Menacing Note Heats Up Police Pursuit of Sniper (Sniper Letter In Broken English)

LA Times ^ | 10/22/02 | Stephen Braun and Josh Meyer

[WestCoastGal]

Federal agents said the letter was "very lengthy" and poorly worded, bordering on broken English. Officials would not speculate whether the wording indicated whether the writer was a native English speaker or foreign-born.

[WestCoastGal]

The letter was found behind a Ponderosa steakhouse parking lot about 50 feet from where the victim fell. The note contained demands for dialogue with police and several threatening passages, said an official involved with the task force. Authorities were convinced soon after studying the letter that it was genuine and decided during a high-level meeting Sunday to open communications with him.

"They're confident this is the guy," the official said.

Federal agents said the letter was "very lengthy" and poorly worded, bordering on broken English. Officials would not speculate whether the wording indicated whether the writer was a native English speaker or foreign-born.

Authorities close to the task force also said the letter contained unspecified threatening language about children — a warning that appeared to have played a role in prompting school officials in Richmond and surrounding suburbs to cancel classes Monday.

School superintendents in Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties and the city of Richmond had said earlier in the day that a surge in calls from anxious parents after the Ashland shooting led to the move. "People are very concerned about how we can assure safety," said Henrico Supt. Mark A. Edwards.

Federal officials said a man presumed to be the killer called the FBI's sniper tip hotline in Washington soon after the shooting in the Ponderosa parking lot. The caller said he had left a note.

"The telephone call saying the note is there came after the shooting," an FBI official said. "Whether the note was there beforehand is what they're trying to ascertain."

Officials have parceled out little about their dialogue. Montgomery County police spokeswoman Lucille Baur at one point canceled an appearance by Moose, saying police were at a "very sensitive stage of the investigation."

"The real issue is they don't want to put anything out there that would jeopardize this or tip the sniper to do something more," the FBI official said. "If you make the wrong move, it could set him off. They don't know what makes him tick."

Former investigators who have been involved in similar back-channel communications with criminal suspects said task force officials can only improve the prospects of capture by drawing out the killer in talks.

"Any kind of contact we have with him is good," said former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt. "So many times we see a one-way taunting, and today there is some two-way communication going on. That's very positive."

[evolved_rage]

Federal agents said the letter was "very lengthy" and poorly worded, bordering on broken English.

Obviously the product of the gubmint schools. (or a terrorist!!!)

[MacDorcha]

it could be that the broken english is just a manifest of a broken logic. like stuttering. my psychology class is covering it soon, i think its called brocks syndrome (dont take my word for it, but its close to the word) which would only prove him to be nuts, and not prove much beyond that. just a thought. im no expert.

[evolved_rage]

Interesting. Stutterers stutter when they write??? But Mel Tillis can sing..

It could also be a deception... I just want this sniper dead!

[Revolting cat!]

You can bet it's being analyzed by linguists to pinpoint the writer's native tongue. It's not too hard if you know what you're doing. They won't tell us though...

[SSN558]

If the investigators release their analysis of the borken English someone, will recognize the sniper(s) and turn him/her in. The FBI resisted publishing the Unibombers manifesto for 17 years, while the bodies piled. Soon after they published it, he was recgonized and turned in.

Who will collect the $500,000 reward ? Which competing agency will get the credit for arresting the sniper ? Whose LE career will get a boost and whose will suffer ? Book rights, movie rights, etc. When govmint agencies are involved just adapt the most cynical attitude you can imagine, and predicting their next move or motive is a picnic.

[dogbyte12]

Awaiting your expertise on the topic of broken english. Bump!

[narby]

They don't want to catch this guy. If they did, they would tell the public everything except ongoing dialog.

The Uni-bomber wasn't caught until they published his manuscript. They catch child snatchers in California by instantly publicizing information, and trust the people to find the bad guy. IT WORKS!

But Moose is apparently a democrat, with a PC investigation. They can't trust the people to help find this guy. They'd rather people died than let a non-cop find the perp.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

I remember the secret service telling the Russian authorities "Yeltsin's gonna have a stroke soon".

They were observing his gate. He did have a stroke.

You can bet they know the village this guy came from.

And you're also right, they won't tell us.

I can't freakin' believe he hasn't been caught!

[Cicero]

This guy will not be caught unless someone informs on him. And no one will inform on him until they release more information.

In particular, they should either confirm or deny the French connection. If they confirm, they should supply a picture of the guy.

The FBI rarely catches anyone unless an informer tips them off. You'd think they would distinguish between information that needs to be kept secret and information that should be published widely.

Haven't they heard of the concept of a Wanted Poster?

[Lilly]

re: Post #10

...apparently not.

[per loin]

When asked about the possible "French connection" today, the mooosie seemed to not have even heard of it. That's a real confidence builder.

[Consort]

Sounds like Barbra Streisand. Did anyone report hearing singing at the crime scenes?

[TopQuark]

His French is much, much better.

[DAnconia55]

Maybe he's just trying to communicate with Ted Williams.

[Momaw Nadon]

Is it time to bring in psychics to solve the DC area sniper case?

[Senator Pardek]

"The left side is open - the left side is OPEN!"

[TLBSHOW]

Do not even go there!

[cricket]

"Any kind of contact we have with him is good," said former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt. "So many times we see a one-way taunting, and today there is some two-way communication going on. That's very positive."

. . .tell that to the latest victim.

This is not the 'old' story of communicating with a killer. . .but think they are handling it, like it is.

Time for a different tack, in my two cents humble opinion. . .stop talking to this guy; he is playing for the pleasure of control, pulling the chains of law enforcement. . .WHY cater to this person; tell the public what to look for; what he is saying. . .and why?

. . .or just stop the 'press non-conferences' and stop appealing to the public for help; when they do not know whom or what to even look for. . .

[cricket]

"But Moose is apparently a democrat, with a PC investigation. They can't trust the people to help find this guy. They'd rather people died than let a non-cop find the perp."

SOMEbody is going to have to get control of this investigation; someone besides the sniper that is. . .

Could be wrong, of course. . .but have been saying the same re the information et al. . .

More fear created for the people by not having info. . .and get real close to 'viewer rage' listening to Chief Moose, talk in 'cryptic' to this perpetrator of serial atrocities. . .