With the approach of the one-year (for lack of a better word) anniversary of Raychel's murder, here's a thought for you: Most homicide cases are solved in the first 48 hours or not at all.
Raychel's homicide investigation is still open, but that is only a formality. Unless the case is solved, the police cannot close it. As far as I know, the police haven't acted on the case in a long time. I have heard of no new evidence, no further questioning of suspects, and still no charges pending against a suspect.
Older cases such as Raychel's suffer from the constant flow of new homicides. Inactive investigations don't receive further action because they are near the bottom of a stack of an understaffed police force. Frequently these cases stay with the detective until he or she retires. But they cannot close the case. They just put it on the side. To them this is just another case.
Last week I called the police to see what further progress has been made in the case. The fact that I have not received a return call leads me to believe that Raychel's investigation is as dead as she is, and I'm not going to take it anymore!
Raychel was a special person in my life. As such, I believe her homicide investigation should receive special treatment.
Since I am one of the few of Raychel's friends with the resources, I am taking it upon myself to hire a private investigator to look into Raychel's murder. I have not hired one yet, but I am in the process of finding one. When I do, I would like to post his reports (or whatever he gives me) on this site. That is, with Lance Wagner's permission. I know that this site is still his site. I have spoken with him regarding my proposed addition to the site, and he has been receptive; however, we will delay a final announcement of our complete intentions until after I have an investigator and Lance has followed up with some ideas of his own.
When I hire a private investigator, it is my hope that he or she begins the investigation with a thorough review of the police case files. I will not hire an investigator who cannot access Raychel's investigation from the police! If the investigator cannot obtain these important files, then we will be starting off at square one and we will never know where the police went wrong in their investigation.
"While I feel I know who is responsible, I think that starting off on a clean slate is the best way for the investigation to maintain validity. It is enough I have to fund this investigation, I don't need to supply my own outcome." |
I also hope that the investigator reviews this web site. A number of things have come up on this web site which I believe need to be answered before anyone can properly establish any kind of motive (Not the least of these is who paid Sharon Wolfe to be Raychel's bodyguard). If you have any suggestions for items needing immediate action, please e-mail me and let me know. I will pass them on to the investigator when I hire one. I also hope that the other contributors to this web site will send their own notes and questions.
I would also like to keep the investigator from going into the matter with any preconceived notions about who I or others believe is responsible for Raychel's murder. While I feel I know who is responsible, I think that starting off on a clean slate is the best way for the investigation to maintain validity. It is enough I have to fund this investigation, I don't need to supply my own outcome. If we discover the murderer, I intend to then return the matter to the police for prosecution. That is the reason I would like to distance myself and others from the process.
The police may have done their best, but after one year it's time for the case to be investigated by new eyes.
