Nona's apartment.

I don't think the condom wrapper is necessarily indicative of Nona having recently had sex with anyone. Some believe it was planted there by her killer. If Nona had traces of semen on her body belonging to someone other than K.Jo, or if a condom had been found, I'd be much more inclined to believe she recently had intercourse with someone else. However with a condom wrapper alone, I am not convinced.

[lorettalockhorn]

The exact dates I was wondering about were Kevin and Nona's breakup/makeup times. I also still wonder how those dates coincided with Nona's relationship with Trey York.

Sorry, was just offering a for instance with regard to your query about how the police could have gotten information about the breakup. I think that Nona probably confided in friends and that the police possibly used that information (coupled with email and cell phone records along with whatever information they could get from KJ's girl on the side), to cobble together some kind of timeline for the on again, off again relationship.

Still think the condom wrapper was planted. There was no evidence that Nona had had sexual contact the day of her murder.

[lorettalockhorn]

Good possibilities, hawg. Wasn't Chelsea Huckaby supposedly Nona's "best friend"? And yet neither side called on her to testify.....that's always kind of bothered me. It seems to me that her perceptions/knowledge might have been valuable.

In a way, I wasn't surprised that CH didn't testify. I think that she might have been considered a loose cannon. She might not have stood up well to questioning by the prosecution; particularly with regard to how torn up KJ was by Nona's death, yet there was the possibility that he was spending time online.

[TJEddie]

I don't think the condom wrapper is necessarily indicative of Nona having recently had sex with anyone. Some believe it was planted there by her killer. If Nona had traces of semen on her body belonging to someone other than K.Jo, or if a condom had been found, I'd be much more inclined to believe she recently had intercourse with someone else. However with a condom wrapper alone, I am not convinced.

Well, admittedly, the condom wrapper did undergo a transformation from planted evidence to a trigger that caused a jealous rage. In the end, though, the prosecution held to it being the trigger for a jealous rage. If the condom wrapper was planted by the killer, we're left without a trigger for the jealous rage. IMO, the presence of the condom wrapper doesn't necessarily have to imply that sex actually took place.....just the possibility that somebody came there expecting it.

Here's one of my questions: IF Nona was in a condom-involved relationship with someone else, how might that person have reacted to her spending 5 hours alone with her "cuddlemuffin" the night before? Might it have sent him into a jealous rage?

[oxfordwebster]

IMO, the presence of the condom wrapper doesn't necessarily have to imply that sex actually took place.....just the possibility that somebody came there expecting it.No wonder all these kids keep getting each other pregnant. They're coming armed and ready for sex with empty condom wrappers.

[TJEddie]

No wonder all these kids keep getting each other pregnant. They're coming armed and ready for sex with empty condom wrappers.

Can you expound on what your point is here?

[lorettalockhorn]

Well, admittedly, the condom wrapper did undergo a transformation from planted evidence to a trigger that caused a jealous rage. In the end, though, the prosecution held to it being the trigger for a jealous rage. If the condom wrapper was planted by the killer, we're left without a trigger for the jealous rage. IMO, the presence of the condom wrapper doesn't necessarily have to imply that sex actually took place.....just the possibility that somebody came there expecting it.

Here's one of my questions: IF Nona was in a condom-involved relationship with someone else, how might that person have reacted to her spending 5 hours alone with her "cuddlemuffin" the night before? Might it have sent him into a jealous rage?


Do we actually have anyone's word besides KJ's that he and Nona didn't use condoms? We know he lied about numerous other details, how do we know that he didn't lie about that fact to further the idea that there had been another lover in the apartment?

[TJEddie]

Do we actually have anyone's word besides KJ's that he and Nona didn't use condoms? We know he lied about numerous other details, how do we know that he didn't lie about that fact to further the idea that there had been another lover in the apartment?

The DNA lifted from the condom wrapper was exclusive of Kevin.

Edited to add: Also, the traces of Kevin's semen in Nona's panties and vagina would lend support to Kevin's claims that he and Nona didn't use condoms.

[oxfordwebster]

Can you expound on what your point is here?Oh, just amused that despite there no being evidence of Nona having sex with someone using a condom, that an empty wrapper can be stretched to mean that someone came prepared.

[hawgustusgloop]

The DNA lifted from the condom wrapper was exclusive of Kevin.

Edited to add: Also, the traces of Kevin's semen in Nona's panties and vagina would lend support to Kevin's claims that he and Nona didn't use condoms.

I wonder if K.Jo used condoms at all. What about with the girl he slept with a week before Nona's murder? There was a RUMOR going around at some point that K.Jo got some girl in Fayetteville pregnant and his mother paid for an abortion without telling his father, so perhaps HE just didn't use them. If he did use condoms, I wonder if he kept any in his wallet or vehicle just in case? I also wonder where on the condom wrapper this DNA was found? Was it ever determined if it was saliva, semen, or something else? Is it possible the DNA came from some guy at the condom factory?

[lorettalockhorn]

The DNA lifted from the condom wrapper was exclusive of Kevin.

Edited to add: Also, the traces of Kevin's semen in Nona's panties and vagina would lend support to Kevin's claims that he and Nona didn't use condoms.

Yes, I'm well aware that the DNA on the condom wrapper was exclusive of Kevin's; that wasn't my question. My question is; do we know that KJ and Nona didn't use condoms? Kevin lied about other things, how do we know that he didn't lie about them not using condoms to further the idea that Nona had another love in her apartment? Could the semen in Nona's panties and vagina been pre-ejaculatory?

For all I know, the DNA on the condom wrapper could have belonged to the guy who sold KJ the condom.

Kevin is such a liar about his relationship being very, very exclusive and his alibi that I simply don't believe him about the condoms.

[hawgustusgloop]

Yes, I'm well aware that the DNA on the condom wrapper was exclusive of Kevin's; that wasn't my question. My question is; do we know that KJ and Nona didn't use condoms? Kevin lied about other things, how do we know that he didn't lie about them not using condoms to further the idea that Nona had another love in her apartment? Could the semen in Nona's panties and vagina been pre-ejaculatory?

For all I know, the DNA on the condom wrapper could have belonged to the guy who sold KJ the condom.

Kevin is such a liar about his relationship being very, very exclusive and his alibi that I simply don't believe him about the condoms.

IMO he told a MAJOR lie when he said Nona's "Little" canceled their meeting and that he was planning to propose.

