Cry for Me Page 9

  Jim could see Rick had focused on Mrs. Swanson and he took this time to begin to explain what they think happened. Jim explained that the carving of the chest had happened post mortem and that he believed based on his preliminary findings, that Mrs. Swanson’s cause of death was most likely asphyxiation and pointed out bruising around her mouth and on her nose. He pointed at Mr. Swanson’s fingers still stuck in Mrs. Swanson’s chest. He told Rick he suspected that the killer had stabbed her in the chest causing a chest wound that lead directly into her left lung. When the killer tried to use his hand to smother her she was able to breathe through the hole in her chest and that is when the killer decided to use her own husband’s fingers to plug the hole.

  Rick looked at the scene. He had always known the killer was demented. He had made this conclusion on the first victim. Removing the sexual organs and glands on a person is sick and demented but using the victim’s husband’s finger to help asphyxiate his wife was beyond demented to Rick. He wondered why the killer would have chosen to do this. He assumed that Mr. Swanson was still alive under the effect of the curare and was able to see the whole incident.

  Rick wondered why there was little damage to Mr. Swanson. He had only suffered a severe laceration to his neck. Mrs. Swanson had a knitting needle jammed in each leg and large puncture wound in her chest. “How long did he let her suffer before he decided to end her life by smothering her?” thought Rick. The gruesome sight before him would typically suggest that Mrs. Swanson was so brutally attacked because she had made the killer extremely mad in some way, but Rick knew better. Mrs. Swanson had done nothing to her attacker. She was innocent. This was done solely for Rick. The curare killer wanted to send Rick a message. Make it very clear to Rick that the killer is in charge and could kill at any time anywhere and could be particularly evil if need be.

  Jim continued to explain his theory as Rick and Dan looked the body over and took notes. He pointed out bruising and bleeding on the victims necks that indicated a hypodermic needle may have been used to administer a paralyzing agent directly into the victim’s blood stream rendering them completely paralyzed almost instantly.

  Jim suspected the victims were attacked in their chairs from behind and was able to this without the victims knowing, stabbing both victims in the neck simultaneously. He came to this conclusion by examining the position of the victims in their chairs and the location of puncture wounds on the necks.

  Jim told them that he believed Mrs. Swanson was attacked first by stabbing her in the upper thighs with a knitting needle and short time after she was stabbed once in the right side of her chest. Then at some point, judging from the amount of blood on the floor, from the leg wounds, and the amount of blood on the chair from the chest wound, likely several minutes later the killer tried smothering her with one or both hands. This was unsuccessful due to the chest wound. The killer then decided to pull Mr. Swanson’s arm toward his wife and using his fore finger and middle finger effectively plugged the hole leading to the lung, resulting in Mrs. Swanson’s death, taking approx. 3-5 minutes.

  Then, at a later time, after Mrs. Swanson’s death, the killer obtained a bayonet, probably from the rifle found on the floor, and used it to cut a very deep laceration in Mr. Swanson’s throat just under his chin. The laceration was in a half circle shape. It was approx. 8” in length and ran from earlobe to earlobe. Jim told Rick and Dan he suspected Mr. Swanson died of massive blood loss and probably took 8-10 minutes.

  Rick looked around the house. This scene was not as neat as the others; the killer was obviously upset and became sloppy in his attempt to rattle Rick. The killer succeeded in rattling Rick. He was shook to the core with this gory glimpse into the killer’s sick little world. He blamed himself. He thought maybe if had been a better investigator he could have done something to prevent this from happening. This poor family, they had to sit here powerless while they were being brutally murdered. Watching their loved ones being brutally attacked and not being able do a thing to help them. Poor Mr. Swanson, having to sit there watching your wife being savagely attacked knowing she could feel all of the pain being inflicted on her. There was nothing he could do about it and then to have the killer force you to have a part in killing your wife.

