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OU student left suicide message
The Oklahoman ^ | Sun October 16, 2005 | Nolan Clay

Posted on 10/16/2005 11:02:43 AM PDT by MizSterious

Sun October 16, 2005
OU student left suicide message

By Nolan Clay
The Oklahoman

NORMAN - The University of Oklahoma student who died in an explosion Oct. 1 left a message on his computer that he was going to quit living, his father said.

The FBI read the message to the father Friday, after he came to Oklahoma to clear out his son's university-owned apartment.

Joel "Joe" Henry Hinrichs III, an engineering student, died when his bomb went off about 100 yards from the packed football stadium during the second quarter of OU's night game against Kansas State.

Hinrichs, 21, was from Colorado Springs, Colo. He had a reputation as a loner and had struggled at times with his grades. His parents had begun divorce proceedings.

Joel Hinrichs Jr. said he understood investigators found the message on the computer screen when they arrived at the apartment.

"It was a single line of text on his computer," said the father, who lives in Colorado Springs. "The cursor was still blinking at the end."

The father said he could not recall the exact wording but said his son used profanity in the message and was obviously very angry. "He wrote he was dissatisfied with the situation and was going to quit living," the father said.

His description of the message is consistent with the recollection of others who have been briefed about the investigation by the FBI.

No links to terrorist groups

FBI officials have said they may never know whether the student wanted to get inside the stadium. The student did not have a season ticket.

FBI officials also have said the investigation has not found any links between the student and terrorist organizations.

His father said he thinks his son was just committing suicide and never intended to hurt anyone else.

The father said the FBI on Friday showed him the fractured bench where his son was sitting when the bomb exploded and photos of his son's headless body and a tattered backpack.

The father said when cleaning out the apartment, he learned his son apparently had been having trouble sleeping and had bought Sominex, a sleep aid.

The younger Hinrichs had a long fascination with ammunition and bombs, his relatives and friends said. Inside his bedroom in Norman were several used metal artillery shells -- the largest about 2 feet long. He had belts of used brass shell casings, a box of spent bullets and military ammo containers.

He also had items more typical of many college students -- textbooks, empty liquor bottles, magazines and a martial arts movie videotape.

The father allowed two reporters from The Oklahoman into the bedroom briefly Thursday.

Bomb experts removed explosive-related materials from the apartment Oct. 2. Contributing: Randy Ellis


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Oklahoma
KEYWORDS: batf; bomb; cia; fakesuicidenote; fbi; hinrichs; homelandsecurity; normanbombing; normanbomer; ou; oubomber; oubombing; waronterror
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To: indcons

Thanks for the ping. I have been out of town for a few days and am trying to catch up. Not buying this 'new' note stuff. Like others have said..anyone could have written the note on his PC. Wonder it they fingerprinted his computer? Going back to reading all of the posts.


421 posted on 10/19/2005 9:20:06 AM PDT by penelopesire
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To: Grampa Dave; PhiKapMom
If he was under surveillance by the LEO community, the cell phone servive probably would not have been cut off until the explosion. Then, they would have cut all of the services in the Norman area to prevent future bombs from going off.

PhiKapMom at one point reported that cell phone service went out at least several minutes BEFORE the explosion.

422 posted on 10/19/2005 2:20:27 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (I do what the voices in Lazamataz's head tell me to)
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To: Grampa Dave
There is no way the computer would have been left untouched and on.

Although they probably would have taken a photo of what the computer-screen had on it before moving it or turning it off. If it was a laptop (as most students have as their only computer these days), they would not have had to turn it off before moving.

If the FBI was involved at this point, they probably have people and equiptment that would allow them to open it up and get a dump of memory to non-volatile storage for analysis before turning off the power

423 posted on 10/19/2005 2:26:38 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (I do what the voices in Lazamataz's head tell me to)
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To: SauronOfMordor

Someone who was watching the game on cable in Mustang, OK, (west of Norman, sw of OKC) said their cable also went out for a few minutes right before half-time.


424 posted on 10/19/2005 10:57:28 PM PDT by Rte66
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To: SauronOfMordor

Your explanation, IMO, is HAMMER MEETS NAIL.

Folks, read Sauron's explanation.


425 posted on 10/19/2005 11:36:55 PM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
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To: SauronOfMordor

"And cellphones stopped working at the game around the time of the blast, with at least one person reporting they stopped working shortly BEFORE the blast"

Must have had Alltel:)


426 posted on 10/21/2005 7:33:02 AM PDT by Nancie Drew
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To: SauronOfMordor

"And cellphones stopped working at the game around the time of the blast, with at least one person reporting they stopped working shortly BEFORE the blast"

Must have had Alltel:)


427 posted on 10/21/2005 7:33:53 AM PDT by Nancie Drew
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To: little jeremiah
Meanwhile, back at the ranch: US to deport 225 Pakistanis (But no mention in the US press)
428 posted on 10/21/2005 3:49:26 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (I BELIEVE CONGRESSMAN WELDON!)
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To: SauronOfMordor

It seriously stinks.

Meanwhile, people are so busy with all the TV channels and shopping and stuff, no one gives a ****.


429 posted on 10/21/2005 5:21:58 PM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
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To: Old Student
Not if I have access, a pair of scissors or an exacto-knife, and some glue, it isn't. Strong encryption may not be your friend, but lack of it is anyone else's friend that wants to look at your writing, FRiend. ;)

You would do that to my Hello Kitty Diary?!

Guess I'll have to get a lockbox for it!
430 posted on 10/27/2005 6:32:56 AM PDT by hummingbird (Think I'll google for a while.....)
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To: hummingbird

"You would do that to my Hello Kitty Diary?!

Guess I'll have to get a lockbox for it!"

Not necessarily would, but certainly could, if I though there might be anything interesting in it...

The lockbox might be a good idea, but I can probably open that, too. Bent paperclip, or a small quantity of C4, or anything in between. Depends on how badly I want into your diary. Speaking of which, anything interesting in there? ;)


431 posted on 10/27/2005 3:43:38 PM PDT by Old Student (WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.))
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To: MizSterious

the message:

Alluh Akbar!


432 posted on 10/27/2005 3:44:40 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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