I don't necessarily believe the part about the condoms either. Not only would saying they didn't use condoms further the idea that Nona had another guy there, it would also indicate to the police that K.Jo did not have or use condoms and therefore could not have been the source of the wrapper. So, if he is guilty, I think he would have said they didn't use them whether it was true or not.

[lorettalockhorn]

IMO he told a MAJOR lie when he said Nona's "Little" canceled their meeting and that he was planning to propose.

I don't necessarily believe the part about the condoms either. Not only would saying they didn't use condoms further the idea that Nona had another guy there, it would also indicate to the police that K.Jo did not have or use condoms and therefore could not have been the source of the wrapper. So, if he is guilty, I think he would have said they didn't use them whether it was true or not.

Yeah, the lie about the Little is just the lowest. And that is so true about the pregnancy rumor; too bad Gibbons didn't allow KJ's sexual history to be presented to the jury, it would be interesting to know if the abortion story was true and if a faulty condom was to blame.

LMAO@the thought of KJ coming home from a date with mom to propose to Nona after she's had Chinese with her Little. What the heck has happened to romance?? I would be really interested in seeing the ring, though.

[hawgustusgloop]

Yeah, the lie about the Little is just the lowest. And that is so true about the pregnancy rumor; too bad Gibbons didn't allow KJ's sexual history to be presented to the jury, it would be interesting to know if the abortion story was true and if a faulty condom was to blame.

LMAO@the thought of KJ coming home from a date with mom to propose to Nona after she's had Chinese with her Little. What the heck has happened to romance?? I would be really interested in seeing the ring, though.

Of course, I don't believe there ever was a ring, but I would be really interested in seeing what kind of ring a college kid who has to ask his grandma for $5 lunch money could come up with.

I am still confused why he came up with that IMO BS proposal story anyway. Why was that necessary?

[lorettalockhorn]

Of course, I don't believe there ever was a ring, but I would be really interested in seeing what kind of ring a college kid who has to ask his grandma for $5 lunch money could come up with.

I am still confused why he came up with that IMO BS proposal story anyway. Why was that necessary?

I believe that there was a jewelry store employee on the witness list who was not called. Of course, the guy could have simply been a friend who just happened to be a jewelry store employee, and maybe his testimony wouldn't have had anything whatsoever to do with a ring, but that just makes me curious as to why he was characterized the way that he was. Maybe KJ needed lunch money because he didn't go to the bank until later in the day? Maybe he didn't have an ATM or debit card, or maybe those can't be used anywhere in Dover? Maybe the banking that he did that afternoon had something to do with the ring purchase?

Or maybe he contrived the proposal story to go along with the very, very exclusive nature of his relationship with Nona.

[TJEddie]

So I see some of us are back to the condom wrapper having been placed there by Kevin. If that's the case, where's the motive for murder? Kevin and Nona spent 5 hours together the night before and she greeted him that morning with a text message saying, "Good morning, cuddlemuffin. I love you. Have a great day!" No evidence of problems brewing or simmering below the surface there that I can see. Am I missing something? Without the condom wrapper as a supposed trigger, what evidence is there to even suggest a motive?

[lorettalockhorn]

So I see some of us are back to the condom wrapper having been placed there by Kevin. If that's the case, where's the motive for murder? Kevin and Nona spent 5 hours together the night before and she greeted him that morning with a text message saying, "Good morning, cuddlemuffin. I love you. Have a great day!" No evidence of problems brewing or simmering below the surface there that I can see. Am I missing something? Without the condom wrapper as a supposed trigger, what evidence is there to even suggest a motive?


Some of us have always thought that the wrapper was planted by KJ. The motive could be when Nona laughed at his suggestion that they might be marriage material after she caught him stalking her that morning. If only she could have been able to dial 911 before he blindsided her. (That's my theory and I'm sticking to it-for now anyway.) I think what you might be missing is KJ's drug use, his double life, and having life handed to him on a silver plated platter. The narcissist in him ( the one who "pretty much saved her life") couldn't tolerate allowing her to have a life that didn't include a wedding.

Gibbons made a huge mistake when he switched motives during the trial. Among others.

[oxfordwebster]

So I see some of us are back to the condom wrapper having been placed there by Kevin. If that's the case, where's the motive for murder? Kevin and Nona spent 5 hours together the night before and she greeted him that morning with a text message saying, "Good morning, cuddlemuffin. I love you. Have a great day!" No evidence of problems brewing or simmering below the surface there that I can see. Am I missing something? Without the condom wrapper as a supposed trigger, what evidence is there to even suggest a motive?The trigger was most likely something that isn't going to leave behind any evidence, in my opinion. Words. You know. Stuff like that.

[TJEddie]

Some of us have always thought that the wrapper was planted by KJ. The motive could be when Nona laughed at his suggestion that they might be marriage material after she caught him stalking her that morning. If only she could have been able to dial 911 before he blindsided her. (That's my theory and I'm sticking to it-for now anyway.) I think what you might be missing is KJ's drug use, his double life, and having life handed to him on a silver plated platter. The narcissist in him ( the one who "pretty much saved her life") couldn't tolerate allowing her to have a life that didn't include a wedding.

Gibbons made a huge mistake when he switched motives during the trial. Among others.

You're certainly entitled to your own personal motive theory, but is there any sound (or even unsound) evidence to support it?

As for your silverplated platter narcissist who couldn't allow Nona to live without marrying him.....IIRC, Carol Dipert said that Nona told her the two had discussed marriage back in September. Now we hear that they were broken up at Thanksgiving. How did Kevin handle that? Did Kevin exhibit any behavior then (or at any other time) that would support the notion that he couldn't tolerate allowing Nona to live without marrying him? Any known stalking behavior, jealous/possessive behavior, threats of violence, etc.?

As for Gibbons making a huge mistake when he switched motives mid-trial.....finally something we can agree on. : )

[TJEddie]

The trigger was most likely something that isn't going to leave behind any evidence, in my opinion. Words. You know. Stuff like that.

Oxford, I agree that words can trigger all sorts of altercations, and that sometimes words can lead to violence. However, in the majority of cases, angry words don't lead to murder. (If they did we'd probably all be dead.)

What I find lacking in this case is any indication that angry words leading to violence was a pattern in this 5 year relationship. IIRC, one of Nona's friends quoted her saying that she and Kevin yelled a lot when they fought, and yet not one person (including Nona's own mother) reported any evidence of past physical abuse or physical violence.

Could it have happened in this one instance? Sure it could have, but I can't find anything to suggest it would have been a likelihood or a probability.

[lorettalockhorn]

You're certainly entitled to your own personal motive theory, but is there any sound (or even unsound) evidence to support it?

