Reward offered in the 2007 drowning death of Joshua Whittier

Information sought that leads to an arrest and conviction in the death of the 21 year-old Florida man.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 04, 2010 – SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FLORIDA — A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the February 2007 death of 21 year-old Joshua Whittier.

News of an anonymous reward gave new hope to Joshua’s mother, Melody Schmidt, who has moved away from Florida to Colorado. Schmidt said "We hope and pray that this generous reward will help give someone the courage to come forward.”

The weeks before Josh’s death were a busy and exciting period in the popular young man’s life. He had just signed with Ford Models of Miami, started a new job in Gulfport, Mississippi and travelled home to Navarre, FL on the weekends.

On Feb. 18, 2007, Josh’s body was found face down in the sand at the water’s edge of Santa Rosa Sound between Juana’s Pagoda and the Navarre Beach Bridge located on the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida panhandle. A pack of cigarettes and a bottle of Corona beer were close by. Josh’s wallet was found empty a bit farther up the beach but his state identification was located in a truck belonging to the brother of a police officer; the brother has since left the state. And there were scrapes on Josh’s chin, hands and knees that are consistent with being pulled by his feet along the drag marks found in the sand that lead to where Josh’s body was eventually discovered.

Despite speculation from Josh’s friends that foul play was involved and with no fluids in the lungs to support an accident in the water, the cause of death was instead eventually determined to be accidental drowning.

In 2009 Melody Schmidt retained the assistance of the seasoned homicide investigation team at the Fair Justice Foundation. The FJF team has investigated numerous high profile crimes and cold cases such as JonBenet Ramsey; Columbine; Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders - - just to mention a few. OM Gray, retired Sherriff’s Captain and Municipal Court Judge, reports that there are at least 50 newly uncovered pieces of evidence further support that Joshua’s death was no accident. Gray said “we remain fully committed to following this evidence wherever it may lead us in seeking justice for Joshua.”

Robin Sax, former Prosecutor, author, legal analyst, and victims advocate had said, “If this young man had drowned, even in an inch of water, there would have been clear evidence." Sax continued "since there was foreign DNA found on the outside of Josh’s clothing and the cell phone in his pocket was still operational, it is pretty obvious that something more than an unfortunate accident happened to Josh." Sax praised the efforts and interest in this case, stating "I applaud Melody’s tenacity in seeking justice for her son. The generous reward offered by the unknown donor is deeply encouraging as is the professionals over at the Fair Justice Foundation and the ongoing support of the Gulf Coast community to demand justice for Joshua."

An escrow account has been established by the anonymous benefactor’s attorneys to manage the reward until the right person comes along with the right information about what happened to Joshua. All information will be evaluated by investigators with the ultimate goal of an arrest and conviction.

“It is never too late to do the right thing,” investigator Gray concluded. “I invite anyone with information to come forward. It will only take one phone call or email to bring justice for Joshua.”

To report information: Call the anonymous Fair Justice Foundation tip line at 206-312-7399 206-312-7399 or email tips@fairjusticefoundation.org

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About the Fair Justice Foundation:

The Fair Justice Foundation was founded to provide information and awareness to state legislators considering passage of a DNA Fingerprint Law. The DNA Fingerprint law would require that any person arrested for a felony be DNA Fingerprinted and that data be submitted to the National CODIS database.

The Discovery Project was initiated in late 2008 to serve families of victims of violent crimes where the case remains unsolved by reassuring them that people continue to care and will not let the case be forgotten.

Please contact us if you would like more information, if you have information on a case, or if you would like to offer your services to assist us in our mission. You may visit us on the web at www.fairjusticefoundation.org

a plea to the public

Seems like a good time to re-up this release from the Foundation - -

The Fair Justice Foundation Seeks Information and Tips in the
1996 Murder of JonBenét Ramsey

Child’s Murder Remains Unsolved after 13 Years

ATLANTA, GA Dec. 23 -- The Fair Justice Foundation (www.fairjusticefoundation.org) today released a list of behaviors and potential scenarios which may have been noticed about the person who killed JonBenét Ramsey, around the time of the murder. Six year old JonBenét Ramsey was found murdered in the basement of her home on December 26, 1996. After thirteen years the case remains unsolved.

