D.B. Cooper by Alex Sander

         What happened on November 24, 1971, still leaves thought to many, including the FBI. Known to the media as “D.B Cooper,” he hijacked an airplane claiming he had a bomb. After being granted his ransom of $200,000 Cooper was gone, he parachuted out where authorities suspect was somewhere in Washington State. Over the years, many conspiracy theories have been developed:

                        Did he die in the fall?

                        Did he parachute safely down and escaped with the cash?

                        Is D.B Cooper really Kenneth Christiansen?

            D.B. Cooper is a name without a face, without a background, without evidence. Rather, D.B. Cooper is an embodiment of possibly the most famous unsolved crime in history. The hypothetical D.B. Cooper managed to hijack a plane, collect $200,000 ransom in cash, and vanish into thin air. D.B. Cooper was actually Dan Cooper, until the media mistakenly referred to him as D.B. Cooper and the name stuck (Gray). Dan Cooper was the name the man used to buy his one way plane ticket to Seattle, a mere 30 minute flight from Portland (1). Dan Cooper was just a pseudonym used to buy the plane ticket, discovered after the hijacking when the name didn’t connect to anyone who fit the profile of the hijacker. Cooper was not your stereotypical plane hijacker. The plane stewardess actually described him as quite the opposite in the article Unmasking D.B. Cooper: He was not a so-called sky pirate, which she’d read about in the papers, or a hardened criminal. He was not a political dissident with a wish to reroute the plane to Cuba, like many of the hijackers until then. He was polite. Well spoken. A gentlemen. At one point, he offered to pay for his drinks with a $20 bill and insisted the stewardess keep the rest ($18) as change. Cooper’s calm resolve seems to hint towards the idea that perhaps he felt no internal conflict at all. Most people in a similar situation, with a bomb in their bag, demanding a large amount of ransom money, would be expected to show some signs of nervousness, whether it be through sweating, shaking, or rudeness. On the contrary, Cooper was none of those, almost entirely avoiding external conflict besides his communication with the stewardess. Does that mean Cooper felt no guilt about the hijacking because he felt that the money was going towards a just cause, or it was something that had to be done? Or was Cooper a psychopath simply unable to feel remorse or question his own actions? Cooper’s persona outside of the hijacking itself remains unknown. It was thought that he was from the Seattle area when the stewardess heard him say “Looks like Tacoma down there” when glancing out the plane window. Yet, if someone was going to pull off a plane hijacking successfully without getting caught, the chances that they would do it in a location where they could possibly be recognized by someone they knew are slim to none. This leads back to ground zero, with no concrete evidence on D.B. Cooper’s background. In a crime shrouded with mystery, D.B. Cooper’s true identity and character remains arguably the most puzzling piece of the story. It is haunting to think about D.B. Cooper’s lack of emotion throughout the event, and wonder whether it was due to justification or a serious mental problem. The lack of external conflict throughout the affair also makes room for endless questions about the reason for the hijacking. Why demand $200,000 to never contact anyone or be seen again? He was a real life ghost, seemingly appearing out of thin air and just as quickly vanishing back into it.

 

            In the only unsolved air piracy case in American history which involves D.B Cooper, three conspiracy theories are heavily touched. Of the theories, the first one provides comfort for most suggesting that Cooper died in the fall down from the plane. The other two theories are associated with $200,000 ransom. The first conspiracy theory proposes that Cooper plummeted to his death out of the plane. Many investigators including Special agent Carr of the FBI who worked the case believe that Cooper was a very experienced skydiver or maybe even a paratrooper. “We concluded after a few years this was simply not true. No experienced parachutist would have jumped in the pitch- black night, in the rain, with a 200-mile-an-hour wind in his face, wearing loafers and a trench coat. It was simply too risky. He also missed that his reserve chute was only for training and had been sewn shut—something a skilled skydiver would have checked.” (Eddy.) Even if Cooper did make it to the ground it was winter time and not having the right equipment is deadly. Many investigators think that Cooper had very little chance of surviving the jump. “Diving into the wilderness without a plan, without the right equipment, in such terrible conditions, he probably never even got his chute open.”(1) However Coopers’ body or parachute have never been found. The second conspiracy theory suggests that Cooper parachuted safely down and escaped with the ransom. Throughout multiple investigations authorities just don’t have enough information to rule out anything. $5,800 of the ransom money was recovered ‘in 1980 just north of Portland on the Columbia River, a young boy named Brian Ingram was digging a fire pit in the sand at a place called Tena Bar. He uncovered three bundles of cash a couple inches below the surface, with rubber bands still intact.” (Lewis) Some say that Cooper buried it for a rainy day and others believe that it floated down multiple rivers and was eventually buried by time. The third conspiracy advises that the mysterious D.B Cooper is actually Kenneth Christiansen. Lyle Christiansen who was an elderly man at the time, was convinced that his late brother was the infamous Cooper. Kenneth was a paratrooper who was just deployed after World War II. When he left the military he got a job for North Orient Airlines, which was the same airline “Cooper” had hijacked. “Author Gray showed Kenneth’s photo to the only hijack witness who’s still alive, a woman who’d been a flight attendant that November night, and she acknowledged the resemblance” (Eddy, Cheryl.) Why is Kenneth Christiansen the one who most turn to when they think of D.B Cooper? Because of the eerie likeness between him and the notorious descriptions of Cooper. Kenneth who was a paratrooper which authorizes believe Cooper was, is an iffy conspiracy to go off of but the fact that “Kenny” worked for the same airline that Cooper hijacked a plane from is very suspicious. A survey of twenty-five people uncovered that 80% agree that the conspiracy that most likely occurred is that D.B Cooper parachuted from the aircraft down to safety and escaped with the ransom money. There just isn’t enough evidence that can overturn this conspiracy because of the fact that a body or parachute have neither been found. Hopefully more evidence will soon emerge along with truth to one of the most famous crimes of all time.