As for your silverplated platter narcissist who couldn't allow Nona to live without marrying him.....IIRC, Carol Dipert said that Nona told her the two had discussed marriage back in September. Now we hear that they were broken up at Thanksgiving. How did Kevin handle that? Did Kevin exhibit any behavior then (or at any other time) that would support the notion that he couldn't tolerate allowing Nona to live without marrying him? Any known stalking behavior, jealous/possessive behavior, threats of violence, etc.?

As for Gibbons making a huge mistake when he switched motives mid-trial.....finally something we can agree on. : )

Gee, thanks for allowing me to have a personal theory. I think. No, my theory is merely conjecture, that's why I called it a theory.

For all I know, Nona and Kevin might have discussed the possiblity of marriage from the moment that he "practically saved her life". But as time went on and she realized the extent of his drug and alcohol use, not to mention his philandering, she may have come to realize that he was merely friend material and not a good mate for life. She may have heard the rumor about the abortion or that KJ has voyeuristic tendencies and it may have been enough to make her realize once and for all that he is in need of help. Don't know about any violence between the two, although I've heard rumors from a couple of sources.

[nobody]

KJ had planned on proposing to ND on that week, perhaps even that night. He asked ND to cancel her plans with the Little so that they could have a special evening, however ND never relayed that to the Little. KJ assumed that she had.
On the night of the 13th, KJ spent the night with ND and everything was fine. They spent most, if not all of the 14th together. That night on the 14th, ND wanted to get a good night sleep - rightly so for her exams. KJ wanted to spend the night, because frankly - driving to his parents home in the wee hours really sucks. Despite this sucking, ND ushers KJ to the door at 0030ish and says good night - I need you to leave because I have test in the morning. KJ is a little pissed; he feels a little bit unloved, but goes home. He calls her back when he gets home and wants to tell her how he feels - he's upset she kicked him out. She is barely awake and she snaps back in an angry voice - something to the affect of "why are you waking me?!!".
KJ's raised voice wakes up KJ's mom, JJ. JJ is concerned and comes into KJ's room to talk - they talk for a little while until KJ settles down. KJ tells JJ that he wants to attend the XMas dinner with her the next night - his plans of proposing are on hold. JJ goes to bed for another hour or so.
When he wakes up, he see that ND has sent him a cheesy - probably apologetic text message. He is in suspicion of her seeing someone else. He decides to give her a suprise visit - so he doesn't call right away. Instead he plans on going into town with someone else - in his father's truck.
He has other things to do in town also, like stopping to make a bank transaction and dropping off clothes at Marvas (some of which have animal blood on them - cat?)
KJ parks at ND's and his friend waits in the truck. During this time, TY sends a text message. ND opens the text and KJ ask who it is from. ND honestly answers KJ about the loaned cake pan and that TY wanted to return it. The suspicion builds. KJ gets the cell and looks it over - seeing many text or calls from TY. The fury thrives. Several minutes later, KJ comes out of ND's.
As most murders happen, the killer wants to return to the scene. He does not want to bring his mother, but he has already made plans to - plus it is on the way. Sorry mom. He calls RW to make the stop seem less suspicious.

[nobody]

I don't mean to pry on family matters or cause problems. I'm just trying to imagine how you would go about asking a parent of a murdered child if you can use her phone 2 months after. I think if someone proposed this on me that I would just stare at them in disgust. It was probably one of the last things she spoke through or touched - the killer even touched it. It is just eerie.
I'm not saying it cast suspicion - it just seems like other concerns should have been at stake. I would have at least contacted the company to ask for a new phone.

How would you ask? "Since you are paying for two phones - do you mind if I get Nona's? I don't think she will be needing it anymore."

[nobody]

When identifying what they thought should have been heard by the jury, both Duane and Carol first focused on the other possible suspects.
“Out of the six to eight possible suspects, only one did not have an alibi. Only one had a motive, and only one had a bloody palm print,” Duane said. “It’s hard to explain to people how you have a bloody print on the murder weapon and still not get a conviction.” - from the recent Courier articles.

1. Kevin Jones
2. Jim Coulter York

who were the others?...
3. Sara Bailey?
4. Jordan Harris?
5. Jared Berry?
6. Bubba Turner?
7. the other girl - only one listed on her cellphone?

[upallnight]

That may be true but how many people out there are convicted then figured out to not be guilty. I know he couldnt have killed her. and Im glad he was proven not to be guilty. There wasnt enough time between his alibis to go from Dover to her apartment in Russellville, kill her, then go back and act straight. Im just glad Kevin was given a just trial and is free to have a life now. Im not trying to be difficult or anything just expressing my joy for him being free. May Justice be served for Nona.


I to hope justice is served for Nona. But your so right, Kevin is allowed to have a life now. I just hope he did not kill Nona and if he did kill her he is free to do it again. No ones knows he could not have killed her unless you was there. The alibis was changed many times by may people, this is what keeps up suspicion in many minds. With this said, I am sure many will never competely trust Kevin.

[hawgustusgloop]

I to hope justice is served for Nona. But your so right, Kevin is allowed to have a life now. I just hope he did not kill Nona and if he did kill her he is free to do it again. No ones knows he could not have killed her unless you was there. The alibis was changed many times by may people, this is what keeps up suspicion in many minds. With this said, I am sure many will never competely trust Kevin.

If K.Jo did NOT kill Nona, it is very sad and unfair for him because I think a cloud of suspicion will always follow him as long as he lives in the area or even the state of Arkansas. My personal opinion, though, is that he should be extremely relieved at the IMO incorrect verdict, pack up and move to some out-of-state locale (other than the DFW metroplex!), and get on with his life where no one knows about his murder trial and all the rumors and speculation.

I think a lot of people in the general public might think he got away with it. My dad came down to visit recently. He has absolutely no idea I've been following this case and has absolutely no reason to care which way the verdict went. The news coverage he is exposed to is limited to the Times Record and the Fort Smith local news stations, which he reads/watches every day. We were talking about a trial there that he was interested in awhile back, so I decided to ask him what he thought about "that trial they just had in Ozark about that girl that got killed in Russellville." He immediately said, "Oh, that kid did it. He got away with it." And he even watches the news on K(.Jo)FSM. Not that this means anything, I just found it interesting.

[lorettalockhorn]

I to hope justice is served for Nona. But your so right, Kevin is allowed to have a life now. I just hope he did not kill Nona and if he did kill her he is free to do it again. No ones knows he could not have killed her unless you was there. The alibis was changed many times by may people, this is what keeps up suspicion in many minds. With this said, I am sure many will never competely trust Kevin.


