Author Topic: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved  (Read 1403 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline thundley4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 40571
  • Reputation: +2222/-127
Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« on: December 16, 2008, 10:40:57 AM »


Quote
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — A little boy's murder that shocked parents everywhere, launched a national television crusade and confounded detectives for more than two decades may finally be solved.

Hollywood police today are expected to identify Ottis Toole as the killer of Adam Walsh, the 6-year old snatched from a Sears store at the Hollywood Mall on July 27, 1981.

Adam's severed head turned up two weeks later in Vero Beach and his body has never been found.

Police aren't talking about the case, but have scheduled a 2:30 press conference with John Walsh and the crew from "America's Most Wanted.'' Walsh became a vocal advocate for the plight of missing children after his son's death, testifying before Congress, founding the Adam Walsh Foundation and, in 1988, debuting his crime-fighting television program.
Source

I hope John Walsh, finally gets closure, but doesn't give up his fight.


added photo for front page
« Last Edit: December 16, 2008, 07:46:54 PM by Chris »

Offline Ralph Wiggum

  • It's unpossible that I'm a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18629
  • Reputation: +2073/-49
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2008, 06:53:45 PM »
A serial killer who died more than a decade ago is the person who decapitated the 6-year-old son of "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh in 1981, Florida police said Tuesday.

The announcement brought to a close a case that has haunted the Walsh family for more than two decades, launched the television show about the nation's most notorious criminals and inspired changes in how authorities search for missing children.

"Who could take a 6-year-old and murder and decapitate him? Who?" John Walsh said at Tuesday's news conference. "We needed to know. We needed to know. And today we know. The not knowing has been a torture, but that journey's over."

Much more at LINK
« Last Edit: December 16, 2008, 07:45:23 PM by Chris »
Voted hottest "chick" at CU - My hotness transcends gender


Offline RightCoast

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3438
  • Reputation: +185/-24
  • Semper Fi means more than most will ever know
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2008, 07:04:22 PM »
****ing great news that the dirtbag is gone.  Too bad that it sounds like he went peacefully - where are Saddam's wood chippers when you need them?
nine eleven is a car
nine one one is an emergency service
September 11, 2001 was an attack
Never Forget, or Minimize.

Offline thundley4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 40571
  • Reputation: +2222/-127
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2008, 07:08:59 PM »
They showed the press conference awhile ago on FNC. It was heartbreaking to watch, but at least John Walsh has some closure.

Offline Miss Mia

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8052
  • Reputation: +353/-137
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2008, 07:21:30 PM »
At least there's closure for the Walsh family. 
Stink Eye
"Bloodninja: It doesn't get any more serious than a Rhinocerus about to charge your ass."

Offline Sweet Dee

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1460
  • Reputation: +80/-77
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2008, 07:24:26 PM »
Hopefully little Adam will be at peace now.

Offline DixieBelle

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12143
  • Reputation: +512/-49
  • Still looking for my pony.....
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2008, 07:31:29 PM »
I cannot imagine.......God bless the Walsh family. And especially John Walsh for having the forititude to turn his pain into what he did with America's Most Wanted.
I can see November 2 from my house!!!

Spread my work ethic, not my wealth.

Forget change, bring back common sense.
-------------------------------------------------

No, my friends, there’s only one really progressive idea. And that is the idea of legally limiting the power of the government. That one genuinely liberal, genuinely progressive idea — the Why in 1776, the How in 1787 — is what needs to be conserved. We need to conserve that fundamentally liberal idea. That is why we are conservatives. --Bill Whittle

Offline Chris_

  • Little Lebowski Urban Achiever
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 46845
  • Reputation: +2028/-266
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2008, 07:36:23 PM »
I cannot imagine.......God bless the Walsh family. And especially John Walsh for having the forititude to turn his pain into what he did with America's Most Wanted.
Thanks for saying what I was thinking -- 100%
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline jtyangel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9116
  • Reputation: +497/-110
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2008, 07:37:06 PM »
I cannot imagine.......God bless the Walsh family. And especially John Walsh for having the forititude to turn his pain into what he did with America's Most Wanted.

Exactly what I was thinking, Dixie. Even when the Walshes could not get closure in their own case, they brought it for many others who suffered at the hands of criminals.

RIP Adam and well wishes to the Walshes who now have the closure they have long needed.

Offline Hawkgirl

  • Alpha Female
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4291
  • Reputation: +186/-73
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2008, 07:57:11 PM »
Rest in Peace Adam and for John, a truly great man that fought back despite his grief by helping countless families...We need more people like him.

Offline SSG Snuggle Bunny

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 23049
  • Reputation: +2234/-269
  • Voted Rookie-of-the-Year, 3 years running
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2008, 12:25:22 AM »
My ex-FiL was the lead homicide detectives on that case. After he retired he went into ministry work. He told me when they had initially apprehended Ottis they were trying to get him to reveal the whereabouts of Adam's remains but to no avail. The captain came to my ex-FiL and said Ottis wanted someone to pray with and it was then that Ottis made his initial confessions. Although these confessions were clouded with lies it seems pretty obvious they held enough truth.

My ex-FiL has an astounding memory. One Saturday we were sitting around when i told him 2 very official looking gentleman came up the front walk. They were former colleagues asking about a mob murder. The lead suspect had been found in a rock pit in New York 6 months prior and they wanted to know what he recalled of the original murder.

Apparently, the original victim had entered his business from the rear door early in the morning about 6am. The killer had been lying in wait and delivered a single blast to the chest from a shotgun. There had been a large amount of blood splatter consistent with a point-blank shotgun injury. Furthermore, questioning of friends and family seemed to rule out anyone with a personal motive and no valuables were taken. Because of the lying in wait, the choice of shotgun (no ballistics) and absence of an acquaintance as a suspect my ex-FiL assumed it had been a contract killing more than likely a mob hit.

As soon as he said "mob hit" the other 2 started nodding their heads. Although the murder was more than 6 years old at that time the lead suspect had made himself known to several organized crime units between south Florida and New York.

It seems he had been laid off for poor job performance.
According to the Bible, "know" means "yes."

Offline Tucker

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10935
  • Reputation: +535/-97
  • Making money the old fashioned way- Paid Mole
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2008, 10:52:31 AM »
I can't begin to imagine the emotions the family is going through right now.

May they find peace.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2008, 11:01:29 AM by Tucker13 »
Come to think of it, unions do create jobs. Companies have to hire two workers to do the work of one.

Offline crockspot

  • In Memoriam
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1985
  • Reputation: +80/-7
  • Bite me, libs.
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2008, 10:59:46 AM »
God works in mysterious ways. The boy's death lead directly to justice for hundreds of families, and the saving of who knows how many lives by getting hundreds of dirtbags off the streets.

Offline Zeus

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3265
  • Reputation: +174/-112
Re: Police: 1981 killing of Adam Walsh solved
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2008, 11:04:22 AM »
wasn't solved. laid off on a dead guy to close the book.

I feel for the Walsh family but I think pinning the murder on a dead guy that can't defend himself is a convenient way to pump up the solved cases stats & close the book on a crime. Also put a department in a good light to mask previous screw ups.

Even though Toole confessed to the crime, he confessed to many crimes it was proven he didn't commit. As far as the information he gave regarding the crime it was all pretty much public info already. The one piece of evidence that may have connected him to the crime was "Lost" before DNA evidence could be extracted.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2008, 11:06:11 AM by Zeus »
It is said that branches draw their life from the vine. Each is separate yet all are one as they share one life giving stem . The Bible tells us we are called to a similar union in life, our lives with the life of God. We are incorporated into him; made sharers in his life. Apart from this union we can do nothing.