            The D.B Cooper case remains the only unsolved air piracy case in American history. Over the years the high jacking has developed into three conspiracy theories:

Did he die in the fall?

Did he parachute safely down and escape with the cash?

Is D.B Cooper really Kenneth Christainsen?

Although some ransom money was found in the area of the high jacking, no body or parachute have ever been recovered and the hunt for the infamous D.B Cooper continues.

Work Cited

"D.B. Cooper, Everything You Need to Know...". Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

Eddy, Cheryl. "The 8 Most Intriguing Theories About Skyjacker D.B. Cooper." Io9. N.p., 23 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

 Lewis, Michael. "D.B. Cooper: Everything You Need to Know in 5 Minutes." D.B. Cooper: Everything You Need to Know in 5 Minutes. Citizen Sleuths, 07 June 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

 "In Search of D.B. Cooper." FBI. FBI, 17 Mar. 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Gray, Geoffrey. Published Oct 21, 2007. "Unmasking D.B. Cooper." NYMag.com. N.p., 21 May 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

JonBenet Ramsey Conspiracy Theories by Alyssa Montemayor

What really happened December 26, 1996, when JonBenet Ramsey, a 6-year-old pageant queen, was found murdered in the basement of her home (“Martinez and Karimi”)? After her parents received a ransom note in the kitchen, Jon Benet was gone (“JonBenet Ramsey: The unsolved murder that haunts America”). Ever since the mystery death of this pageant queen, tons of conspiracy theories have arisen throughout the city of Boulder, Colorado, and the nation. These conspiracy theories are that an intruder broke into the house late that night, her parents killed her, or her brother killed her out of jealousy. Let’s take a look into this case and find out who really is the murderer of Jon Benet with her brother, Burke Ramsey, as the most reasonable suspect.

Who was JonBenet, you may ask? She was what you would call the perfect child. Competing in pageants, this six-year-old was known as the perfect pageant queen around town. As innocent as she was, Jon Benet was a six-year-old, blonde hair, blue-eyed beauty. Pursuing pageantry, this beauty queen did not have the chance to see how far her talent could get her, as her case still remains unsolved.

As JonBenet was following the footsteps of her mother, a former title holder for Miss West Virginia, so many family and friends supported and loved the little JonBenet (“Patsy Ramsey’s Funeral”). She was the life of the party, the energy, a fun, and loving child according to former pageant friends, Thumper Gosney and Brandi Vigil, in an exclusive interview with Inside Edition (“20 Years After JonBenet Ramsey’s Death, Her Pageant Friends Remember ‘Fun-Loving Kid’”). Gosney stated “I remember her personality. The spunk she had on stage.” Brandi Vigil also stated that JonBenet “had a bright light about her, she was just a really nice fun-loving kid.” For her family, they loved JonBenet dearly, and they stated in interviews the care and hope the Ramsey’s had for their child. Then, why did this happen to such a loved, free-spirited 6-year-old, one Christmas day?

From the two children the Ramsey’s had together, it is safe to say that after JonBenet was born, externally all eyes were on her. JonBenet’s brother, Burke Ramsey, had been known as the soft spoken type and always kept to himself. So, with JonBenet now being the “baby” in the family, this changed perspectives. Burke was known to have a history of scatological problems, which is defined as certain thoughts coming from the brain that not every human being has, in the past that were claimed by special FBI agents, and he also had some mental problems (“Cheer and Rahman”). This could be applied to the reasoning behind the death of JonBenet Ramsey. When that Christmas night Patsy had left a bowl of pineapple and some tea for Burke, JonBenet had attempted to sneak some fruit for herself, which prompted Burke to lash out. As this entire incident unfolded in a matter of minutes, it is to be said that a team of experts, who re-opened the case, do not believe it was a case of murder, but possibly accidental (“Cheer and Rahman”). At the time, Burke was nine years old (“Cheer and Rahman”). These experts worked hard to prove this theory, unfolding every piece of evidence there was. These investigators go by the name of Jim Clemente who was a former New York City prosecutor, Dr. Henry Lee, a world-renowned forensic scientist, James Kolar, the chief investigator for the District Attorney in Boulder, Colorado, Dr. Werner Spitz, a leading forensic pathologist, James Fitzgerald, who was a retired FBI supervisory special agent, Laura Richard, that was a criminal behavioral analyst, and Stan Burke, who was also a retired FBI supervisory special agent and statement analyst.

This team of experts in a two-part CBS documentary, “The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey” stated that after an autopsy report, once the little girl was found dead, there was residue of pineapple in her stomach that hadn’t been digested. This lead back to when Pasty served Burke pineapple and tea after coming home that night. These experts stated that “JonBenet, being the little curious girl she was, came downstairs and snagged a piece of fruit” (“Cheer and Raman”). After possibly being upset over presents or attention earlier in the night, Burke could have easily gotten angry and over-reacted a bit striking his little sister with a flashlight. This all came to conclusion when everything was in the right place at the right time.

As the perfect pageant girl, JonBenet was a loved little girl with a bright future ahead of her who never got to experience life past the age of six. Friends and family stating how she was the life of the party and such a fun kid to be around on and off the stage (“20 Years After JonBenet Ramsey’s Death, Her Pageant Friends Remember ‘Fun-Loving Kid’”). No one ever understood why this would happen to such an innocent, beautiful girl. Also, no one ever found out what happened to this innocent, beautiful girl as this case still remains unsolved with Burke Ramsey, her brother, being suspected.

Thinking back on what happened December 26^th in the city of Boulder, Colorado, lots of conspiracies have arisen. It has been over 20 years since the incident with a beautiful 6-year-old-pageant-girl, named JonBenet, and her brother is to blame. Other conspiracies have been made that still leave America thinking what really could have happened, as this case still remains unsolved. Three conspiracies are highlighted while one suggests that JonBenet had been kidnapped and murdered as an intruder broke into their home. However, the other two conspiracies include that JonBenet was murdered by one of her family members.