Unfortunately (or not) for KJ, many people will think that he was acquitted because of a lackadaisical case put on by the State and a possibly tainted jury that included some fundamentalist half-wits who spent too much time looking at people who weren't on trial and not enough time on the facts that pointed to Kevin AND to the fact that he was clearly presented as a liar by his own words. (Not to mention that asinine resuscitation attempt cock and bull story.)

[LurkerNoMore]

AND to the fact that he was clearly presented as a liar by his own words.

Just popping back in to say there's nothing factual or clear in your baseless accusation that Kevin is a liar. If he were a liar and it was so clear, why wasn't this hammered home by the prosecution? Why didn't they get a conviction? If it were so factually clear that Kevin were a liar, don't you think the results would have been different? Don't you think they would have been screaming LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE from the rooftops? It seems like you've grabbed bits and pieces and continue to hang onto them and morph them into a "clear" indication of Kevin's guilt, when these bits and pieces, through your spin, are only an indication of a grief-stricken, traumatized young man.

Does it mean nothing to you that his friends and family stood by him, even friends of friends? Who turned on him? Not a one.

There's your indication of character, Loretta. If the same happened to you, do you think you'd have the same support?

We should all be so fortunate.

[hawgustusgloop]

Just popping back in to say there's nothing factual or clear in your baseless accusation that Kevin is a liar. If he were a liar and it was so clear, why wasn't this hammered home by the prosecution? Why didn't they get a conviction? If it were so factually clear that Kevin were a liar, don't you think the results would have been different? Don't you think they would have been screaming LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE from the rooftops? It seems like you've grabbed bits and pieces and continue to hang onto them and morph them into a "clear" indication of Kevin's guilt, when these bits and pieces, through your spin, are only an indication of a grief-stricken, traumatized young man.

Does it mean nothing to you that his friends and family stood by him, even friends of friends? Who turned on him? Not a one.

There's your indication of character, Loretta. If the same happened to you, do you think you'd have the same support?
We should all be so fortunate.

Are you suggesting that K.Jo never lied to the police throughout the investigative process?

I think he is very fortunate to have a loyal network of supporters, but other people who have been guilty of crimes have had loyal supporters as well. I don't think those people or their support of their friend/relative necessarily has anything to do with what may or may not have happened in that short amount of time in Nona's apartment.

Also, if he never lied and was truly innocent, what would be the disadvantage in taking the stand? Why didn't he testify on his own behalf? Why not explain his seemingly odd behavior in his own words to the jury?

[lorettalockhorn]

Just popping back in to say there's nothing factual or clear in your baseless accusation that Kevin is a liar. If he were a liar and it was so clear, why wasn't this hammered home by the prosecution? Why didn't they get a conviction? If it were so factually clear that Kevin were a liar, don't you think the results would have been different? Don't you think they would have been screaming LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE from the rooftops? It seems like you've grabbed bits and pieces and continue to hang onto them and morph them into a "clear" indication of Kevin's guilt, when these bits and pieces, through your spin, are only an indication of a grief-stricken, traumatized young man.

Does it mean nothing to you that his friends and family stood by him, even friends of friends? Who turned on him? Not a one.

There's your indication of character, Loretta. If the same happened to you, do you think you'd have the same support?

We should all be so fortunate.

These are rhetorical questions, right? Because I know that you know that KJ lied about the nature of his exclusive relationship with Nona, about the date with the Little having been cancelled, etc. ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Yes, it's clear to me and I can only assume that the State was being lazy or hopeful that the jury would be smart enough to figure out the truth, after all, it was on tape.

Yes, KJ has support. A mother who chooses his clothes for him and has a special date with him. A grandmother who very likely contrived an alibi for him and bought him lunch. And people who were likely under the gag order and first showed up to post in just about the time that it takes to drive from Ozark back to Pope County after the verdict. A group of friends who don't find fault with drug and alcohol use and perverted sexual voyeurism.

Don't know why it's any skin off your teeth that I glom onto what I think happened; it doesn't bother me in the least that you think he's innocent. As for the verdict, the jury was likely tainted, so it's doubtful that there would have been a gulty verdict for that reason alone. And like Hawg pointed out the other day, it's not like they were letting KJ loose in their own backyards. It's also likely that there wasn't a conviction because Gibbons allowed Nona herself as well as RPD to be on trial.

Spin. LMAO

[oxfordwebster]

Spin.Bingo. Lurker's post sounds like it was read off a talking points sheet handed out by Kevin's lawyers.

[hawgustusgloop]

Bingo. Lurker's post sounds like it was read off a talking points sheet handed out by Kevin's lawyers.

I agree. Also, I wonder if the "even friends of friends" (who stuck by K.Jo) perhaps should have been extended to say "even friends of friends' uncles" instead?

[lorettalockhorn]

I agree. Also, I wonder if the "even friends of friends" (who stuck by K.Jo) perhaps should have been extended to say "even friends of friends' uncles" instead?

Let's don't forget the husband of one of KJ's most ardent supporters here who is rumored to have been a witness at the motion for change of venue hearing. Or the husband of one of the attorney's employees. Those people were chosen at random? LMAO

[TJEddie]

Speaking of Kevin, if he didn't do it, the cloud of suspicion, etc....

Shortly after the trial, somebody posted here that the Jones family had been interviewed by the investigative news show "48 Hours." Anybody heard anything more about that?

[hawgustusgloop]

Speaking of Kevin, if he didn't do it, the cloud of suspicion, etc....

Shortly after the trial, somebody posted here that the Jones family had been interviewed by the investigative news show "48 Hours." Anybody heard anything more about that?

Here was the original post from August 4 about that:
I know the show 48 hours interviewed the Jones' family. It will be interesting to see what they have to say.

I would love to know for sure whether or not they were interviewed by 48 Hours. I checked the show's website and didn't see it in any upcoming episodes. Can anyone even confirm that they were interviewed?

[TJEddie]

I would love to know for sure whether or not they were interviewed by 48 Hours. I checked the show's website and didn't see it in any upcoming episodes. Can anyone even confirm that they were interviewed?

