John Walsh ["America's Most Wanted"] Mystery Solved

[bassrique]

As many know, the son of John Walsh was horribly murdered 20+ years ago. JW never knew who did it, until now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzVP_A7nTok

Kidnap-Murder of Adam Walsh Closed After 27 Years (Update1)
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By Charlotte Porter

Dec. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The case of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, a Florida boy kidnapped from a store in 1981 and killed, has been solved and closed, his father said today.

John Walsh, longtime host of the television show “America’s Most Wanted,” made the announcement at a press conference in Hollywood, Florida. Walsh founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and worked to increase awareness of child abductions.

Hollywood police said Ottis Toole, who claimed to have committed hundreds of murders and died in prison more than a decade ago, was responsible for killing the boy, whose head was discovered two weeks after the abduction, the Associated Press reported.

While police discounted most of Toole’s confessions, Walsh said he believed the serial killer was responsible for Adam’s death, AP said. Walsh, struggling to speak through his tears, thanked police today for their work.
Last Updated: December 16, 2008 15:20 EST

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...kR8&refer=home

[StanFan]

That is some great news!! That gives lots of hope for other unsolved murders out there.

[Matt Till]

I had no idea that Joe's son was killed, that's great news that they figured out who it was, but this is my first time hearing of Adamn Walsh's head being discovered 2 weeks after he had gone missing, and the cop referring to the ******* who did it as a known pedophile.

It's **** like this that makes me scared to death to have a kid, if this ever happened to my child, I'm positive I wouldn't be able to maintain any level of sanity. I feel sometimes like I'm on the edge of needing to be locked up in a nuthouse, that would certainly do it for me.

What a horrid world we live in.

[MatticusMania]

Wait, so they had found the head of Adam Walsh 2 weeks after the abduction, and this guy dies in prison over 10 years ago and they barely now put it together? Doesnt seem very legit to me.

[Jeremy Crockett]

Originally Posted by Matt Till

I had no idea that Joe's son was killed, ...

John... John Walsh

[JNowiski]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Wait, so they had found the head of Adam Walsh 2 weeks after the abduction, and this guy dies in prison over 10 years ago and they barely now put it together? Doesnt seem very legit to me.

yeah, because i'm sure the killer left clues behind in the head...c'mon guy, just because a body part is found doesnt mean it will lead to the killer. i'm sure they didn't find it sitting in the dudes kitchen.

[MatticusMania]

No, of course not, but think about it... what clue could possibly have been missing that they just resolve this now, 10 years after the dude is dead, how do they know for sure?

[Jeremy Crockett]

Some more detail here:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,467905,00.html

According to the brief article "Despite the mistakes made along the way, Wagner said the investigation always led detectives back to Toole, the only chief suspect in the case."

[Relic]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

No, of course not, but think about it... what clue could possibly have been missing that they just resolve this now, 10 years after the dude is dead, how do they know for sure?

Well the oddball part of it all is that the suspect confessed, not once, but TWICE (If I'm getting this right) then recanted both times.
They're just figuring this all out now?
Ugh...
This whole story kills me, I have 3 kids and cannot imagine what he must have gone through.

[Dr. Cheese]

This kind of situation is very common. Many times people develop elaborate theories about unsolved murders when more than likely the killer was a common career criminal who met an opportune target, and was able to carry out his (almost always a guy) twisted fantasy for gratification. There was man executed in Florida a few years ago who had terrorized the Gainseville/University of Florida area through a series of horrific murders during the eighties who was caught years later in a DNA match after a holdup in South Florida.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by Relic

Well the oddball part of it all is that the suspect confessed, not once, but TWICE (If I'm getting this right) then recanted both times.
They're just figuring this all out now?
Ugh...
This whole story kills me, I have 3 kids and cannot imagine what he must have gone through.

See, that just makes it worse right there!

I made my original post after reading StanFan's post: "That is some great news!! That gives lots of hope for other unsolved murders out there."

Seriously, this case would not give me hope at all...

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

See, that just makes it worse right there!

I made my original post after reading StanFan's post: "That is some great news!! That gives lots of hope for other unsolved murders out there."

Seriously, this case would not give me hope at all...

The one hopeful thing is that the murderer died in prison. I know it is no comfort to a person whose love one's killer is unknown, but criminals tend not to do a bad thing just once. Because of that, they usually end up locked up for a long time, if not for good, sooner or later.

[bassrique]

For those that don't recall, the poor child was put into a wood chipper.

[bassrique]

Oh yeah, I remember reading a few months ago that the girl that babysat JW's other kid or kids was found murdered at the side of the road. I think this was in Late August or Sept.

[Atoz]

IIRC, in the 70s, Ottis Toole was the boyfriend of another serial killer named Henry Lee Lucas who claimed to have murdered several hundred people. The absolute dregs of society, those two... I didn't bother to read the article (too disturbing for me right now), so that info might have already been in there.

[Rattman]

Cops on the whole aren't very bright.. But the good news is that Mr. Walsh and his family now know "who" it was.. My deepest sympathies for that still-grieving family.. Yes, the killer did indeed confess to the murder years ago it seems.. sorry the authorities didn't act on it then thou.,, very sad.

[Jeremy Crockett]

Originally Posted by Rattman

Cops on the whole aren't very bright...

[Relic]

Originally Posted by Rattman

Cops on the whole aren't very bright..

Oh in some cases you're probably right but the majority of cops and detectives are pretty saavy in solving crime. I don't know where this one went so wrong in that it took all of these years but it often comes down to a situation where the cops essentially already know who did it, but just need that one piece of evidence that will cinch it in court

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by Rattman

Cops on the whole aren't very bright..

Poor show.

The police (in the US and the UK) do a very hard job. Occasional bungles are inevitable, but they are a hardworking bunch.

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Crockett

John... John Walsh

Oh, well, then I don't care.




Sorry, had to do it. He's a great guy, I never knew why he was driven to do America's Most Wanted. Even when I watch America's most wanted, I call him Joe Walsh. Sadly, John can't say life's been good to him so far.

Damn it, I'm an ass. Seriously though, I have the utmost respect for him, I'm still terrified to have kids though. I have to admit, I was tearing up reading what happened to his poor son, and to have to live with that grief. He did the right thing, he used that grief as inspiration to do good in this world. Bravo to JOHN Walsh.

Joe Walsh actually kind of sucks, I hate the ****ing Eagles.