The first conspiracy theory presents an intruder breaking into their home early that morning after getting back from the White’s Christmas party, which were the Ramsey’s Family friends. There are pieces of evidence gearing towards the intruder theory, including a three-page ransom note written by a “foreign faction called the S.B.T.C” (“Text of 1996 JonBenet ransom note”), unknown DNA found in JonBenet’s underwear, a broken window in their basement with a suitcase propped against the wall, and shoe marks beneath the same broken window (“Det. Says Ramsey Photos Indicate Intruder.”). In the early morning of December 26, Patsy Ramsey made a call to 911 regarding a kidnapping when she found a ransom note lying on the end of her stairway. “The note demanded $118,000 from the Ramsey’s for the safe release of their daughter” (“Text of 1996 JonBenet ransom note”). Later in the investigation, DNA was found in the underwear she was wearing the night of her murder. In the autopsy, scientists found stains of blood on her underwear which lead to questions. The DNA was then tested and found to be “from an unidentified man and did not match anyone in the Ramsey family” (“DNA clears JonBenet’s family, points to mystery killer”). A private investigator from this case, Lou Smit, was an active believer in in the “intruder theory.” He thought the cause of the broken window was from a break in which explains why the suitcase was propped against the wall following the scuff marks on the wall (Lovitt). This was one of many accusations of there being an intruder to enter the home of the Ramsey’s, early morning on December 26^th. Although the evidence given to prove this is solid, there are patches that still leave this theory questionable. The ransom note also left a lot of questions as the entire investigation continued. CBS televised a 2-part documentary that explained the JonBenet Ramsey case and unraveled every piece of evidence. In addition, scientists took samples of DNA from almost the exact same underwear JonBenet wore the night of her murder. While testing, the team of experts wore gloves to ensure nothing was touched. Once the results were in, unknown DNA was still found in the underwear, so they concluded that the foreign DNA could have simply been from the manufacturing process. This proves that the DNA could have come from anywhere and doesn’t fully clear the Ramsey’s.

The second conspiracy theory states that Patsy Ramsey, her mother, is the killer. Lots of incidents happened that suspect Patsy Ramsey. From JonBenet wetting her bed and her mother getting after her, to all the suspicion John and Patsy brought to the case. It is to be said, that night after putting the little JonBenet to sleep, Patsy later came upstairs to a wet bed from JonBenet. “According to retired FBI profiler Gregg McCrary, bedwetting had become a “chronic problem” and “nightly occurrence” for Ramsey” (“Did Bedwetting Play Part In JonBenet Ramsey’s Gruesome Murder?”). So, it was inferenced that Patsy may have been tired and annoyed by the problem Which led to Patsy “punishing” her daughter with the possibility of her striking JonBenet “and maybe accidently hitting her harder than she intended to” (“Did Bedwetting Play Part In JonBenet Ramsey’s Gruesome Murder”). Quickly realizing what Patsy had done to her daughter, Police speculated that she came up with a plan to cover up the tragic incident she caused the night of December 26^th (Radar Staff 2016). This was a great deal of evidence for Police and investigators, but the constant denial and stubbornness given by the Ramsey’s made it that much harder. There was lots of bizarre behavior from John and Patsy when it came down to investigation on the case. The Ramsey’s wouldn’t cooperate with anyone. The family would not interview with anyone either, they hired attorneys right away, and it took the Ramsey’s until April 30^th, four months after the murder, to have their first full sit-down interview with police (Tanita Matthews). Investigators stated that “It’s not typical behavior that you see from families who have had a child or family member murdered” (“Debunking the JonBenet Ramsey Kidnapping: What was the family’s rea; role in the murder?”). It was the year 1996, a Wednesday, when prosecutors cleared the Ramsey’s completely from any accusations that it could have been them to blame for this murder.

The last conspiracy theory points to Burke Ramsey as JonBenet’s killer. The evidence provided in this case is the most reasonable evidence to prove that Burke Ramsey killed JonBenet. In a recent documentary on CBS, investigators claimed the night of her murder, after coming home from the holiday party Burke was having a late night snack (“Shenton 2016”). JonBenet came downstairs to her older brother eating pineapple. Being the little girl she is, JonBenet stole a piece for herself. Burke Ramsey got extremely upset by this and “experts in the CBS documentary claimed that the now twenty-nine-year-old accidently killed his sister during a row over a piece of pineapple and his parents played a part in helping covering it up” (“JonBenet Ramsey family friend supports sensational theory claiming brother killed beauty queen and parents covered it up”).

So, why exactly does Burke Ramsey remain the main suspect? And how could he do such thing? It has been proved from a family friend of the Ramsey’s, Judith Phillips, that burke has always been jealous of his sister and has acted out a couple of times from it (“Shenton 2016”). Judith, 64, claims “When Burke was born he was the absolute apple of Patsy’s eye. Then along came this little girl who stole all the attention” (“JonBenet Ramsey family friend supports sensational theory claiming brother killed beauty queen and parents covered it up”). A year before her death, the CBS documentary claimed that burke lost his temper one day and struck JonBenet with a golf club. (“Shenton 2016”). So the same investigators “feel something similar may have happened on the night of her death after she went downstairs to eat some of the pineapple left for him after going to bed” (“JonBenet Ramsey family friend supports sensational theory claiming brother killed beauty queen and parents covered it up”).

A survey of twenty people revealed that 60% believed Burke killed JonBenet and her parents covered it up. The recent survey has close results and this just goes to prove why the case still remains unsolved to this day. Documentaries are still being made in honor of the little girl to try and prove who really killed her.