I can't confirm the interviews....your info is as good as mine on that. As for when the show would air, based on what I've seen of "48 Hours," their investigations are pretty thorough. It would take some time for them to conduct interviews, peruse records, gather background info, etc.....and then even more time for them to put it all into a coherent presentation. If a show is indeed in the works, I wouldn't expect it to air for a while. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[lorettalockhorn]

I can't confirm the interviews....your info is as good as mine on that. As for when the show would air, based on what I've seen of "48 Hours," their investigations are pretty thorough. It would take some time for them to conduct interviews, peruse records, gather background info, etc.....and then even more time for them to put it all into a coherent presentation. If a show is indeed in the works, I wouldn't expect it to air for a while. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Silly me. Here I was going to the 48 Hours section of cbs.com instead of simply asking you whether or not you could confirm interviews.

[hawgustusgloop]

The trigger was most likely something that isn't going to leave behind any evidence, in my opinion. Words. You know. Stuff like that.

I think so, too. We will probably never know for sure what set the killer off.

I wonder how much K.Jo knew about Nona's involvement with other guys? Nona went on at least one actual date with Trey York. Maybe someone saw them and word got back to K.Jo about it. Maybe that's one of the things they were fighting about, and maybe K.Jo was under the impression that Nona wasn't having anything to do with TY anymore. Maybe he showed up that morning for a secret tryst, just like he did before when he didn't tell his parents he was in town yet. However, when he got there, Nona got a text message and he flew off the handle when it was from none other than TY.

Or maybe he had just found out about it....maybe when he and his mother were up all night talking, she revealed to him that so-and-so's sister-in-law's cousin saw Nona at the movies with another guy. Maybe he went to confront her about it?

Here is something that has always bothered me........if K.Jo did this, did ANYONE know he was going to Nona's that morning? It seems like he was SO accounted for the rest of the day. Surely his mom asked him what he planned to do the next day. How else would she know which clothes to set out for him or if he would be available to go to the party? Wouldn't SOMEONE have known he was going there? It seems like at least a couple of people were either aware of what he was going to do the rest of the day or actually accompanying him on his errands. This is one of the very few things that leaves any doubt in my mind that he did this. If he planned on going to Nona's, and it wasn't a planned attack, why didn't anyone else know about it? Or did someone know, and that person just decided to keep that info to him- or herself?

[upallnight]

Just popping back in to say there's nothing factual or clear in your baseless accusation that Kevin is a liar. If he were a liar and it was so clear, why wasn't this hammered home by the prosecution? Why didn't they get a conviction? If it were so factually clear that Kevin were a liar, don't you think the results would have been different? Don't you think they would have been screaming LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE from the rooftops? It seems like you've grabbed bits and pieces and continue to hang onto them and morph them into a "clear" indication of Kevin's guilt, when these bits and pieces, through your spin, are only an indication of a grief-stricken, traumatized young man.

Does it mean nothing to you that his friends and family stood by him, even friends of friends? Who turned on him? Not a one.

There's your indication of character, Loretta. If the same happened to you, do you think you'd have the same support?

We should all be so fortunate.

FYI, some have turned on him, it may be in a way that is not mean or cruel, but I can tell you this, first hand**Some in the same town he is from wants nothing to do with him, they still think he killed her. Like we all know, he was found not guilty, that does not mean innocent. There to many things that was said but a different story then and now. It has been almost 2 years. That's a long time to get a good defense line together. Those who know Kevin does not want it to be him that killed her. Also those who know Nona feels the same way. But, there may not have been enough evidence to convict him in court. That simply does not set others opinion of what we know here in this town. I was hopeful the trial would lead me to believe he did not kill her. What it did was to lead me to believe he may have got away with murder. I do not a will never believe grandma's story of lunch money she gave him at 11:30 am, she clearly had over a year to think about it along with his defense attorney's leading the way. That is a good family he is from, christian or not, that is her grandson. I believe they would do what ever it takes to help him. Right or wrong, that is what I believe to be the truth. No One else saw him there then. If you read back what KJ said does not line up with what Granny said. That is only one thing. There are more things that do not add up. Lie or whatever you wish to call it. I believe in what Nona's mom said on TV, There was 3 keys, Kevin's print in Nona's blood on the murder weapon light bulb. In my mind it was not proven the print was made at the time of discovery. The exact opposite to me, I can see it being there during the murder, but not discovery be it if he was moving all around or not. The blood looked tacky at discovery but it looked the same many days later. So that just did not add up to me either. The defense confused the jury. But then again, I do not think the jury was in any way smart enough to put 2 plus 2 together and convict him. Seems they took the easy out in order to get out of dodge. I wonder if anyone on that jury would let their daughter date KJ? I wish a vote of KJ dating their daughter(s) would be conducted. It may shed a new light on this. Oh, and if they said yes they would allow their daughter to date KJ, a rule of the date is the date must happen just as all other dates happen most of the time, non supervised, and if the relationship continued I would like the truth if any of the people on the jury would be concerned because after all he was found NOT GUILTY right. If he did not did not kill Nona, they put him at the scene of the crime with blood on his hands, and the murder weapon, no one else. That amoung other things does not look good. If I had a son and this happened, I know it would follow him everywhere he went. Love is unconditional I know but I would still wonder, how was that blood on that light bulb done unless you was there at the time of death. I would then take serious action to investigate the murder, I would want to know 100% my son was innocent and if he said he did not do it and did, I would do whatever I had to inorder to get the help or lock up he needed to save others. Unconditional love is not easy, but right is right and wrong is wrong. Lord knows, both families have been through alot. But believe me when I say, not all of Kevin's friends support him, there are still to many questions and a girl is dead, Kevins had her blood on his hands and alot of it, he was told to stop messing with her body and did not listen. I could see checking her for injuries or to see if she was alive. If he was so upset when he found her, he sure did not seem that way on the 911 tape. His mom was tramatized. Kevin sure did not seem to be. Hearing that tape he seemed calm, very calm. Does not seem right to me. Anyway enough of that, just wanted to let you know we all want answers but not every one supports KJ. I do not even think it is what we wish to do, it is just there, a shield because of so many things about this whole mess that points towards him. I wanted to believe he did not kill her, as each day goes by I am more directed to believe he did. I hate that but it is the truth. Who knows maybe they will solve this case one day, until then not matter how I try, in my mind he killed Nona and that is so sad. I hope they prove me wrong. Nona was the one who was traumatized and murdered. Kevin to this day has not looked traumatized to me or and especially not looked or acted grief strickened but that is just my opinion. He was taped laughing at Nona's funeral, laughing mind you, that was sorry no matter what he was laughing at.

[lorettalockhorn]

Great post upall; you make some very good points.