In issuing the public plea, John Ramsey, JonBenét ’s father said, “We are hoping to jog memories and in doing so, asking everyone to examine their consciences.” He continued, “We’d like them to share any doubts or information they have about someone they know who may have behaved strangely or acted out of character around the time of my daughter’s murder.”

This public plea for information regarding the murder of JonBenét Ramsey is part of the foundation’s Discovery Project. The program was initiated in 2008 to serve families of victims of unsolved violent crime. The Discovery Project is uniquely positioned to support law enforcement efforts by new generating information such as in the Ramsey case, where initiatives may help to identify the unknown male that left his DNA in multiple locations at the Ramsey crime scene.

“We have very good reason to believe that the individual that committed this crime may have done so in the past and is absolutely capable of hurting someone else”, said detective Lou Smit who has worked on JonBenét’s case on behalf of law enforcement and independently since 1997. “The criminal community may have its own set of values and principals” added Smit, “but even so, can still come forward with information as there is a code of decency that cannot condone what happened to JonBenét.”

Personality traits that may be recognized by someone that knows an individual who was in Boulder, CO on Christmas day 1996:

Judgmental: strong or persistently expressed opinions about organized religion, capitalism and US participation in global affairs.

Cold: one perceived as capable of acting without compassion that very well may be violent toward others, set fires or killed animals in the past.

Kidnap interest: may have described a fantasy or the risks of what it would be like to abduct someone.

Fascination and fantasy regarding little girls and boys.

Secretive: maintains spaces or possessions he is extremely protective of that is strictly off limits to others.

Bondage: discussed, demonstrated or practiced the construction of garrotes and/or other strangulation devices and body restraints on himself or others.

Stun Gun: having a stun gun and paid excessive attention to it by frequent maintenance, display and practice using it

Someone that knows the person that took JonBenét’s life may have noticed one or more of the following scenarios following JonBenét’s murder at Christmas 1996:

Superficial wounds: Bruises scrapes or scratches on the face, neck or hands that were unexplained or for which the explanations changed.

Absent: nonattendance at work, church, school or other routine habits or hobbies.

Isolation: a spontaneous trip or sudden need to spend time alone.

Change of physical appearance: sudden new hair style or alteration of facial hair.

Intense interest: following case updates and news releases with heightened attention and focus.

New or used vehicle: abrupt and perhaps seemingly impulsive change in the car or truck he usually drove.

Relocation: a hasty change in geography relating to his living, working or regular friends and hangouts.

Collector of memorabilia: saving images or videos of JonBenét from newspaper, television or the internet

Vengeance: stating or hinting that the Ramsey’s – or JonBenét – are getting what they deserved.

Complimentary toward killer: impressed with perpetrator as a criminal mastermind while attributing great intelligence, skill or even luck.

Possessions: has items that came from the Ramsey home.

The Discovery Project has set up an email (tips@fairjusticefoundation.org) and crime tip hot line (206-312-7399) to intake information from the public, which has received messages from all across the United States. Investigators are hoping for a fresh impetus to their quest for justice in this appeal to the public for any information they might have, regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem.

“It's only going to take one email or phone call to solve this case, and it's going to be from somebody out in the public that knows something and wants to do the right thing," said retired Sheriff’s Captain and Municipal Court Judge OM Gray. Gray, an investigator involved with the Ramsey case since 1996, went on to say “I would appeal to everyone to think back to Christmas 1996 - did they see or hear about something suspicious? Do they know anyone acting peculiar or out of the ordinary that was either unaccounted for on the holiday or known to be in vicinity of Boulder, CO on 12/25/1996?"