Works Cited

Carrejo, Cate. "What Is The Intruder Theory? The JonBenet Ramsey Case Has Numerous Plot Holes." Bustle. Cate Carrejo, 07 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

"Debunking the JonBenét Ramsey Kidnapping: What Was the Family’s Real Role in the Murder?" Real Crime. Tanita Matthews, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Edition, Newsweek Special. "JonBenét: The Door the Cops Never Opened." Newsweek. N.p., 28 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“20 Years After JonBenet Ramsey's Death, Her Pageant Friends Remember 'Fun-Loving Kid' - Inside Edition.” Inside Edition, http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/18595-20-years-after-her-death-jonbenet-ramseys-pageant-friends-open-up-about-fun-loving-kid.

"JonBenet Ramsey Family Friend Supports Sensational Theory Brother Killed Her."Http://www.mirror.co.uk/authors/zoe-shenton/.  Mirror. N.p., 25 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Jacobs, Neil. "Who Wrote the Ransom Note?" CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

"JonBenet Ramsey." JonBenet Ramsey: The Denver Post Online. Karen Auge, 14 Oct. 1999. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Louise Cheer for Daily Mail Australia. “JonBenet Ramsey's Bedroom Walls and Christmas Presents Were 'Smeared in Feces by Disturbed Brother Burke' - after New Claims Emerged He Killed the Child Beauty Queen  .” Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 23 Sept. 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3799601/claims-jonbenet-ramsey-killed-older-brother-burke-smeared-feces-wall.html.

Martinez, Michael. “Court Papers: Grand Jury in 1999 Sought to Indict JonBenet Ramsey's Parents.” CNN, Cable News Network, 25 Oct. 2013,

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/25/justice/jonbenet-ramsey-documents/.

 “Patsy Ramsey's Funeral.” CBSNews, CBS Interactive, http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/patsy-ramseys-funeral/.

Staff, Radar. "Did Bedwetting Play Part In JonBenét Ramsey’s Gruesome Murder?" Radar Online. Radar Staff, 09 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

"Text of 1996 JonBenet Ransom Note." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Aug. 2006. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“The Case of: JonBenét Ramsey - Video.” CBS, http://www.cbs.com/shows/the-case-of-jonbenet-ramsey/video/?ftag=acq-02-10aaf6i&vndid=%2bjon%2b%2bbenet%2b%2bramsey%2b%2bcbs&ref=__iv_p_1_g_29090750530_w_kwd-258806800319_h_9027837_ii__d_c_v__n_g_c_140884271218_k_%2bjon%2b%2bbenet%2b%2bramsey%2b%2bcbs_m_b_l__t__e__r_1t1_vi__&gclid=ckvmqpz7hnacfuqdaqod-cehwa.

Kurt Cobain Conspiracies by Dylan Johnson

                   On April 8, 1994, Nirvana lead man, Kurt Cobain, was found dead of a gunshot wound sustained on April 5, 1994, in his Seattle home.  Many people thought it was suicide, but others believed it was not. Kurt was never thought to be suicidal before his death, although he did go through stages of depression. There are several theories relating to the death of Kurt Cobain that have arisen since the day of said event.

            Kurt Cobain experienced many contradictory events which helped lead towards several conspiracies about his death. He was the lead singer of a successful rock band named Nirvana. He was said to have been unhappy throughout his life and especially before his death in 1994. It is well-known that Kurt had an obsession with drugs. Kurt was married to a woman named Courtney Love with whom he didn’t get along and wanted to divorce (Conaboy). Nirvana was on a tour in Europe when Kurt was transported to a hospital in Rome for bronchitis and laryngitis (1). Kurt was found at 4:00 AM by his wife Courtney, who alleged he had taken around fifty pills (1). This was claimed to be his first suicide attempt, which was known as the Rome Incident.

            One out of two of the major conspiracies about Kurt Cobain was that he committed suicide and was not murdered. There is viable evidence to both claims, but some suggest that he took his own life. For example, Kurt showed signs of major depression months before his death. Another reason why people claim it was suicide was the Rome Incident where Kurt overdosed on pills and was thought to attempt suicide (Conaway). According to a Rolling Stone article published in June of 1994, Kurt didn’t have good relations with his wife or his band (1). Cobain had also borrowed a shotgun and shells from his friend, which he claimed was for intruders (1). Kurt’s body was found in his lake house with three times the amount of a lethal dose of heroin (1).  In the same vicinity of his body was a suicide note informing his fans that he was going to stop making music, but the note did not say anything about suicide (1).

            The other major conspiracy about Kurt Cobain’s death was that his wife, Courtney Love, murdered him and framed it as suicide. When Kurt went missing, she hired a detective named Tom Grant to help find him. Grant stated, “After several months of intensive investigation, including dozens of taped interviews with dozens of Cobain’s closest friends and family members, I reached the conclusion that Courtney Love and Michael Dewitt, (the male nanny who lived at the Cobain residence), were involved in a conspiracy that resulted in the murder of Kurt Cobain.” (Grant). Grant claims that Courtney Love hired the most powerful attorneys and friends to hide the truth from the public (1). In his article, Grant titled a section, “Here’s just some of what you were never told”, which includes that Courtney Love was facing a divorce, someone was using Kurt’s credit card while he was missing, Cobain was in fear for his life, there was no “suicide” note, Courtney had another note she kept secret, and Cobain was injected with three times the lethal dose of heroin (1). There is plenty of evidence which helps suggest that his wife, Courtney Love, murdered him.

            Kurt Cobain’s death has led to many conspiracies being made about how he died. Whether someone believes its suicide or not depends on their opinion. There is plenty of evidence which helps support either argument. Kurt Cobain had a lasting impact on the music industry and an even greater impact for conspiracies.

           On April 8, 1994, Nirvana lead man, Kurt Cobain, was found dead of a gunshot wound sustained on April 5, 1994, in his Seattle home (Conaway).  Many people thought it was suicide, but others believed it was not (1). Kurt was never thought to be suicidal before his death, although he did go through stages of depression. There are several theories relating to the death of Kurt Cobain that have arisen since the day of said event but there are only two main theories that surround that day.