[lorettalockhorn]

From today's Courier:

Ginocchio named managing editor

Janie Ginocchio, who joined The Courier newroom staff as a reporter in 2006 and was pormoted to special projects editor earlier this year was named the newspaper's managing editor Tuesday.
Her responsibilities include managing local content, designing pages, organizing news budget meetings and helping lead the newsroom with Editor Scott Perkins, who said this week he was pleased Ginocchio is accepting this next challenge in her newspaper career.
"We are glad to welcome Janie as managing editor of The Courier," Perkins said. "She has been a positive addition in her previous roles. I expect her, as managing editor, to help us get even better."
Ginocchio joined The courier on Oct. 31, 2006, as a staff reporter. She covered the Pope County Quorum Court, Atkins, Pottsville and Hector city councils; and education for the Russellville, Atkins, Pottsville and Hector school districts. She also specialized in feature and investigative reporting, and covered the Nona Dirksmeyer murder trial with Mary Kincy Benefield in July.
She moved to the Arkansas River Valley from North Little Rock when her husband Billy accepted the executive chef position at the Lodge at Mount Magazine.
Ginocchio graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in English. She lived in Wasghington and New York City before returning home to Arkansas in 2002, when she joined the staff of the Arkansas Times in Little Rock. She spent two years as a staff writer and columnist for the Times and two years as a freelance writer. Her essay "Ft. Knox, KY" was included in the recently-released Tales from the South anthology, the first collection of stories from the popular KUAR FM 89 radio show.
She received two first-place awards, one for beat reporting and one for campaign coverage, at this year's Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editor's Awards. She also recieved (sic) a third-place prize in the feature category in the medium dailies division from the Arkansas Press Assocation's (sic) Better Newspapers contest.
Ginocchio can be reached via e-mail at managingeditor@couriernews.com.

What? No awards for creative writing??? Like this:

i actually
can understand the
text messaging part...
you see, i mentioned my
misspent youth and how
nothing bad happened to me
during a blackout...
unfortunately this incident i am
able to fully remember
to this day...
a boy i had a casual relationship
with once forced sex with me...
i said no numerous times and tried
to push him away...
he never threatened me or hurt me...
he just pushed me down and did
it anyway...
i was 20 then...
i felt plenty violated...
but i did not tell a soul at the time...
and i still saw this guy everyday...
had normal conversations with him...
maybe even consensually slept with him
afterwards...
i was ashamed and thought it was
my fault for not stopping him...
for just laying there, looking at the stars
while he rutted away...
her first text message to him says
volumes to me based on my own experience...
"everyone will think i'm a *****"
she woke up naked in bed with two
men... not sure of what happened...
the first thing she probably felt was shame...
so she tried to laugh it off to hide her
embarrassment...
and then her cousin tells her what chelsea said...
that it went beyond what she could have imagined...
so she talks to family and they urge her to go to police...
and that attempt to hide her shame comes back
to haunt her...

[lorettalockhorn]

From today's Courier:

Letters to the editor

Coverage disputed
After reading your latest stories on the Dirksmeyer case stating that Kevin Jones and attorneys' (sic) did not acknowledge request for interviews, I have only one question. Do you blame them? The amount of sensationalism and bias from The Courier alone was so incredible regarding Kevin Jones. Facts were misrepresented, twisted and omitted in The Courier stories about this case. Fact, the young man was accused of murder. Fact, he was proven not guilty by a jury of peers. The Courier's reporting on this matter was a lot of folks (sic) only means to information on this case. There was no innocent until proven guilty voiced in your stories. Newspaper articles, by nature, are not supposed to be biased. They are, however, supposed to report facts in a way that allows a reader to make up his or her own mind. It is my opinion that The Courier has not done that in this case. The way things have been reported about this case are and were so ridiculous and outrageous. The Courier never reported things in a responsible, ethical, fair light from the very beginning and still aren't, so why would you expect a young man trying to move on with his life, to comply now? Some of the statements printed in the last stories were so incredulous and irresponsible, I find it unbielievable (sic) that they were allowed to be printed. I know one reader doesn't make much of an impact for you, but I no longer believe in the reliability or trust in The Courier.
Thank you,
Katherine Waldo
Russellville

Hmmm This woman doesn't believe in the First Amendment? She thinks that some of the statements shouldn't have been allowed to be printed? She seems familiar to me. Is she the woman whose husband (who was supposedly chosen at random), testified in the motion for change of venue hearing?

[LurkerNoMore]

Just a couple points to reply:

1. I'm not talking about folks around town turning on Kevin. I'm taking about friends and family. The people that know him. I don't know a single friend that turned on Kevin or his family. As far as the people on the edges, your standard townspeople who feed off gossip, who cares?

2. Does the same scrutiny apply to Carol, as far as smiling or laughing at what you perceive is the wrong time? Because I saw her on the news during trial smiling. A mother smiling at the trial of her daughter's murderer? She *MUST* be a horrible person. Note the biting sarcasm.

[lorettalockhorn]

Coverage disputed
After reading your latest stories on the Dirksmeyer case stating that Kevin Jones and attorneys' (sic) did not acknowledge request for interviews, I have only one question. Do you blame them? The amount of sensationalism and bias from The Courier alone was so incredible regarding Kevin Jones. Facts were misrepresented, twisted and omitted in The Courier stories about this case. Fact, the young man was accused of murder. Fact, he was proven not guilty by a jury of peers. The Courier's reporting on this matter was a lot of folks (sic) only means to information on this case. There was no innocent until proven guilty voiced in your stories. Newspaper articles, by nature, are not supposed to be biased. They are, however, supposed to report facts in a way that allows a reader to make up his or her own mind. It is my opinion that The Courier has not done that in this case. The way things have been reported about this case are and were so ridiculous and outrageous. The Courier never reported things in a responsible, ethical, fair light from the very beginning and still aren't, so why would you expect a young man trying to move on with his life, to comply now? Some of the statements printed in the last stories were so incredulous and irresponsible, I find it unbielievable (sic) that they were allowed to be printed. I know one reader doesn't make much of an impact for you, but I no longer believe in the reliability or trust in The Courier.

Wonder how this woman would feel if she read some of what was reported here; statements supposedly from the courtroom that were disputed by firsthand observers.
Thank you,
Katherine Waldo
Russellville

[lorettalockhorn]

Just a couple points to reply:

1. I'm not talking about folks around town turning on Kevin. I'm taking about friends and family. The people that know him. I don't know a single friend that turned on Kevin or his family. As far as the people on the edges, your standard townspeople who feed off gossip, who cares?