  The Kane County Evidence Technicians had now arrived and began processing the scene. Rick had seen enough. He began barking orders telling the technicians he wanted this house scoured for prints and any other evidence. He told them he needed this yesterday. He turned to Jim and said, “As soon as you are able to move these bodies get them to the morgue for immediate autopsy! I want any and all DNA you can find off the victims. I need this ASAP! I don’t care whose golf game you have to interrupt!”

  Jim knew Rick was extremely upset. He could not blame him. This sick, psychotic killer had to be stopped and quick. The body count is quickly rising. Jim followed Rick and Dan outside and explained that he shared his sense of urgency and that calls had already been placed to get medical examiners in and ready to get to work as soon as he rolled in. Rick thanked him.

  Rick stepped out the side door and noticed an unknown male standing to his left in the back yard near the garage. Rick turned to Dan and asked him who that was. Dan had no clue and walked over to question the subject. Rick watched Dan as he approached the subject. He watched as Dan engaged the subject in conversation. After a few seconds of talking to the subject Dan threw him against the wall of the garage and placed him handcuffs.

  This immediately got the attention of Rick. He began to walk towards Dan and the subject. Rick was looking the subject over as he approached him. He was white male, in his middle 50’s approx. 5’9”, balding, with a little pot belly, and a camera around his neck. Rick noticed he was very sweaty and had a thin grey moustache.

  Miller walked up to Keyes and said, “Officer Keyes, who is this “goob” and what in the hell is he doing on my crime scene?!”

  “His name is Danny Walters, Detective Miller, he is a reporter from the City Heat Gazette.”, replied Dan.

  “The very same reporter that has been printing piles of garbage about my case?” asked Rick.

  Dan told Rick that it was him and that he had snuck onto the scene and was taking pictures. Rick told Dan to put Mr. Walters in a patrol car and have him transported to the South Elgin jail and have him booked in, that he would be charged with criminal trespass to land, tampering with evidence, interfering with an on going criminal investigation, obstructing justice, and whatever else he could come up with.

  Dan placed Mr. Walters in one of the patrolman’s squads and told him to transport him to the station and place him in a cell and begin to process him under the charges Rick had rattled off. Rick turned to Dan and said, “When you get done stuffing that piece of shit in that car, let’s get going. While these guys process this scene, we will be having a heart to heart with Mr. Martinez.

  Chapter 12

  Rick and Dan had arrived at the McHenry County Jail, secured their firearms and were awaiting the prisoner to be brought in by the correctional deputies. The Lt. at the jail was able to get Mr. Martinez’s bond hearing rescheduled. The judge was sympathetic to the officers request taking into consideration the extenuating circumstances and severity of the crimes being committed.

  The door to the interview room opened and two corrections deputies escorted the prisoner in. Martinez was male Hispanic, 27 years old, 5’7” and 145 lbs. His hair was shaved thin almost to the skin. There were three diagonal stripes approx. ¼” wide shaved into hair stubble on the left side of his head. He was dressed in an orange zippered jump suit with the letters MCCSP printed above the word PRISONER on the back of the jump suit. He wore a pair of white socks and a pair of orange flip flops. His hands were cuffed to a brown leather restraint belt that he wore around his waste and leg shackles adorned his ankles.

  They seated Martinez in a chair opposite the table of Detective Miller. Once the prisoner was seated, Officer Keyes left the room and watched the interview from the other side o
f the two way mirror in the observation room. Miller sat back in his chair and opened a file that had been placed on the table in front of him by one of the deputies.

  Miller did not say anything at first. He just sat there reading the file. After several minutes of silence Martinez spoke up and said, “You need something? ‘Cause if not, I would like to take a nap.” Miller sat back in his chair and looked at Martinez. Rick observed several tattoos on Martinez’s face, neck, arms, and fingers. Rick recognized some of these as prison tattoos. He didn’t have to read his BCI to know he had done time in prison, his tattoos told that story.

  “I don’t get it.”, blurted out Rick.

  “Don’t get what?” asked Martinez.

  “El Guapo” replied Rick.