One out of two of the major conspiracies about Kurt Cobain was that he committed suicide and was not murdered. There is viable evidence to both claims, but some suggest that he took his own life. For example, Kurt showed signs of major depression months before his death (Grant). Another reason why people claim it was suicide was the Rome Incident where Kurt overdosed on pills and was thought to attempt suicide (Conaway). According to a Rolling Stone article published in June of 1994, Kurt didn’t have good relations with his wife or his band (1). Cobain had also borrowed a shotgun and shells from his friend, which he claimed was for intruders (1). Kurt’s body was found in his lake house with three times the amount of a lethal dose of heroin (1). Cobain’s heroin, (morphine), blood level was 1.52 mgs per liter according to an autopsy performed on the body (Grant). The drug Diazepam was also found in his blood system (1). In the same vicinity of his body was a suicide note informing his fans that he was going to stop making music, but the note did not say anything about suicide (Conaway).

The other major conspiracy about Kurt Cobain’s death was that his wife, Courtney Love, murdered him and framed it as suicide. When Kurt went missing, she hired a detective named Tom Grant to help find him (Grant). Grant stated, “After several months of intensive investigation, including dozens of taped interviews with dozens of Cobain’s closest friends and family members, I reached the conclusion that Courtney Love and Michael Dewitt, (the male nanny who lived at the Cobain residence), were involved in a conspiracy that resulted in the murder of Kurt Cobain.” (1). Grant claims that Courtney Love hired the most powerful attorneys and friends to hide the truth from the public (1). In his article, Grant titled a section, “Here’s just some of what you were never told”, which includes that Courtney Love was facing a divorce, someone was using Kurt’s credit card while he was missing, Cobain was in fear for his life, there was no “suicide” note, Courtney had another note she kept secret, and Cobain was injected with three times the lethal dose of heroin (1). There is plenty of evidence which helps suggest that his wife, Courtney Love, murdered him.

There was a poll that polled 20 random people on whether they believed that Kurt Cobain committed suicide or was murdered. After reading the report, 14 people believed that Kurt was murdered by Courtney Love and another 6 believed that Kurt had killed himself. The evidence most closely suggests that Cobain was murdered by his wife Courtney Love.

            Kurt Cobain’s death has led to many conspiracies being made about how he died.

Whether someone believes its suicide or not depends on their opinion. There is plenty of

evidence which helps support either argument on whether he was murdered by his wife Courtney

Love, or committed suicide based upon his depression. Kurt Cobain had a lasting impact on the

music industry and an even greater impact for conspiracies.

  

Works Cited

Tom, Grant. "Case Outline - The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation by Tom Grant." Case Outline –The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation by Tom Grant. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Conaboy, Kelly. "How Did Kurt Cobain Really Die? The Murder Conspiracy Theory,Explained." Gawker. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Nicole Brown Simpson by Kasey Kennedy

      

         Who really killed Nicole Brown Simpson?  On June 12, 1994, the thirty-five year old model was “brutally murdered,” outside of her L.A. home,  along with her friend Ron Goldman (“Nicole Brown Simpson” 1).  Simpson’s ex-husband, O.J. Simpson, was immediately the number one suspect for these murders, but was later found not guilty (1).  Since then, several conspiracy theories have emerged: O.J. hired Glen Rogers,  a serial killer, to murder Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, O.J.’s son, Jason Simpson,  murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, or O.J. murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.  Let’s take a look at Nicole Brown Simpson and the conspiracy theories surrounding her death, and the likelihood of O.J. Simpson being the murderer.  

         To many people, Nicole Brown Simpson was a party girl, but to those who truly knew her she was family centered and determined to make her marriage work.  Many people saw Simpson as the “... party girl who had wild affairs throughout her marriage…” (“Nicole Brown Simpson…” 1).  Rayce Newman, a confessed former-drug dealer, claimed to have seen Simpson dancing at clubs and being interested in “coke” and “good-looking guys” ( 1).  When interviewing with Elle magazine Tanya Brown, Simpson’s younger sister, makes this statement about how others views of Nicole Simpson might have been “misguided”:

In the real-life trial that followed, and the media crush surrounding it, Ron Goldman would all but disappear. Nicole Brown Simpson, when she was mentioned at all, would all too often emerge only as a character shaped by the needs of her husband's defense team—the slut, the gold digger, the cokehead, the bitch—while the domestic violence she suffered for years at her husband's hands all but disappeared from public view. By the time the trial was over, it was difficult even for those rare spectators who wanted to know who the real Nicole was to find out what she had been like, or to separate fact from slander. (Marshall)

To many people, the “party girl” image could have been the only descriptions they knew about Nicole Simpson.  However, to those who truly knew Simpson, they had a very different opinion of her.

    Nicole Brown Simpson was very family centered and determined to make her marriage work.  Simpson’s sister Tanya also describes her as being “...very hands-on,” in the matter of her children (Marshall 1).  Simpson had nannies, but they were there incase she needed the help (1).  She always put her kids first, above everything else, including herself; and she was set on putting her family in the best situation she could (1).  Nicole Simpson struggled greatly with the abuse and neglect she faced from O.J., and many believed she was crazy for staying with him, but to Simpson, she stayed with O.J. for her family (1).  Tanya Brown makes this statement to Elle magazine, on how Simpson was trying to make her marriage work, while caring for her children:

She always put her kids first. Always put her kids first. Some people may come back to me and say, "Well, no, she didn't, because she allowed the abuse to go on." You know what? Unless you understand the dynamics of domestic violence, she was putting her kids first. She was trying to create an environment of love and hope and healing, trying to make things work, but we don't know what we don't know. Twenty years ago we didn't have this conversation. We didn't know what domestic violence was. (Marshall)

Nicole Simpson was “... nuts about the guy” (1).  Tanya Brown says that even on the night that Simpson was killed, she told her mother “He will always be my soulmate” (1).  She wanted their marriage to work not only for her sake, but for the sake of her children.