2. Does the same scrutiny apply to Carol, as far as smiling or laughing at what you perceive is the wrong time? Because I saw her on the news during trial smiling. A mother smiling at the trial of her daughter's murderer? She *MUST* be a horrible person. Note the biting sarcasm.

Y'all must be a very small circle to be able to keep tabs on what each other think.

I'm not from Dover, but I for one think he's guilty because of the facts that I've read about the case. The gossip merely makes me think that he's a lowlife. It doesn't really make me think that he's guilty, just that he's capable of murder. And since I'm a registered voter, that puts me in any potential jury pool. People accused of murder and other serious crimes should labor to clean up their reputations.

[hawgustusgloop]

From today's Courier:

Letters to the editor

Coverage disputed
After reading your latest stories on the Dirksmeyer case stating that Kevin Jones and attorneys' (sic) did not acknowledge request for interviews, I have only one question. Do you blame them? The amount of sensationalism and bias from The Courier alone was so incredible regarding Kevin Jones. Facts were misrepresented, twisted and omitted in The Courier stories about this case. Fact, the young man was accused of murder. Fact, he was proven not guilty by a jury of peers. The Courier's reporting on this matter was a lot of folks (sic) only means to information on this case. There was no innocent until proven guilty voiced in your stories. Newspaper articles, by nature, are not supposed to be biased. They are, however, supposed to report facts in a way that allows a reader to make up his or her own mind. It is my opinion that The Courier has not done that in this case. The way things have been reported about this case are and were so ridiculous and outrageous. The Courier never reported things in a responsible, ethical, fair light from the very beginning and still aren't, so why would you expect a young man trying to move on with his life, to comply now? Some of the statements printed in the last stories were so incredulous and irresponsible, I find it unbielievable (sic) that they were allowed to be printed. I know one reader doesn't make much of an impact for you, but I no longer believe in the reliability or trust in The Courier.
Thank you,
Katherine Waldo
Russellville

Hmmm This woman doesn't believe in the First Amendment? She thinks that some of the statements shouldn't have been allowed to be printed? She seems familiar to me. Is she the woman whose husband (who was supposedly chosen at random), testified in the motion for change of venue hearing?

IIRC, there was some guy named James Waldo who testified for the defense during that hearing. I wonder if they could be related? Maybe someone who has a local phone book could check the listings to see if they are listed as a couple? Who knows? Maybe Waldo is like "Smith" or "Jones" in that area. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

Either way, this lady seems like even more of a lunatic than that guy who wrote the other letter to the editor. I guess she has something against Carol and Duane Dipert expressing their personal opinions. Perhaps she has some personal anger toward them for which we don't understand the reasoning, so that's why this rambling letter doesn't make good sense to us? I didn't know he was PROVEN not guilty either. I just thought that was the verdict. It certainly wasn't proven to me, anyway. Of course, Kathy Waldo just stated it as "FACT," at the same time she is attempting to chastise the Courier for twisting facts and printing incredulous statements.

Off topic: I don't know if I have ever seen so many (sic)s inserted into so few sentences in my entire lifetime of avid reading.

[hawgustusgloop]

Just a couple points to reply:

1. I'm not talking about folks around town turning on Kevin. I'm taking about friends and family. The people that know him. I don't know a single friend that turned on Kevin or his family. As far as the people on the edges, your standard townspeople who feed off gossip, who cares?

2. Does the same scrutiny apply to Carol, as far as smiling or laughing at what you perceive is the wrong time? Because I saw her on the news during trial smiling. A mother smiling at the trial of her daughter's murderer? She *MUST* be a horrible person. Note the biting sarcasm.

Speaking of Carol, she once thought of K.Jo like a son. She IMO would have certainly been considered "friends and family." Are you suggesting that she supports K.Jo and didn't "turn her back on him"? She is definitely not "standard townspeople who feed off gossip."

IMO it is ultra-ridiculous to compare Carol Dipert cracking a smile at some point during a weeks-long trial she had months to prepare herself for, over a year and a half after her daughter was murdered, to K.Jo, who was supposedly too distraught over Nona's murder to stand up on his own, laughing with friends just days after his beloved girlfriend of several years was brutally murdered on the night he was supposed to ask her to marry him.

[hawgustusgloop]

Wonder how this woman would feel if she read some of what was reported here; statements supposedly from the courtroom that were disputed by firsthand observers.


Well, it appears from that embarrassing disaster of a letter that she really only takes issue with what she perceives as bias against K.Jo. I'm willing to bet she's just fine with publishing skewed statements that are favorable to K.Jo or even biased against Nona or her family.

[LurkerNoMore]

[QUOTE=hawgustusgloop;8958007]IMO it is ultra-ridiculous to compare Carol Dipert cracking a smile at some point during a weeks-long trial she had months to prepare herself for[QUOTE]

I disagree. I think the comparison is completely valid.

However, I do not think that it taints the character of either Carol or Kevin. All we saw were clips. We do not know what the conversation or comments were that sparked the laughter or smile. Perhaps a fond or funny memory of Nona?

[LurkerNoMore]

Well, it appears from that grammatical disaster of a letter that she really only takes issue with what she perceives as bias against K.Jo. I'm willing to bet she's just fine with publishing skewed statements that are favorable to K.Jo or even biased against Nona or her family.

Why does grammar matter? Seriously. Or is it just a way to attack someone you disagree with?

[LurkerNoMore]

Speaking of Carol, she once thought of K.Jo like a son. She IMO would have certainly been considered "friends and family." Are you suggesting that she supports K.Jo and didn't "turn her back on him"? She is definitely not "standard townspeople who feed off gossip."


Way to poke holes in my opinion, Hawg! You are 100% correct! Ol' St. Carol is not your standard townsfolk who feeds off gossip. You got me. White flag, white flag!

[lorettalockhorn]

IIRC, there was some guy named James Waldo who testified for the defense during that hearing. I wonder if they could be related? Maybe someone who has a local phone book could check the listings to see if they are listed as a couple? Who knows? Maybe Waldo is like "Smith" or "Jones" in that area. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

Either way, this lady seems like even more of a lunatic than that guy who wrote the other letter to the editor. I guess she has something against Carol and Duane Dipert expressing their personal opinions. Perhaps she has some personal anger toward them for which we don't understand the reasoning, so that's why this rambling letter doesn't make good sense to us? I didn't know he was PROVEN not guilty either. I just thought that was the verdict. It certainly wasn't proven to me, anyway. Of course, Kathy Waldo just stated it as "FACT," at the same time she is attempting to chastise the Courier for twisting facts and printing incredulous statements.