  “It’s Spanish for “the handsome one.” snapped Martinez.

  “Yeah I know. I’m looking right at you and I still don’t get it.” Rick could see he was starting to get under Martinez’s skin and that is exactly what he wanted.

  Rick and Keyes planned on pulling the good cop, bad cop routine on Martinez in hopes to pry some information from him. If that didn’t work, they would try scare tactics and threaten to charge him with the murders because they could tie him to the murders with possession of the curare.

  “Man, fuck you pig! I don’t have time for you to be some punk ass bitch with Me.”, snapped Martinez.

  Rick leaned forward in his chair and looked right in Martinez’s eyes and said, “You will be my punk ass bitch for as long as I say you will be! Now since you have such a busy schedule I will cut to the chase. Who is buying the curare from you?”

  “Man, ease, I don’t know what the fuck you are talking about.” replied Martinez.

  Miller was on a short fuse and had already had enough of this punk’s game. Miller stood up and mule kicked his chair against the wall. He leaned forward on the table just inches from Martinez’s face, slammed his fist on the table and yelled, “Oh come off my back, Puto! You were busted with X, Oxy, and three small vials containing curare. Ring a bell now?”

  “Man I ain’t no Puto, bitch! Those little bottles were “K” juice man. I don’t know what you are talking about.” retorted Martinez.

  Martinez explained to him that he did not know what “K” juice was and that all he knew was that the dude he was getting it for was using it as a pain killer. Rick asked where he was getting it from and where he planned on delivering it. Martinez would not talk to Miller anymore. Miller knew it was time to have Keyes come in and play the good cop and win over Martinez’s trust. Miller turned to the window and started running his hand through his hair, the signal for Keyes to come in.

  Dan entered the room and handed Miller a bottle of water and told him to take five and cool off for awhile. Dan took a seat at the table as Rick exited the room. “My name is Officer Keyes. I’m with the South Elgin Police Department.”

  “South Elgin? I ain’t got no shit wit you guys.”

  “Well yeah, you kind of do.”, replied Keyes.

  Martinez did not reply and just sat looking at Keyes while he thumbed through his file. Keyes looks up at Martinez and said, “Impressive record, but you’re just a dealer. Almost all your charges are for possession with intent to deliver. You have a few disorderly conducts and a battery, but mainly drug related. I know you’re not the one were looking for. You see, we’re looking for a murderer.”

  This got Martinez’s attention and he stiffened up in his chair looking Keyes right in the eyes and did not utter a word. “That got your attention! You see, the guy we’re looking for gutted a fag down by the river. Yep, cut his junk right off. Probably used it for fish bait. The guy we’re looking for strangled a young lady to death. You know what else he did? That sick son of bitch carved up an elderly couple in their front room. Pretty fucked up shit, huh? Now here is the thing, the killer, this sick son of a bitch, used curare or “K” juice as you called it to paralyze his victims so he could do whatever his sick little fuckin’ mind wanted to, until his victims died. Now here is what we know. We know curare is extremely rare and we know you had three containers of it in your possession. So what are we supposed to think?”

  Martinez immediately told Keyes he was not the killer, and that he gets the “K” juice from the Mexican drug cartel and he refused to name the person who he buys it from. He told Keyes he would rather sit in jail the rest of his life. If he gave up his source the Mexican drug cartel would not kill him. They would kill his whole family and all his friends to make him suffer. He told him to give up the buyer was insane as well because he feared the killer would hunt him down possibly cutting off his “junk” as well.

  Miller came in the room and signaled Keyes to join him in the observation room. Once in the observation room Miller pointed out that Martinez looked generally scared and thought they would be beating a dead horse from this point on. He also told Keyes that he saw something interesting in Martinez’s file folder. Martinez had spent some time at the Elgin Mental Health Center. Rick thought that EMHC would be a great place to try and get some information. They could always come back to Martinez and follow up should they need to.