        Three conspiracy theories, surrounding the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman have surfaced.  Two of these conspiracy theories suggest that the murderer was not O.J. Simpson, but was a serial killer or his son.  The final conspiracy theory suggests that O.J. Simpson was the killer.  Though, no matter who the killer was in these conspiracy theories, they all in some way involved O.J. Simpson.   

       The first conspiracy theory suggests that O.J. Simpson hired Glen Rogers, a serial killer, to murder Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.  Glen Rogers apparently told his family that O.J. Simpson had hired him to steal a pair of earrings from Nicole Simpson’s apartment and to kill her “if she got in the way” (Jones 1).  Rogers did claim to have killed Nicole Simpson, but he also claimed to have killed seventy other people, a claim which Rogers later recanted (1).  However, none of these claims can be proven true.  As the Wrap Staff stated in their article, the claim of O.J. Simpson hiring Rogers to steal and possibly murder Nicole Simpson is “...double hearsay — an alleged quote of an alleged quote — and would likely be considered too unreliable to be admitted in a courtroom,” therefore making this claim unreliable and unsubstantial (“O.J. Innocent?...” 1).  In a documentary about Rogers himself, there is no evidence provided on how O.J. Simpson and Glen Rogers might have known each other, or why Simpson would trust Rogers enough with such a task (1).  If Rogers did recant his claims of killing seventy other people, it can be called into question not only the certainty of those claims, but also the claim of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman (1).  

        The second conspiracy theory suggests that Jason Simpson, O.J. Simpson’s son, murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.  Jason Simpson had set up a family dinner, that Nicole Simpson evidently skipped out on, which then caused him to murder her in a “jealous rage” (Jones 1).  O.J. then later arrived to try and help his son cover up the murder (1).  According to Private Investigator Bill Dear, Jason Simpson was under probation, during the time of the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman for “...attacking a former employer with a knife. Two months earlier he violently assaulted Jennifer Green, his then girlfriend. On another occasion, he attacked a former girlfriend and sliced off her hair with a knife” (“OJ Simpson- A…” 1).  Writings that Dear found in Jason Simpson’s personal diaries seem to be the writings of “... a man tormented of obsessive feelings of violence” (1).  Jason Simpson’s anger would become so great, that he would go into “fits” of rage (1).  Nevertheless, these elements do not stand to reason when they are put to the test.  As it states in The Unredacted article, “Multiple witnesses report seeing Simpson near the vicinity of the crime scene around the time of the murders, but none reported seeing Jason”; therefore, if the witnesses had seen O.J., they would have seen Jason Simpson (1).  Jason Simpson checked himself into a mental hospital, because he was apparently so terrified of what he might do while in these “violent rages” (1).  If Jason Simpson was aware of these “rages” and knew to be cautious of this behavior, why would he choose to act on his rage against Nicole Simpson, and murder her?  Although many believed Jason Simpson was the murderer, the “facts” of this conspiracy do not make sense.  

        The final conspiracy theory suggests that O.J. Simpson murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.  Having the police immediately suspecting O.J. of the murders, the way he reacted to being arrested, and the evidence found all pointed to him being the killer; however, with a trial lasting over eight months, O.J. Simpson was found not guilty.  Then why are so many American’s still discussing this murder case? Because of the likelihood of O.J. Simpson being the murderer and the incriminating evidence surrounding this case.  When O.J. became aware that he was going to be arrested he “took off in his white Ford Bronco,” leaving a suicide note behind and entering into a “slow speed chase” with twenty police cars (“OJ Simpson- A…” 1).  Instead of staying and trying to prove his innocence, O.J.’s actions seemed to prove his guilt-ridden mind.  The evidence all seems to point to O.J.  Bloody footprints, that matched O.J. Simpson’s rare size twelve Bruno Magli shoes, were found at the crime scene (1).  O.J. did try to deny owning these pair of shoes, however, investigators were able to uncover photos of him wearing these exact shoes (1).  There were also multiple witnesses that claimed to see O.J. at the crime scene during the time of the murders (1).

A survey of twenty people exhibited that 100% of people agree with the most likely option of O.J. Simpson being the murderer.  In a recent discovery Mike Gilbert, O.J. Simpson’s former agent, claims that Simpson confessed to killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman (Spargo 1).  According to the Daily Mail article, Gilbert makes these claims about his conversation with Simpson:

He was looking around the backyard, reliving all the different events that happened there. And I just asked him: "What happened June 12th [the day Nicole was murdered]? said Gilbert.‘And he asked me what I thought happened. And I said: "I always thought you probably did it." I said: "I know what you told AC [Al Cowlings], that you went there but you just went to see what was going on, you didn't take a knife."' That is when Gilbert claims Simpson made his confession. 'He shook his head and he said: "Yeah." And he said: " If she wouldn't have opened the door with a knife she'd probably still be alive."' (Spargo)

Gilbert then goes on to state that he believes O.J. went to Nicole Simpson’s house with the intent on killing her, because “... of how she made him feel ... rejected ... like she didn't need him” (1).  Yet, all of this evidence did not seem “fit” enough to the jury to charge O.J. Simpson with the murder.  Even with all of the substantial evidence the prosecutors had, the jury ruled in favor of the defense, who used the technical mistakes made by the forensics team to “...suggest contamination of the crime scene…” (Price 1).  With this case remaining “unsolved,” Nicole Simpson’s family is left to wonder who the “true” killer is.  

Conclusion

    On June 12, 1994, the thirty-five year old model, Nicole Brown Simpson, was “brutally murdered” outside of her L.A. home, along with her friend Ron Goldman (“Nicole Brown Simpson” 1).  Since then, several conspiracy theories have emerged: O.J. hired Glen Rogers,  a serial killer, to murder Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, O.J.’s son, Jason Simpson,  murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, or O.J. murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.  Despite the fact of having solid evidence that points to O.J. Simpson as the murderer, this twenty-two year old case remains “unsolved.”

