48 Hours: Cal and Michele Harris

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48 Hours Mystery talked about the disappearance of Michele Harris this week, and the multiple trials Cal Harris has faced for Michele’s murder. So far, Cal Harris he been convicted twice of murdering Michele. However, both times, he managed to get the verdicts thrown out. It’s mind-boggling. He is facing his third trial this coming September.

Cal Harris is a wealthy and influential businessman in Owego, New York. No surprise.

Cal came forward on 48 Hours to talk about the case for the first time, yet ironically, he barred 48 Hours from openly asking questions.  That’s interesting, don’t you think?

He limited the questions he would answer by Erin Moriarty and frankly, he didn’t say anything that gave us a reason to believe him.

Furthermore, I found it astounding that Cal doesn’t want answers. At the press conference held this March by Cal, if you notice in the poster that was displayed, “Her kids want answers”.

Isn’t that interesting?

It’s interesting on two fronts:  Not only is Cal speaking and creating this poster on behalf of his children (which shows control by Cal that they aren’t doing this on their own–because Cal create it), it also doesn’t say “WE” want answers– meaning Cal isn’t seeking answers.  He doesn’t seem to have a need to know who did this, does he?  He thinks only his kids should want answers.  Hmmm…. I think it was a pretty big slip, if you ask me.

I also wanted to state that I believe Michele’s boyfriend Brian Earley and the nanny Barbara Thayer.

I do not believe Kevin Tubbs at all.  It took him six years to come up with his story?  Unbelievable. But his words alone give me reason not to buy what he is saying.

Sad story all around. I believe Cal Harris knows exactly where Michele’s body is.

Dateline: Fred and Leslie Mueller

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Did you catch Dateline NBC this week? They profiled the story of Fred and Leslie Mueller. Leslie Mueller, according to Fred, slipped and fell to her death into a mountain stream. 48 Hours ran the same story in a one-hour show earlier in the year and now we got to see more with Dateline.

I absolutely do not find one element that supports Fred is being truthful. I don’t believe a word he says, in fact. I didn’t when I watched 48 Hours and now after seeing the two-hour Dateline episode, nothing has changed. I’m only more confident.

But I have to say I was stunned by the jury–most notably the second jury. They said that they didn’t believe Fred was telling the truth, and did in fact, believe he WAS lying. They got that right, but after that, their logic escaped me.

They said that lying doesn’t equate to murder. Then why would Fred lie? Can anyone answer that? Give me a plausible reason. Please.

Leslie’s injuries did not support a fall onto a granite slab so we know that didn’t happen, and Fred’s lie involved that aspect of the story. The falling element of Fred’s story was told to make people believe that is why Leslie died. Since we have evidence that Leslie didn’t fall onto granite as Fred said, and she died–then why else would Fred lie, but to cover murder?

I was also taken aback by the juror who said that the jury was perplexed that Leslie didn’t have any defensive wounds. There was clearly a struggle when Fred’s glasses got knocked off (and he didn’t even remember to pick them up–which shows a struggle that Fred never acknowledged and which is extremely hot and supportive of another lie). But would there be defensive wounds when Leslie was wearing winter clothing and gloves? Her body was covered and protected and so likely was Fred’s.

So if they were grabbing each others clothes, you would not see any defensive injuries, if one is padded, right? And then, it is likely that Leslie ran for her life and tried to get away from Fred, and Fred caught her. It appears that he caught up with her, in or at the water, and pushed her under. In this situation, it would make absolute sense there are no defensive wounds.

And I am not sure there aren’t any defensive wounds. I don’t buy Fred’s story that his face was scratched by bushes. His attempt to describe what happened was littered with clues to his deception here, too. I believe the scratches on Fred’s face were the marks of Leslie struggling to get away from Fred.  That was all she could do–was scratch his face.

If you look at the last photos taken of Leslie, in photo number 6, the expression that Leslie makes gives me the following feelings:  Its like Fred was saying, “Backup, Leslie…it will be a better picture….come on, you can go close to the edge…chicken!!!” and it appears she is thinking, “Come on, Fred, knock it off. Are you happy now?  Can we just get this over with?”

I think he did that to Leslie multiple times and it appears she tried to please him to a degree and hoped he’d get over his weirdness. You can see it in her face.  When it didn’t work, he had her pose with the dog hoping the “damn dog” would spook.  For all we know, he tried to spook the dog after that, and that cause the situation to escalate between them because clearly Fred did not like “her dog”.  The way he talked of the dog was of dislike and disdain. And it was then Fred’s glasses got knocked off and crushed in a struggle.

I hope Fred Mueller is tried again.

Ryan Widmer and Renee Ohlemacher Analysis

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Over the weekend Dateline re-ran the story of Sarah and Ryan Widmer, and 48 Hours did an update to the Greg and Bernadette Ohlemacher case, which detailed the trial of Ronald Santiago and profiled more footage of the murdered couple’s daughter, Renee.

I have written about both of these cases over the years.  If you’d like to read my analysis from the past, please click on the following links:

Greg and Bernadette Ohlemacher:  My Assessment of Renee

Ryan and Sarah Widmer:  911 Call Analysis

Michele Williams on 48 Hours

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Did you catch 48 Hours this weekend and the story of Michele and Greg Williams?

If so, it was a fascinating story.

You get to see Michele Williams display a lot of fake emotions and crocodile tears without question!

I do not believe one word out Michele’s mouth. I feel for her children. To grow up with a mom who was dishonest as she was must be horribly hard. My heart goes out to them.

Let’s hope a jury doesn’t fall for Michele’s attempts to fool them.

Dangerous Beauty: Peggy Sue Thomas

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48 Hours featured the story Russel Douglas, 32, who was murdered in Washington state in December of 2003 in an episode called “Dangerous Beauty”. Through many twists and turns, you get introduced to Peggy Sue Thomas, a friend of Brenna Douglas, the wife of murder victim, Russel Douglas.

Peggy Sue Thomas, who became a beauty pageant winner, was married multiple times, and admitted to dating a married man as well, Jim Huden–a man she grew up with in Washington.

Jim Huden, ironically, was identified by a man in Florida who said Jim confessed to murdering Russel to him.

The story takes many twists and turns, but ultimately, I do not believe Peggy Sue Thomas on any level. I suspect she knows a lot more than she is telling us.