Off topic: I don't know if I have ever seen so many (sic)s inserted into so few sentences in my entire lifetime of avid reading.

I believe that there are a couple of listings for a James and Kathy Waldo in and around Russellville. Not sure who sounds more whack, the guy who criticized The Courier for 500 (?) articles and had a lack of understanding with regard to the "series", or this woman. She does come off as sounding personally involved or with an axe to grind; wasn't there a poster here who emphatically declared her hatred for DD?

Those (sic) insertions are mine; The Courier doesn't seem to recognize spelling errors. NOT that I don't make them myself, I just do my best to correct them. :punch:

[LurkerNoMore]

IIRC, there was some guy named James Waldo who testified for the defense during that hearing. I wonder if they could be related? Maybe someone who has a local phone book could check the listings to see if they are listed as a couple? Who knows? Maybe Waldo is like "Smith" or "Jones" in that area. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

Either way, this lady seems like even more of a lunatic than that guy who wrote the other letter to the editor. I guess she has something against Carol and Duane Dipert expressing their personal opinions. Perhaps she has some personal anger toward them for which we don't understand the reasoning, so that's why this rambling letter doesn't make good sense to us? I didn't know he was PROVEN not guilty either. I just thought that was the verdict. It certainly wasn't proven to me, anyway. Of course, Kathy Waldo just stated it as "FACT," at the same time she is attempting to chastise the Courier for twisting facts and printing incredulous statements.

Off topic: I don't know if I have ever seen so many (sic)s inserted into so few sentences in my entire lifetime of avid reading.

Lunatic? Wow. That's harsh.

[lorettalockhorn]

Why does grammar matter? Seriously. Or is it just a way to attack someone you disagree with?

Personally, I find it easier to read properly written prose (and poetry for that matter), not to mention that the author comes off as more rational when she/he takes the time to edit herself.

On the other hand, if the author thinks that her letter is well-written, when it is not, I just think she's a blithering idiot.

[hawgustusgloop]

Why does grammar matter? Seriously. Or is it just a way to attack someone you disagree with?

I don't really think it matters much at all in day-to-day conversation. However, if I were writing a letter to the editor of a paper and my full name was going to be attached to it, I'd want to take extra care to make sure it was written correctly so that I would be taken seriously.

That's just my opinion, though.

[hawgustusgloop]

Lunatic? Wow. That's harsh.

That is indeed the impression I got from that letter. I don't know what other type of person would take the time to write a rambling letter like that without realizing the hypocrisy of it all. I mean, writing a letter about the Courier twisting facts and printing lies, while making the statement that it's a "fact" that K.Jo was PROVEN not guilty? What else is one to think?

[hawgustusgloop]

Way to poke holes in my opinion, Hawg! You are 100% correct! Ol' St. Carol is not your standard townsfolk who feeds off gossip. You got me. White flag, white flag!

IMO this is an unusual thing to say about a murder victim's grieving mother. I wonder what it means?

[lorettalockhorn]

That is indeed the impression I got from that letter. I don't know what other type of person would take the time to write a rambling letter like that without realizing the hypocrisy of it all. I mean, writing a letter about the Courier twisting facts and printing lies, while making the statement that it's a "fact" that K.Jo was PROVEN not guilty? What else is one to think?

It's downright ironic.

And I agree with what you say about writing for publication; extra caution is called for.

[lorettalockhorn]

Way to poke holes in my opinion, Hawg! You are 100% correct! Ol' St. Carol is not your standard townsfolk who feeds off gossip. You got me. White flag, white flag!

I'm surprised that Carol can drag herself out of bed and put one foot in front of the other, to tell you the truth. She is truly an inspiration.

I'm assuming that your comment about Carol (should that be Ste. Carol?) is another attempt at humor or "biting sarcasm". We may never know what caused her to smile a year and a half after Nona died. Just like we may never know what caused KJ to laugh at Nona's funeral merely a week after her brutal murder while he was (according to Chelsea Huckabee), practically prostrate with grief.

[lorettalockhorn]

(according to Chelsea Huckabee), practically prostrate with grief.

I think this should be spelled "Huckabay".

[upallnight]

Just a couple points to reply:

1. I'm not talking about folks around town turning on Kevin. I'm taking about friends and family. The people that know him. I don't know a single friend that turned on Kevin or his family. As far as the people on the edges, your standard townspeople who feed off gossip, who cares?

2. Does the same scrutiny apply to Carol, as far as smiling or laughing at what you perceive is the wrong time? Because I saw her on the news during trial smiling. A mother smiling at the trial of her daughter's murderer? She *MUST* be a horrible person. Note the biting sarcasm.


I'm not talking about just the folks around town. I am a friend and my family is friends of the Jone's family. Now you do know of one who believes he is guilty of killing Nona. I am just going by the evidence I saw and heard in court. I do not feed on gossip, I really do not care if you or anyone else cares, you are nothing to me and never will be. I know Carol also and knew Nona. I can see the pain she is going through even when she smiles. And she was not charged for the murder of Nona so how could it even be close to the same. Kevin was charged with the murder of Nona and had her blood on his body and the lightbulb. The horrible person comment you made even with the biting sarcasm was a rude comment. Carol's daughter was murdered, so you not understand that? A smile from here is a wonderful thing, she has to go on now without Nona. I am sure the thought of Nona makes her smile, after all she has nothing to hide. I simply stated my opinion, I never said KJ was a horrible person, just stated my view. Both families are good people. As for you, I do not know you but I did go to the trial, did you? Or are you going by gossip? I am sure if you have a daughter and she was murdered plus the person you felt killed her was found not guilty and you believed that person was guilty, you may feel differently. We are all on the edges as you state. Only Nona and the murderer was there when she was killed. No One, not even KJ's or Nona's family was there. A jury of his peer's, ha! A jury, and we do not know nothing about them except they voted not guilty. We do know as reported some wanted to vote guilty eary on. Some wanted not guilty some wanted otherwise. Some can be talked into a verdict they may not believe to be true guilty or not guilty. Who knows if this is the case. Who knows if KJ killed Nona, I do not know, all I know is what my opinion is from the evidence I saw and hear with my own two eyes and ears. You can have yours and I (of course) can have mine. Show me different if you know different and I would love to believe KJ did not kill Nona. That would make my day. I am sure it would make Nona's families day if they could see justice for Nona! You are no different than I am, we do not know for sure who killed Nona, or atleast I do not. If you was there you do, but if not you do not know, even if someone told you something that is simply gossip. Again I feel so bad for both families. Now, any other questions or commets I can help you with?