Kasey Kennedy

Composition 1

November 23, 2016

Projects 1-4

Works Cited

Jones, Nate. “See the Four Most Popular O.J. Simpson Conspiracy&Nbsp;Theories.”PEOPLE.com, 23 Sept. 2016, people.com/crime/see-the-four-most-popular-o-j-simpson-conspiracy-theories/.

Marshall, Sarah. “This Is the Nicole Brown Simpson You Won't See On FX's New Drama.”ELLE, 14 Oct. 2016, www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/interviews/a33954/nicole-brown-simpsons-sister-remembers-the-real-nicole/.

“Nicole Brown Simpson.” Bio.com, A&E Networks Television, www.biography.com/people/nicole-brown-simpson-21254807.

“Nicole Brown Simpson Was Involved In Drug-Fueled Parties & Steamy Affairs Before Death.” Radar Online, 3 June 2016, radaronline.com/celebrity-news/oj-simpson-nicole-brown-murder-party-sex-affairs/.

“O.J. Innocent? The Many Flaws With ID’s New Theory of the Simpson-Goldman Murders.”TheWrap, 20 Nov. 2012, www.thewrap.com/oj-innocent-many-flaws-ids-new-theory-simpson-goldman-murders-66011/.

“OJ Simpson - A Killer in the Family.” Theunredacted.com, 19 Nov. 2016, theunredacted.com/oj-simpson-a-killer-in-the-family/.

Price, Lydia. “O.J. Simpson Murder Trial&Nbsp;Explained.” PEOPLE.com, 1 Feb. 2016, people.com/crime/o-j-simpson-murder-trial-explained/.

Spargo, Chris. “'If She Did Not Answer the Door with a Knife She Would Still Be Alive': OJ Simpson's Agent Claims Football Star Made Chilling Murder Confession and Admitted to Stabbing Nicole Brown to Death .” Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 20 June 2016, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3648762/OJ-Simpson-s-agent-claims-football-star-chilling-murder-confession-admitted-stabbing-Nicole-Brown-death.html.

Kurt Cobain: The Mystery of His Death by Shelby Smith

The mystery behind the death of Kurt Cobain still stands despite the closure of the case by the police officers who ruled his death a suicide. On April 15^th, 1994, Kurt Cobain died, reported to have shot himself with a shot gun as well as overdosing on heroin. (Maria Vultaggio, 1) But those who have taken the time to take a deep look into his death know that several fishy details still have yet to be reprimanded by the authorities like; why would Kurt Cobain shoot himself with a shotgun when he could have simply let his heroin overdose take over? And how did he manage to shoot himself after ingesting three times the lethal dose of heroin?  (Tom Grant, 1)  After taking a look at the evidence we can determine that everything points back to his murder.

         Kurt Cobain was a creative mess. He loved to do drugs but most of all he loved to create music. There is question on the entirety of his mental well-being or lack thereof because of his train wreck of a lifestyle. There is also a trail of mystery because of the face Kurt left behind to his loved ones was one that represented happiness and a man prepared to live life to its fullest despite the depressing nature of his music and the word of his wife. He was difficult to read for people who didn’t know him well because of his reservation and quiet presence, but it was clear to his closest friends and family, save for Courtney Love, his wife, that he was content before he supposedly committed suicide (“Soaked In Bleach”). This also leads us to look into the character of Courtney Love herself and question the stability of their marriage. The anomaly presented by his wife leads us to the source of the conflict that is the death of Kurt Cobain.   

 

        Courtney Love worked in the music industry similar to her husband and fell into the rough of the crowd. Detective Tom Grant, the lead investigator of the Kurt Cobain case worked closely with Courtney Love and he admits that she was an avid drug user and a manipulative attention enthusiast. Grant said “Most of the time I was with her, she was either on drugs or doing drugs.”(“Soaked In Bleach”) Not only that but she also “Planted a story in the news … saying that [she] had OD’ed and that [she] was in the hospital.”(1)  This may have been the reason that the two argued as often as Dylan Carlson said. “I don’t know why Kurt married her. They don’t get along. They don’t agree about anything. They’re always fighting. That type of thing.”(1) And perhaps it’s this constant fighting that led to the divorce that Kurt planned to file. In a panic, Courtney fled to a family friend and lawyer, Rosemary Carroll to see if there was any way to annul the prenuptial agreement that she had entered upon the marriage of her and Kurt but was denied (“Soaked In Bleach”). In Tom Grant’s website on the Cobain case, he explicitly says “Kurt was in the process of leaving Seattle and his wife Courtney, when he was found dead. Courtney knew Kurt wanted out of the marriage. Just weeks prior to his death, she asked one of her attorneys to get the "meanest, most vicious divorce lawyer" she could find.”(Grant). In an interview with Rosemary Carrol, she told him that “Courtney also asked Rosemary if the prenuptial agreement could be voided.” “According to Rosemary, Kurt hadn’t completed his will yet. He told Rosemary he wanted Courtney taken out of it.” (Grant). All of this gives her proper motive to kill her husband before he left her with one income to feed a baby and a drug addiction.

            Kurt was faced with the difficulty of choosing between a life of indulgence, or a life that centered around his daughter. He had struggled with his own heroin addiction like Courtney, but was attending rehab to help clean up his act and reduce his dependence on the illegal substance after Courtney called him out saying, “This has got to end. You have to be a good daddy.”(“Soaked in Bleach”) He spent some time in a rehab center in Marina Del Rey, California prior to his death though it is unsure whether or not his time in the center did anything for him. His tastes tended to run towards things less polished and more rustic and homey whereas Courtney preferred the expensive new things (Grant). He was known for going to trashy motels as opposed to the expensive ones that he certainly could afford. He enjoyed living humbly and having close relationships with the few people he surrounded himself with (Grant) (“Soaked In Bleach”).