About the Fair Justice Foundation

Founded by John Ramsey in 2008, the Fair Justice Foundation is a not for profit organization dedicated to providing information and awareness to state legislators considering passage of a DNA Fingerprint Law. The DNA Fingerprint law would require that any person arrested for a felony is DNA Fingerprinted and that data is submitted to the National CODIS database. The Discovery Project was initiated in late 2008 to serve families of victims of violent crimes where the case remains unsolved by reassuring them that people continue to care and will not let the case be forgotten. For more information you may visit FJF on the web at www.fairjusticefoundation.org

Contact:

Fair Justice Foundation
Crime tip email: tips@fairjusticefoundation.org
General email inquiries: info@fairjusticefoundation.org
Crime tip hotline: (206) 312-7399

new old news

As I have come to learn where there is new information about JonBenet there is certain to be an edgy opinion coming from Alan Prendergast over at the Westword. There is no point to debating the faults in Prendergast's same ol'spin, but his last sentence did catch my attention. He claims there are clues and leads the Ramsey 'family let slip away'. And here I have always thought that was law enforcement's responsibility in a homicide investigation, following up and managing all those leads or clues - -

John Ramsey's hunt for suspicious characters
Published in the Denver Westword
By Alan Prendergast

"It wouldn't be the holiday season without the annual appeal from John Ramsey for help solving the 1996 murder of his six-year-old daughter, JonBenét. Check out the latest announcement on his Fair Justice Foundation website and this video.

...As Alex Hunter once said, the list of suspects narrows--but 13 years after the endless dance among cops, prosecutors, lawyers and the victim's family that let so many leads and clues slip away, it may be entirely too little too late.[...read more]

excited about science

Eagle High school students in Idaho are all about CSI with teacher Misty Sterk. She first became interested in forensics after reading about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey and the Columbine massacre, cases covered by some of the Fair Justice Foundation investigators. Ms. Sterk's message to her class is that crime scene processing is not at all like one sees in TV series and says "Every victim has a story to tell. And every suspect has a story to tell. When all three of those match up, you've found the truth." --

In 'CSI: Eagle High,' Idaho students learn crime scene techniques
Posted in the Idaho Statesman
By Joe Estrella

"Rhees Stilinovich and David Dionato spent a day last week examining blood types and DNA at a crime scene.

"A person's blood type can put them at the scene," Stilinovich said. "But their DNA can link them to the crime."

Stilinovich, 16, and Dionato, 17, are not cops on TV. They are kids in Eagle, part of a class that is getting students excited about science by processing a crime scene, using maggots to determine time of death, fingerprinting, analyzing blood spatters, determining race and gender based on skeletal remains, DNA testing and ballistics.

...The course is the brainchild of Eagle High School biology teacher Misty Sterk. About another 60 students will take the class next semester and the hope is to turn forensic science into a yearlong course next year.

Sterk became intrigued with forensic medicine while she was a student at the University of Colorado. She saw daily reports on the investigation into the JonBenet Ramsey murder in 1996 and the Columbine High School massacre in 1999.

She said her first job with the 60 students who signed up for her class this semester has been to emphasize that a career in forensic science is nothing like what they see each week in the various incarnations of the "CSI" television series....[...read more]

a message from the Fair Justice Foundation

I am writing today to invite you to view a brief video message from John Ramsey’s Fair Justice Foundation:





We know that somewhere, someone holds information about what happened to JonBenet when her life was taken in 1996. Someone, somewhere knows the truth about who, how and why this happened. A special message has been designed by the Fair Justice Foundation for an individual who knows the story of how or why JonBenet became the target for murder. The message might have meaning for someone that was told about the events of that fateful night by a relative, work colleague, friend, neighbor or even a passing acquaintance. We need to relay this message to the right person; someone that knows something.

Until the owner of the unique identifiers left at the crime scene is discovered, while such a loss of life may never be reconciled, the unending nightmare for JonBenet’s family remains underscored by the acute understanding other innocents are similarly at risk.

The aim is to share this video message until it reaches that special person holding a critical piece of information about what happened to JonBenet.

To do so, we need your help.

Please send a link to the video message to your friends and colleagues by email, text or instant messaging. Please spread this message linking or sharing the video on websites and social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

If you know of such a special person, or want to pass along vital information that could help, please email tips@fairjusticefoundation.org or call: 206-312-7399

The pursuit of truth is timeless; together let’s find a way to break the silence.

Thank you for watching, sharing and caring.