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Remember how we said that August 16 was an excellent day for arresting murderers?
We swear, we didn’t have any inside information.
Although, now that we look at the facts, we should have known something was up three years ago, when two judges declared that JonBenet Ramsey was probably killed by an intruder, and — more significantly, perhaps — scientists sequenced crime-scene DNA belonging to an “unknown male.”
Now investigators have to figure out whether John Mark Karr’s confession to Thai officials is real, or whether he’s a sicko of a different kind — a pedophile who became so obsessed with the case that he wanted to be a part of it. So far, here’s what we can turn up to suggest that Karr is faking:
- His ex-wife, Laura, told a TV reporter that she spent the entire 1996 Christmas season with her then-husband at home in Alabama. (JonBenet was killed the day after Christmas.) She also said that Karr was obsessed with the case and had researched it intensively, which could be evidence either way.
- Karr also may have spent time that Christmas with his brother, who was living in Georgia at the time. JonBenet, of course, was killed in Boulder, Colorado.
- Some details from the murder scene suggest the killer had inside information on the family. (For instance, the ransom note — which we’ve posted after the jump — demands $118,000, which is roughly the amount of John Ramsey’s Christmas bonus from that year.) It’s unclear how, or even if, Karr knew the Ramseys.
On the other hand, if Karr does turn out to be the “Real Killer,” investigators have two ways of proving it — a DNA match, or, according to this article, seeing just how much their suspect knows:
“There are a lot of facts about her actual death that the public does not know,” [author Lawrence] Schiller said. “If he did confess to some facts of the murder, to reveal those facts of the case, that would finish the puzzle.” Among the facts he said were not generally known was the murder weapon and what the killer did with it.
They’ll probably also want to see if Karr’s handwriting resembles the garbled ransom note left at the scene. After the jump, we’ve reprinted it — or you can check out the Smoking Gun’s collection of case documents, a huge story from the Observer about detectives trying to crack the case (written just two months ago), and Karr’s genuinely creepy teaching resume.
I’m not sure what I believe, but that buttoned to the top polo shirt does have that perfect psycho look.
posted by Marcy on 8-17-2006 at 4:21 pm
Dang. I wanted to look at that resume, but they seem to have taken it down now.
posted by OwenKL on 8-18-2006 at 2:45 am
Owen — it’s back up now, but just in case it disappears again, here’s the text:
—
Bachelor of Science: Magna Cum Laude, Regents College, Albany New York USA
Mission: To provide excellence in education that develops academic and technological skills, instills strong values of superior character, develops interpersonal skills and nurtures leadership qualities amongst students to prepare them for a successful future with the expectation that such an education will result in a student of superior poise.
Experience and Qualifications:
La Esperanza School (Honduras, Central America) 2004-2005 as follows:
Grade 2 Homeroom Teacher - (LES 2004-2005) self-contained grade two classroom. I taught all subjects - Language, Reading, Math, Spelling, Social Studies, Health, Art, Music, Physical Education, Computer Technology and Agriculture. I prepared weekly lesson plans, created weekly teacher-made examinations, and recorded grades every six weeks in student report cards.
Computer Technology Teacher - (LES 2004-2005) (Grades 1 through 8 ) Upper grades designed presentations and created documents, based on themes, in Microsoft Office Suite XP. Lower grades learned English through interactive language software. I maintained all computers in the lab including hardware and software upgrades and repairs.
Director of English - (LES 2004-2005) in charge of recruting new teachers of English. Duties included teacher mentoring and advisement; monitoring teachers in the classroom; collecting and checking lessons plans of all English teachers; curriculum development including selection of books and materials in the area of English, Math, Science and Social Studies; and schedule development for all subjects taught in English.
Librarian - (LES 2004-2005) Designed and maintained a small library with literature in English for grades 1 through 8. Book check-out and retrieval for students. Organization and presentation of books and media such as television, VCR and DVD player, etc. Storytime for grades 1 through 3.
-Teacher of English (Costa Rica): Pro English: English instruction for corporate executive clients in the San Jose, Costa Rica area.
-Private Teacher / Caregiver (2002-03 in Western Europe) as follows:
Germany: Three girls - 7, 11, and 12: I taught English to the girls through conversational and instructional methods. I gave computer instruction to the girls via their laptop PC’s. I drove the girls to their activities: ballet, riding, handball, etc. I assisted the girls with their homework.
Germany: Two girls - 5 and 8; boy 10: I taught English to the children through conversational and instructional methods. I awoke the children in the morning and gave them breakfast. I helped the children get ready for school and escorted them to the school bus. I helped the 8 year old girl with her homework each day. I took the children outside for play. At days end, I made sure the children had their evening bath, then put them to bed and read to them before they went to sleep.
Netherlands: Baby girl 9 months, boy 3, and girl 4: I taught English to the three year old boy and four year old girl, through conversational and instructional methods. I was very attentive to needs of the baby which included changing, feeding, and bathing her. I helped the baby when she learned to walk at 10 and a half months. I fostered independence in the children’s activities.
-Teacher of English (2001-2002 Asia and Western Europe) as follows:
Seoul, Korea: I was a classroom teacher of English for children aged 6 to 12. Duties included planning lessons, conducting classes as the sole teacher in the classroom, making assignments, and issuing grades. I taught 22 classes per week. The classes were 45 minutes in duration with an average class size of 18.
Heemstede, Netherlands: I volunteered as an English teacher at an atheneum school, planning and conducting activities revolving around English and the U.S. culture.
-Primary School Teacher (1996-2001 and Currently) in some of the most prestigious schools in the United States, working with children from high profile families. I have taught all classes to elementary students including English, Math, Science, Reading, Social Studies, History, and Computer Technology. I have taught Physical Education with large groups of 100 to 150 students, ages 5 to 10. I have worked with large groups of children in school plays.
-Private English, Reading and Math Tutor (1996-2001) for elementary students ages 8 to 12 on a private basis for an hourly rate.
-Computer Instruction (1998-1999) for children in primary school and adults in community college. Instruction for adults including Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Internet, using mostly the Windows PC environment but also including the Macintosh operating system.
-Computer Technology Proficiency (1996-2004) creation of PC’s from the ground up. Hardware/Software upgrades and diagnostics. HTML web design creating mailtos, metatags, html links and overall artistic design.
-Real estate (1981-1996) Privately owned rental business. Restoration of mansions from the Queen Victoria Era.
-Interests and Abilities: ability to read music and play several musical instruments; singer/songwriter; writer of poetry and articles; acting.
-World Travelled: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Bologna, Stuttgart, Munich, Sydney Australia, Taipei, Singapore, Seoul Korea, Osaka Japan, Istanbul, Reunion Island off the coast of Madagascar, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and a host of other cities in the United States.
posted by Mary on 8-18-2006 at 6:42 am
Does anybody have a link to a site that shows his handwriting?
posted by Patricia on 8-19-2006 at 4:11 am