This however led people to believe him to be a closed off and depressed which of course was backed up by his well-known heroin addiction and the edgy nature of his grunge rock songs like Lithium where he sings “I’m so lonely, but that’s okay, I shaved my head … And I’m not sad. And just maybe I’m to blame for all I’ve heard … But I’m not sure.” (“Soaked In Bleach”). (Lithium, Cobain) However those who talked to Kurt could vouch that there was no meaning behind his dark lyrics and that despite his quiet nature, he was not actually depressed. Kurt himself in an interview said “I’m tired of people trying to put too much meaning into my songs. A lot of times when I write lyrics, which is at the last second ‘cause I’m really lazy and then I find myself having to come up with explanations for it. There was may be one or two lines here or there, but I swear to god brother, it’s not really as much as it seems.” (“Soaked In Bleach”). One friend of his mentions that “[He] think[s] people tended to read him wrong just because he was a quiet person. [He] didn’t see Kurt as being depressed at all, [he saw] him as being optimistic (“Soaked In Bleach”). All of these combined features make it difficult to convict him as the suicidal man he is painted to be. 

           The death of Kurt Cobain is undeniably much more complicated than the story painted by the media. While the public story is that he shot himself, it is important to see the minute details of the case that could point towards his murder, as ordered by Courtney Love.

            The police report states that the door was locked from the inside and that the “SFD broke the westside French door to gain access…” (The Smoking Gun) When Tom Grant spoke with the police officers that were apart of the investigation, they were “… inferring that Cobain had to have been alone in the greenhouse when he died.”(Grant) However upon further digging, Grant noticed that the lock on the door “… was a simple push-in and twist type. ‘Anyone could have pulled that door shut after locking it!’”(Grant.) After pointing this out to Sargent Cameron, the officer that Grant spoke to at the police station, Sargent Cameron added resentfully that “There was a stool wedged against the door.” However the police reports mentioned that the stool had been placed in front of the unlocked balcony doors on the other side of the room which provided no outside access to the greenhouse (Grant). The evidence suggesting that Kurt was locked inside, meaning no outside source could have partook in his tragedy is all based upon the inference that nobody locked the door behind them when leaving rather than the exploration of possibilities.

            “The toxicology report from Kurt Cobain’s autopsy indicated a heroin blood level of 1.52 milligrams per liter. Five milligrams will produce a level of .035 milligrams. Most users, even heavy users, only use up to 40-60 milligrams in one hit. So you can see to reach 1.52 milligrams per liter, you’re talking about an amount that would have certainly have exceeded 200 mg that were injected into Kurt Cobain. Three times the amount that would be considered lethal.” (“Soaked In Bleach”) A health professional enlightens us that Kurt was definitely drugged up and that the effect of the heroin would have killed him. It does not take a health care professional to know that when a drug enters the body through the blood stream that it takes effect very quickly. So when we are told that Kurt died from a self-inflicted shot gun wound to the head it’s difficult to get around the fact that Kurt should not have been able pick up a shot gun, let alone shoot himself. “Even for the most sever heroin addict, it would have incapacitated him. He would have been unconscious. Then to roll down the sleeves, put away the heroin kit, pick up the shot gun, position it backwards and pull the trigger… It just doesn’t make sense.” (“Soaked in Bleach”)

            These two inconsistencies are not to sniff out the corruption of police. When Kurt went missing initially, Courtney filed a police report that states “He bought a shot gun and may be suicidal.” (The Smoking Gun) This means that the police were already considering the idea of a suicide before brought upon the case, meaning their judgement is impaired with bias of prior knowledge. So rather than snooping out every possibility with the utmost scrutiny, they went with the easiest, logical scenario without following up on the discrepancy of the theory.

            In light of all this evidence, it appears possible that Courtney may have had something to do with Kurt’s death. Following his death, Courtney received his entire estate which she couldn’t have inherited otherwise because of the divorce that Kurt planned to file. (Grant) If Courtney set up his murder then it is possible that the murderer injected him with the heroin to sedate him, unaware of the sheer volume that they were injecting him with, then proceeded to shoot him with the shot gun that a “suicidal” man had bought only a few days previous. Kurt’s heroin addiction made the combination of the two seem rather characteristically sound to the police. If the person who murdered Kurt had left, it would have been easy for just about anyone to lock the door behind them and leave. A man by the name of Eldon Hoke incidentally claimed that “Love offered to pay him $50,000 to dispose of the Nirvana front man.” (Maria Vultaggio) In an interview for a documentary following the conspiracy of Kurt’s murder he said “Yeah, she offered me fifty grand to whack Kurt Cobain.” (Maria Vultaggio) Two days later, this man was mysteriously hit by a train and died. (Maria Vultaggio) 

            In a survey, 20 people were asked if they believed that Courtney had Cobain killed and 50% of which said yes. 67% of those aware of Tom Grant’s breakdown of the case believed that Courtney had Kurt killed. However there is still not enough evidence for the police to conduct a deeper investigation to see if Courtney truly conspired against her husband.

         Despite the reports of the police and the media, the death of Kurt Cobain is still debated upon. The fishy details of his circumstance such as the overdose, the false reports and the demeanor that Kurt displayed prior to his death have yet to be validated, leaving us to wonder until further evidence is found. Did Kurt really commit suicide, or was he murdered for the benefit of his wife Courtney Love?

Works Cited

Drive, By Dynamic. "Case Outline - The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation by Tom Grant." Case Outline - The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation by Tom Grant. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Grant, Tom. "Case Outline." The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation by Tom Grant. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Grant, Tom. "Summary Of Events." Cobain Case. Dynamic Drive, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.

"Kurt Cobain's Death, 10 Years After." The Smoking Gun. TSG Industries Inc., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Soaked in Bleach. Dir. Benjamin Statler. Prod. Donnie Eichar. Perf. Daniel Roebuck and August Emerson. 2015. Netflix.

Vultaggio, Maria. "Kurt Cobain Conspiracy Theories Remerge."International Business Times. IBT Media Inc., 05 Apr. 2016. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.