  Miller and Keyes were back in the patrol car headed to EMHC when he told Keyes to call the Kane County States Attorney Office and fill them in on what they had. Rick wanted to try to get a judge to issue a subpoena for Martinez’s psychiatric records. Rick felt they might be able to get some leads from his file that may shed some more light on this and maybe Martinez will have some time to think things over and have a change of heart and decide to flap his gums in order to save himself.

  Chapter 13

  Rick slid his semi automatic handgun into its holster and fastened the thumb snap. The events of the last couple days have been exhausting and this case is beginning to take a toll on Rick and he is well aware of it. After the interview with Martinez, Rick and Keyes returned to the station and began pouring over the facts that they had on the Swanson murders. They did not leave for home until midnight.

  Rick had slept very little. His brain was in overdrive trying to process the day’s events and he could not shut it off. He finally drifted off somewhere around 4:30am just to be startled from his sleep at six o’clock. Maybe he will find what he is looking for today, that will break this case wide open and he bring this sick son of a bitch down before someone else has to die.

  Rick heard the slight rumble of thunder in the distance. Severe thunderstorms were forecasted throughout the day in anticipation of another heat wave. Rick decided to leave through the door leading to hallway instead of the door that leads outside, as he would typically use.

  The storms that were moving in were bitter sweet for Rick. He loved a good thunderstorm. He loved the sound and watching the bright flashes of lightning. He was mesmerized by the power and fury of Mother Nature. He was part of the village severe storm spotting team and loved going to the outskirts of town and observe the storms rolling in.

  Today he could not join his fellow spotters. This case would not allow for it. He had to get over to EMHC and see what he could find out. He was also expecting additional evidence and autopsy reports on the Swanson murders. In addition, he was hoping to get a judge to issue a subpoena on Martinez’s mental health records.

  As Rick stepped into the hallway he was greeted by Samantha. The sight of her beautiful face was enough to make Rick forget momentarily all the shit that has gone down in the past week and a half. She was just what he needed to help him get into a better frame of mind.

  Samantha was dressed in her typical summer attire. A short pair of pink running shorts and matching top with spaghetti straps. She was wearing no shoes and held a pair of flip flops in her left hand. She had painted her fingernails and toenails a dark purple that almost looked black. Rick liked the way she painted her nails and found it sexy. It reminded him of Lynn and that she had painted her nails. He wondered what prompted women to change their nail color and if it had any meaning behind it.

  “Good morning handsome!” exc
laimed Samantha surprised by seeing Rick.

  “Morning, Sam!”

  Samantha could hear the enthusiasm in Rick’s voice and this made her feel good. She hadn’t had much contact with Rick since they had dinner three days ago. She knew Rick was busy with the case and wanted to give him the space he needed so he could do his job. She worried about him so much with this maniac on the loose and just wanted to hear his voice from time to time to know that he was ok. It was all she could do to keep from calling him throughout the day with phony excuses just to hear his voice.

  “I had a great time Sunday night and thanks for showing me how to use your grill.”

  Rick could feel his heart begin to beat a little faster as he responded, “I did too! Dinner was delicious! I’ll have to teach you how to use the grill more often!

  Rick and Samantha strolled down the hall towards the back door chatting about the great time they had the other night. Samantha was having a great time. Even though they were just having idle chit chat for a few minutes she was happy to be able to spend some time with him.

  They reached the bottom of the staircase outside the door of the laundry room and Samantha stopped. “Well sounds like a storm may be blowing in. This is the end of line for me!” she joked.

  Rick turned to her and said, “Yeah, I don’t blame you, sugar melts.” teasing Samantha. “All kidding aside, give me a call later. We’ll try to set up another dinner date.”

  It was music to Samantha’s ears. He called her “sugar” and told her to call him for dinner and used the word “date”! She felt like a school girl again. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach and it felt like they were playing football. She was so swept away in that simple little statement that, without thinking, she acted and leaned in and placed a quick kiss of the corner of his mouth and turned heading back to her apartment as he walked out the back door.